Flillian, I want to live.

"Didn't I tell you that this barrier is extremely dangerous and that no one is allowed to get close to it?"

An old man whose stature had shrunk due to age came over with his hands behind his back. He was wearing a black cloak, his hair and beard were as thick as a dwarf's, and his face was solemn and serious behind his monocle. Just standing there, he gave people a sense of oppression that only a superior could have.

"Ah, no, Lord Duncan, they claimed to be the Brave Lord's companions, so I..."

Mr. Knight, sweating profusely, kept gesturing with his hands, trying hard to find an excuse to shirk responsibility.

He was not without reason so frightened.

The old man standing before him, Duncan, was no kindly man passing through. Instead, he was a terrifying figure who had emerged victorious from a bloody power struggle to ascend to the throne of the kingdom's Chief Court Magician. As a trusted confidant of the current King, Duncan held a lofty position within the kingdom, second only to the King. Even a powerful nobleman could be doomed to irreparable consequences with just a single word from him, let alone a helpless mid-level knight like him.

"Hey, isn't this Lord Duncan?"

However, compared to the nervous Mr. Knight, Ed seemed much calmer. He turned his head to look at Duncan, who was standing there with an air of dignity, as if he had met an old friend whom he had not seen for many years. He stretched out his hand and greeted him cordially.

"Well... you..."

Because it was dark, Duncan adjusted his glasses with his hands before he could see Ed who was trying to get close to him.

"Do you remember me, Lord Duncan? A few years ago, you bought antiques from my hometown from me."

Ed took a step forward, walked up to Duncan with a big smile on his face, and introduced himself to him.

"I remember now. You're the antique con man named Ed." After observing the man in front of him for a moment, Duncan raised his eyebrows and called out Ed's name. "The pottery jar you sold me was a fake. You said it was a high-quality artifact unearthed in Weiize, but it turned out to be a handicraft you ordered from a pottery shop in the capital last week."

"Why do you say that? Lord Duncan, weren't you very happy when you received that pottery jar? I can see that you love your hometown very much." Ed didn't feel a bit guilty about Duncan's accusation with a dark face. Instead, he refuted it with confidence, "The trade route to Weisel was completely cut off many years ago. Not to mention getting the goods there, even the city itself seemed to have suddenly disappeared as if under some kind of spell. I customized that pottery jar and sold it to you just to comfort you and relieve you from the torment of homesickness."

"So, I should thank you, right?"

Seeing Ed's shameless look, even Duncan couldn't help but laugh at his genius defense.

"You've gone too far," Ed quickly shook his head. "How about this? When I took your three kingdom gold coins, consider it as a loan of working capital. Tomorrow I'll send someone to repay you with interest. How about that?"

"Hahaha~ No need."

Duncan stroked his beard and laughed. As a court magician with supreme power, Duncan, who is now old, certainly doesn't care about those gold coins. Compared with defending his rights and collecting debts from the other party, Duncan is more interested in another thing.

"The silver-haired, flat-faced elf," Duncan raised his glasses and looked at Fulilian, who was standing there yawning in boredom. "Ed, that person behind you, could it be Fulilian, the magician among the brave group?"

"It seems you know me..." Flillian turned and looked at Duncan, who was emitting powerful magical fluctuations. It seemed that Duncan's reputation as the kingdom's foremost court magician was well-deserved. "But what did that tablet mean just now?"

"Among the magicians of our generation, there's no one who doesn't know your name. Although this is my first time seeing you," the old man observed the elf girl before him while Fulilian was observing Duncan. "However, one look at you is enough to convince me that you are definitely not one of those imposters who wanted the legacy of the brave Xinmeier."

"Oh?"

Fulilian raised her eyebrows in interest.

"Well, in short, if it's Lady Fulilian, then there's no reason to stop her." Duncan turned his head and glanced at the stunned Knight. "You did a great job. I'll have your leader promote you."

"Grateful!"

Mr. Knight, who had experienced many ups and downs in his life, knelt on the ground with his hands and knees prostrated.

"If you want to thank someone, thank Lady Fulilian." Duncan ignored the knight kneeling at his feet and turned to give Fulilian the favor. "I just happened to be here to check out the barrier here, so let me lead the way for you."

