Nana was hung upside down in the air by Ed's hindpaws, flapping her wings so that she could continue dangling. It looked at the outstretched finger, and did not resist, but shook it curiously and sniffed, then hugged the finger with its paws, opened its mouth and bit it.

“...... Nana!" Iss roared.

He wasn't worried that the dragon would snap Naria's finger off, though it could—it could tell what it couldn't eat.

He just...... Suddenly a little inexplicably unhappy.

"Nana?" said Naria, smiling softly. She could feel the little dragon's tiny, pointy teeth prick into her skin, tickling, a little tingling, but she wasn't scared at all.

It doesn't hurt her.

"Fragrant. Xiaolong let go and gave a satisfactory comment, still holding Naria's fingers.

The girl's fingers are not very soft, with a thin layer of calluses, but also with a faint, pleasant aroma.

“...... It speaks!" Narya's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes!" said Ed, smugly, "Nana is smart!"

He let go and let the dragon pounce into Naria's arms. But before Nana could find the most comfortable position in that fragrant and soft embrace, she was rudely carried away by a cold hand.

Isse held it in his arms, and no matter how angry it grabbed and bitten, it didn't let go, one face was as tense as ice that had been frozen for thousands of years, and the other hand still pressed Tess to the side, not allowing her to pounce.

Naria looked at him suspiciously, thinking about the argument he had just had with Tess, and vaguely seemed to understand something.

- But she's not going to snatch it.

The girl thought helplessly, turning to Ed.

"You got the message?" she asked.

.

The news had just been sent out by Balk. Before that, he didn't feel that things were bad enough for him to control.

In fact, until now, the situation has not gotten out of control, but the old man has always been very clear about what he can do and what he can't do.

The earthquake two days ago was indeed a little different from what it used to be. It was more intense, and although it quickly subsided, it completely destroyed the city's waterways. Because the fountains had long since been closed, the damage was not too serious at first, and the water gushing out of the ground soon flowed into the Vinez River due to the topography, leaving only a dark red layer of silt.

Then, that night, Tonbuch fogged up.

On autumn nights, fog is not a strange thing. But soon, the soldiers patrolling the city walls noticed something unusual—inside the high stone walls, a milky white mist rose ominously in the night, and beyond the stone walls, only the moonlight poured on the grass that began to wither, and it was so cold that there was not a trace of mist in the transparent air.

Those who had been confined to their homes early were not in much danger. After a night of probing, both the priest and the mage came to the same conclusion - it was not the fog of death, nor was it the kind of obscure trick that Collins had done at last year's May Festival, it was just pure fog.

They suspected that it was the same thing as the fog of the Collins Plains, in order to hide ...... and protection. However, neither Sean nor Icabold were in the city, and before they could find out, the fog quickly dissipated in the early morning sun.

Balk didn't let that deter him from losing his vigilance. After another day, he sent all the lights in the city to light before nightfall—no matter what was hidden in the darkness and fog, it was always good to have more light.

"He even told me that when you come back, ask if you can make a huge ball of light on top of the triple tower or something, like a lighthouse in the harbor, and it's reassuring to look at. ”

As she repeated the remarks, Narya didn't really know if Balk was serious or joking with her.

There was no fog that night. On the empty and deserted streets, the street lamps that have not been lit for a long time are lit one by one, although it looks a little weird, but it is indeed reassuring. And for the soldiers who had to patrol the city, these lights, lit just in case, may well have saved their lives...... Because in the darkness, there is really a deadly shadow.

Even though they are old, the adventurers of the past still have a sharper instinct than the average - a few old people gathered on the Nautilus spotted the dark shadow that would reach them like a living thing.

The black shadow seemed harmless, and even if it touched, it only felt a slight coolness, and it would not suck human life as quickly as a dead mist. But when Balk received the news and sent someone to investigate, some people had already lost their breath in their sleep.

The rest of the city was gathered at Lockburg, the lifeless palace now brightly lit. The priests are trying to dispel the shadows, but it's not that hard...... But it's useless.

Ed pushed open the courtyard door. The whole courtyard was protected by the spell, so it was not eroded by the shadows, but outside the door, across the narrow stone path, in the backyard of another long-departed house, black shadows wriggled among the cluttered hedges.

The rain of light that fell on their return had dispelled the shadows for a time, but in a short time they had returned. It's like the darkness of the night around them is where they are born, and no one can stop them unless the sun rises again.

Ed walked across the stone path. Even if he let himself go into the darkness, the shadows instinctively avoided him. He stretched out his hand and watched the wisps of shadow slowly retreat from the flowing air, frowning slightly.

It's not a ghost, it's like a ...... Something lower than the Shadow Phantom was weaker than the black fog he tore through in the mountains, but it was still dangerous for ordinary people to stay in it for a long time.

They can still be dispelled by firelight...... Will they coalesce into the wandering human form he'd seen in more nights, turning the world into a world like theirs, with nothing but dead silence?

He looked back. Is, who had finally gotten rid of Tess, was walking behind him.

"They...... Be part of this world. ”

After a moment of silence, Isis spoke.

“...... Didn't you come in from somewhere else?......" Ed muttered.

"You've already felt it, what's the use of deceiving yourself?" Iss unceremoniously debunked him.

"I just don't understand ......"

Ed hung his head. He had a map in his pocket, which Sean had given him. Stunbuch had actually been under protection, but the ancient circle that had taken shape with the establishment of the city two hundred years ago had been completely destroyed before they could understand it enough.

But the ensuing catastrophe does not seem to be so terrible that it is difficult to stop.

Why do they always seem to be one step late...... It always seems that there is no way out.