Although there were less than a quarter of the original number, the bloodline of the Sunstrider elves continued, and the elves who remembered that time of history believed that it was Keglian's life that washed away the final curse, but grief and fear made them choose to remain silent. As time passed, when the people who lost their homeland were buried in the forests of the south, their descendants had no idea of the tragedy that had occurred.

Only one elder recorded everything he knew as a kind of warning. It was forgotten for a long time, and only recently, was it sent to Payne's hands.

“...... So you know all this, and let the mistakes you've made happen again?" Ed asked, looking up, incredulous.

That thrilling and sad history is indeed heartbreaking. At another time, he would have groaned and been depressed for a long time, but now he ...... He was more concerned about the innocent and bloodshed of Norvi.

"I don't want to be ......," the Elven King's eyes showed indescribable sadness for the first time, "but the last one of the curses of the mad chanter was the ...... that the elder who recorded this past was most worried about."

He uttered the ancient curse word by word, and the soft starlight seemed to be swallowed up by the darkness little by little.

"The last Sunstrider will follow in his footsteps, the dead of Ankland will dance between his fingers, and the world will end before his eyes. ”

“...... What does this have to do with Norwe!" Ed jumped up and shouted, "He's not the only one left with the Sunstrider!"

Payne glanced at him with some surprise, and then raised his eyebrows in understanding: "It seems that you don't know what the elves of Grivar call Norwe. ”

"All I know is that there are a lot of elves out there who don't think Norway is an elf at all. Ed confessed with a sigh of chagrin.

"Indeed...... In the eyes of some elves, he is an anomaly. But for others...... He's a legend. Especially to the young elves, he is the only one who has inherited the passionate and free nature of his ancestors, and the only one who can still live up to his ancient and proud surname, ...... 'The Last Sunstrider'. ”

The title with envy and admiration...... It sounds so ominous at the moment.

"He never said ......," Ed muttered blankly.

Even he may not have known it himself - the title was not widely circulated. Even if he had heard about it. I'm afraid I wouldn't be happy to take this as some kind of compliment...... It was an insult to the other Sunseeker elves, and it made it harder for him to gain a foothold among his people. ”

Ed hung his head silently, but the anger in his heart was even hotter.

"But that's not the answer at all...... anger burned away what was left of his respect for the elegant and noble Elven King in front of him, making him leave all his worries behind and say bluntly: "What is the difference between what you have done and the King of the Sunstriders?......! Just because he also once looked for Ankeland...... Just because of a vague curse, he decided that he would destroy the world?! I have never heard such a ridiculous reason!"

His blunt accusations didn't anger Payne. The Silver Leaf King looked at him calmly, "I thought I was a Sage. You should know more about the curse...... or the truth of the prophecy. ”

"Perhaps. But even if you're not a saint, I know that you can't condemn a man for something he hasn't done at all!" Ed clenched his staff in anger.

For a moment, he almost felt the urge to destroy something. The waves at the tip of the cane began to spin rapidly, but the balls of light surrounding it were strangely still.

A familiar chill melted into the palm of his hand. Ed's body shuddered slightly, and gradually calmed down.

- Of course he couldn't kill Payne, that wouldn't help, even if he could destroy all of Grivar. I can't get back to Norvi.

Payne just watched everything in silence. There was not a hint of fear in his unusually bright eyes.

"Tell me, Sage. He asked softly, "Isn't it because Norway is so angry? The Sunstrider is your friend? If the dead are just an elf you never knew...... And if his death could have prevented the world from being destroyed, do you think it's a ridiculous reason?"

"Yes, I'm so angry because Norway is my friend. Without hesitation, Ed replied, "And I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all! Yes, no matter who died. Even the sailors at the docks in Visa City can tell you that no matter how fast a ship is, it will not reach the Minni Desert - the wrong way will not lead to the right result!"

Under the starlight, there was a strange look in the Elven King's eyes—something that shouldn't have been, and couldn't have been.

He was laughing.

A heartfelt smile softened the overly sharp lines of his face, and melted away the indifference and alienation that had always concealed all his emotions like a mask, and he looked so dazzling—as if the unreachable stars had suddenly fallen in front of him, within reach.

