readx;? A pale and slender hand pressed against the chaf-colored railing—a cold white, still a little dazzling from under the long purple gauze sleeves. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

Lydia Belle leaned on the railing and waved downstairs, smiling brightly.

Nia glanced at her helplessly, but when she spoke, she looked away.

"Do you have to come out at a time like this......" he muttered as he stared at a spot in the air.

"Oh, you know me. Lydia chuckled and bowed her head, her bright red lips brushing over his ear, "I like to surprise my friends a little." ”

She patted Nia on the top of her head, half mockingly, half affectionately, as she had done before, and walked down the stairs unhurriedly. In the dead silence, everyone looked at her with complicated expressions, but no one pounced on her to catch this "mortal enemy of all races".

Naria remained calm, looking around suspiciously. She hadn't seen Lydia, but she could easily guess who it was—the female mage she had known for a long time, as the legend goes, with black hair and white skin, blue eyes and red lips, as gorgeous as a rose that had bloomed to the extreme, but was frozen in the time when it was about to wither.

She'd heard of her audacity, but it was too unscrupulous. Even if Scott and Nia were concerned, Naria could understand the mixed feelings—the kind of feelings that Alan would unconsciously reveal when he occasionally mentioned Lydia, a mixture of anger, remorse, regret, and nostalgia...... To her surprise, apart from the inevitable surprise and vigilance, even Ed and Fili did not show the slightest hostility towards the sudden appearance of the necromancer, but showed a little embarrassment when they touched her gaze.

Of all of them, Lydia was the most at ease, as if this was her home, and she was a very hospitable host.

"Naria?" she smiled at the girl, affectionately calling her by her first name, like an elder she hadn't seen in a long time, "you don't look much like your father...... Seriously, that's a good thing. ”

Naria ignored her. It wasn't polite, but she didn't feel like she needed to be polite to a woman who had broken her father's leg and nearly killed Is.

“...... Can someone explain?" she asked, exasperated, deliberately not looking at Lydia—though she had to admit that the woman had an irresistible charm.

"Oh, I can. Lydia answered politely, not paying any attention to her rudeness, "My friends—former friends," she gestured casually, "and your friend Ed, at last understand something. I am not their real enemy at all, never have been, and they need my wits and strength to help them get out of their immediate troubles...... Just like once upon a time. ”

"But as far as I know, you're the one who wants to use some evil ritual to gain power - you're the one who deserves to be solved. Naria accentuated her tone, reminding the men whose eyes were wandering.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid there's a little bit of a problem with your message. Lydia casually swept the pile of papers on the table that she hadn't had time to put away, and the smile on her lips deepened.

Tess immediately hid the mongoose in her arms, pressed it firmly to her chest, ignored its exposed, stiff little tail, and glared back with a round eye.

"Look, that's right. Lydia chuckled and withdrew her gaze, continuing to patiently "explain": "I did a little favor to a guy in return for his gift...... But that doesn't mean I'm responsible for the 'evil rituals,' or that I'm a loyal follower of Mancini like him - it's just a deal. Then when Nia came and asked me if I wanted to consider another deal, I thought about it seriously and felt that his offer seemed more reliable. After all, I know him and I know Scott...... It's better than facing an unpredictable opponent. ”

"'Trading'...... No matter what the deal, you believe she'll keep her word?" Naria glared at Scott in disbelief - yes, it was definitely his fault!

Scott met her gaze calmly and wearily, and said nothing.

"Girl, you still don't understand. Lydia shook her head and sighed, "It's not about trust, and we don't give each other any promises. It's just ...... Some kind of trade-off and contest. I know them, and they know me just as well - at least they think so. I believe that I can do my best in any situation, and they trust that they can control my behavior to some extent and stop me in time when I start to play with some bad ideas...... Come to think of it, it's actually interesting, isn't it?"

She smiled and spread her hands to Naria.

She was so frank that Nalya had nothing to say. Even Tess listened attentively and couldn't help but nod.

"Aren't you afraid that 'someone' will come to you for trouble?" asked Narya angrily, knowing that such a childish counterattack was a bit weak.

"If there ever is a day, I'm sure I'll be well protected. Lydia glanced at Scott sarcastically, "Conversely, 'some guy' probably wouldn't do the same for me...... It's not an incomprehensible choice, is it?"

Naria rolled her eyes, almost in despair, and gave up on her futile and isolated fight.

"Now, then, can we get down to business?" said Lydia, clapping her hands with a smile, "Time is precious, my friends. ”

“...... Change places. Scott whispered.

Naria's eyebrows couldn't help but raise again—a change of place, of course, probably to avoid some people...... Like her.

"Right here. Eth spoke suddenly, looking directly at Scott defiantly and stubbornly, "Is there anyone here you can't trust?—even if there is, it's useless, we already know everything." ”

Naria, who didn't "know everything", swallowed the "what" that she almost blurted out in time.

Scott silently looked at Ed, who silently lowered his head and stared at his toes. The corners of Filly's mouth curled up slightly revealed a hint of schadenfreude, and he slapped Scott's back with a hard palm.

"So be it. "Children always have to grow up...... You can't control them anymore, so why don't you just want to drive a little bit? It's better to let them know their enemies better than to let them run around recklessly. ”

The anger in Scott's eyes that had not yet ignited was helplessly extinguished.

Eren seems to have said the same thing to him...... And as it turns out, Alan is always right.

This time, he'd better learn his lesson.

(To be continued.) )