The paladin nodded casually, not showing much enthusiasm for a reunion after a long absence—in fact, he looked a little impatient with everyone.

"Keep up. He said, "Lift your leg and go."

Ed hadn't seen him, only heard of him. Browder had mentioned to him several important priesthoods who rarely appeared in the temple, and Paflo Quinn was one of them. He became a paladin almost at the same time as Sean, at least in no way inferior to Sean in terms of combat ability, but ...... In Browder's words, it was called "more suitable for solitude", which now seems to mean "impatience with people".

He would take orders from the temple - sometimes refused, of course, but more often he would wander around and do what he thought he was supposed to do, perhaps of great significance or insignificance, most of which would probably never be known...... After all, he himself has no intention of preaching it at all.

He didn't care about fame and fortune, his status in the temple and the evaluation of others, but Browder never forgot to introduce this senior to the young people who entered the temple who they might not see each other for more than ten years.

Thinking of Browder, the courteous paladin who no longer looked like a warrior, Ed was in a trance for a moment. He used to think that the old man was more like a sleek and all-round steward, both in character and in what he did...... But now he realized that if Browder hadn't died in the fog of Collins, Sean might not have become what he is now, colder and more inaccessible than he had been.

There weren't many people in the temple. Most of the gathered guardians stayed outside the temple, but this small temple was not originally as grand as Stonebutch and Collins, and Quinn alone could almost block the not wide passage. The priests and paladins along the way had to stick to the wall as they passed, and although they were always vigilant and ready to attack, their faces were a little bewildered.

It dawned on Ed that the confusion might not be because of them—he felt the scorching wind blowing in his face.

Iss lunged forward. A few steps away, under the steps, there seemed to be a fire burning abruptly in the darkness, hanging in the air without any support, and it was as if the air had been burned through a large hole, and the scene on the other side could be faintly seen.

This is an entrance...... And he knew where it leads.

It was more of a space than a chamber of secrets, with memories of a huge dome covering the empty ground, and a small pool in the center of the ground, like an ancient water mirror on the island of the Holy Sepulchre. He remembered that the place was cold and damp, like a tomb hidden under the water, but at this moment, a golden-red light gushed out with a dull shadow, making the entrance maintained by magic twist and shrink like a mirror about to be burned, as if it would collapse at any moment.

Not many people have that kind of power.

He couldn't rush in. Quinn easily stopped him with only a slight raise of his arm, oblivious to the golden glow of his eyes in eagerness and anger.

"Stay here. He said, turning around and grabbing Ed, throwing him like a chick into the rapidly shrinking entrance with great ease.

.

Ed resigned himself to rolling on the spot and jumping up quickly. The entrance shrank into a small black dot behind him, and then vanished, but the roar that Iss burst out was still buzzing and echoing in his head. He was really worried that his friend would desperately turn back into an ice dragon and smash the little temple into ruins...... Perhaps, though, he should have worried about the trouble in front of him first.

There is no edge to be seen in all directions, no top can be seen upwards, and there is fire all around, but there is no fire. Wisps of black shadows were entwined in the golden-red light mist, as if they were trying to merge, and as if they were strangling each other. The temperature was so high that he felt like he had been thrown into the crater, roasted so much that he could almost hear the sound of his own flesh sizzling with oil.

But when he came to his senses, he realized that he hadn't actually been harmed in any way, even if he hadn't had time to put any defense on himself.

Even the view is clear. It's just that in the midst of such firelight, keeping your eyes open is the most difficult.

The closest to him was Icabird. A semi-circular barrier envelops him, and the transparent surface is covered with layers of water waves, which can be pleasantly cool just by looking at it. But it wasn't the priest who was holding up the barrier—there was a small pool of water at his feet, and the dragon egg was half-hanging over it, slowly turning.

The thin white light was like a bolt of lightning, flickering between the eggshell and the barrier, each lightning bolt stirred up a circle of ripples above the barrier, and each ripple weakened the fire and black mist covering it as it dispersed, unhurriedly, with ease.

Icabold glanced at Ed nonchalantly and then turned his gaze back to the dragon egg, his eyes focused and enthusiastic, as if nothing else had piqued his interest.

Ed was also interested in the egg - he suspected it was one of the dragon eggs Starfire had left behind, but he didn't know why it hadn't hatched...... But he can't turn a blind eye to those farther afield.

Sean Freiche stood straight with his back to him. His white hair, armor, and firelight were all reflected in gold, dazzling with a strong sense of unreality, as if he no longer existed in this world, and only a glorious phantom remained there.

But there was blood on the sword he clenched in his hand, as well as on his arm. The shoulder armor on his left shoulder had been cut to pieces, and it was clear that he had gone through a fierce battle, but nothing came of it.

In front of him, Fili Zeri, who stood between him and his enemy, wiped the tears that had been pierced by the bright light, turned back and waved at Ed, and smiled widely, actually quite happy.

"It's four against one now," he said, turning to the guy who was silently confronting them, and without saying anything, he counted Ed as his side, and was not ashamed of being bullied by the less, "Are you sure you can win?" Why don't you put the fire away and we have a good talk? I think I'm almost ripe...... Or is that what you're going to do?"

He barely even joked. Because no matter what he said the whole time, he never got a word of response—in fact, Scott hadn't said a word at all since he forcibly barged in.

Neither did Sean.

Caught in the middle, Fili felt that he was unlucky...... He was really glad that there was finally a guy as unlucky as him.