When he opened his eyes, Ed thought he was still dreaming - because he couldn't move.

There was a soft numbness all over my body, as if I had slept for too long, my limbs could not be strengthened, I couldn't even move a finger, my mind was sticky, and I couldn't remember where I was...... Can't even remember who they are.

His stomach gurgled as he saw a high roof, a row of various dry plants hanging from the bare beams, and a strange medicinal smell on the tip of his nose, mixed with the aroma of stewed meat, made his stomach gurgle.

...... It turns out that people feel hungry even in dreams?

Ed thought blankly, slowly coming to his senses.

He realized that he was lying on a bed—in a strange, simple, but warm room. It was quiet, there seemed to be no one around, and he tried to turn his head to look around, but his neck was swollen and stiff as if it was twice as thick as it was, and he couldn't move at all...... Just like his whole body.

Memories flooded back, but now they looked more like a dream—a six-legged boar, a monster that looked like a human being, and a strong and handsome demon that was just as different from the legend could kill him with the wave of his hand......

The fear and pain of that time came back in the blink of an eye. He began to struggle unconsciously, but there didn't seem to be a single muscle in his body that was still listening to him, and then he was even more frightened by it. After a long time of tossing and turning indiscriminately, he rolled out of bed in embarrassment.

The bed was low, but he still choked on it, and the swelling and numbness suddenly turned to tingling. Pierced into his bones like countless needles, causing him to almost scream.

As he struggled to hold back the tears that were about to burst out, someone pushed the door open. Walked in.

The footsteps paused, then moved unhurriedly to the side of the bed.

A robed figure appeared in Ed's blurred vision. He blinked vigorously before he realized that it was a strange old man with white hair as white as silver.

The old man looked like a mage—a less insane mage, or more like a reclusive scholar. The whitened gray-blue robe is simple but clean and neat, and the wrinkled face is thin and upright, with a calm temperament and a calm expression. His shoulder-length white hair was meticulously combed, and he was now calmly staring at Ed, as if he were standing in front of him in a proper manner and listening to the teachings. Instead of lying on the ground in a strange position, ridiculously entangled with the quilt he couldn't break free of.

“...... You woke up faster than I expected. The old man said.

"Uh...... Thank you for saving me. Ed muttered, only to find that he seemed to have a swollen tongue when he spoke.

He thought it should be like this - he was saved. But he vaguely remembered that it was his "friend" who fished him out of the water, but he didn't know the old man in front of him.

Come back to your senses. He tried to heal himself. Familiar spells crossed his mind...... And then suddenly it became a blank slate.

He was stunned for a moment. I tried again in a panic, but got the same result. Healing was the first spell he learned and used most often, he didn't need to pronounce spells or gestures, but now, even if he wanted to say every word out loud he couldn't - it felt like he had lost a few syllables and the rest was meaningless and could no longer be connected.

Endless panic surrounded him like the icy mist of the plains of Collins.

This is...... Some kind of punishment?

He had thought about giving up the "Sage". Even the identity of the priest, no longer uses spells. Reject God's call, but not like this...... Not suddenly abandoned like this!

What did he do?! Couldn't he be confused and withdrawn? Why did he ...... at such a time?

The pure black eyes crossed his mind.

"The vortex of chaos still flows here," said the demon.

Ed struggled to take a deep breath and calm himself.

It must be so...... He still remembers the feeling of being in the cave as if he was drunk and poisoned...... This should only be temporary...... Or is it some kind of curse?

He couldn't be sure, his heart was beating fast and heavy, the feeling of blood running was becoming clearer, and after the numbness gradually subsided, the indescribable pain spread, making him start to chill for a while.

"You shouldn't be messing around. The old man, who had been looking at him silently for a while, frowned at him slightly, probably seeing the painful look on his face, "I picked up your broken bones, but they didn't heal so quickly. ”

Ed tried to give him a grateful smile, but the muscles on his face twitched and twisted.

He only now realized that something was tightly wrapped around his neck...... It was probably to protect him, but now it just made him feel like he couldn't breathe.

"Bazel!" the old man called back.

Heavy footsteps were heard, and a tall barbarian appeared by the bedside and picked up Ed without a sound. Ed didn't even get a good look out of his face hidden in his messy beard and hair, and before he could say "thank you," he was rudely thrown back on the bed, his eyes turned white in pain, and he gritted his teeth so hard that he couldn't say a word.

