After four days of marching with the Crow Regiment, the group did not encounter a dark tide along the way, and the group easily advanced to the north.

Lil goes from occasionally walking up to Stan to talk to him, and then simply walking with Stan later. Stan also goes from being shy and incoherent to getting used to talking to Lil, and the more they talk, the happier they become.

Kaya, on the other hand, was still far away from her companions, but sometimes she looked back in the direction where Fern was, and when she saw that Fern was also looking at her, she quickly turned her head away.

On the other side, from time to time, mercenaries from the Crow Regiment came over to talk to the two mages. Ness always politely sends them away, while Ray ignores them coldly.

Fern teased Ray, "The source of magic wants you to stay here with Stan and me." ”

Ness blushed and didn't respond to Fern. Rui turned his head sideways and stared at Fern with a frown, "You haven't tasted enough of dark magic last time, have you?"

"Don't be so serious. Fern continued to tease reluctantly, "A few of these mercenaries are very good, I used to know them, can I introduce them to you, how about it?"

"You just have to say one more word...... Rui issued an ultimatum.

Fern immediately shut his mouth, and the only silence was the footsteps of the crowd.

Later that evening, Miles stopped the Crows in front of a wooded field and instructed the scouts to start looking for a suitable camping site.

"Not far further is Doyle, where we will rest for the night today and enter Doyle tomorrow. Miles shouted orders to the mercenaries.

"Is Doyle any danger, it should be much safer than Tarentara, after all, Doyle's army patrols everywhere, why don't you go to Doyle and rest?" asked Miles, one of the older mercenaries in the Crows.

Miles frowned, his sword clenched in his left hand. "I can't say it clearly, I have a bad feeling. The old mercenary sighed, "Quentin, take out all the wine you have brought with you, and everyone have a good rest tonight." ”

The mercenary named Quentin didn't ask any more questions, and then left. Alone leaning against the trunk of a stout tree, Miles stared at Doyle in the distance.

"What's up ahead?" Fern and his companions walked behind Miles.

Miles glanced back at Fern, then looked ahead again. "Doyle, Wallis's kingdom with the best hope of repelling the Dark Tide. ”

"Doyle?" Ness whispered noncommittally in Riel's ear, "Doyle doesn't exist in this era, right?"

Rui nodded slightly, and also asked Miles, "Why did the Dark Tide cross Doyle to Tarentara?"

Miles looked back again and smiled kindly. "This mage has been in the Mage Tower for a long time, how can Doyle be the opponent of the dark tide, they retreated strategically in order to preserve their strength, and they only recaptured not far from the territory of Doyle not long ago. ”

"In that case, why are you looking ahead with unease in your eyes?" Fern looked ahead as well, nothing unusual.

Miles turned his head to look at the sky in the distance. "To be honest, I don't know why, so that's why I asked everyone to stop and camp early. After a moment of silence, he looked back at Fern and his companions, "Today, you should rest well." With that, the old mercenary nodded politely and walked towards the camp that the scouts had found.

Fern and his companions looked at each other, unsure of what was going on.

"The source of magic really can't be inferred by common sense, Doyle already exists in this era. It was Rui who broke the silence.

Stan shook his head and received, "According to the history of Doyle, Wallis founded Doyle after the first defeat of Doyle, and was chosen by the monarchs of the various kingdoms to take the lead in the battle, and Otto Aydra was the king of Doyle, and to defend against Doyle as a frontier state. ”

"What is recorded in the history books is not necessarily the truth, perhaps it is the oral tradition that later generations deviated from the facts, or ......," Fern paused, "someone has tampered with history." ”

"I'd rather believe that Stan is right than believe everything in this source of magic. Ness looked down at the wand with a melancholy look in her eyes.

When night fell, the mercenaries of the crow group sat in a circle, drinking wine and eating food, while chatting with each other relaxedly, some mercenaries were still dancing simple dances with soft singing in the circle formed by their companions, the atmosphere was very harmonious, and everyone was immersed in it.

Fern and his companions also sat in the circle, feeling the long-lost touch.

As soon as the song was finished, Kaya was pushed into the middle of the crowd by her companions, and as the song sounded again, Kaya began to dance slowly and shyly. The melancholy and slow tune of the song was a song that Fern had often sung with his companions to dance with the girls when he was a member of the Crows, and this time was no exception, and Fern unknowingly sang along.

The stars and the moon seem to have put away their light, and they no longer shine for me.

The whole night sky lost its brilliance, cold and indifferent.

I don't know if there is anyone who can warm your hands instead of me.

Although in the days without you, I live every day like a year.

But I'm still looking forward to it, looking forward to the day when you and I meet again.

But loneliness remains, and pain never goes away.

Time passed, and the world grew darker.

Your faded smile gently drifted away from my memory.

One day, I will not be able to wait any longer, and in my place will only be a tombstone without an epitaph.

But don't cry in front of my tombstone, I'm not there, I don't sleep.

Gradually, Kaya got into the groove and was completely immersed in the dance. The girl's dancing posture is beautiful, and in the melody of sorrow, the girl's slender figure is endearing. Fern sang and sang, his eyes moistened, and his voice choked. Memories of the past turned over in his mind, and Fern had thought that time would erase everything, but now he knew that some memories would never be forgotten.

In a trance, it seemed that someone had come to him.

"Stan, I just found some pretty flowers there, can you protect me while I pick them?"

"Of course. Stan immediately stands up and walks out of the crowd with Lil.

