"Anyway, you did your best. Agnes patted her sister's arm in a tone that sounded sarcastic and comforting.

Do your best?—Moira smiled wryly.

That's not useful.

She was weak at the moment. If it weren't for Agnes clinging to her, holding her arm, dragging her forward, she probably wouldn't have moved half a step.

And all her "best efforts" are only exchanged for some meaningless promises.

They would help him find the legendary "Sage", they would not shoot rockets at every ship that came from Stonebutch for help, and they would provide food and clean water...... But they would not send troops to assist her in maintaining order, because, apparently, the defenders of Ston Buch and the army directly under the king were more than enough to stabilize the whole city - they just needed a strong leader, and that position could only belong to the king.

It's all back to Ante...... And Moira wasn't confident enough to cheer her husband up.

He looked like he was enchanted...... Or some kind of curse.

Moira's heart moved, and she stopped abruptly.

"Are there any priests around here?" she asked.

Agnes looked at her curiously, "There are always one or two...... Don't worry, Master Mancini is a smart man, he always has some useful 'friends' hidden somewhere, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are any Nesses priests among them, you and Frederick are perfectly safe here. ”

Moira shook her head and said, "I didn't mean that...... Can someone ...... For His Majesty the King...... Is there some kind of ritual to be held?...... It is...... It's like purification. Or exorcism or something like that......"

Agnes' eyes widened slowly, and finally she couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand and laugh lowly.

"What do you think...... Is he possessed by something?" she could barely stop laughing. "I wonder what look on his face will have when he hears this!"

"That's enough!" Moira growled in exasperation.

Agnes's laughter stopped, and when she looked at her, there seemed to be a little sympathy in her eyes, and she replied very seriously:

"I think the only priest I can trust is the old Brooke Schuan, who was 'imprisoned' in his own house by Lord Ayer...... You know him. But I'm afraid he won't accede to your request. In addition, there is the young man who holds the Staff of Eternity and triumphantly considers himself a sage who is the god of water...... I suspect he doesn't know anything but to play with the stick. As for the others...... Oh, you can look for it, but IMHO. Maybe you've never seen it clearly, but your king has always been like that—"

She reached out and wiped her face mockingly: "He's just been removed from his mask and can't see anyone again." ”

Moira glared at her fiercely. I searched my stomach to find some words to refute. But considering the current situation, any rebuttal is so powerless.

Along the corridor, a terrible scream came, and the two women froze. Watch as the guards flock to the king's chamber.

“...... Is that Ante?" Moira grabbed her sister's hand. He asked in a frightened whisper, unable to move.

She could barely make out whose voice it was...... Ante had never—at least never screamed like that in front of her.

Before Agnes could answer, she let go of her and galloped away despite the guards' obstruction.

Ed didn't expect it to be so easy to "sneak in".

He knocked out a servant, changed into his clothes, and no one even bothered to glance at his face when he walked in from the side. He grabbed a maid around the corner of the hallway, and put his dagger around her neck—and at that moment he suddenly realized that his actions were almost indistinguishable from Rem's. Then he began to apologize desperately while threatening, and vowed never to hurt her......

Judging by the young girl's expression. She probably thought he was crazy.

But when it became clear that he was only trying to know where the king's chamber was, she did not hesitate to point him in the way, and even volunteered to lead the guard in front of the door for him.

"I know you, Ed. The girl shrugged at his surprise, "Thank you for the money." My sister would never admit it, but if it weren't for that, we'd probably starve to death - and, the next time you wanted to give someone money secretly, it would be better not to have her name embroidered on the bag, and Ruby threw it down the street...... But I picked it up again. ”

Ed stared blankly at her, feeling like someone had been knocked on the head - this was Latisse's sister...... One?

"And, if you're here to kill the damn king, I'll help you whoever you are. The girl's face showed disgust and hatred, "He killed Damira...... Just because she didn't knock when she went in to get her dirty laundry - but anyone could prove she did! He just didn't hear it...... Or maybe you just want to kill someone!If you don't want someone to go in, wouldn't it be nice to bolt the door?!"

