Albert said, looking at Ivus's neckline.

There was a token of love that Isabel had given to Evas, Isolde's Tears, which could withstand a mortal wound.

"It's called Isolde's Tears, and it's the necklace that Inni left me. She told me that it was something her mother had left her. Her mother eventually died, and the necklace failed to save her; If Inni had been wearing this necklace when she was attacked, she might not have died; But after we got married, she gave it to me.

“…… It's ironic, isn't it? A consumable necklace that can avoid death once, but it sent away several owners one after another, and in the end nothing was protected. There is not even a chance to be consumed.

"I don't think I deserve to use it, at least compared to its previous owners, and my life doesn't deserve to be consumed by this precious chance to avoid death."

Albert stared at the necklace on Ivace's chest and whispered, "So I gave it to Isabel before I left." Therefore, the first sight of you...... I recognized you. ”

"And what do you think of me now?"

Ivas raised his empty glass and clinked glasses with Albert, "Father." ”

Among Ivus's "several fathers", Albert is undoubtedly the closest to "ordinary people" among them.

“…… You left me speechless. ”

Albert was silent for a long time, and then replied seriously: "But this feeling...... It's not bad. ”

"Nature."

Ivas chuckled, twirling his glass between his fingers, "Because you've been waiting for someone to scold you like that, father." ”

“…… Be good to Isabel. ”

Prince Albert said almost weakly: "Little Isa's birthday...... I will go back. I'll go back anyway. ”

"I don't need you to say that. You don't need to guarantee me. Whatever Isabel plans to do then, I respect her opinion.

"No matter what danger she encounters, I will stand with her and protect her. In fact, I just saved her from a fifth-level demon avatar not long ago. And now, she is surrounded by hordes of papal guards...... You don't have to worry.

"That timid child has grown up – by her own strong will, with the help of our friends. She is now Her Majesty the Queen of the Avalons.

"And what about His Royal Highness Prince Albert? Poor prince, His Royal Highness, died in a battle with some bandits. ”

Ivus slowly lowered the glass and held out a finger against the wall.

He twisted his fingers slightly, and the air trembled and hummed.

From when they first entered the door, the positions of the two were completely reversed.

Ivas declared the conversation closed: "Now, I would like to speak with Mr. Yunus—about Miss Anastasia. ”

“…… Oops, oops! ”

Just in an instant, Prince Albert, who hung his head down and was depressed and decadent, turned back into Yunus at some point.

He clapped his hands happily, and then patted his belly like a happy seal: "What a show, I am so happy!" Seeing that man with a mouth as hard as iron finally speechless, it was as strange as the fall of a star! ”

There was not a trace of loss on the face of this bald fat man.

It was as if he and Prince Albert were two completely different people.

He even commented sharply from the perspective of a bystander: "That man never faces the problem head-on, but your identity makes it impossible for him to escape at all—because you have indeed taken his place, Honorable Minister and Prince Moriarty!" ”

This conversation gave Ivus a strange feeling.

He suddenly thought of the god of wine and the lord of the banquet.

Aihuas pressed down the distracting thoughts in his heart and said softly, "Let's not mention those for now, let's talk about Anastasia." Did you really meet her from Avalon? ”

"I did see her, and I touched her hand! Her skin was a little cool, but it still had the temperature of a living creature - I think it might have been the cool evening breeze of Avalon. ”

Yunus plucked the strings twice, and his expression became serious: "I got her headband." According to Mr. Maxim, it was a gift when her friend came to visit. ”

…… Arbosis?

"Since it's a gift," Ivas pondered, "that is, there's another one in the Church?" ”

"Those things have long been lost – that's what Mr. Maxim says, and I have a different opinion."

Yunus said solemnly, and his cheerful and jumpy tone suddenly became a little more serious: "It's also my first time in the Elven Country, but I've been here for a few months. Many elves do not see 'treeification' as a disease, but as a form of glory. Because that means that the tree elves will inevitably be reborn from the dream world in a more noble form...... But ordinary elves may not be recognized by the Celestial Division and the Pillar Gods. ”

Ivus nodded.

Indeed, the fact that the elves can be transformed into trees is equivalent to escorting illusions. Although it means the early death of the body in the material world, if the material world is only regarded as the "novice period" and "screening period" of the dream world, then it can almost be said that the tree is ...... It's equivalent to "early graduation in life".

Especially for the elves who revere the giant tree, it can be an honor to ascend as a derivative of the giant tree.

"When the elves are completely transformed into trees, relatives and friends will burn the objects they hold dear in life - pile them in front of the tree they have turned into, and burn them both with a single fire!"

“…… Burn out? ”

Ivus was a little surprised: "Why? ”

"Because it doesn't make sense."

