For everyone, walking in such a ruin is not a big deal. Even Mary, who was a little uneasy at first, gradually calmed down after a long walk, and because of this, Mary noticed some anomalies that she had not been aware of before.

"Mr. Duanmu, here......... Doesn't seem like there's anything?? ”

"Huh?"

"No, I mean ..............."

Mary said as she held a flashlight and shone on the ground around her, the smooth floor was empty of nothing but dust, which was normal, but in a ruin, it was somewhat abnormal.

"There are no remains, no ornaments or anything like that......... Is this normal? ”

That's right, Mary had also visited the ruins with her teacher before, and in general, most of the ruins of a large complex like this would have remains or even the remains of some civilization items left by previous people. But the place was as clean as if someone had vacuumed it, and there was nothing left.

"Oh, it's not normal to put it anywhere else, it's normal to put it here."

Duanmu Huai quickly gave the answer.

"Huh? Why? ”

"Didn't I just say that? The Ancients couldn't leave the planet because of their deterioration, and then, they had a little trouble and went extinct. ”

"Is it a disease? Or the plague? ”

"Hehe, it's neither."

Duanmu Huai shook his head.

"It's a rebellion."

“…………… Rebellion?? ”

"That's right, as you can see, such a large complex, the ancients came here for vacation, and they couldn't be stupid enough to build their own houses, so they used their knowledge to create a creature called Shogues as a servant, this thing......... Well, very disgusting, you can think of it as a mass of moldy and spoiled jelly with countless eyes on it, and the body can be deformed everywhere. ”

"Woo....................."

Just imagining it, Mary said......... It's disgusting indeed.

"All in all, when Shogues rebelled, the degraded ancients couldn't beat them and couldn't run away, so they were finished. As for their corpses and other things, they were naturally swallowed in the stomach by Shogues——— and then there was no more. ”

"And what about Shogoth?"

"Oh, right down here."

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai clenched his cane and knocked on the ground, and the heavy impact echoed in the dead hall. His attitude was so taken for granted that Mary was not even able to react for a moment.

“…………… Ay??? ”

"It's down here."

“……………………… Are you kidding? ”

Mary stopped and looked at the solid, smooth slate beneath her feet, wondering if it was influenced by the story told by Duanmu Huai, she could now feel that under the heavy slab, something seemed to be squirming and wriggling, and that thing itself came from tens of millions of years before the birth of man...............

"Alright, it doesn't matter at the moment, we'd better bring that friend of yours back as soon as possible."

Saying this, Duanmu Huai also stopped, and Mary looked up, only to realize that they had passed through the corridor and came to a heavy, sealed door. Duanmu Huai stretched out his hand, pressed it against the cold and heavy door panel, and then roared.

"Open!!"

"Boom Rumble Rumble———"

The stone door opened, and at the same time, it seemed to attract the attention of some kind of being, and it was just the blink of an eye, when suddenly, a series of piercing, strange screams came from all directions.

"This, this is?"

"Well, it seems that the other party is obviously in a hurry..............."

Duanmu Huai clenched his cane and snorted coldly.

"Lorena, get ready to do it."

"Of course, Lord Knight!"

Hearing Duanmu Huai's words, Lorena nodded, and then Mary saw the girl suddenly open the holy book in her hand, and the next moment a dazzling light emerged from it, turning the heavy protective clothing that Lorena was originally wearing into a set of white and gold-rimmed, which looked like the clothes worn by the clergy. At the same time, Lorena clenched her small fists and stood in the doorway with her back to them.

"Please leave it to me!"

"Wait, wait, Miss Lorena, this is ........."

"Okay, don't worry, this little trouble won't be a big problem for Lorena, but you will have a problem staying here, go in, remember, you have only one goal, don't forget!"

As soon as the words fell, Mary was stretched out by Duanmu Huai and pushed into the door. The next moment, her eyes suddenly went dark. With a loud "boom", everything seemed to return to its original silence.

"Mr. Duanmu? Miss Lorena ??? ”

Mary held a flashlight in her hand and looked around blankly, but all she could see was pitch black.

No, it's not pitch black.

Mary's right eye, the golden pupil saw through the darkness.

Is that......... The steps, spiraling upwards, seem to lead all the way to the sky.

