Ed slowly opened his eyes. He didn’t know what was happening around him. He felt dryness in his mouth, his head hurt, he remembered Catherine, a strange silhouette, a scythe’s blade… but nothing more.

“Ow, my head…” he said, and got up from the ground. He saw that he was in some room, illuminated by a flame. It was Aru and her weapons’ hideout. He saw Kasei, who sighed and suddenly punched his face. A few seconds later he saw Aru, Kyoko and Eris, right next to them was Lorenzo. Some girl was sticking to his shoulder, he was embarrassed. Ed touched his hurt cheek. “Alright… Could someone tell me what happened when I lost consciousness?”

“Eris.” Aru looked at the black-haired. She made an unhappy face, got up and... slightly bowed at Ed.

“I’m sorry” she said even though she didn’t want to. “It was me who thought about getting you drunk… I wanted to check if you really didn’t plan anything bad for us, you trash…”

“Heh…” He laughed. “The talk of a drunkard is simply the thoughts of someone sober, nothing happed. But… where’s Catherine? And who’s this?”

“That’s... one of the hunters” Kyoko said. Ivory then smiled and got up.

“The little drunkard got up!” she rejoiced. “I’m Ivory. I want to help you, the players, in defeating Catherine.”

“Players…? You know about the game?! Do you know any details?!” he asked, serious.

“Nooo, sadly not.” She smiled carelessly. Ed became angry. “But I know that it’s serious bussiness and I prefer helping you remove someone, who has an infected demonic being in their hands.”

“What a strange help” he said, suspicious.

“Hey! That’s the hunters’ job! Delaunay wouldn’t manage by themselves.” She smiled again. “You seem strong, but such a pegasus is no joke. That’s why I’d prefer if our collaboration happened with no problems. I promise to get out of your way when I defeat the pegasus.”

“Are you really not a part of the game?”

“And do you smell the deity’s mana on me?” she asked. “Later I’ll let you look at me closer to let you see that I don’t have a seal. I really don’t want to talk about it more, I was taught to help people! Ah, foxy, you’re the only one who understands me, right?” She looked with her puppy eyes at Lorenzo, whose face reddened again and shyly nodded. Ed sighed.

“Fine… I’ll trust you” he said. “It’s a shame that you don’t have any information, though.”

“Well, unfortunately.” She smiled. “I’ll be going now! Go and rest, because tomorrow a lot of work awaits you! I also think that the drunkard has to sober completely too. So bye bye, until tomorrow!”

Ivory opened the door and disappeared in the night’s shadow. Ed had trouble thinking, but was angry that the lead turned to be a red herring. The only thing that consoled them was the hope, that soon Catherine would be defeated. Everything was happening so quickly, that they didn’t even know if Ivory was honest, but it was their only chance, they had no time for stopping and thinking, the bid in this game was their life, after all. Aru, though, still couldn’t forget what Ed told her this evening.

‘Brother... A suffering brother…’ she thought.

End of chapter 4