The explorer is still dressed as a prodigal, covered in feathers, and wears an eyepatch embroidered with rose petals in his right eye, and the makeup alone can't connect him with Thunder himself, but for some reason, Roland always feels that the other party is slightly different from the image he used at the banquet.

"When you pretend to be someone, you need to put your heart and soul into it, and even think that you are that person, in order to deceive other people's ears and eyes, this is the first sentence I was taught when I learned to disguise. Thunder took a puff of his pipe, the faint red light looming like a little firefly in the dim aisle, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid I won't be able to concentrate on playing Sander Asuka right now...... She'll see it. ”

It turns out that this is where the strange feeling comes from, Roland thought to himself, because there is a certain danger in adulthood, so he can no longer pretend to be an irrelevant outsider and be indifferent to his daughter.

If there is concern, it is not Sander Asuka.

"Do you want to keep it like this?" Roland said, raising an eyebrow, "You should have heard what Lightning said just now." She was destined to follow the path of an explorer. ”

This question silenced Thunder for a long time.

It was only when Roland thought that the other party would not answer that he spoke, "Your Majesty, do you believe in fate?"

For a moment, Roland had some doubts about the identity of the Thunder Explorer.

Isn't this the classic starting style for missions?

Of course, similar questions are also common in the love letters of high school students.

However, the other party is obviously not looking for the answer, "Someone once said to me that the excellent often die in what they do best, and God will always give such people unparalleled talent in order to make up for it - this is fate, a path like a destined one, because of extraordinary talent and seduced, and eventually fall, but those mortals with mediocre ability usually live longer." ”

"Who said that?" Roland couldn't help but ask.

"Sander, too, was the one who introduced me to the path of the explorer. Thunder took a drag on his cigarette.

"Wait, is there such an explorer in the fjord? Aren't you afraid of lightning hearing his name?"

"He has been dead for many years, in obscurity during his lifetime, and even after his death...... He wasn't even a true explorer by fjord standards," the thunderbolt almost blended into the shadows on the wall in the smoke, "and by the time he died, he had not been able to find a new island, or a route not yet marked on the chart." Sander doesn't care about his fame, saying that adventure is a pleasure in itself, and that there's nothing wrong with a lack of talent, at least not worrying about short-lived. ”

Roland seemed to realize something, "And how did he die?"

"Died to save me. Thunder said slowly, "The ship was attacked by sea ghosts, and when Sander dragged me back to the cabin, he received a claw, the wound was not big, but the herbs were ineffective. The flesh quickly decayed, and after three days it was no longer breathing. At that time, he told me that he still died in what he was good at—he had no other good in his life, and the only thing he was good at was to think he was good. ”

"......" Roland suddenly realized that he didn't know what to say.

"Since birth, Lightning has shown a talent for exploration, whether it is recognizing routes or drawing charts, she learns much faster than the average person. Thunder's face looked extremely complicated as he said this, "This fear came to a head when I learned that she had awakened as a witch, and you should know what this ability means to explorers." ”

Indeed, if courage, curiosity, and intellectual curiosity are hidden human instincts that can be stimulated by anyone, then possession of magic can only be described as a gift from the gods.

"That's why I made this decision," Thunder looked up, the light in his eyes that seemed to match the red light from his pipe, "If fate is hard to avoid, I might be able to cut it off in another way - if I can uncover the unknown lands before Lightning officially sets out on the path of explorer, her chances of being in danger will be greatly reduced." Aside from the territory occupied by the devil, no one has set foot in the place yet, only the cliff continent that can be seen from the east of the sea line and the ruins of the shadow sea, and when you defeat the devil, I should be able to draw a map of these two places, and until then, it is better for me to act alone. ”

If there is no place to explore, there is naturally no risk, and this answer made Roland also moved.

Although the world may be far bigger than he imagined, it is no longer possible to have such an idea in this era that can be summed up by the word courage alone.

Gravity holds everyone firmly to the ground, but it can't restrain the minds of some fanaticists.

And the Thunder are clearly the best of them.

- Flying isn't just for witches.

"I see what you mean," Roland raised the corners of his mouth, "don't worry, I promise you'll get an unscathed lightning bolt when the battle of the Divine Will is over." ”

"Everything is up to you, Your Majesty. Thunder stroked his chest.

At this moment, there was a sudden exclamation in the room.

Roland nodded at the other and turned back to the bedroom.

One side of the wall had been pushed away, but he didn't hear the sound of the Divine Sign.

"Your Majesty," Wendy said excitedly, "lightning her...... Her magic is condensed!"

Another witch who is on the verge of becoming an adult, sees a palpable excitement in Agatha and Wendy's eyes, which means that their research is indeed feasible.

"Really?" Roland walked over to the bedside and looked at the girl with an eager face, "Isn't there any discomfort?"

"Not at all," Lightning patted his chest, "I feel full of power! It's a pity that I couldn't release my divine will, and lighting up the fourth magic stone is the limit." ”

"That's fine," Roland sighed, "then you have a good rest today, and tomorrow—"

"Your Majesty, I want to try it now, can I!" Lightning jumped out of bed, "I seem to hear it calling to me, and I can't help but want to fly immediately!"

Does it mean magic? Roland couldn't help but laugh, he was worthy of being the most energetic of the Witch League, and when it came to this, what else did he not agree to. "Take Maisie with you, don't fly too far. ”

"Yes!"

"Goo!"

One side of the wall was still ajar, and Maisie turned into a dove and landed above Lightning's head—and then she held the dove with both hands and swooped out of the room, disappearing into the wind-swept night sky.

"I don't know how her condensed abilities will manifest......" Wendy muttered as she looked into the night, "Tomorrow is going to be busy again." ”

"Please let me observe it with the Colored Magic Stone during the test. Phyllis added.

"Anyway, that's all for today, and everything will wait until tomorrow-"

Just as Roland was halfway through his words, a thunderous explosion suddenly sounded in the sky!

The snow on the eaves was shaken up by white mist, the ice fell like raindrops, and the windows of the castle cracked as if they had been swept by an invisible hand.

As the witches stared at each other in amazement, the echoes of thunder echoed back and forth in the desperate mountains, and they never disappeared for a long time.