Chapter 613: Doreen & Bella

Annan had taken many things into consideration.

However, he insisted on bringing along Doreen, the werewolf, with him when he returned to Austere-Winter Dukedom this time.

Annan had yet to figure out why Doreen and Bella looked so similar. Based on Doreens disclosed ident.i.ty and background, their hometowns were far apart, so they were not relatives.

Their ages didnt match at all.

If Bella was alive now, she should be around 24 years old.

Heres a brief outline of the timeline.

Bella the Betrayer joined Winters Hand eight years ago on December 30, 1496, when she was 16. About a year and a half after joining Winters Hand which was about six years ago, she betrayed Dmitri in the gambling match, causing Dmitri to lose his fertility.

After a rebellion that lasted for three years approximately three years ago, Bellas strategy caused the Frost Maul Disaster and led to the recruitment of werewolves to form the Windrunner. By this time, Bella should have already made contact with Professor Wolf.

However, Doreen was only 13 years old now.

The explanation of a mother-and-daughter relations.h.i.+p was not quite right either. Doreen had a biological mother. Her mother couldnt have been 16 years old at the time.

However, there was indeed a relations.h.i.+p connection between Doreen and Bella.

When Bella joined the Winters Hand eight years ago, Doreen met Professor Wolf.

Doreens mother went into a frenzy and killed a foreigners child at that time. Then, the event proceeded with both her parents being imprisoned. Doreen, who was only five years old, lost her parents.

At that time, Doreen met Frederick Wolfheart, Professor Wolf, who called himself Nicolas LeMay.

The Frederick at that time had been replaced internally by Trisino Seti. As for why Professor Wolf called himself Nicolas LeMay at that time, it was also a noteworthy question.

For an Idol Wizard, the name was necessary.

If the coincidence happened only once, it might be a coincidence.

However, Doreen and Bella happened to look alike. Coincidentally, both knew Professor Wolf, and they happened to experience a major life change in the same year that completely altered their life trajectories. Moreover, Doreens father also happened to be an Idol Wizard.

With so many coincidences piling up, Annan would be dull if he ignored the clues.

There must be some connection between Doreen and Bella, even though the answer remained unknown.

If Annan left Doreen in the underground world, Professor Wolf might notice that Annan and Doreen were separated. At that time, the other werewolves might a.s.sa.s.sinate Doreen.

Annan took Doreen back to Frostwhisper Province to protect this vital witness and clue.

This time, Annan only brought three players along to activate the teleportation waypoint of Frostwhisper Province.

The players wouldnt be moving together with Annan. They would separate after Annan led the players out of the subway station. After activating the teleportation waypoint, they would go back underground.

Annan had already instructed the players of Silver Rank to notify him when they encountered danger.

Before that, the players were expanding their influence in the underground world without any secrecy, a.s.suming the Secret Eye ident.i.ty.

Let me establish a teleportation circle here.jpg

Just like the expansion of the Zerg, even the Wise could not detect that the players were establis.h.i.+ng the teleportation circle without any evidence.

After all, the players didnt harm anything.

The players would visit a place, find a hotel, and rent a room for a month. Then, they would go out to cleanse the nightmare. When the amount of purification was sufficient, they would leave directly without seeking money or fame.

If one didnt know in advance that it was a ritual to create teleportation circles, who would have noticed the meaning behind these baffling actions of the players?

The players had indeed purified the nightmares in the underground worldthose perilous ent.i.ties that n.o.body wanted to confront but profoundly impacted their lives.

Even if the Wise could see into the future and knew the players purpose, they would know the benefits Annan and his Secret Eye brought them.

Then, he, too, would be silent about it.

At that time, he also became Annans accomplice.

This was Annans conspiracy.

Only the Prophet Wizards, who cared about the underground world, would discover the players objectives. However, they would see the benefits of these actions, so they would become Annans ally instead, choosing to acquiesce or support Annans efforts.

