Philip Zeri let out a loud sneeze.

He rubbed his nose wryly, and confirmed with personal experience that even the great King could not be spotless under his bed.

He wasn't going to get along with the maid in charge of cleaning, and it wasn't every day that someone was so bored as he was to lie on the floor and peep under the little king's bed.

It was a complete whim...... Or a moment of confusion.

The "ghosts of Lockburg" no longer seem to have appeared after Gard Carlos claimed to have discovered all the secret passages in the castle and sealed or guarded them in various ways, but Frederick still wakes up from nightmares from nightmares.

Everyone thought it was just a dream—even Moira thought with a sad look. Losing his father, who he once respected and even adored in such an unbearable way, is obviously not so easy for a teenager to accept.

Filly was always a little skeptical about this...... He couldn't say he knew her son better than Moira, but he felt that Frederick wasn't that vulnerable. For a long time after Ante's death, the boy made no secret of his sadness, incomprehension, and anger...... But there have never been such nightmares.

Something was bothering him...... On one or two occasions, Fili felt that when he heard the boy's screams and broke down the door, he saw a faint afterimage—a hallucinatory afterimage that had completely disappeared every time he looked closely.

He didn't think it was some kind of ghost...... No, if it's a ghost, it's much simpler.

But he had repeatedly examined every inch of the floor, every inch of the walls. Even every inch of the ceiling, nothing suspicious was found, while all the windows and doors to the terrace. He locked it up every night...... He even checked the fireplace several times, and there was no sign of climbing in it.

- Of course, there wasn't any under the bed, and the dust at least allowed him to confirm that.

So it can only be ghosts...... But his instinct told him that it was not a ghost that frightened Frederick and refused to say a word to anyone...... And his sanity and common sense combined could not convince his instincts.

He told Scott about his suspicions. Scott was silent for a moment, then nodded acknowledging that it was possible. But without hard evidence, they'd better let that bad suspicion rot in their hearts, especially when the "ghost" is gone. When the once panicked Lockburg gradually returned to peace.

Evidence...... How could he quietly find some hellish evidence in Lockburg, where he couldn't even use magic?

He had thought about staying in Frederick's room all night to see what was going on, but the little king resisted very much...... This made Filly unconsciously a little annoyed.

He believed that he was even better than Garter, his own uncle...... But that's still limited trust.

What unstruck him was. Frederick was getting more and more gloomy. The vitality he once had quickly dried up. Fili felt that it was simply worse than the arrogance, irritability, and stubbornness he showed from time to time. Sometimes he doesn't say a word all day, just looks at everyone with a blank gaze...... Or no one looks. Even when he sat on the throne, it was Moira and the old Marquis Walter Carlos who took care of everything for him, while the little king, who was "still learning", was absent-minded or even uninterested.

In any case, the whole country is gradually returning to tranquility. Moira's once-plump cheeks quickly thinned, and the soft, innocent lines of her lips began to take on a stern look. She became more and more adept at handling state affairs - as if she had forgotten that she was not the king, but the king's mother...... Of course, she was also worried about Frederick's anomaly. But now she is more concerned about which family's daughter she will choose for him to be the queen.

Fili knew there shouldn't be anything to blame her. This woman who was forced to be strong is already very admirable, and who should be in power. How to weigh the pros and cons and other bad things, it's not his turn to talk more...... Even Scott could only remain silent.

The paladin felt like he was stuck in a depressing quagmire. But he promised to keep Frederick safe, and he would do his best to keep his promise, and he couldn't care about the rest...... Anyway, he's never been a big guy.

When His Majesty came out from behind the screen after bathing, Fili was still crouching there in a daze under the bed.

“...... What are you doing?" asked Frederick, frowning.

Taking off the heavy dress, he always looks much smaller, but there is already a thin line between his eyebrows.

"I felt like I saw a rat get under the bed. Filly lied without changing his face.

"I didn't know that paladins could catch rats too. The little king's face was expressionless, and his tone lacked heaving to make out whether he was sarcastic or not—but Filly didn't care.

