Lydia is on the other side of the soul trap. The half-elf looked at the female mage with a blank expression, her silver-gray eyes like frozen gems, and no one could guess what he was thinking.

Between them, the gem in the center of the trap still swirled, casting a bewildering glow, but it was no longer able to attract anyone—except one, perhaps.

Scott staggered to his feet, his gaze briefly falling to the body of Sio lying on the ground by the trap. I don't know who knocked the old shaman unconscious again, but this time Scott didn't have a problem with it. He had no time to worry about whether this unfortunate journey would cause the old man to sadly lose the wisdom he had accumulated over the years before he died, and he only sincerely hoped that he would faint a little longer this time, at least not to attract any attention from Lydia.

The female mage has always been moody, and she can wipe out old Sio with the flick of her fingers, and even Celebryan may not have time to come to her rescue.

He stared at Lydia's flamboyant face, an indescribable bitterness that rose to his throat from the bottom of his heart, and even the tip of his tongue seemed to be able to taste it.

He thought she was dead...... She probably thought he was dead. However, such a meeting may be a miracle, but it is better to keep each other's best smiles in memory and never see them again.

Lydia Bell, they were once close and could trust each other with their lives in any danger...... Even now, Scott can't deny that he used to like her when he first joined Allen's team.

Who doesn't like her? The flamboyant, cunning, graceful woman, even if she always shows a little arrogance, only adds to her charm. At that time, Scott was just over twenty years old, too young to resist the lazy eyes of the female mage, dark green as a pool, so incomprehensible but fascinating, that one couldn't help but fall into it.

However, walking into Lydia's mind was like another adventure. Scott couldn't figure out what her smile meant, and he had tasted jealousy and loss for her. also drew a sword for her, and blood was splashed on the spot, but when she looked back and saw the smugness flashing in her eyes, she suddenly felt a chill.

After that, he stopped, silently between liking and loving. Keep the distance between the "companions" as they should. He knew that there were people who had more courage than he did, and now they were in hell — literally, in hell.

Thinking of the little thief made Scott wake up suddenly. Nia ...... The skinny little creature was the real miracle, born in darkness, walking in the shadows, but full of light in his heart more than any of them.

He didn't deserve to end up like that.

But when he opened his mouth, he still couldn't say a word, and every word choked in his throat was torn to pieces by countless different emotions, making it difficult to form a sentence.

Keller Brian's unheaving voice broke the silence.

"Stop. He said. "And show up, Lydia, you know I can see you. ”

The figure on the other side of the trap slowly vanished, and Lydia appeared closer to them, her fingers moving slightly under the cover of her long sleeves stopped. chuckled: "I know I can't hide it from you." ”

She simply folded her arms, tilted her head and narrowed her eyes: "Celebryan...... You don't belong to this world anymore, why don't you want to leave?"

The coldness in that tone made Scott shudder. He finally realized that the woman in front of him was no longer the Lydia she had been...... They are friend or foe.

"The same goes for you. The half-elf replied indifferently.

"Did you stay for me? The mage deliberately misinterpreted the half-elf's words, her voice a little sweet, even if she and the priest had never looked at each other when they were still adventurous companions, but she knew very well how difficult he was to deal with, if not completely sure. She doesn't risk her shot.

"Is. She smiled more truthfully at the ice dragon, who had been silent, "Toom said you're dead - I knew it couldn't be." ”

Scott instinctively dragged Iss behind him, but Iss silently twisted his hand away and stood beside him, fearlessly raising his head slightly at the mage, and then wiping his face in embarrassment. It's like remembering that the tears on my face haven't dried yet.

"But what the hell is going on? Scott didn't kill you...... So you're his obedient brother again?" Lydia shook her head as if regretfully.

"You're an ice dragon, Is, don't forget that. Her tone was tingling with gentle reproach, almost kind, which made Is's scalp tingle.

"I don't need you to remind you!" he said angrily. "It's none of your business what I'm going to do!"

"I just want to protect you. Lydia smiled, not angry at all, "I won't let Scott hurt you again." ”

Scott frowned - from the moment she appeared, she seemed to have always wanted to be when Scott didn't exist, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.

