This is to be expected. Ed didn't expect everyone to forget about him in a year, perhaps from the moment they entered Stonebutch, they had fallen into the eyes of others.

It's late at night, and there's no one around, if there's really something "unexpected"...... In an old neighborhood like this, most people will only take a vigilant look at it when they open their windows after the "accident" is over.

They each withdrew their gaze, remained silent, and continued on as if nothing had happened. Naria didn't have a sword with her—the dagger in her boot was definitely still there. Ed quickly prepared the spells, almost expecting the appearance of the enemy...... He felt like he needed a little vent.

The stalker was always not far behind them, but did not seem to intend to attack.

The faint moonlight fell, casting their shadows on the ground, and the ancient streets seemed gentle and quiet in the sound of their gentle footsteps. Most of the time, their shadows overlap almost completely......

Realizing this, Ed panicked to find that he had once again unconsciously wandered.

The chaos of memories made the last short journey extremely difficult. Once again, he couldn't help but think of the bright red flower he had planted in Naria's hair when they were pretending to be a young couple in Balach, the hand he shook when he taught her to dance, and his confession of failure...... The smell of roses under the moon that night was fragrant, and they didn't know his sorrows and troubles, and they didn't care, just like the enchanting moonlight tonight.

He calmed down in bitter self-deprecation, but there was a faint despair in his heart. She was so close to him and yet so far away...... He always tries not to think about anything. And told himself that she was still willing to stand by his "friend" who would only bring her all kinds of trouble and danger, and he should be grateful.

But now. He had to wonder how much longer he could endure it.

When she pushed open the courtyard door, Naria's steps involuntarily became brisk, but Ed stopped hesitantly at the door.

"Maybe I should go home......" he said, "I mean, the home in Uptown." ”

Naria looked back at him and frowned suspiciously.

"Now?" she asked.

"Well......" Ed said mumbly, "that's ...... Not so good. We shouldn't be like that...... Stayed alone ......"

They are not "a young couple" after all...... Although he wasn't stupid enough to say that.

Naria glared at him, the confusion in her eyes turning into annoyance—she understood.

"Okay. She said stiffly. "Goodbye...... Thank you for sending me home!"

Then she slammed the door his face—almost literally.

Ed reached out against the door in a panic, and was so ashamed that he wanted to bite his tongue off. What was he thinking? The enemy might still be nearby, and he couldn't leave Narya here alone!

"My bad, my bad!" he apologized in a panic. "I don't even know what I'm talking about...... Uh, I must have drunk too much!"

Naria peeked out half of her face through the crack in the door, and the look on her face couldn't tell whether she was angry or wanted to laugh.

"You're not as drunk as I am!" she said, but let him through the door with a straight face.

Ed chuckled. Thinking to himself about how the guy who was following them would have felt when he saw this...... Yes. Forget it, his reputation can't get worse anyway.

Naria let Ed sleep in Alan's room - after she swept the room uncontrollably.

The bedroom on the second floor smelled worse than the first floor, and even after tidying up and opening the window, there was still a faint musty smell. Ed lay in bed in a daze with his eyes wide open, desperately realizing that this was going to be another sleepless night.

In the darkness of the night, all the slightest sounds were amplified. He could hear rats running happily around the ceiling, a crimson like a centipede crawling through the corner, termites gnawing at the planks at the head of the bed. Stop for a while, ring, ...... Strangely, the voices calmed him down from his irritability.

Then, at the darkest of nights. There was a soft squeak from somewhere.

The sound was soft, not like the sound of a bulky wooden door being pushed open, but like an unclosed wardrobe opening a little by itself...... Ed sat up abruptly.

The house is not accessible with only two doors.

He tiptoed to the door and listened carefully. The wooden ladder upstairs is slightly deformed because of its age, and it is impossible for a nimble person to step on it without a sound...... But he didn't hear footsteps.

- No, he heard the footsteps of another man.

Naria pulled the door open and ran into the hallway and yelled downstairs, "Hey, who's there?!"

Of course, this is her home...... She has good reason to be so upright.

Ed walked out of the room with a wry smile and peered down at the railing.

Naria held a candle in one hand and a sword in the other, but the faint candlelight was not as bright as the moonlight. The windows on the first floor were still open, and in the moonlight, a tall figure slowly walked out of the darkness into their line of sight, looking up and raising his hands at them.

"I knew it wasn't the right time to visit...... But can we keep our voices down?" he said, a little helplessly.

- the liquor dealer who sat beside them in the Nautilus. His exuberant blonde hair and beard were furry like a dwarf in the blurred light

"I thought you didn't know what time it was. Naria snorted coldly, "And I didn't hear the knock I should have heard. So, even if I drag your body in front of Tonbuch's guards, it probably won't be a crime, right?"

She was clearly in a bad mood...... And Ed suspects it's not just because of this guy who showed up at her house in the middle of the night.

He involuntarily shrank and didn't dare to say anything, and the man downstairs was silent for a moment and smiled bitterly.

"I'm a little unsure if you really didn't recognize me, or if you hated me as much as you used to, Naria. He said.

His tone and accent have completely changed. Naria was stunned for a moment, then looked at Ed in shock and confusion.

"Hmm......" Ed scratched his head, making sure she really didn't recognize it before, "yes...... That's him. ”

“...... When did you recognize it?"

"Uh...... When you were in the tavern?"

Naria looked at him and narrowed her eyes dangerously: "You already recognized it...... But you're not going to tell me?".

(To be continued.) )