Ed stared straight at Lydia's abdomen, and he didn't care if it was rude.

He couldn't see anything—Lydia's wide skirt and long overlapping sleeves kept everything covered.

"Can you feel anything?" said the mage's smile with a tenderness that she had never felt before, "I knew I couldn't hide it from you." ”

"I could hear his heartbeat. Is's tone was stiff and complicated, "It won't be because you ate someone." ”

Lydia laughed out loud, seemingly thinking it was a funny joke. Ed, however, had a bitter face, unable to smile at all. He instinctively felt that this should be a good thing – that a new life being born was always beautiful and hopeful. But everything that this unborn child has to face is too complicated.

Lydia couldn't stop laughing, and it took a while to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, pat her chest and gasp.

"I'm sorry. "I've been feeling a little ...... lately," she said Not very stable. ”

Ed was even more apprehensive. He had been prepared to deal with a moody female mage, but now he was facing a woman mage who was even more moody because she was pregnant! What little faith he had was immediately gone—how could he talk to her? If she got angry, or even if they fought, would it hurt the child?......

“...... Who is his father?" Ignoring the ever-changing expressions of his friends around him, Iss asked bluntly.

Lydia chuckled and raised a finger, "Guess?"

Isis watched her in silence for a long time, but finally gave up on the issue.

.

Lydia enthusiastically led them into the garden, and even brought them snacks and fruit, as if they were really just two young men who had come to visit their elders.

Tucked away in the forests on the western side of the Frieze plain, this hidden place is delicately furnished and cozy. Manipulated by magic, the entwined trees and vines form houses scattered among the flowers, high and low, sinking together. This forcibly twisted nature, Ed didn't like, but it was undeniably beautiful and stunning. And it's not as complicated as Grivar...... It's more like the style of the Far Northern Light.

But at least, one thing is undeniable - it was laid out to the elves' liking.

"Don't worry, he's not here...... Or maybe so. Lydia shrugged and comforted the two little ones who seemed overly vigilant, "As long as he doesn't show up, it means he's 'not there.'" Besides, he won't do anything to you, he likes you very much. ”

Ed struggled to keep himself under control, not shivering too visibly - he was really grateful for such a "liking".

"Or are you actually here for him, not for me?" the mage clutched her chest a little sadly.

Ed stiffened his face and looked at Ise as if pleading. He really wasn't good at dealing with women who acted as if they were real, whether it was Lydia or Agnes...... And she's pregnant! It's worse than Lydia and Agnes combined!

"Like?" Ise sneered, "because we're still useful, right?"

"It's better to be useful than not to be useful, isn't it?" Lydia waved her hand nonchalantly, "Look, I can stay here like this...... Under his protection, I don't have to worry about anything, isn't it because I'm still 'useful'?"

"And what about when you're useless?" asked Is, annoyed.

The Lydia Bell he knew was not someone who would be willing to be attached to someone forever, but what if ......

I don't know why, there is a faint anger and unwillingness in my heart.

"I'm always going to be useful when I want to be 'useful'. Lydia smiled, not angry at all, "And when I'm useless...... Naturally, I have to make the people who can use me even more useless. ”

Isis still had a cold face, but he was unconsciously relieved in his heart.

“...... We're here for you. He said. "Nia ...... He's getting a little weird. ”

The name still made Lydia's face sink slightly, even if it was only for a brief moment.

"I'm not surprised what has become of him. She gracefully stuffed a grape into her mouth, "That's the one who came back from hell." I wonder how long you'll have to fool yourself before you want to find out...... Why, did he expose himself? He's not that careless. ”

Ed cleared his throat nervously, whispering about Nia's body becoming both demonic and half-dragon, without mentioning the cause or consequences.

He knew it was necessary. No one can get anything from Lydia Bell for nothing...... What's more, even Nia herself has said that since she has to show her original form, it would be a loss not to exchange it for something.

"Find a good opportunity to tell Lydia. "She must have loved hearing that." When a person is particularly happy, it is much easier to deal with. ”

He still had that nonchalant smile when he said this, but Ed could tell that he didn't really care.

When he hesitated about what to use as a bargaining chip against Lydia, it was Iss who chose this.

"Since Nia said so, then do it. "There is no need to feel that this is a betrayal of him...... He must have had his own purpose - if he really didn't want to, he wouldn't use that tone. ”

He knows Nia better than Ed...... And Nia knew Lydia better than they did.

The female mage's green eyes narrowed slightly, shining in the sunlight, like a cat...... Like a beast with a focused expression.

Isis glanced at her right hand, resting on the stone table. Looking through the gap between her fingers, the gem that was originally embedded in the palm of her right hand had disappeared without a trace, leaving only two blood-red marks that were as clear as if they had been carved, with a slight arc, vaguely outlining a vertical eye, and like a small flame.

He wasn't sure if it was because of Ankran's help or if she had found a way on her own. Having gotten rid of the gem that gave her strength but was like a maggot on the tarsal bone, Lydia Bell was now even more unfathomable...... But it is more like the bright and wanton woman more than ten years ago, who has not been completely impregnated by the darkness.

"It sounds like he's been remodeled well. Lydia giggled and didn't ask any more, "I've heard the devils' tricks...... They must have taken such a high value of him into their work, what a lucky guy. ”

The undisguised malice was like a cold thorn that pulled Isis back from his memories.

“...... Is it just 'heard'" he stared at Lydia tightly, "Have you ever seen hell?"