Isis waited for a moment to remember to tell Ed the news he had brought back, and hearing this, the other man's face was even uglier than Ed's.

"Army?!" Borena asked incredulously, "Anktan's army is massing at the border?"

"It's not 'assembly'. Isis corrected him, "I don't know if that place is actually that territory, but your army is marching south along the valley...... Anyway, I saw them and they saw me, and they didn't attack - I could have stopped them, but I was told not to do anything first, not even to roar...... Unless someone is attacked and dying. ”

He spoke quickly, obviously a little indignant, but it was Alan's request, and he couldn't ignore it.

He was the same Anktann soldier he had found in the valley that Allen had taken them through, not far from the forest that had been burned bare by Scott. The team, which numbered about five hundred men, was well-armed and well-paced, neither undead nor random mercenaries. There were a few screams in the ranks when the ice dragon flew by, and some even raised their bows towards the sky, but the panic was quickly controlled, and even if it deliberately flew a little lower, the soldiers just hid in the forest.

After circling back and forth in mid-air for a moment, it used a nearby stream to freeze the road in front of them into slippery ice...... It was a bit silly, almost like some kind of prank, after all, it was warm spring, and its magic couldn't resist the power of the seasons, so it wouldn't stop them for long...... But it just can't stand to do nothing. Anyway. It didn't attack them directly.

"Are you sure it's Anktan's soldiers?" asked Borena, involuntarily.

Iss glared at him coldly.

“...... But Allen told me that Ethan Croefler said he was able to control the situation for at least a month...... It's only been less than ten days!" Ed groaned and hugged his head.

He had not recovered from the blow of Rowell's death, and he did not even dare to look at Lowell's body. Although Brooke thoughtfully claimed that he wanted to take the opportunity to get Lowell out to see what was going on. But if it hadn't been for the damn meaningless letter to him, the personable paladin might not have had to leave the temple at all, and might not have suffered such a fate...... But in this case, it is very likely that it will be Borena and Rosa who will die.

He didn't know if it was some kind of punishment or warning - in less than ten days since the night he became a Sage, two paladins had died one after another, and the killer had not been found......

"Maybe we trust that Master Croiffler too much. Browder began.

Borena smiled wryly. He still wants to believe in Ethan...... But it takes time to send troops to the border. All in all, Ethan had to act immediately after his disappearance to be so fast. He didn't even want to think about what that meant...... But there is no escaping it.

"I need to go back immediately. He said.

“...... That's not necessarily safe. Iss reminded him with some sympathy.

"But I'm still the king of Anktan. Borena stood up. Pulling at the torn clothes he hadn't had time to change, "I have to go back." ”

"Let me, then, inform the High Priest of Andukh, Lord Hoyt Laval. He will help you...... At least keep you safe. Browder proposed.

Borena hesitated for a moment. He's dragged a temple into chaos. Drag another ......

"Maybe you can teleport me to Limestone Fort too?" he said, "it's close to Llewellyn...... And I'm sure I'll be safe there too. ”

Ed nodded involuntarily. He had seen the High Priest and knew that he could be trusted, but he preferred to trust Lady Greystone and her son in comparison...... Even if the brave knight had killed Borena once.

"I've been to that place, I can take you there...... Indeed, the Greans would know better how to deal with this situation than the priesthood of Anduhe. Scott agreed, "But in the meantime, it's best to let the Lord of Visa know what's going on." Seal off the estuary just in case. and, to evacuate the people of Karnak to Kriesburg...... If the army comes from the valley. It was the closest place to the border, and it was defenseless. ”

As the former owner of Kriesburg, Karnak was his only small possession outside of the old castle and the forest between the village. Although he had not even confiscated his taxes, he clearly still cared about the people there.

Ed listened in a daze, and involuntarily licked his dry lips, his face turned pale, and his fingertips were cold. In addition to the conflict between the Temple and King Ante, it sounds like they are facing a war right now...... He had never expected this.

"We can send knightly reinforcements to Kriesburg at any time...... If there is a need. Browder glanced at Ed and said softly.