Ed lowered his sword and continued to look at her in a daze—she gave him more reasons to kill Ante, but she was Latisse's sister?......

His mind was so dizzy that he could barely move.

“...... Are you going to kill him?" asked the girl in a low impatient voice.

Ed nodded almost blankly, watching her straighten her long hair and apron, Shi Shiran led him to the king's room, greeted the oncoming guards with a complacent expression, laughed at each other, and pointed at him contemptuously, calling him a "new idiot......

- This is Latisse's sister, he shouldn't have involved her in such a thing!

He chased a few steps and tried to get her to leave, but the girl had already spoken to the king's guard, and successfully tricked him away, leaving Ed alone in front of the door, "temporary guard".

Ed stood there for a few moments, his heart pounding, suddenly hoping that someone would rush out to stop him...... Or kill him.

But he didn't wait for anyone. Only a gust of wind swept through the hallway, as if someone had sprayed his breath on his neck, making him shiver and his scalp tingle.

Maybe it's a trap?—he thought crankily. When he pushes open the door and walks in with his dagger in hand, there will be a large crowd of soldiers waiting for him, adding him a new, irrefutable charge......

That's better than now, as if trapped in a quagmire and unable to break free, and can only suffocate to death a little bit.

He reached out and pushed the door open.

There were no soldiers hidden in the room, no swords silently chopped from the back of the head - in the darkness, a dull aroma of déjà vu filled the air, and someone asked vaguely and angrily, "Who's there?!"

- That's Ante Bofford.

Ed suddenly calmed down and gently slammed the latch with his backhand.

"Moira?" asked Ante, confused, "I told I needed to rest!"

The room was extremely dimly lit, with only a little moonlight streaming in through the cracks in the curtains, and Ed stood there, watching the blurred figure on the bed roll over, his body shaking uncontrollably.

He had known the king since he was very young...... He even once held him on his lap and asked him with a smile if he wanted to be his knight when he grew up......

The once beautiful picture was now shattered into thousands of pieces in blood, like a soul that he could no longer put together.

“...... Who are you?!" the king snapped, apparently discerning that he was not his queen.

"Guard...... Guard!" he shouted, "Guard—"

Ed reached out, putting behind his insistence on "no spells" and easily silenced all his voices with a silence.

That was a breach of his promise to himself...... But it made him feel extraordinarily happy.

He took a few steps closer to the man who was struggling to jump out of bed in panic, his dagger firmly blocking the slashed sword, the splash of sparks illuminating each other's faces for a moment.

He saw Ante's face pale and puffy, distorted in fear and anger, like an undead face.

He wasn't alive and well - but he was alive. That was enough to make Ed angry.

So many people died...... So many undeserving people died in the mist, their cold bodies soaked in blood...... Why is this man still alive?!

Ante staggered back and slashed at him with a sword, which Ed easily dodged.

The king had once been a knight—a good knight, but now he wielded his sword weaker and more undisciplined than a normal man, and Ed almost suspected that he was standing before him as a stand-in.

He didn't bother to light a flame of light that lit up the room.

As if his eyes had been stung, Ante raised his arm to cover his eyes for a moment and turned his head away, but when he lowered his arm, the frenzied light in his eyes was no different from a few days ago...... Maybe it's just crazier.

That's Ante indeed.

He opened his mouth, let out a silent curse, grabbed the candlestick beside the bed and smashed it at Ed.

The candlestick landed on the thick carpet without making much sound, but Ante grabbed a bust and slammed it against the window.

The patterned glass cracked with a crisp loud thud, and the sober air poured into the room, sending Ed to a swoop.

Someone will be coming soon...... He couldn't drag it out any longer.

Without thinking, he recited the incantation, and put An, who was shaking his head and seemed to be a little more awake, in place. He strode closer, watching the King's eyes widen in fear and despair, and his dilated pupils were imprinted with the dagger in his hand—and his face as distorted as Ante.

Ed stared blankly at his face, his raised dagger stiffening in midair.

At that moment, he knew he could kill Ante...... But at the same time, there is a part of his soul that will die forever.

(To be continued......)