Yunus immediately replied, "Unlike Ningpo - the spirits of Ningpo are not physically completely dead, their souls are still locked in their shells. Theoretically, it is even possible to recover.

"But the transformation of the tree means the decay of the body and the sublimation of the soul. Even if you come back to the physical realm, you will not be able to return to your original body. It's just a tree, just like the 'giant tree' of the past has left its own divine body. Some people may want to leave the bark or branches as a souvenir, but that's just a souvenir. It's like the custom of the Star Antimony people to refine corpses into gems, or into necromancy.

"And the elves believe in light and fire. The turning of the tree into flames was a blessing to them—just as elves were not in favor of burial, but rather cremation. From what I have heard, many elves believe that when the soul is burned off, it will be purified and will ascend higher. ”

"- No, no, no, it's superstition. In fact, this is a story told by old elves to children. ”

Ivas shook his head and opened his mouth to refute the rumors: "As long as you are a priest, you must know that whether the body is burned or not, burial or cremation. As long as the corpse has been properly funeral, the soul will definitely be sent to the river of dreams. The corpse left in the material realm has no meaning at all, it is just a piece of meat...... Put it on Miss Anastasia, and that's a pile of wood.

"The main reason why elves perform cremation is actually because giant trees lack the space needed for burial, and giant trees don't need to be fertilized......"

“…… All is well, Mr. Ewass! I mean, that headband should have been burned!

"But I saw Anastasia in the form of a girl, and got a headband from her—even Mr. Maxim was sure that this was Anastasia's thing. Because of this, he couldn't explain it, and he changed his mind to say that these things were missing. Just as the tree that Anastasia had turned into should have been burned. After all, I've been here for so many days, and I haven't seen the tree that Anastasia has turned into. ”

Yunus said seriously: "But his attitude is not right.

"His daughter died in a tree, whether he was happy or sad or lonely for her...... In any case, it should not be such an attitude!

"He gave me a warm welcome and allowed me to write to Mr. Sherlock. He didn't chase me away, but let us investigate here, and take care of our lodging and food during this time...... But when I asked, he didn't say anything...... He didn't deny that the girl I saw was Anastasia, but he was sure that Anastasia had died. ”

In Yunus's voice, the first rhythm and comical were no longer audible.

Eivas tasted a hint of powerlessness and reluctance in his voice.

At that moment, Ivus suddenly understood...... Why is he so obsessed with this. And why, in the original history, he went back to Isabel to apologize and admit his mistake after completing this incident.

He saw a shadow of himself in Mr. Maxim. He didn't know what Maxim was doing, but he just sensed something was wrong.

He was keenly aware that something was wrong—and that sharpness came from his guilt for Isabel.

"Yunus" realizes that if he continues to track it down, it will be tantamount to torturing his past self. Every question he asked the civil mage would turn into a boomerang and slam himself in the face.

But he couldn't escape from here...... This event is like a black hole that has attached him here.

On the other hand, he longs for self-destruction. And Prince Albert instinctively realized that this incident might be his guillotine.

“…… Can I take a look at that headband? ”

Ivus thought for a moment and asked.

Yunus nodded, pulling out a red cloth bag from his bosom. He carefully took out the headband and handed it to Ivus.

Evas didn't see anything popping up in front of him - indicating that it wasn't an extraordinary item at least. It's just a regular headband.

"What about Sherlock? What did he say? ”

Ivus asked again.

"He seemed to understand a little bit from the beginning, but he didn't tell me anything."

Yunus was a little annoyed: "He just said things like, 'Maybe that's why you can see the ghost,' but he didn't explain it — when I pressed him down, he said, 'I'll try to catch the ghost at night.'"

"I don't know exactly what he did last night, but he said...... He is not going to say anything until you arrive. He said, 'There are some things that are safe if you don't say them.'" ”

"It's like Sherlock's style."

Ivus nodded happily.

- That idiot, he finally knows that he has to wait for his teammates to be in place before opening the monster!

In the original history, Yunus's chaotic operation finally solidified the truth of the matter into a romantic but anticlimactic and unreasonable story of "the girl manifested her spirit body because of her thoughts".

"There's no doubt that Anastasia you saw couldn't be a ghost."

Ivus replied with great certainty, "The ghost will not be able to hand over his belongings to you. And if it's a cursed item, it's impossible for you to keep it intact for so long.

"So what you see must be a living person."

“…… Living? ”

"Or rather, the [Real Illusion] that you are all too familiar with."

Ivus said calmly, "Have you noticed...... Ever since you changed back to your original self, what's the noise in this room? ”

Yunus looked at Ivus with some confusion.

His eyes quickly widened and he recalled:

"The ...... Miss Leprechaun? ”

Ivus nodded.

(End of chapter)