Ed's heart skipped a beat.

As he struggled out of his unseemly admiration in exasperation, Payne smiled and waved his hand lightly, "If one day I have the privilege of visiting the city where you were born, please be sure to let me meet the sailor who told you this." ”

Ed didn't hear what he was talking about.

He just stared blankly at the figure that appeared silently from behind the statue on the side of the room, and the intensity and sudden joy made him a little dizzy, and he had to shake his head desperately, trying to wake himself up, but he was afraid that once he woke up, he would find that it was nothing but an illusion......

"Ed ...... Are you alright?" the voice was so familiar with a smile and concern...... It can't be a phantom!

The young Sage casually threw away the symbol of his status and rushed over to hug his friend tightly.

"You're not dead......"

His muffled voice made it hard to tell if he was crying or laughing...... Or both.

"I'm sorry......" Norway patted him on the back as if reassuringly, but couldn't say anything else.

He looked gratefully at the Elven King whom he had not known before, and who he had consciously or unconsciously refused to understand. Now and forever...... He will willingly fight for him.

The Norvi Sunchaser was not unaware of his "death".

He always prepares for the worst. Even if Alan and Ed's plan seemed feasible, even if even Lance seemed to be on their side after the tragedy on the Silent Voice, he could still see ominous shadows on the unchalanked faces and wary eyes of the soldiers who had come to "escort" them back to Grivar.

Sure enough, he was sent straight to the dungeon.

Where there is no daylight, even if you can still see, it is already a cruel punishment for the elves. Norvi was indeed comfortable in the dwarven mines...... But that's still not the same.

He had been in the dark for a long time, and he had never been so helpless in hundreds of years of life. He has enough courage and wisdom to stand up to any enemy and face any difficulties...... But this time, he was confronted with his people, his king, with betrayals, curses, and madness hidden in the distant past, even he could not fathom.

It is likely that he did inadvertently commit some unforgivable crime - that was what he feared most. Did he really break any taboos that would bring unexpected disaster to his people?

He didn't know...... It may never be known. This dark dungeon may be his permanent abode.

Even more unbearable than the final verdict is waiting for the verdict. Hope and despair always come together, tearing at the turbulent soul, and even the elves, who have always been confident and resilient, are gradually falling into chaos.

He began to dream frequently. Dreaming of the deep passages of the Ankelands, dreaming of the black whirlpool swirling in the eyes of the Skeleton Knight, dreaming of the Tower of Atonement hanging high above his head in the light of the far north, dreaming of him alone in the tower, listening to the noise outside the tower day after day, full of despair and hatred...... Other dreams had friends he knew, smiling and reaching out to him, but they couldn't reach him anyway.

More dreams were of Violetta's singing voice and Tess's red hair jumping like a flame. He has had countless adventures throughout his life...... But he always knew what the most priceless treasures were.

And what did he leave them? shame and pain?......

It might be easier if you could really go crazy, or end your life altogether.

But he endured, silently waiting for the relief that might not come.

When the dungeon door opened again, he felt like hundreds of years had passed...... In fact, it was less than ten days.

Payne Silver Leaf appeared in front of him.

As a child, Norway followed his father into the Empty Court, and even had a brief conversation with Payne, who had not yet succeeded to the throne. But he failed to live up to his father's expectations...... Or betraying his promise to his father, and since then, he has stayed away from the empty court and has never seen Payne again

The Elven King, who was not much older than him, was no longer the lively, straightforward, and somewhat absent-minded boy he had vaguely remembered—he was still straightforward, but had become as cold and sharp as a sword.

It only took him a few simple words to make Norway understand that he had to die...... And died willingly.

It wasn't about Ankland, it wasn't about any curse, it was about the future of his people.

He never wanted to be a hero, and Payne gave him a choice.

"You can leave. "But I'm afraid I'll not be able to escape the Shadow Dancer for a long time, and that's beyond my control." ”

――How long is "very long" for an elf?

He is well aware that any choice is selfish...... But he still selfishly hopes that Tess will survive until her red hair is stained.

He chose death...... but was born again.

(To be continued......)