Ed looked down at the wound on his leg, which had been carefully treated - "meticulous" did not seem appropriate, but his wound was indeed beautifully stitched and bandaged, and Oylan did not feel much pain at all.

In the moments when he was stunned, the old man had already quickly bandaged his wrists and the wounds on his neck.

“...... You really don't want me to die. That's all Ed can say.

Otherwise, what would he do? Say thanks? That would only make the situation even more bizarre - he was an unlucky hostage, Oylan was a damned necromancer, and Bazel was an undead who was better to die sooner, each with their own desires but still enemies after all...... It seems much simpler to think of it this way.

The old man gathered his tools, stepped aside without looking at him, and began to stitch up wounds for Bazel that he couldn't even feel.

Bazel didn't lie to him at least in one thing - Oylan was very skillful, if not "happy", when it came to "stitching up wounds".

"What did you do before- I mean before you became a necromancer?" Ed couldn't help but ask, "Physician, or painter, are you really a nobleman?......

He knew he probably wouldn't get an answer, but he always unconsciously began to talk when the atmosphere was particularly awkward, and he did become more and more unable to control his curiosity about the mysterious necromancer, which was one of the reasons why he didn't try to escape in any way - of course, his poor physical condition and Oylan taking what he had managed to retrieve were more important.

"If you can't keep your mouth shut. I'm happy to oblige. The old man looked back at him coldly, holding in his hand a long needle with some kind of translucent thread in it.

Ed's scalp tingled and he honestly shut his mouth. Start looking around.

He couldn't make out the direction of Bazel's confusion along the way, but he was sure they hadn't passed the River of Red Buds—if Haryat had come to them according to what Oylan had said seemingly unintentionally, he wouldn't have been able to find them, and with the old man's caution, he probably wouldn't have been able to follow them unless one of the hunters was as good at tracking them as Norwe.

Before dawn they burrowed into a valley. It took a few more moments of swaying in the darkness to get here—a half-collapsed tower that looked like something left behind by the orcs, completely damaged on the outside. The part that is deep in the ground is still intact, and there are clear and messy footprints on the ground, as if someone has just recently visited.

Oylan is familiar with the place and may well have lived here. Ed knew that necromancers would always have plenty of hiding places for themselves. But this place has apparently been discovered......

So. At least for a short time, no one will be able to find it again.

Ed couldn't help but look back at the old man who was still busy, and had to admire his unusual calmness.

But what surprised him even more was Oylan's extraordinary physical strength. They ran for most of the night, and even Ed, who was being carried and ran, already felt as if he had been torn apart, this old necromancer, who looked older than Allen, could keep up with Bazel, although his clothes were soaked with sweat, and his breathing was a little heavy...... Even a real barbarian. The same may not be possible.

After all, Bazel is the undead. He doesn't get tired, and his steps don't stop almost from beginning to end......

Ed shuddered, worried, and looked more closely at Oylan - he could sweat and breathe, but he was already dead?......

"I'm alive. Oylan glanced at him, easily seeing his look of bewilderment.

Ed smiled wryly, folded his arms and curled up by the fire.

He didn't want to admit that he was the most useless one, but he had a splitting headache and chills all over his body, and the chill that seemed to put himself on a fire and couldn't get rid of it was definitely not a good sign.

He was stunned for a moment, and for a moment he might even lose consciousness, because when he suddenly came to his senses, he was throwing himself headlong into the fire, but he could only stare at the flames that were about to lick his skin, and neither his brain nor his body could react at all.

A hand grabbed him by the collar in time and dragged him away from the fire. He simply collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at Oylan's expressionless face in his sight with his dry, aching eyes.

“...... You have a fever. The old man's voice was not discerning, but his eyes were as sharp as a knife scraping Ed's face.

- What does he want to do?

The insecurity caused Ed to try to stay awake, but soon fell into darkness without help.

The high fever and pain made him unable to distinguish between reality and dreams. In a trance, he could always see his mother's quiet face, and see her sitting on the edge of his bed, the hazy morning light gently embracing her, just like he saw when he woke up from his sleep as a child...... But in the blink of an eye, the illusion vanished like a bubble, and only the faces of Oylan or Bazel dangled in front of them, their shadows cast by the firelight on the mottled stone walls, huge and twisted like monsters from childhood nightmares.