Chapter 31 The early worm catches the bird

"As you can see, it's not that I don't want to lift the barrier here."

Duncan stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the huge barrier in front of him that completely covered the entire cemetery like a dome. Because of its existence, not only did it cause huge unrest in the capital and the entire country, but it also damaged the reputation of the heroic warrior Xinmeier.

His Majesty the King had already issued an order to lift the barrier and arrest the perpetrators of this farce.

However, not only was the mysterious magician elusive, but even the barrier itself left the experienced Duncan helpless.

"Um……"

Fulilian stretched out her hand thoughtfully and gently touched the transparent barrier in front of her.

As the magical power surged outward like ripples, under Duncan's admiring gaze, Fulilian briefly examined the powerful barrier before her.

"This barrier doesn't use sealing technology based on modern magic, but rather a much older barrier magic from thousands of years ago."

Fulilian turned to look at Duncan and explained to him calmly.

"As expected of Lady Fulilian."

Duncan nodded in approval.

"I asked my old friend at the Continental Magic Association to conduct an investigation."

After a pause, Duncan continued.

"Among the magicians currently registered with the Continental Magic Association, no one can accomplish this... unless, of course, the master who founded the association personally does it..."

Duncan stroked his beard and leisurely spoke about the information he knew so far.

"That guy wouldn't do such a boring thing."

Fleury replied with certainty.

"That's right."

Duncan replied without denying it.

"It seems that what you said before is true. This barrier is indeed very dangerous."

Fulilian raised her head and looked at the huge barrier in front of her, showing a rare serious expression.

"I don't quite understand..." Hearing that Fulilian had come to the same conclusion as Duncan, Philen blinked in confusion. "This barrier seems to only block people from entering the cemetery. It itself is not offensive at all. Why do Lady Fulilian and Lord Duncan say it's dangerous?"

"It only takes a moment of thought to figure it out, Philen," Flillian turned and looked at Philen. "Who exactly is the sorcerer who set up this barrier? Not only does he possess immense magical power far beyond that of an ordinary person, but he also possesses a thousand-year-old magic that has now been lost. More importantly, such a powerful sorcerer is not only completely unknown on this continent, but he also seems to be hesitant to reveal his true identity."

"The only one who can meet all these conditions simultaneously is probably a great demon who has lived for more than a thousand years."

Duncan, on the other hand, put his hands behind his back and gave a more direct answer.

"Eh……"

As if remembering something, Philen covered his mouth with his hand.

"This is truly troubling. Ever since Master Xinmeier's death, the demons hiding in various parts of the world have begun to stir again. Even the trade routes to the northern plateau have been blocked."

Duncan closed his eyes and complained as if something was on his mind.

"That's true, but why did they go to such lengths to set up a barrier in such a place? What exactly is their plan?"

Fulilian held her chin with her hand, thinking with some trouble.

"About this point..."

Ed, who had been standing behind the three people in silence because he was an outsider who didn't understand magic, finally found an opportunity to interrupt and speak.

"It seems the mysterious magician who set up the barrier published a piece of news in today's evening paper."

Ed said as he pulled the neatly folded newspaper out of his pocket.

"I will open the entrance to the barrier in three days. Only those who pass the test I set will be eligible to receive the legacy of the brave Xinmeier..."

Fulilian squinted her eyes and read the news published in the small advertisement in the middle of the newspaper with some effort.

"This position is a bit too shabby."

Philen looked at the action trailer sandwiched between advertisements about paying a large sum of money to have a child and curing hemorrhoids, and complained speechlessly.

"Well, this is a popular newspaper in the capital, so the commission for publishing it must be quite expensive."

Ed shrugged, defending the mysterious but shabby magician.

"But we can't rule out the possibility that this was a prank by someone with bad intentions," Duncan stroked his beard. "After all, this wouldn't be the first time."

"Well, it doesn't really matter," Fulilian said indifferently. "Regardless of whether this news is true or not, analyzing the barrier will only take three days."

"Is that so? Looks like I need to start preparing here as well."

