A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

“You were guiding Aeolus just now, weren’t you?” Latis heard Father Thun say.

"I was just telling her some facts."

"I just want to thank you for telling her these things."

"This is something I never expected."

“These words may be the best gift she has ever received.” Latis, carrying Eors’ body and core, walked out of the prison woven from tree roots.

So don't blame yourself.

Father Thun stood there, watching Latis leave without stopping him.

Father Thun no longer cared where Latis was taking his sister.

“Thun, you really are strange.” Philly breathed into Father Thun’s ear.

“You clearly didn’t want to get involved in too many things, so why did you suddenly get involved?” Philly couldn’t understand Father Thun at all.

When Philly told Father Thun that a powerful mage was in the capital, he remained unmoved.

However, upon learning of the incident at Eors's venue, he walked towards them without saying a word.

"Because I know it's my responsibility."

“Your responsibility, Thun, do you know the whole story?” Philly looked at Father Thun with suspicion.

Philly stayed with Father Thun, but the priest did not investigate the matter at all.

Father Thun probably only knew some things about that mage, and those things were told to him by Philly.

“I know,” Father Thun said expressionlessly, while touching the ring hanging around his neck.

When did you start the investigation?

No investigation was conducted.

"..." Philly was speechless. Why could Father Thun say that so confidently?

"But it's easy to guess."

"You guessed it?" Philly frowned, even more puzzled.

“Both Bray and I were involved in this matter.”

Father Thun made contact with Eorz, and Bray also made contact with people associated with Eorz.

“Then, Bray and I are both ring-bearers.” After saying this, Father Thun lowered his hand from stroking the ring and walked toward the gap in the cell.

"Just follow one direction and organize the information."

"Is that so? I see."

“Because you and that guy are both monastics, everything becomes very predictable.” Philly suddenly realized, then gave a meaningful smile.

"Aren't you going to run away anymore?"

"I'm still running away."

“Probably, it will continue like this.” Father Thun took a few steps and replied.

"I guess, just like this time, you'll still be unable to resist interfering, right?" Philly smiled and teased.

“You’re not planning to give Blakeras any chance to get involved this time,” Philly suddenly said to the priest, as if something had occurred to her.

“He’s been involved in enough things, and this time I’m entirely to blame.” The priest’s misguidance of Aeolus was his own fault.

Bray shouldn't have been unjustly entangled in the chains of fate on behalf of the priest.

“He didn’t need to get involved,” Father Thun said casually.

But Philly understood what Father Thun had done.

If the person who entered this prison had been Blakeras instead of Father Thun—

That Brekras would no longer be a bystander, but would once again be drawn into the path of the Ring-Bearer. "Stop running." Latis, holding Aeolus, stood before Tigia.

"What happened to Eors..." Tigia, who was thinking of rushing to the venue, looked at the maimed Eors in horror.

Why is Eorse like this? Why are her eyes not open?

Tiggia's body trembled uncontrollably.

Latis looked at Tiggia like this and didn't say anything to blame her.

Latis couldn't utter a single word like "What kind of person are you?" or "Why are you shaking like this?"

Tiggia is just an ordinary girl, and it's normal for her to panic when faced with any unexpected situation.

It's really difficult to expect a girl who has never experienced any major ups and downs to remain calm and composed in the face of an unexpected situation.

There are girls like that, but they are very rare.

Ultimately, most people who can remain calm in the face of unexpected situations have experienced some kind of accident.

Seeing Tiggia like this now, Latis recalled how he had lost his parents and everything, how pathetic he was when he could only shout and cry in the wind and rain.

If Tiggia could only call out "Eors," then Latis at that time could only call out "Papa and Mama."

"She's in your hands now." Latis handed over Eors's body and core to her.

Tiggia was completely stunned after receiving Eors.

Feeling the coldness of Eors's body, she had a bad feeling.

“Eors, she…”

"Is he dead?" Tigia's face was filled with gloom.

Although she had a guess in her mind, she did not want that guess to be true.

"Tell me, Aeolus is alright!!"

"Right! Eorth is fine!" Tiggia forced a smile.

