In the corners of Lockburg are many small gardens, some of which are not even on the ground, but on platforms high above the castle. While this did not make the castle as grand and sturdy as the original builders had hoped, it did give those who wished to be undisturbed plenty of places to hide from people's sight.

Filly dragged Ed left and right, until he had entered a small garden that no one wanted to stay in the direct midday sun, let out a long breath, and sat down on the flower bed.

"I'm getting more and more disgusted with this place. He said.

He didn't wear armor, but he wasn't as scruffy and unkempt as he used to be. Even if they weren't as carefully groomed as the others in Lockburg, they were neatly tied, and even the black hair that had always been piled up like a weed on his head was repaired.

As if sensing Ed's curious gaze, he scratched his hair in embarrassment and glared back angrily, "Look at what?!"

"Nothing...... Ed replied with a smile, "just glad to see that you're still so spirited." ”

Fili grinned and reached out and tugged at his cheek, "You look good, little one, too." ”

"Really? Tess said I was as black as a savage. ”

"It's better to be black as a savage than to be pale as a ghost. Fili said.

Ed smiled. He liked such bluntness and was not overly cautious for fear of inadvertently hurting him...... Just like his friends when he had just lost his mother.

That would only make him more vulnerable.

"Why are you coming back?" Fili asked him, "Honestly." It's not a good time. I can't even tell how many people are trying to get excited for many reasons...... Every day I feel like I'm sitting on a crater that is ready to erupt, waiting to be washed up in the sky...... Or burned to ashes. ”

Ed hesitated, avoiding the answer with another question.

"I heard you were attacked by Lydia?" he asked. "Scott let me take a look...... That mark. ”

"Oh. Fili muttered, subconsciously reaching out and touching the back of his neck, "He told you?"

It sounded like he wasn't very happy, but he didn't refuse. As Ed pulled his collar open, he cooperatively cast a small spell that slowly made the strange mark on his neck emerge.

"That's it. He said, "It doesn't hurt or itch." If I was in good spirits every day. It doesn't do anything to me if I'm accidentally hurt or sick...... Oh, just go and pat Scott on the shoulder. It's going to be alive and kicking right away -- I guess he's telling you that, too?"

He tried to speak more lightly, but his voice was dry, somewhat frustrated.

Ed stared at the vanishing mark, silent for a moment.

Scott describes the symbol to him that "looks a bit like the Nesses logo". He had already expected it...... But now. Seeing the familiar symbol emerge and disappear before his eyes, the unmistakable fact fell in his heart as heavy as a stone—one of the symbols on the stone tablet that Nigel Lowe had given him.

That strange slate is a mystery. The symbols above weren't any language that Ed and Norway knew, nor were they spells of spells, and they didn't have any power in any way. Norway said they probably needed to be read out...... How could they possibly pronounce it?

It is possible that Iss knew, but he instinctively did not want to involve Iss.

But if Lydia knew how to take advantage of these symbols...... Maybe he'd better get his friend out for help as soon as possible.

“...... Hey!" Filly cried out in disgruntle, "Can you say something?"

"I ...... Looks like I've seen this somewhere. Ed replied vaguely, "But I don't know what it is." ”

Fili looked back at him, frowning slightly, "Why do I seem to have heard this?"

He squinted and thought for a moment. It didn't take long to remember.

“...... In the Far North Light, when Norway first saw the Nessus logo on my wrist. That's what I said. He said.

Ed's eyes drifted to the side, not daring to say anything - this big grin guy was sometimes surprisingly sharp.

The emblem of Nethers does appear in Norway from the ground of Ankland...... On the slab found in the corpse of the necromancer Isis had killed. Although the tablet had been taken by the elves of Grivar, Norway remembered every symbol on it and had drawn it for Ed.

"It's probably not all. Alan guessed. He traced down two of the symbols and asked his mage friends about them, but nothing came of it until now.

Ed looked at Fili's suspicious face with trepidation, not knowing what to say...... I don't know what he'll see. He didn't even tell Scott about it...... If this continues, he fears that one day he will accidentally blurt out something that he shouldn't have said because he forgot something he didn't tell anyone.

Fili shook his head and let him go.

"So be it. He said nonchalantly, "What should come will come." ”

“...... You'll be fine. Ed burst out, "I'll ......"

He paused, chagrin at realizing that he didn't really know what to do. If he dared to say that, Filly would probably knock him on the head, or laugh so hard that he would fall into the flowers.

But at the moment, Fili's attention was no longer on him. The paladin turned his head to look at the entrance to the garden and stood up silently.

Ed looked back waryly. A woman wrapped in a black veil walked slowly, but stopped at the edge of the shadows and sunlight.

"So you're here, sir. She chuckled and said, "I've been looking for you for a while." ”

Her face was hidden under the black veil, dimly unseeable, a pair of hands exposed outside the long sleeves were almost blindingly white, and her voice was soft and soft, but sweet enough to make Ed a little creepy.

Such a tone...... It's a bit like Lydia.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't bother anything. The woman's laughing voice was vaguely more blunt than Lydia's, "Please allow me to borrow this paladin for a moment, this ......"

"Ed Singh. Ed bowed, "Madame." ”

"Agnes. The woman simply gave her name, and looked at Ed with interest from under the black veil, "I've heard of you...... But they didn't say you looked so cute. ”

Ed's eyes widened in some confusion in panic and coughed awkwardly—he was wrong, this woman...... Probably not so much like Lydia.

(To be continued.) )