“...... He didn't hurt me!" Ise growled.

"Someday he will. Lydia said firmly, "He didn't kill you." What did he say to you that makes you so desperate? He loves you? Oh, maybe yes, Scott Christus, he loves everything in the world - except maybe the necromancer. ”

The mockery in her tone was so obvious, but something that flickered in her eyes made Scott forget to refute. He just froze there, staring blankly at the familiar and unfamiliar, beautiful woman.

"But you know, Is, there's no more hypocrisy in the world. He loves so much that you never know what he'll choose and what he'll give up when he can't take care of it all...... You never know if you'll be the one he gives up, even when you need him most. He'll say sorry to you, he's really sorry, but you're on your own - Is, you're on your own. ”

The female mage's eyes froze: "You have to learn this, and then you won't get hurt again." ”

“...... You like Scott. After a moment of silence, Isis blurted out.

Lydia's face changed slightly, and it convinced Ise that he had guessed correctly.

He looked at Scott, who stared down at the ground, it didn't make sense to love or not to love now, but he did turn down Lydia's plea because it was far beyond his power...... Even if he had begged Felicity, one of the few gods in the world, on behalf of Lydia, the old man would not have been able to agree. Bringing the dead back to life is a miracle that only a god can perform, and that miracle has not been seen for nearly two hundred years.

It's not that he doesn't understand Lydia's grief - because of his mistake to kill all his relatives, no one can accept this calmly and put everything in the hands of the gods, let alone Lydia, who has always been arrogant, but he really has nothing to do.

Maybe he should at least give it a try...... Maybe all Lydia needed was for him to try. But he rejected her too calmly and sensibly, trying to persuade her to accept the departure of her loved ones, just like himself.

"Lydia......" he said with difficulty, his voice dry and unpleasant, but he didn't know what else to say, as if everything that had to be said had already been said. At this point, Lydia wasn't going to change because of anyone, and he knew that. She chooses a path, and she will not hesitate to go to the end, even if the end of the road is only the endless burning hellfire.

"Enough. The half-elf's cane tapped the ground, looking impatient, "Lydia Bell, the role of 'victim' is not for you. ”

A sneer curled into the female mage's red lips: "I know my role. The gods are above, how dare I disappoint them. But what about you? Half-elf, you've screwed up once, costing Rogan and Nia lives, and Allen's leg -- what price do you want to pay for your futile struggle this time? Scott, or Ish?"

Scott looked at Celebryan in amazement, he didn't quite understand what Lydia was talking about.

The half-elf was silent, pale as a ghost, and its softly curved jaws were taut, thin and almost sharp.

"Laugen and Nia died because of you...... It's to stop you, and you don't have any reason to accuse Karen anyway!" Scott involuntarily retorted to him.

"You don't know anything, Scott Christus, I can't believe I almost fell in love with a fool like you. Lydia didn't even look at him, "You don't even know who he is, what he's done...... You think he's going to care about you, Alan, any of us? All he cares about is his damn cursed fate, and if he can get rid of that, he can sacrifice everyone, including himself!"

She raised her hand to the half-elf, and a reddish light suddenly burst out of her fingertips.

No one expected her to attack at this time, it seemed to be just an uncontrollable action in the midst of excitement. The half-elf's pupils contracted for a split second - he had been guarding against Lydia, but he didn't expect that the target wasn't him, but Scott.

Scott froze, his eyes slightly wide in disbelief. But Is's body moves faster than his brain. He quickly turned around and knocked Scott down, and along the way, the half-elf standing next to Scott was crushed to the bottom. The red light grazed Is's shoulder, blasting a cluster of crystals behind them, and sharp shards shot out in all directions, turning into another weapon, forcing Iss to shrink his shoulders and bury his head in his arms.

That short time was enough for Lydia to lift the trap and recover the gem. In the immediate situation, that is the only thing that matters.

It lay quietly in the palm of her hand, no longer spinning, no longer changing colors, and it looked no different from the colorless crystals that shattered all around it, but Lydia knew what power lay within—the power to change the world.

But in the blink of an eye, it disappeared before her eyes.