When Hayna walked home, the sun had not yet risen in Eagle Point.

To this day, she hasn't been home for four years.

In the past four years, the nearest restaurant in front of the school has been poured back and forth, and three owners have changed back and forth.

She has also gone from being a country girl who didn't know anything when she first came to Glass Island and was anxious every day, to a personal disciple of the Grand Arbiter, and has become friends with the Founders' family and the future Her Majesty the Queen...... At least a familiar face.

But my hometown hasn't changed.

The air around you, the height of the trees in the mountains, the depth of the dirt road you tread on with your feet...... Whatever it is, nothing has changed here.

It's as if time has stood still.

The hourglass stops, the sun and the moon do not move. Smoke still rises in the distance as it did in childhood.

At that moment, Haina had a delusion.

It's as if you live in a false picture, and now you are the person in the painting again.

Suddenly, Haina stopped.

She noticed a small tree sticking out of the roadside.

It was far from the woods, and it stood alone on the side of the road. Because of this, Haina recognized it almost immediately.

She leaned over and found the scar on the bark.

Haina reached out to keep her level and gestured slightly, then slammed her palm on her soft chest.

She smiled helplessly, reaching out to gently touch and caress the scar on the tree.

She remembers it.

It's a trace of when she used to run from here to go to school in Bagpipe Town.

When her family heard that she was going to study in the town alone, they were both happy and worried. She was thirteen or fourteen years old, and she was standing there in a little mess that didn't understand anything. How can the family rest assured?

So they gave Haina a self-defense dagger.

Although it was a dagger, it was a short knife for Hayna, who was thirteen or fourteen years old.

That's a good knife indeed. Even by today's eyes, it is indeed a good weapon.

It has a beautiful blue-green blade and is as beautiful as a lake. If you are facing the sun, you can see a gradient from dark blue to dark yellow from the side...... It's like the night sky in the evening.

Haina vaguely remembered that the blade was still engraved with a curved Elven language...... At the time, Haina did not know the elven language, so she only used it as a decoration; Later, she learned Elvish, but she couldn't remember what was written on the dagger.

And compared to the blade, the scabbard is much more plain.

Haina felt courage just by holding it. And whenever Haina was uneasy before the exam, just holding it would gradually become calmer.

Later, she couldn't remember where the knife had gone. Khayna remembered that she had not lost the knife. But she couldn't remember when she started to go to school without a dagger.

It's just that the family didn't blame themselves for losing the dagger. Maybe she stayed at home, or maybe she didn't tell her family...... Who knows?

And this trace was left when the beautiful dagger was still on his body, because he was cheap and easy to leave when he passed by.

Originally, she just wanted to record how tall she was when she went out to study. Let's see how tall I have grown when I graduate...... It's just that after that, I forgot about the tree.

Maybe it's because I see it every week when I run back and forth, and gradually I think of it as a part of the roadside scenery, and I can't see this little tree anymore. Now, after four years, Haina is back again...... She saw it again.

The tree is exactly the same as it used to be. There is no change in size, even the shape of the canopy is exactly the same. The scars left on the bark of the tree are still at the height of the past...... Except for the scar-like marks, it was as if everything was yesterday.

Haina gently touched the scar on the tree.

She closed her eyes, and nostalgia welled up in her heart.

In a trance, she seemed to hear the creaking of trees growing. She imagined that everything would change over time, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and the little trees would gradually grow. And when she opened her eyes again, it was as if everything was just an illusion of the past that stayed in her mind.

"It's time to go home."

Haina muttered under her breath, her tone calming and the smile on her face blissful.

When she opened her eyes, their pupils had turned completely yellow.

At this time, Ivas was feeding the little griffin with fresh meat.

The griffon, which had not yet learned to speak, devoured and ate.

Angelica, the griffon companion of David's mother Nadia, was standing beside Ivas at this moment.

“…… If you're not going to slip away with her or play with her, don't let the child get too full. ”

The big white griffin made a gentle voice from its mouth: "As long as she is not hungry, you must take the meat away." If she tries to attack you or tries to snatch meat, yell at her.

"It's easy to tell if she's had enough to eat. For such children, as long as they eat significantly slower, they are not hungry. ”

"Just call her by her name, Aunt Anjie?"

Ivas asked, "Is that okay?" ”

Angelica nodded, "Yes." Shouting at the other person's name is a simple order for the authoritarian path. It's like pointing at someone is a simple curse, and singing is a simple spell.

