The sharp dagger silently sank into the side of the neck, and death fell in an instant.

Nia bent down against the slowly falling, somewhat heavy corpse for him, squatted down, gently lowered the guard whose face was covered by the helmet to the ground, and muttered in a low voice, "I'm sorry." ”

But there was not much apology in his voice. A person who can stay here, even if he doesn't know exactly what his master is up to, can't be completely innocent - if he can find an acceptable reason for himself, it will be much easier to take the life of someone else...... Although sometimes he is also surprised why he still needs a "reason" now.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Sean Fletche had simply snapped the neck bone of the other guard, no more merciful than he was. Knowing that they had to cross half of Stastbugch down the sewers, Sean simply threw down the armor he had just put on, bringing only a pair of gloves that seemed unnecessary in such a hot weather. At this moment, the head of the paladin, who was dressed in dark clothes and pants and always had a expressionless face, looked more like a mercenary who killed people without blinking.

...... Maybe the two aren't too different.

Nia shook the blood off her hand and pressed against the wall to move on. When there was only one person, he was able to sneak in and out from under everyone's noses, leaving only a little afterimage that no one could catch. But with a tall and burly Sean even after losing a third of his weight...... They can only take out any enemy that stands in their way as quickly as they can, and try not to alarm too many people.

What made him feel a little uneasy. There were fewer guards in the passage than there had been before, not more - they had slain all the way down the underground chambers of Aaron Mansini's house, and they had not encountered as many enemies as he had slipped out of the same way to find people.

That means Ed has most likely been moved somewhere else...... And most likely, because someone has found traces of his haunting here.

- No, that's impossible.

He told himself angrily. At a few points, the reflection on the armor fell into his eyes, and he stopped his steps in time, and gave Sean a warning gesture, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn upward.

A fleeting glance was enough for him to see that around the corner, a few steps up, a warrior in full armor had crammed the passage that only allowed two men to walk side by side—and the guards had not diminished. It's just all concentrated here, a condescending place to pass through. Under the shield cover, between the shining armor. He even caught a glimpse of a gem-encrusted cane...... It didn't seem like something that a normal mage could use.

It's a stupid but effective way to do it - from here, even a mouse can't slip away. But at least it proves that there's something else here worth guarding...... At least prove that Ed is still here.

The question is...... How are they going to get there?

Nia begins to regret not insisting on finding Scott. He knew that Scott was trying to avoid using any magic right now, but his flames that could turn everything to ashes were in the face of such an obstacle. Definitely the most effective weapon.

He quickly told Sean about their predicament in sign language. The Paladin's response was unmistakable—he strode forward, his steady footsteps like a trumpet vowing never to retreat, his sword raised to his chest.

Nia shrugged, smiled helplessly at herself, and half-ran and half-jumped after her, grabbing Sean's belt.

"Don't rush to death. He said, his fingers deftly pulling out a small gem from the pocket, "Alas." The last one...... Hey, are you afraid of light?".

When the torches are lit up one by one. Ed's stomach began to cramp.

It's not that he's afraid of death, he really doesn't want to die yet...... Well, that's probably a fear of death.

He thought he still had time, but it seemed that these people didn't plan to wait until he was starving and dying...... He was powerless to resist now.

Still smiling, Tellina stood in front of the cage, playing with the bone pendant on her chest. Bloomer and Baie were nowhere to be seen, and Aaron Mancini was never seen...... Only a column of men in blood-red robes silently swarmed in, standing in a circle around them.

If it weren't for himself in the cage, Ed would probably find the scene in front of him a little ridiculous. Even before he knew what magic was, he had been somewhat unimpressed by such seemingly elaborate rituals, and now he knew more clearly that this ostensible form was mostly used to fool people—if he wanted to summon a rain, look up at the sky from the altar, and offer hundreds of ornate prayers to Ni'o in a frustrated voice, and silently think in his heart, "Shall it rain......?" The effect is almost the same.

Prayer to the gods...... Or the bonfires offered to the ancestors like the barbarians, or perhaps the sacred that is born of a strong faith worthy of awe, and the magnificence and mystery of the mystery before him can only make him sick to his stomach.

If Tellina had expected to see fear on Ed's face, he would have been disappointed - the disgust from the bottom of his heart had calmed Ed down.

Even if you have to die, at least you can't die too ugly...... Besides, isn't he still dead?

Ed simply crouched down. Although it is a little indecent, this is the most relaxing posture for him.

"Where did you get that?"

He tilted his head and asked nonchalantly.

Tyliner followed his gaze at the bone pendant that he held in his hand and kept rubbing, but did not answer.

"Being able to face death so calmly...... You are perhaps more worthy of admiration than your uncle. His face was gloomy, and he didn't see much admiration at all, "I can only assure you that you will definitely die a more complete death than he does—and that is a blessing, you know." ”

Ed nodded. At least this last sentence, he really agrees.

"Thankfully, I didn't die at the hands of my friends. He said, "Another kind of luck?"

“...... If you think so. The corners of Tellina's mouth twitched, and she replied stiffly.

As vague speculation took shape, Ed looked around and smiled sarcastically at Tellina.

"Hopefully you'll really be able to get what you want. "After all, the last person to use this kind of sacrifice ...... It doesn't seem to end well. ”

Tyliner glared at him, her face becoming even more ugly.

"I'm not an idiot like Ante!" he clenched his bones and growled, "I never do anything I'm not sure of!"

"Really?" Ed's eyes widened in feigned surprise, "so you found a way to reverse that spell?".

(To be continued.) )