Gray was once again left speechless. Guilt, self-reproach, and pain surged through him like a tide, pressing down on him until he could barely breathe.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing down his roiling emotions. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was utterly serious.
"Lyon, no matter how much time passes, I can never escape my responsibility for Ur's death."
"But you don't understand... Ur is actually still alive!"
Lyon's brow furrowed.
"Iced Shell is a forbidden magic that transforms the caster's body into eternal ice!"
"The ice sealing Deliora-the ice you're planning to melt-is actually Ur!"
"She became ice, and she's been living on in that form all this time!"
Gray gritted his teeth, his eyes full of remorse.
"I'm sorry I kept this from you."
"Back then, Ur was worried you'd devote yourself entirely to undoing Iced Shell. That's why she made me promise not to tell you."
"I never imagined that keeping it from you would lead you down the wrong path instead..."
But the shock or remorse he had expected never appeared on Lyon's face. Lyon simply stared coldly at Gray, his expression disturbingly calm.
"What are you talking about, Gray? I've known about that pointless little detail for ages."
Gray stared at Lyon in disbelief.
"You... knew?"
In the next instant, Gray's eyes reddened. He lunged forward, seized Lyon's collar in a crushing grip, and roared:
"If you knew all along, why would you do this?!"
A mocking smile curled across Lyon's lips.
"I never thought you'd actually believe that nonsense meant to fool children."
"That isn't Ur anymore. It's just a lump of ice!"
Lyon's words finally ignited the anger Gray had been suppressing for so long. His face darkened like a gathering storm.
"Blanc, let Lyon go!"