Douglas stepped down a dark street and looked back intently at Scarlet Moon.

"The crime has already been punished, but why implicate those innocent?

Why do they have to suffer? You wear the amulet of Mishakai, the goddess of medicine. Do you understand? Did the so-called gods explain it to you?"

Scarlet Moon hesitated for a moment, not expecting this question, and focused on searching for the answer from her heart.

River Wind stood beside her, as well as ever, hiding his thoughts, and the expression on his face did not change at all.

"I've asked this question a lot," Scarlet said hesitantly.

Closer to the river breeze, she held his arm, as if to make sure he was still around.

"In a dream, once, I was punished. Being punished for your lack of faith, being punished for losing someone you love. ”

River Wind wrapped his arms around her. "But every time I'm ashamed of my doubts, I think about them at the same time.

It was this suspicion that allowed me to find the ancient true God. ”

She paused for a moment. The river breeze stroked her blonde hair, and she looked up and smiled.

"I don't know," she said softly to Douglas, "I don't know the answer to this riddle."

I'm still questioning. When I see innocent people, victims, wicked people rampant, I am still full of anger.

But I know that this wrath is the fountain that burns everything.

Through this flame, I forge my soul like pig iron into hard steel, which is my faith, and it is this faith that has allowed my weak nothingness to survive the layers of difficulties. “

Douglas looked at Crimson Moon in silence, her hair shining golden, radiating heat and glow like the sun that would never shine here.

Her classical beauty was enhanced by the hardships she had experienced. Those sufferings did not bring blemishes to this beauty, but made her more perfect.

There was wisdom in her eyes, and now she has a small life in her body, which brings great pleasure.

The mage turned his gaze to the man who was gently holding the Scarlet Moon.

His face also bears the marks of a dark, long road. Although there will be no expression on his face.

His love for the woman was clearly evident in his black eyes and the gentle way in which he embraced the woman.

Maybe it was a mistake for me to stay underwater for so long, Douglas thought.

He suddenly felt very old and very sad. Maybe I can help.

If I can use my anger like the two in front of me, maybe I can help them find answers.

But I let my anger gnaw at my soul and trick myself into hiding here is the best solution.

"We shouldn't delay any longer," River Breeze said suddenly. "Calamon will soon come to us stupidly, no, he's looking for us like crazy right now. ”

"That's right," Douglas cleared his throat. "We should go, although I don't think the young girl and he might leave. He's still very weak—"

"Is he hurt?" asked Scarlet Moon, concerned.

"Not his body," Ambra replied before stepping into the broken streets. "It was his soul that hurt.

Even before the girl told me the story of his twin brother, I could see it. “

A wrinkle appeared between Scarlet Moon's delicate brows, and she pursed her lips.

"Forgive me, young lady from the plains," said Douglas, smiling, "but I see the soul-forging fury in your eyes. ”

Scarlet Moon said with a red face. "I told you I was weak. I should have no doubt about feeling Rodlis, and what he did to his brother.

I should believe that this is part of a plan that I cannot understand. But I just can't.

I can only pray to the gods that he will not meet me again. ”

"Me too," River Wind said hoarsely. "Me too". He repeated solemnly.

Calamon lay and looked at the darkness in front of him.

Lena fell asleep in his arms. He could feel her heart beating, he could feel her slow breathing.

He stroked her gently, the red curls that fell on his shoulders, Lena twitched, and Calamon quickly took his hand away, afraid that he would wake her up.

She should be resting, and God knows how long she's been taking care of him.

She'd never let him know, and he knew that.

When he asked, she just smiled and teased him for his thunderous snoring.

But there was something more in her laughter than usual, and she couldn't seem to look him in the eye.

Calamon patted her on the shoulder comfortingly, bringing her closer.

When he was sure she was asleep, he could finally put his mind at ease.

He had only sworn to Lena a few weeks earlier that he would not accept her until he could respond to her love with all his heart.

He could still hear himself saying, "I put my brother first, I am his strength." ”

Now that Rodrith is gone, he has found his strength.