At the same time, Duanmu Huai's voice sounded in Mary's ears again.

Remember, you have only one goal, don't forget.

…………………

That's right, I have only one goal, whether it's in the dark streets of the foggy capital, or in the snowy Antarctica, or even now...............

"Xia Li, wait for me, I'll come to you now."

"Dada..............."

The sound of crisp footsteps echoed down the dead staircase, and Mary strode upward, though she didn't know where to go, but she knew and knew her goal, the goal she was seeking.

Right at the end of the road.

Obviously he was running, and he didn't know how to run up the steps of a few hundred meters, but he unexpectedly didn't feel tired at all, let alone gasp. It's as if this is not reality, but a dream. Or maybe Miss Lorena's workout did a trick?

However, compared to the footsteps and exhaustion, the oncoming darkness has brought another change to the girl's mood.

It is the echo and memory of the past.

The picture of his mother, who is a master's degree, parting with him at the airport.

"That's it, be a good boy of good manners, Mary."

"I know, I'm not a kid anymore, and I'm not a problem alone, so mom should work hard over there. Take care, Mother. ”

"Ah, you too, Mary........."

In this way, her mother left her, lost her father, and the mother and daughter, who had been dependent on each other since childhood, were separated, but Mary knew very well that her mother had only abandoned her. She chose her job over her daughter.........

Don't leave me, Mother.

Looking at the distant airship, the only thing the girl could say was the whisper in her heart.

Don't leave me alone ............!

“………………………”

The footsteps stopped.

Mary's eyes widened in surprise, at this moment, her whole body trembled involuntarily, the memories that she didn't want to recall two years ago turned into a nightmare at this moment, controlling her body from the inside out. It was the wail of my young self from two years ago.

Please, Mother, don't leave me, don't leave me alone, it's so scary and lonely to be alone.........

However, at this very time.........

"What are you doing?"

Again, the man's voice came to my ears.

A deep, familiar man's voice.

"Don't forget, you have only one purpose."

"That's right."

Hearing this, Mary was shocked, and her body, which seemed to be as tired as a bad omen, seemed to have become much more relaxed.

It's not over yet, I'm not here to end there!

The girl raised her head again, walked forward, and walked up the steps.

Onward, onward.

Then, she saw it.

Her friend with blonde hair, turquoise eyes, and a gentle face, she stood in the middle of the altar, dressed in a dark gown that seemed to be woven from the darkness around her.

"Charlie..............."

Even though she had foreseen this scene countless times, seeing the gesture of her friend in front of her still made Mary not know what to say. And she also noticed that her friend's left eye, like her own right eye, had turned golden......... Golden pupils.

“…………… Long time no see, Mary, to be honest, I didn't expect you to be here. ”

As calm and gentle as ever, it was as if they were preparing afternoon tea at Lady Leeds' Restaurant.

"Xia Li, why the hell are you doing this? What exactly are you for? ”

Looking at her friend, Mary finally raised her inner question.

And she finally got Xia Li's answer.

“…………… Because I don't want to lose you. ”

“…………………”

"I'm scared, maybe tomorrow it will be like that."

“………………”

"So, I don't need a future."

“………………”

"As long as it's good today, as long as it's good now. I don't need a future, it's better to ......... than to lose you Stay here, Mary? ”

As she spoke, Charlie raised her hand and pointed at Mary.

"My wish has been granted, to meet you in this Sharnos, which is supposed to be alone. So, please, stay. ”

As Xia Li spoke, darkness wriggled and twisted, condensed, and turned into a sharp blade on her white fingertips.

"Stay in the eternal today......... That's the only way to protect us, isn't it? ”

"But......... But ..............."

Looking at her friend in front of her, Mary clenched her teeth.

"No one is here, neither is Ashie, everyone is too, it's just me and you here, Xia Li."

"That's right."

Hearing Mary's answer, Xia Li lowered her eyes.

"You're so much gentler than I am, I've given up everything but you, but don't worry, Mary, I knew you would say that..............."

With that, Charlie raised her sword and pointed it at Mary.

"I will tear out your thorns, and I will pierce you with mine, and you will remain here with me forever. So......... Stay here with me! Please! Mary!!! ”

With the scream of the girl's hoarseness, the next moment, the black blade stabbed towards Mary's chest.

(End of chapter)