Duncan raised his eyebrows in surprise. Regardless of whether the barrier was lifted actively or passively, there would definitely be a huge commotion that day. When he thought of this, Duncan couldn't help but have a headache.

"Then, Lady Fulilian, I'll be asking you for help again in three days."

Ed clasped his hands together and asked Fulilian sincerely.

"In three days?"

Fulilian raised her head, blinked, calculated the date in her mind, and a somewhat conflicted expression appeared on her face.

"Is there a problem? Lady Fulilian."

Ed asked Fulilian politely.

"It's nothing, just don't forget to prepare your reward for me."

Fulilian shook her head and didn't say what she was thinking.

Although Duncan ordered the news to be blocked, the news that the barrier would be lifted in three days quickly spread throughout the capital.

For a moment, whether it was the so-called descendants who were eager to obtain Xinmei's inheritance, or the citizens of the royal capital who were curious about this matter, they all flocked to Xinmei's tomb.

In order to get a good position to enter the cemetery first, some people even set up tents in front of Xinmei's tomb, just to be able to compete for the treasure left by Xinmei as soon as the barrier was opened.

"Aren't we going to line up?"

Looking at the increasingly long line in front of the barrier, Philen asked Fulilian, who was silently analyzing the barrier, with some concern.

"That's just futile."

Looking at the somewhat anxious Philen, Fulilian smiled disdainfully.

"Eh?"

Philen looked at Fulilian with some confusion.

"Think about it, if there really was a so-called treasure in there, why would these guys be the ones to rob it?"

A preview of the day the barrier opens.

As usual, Fulilian slept in at the luxurious hotel in Eddin.

In front of Xinmeier's cemetery, the guys who set up tents woke up and found that the entrance to Xinmeier's cemetery had already been completely taken over by the knights dispatched by Duncan.

"Anyone who acts recklessly will be killed without mercy."

The knight who was promoted that night placed his halberd on the neck of the guy who was trying to cause trouble, and shouted ruthlessly to the people blocking the square to the north.

Chapter 32: Escape is a Turn to Justice

At noon, when the sun shone into the room through the gap in the curtains, Fulilian slowly opened her eyes with a peaceful look on her face.

"Hmmmm——"

She crossed her fingers, raised them above her head, stretched herself, then squeezed her sleepy eyes, stepped on the quilt that had been kicked to the ground at some point, walked into the next room and started washing up.

Fulilian, oh Fulilian, how can you be so decadent?

Looking at her sloppy self in the mirror, Fulilian reflected on herself for a moment.

Well, never mind~

"Hey, did you sleep well, Lady Fulilian?"

When Frillian came downstairs, Ed was having lunch with Philen in the hotel restaurant. Seeing Frillian standing in a daze at the restaurant door, Ed quickly reached out and greeted her.

"Ah... so you're here."

Fulilian walked over lazily, lifted the back of her coat, and sat down next to Philen.

The waiter at the side presented today's menu. Fulilian kept pointing at the various delicacies on the menu with her fingers, and asked Ed in a lazy tone:

"What's the situation at the barrier?"

"It seems the entrance has been opened according to the previous newspaper announcement," Ed replied slowly, wiping his hands with the hot towel handed to him by the waiter, "but..."

"Killed? Oh, I should have reminded that guy named Duncan earlier."

Fulilian raised the appetizer champagne on the table, tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.

"Not really. It's just that the knights Lord Duncan sent into the barrier to investigate seemed to have encountered a ghost. When they fled, their armor and weapons abandoned, they were all in a state of daze," Ed shook his head and explained the intelligence from the cemetery to Fleury. "Although they suffered a great mental blow, they don't seem to have suffered any physical damage."

"Ghosts? Ed, ghosts don't exist in this world. At least with current magic technology, it's absolutely impossible to detect the existence of ghosts."

Fulilian leaned back in her chair and looked at Eddao who was sitting opposite her.

"Of course, that's what I think too, Lady Fulilian. After all, my job is to resell the relics left behind by others after their death. If ghosts really exist, I should be their number one target."

Ed spread his hands and smiled undeniably. Although most people on this continent were superstitious about the legends about the afterlife, he was an exception.