At the bottom of the three-storied pagoda - the bottom of the main tower, Ed is curled up on the ground, and under his right hand is a dimming gem. Pale blue lines snaked across his skin like water, gradually retreating from his wrists to his palms, and finally vanished, leaving only tiny droplets.

The cracks in the gemstone have not disappeared, and even the color is much lighter, but it is more transparent and bright. It is not indestructible, but now, even if it is lost, the tower will not fall.

In the blink of an eye, Ed fell asleep. Dreamless, like lying under the dark warm water, knowing that there would be no danger and no need to worry about anything - at least for now, those troubles were completely forgotten.

It was a very short moment, but he seemed to have slept the sweetest sleep in a long time, and when he woke up, he was refreshed, and he was about to roll around and stretch comfortably, when he raised his eyes, and the familiar figure was half-kneeling beside him.

“...... Scott!" He scrambled up, even smiling brightly.

“...... What did you do?" Scott sighed softly, a deep worry visible on his expressionless face.

"It doesn't want to fall. Ed replied, "I just helped it." ”

"You will completely anger its original owner. Scott rubbed his brow involuntarily, "It's worse than you possessing it...... Its power has been twisted to the point that it is uncontrollable, but you have given it a soul of its own. ”

"It has a soul of its own. Ed corrected him, "I'm just setting it free...... Besides, how bad can it be, and if I let it fall, its 'original owner' will be generous enough to let me go?"

He put on such a face that he was not worried about debts, and Scott had nothing to say.

Ed sat cross-legged and straight, feeling extra energetic...... And Scott sensed danger vigilantly.

"Are you busy?" Ed tilted his face back, his eyes shining, "I have ......"

Scott vanished in an instant.

“...... Huh. Ed regretfully uttered a single note.

The golden mist of light was no longer visible at the base of the tower—the tower's long-accumulated power was scattered throughout the tower. But he could easily hear its voice, buzzing in his head, low and deep.

“...... No, you don't. Ed laughed, "He's not...... Not an enemy. ”

This is more like anticipation...... But now he felt that all his expectations could come true.

.

Balk waited for him outside the tower with his hands behind his back, his small eyes shining under his already flabby eyelids, with an almost childish curiosity. Behind him, the younger guards had burning eyes and adoring faces...... Compared to the eyes that made Ed's scalp tingle, the curiosity in the old man's eyes was a little more receptive.

But he didn't ask anything.

“...... Don't you want to ask me something?" Ed couldn't help but ask him.

The old man smiled: "At least it didn't fall...... It doesn't look like I'm going to pour it for the time being. I think that's a good thing...... Is that a good thing?"

"Of course!" said Ed.

"Sometimes," Balk nodded at him, "I just need to know that." ”

Ed had a sense of pride in being trusted, but also a little regret that he couldn't talk about—he really wanted someone to tell him about the tower's amazing memory and tenacious soul...... Even when it was distorted, its consciousness was never confused, and if it was a human, it seemed, as if, it was even more powerful than Sean Fletcher?

He looked back almost proudly, but suddenly felt a chill run down his spine...... A deep fear.

For a moment he seemed to see the crumbling ruins of the three towers, and as soon as they were standing before his eyes.

He returned home with a worried heart, and in addition to Naria, there was a short, square, young man waiting for him.

"Young Master. ”

His butler, Dorian, saluted him with the same seriousness as ever.

“...... Why are you still in Stunbugch?!" Ed asked, blushing again—he had left his real "home" aside, along with the butler and servants, and still had the heart to ask such a thing......

Dorian's expression did not change at all, and he replied as a matter of course: "It's almost all gone." I've got to give it to you. ”

"Oh, oh. Ed nodded repeatedly, "Actually, you ......"

He wanted to say that Dorian himself would have taken what he could...... But his butler was clearly not such a casual person as he was.

Dorian brought him a box full of papers, including Dumbbutch's house and several shops, the de facto owner of which was still River Singer, but it was obviously no different to Dorian.

After carefully explaining everything, the young butler clasped his hands vigorously behind him and cleared his throat, as if he had something very important to say, but when Ed adjusted his expression seriously enough to listen attentively, he was silent and gradually blushed.

“...... Dorian?" Ed, who couldn't see through the blush on the butler's face, had to urge.

"I, that," Dorian stammered as he stared at his toes, "I'm getting married." ”

“...... Congratulations!" Ed was genuinely happy for him, "Am I lucky enough to know which lovely girl it is?"

"You, you know. Dorian's face flushed to the base of his ears, "That's it, Sylvie......"

"Ahh He didn't spend much time at Stonebuch's house, and the one who had been driven from the Old Street Market to live west of the city had boldly turned to him for help...... Then he grabbed him unreservedly in the west of the city, and thanked him warmly, and the girl was almost the only one he could name.

"That's a good thing!" Ed smiled brightly and gave him a strong hug, "You should have told me sooner...... Do I still have time to prepare a gift?"

"Actually," said Dorian, who had to say it, regained his composure, "and we've just decided...... Sylvie said that she always felt that if she didn't finish what she wanted to do, the world would be destroyed. ”

Ed was dumbfounded—it did seem like Silvie's words, and in a sense, it seemed to be true...... The vast majority of ordinary people will probably never know what is going on, but they will have their own observations and thoughts...... and intuition.

And this idea of "if the world is going to be destroyed, then get married first" does not reveal despair and pessimism.

It was a kind of strength that would try to survive no matter what, even in the face of a fate that they were completely powerless to resist.