Through countless films and video games, Annan had developed a wariness towards those Prophet Wizards. With their abilities, they could easily disrupt even the most intricate plans. As Arthur Searing-Fang had once said, no secret could remain hidden in the presence of a prophet

As long as they would know about it later, they could learn about it now.

Hence, Annan had prepared strategies to deal with these prophets.

That was right.

As long as Annan stayed on the path of righteousness and ensured that their cause was just and beneficial for all, at least the neutral Prophet Wizards would not choose to oppose the players. Even if a few Prophet Wizards wanted to stop Annan, they would be intercepted by the actions of many more Prophet Wizards beforehand.

It was not difficult to prevent something wrong when everyone was united. However, the difficulty of stopping something right was multiplied a thousandfold because they would become divided.

Annan had gradually mastered this technique.

Compared with the technique of Mind Manipulation, this manipulation technique was more advanced. It rode on the power of a trend.

Of course, this was also the ability Annan had to train in advance to inherit the position of Austere-Winters Grand Duke.

Annan didnt want to be an incompetent Grand Duke.

Annan wanted everything Ivan guarded to continue. He didnt even want to see the people of Austere-Winter Dukedom suffer more than Ivan under his governance.

Annans motto was always to do his best.

This was how Annan had acted since long ago.

Soon, Annan returned to the Grand Dukes Residence.

Although Annan was a little worried if he brought Doreen along, would that remind Dmitri about Bella and worsen Dmitris mood? Fortunately, Dmitri was busy.

Dmitri wasnt usually in Frostwhisper Province, so he didnt see Annan and Doreen.

That went beyond Annans expectations.

Even though Annan returned to Austere-Winter with a werewolf until he entered the Grand Dukes Residence, Winters Hand never appeared to stop him or question Doreens ident.i.ty.

Annan even prepared a set of rhetoric in advance, but it wasnt needed.

However, Annan quickly had an idea after giving it a few thoughts.

Annan was not Dmitri, after all.

He had always been self-sufficient and didnt require others to worry about his affairs.

Annan had always held a high position at home and among the high-ranking officials perhaps stemming from his insightful decisions in the first playthrough and his keen strategic vision.

Now that Annan was about to inherit the position of Grand Duke, those Winters Hands would become his subordinates at any time. Maybe they were already treating Annan as the new Grand Duke Naturally, no one would dare to express one-sided opinions before Annan.

To remain silent if not necessary was also one of the dogmas of the Winters Hand.

Unlike Three-eyed Crow, they could not be in a safe place to spy on the countrys secrets. They had to do everything personally. Naturally, they would witness many things they shouldnt see.

However, they were just the hands of the Grand Duke.

The hands didnt need to have their thoughts. That would only add unnecessary burdens to the brain or lead to mistakes.

They only had to follow and believe.

Young members of the Winters Hand only focused on not looking; they compelled themselves to fulfill their a.s.signed tasks and ignore everything else.

Alongside the frequent usage of the Falteration Spells, their hearts would become colder and colder. These mature Winters Hands usually chose to keep silent because the Grand Duke might occasionally need their eyes to recount what they had seen.

Except for Austere-Winters Grand Duke himself, even Grand Dukes wife and child must be under the surveillance of the Winters Hand.

That is to say

Am I actually the Austere-Winters Grand Duke from now on?

Just pus.h.i.+ng open the door of the Grand Dukes Residence, Annan was in a daze for a moment.

Lets go, Doreen. Annan was silent for a moment before saying softly.

He put down his hood. Doreen, who was following him, was also nervous, imitating Annans movements and putting down her hood.

She still hadnt gotten over the fact that Ghirlandaio was Annan Austere-Winter.

The Grand Duke is waiting for you in his chambers. Silently, a female voice sounded behind Annan, startling Doreen. Her gray hair stood up instantly, her tail drooped low and was tightly sandwiched between her legs. She even trembled a little when she walked.

However, Annan just nodded silently.

In the Grand Dukes Residence, Annan walked forward without looking back.

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