As he told Calamon, "I don't need you anymore." ”

I should be happy, Calamon told herself, staring at the darkness in front of me.

I love Lina and get her love in return. Now we are finally free to express our emotions. I can make a commitment to her.

I can put her first priority in the future. She loves me very much and is willing to give to me. She deserves to be loved.

This has never been the case with Rodlis. At least that's what they all believe.

How many times, when Robert thought I couldn't hear, he discussed with Stone why I could put up with the sarcasm, the unreasonable instructions, the brutal orders.

I've seen their pity on me. I know they think I'm slow to react;

At least compared to Rodrith, I am. I am the clumsy buffalo, carrying a heavy burden, and moving forward without complaint.

That's what they think of me.

They don't understand. They don't need me, not even Lena, not like Rodris.

They had never heard him wake up screaming in the middle of the night as a child. There were always only two people, him and me.

Only I listen to him in the dark, ready to comfort him. He never remembered those dreams, only that they were terrible.

His emaciated body trembled incessantly, and his eyes were filled with horrors that only he could see.

He clung to me and cried. I'll tell him stories or make ridiculous shadows on the wall with my hands to help him drive away his fears.

"Look, little Ray," I would say, "little rabbit...... "I would stretch out two fingers and wiggle them like rabbit ears."

After a while, he will stop shaking. He doesn't smile, not even when he was younger. But he will relax.

"I'm going to sleep, I'm so plain," he whispered, holding my hand tightly, "but keep awake, Calamon, and watch me, and don't let them come, don't let them catch me." ”

"I'll be awake, I won't let anything near you, little Ray!" I will promise.

Then he would give a barely smiling look and close his eyes in exhaustion.

I keep my promise that while he sleeps, I will be awake and watch him. It's funny, maybe I really kept them from getting closer.

Because as long as I'm awake, he doesn't have nightmares.

Even when he was older, he would wake up crying in the middle of the night and reach out to me, and I would be over there.

But what is he going to do now? What is he going to do without me, when he's lonely and scared in the dark?

What am I going to do without him?

Calamon closed his eyes, and gently, afraid of waking Lena, began to sob.

"That's our story," Robert said simply.

Apollita listened very intently, her big green eyes looking at him without moving.

She didn't interject. When he finished, she remained silent. Her arm rested on the staircase leading to the water, and she seemed to be lost in thought.

Robert didn't bother her. The feeling of tranquility and solemnity beneath the surface of the sea made him very relaxed.

The thought of returning to the noisy, rude, sun-drenched aquatic world is terrifying.

How easy it is to give up everything and stay here, hide under the water, and be isolated from the world forever!

"What's wrong with him?" she finally spoke, gesturing her head to Belclery.

Robert sighed and returned to reality.

"I don't know," he shrugged as he looked at Belcleral. The man looked at the dark place in the cave.

The lips kept moving, as if repeating the sentence over and over again.

"According to the aftermath of darkness, he is the key. Find him, she says, victory is hers. ”

"Well," Apollita said suddenly, "you've got him." Did that give you a victory?"

Robert blinked. The question came as a surprise to him. He clutched his beard and thought.

This is something he hasn't considered before.

"Indeed...... We've found him," he murmured, "but what can we do with him? What is there in him that can bring victory to either side?"

"Doesn't he know?"

He said he didn't know. ”

Apollita frowned and looked at Belclaire. "I think he's lying," she said after a moment, "but he's a human, and I don't really know how the human mind works strangely."

However, there is a way to find out. Go to the temple in Nairakar after the darkness. ”

"Nairaka!" Robert repeated in surprise.

We've just escaped from there!, Robert almost blurted out, swallowed hard.

Douglas's approach certainly won't be that, after all, the risks are too great.

Once you encounter your subordinates behind the darkness, it is very likely to drag down your friends on the ground when you are weak.

But Douglas made it clear that he didn't want to reveal the way back to the surface, which was uncomfortable.