When he finally woke up, the fever seemed to have subsided, and Ed got up in a daze, and sat for a long time, only to find that Oylan had left the crypt at some point, and only Bazel sat silently on the other side of the fire, looking at him motionless.

Ed stared at him dumbfounded, not knowing what to say, and not knowing how much more he could trust him—perhaps he shouldn't have believed an undead in the first place.

The long silence made him more and more uncomfortable, and he couldn't help but clear his throat and break the silence.

"What about Oylan?" he asked, a little suspicious that they had been left here by the old mage.

More than once, he felt that if he and Bazel were left behind, Oylan would definitely disappear from everyone's sight more quickly, never to be found again...... Especially Bazel, whose power is terrifying, is also too striking a target.

-- Find medicine. Here you go.

Bazel's answer was a bit unexpected.

- You burned badly, and he saved you.

“...... So. Maybe I should thank him?" Ed gripped the sticky strands of hair that began to stink, "like thanking you for carrying me so far?"

Bazel's hand froze in mid-air. Slowly drooped down again

The atmosphere stiffened with the crackling of firewood that didn't dry out. Bazel lowered his head, and Ed looked to the side, thinking blankly, "It's better to go back to sleep, but I'm so hungry......" when the barbarian suddenly gestured violently.

Ed stared at him blankly, not knowing until he repeated it once for sure that the barbarian was apologizing to him.

――I'm sorry.

Bazel gestured, but the magnitude of his movements was as if he wanted to punch someone.

“...... Because of what?" Ed asked cautiously. "You're just being controlled. ”

- Not because of that.

Bazel's eyes were annoyed and frustrated.

- I was deceived.

He said.

- He knows everything...... I thought he didn't know anything.

“...... Do you mean Hoan or Oylan?"

- The little one.

Bazel waved his arms indignantly.

- He always told me a lot about you, so that I could know how to get your help, but he didn't doubt his purpose. Even if my plan fails, he can stay out of it and make another plan...... Humans are really cunning.

Ed, who is also a human but has been deceived repeatedly, rubbed his nose awkwardly, feeling a little aggrieved. But he was more concerned about another issue:

“...... So you didn't lie to me?"

- I didn't lie to you...... At least not all.

Bazel shrunk his shoulders. The momentum has weakened significantly.

-- What I'm telling you is true. At least those related to myself, except for ......

He hesitated for a moment before making up his mind to make a heavy gesture.

- I don't want to die.

He looked back at Ed, repeating slowly with anger and reluctance.

- I don't want to die. I'm alive and I want to live. I'm about to get married...... It's not fair!

Ed lowered his eyes, afraid to meet the blazing gaze. After all, it became the way it is...... Monsters, it's not Bazel's fault. But he had to bear all the pain.

It's really not fair.

Bazel let out a hoarse growl, bringing Ed's gaze back to his.

- Will you ...... Help me?

He asked him.

Ed stared at him. I don't know how to answer.

Bazel calmly lowered his hands, as if he had expected it.

“...... That's why you're following Oylan, even if you're not under his control?" Ed asked softly, "Do you think he can help you ...... 'survive'?"

- At least he won't want to kill me.

Bazel replied frankly.

- While I was still useful to him.

Ed smiled wryly, knowing that he had no right to criticize such a choice. Guilt and uneasiness churned in his heart, and he unconsciously thought of Is, his friend, a dragon who was considered "evil...... If no one stands by his side and fights for him...... What will he become?...... But they're different after all......

His mind was in a mess. Even when Oylan returned, he just looked up at him blankly.

“...... You recover quickly. Oylan said.

Ed looked at him quizzically, remembering that this seemed to be the second time he had said something similar, seemingly meaningless.

"Probably because I slept well. He replied casually, originally wanting to secretly satirize the old man who had poured him the kind of medicine that could make people unconscious...... But he suddenly realized that this time he was not disturbed by any dreams in his groggy sleep - he had dreamed a lot since he was a child, but since he woke up in Hoan's room, he didn't seem to have dreamed again.

"Good. Oylan lightly tossed a backpack to him, "Carry it...... We're leaving. ”

“...... Did anyone catch up?" Ed didn't know if he should be happy.

"Nope. Oylan replied, "Just...... Go and revisit the old place. ”.

(To be continued......)