The three girls are asleep, the fire is still burning, and Fern and Stan are leaning against the rock-hard ice wall, watching the jumping flames. Overhead, there are dark clouds that are fluttering rapidly, and stars appear and disappear in the dark clouds. The wind didn't increase any longer, but if they were still on the ice sheet, they would have frozen in the cold wind of the night.

"Stan, you go to sleep first, as always, I'll keep watch for the middle of the night. Fern picked up the flat wine bottle that had been heated by the fire and poured it down. "Good thing there is. ”

Stan watched as the girls were tightly wrapped in cloaks, their bodies undulating regularly. "Fern, if you had a choice, Ness and Queai, who would you choose?"

Ness's closed eyes slowly opened, and she lay on her side with her back to the two, trying to maintain the same position so that Fern and Stan would not notice that she was still awake.

Fern snorted heavily. "Both of them are so good, and I'm just a mercenary. ”

"But I don't think they mind that. Stan raises his bottle and takes a sip.

"There are gaps that cannot be bridged, even if people on both sides want to be with each other, but the gap is always there. Fern looked at the occasional string of flames and tossed the firewood from the fire.

"I can understand your concerns, Ferne, although some people can give up everything they have for the sake of their loved ones, just for the sake of two people together, but not everyone can do it. Stan wipes a handful of stubble, and the ale that runs from the corner of his mouth wets his stubble. On the contrary, only a very small number of people can do it, and most people still can't get rid of the shackles of the world and pass by their own happiness. ”

Fern holds up the bottle and reaches out to Stan. "So, instead of ending in pain, it is better to never start, I don't want to drag any of them down, they have the right to pursue their ideals, they have what they have to do. ”

Stan and Fern touch the bottle and take another big sip. "Have you ever considered that if you just have the process, it is actually a choice, don't think about what will happen in the end, just grasp the present, and spend every day before the separation with your beloved girl, at least, when you are separated, you have good memories, and this memory will accompany you until you die. ”

Fern smiled and patted Stan on the back. "That's the difference between us, you are fully committed to everything, and you just want to have a clear conscience. And I, thinking too much, not only about myself, but also about others, hesitated. ”

"In this way, the active girl is more suitable for you, and I think Kui Ai has more hope. Stan laughed.

At this point, Ness moves unnaturally in her cloak, and Stan immediately shuts up.

After waiting for a minute and seeing that Ness didn't move again, Stan continued, "Ness may have been suppressing her feelings for you because of the constraints of the Mage Tower, you can't do this, if no one takes this step first, when this mission is over, you will definitely go your separate ways." ”

For a long time, Fern did not speak, except for the sound of the fire burning, except for the sound of the wind blowing over the heads of the people. Ness was almost asleep, her eyes closed, and her consciousness was blurring.

At this moment, Fern's voice belated, "I don't know what to do, in the eyes of others, I seem to be able to come up with ideas at any time, but in fact, my heart is also struggling." Stan, I can't ...... Piercing this piece of paper, I don't want Niss to influence the decisions she's going to make because of me. ”

"So, what about Quiai? She's very active with you. Stan smiled.

"You don't know, Stan, Quiai has a lot of personality like Kaya, but because they are so similar, I'm a little overwhelmed. Fern threw his head up and took a large sip of ale. "And, Nessy has ...... Hey, as if I have a lot of choices, maybe I'm being sentimental here. After saying that, he laughed self-deprecatingly.

"It's your own responsibility, if you don't say anything clearly, both sides can only guess what the other is thinking, and you don't feel good. Stan snorted and moved his right foot, which was a little numb.

"Alright, I got it. Fern straightened up. "And you, Stan, you seem to have completely sealed your feelings in Lil, and moreover, in the source of magic. ”

"You're right, unless I meet a second Lil, I'll probably be single for the rest of my life. Stan touched every inch of his beard, feeling the sensation of them rubbing against his fingers.

"You know there won't be a second Lil, so why bother with illusions, it's not the real world Lil. ”

"But she really died for me, or I would have been there forever, a corpse. Stan's eyes glisten with tears. "She has been ingrained in my heart and will never be forgotten. ”

"It's not easy to meet a girl like Lil again. Fern pouted. "I don't think you met a girl who could impress you. ”

Stan laughs. "Fern, you underestimate me too much, I have taken chivalry as my lifelong code of conduct since I was a child, the decisions I make will not change because of any external force, my heart, like a mirror. ”

"Spiegel...... What a desirable word. Fern looked up at the rapidly shifting sky.

"Why, do you want to join me? Knight is not so easy to be, you see me, I'm not an official knight yet. Stan looked at Fern with a relaxed smile on his face.

"Come on, I don't want to be so strange when I meet strangers. Fern smiled and lifted the bottle to touch Stan again.

"Life is really full of accidents and surprises, when I was in a dilemma in Wet Port, I met you, I didn't expect to be involved in a conspiracy that can't see the truth at all, but I have gained more. Stan takes a sip of his wine and pouts so that the malt aroma fills his mouth.

"It's the same, when I first met Ness in Deville, I thought it was just an ordinary commission, and I never thought it would be like this. Fern looked at the bottle in his hand, thoughtful.

"So, do you regret it, Fern? I mean, regret accepting the commission. Stan turned his face to look at Fern.

"Do you regret being on the Princess Merry with us?" Fern looked at Stan as well. "My answer is the same as yours. ”

The two laughed together, and the hearty laughter poured out the bitterness in their hearts.

Stan looks up and drinks the last drop of the bottle. "I rested first and woke me up in the middle of the night. The knight patted Fern on the shoulder, found an open space to lie down, and prepared to sleep. As soon as he lay down, he thought of something again, and propped up his body to look at the mercenary. "Ferne, I know I'm a bit pedantic in my thinking, so I rarely give advice to others, but, Ness, or Queay, they're girls worth your life protecting, and if you already have the answer in your mind, don't give up, put aside your worries, and hold on to them, I mean, one of them. ”

Fern nodded silently, and Stan lay down again, and after a while there was a snoring sound. The mercenary threw away the bottle he had already drunk, picked up another bottle from the fire, opened the lid and drank it.

Fern was left alone to keep vigil, and all around fell silent. The cold wind was still blowing, and the mercenary looked motionless ahead, his eyes projected with dancing flames, and his thoughts were chaotic.

Ness's tears slid across the bridge of her nose and fell to the ground from the other side, and she grabbed her cloak and moved her left leg pressed under her right leg to make her sleeping position more comfortable, resisting the urge to sob.

Outside of her, Quiai's large, charming eyes narrowed at this moment, and she pursed her lips, her hands gripping tightly at the clothes on her chest. "Fern ......"