"Master Magician, a fighter has come from outside the castle, saying that he is here to find you."

☆★☆

"Friends?" Xavier asked, surprised, looking up at me.

I shook my head: "Not a friend...... It's a more intimate relationship. After saying that, I put down Xavier's hand: "You take a rest here, I'll be back soon." ”

Xavier seemed stunned for a moment, but quickly pulled the corners of his mouth and smiled, then nodded silently. I didn't pay any more attention to him, just pushed the door open and walked out.

As soon as I walked out of the castle, the tall and muscular figure appeared in front of me. My heart was beating a little fast, and I was inexplicably excited.

But what followed was a faint embarrassment-

I really miss him after not seeing him for so long, but now that I have seen him, I feel a little bit of homesickness.

☆★☆

"Kroll—" Bednar raised his arm and waved, calling out my name.

He had a bright smile and a shallow halo of sunlight casting on him, and I quickly stepped forward to meet him and gave him a firm hug.

Ryan ......

His body is still so generous and warm, and after being ironed by such a hot body temperature, it seems that the unhappiness and estrangement between us have disappeared all at once.

Soon, I let go of my grip on him and took a step back. only to find that his amber eyes suddenly became much darker.

I laughed a little, this is outside the castle, dozens of pairs of eyes are staring at us, do you want to watch me and me in front of everyone?

"Come with me, if you want to stay here for a while, you'll have to talk to Master Luke first, by the way—you have one with an identity scroll, right?"

Ryan nodded, as if he had recovered from that small loss. As a result, I felt a little uncomfortable.

Hey, it's still too naïve.

☆★☆

After reporting to Master Luke that my mercenary companions had come to Bro City, I led Ryan to the pharmacy.

The corridors of the Viscount's Castle were long and winding, the lights on the walls were not bright, and we walked on the carpet, and the only silence around us was the crackling of the candles.

"You...... Why don't you show me the friend you found? Ryan's voice was calm, but muffled.

He was a little behind me, and I had to turn my head to look at him—

He actually put on such a aggrieved look.

I couldn't help but laugh a few times and reached out to hold his arm: "He's in the pharmacy, I'm going to take you to see him now." ”

Hearing me say this, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his mouth opened and closed several times, and he only spit out the word "En".

☆★☆

The door to the pharmacy was open, and as soon as I pushed it open, I saw Xavier sitting at his desk.

Compared to the clever appearance he had when he was a child, he has become much more wooden now.

"Xavier." I gently called his name, and he came to his senses and stood up all at once, and the chair fell to the ground with a "thud".

"I'm ......" he hurriedly picked up his chair, then lowered his head, and said sorry in annoyance.

I knew he had just come out of the plantation and wasn't used to life outside, so he was so flustered. But there was nothing he could do to recover at this time.

"Don't be so nervous." I smiled and pulled Ryan over: "Let me introduce you, this is Ryan, the leader of my mercenary group." ”

"He's Xavier, my friend in the orphanage"

“…… Hello. Xavier hung his head and greeted him very reservedly.

Ryan gave me a sad look, and then spoke, his voice stiff: "Hello, I'm Kroll's lover, I've heard your name for a long time, you're his very important friend, thanks to you for taking care of him before." ”

"Yes." Xavier kept his head down, only replied dryly, and said nothing more.

Probably because Xavier is now recognized, I always feel that the atmosphere is a little awkward.

Ryan calmed down and beckoned us to sit down at the table next to him, "Are you going to stay in Bro City until the viscount is well?" ”

"That's all there is to it now." I tapped my fingers on the edge of the table, "Actually, I also think it's very troublesome, and I want to take Xavier to meet Master Herb earlier." ”

"But the truth is that I haven't been recognized by the Boreal Forest, and I can't get into it now."

"How do you get recognized by the Boreal Forest?" Ryan was stunned for a moment: "It's not that I haven't been to the Northern Forest, what does this have to do with admitting it or not?" ”

I smiled helplessly: "The Northern Forest you went to is a town belonging to the Northern Forest, and I'm talking about the further north, the forbidden forest, where many high-level magicians live in seclusion. ”

"And places like this...... So what to do? Ryan asked.

"Master Herb once told me that as far as healing mages are concerned, to be recognized by the Northern Forest, one needs to complete a 5a rated healing."

"It's not an easy thing to do, with a 5A rating, the disease that needs to be treated is difficult enough, special enough, and there are many healing mages who fail before they can do it."

"And it was such a coincidence, I walked all the way from the Eastern Continent to Buro City, and I met the Viscount who was suffering from a strange disease." As I spoke, I took out the scroll from my bosom: "At first, I just suspected that the viscount's strange illness was a test that the forbidden spell of the Northern Forest lowered for me, and it wasn't until I actually healed and I got the rated scroll that it was really determined." ”

The tail of the scroll was printed with a 5a gilt lettering, and I unfolded it to show Ryan and the others: "When the 5a is gone, we can go to the Boreal Forest." ”

"Looks like we're going to have to stay here for a while." Ryan touched the clear mark on the scroll and exhaled softly.

"Let's just put it that way...... It's just that...... I found something very strange that I wanted to figure out as much as I could during my time in Bro City. ”

"What's the matter?" Not only Ryan was a little confused, but even Xavier, who had not spoken since just now, raised his head and stared at me stunned.

"That's right...... I found that the viscount was suffering from the same illness as you had since you drank Glenn's potion. ”

Seeing the shocked expression on Ryan's face, I sighed, "I don't think it's a coincidence. ”

"At the beginning, the elemental blockage in our body, since you only put the secret medicine to break the contract, then the elemental blockage should be the result of the interaction of two or more drugs, and the Grenache we drank afterwards must have been put into something."

"And what I'm worried about now is what's in those Grenaches." I rubbed the throbbing corners of my forehead in great distress: "Moreover, such a thing must also be in the city of Bro, otherwise the viscount would not be sick." ”

"We can first check the Chelsea family's relevant medicinal material procurement records over the years, and then compare the medicinal material records on the Viscount's side." Ryan pondered for a moment, as if he had made up his mind, and reached out to hold my hand: "I could have asked Chelsea directly, but I don't think he would tell us so lightly." I'm going to write to Biden right now and ask him to start looking into this matter, and then ...... I'll rush back tomorrow. ”

He was so well arranged, I was a little embarrassed: "I'm sorry...... I should have told you about it in my letter, and let you come to Bro City for nothing. ”

It's because I'm running out of ideas...... Or rather...... I wanted to see Ryan too, so I didn't think too much about it.

“…… I ......" Xavier stood up suddenly: "That...... I went back to my room first and had a bit of a headache. ”

"Huh?" I was stunned: "What's wrong?" Feeling unwell? ”

Xavier shook his head, a shallow smile appeared on his pale face: "Hugh, it's not good to rest......"

"That'...... Rest well......" I watched Xavier leave the apothery, and when the sturdy wooden door closed, my eyes suddenly went black, and my lips felt wet.

Kroll ...... I miss you so much......"

Ryan's voice was soft and deep, and a few short words came out of the tip of his tongue, like a fine wine, making people drowsy.