"The power of the path contained in these actions is so weak that it is almost imperceptible to human beings. But for the life of the corresponding path, it becomes clear.

"It's like pointing at a demon will anger the demon, and singing to the goblin will make them happy...... As soon as they shouted at the griffin, they immediately knew that they had done something wrong. ”

"What about the simple acts of the way of love?"

Lily, who was standing behind Ivus, suddenly raised her head and asked.

Angelica's eagle head winked mischievously, and replied with a smile: "That's naturally kissing and sexmaking." This is how the fairies of the lake seduce. ”

"Where's the dusk path?"

Ivus asked.

"It's an inscription."

Angelica replied, "Portraits and statues are half beautiful and half dusk." So it's easy for artists to sense the power of the dusk path.

"Compared to a painter, a photographer is a pure twilight profession. Photographing and preserving images from the real world is the most typical act of the twilight path.

Because of this, those invisible dead who also belong to the twilight path are easily left traces by photographs. Because they sensed the breath of the dusk path. There are a lot of horror stories that actually follow this principle. ”

"I see......"

Lily nodded, thoughtful.

At this moment, the griffin in front of Ivus's eyes suddenly seemed to be choked. It shook its head and rested for a moment, then continued to lean over to grab the large steak in Ivus's hand.

"That's fine, Ivus." Angelica reminded.

Ivus immediately retracted the steak and shouted, "Stop, Liz! Don't eat it! ”

The little griffon, named Liz, shook her head aggrievedly.

Liz clearly understood.

But she didn't attack Ewas, she just looked at Eivus quietly with her wet eyes, rubbed over and made a subtle soft sound.

Ivas relented for a moment.

But he strengthened his will, and said firmly, "You're not hungry, Liz." Don't eat - I don't have time to play with you. ”

Liz screamed again.

It's not as clear and bright as an adult falcon, but as crisp as a bird.

Ivas handed the meat to Lily and asked her to wrap it. Then he touched Liz's head and neck as comfort.

Unlike David's Emily, Liz is taller. Maybe it's because she's older, so she's more obedient than Emily.

Her coat is half black and half white, and she is in the moulting period. Now I'm able to carry a person on my back. Even Haina can move in light armor, let alone Ehuas.

But there were three of them in the line. Even if you don't count the luggage, there are Eivas, Lily, and Sherlock. Liz definitely can't carry it.

Could have asked Philip to help bring everything with him, including Liz - as the griffon's companion to the Great Guardian, he was much more powerful than his kind.

But Philip left the Isle of Glass with George. Faced with this situation, Angelica could only call her best friend.

"Anjie!"

A loud female voice came from outside, and then the white griffon, which was larger than Angelica, flew directly into the courtyard of David's house.

"Carmela!"

Angelica was very happy and rubbed her: "Let's talk back again, let's get ready to go." I'll be there before late evening - I'll take Ivas and Lily, you carry Sherlock, and then Liz and your luggage. ”

"Okay, no problem. What about Sherlock? ”

"On the way, it should be almost there."

Ivas explained.

Hearing Aihuas's voice, Carmela leaned over and looked at Aihuas: "Is this Moriarty of this generation?" Than his father looked handsome. ”

Ivus was a little surprised when he heard this.

Can griffons actually distinguish the appearance of humans?

He barely recognized the griffons...... Who's who is can only be judged by body size, voice, and personality. Not to mention which griffin is good-looking and which is not.

As if guessing Ivus's thoughts, Angelica explained softly, "It's not the appearance, and we can't tell what humans look like.

"The griffin's aesthetic standards for humans are related to human adaptability to the path of authority. To put it simply, it is calm, steady, loyal, majestic, and reliable. People who are authoritarian and adaptable, in our opinion...... It's like you see cute cats. ”

…… Oh, that's no wonder.

Washton understood the mentality of the two rows of old griffons crouching at the gate of the palace. To them, it's like humans crouching there every day watching a horde of beautiful cats walk around and bark.

I see, they're squatting there and sucking people......

And Ivus went on to understand the aesthetics of demons.

If the griffin as an authoritarian creature has such an aesthetic, then the demonic aesthetic should also be related to the desire for transcendence......

Ivus glanced back at Lily's shadow.

Then he probably understood how he tamed the Shadow Fiend.

(End of chapter)