“She’s broken,” Latis said coldly.

“…” Tigia fell silent.

The girl's heart sank into an ice cellar, chilled to the bone.

Seeing Eors's tattered state in her arms, Tigia just wanted to cry.

"Keep this safe." Looking at Tiggia, whose face was covered in tears, Latis pulled a core out of his clothes.

Even after leaving Aeolus's body, the core remained beautiful.

Several tiny points of light, like satellites constantly revolving around the core.

These stars, however, cannot be touched by hand; they seem like an illusion.

"What is this?" Tigia asked, sobbing, her face streaked with tears.

She didn't know what the core of this was, nor did she know the purpose of Latis giving it to her.

“This is the soul of Eorth.” Latis sighed.

"soul..."

"She is a doll with a soul, and that is her soul."

"As long as this thing still exists, your Eors will return."

Tiggia blankly reached out and took the core, her eyes, blurred with tears, revealing a complex expression.

"Will Aeolus return as long as this exists?"

"Yes, your sister will come back."

"Then you can figure out who's the older sister and who's the younger sister," Latis said with a stiff smile.

"Don't cry, I'll come back and fix her." He awkwardly stroked Tiggia's red hair.

He never imagined that he would one day do this to his own sister.

"She's just broken. If a doll is broken, it can be fixed."

“I just don’t know when I’ll be able to come back,” Latis said to Tiggia.

"Where are you going?" Tigia looked up at Latis.

For some reason, she felt a warmth when Latis touched her head.

"Do other things, you don't need to worry about what they are." Latis and Tiggia passed each other.

He put away his gentle expression.

He had to harden his heart, because what he was about to do would inevitably cause Tiggia grief.

"Don't lose that core. Keep it safe until I return," Latis said in a deep voice.

"..." Tigia was speechless for a moment. She had a thousand words in her heart, but in the end, she didn't say a word.

“Brother…” Tiggia hesitated for a moment before uttering this unfamiliar word.

This was the first time she had ever said that word to someone.

"..." Latis's back visibly paused for a few seconds after Tiggia's words.

If anyone saw Latis's face, they would find that the red-haired man was already in tears.

---

After entrusting everything to Tigia, Latis walked into a secluded alley.

The surroundings were empty, and even the air felt incredibly cool.

“I know you’re here! I know you can hear me!” He took a deep breath and shouted.

"Your name is Baphomet, right? I'm looking for you!"

Even though he knew there was no one around, Latis still suddenly shouted.

"Crackling sounds." A tattered cloak appeared before Latis.

Beneath the cloak was a mage whose skeleton was reduced to a small part.

With only a skeleton remaining and no flesh and blood, Baphomet was an existence that was difficult to kill.

Even Bray, without being fully focused, couldn't find Baphomet's weakness.

Even if we find a weakness, whether we can kill Baphomet is a big question.

That's why Bray chose to back down then, since there was little point in fighting Baffamere.

In any case, Baphomet was an old guy who survived from the Silver Hand.

In a one-on-one situation, Bray is not guaranteed to win against Baffomer.

What Baphomet truly feared were the Silver Clan members in the capital.

“I was just about to leave when someone called me.” Baphomet chuckled a few times.

“Take me to Badbusch.” Latis looked up at Baphomet, who was floating in mid-air.

This mage, who exudes an ominous aura, is now Latis's last hope in finding Badbusch.

If possible, Latis would certainly not want to seek out Baffrom.

Unfortunately, this is indeed the only option available right now.

We can't let Bud Bush get away with this any longer.

“Budbush, that little white-bearded man?” Baphomet showed a slight interest.

"But why should I help you find Bud Bush? We have nothing to do with each other."

“I listened to your entire conversation with Bud Bush.”

“I know, I’ve known for a long time that you were eavesdropping,” Baphomet said calmly.

How could he not know that Latis was eavesdropping?

“So you will help me find it.” Latis stared at Baphomet’s strange body.

"It's like you're helping my parents, it's like you're helping Bud Bush."

Baphomet paused, then fell silent for a moment.