"I don't think they're going to attack Christenburg. Scott frowned, "It's easy to defend and doesn't make any sense...... Especially now that the parents of the Holy One live there, it will anger all the believers of the water god. Probably none of them crossed the Collins Plains...... It's more likely to go around Ekwood Forest to the back of Visa—"

“...... It's possible that they're coming to attack the Temple, too?" interjected Is, "What a good reason their king is missing here. ”

Borena's face was even more ugly. The temple of Tonbutch was attacked by Ante's army, and the Temple of Collins seemed to be in the same danger...... Could it be that all the conspiracies are not directed against him at all?

“...... Perhaps, Borena could stay here a little longer?" said Eder, hesitantly.

"There's no need. Without hesitation, Scott replied, "The Collins Temple is not so easy to attack, and Iss can delay them for a while...... Let Borena go back and figure out what really happened in order to defuse the crisis once and for all - a king can only have real power in his own territory. ”

Borena nodded. Although he was not willing to be the king, he couldn't agree more. He's obviously been used as a tool throughout the whole thing...... Just like Ethan once did to him. And this time, he could no longer choose to go with the flow of his life - because it was clear that the outcome would not be peace.

“...... But at least you can stay a little longer?" Ed turned to look at Scott expectantly.

He knew Scott couldn't stay long...... After all, the identity is awkward. But he's completely overwhelmed right now, and while Browder and Xiuan don't seem to be good at dealing with the current situation, Scott, who at least knows what to do in Sean's absence, seems unusually reliable.

Isis didn't speak, but his eyes clearly flashed with the same anticipation.

Scott looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and finally reluctantly nodded.

When Rosa and Cesyana decide to go to Limestone Fort with Borena, Ed is a little surprised.

"We're completely swept up in it. Rosa smiled and explained to him, "If you can help Borena solve this problem, maybe you can earn something back...... In any case, he is also a king, and much more credible than ours. ”

Finally changing into a decent outfit, Borena grinned with his hands behind his back, not knowing whether to take this as a compliment.

"My family should be hiding in Neo now. After a moment's hesitation, Rosa spoke again, "Although Ante Boford is probably not in the mood to trouble them now, if you could tell Norvi and ask him to help find someone to watch over my old man and those little imps...... I would be grateful. ”

"Of course!" Ed agreed.

"And ......" Rosa hesitated for a moment, then reminded softly, "Beware of Aaron Mansini...... It didn't seem like he was the thing, but I always thought that guy had a ghost

Ed nodded vigorously. He didn't have a good impression of the guy who paid someone to hunt down Is.

Because he was a little worried that Scott would never return, he simply sent Borena away with the teleportation array himself. Watching those familiar figures disappear in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a little stunned - he had seen off many people here recently, and he still preferred a more ordinary way of sending off than watching his friends disappear into thin air......

"How many times has this place been used recently?"

Someone behind him asked strange questions.

Ed turned to stared blankly at Ikabard, completely unsure why he was asking this.

“...... Today, probably quite a few times. He replied honestly. The entire Temple of Tonbutch had teleported through here, but no one had told him how many times.

Icabold frowned slightly.

"Is there something wrong?" Ed asked uneasily. Icabold does sometimes have some inexplicable questions, but never without reason.

"I thought you knew that it would be better to use spells more cautiously these days. The priest replied, perfectly expressing his displeasure with an expressionless face and a voice lacking in undulations.

Ed was stunned for a moment before he reacted.

"Is that okay?" he blurted out.

Icabold looked at him faintly, as if he didn't bother to answer the question at all.

“...... Is it bad?" Ed had to ask worriedly, and there was a faint grievance in his heart.

Icabold had been quietly on the island of the Holy Sepulchre these days, and had never come to tell him that the situation on the island had changed, and he had been so anxious lately that how could he have thought of the "gap" that didn't seem to have a big problem!—and no one had come to ask him if he was okay when he teleported from Stonebucci......

“...... Maybe you'd better check it out for yourself. The priest bowed to him slightly, "That might make you ...... A little more impressive. ”.

(To be continued......)