They all knew he was lying...... But it's better than his frank admission that "I'm looking for the ghost of your dead father under your bed...... or corpses. "Much better.

They stared at each other in silence, and the atmosphere was extremely awkward for a while. Fili was trying to find a boring topic to talk about, and Frederick's gaze had turned in the other direction.

He unconsciously looked at the corner of the room by the window, where Filly had seen the shadows. But Filly was sure that there was no secret room or entrance to the secret passage in that corner, and that under the heavy tapestry were solid walls, and on the other side of the wall there was nothing—the king's chamber was at the end of the corridor.

“...... I'm going to sleep. Frederick withdrew his gaze and spoke stiffly.

Even though he knew it was useless, Fili carefully walked around the room again, and when he left, the little king had already hidden himself under the covers, revealing only the top of his head and half of his forehead.

Feely shook his head silently, blew out the candle, and exited the door.

He had left a candle flame on purpose, but Frederick was furious, saying that his brother Brandon needed it...... He seemed to think it was some kind of cowardice and cowardice.

Unusually stubborn in some unnecessary places...... In this regard, he really looks like his father.

After closing the door slightly, Fili nodded to the guards outside the door, and walked listlessly to the other end of the hallway—he needed to meet Moira.

He met a lady from an unknown family and her two young and beautiful daughters at the door of the Queen Mother's living room. They nodded to him reservedly, but they couldn't help but look at him curiously, and the older one, with his long chestnut hair and fair face, unconsciously turned red when he made eye contact with him, and hurried past him with his head down.

- Even her ears are red.

Filly raised an eyebrow. Such a shy girl is rare in Lockburg.

Moira, who had just sent off the guests, looked exhausted and reluctantly smiled at Fili, but could not help but complain: "What kind of girl does Frederick like? If he doesn't say anything, even if I choose the best fit for him, he won't be happy." ”

Happiness...... Filly couldn't help but sigh a little. How carefree had she been, and even after struggling from a sudden storm, there was still some remnant of her innocence—even he knew that there were only a handful of kings ever who could have been happy in marriage.

But what she cares about most is whether her son will be happy...... At least Filly thinks that's a good thing.

It wasn't for him to meddle - reason told him, but ......

"You should get Frederick out of Lockburg. Walter Carlos' voice came from behind him.

Fili couldn't help but nod, but Moira's eyes widened in surprise, "But he's the king." ”

"He's the king of Rutger, not just the king of Lockburg, or Stonebuch. Walter corrected him, "Don't you want to know what kind of girl he likes, find a nice spot with a nice view, and gather the knights for a tournament -- if he wants, he can participate." The best girls in the kingdom would sit in the stands dressed up and cheer for him, and at his age, I don't believe he would have a cold black face. He had to respond...... You'll know what kind of girl he likes. ”

Fei nodded vigorously, almost wanting to pat the old marquis on the shoulder in agreement.

"But......" Moira hesitated, "the war has just subsided, is it really safe?"

-- It's much safer than staying in Lockburg.

Filly wisely swallowed back the words he had almost uttered.

"It's better than staying in a castle that has been obscured by the tower's shadow for most of the time. Walter had the right to call a spade a spade, "In fact, if the time comes, I would suggest a different place for the palace...... Even the royal city might as well be replaced. ”

Moira glared at her father with a look of incredulity - she had probably never thought of this, for her, this place, this city, this castle, meant royal power...... It is immutable, even if it has countless dark histories and gloomy legends, it should be passed down for thousands of years and stand tall.

But nothing is immutable...... After a few months here, Filly could smell the decay and dreary smell of every corner of the castle, which was not as old as Criesburg, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it than just disable magic...... Darker secrets.

The sealed altar flashed through his mind—Scott wouldn't reveal more to him, but had the altar ever been soaked in other people's blood besides him?Was that weird and cruel ritual really just a useless lie?If not, where did its power come from...... Where do they end?

This may be a cursed place.

"I think it's a good idea. He finally couldn't help but blurt out. (To be continued......)