Fern realized that Kaya's dance was over, so he let out a long sigh and searched the crowd for her.

"What, are you disappointed? You thought it was Kaya who came over?" Ray saw what Fern was thinking.

Fern smiled self-deprecatingly, and slowly stood up and walked out of the crowd. The voices behind him grew softer and softer, and at last Fern stopped in front of a low tree and sat down on the branch with a slight jump. Fern looked up, and through the gaps between the branches he could see the stars in the sky, and the memories overwhelmed him again.

"Stan, do knights give their lives to protect their beloved?" Lil stood in front of a bush of flowers, but instead of picking them, she tilted her head to look at Stan.

Stan leans over and plucks a reddish moon for Lil. "Yes, knights will guard the dignity, life and glory of their loved ones with their lives".

Lil doesn't reach for Stan's flowers. "Stan, can you help me put it in my hair?" Lil lowered her head slightly, smiling as beautiful as a flower.

Stan clumsily helps Liel arrange the flowers, his face red from his neck to the top of his head.

Lil still has her head down, secretly looking at Stan. "So, Stan, do you have a crush girl?"

Stan doesn't know how to answer this question, and doesn't know what to say. "Not yet, oh no, maybe there is. ”

Liel looked up and looked at Stan earnestly. "So, Stan, are you willing to defend me with your life?"

Stan straightens up, his lips open and closed, but no sound comes out. The knight patted his cheek vigorously with both hands, stabilizing his mood. "Yes, Lil, I do. ”

"Great!" Lil jumped up in delight. "So is there any special ceremony needed to take the oath?"

Stan doesn't answer, but gets down on one knee, holding the hilt of the sword at his waist with his left hand, and extending the palm of his right hand upwards toward Lil.

The girl didn't expect Stan to act immediately, covering her mouth with one hand, sobbing excitedly, and slowly placing the other hand in Stan's right hand. When the two hands touched, they both shook slightly, and Stan gently took Lil's hand. "I swear by the glory of a knight that I will protect Lil with my life, forever!"

Lil couldn't stop crying, and Stan's lips pressed lightly against the back of Lil's hand, lingering for a long time, feeling the girl's faint scent and soft touch.

"So you're hiding here. Ruiya came to the tree where Fern was. "I thought you ran away with some girl like Stan. ”

"Stan should be measured, he's never crossed paths with the Crows after all. Fern wasn't worried.

"So, you're dangerous. Rui tilted his head over to look at Fern.

Fern sat on a branch and dangled his feet, replying disapprovingly, "I am confident that I can recognize reality and illusion." ”

Rui turned his head and leaned against the trunk of the tree. "That's right, I have to admit, I admire your composure and calmness. ”

"Oh?" Fern looked down at Rui who was standing under the tree, "When it comes to calmness, I'm still not as good as you, sometimes, I'm still impulsive, and your calmness seems to be innate." ”

Rui snorted and said lightly, "If you have experienced what I have experienced, you will become the same as me." ”

"What the hell have you been through?" Fern seized the opportunity and continued to ask Rui.

"I'm not going to say that. Rui decisively refused to answer.

"Okay. "But can you answer my other question?"

"You say. ”

"Sara and Doyle should have yellow hair and eyes, why are yours black?" Fern asked the question, seemingly inadvertently.

Rui hesitated for a moment, but finally said the reason, "This is caused by shadow magic, at first it was golden to pale yellow, then the yellow disappeared completely, only gray remained, and then the gray became darker and darker, and finally it became completely black. Ray's tone didn't have a mission to fluctuate.

"That must frighten you?" asked Fern, concerned.

"For me at the time, yes, my blonde hair turned black and my pupils darkened. Rui sighed softly, she was still just a young girl after all, and she still cared a lot about her appearance.

"Anyway......" Fern thought for a moment. "I think black is beautiful to you, too. ”

"Thank you. An undetectable smile flashed across Rui's face, but he immediately regained his composure.

In the distance, Ness was running towards the two of them, and with her, Kaya.

"Fern, Ray, I made a good friend today. Ness excitedly pulled Kaya to the two of them.

"Is it? is that Kaya?" Fern asked with a smile.

"Well, yes, I see that the two of us have a lot of language in common, don't you, Kaya. "It's the first time Ness has been so excited.

"Yes, like two sisters. Kaya's face was filled with smiles as well.

"Kaya said she was going to teach me how to do that dance, it's so beautiful, I have to learn it, let's go, Kaya, teach me now!" Ness said, pulling Kaya and running away again.

Kaya looked at Fern with some reluctance, as if she wanted to stay here, but was pulled by Ness, so she had to take one last look at Fern and run away with Ness.

"Luckily, Kaya in our world is gone, otherwise it wouldn't be easy to choose between the two sisters. Rui teased.

"When this mission is complete, Ness will return to her Mage's Tower, and I will return to Deville, and maybe I will never see her again. Fern's words were filled with disappointment and reluctance.

"Is that really going to happen? How do you know if you don't try?" Rui tilted his head back to look at Fern.

Fern jumped off the branch and moved his hands and feet. "I was almost tricked into it, well, it's almost time to rest, and I don't know what awaits us tomorrow. ”

"Hmph, I really can't fool you. Ruiya smiled easily, but then her face became serious again, "yes, it looks like there will be a change tomorrow, I hope it will go well." ”

Fern nodded, his left hand unconsciously clenching his sword. "I hope so. ”