Heavy footsteps faded away again—the strange savage quickly left the room.

A hand lifted his head, and the cold stoneware cup came to his lips, the liquid in which it emitted a rich, indescribable smell.

"Drink it. The old man's voice was calm and a little cold, "It will make you feel better." ”

Ed closed his eyes and took a few sips, lying flat like a corpse, praying anxiously that his strength would soon recover.

He was once just an ordinary man...... But once you have power, it is more difficult to accept losing it than never getting it.

The old man was clearly a clever healer. Ed's pain faded away, but his consciousness blurred.

-- But where are his "friends"?

When he fell asleep, he thought blankly, but he couldn't remember who the familiar voice belonged to.

When I woke up again. Ed was sure he was awake hungry, for his burning stomach was the most vivid part of his entire body.

He was still weak, and felt that his whole body was swollen and smelly like a corpse that had been soaked in water for several days. And still can't use any spells...... Considering the pain he had felt the last time the numbness had subsided, he felt that there was nothing wrong with continuing to swell.

He didn't know how long he had been asleep, but he was genuinely hungry, and the smell of stew that he had smelled the last time he woke up seemed to be getting stronger and stronger, making people salivate at their hearts and lungs.

"Uh...... Anyone?" he cried out with a wide tongue in his breath. Be wise to stop trying to get up on your own.

If he falls again, he will fall apart completely.

It was a long time before someone slammed the door open. Strode in.

Ed could guess who it was by the mere sound of footsteps—the savage who had thrown him on the bed like a sack of potatoes yesterday stood not far or near, still silent.

Ed's neck couldn't move, so he could only roll his eyes as hard as he could, looking at the tall figure of the barbarian.

He didn't know why a barbarian would live with an old human man...... But he remembered his name—a name that didn't quite resemble a barbarian.

"Hey. Bazel. He greeted him in a friendly way. I'd love to say thank you sincerely and have a polite chat...... But the hand that was about to come out of his throat didn't allow him to waste his time so much.

“...... Is there anything to eat?" he asked, licking his lips cheekily.

A moment later, a large bowl of fragrant broth was slammed on the bedside table, and the soup spilled even onto Ed's face, and the savage quickly retreated, as if Ed, lying on the bed, was suffering from something that would be contagious to him.

"Uh......" Ed couldn't help but laugh. He struggled to bounce on the bed a few times, trying to get the savage to understand his current predicament: "You see. I'm not sick, I'm just injured and can't move...... Can you help me?"

Bazel didn't move.

At a time when Ed began to wonder if this human expression was too tactful for a barbarian. Suddenly, he rushed at him again, grabbed Ed, and tried to put him in a sitting position like a girl would do with their dolls.

If he weren't the "doll" who couldn't move and could only be at his mercy, Ed would probably be unable to help but laugh.

He felt that he should be grateful no matter what...... But when his gaze swept over a wound hidden under the barbarian's neck, his mind went blank for a moment.

It was a terrible wound, and although it was carefully stitched with a gray-white thread, it was still possible to see through the open gap grayish-green flesh that had not healed and would never heal, and even the white bones that were faintly visible underneath......

- It's an undead.

It was dark in front of him, and Ed could clearly hear a strange, choking grunt in his throat. After a brief moment of shock and horror, he began to struggle desperately.

The undead threw him down and backed away.

They looked at each other - Ed had seen the eyes of the undead, the hollowness and silence of losing their souls...... But there still seemed to be something in Bazel's eyes.

He—it let out a muffled growl at Ed, a hoarse and low voice like a broken trumpet, but the endless anger and sorrow in it could still be heard.

"Bazel!" someone rushed in calling its name, "don't do that...... Calm down!"

It wasn't yesterday's white-haired old man, but a thin, blonde young man—or rather, a teenager would be more appropriate.

His thin blonde hair hung down over his shoulders, and he patted the undead's chest as if soothingly, and smiled back at Ed, his pure blue eyes with a hint of shyness and sincere apology.

"I don't want to scare you, Ed...... You don't have to be afraid, he won't hurt you. ”

Ed's eyes widened in confusion, and fear rushed into his stomach like a cold snake.

“...... Hoan ...... Xiao ......"

In a voice that seemed to suffocate, he called out the name of the "friend" that he would never forget.

(To be continued......)