Anne didn't know what was going on. She just had time to see two strangers standing at the entrance of the cemetery, but the old guard's slightly hunched body blocked her view. The old man's slightly nervous voice reached her ears: "Child, don't look over there."
The little girl was a little nervous: "Grandpa, what's wrong?"
"Don't move, don't talk, it's okay." The old man said softly, while his eyes still stayed on the burly figure. He placed one hand at his side to block Anne's somewhat uneasy sight, and the other hand was pressed on his chest - there was an amulet there, which could be used to trigger the alarm of the entire cemetery if necessary.
The burly figure walked towards this side.
All the old man's muscles tensed up.
"Good morning," a deep voice came from under the thick bandages, as if carrying an echo from the tomb, "This should be my first official 'visit.'"
There was clear language communication and the attitude was friendly - just like the previous contacts, this unspeakable "visitor" showed a friendly attitude.
But the old guard didn't dare to relax his muscles at all. He had thought that this visitor would come again sooner or later, and had also thought about the circumstances under which he would communicate with the other party. However, he never expected that the other party would come to the gate of the cemetery so openly, stand opposite and greet him. He didn't know whether Anne behind him would be affected by this visitor, so he could only stand between the two as much as possible, thinking quickly about the next response.
Duncan saw the old man's nervousness.
You look even more nervous than when we first met—is it because of the child you’re protecting
The old guard looked at what the other party took out in astonishment, and reacted after taking it subconsciously. He blinked in confusion, never expecting that an unknown visitor would come to the cemetery in person just to give him a letter.
A... letter? It was actually a letter? !
Anne seemed a little nervous because of the sudden change in the atmosphere. She shrank behind the old guard and said, "Yes, yes."
"Ah, that's good, I can save some trouble," Duncan said, raising his hand and rummaging in his pocket. This action made the cemetery guard in front of him visibly stunned. Seeing this, he smiled and shook his head, "Don't be nervous. If I really have bad intentions, I don't need to raise my hand."
But the cemetery guard next to him suddenly reacted.
Duncan quietly looked at the little girl who was sticking her head out from behind the old guard, looking into his eyes and the facial features that vaguely resembled Captain Bartocteau's.
"It's easy to slip when it snows," Duncan nodded, then looked at the little girl and asked casually, "What's your name? How old are you this year?"
"My name is Anne," the girl said without any hesitation, "Anne Bardoncan, I'm seventeen years old!"
"Captain Bartokto Baqiuying, what is your relationship with him?"
Duncan slowly bent down, so that his eyes would be level with the girl's, and tried to speak in a gentler tone: "Your last name is Bar Duncan?"
As Anne spoke, her voice suddenly became louder.
"He is... my father." Annie said softly, then subconsciously grabbed the old guard's clothes and looked up at the old man, as if wanting to ask for help.
Duncan suddenly reached out and rubbed Anne's head. A few snowflakes that had not yet melted fell from the thick woolen hat and mixed with the accumulated snow.
The old guard's pupils shrank slightly, but he quickly concealed the change in his expression.
"Pass this to the gatekeeper named Agatha, or you can pass it directly to your cathedral," Duncan said casually, "It's a message anyway, just deliver it."
He just asked casually, but he didn't expect... that it would be such a coincidence.
But he was a step too slow.
The old man suddenly pressed Anne's shoulders to stop the child from talking. Then he raised his head and looked directly into Duncan's eyes: "What you said... is the truth?"
"I just want to
He is just visiting the cemetery. He is a person who has nothing to do with the church," the old man said immediately. After realizing that Anne was really not affected, he relaxed a little. "He is trying to persuade the child to go back. The weather is too bad today."
"It's a small contribution to the safety of the city-state," Duncan smiled, but his friendly expression was completely blocked by the bandages. Then he looked past the old guard and looked at the little girl hiding behind the old man, "Are you scared?"
The cemetery gate was suddenly shrouded in silence.
He still couldn't understand what Duncan's words meant - he didn't even understand the existence of the tall and burly figure in front of him.
As soon as he finished speaking, he took out a sealed letter from his windbreaker pocket and handed it to the old man in front of him.
"... I think so," Duncan thought for a moment. I didn't know what the door of the God of Death Chris was, nor did I know what humans would experience after death. But in front of a child, I knew what I should say - this was also what I sincerely hoped for, "He sent me away personally."
"Also, don't forget this letter."
"You are Captain Bartocteau's daughter - you and your mother live on Fireplace Street?" Duncan looked at the little girl in front of him and asked again.
Duncan nodded slightly.
The same thing happened to the old guard standing by.
"...I have met him, although we are not very familiar with each other," Duncan said softly, "He asked me to visit you and your mother. I haven't had the chance to look for you yet. I didn't expect to meet you here."
Annie nodded calmly, and then seemed to react: "You... know my father?"
In fact, he no longer doubted what the old man had told him a long time ago.
"Isn't that priestess here?"
Duncan looked in the direction of the cemetery curiously, "I have something more important to tell her."
However, the old man did not react. He just looked astonished, as if he had thought of something. He looked at Duncan with an incredible expression, and at the same time looked at the young woman with a veil and blonde shawl with doubt.
Anne looked up and blinked.
The old guard was silent for a moment. He knew what the other party meant. He also knew that as an ordinary person, Anne would not be affected by some extraordinary power like himself. However, he still did not relax. He just asked cautiously, "What do you want to do this time?"
On the back of the envelope, one could actually see the mark and number of a small local printing house - this wasn't even some "ritual secret letter" condensed by some supernatural power; it was bought from a newsstand at a corner, perhaps even bought while passing by this morning.
"She has just left," said the old guard, with increased caution at the mention of Agatha. "What do you want with her?"
"Oh, then she's safe," Duncan said. "You know what she can't see."
"No," Annie shook her head and carefully looked through the old man's fingers at the tall and burly figure opposite her, "I'm very brave."
"I know you are friendly, but your presence alone may affect ordinary people," the old guard said carefully, trying his best not to offend the visitor in front of him. "This child has not received any training in the supernatural."
The old guard blinked, and before he could say anything, he saw a flash of green flame before his eyes and disappear.
The old guard's heart tightened, and he wanted to remind Annie, who had never come into contact with supernatural powers, not to speak. After all, revealing one's name to a high-ranking supernatural whose origin was known was a very dangerous move.
"Relax," Duncan said, with a hint of amusement in his tone. "I don't mean any harm to you—and I won't hurt the kid behind you."
He paused, then added, "I can contact her at any time—the cemetery keeper is also a clergyman and can directly contact the cathedral and the gatekeeper."
"I have a niece who is also very brave," Duncan said, looking at the old man, "This child is..."
Alice was a little surprised when she heard the sound of snow being stepped on from the side.
He looked at the little girl who called herself "Annie Barduncan" and turned to look at Duncan: "Ah, I remember the last name Barduncan, isn't this...
The old man raised his head, his slightly cloudy and yellow eyes showing obvious doubts and inquiries.
I turned the envelope over and looked at it again.
"My dad..." Annie opened her mouth, but couldn't think of what to say. After trying hard to organize her words, she asked carefully, "He's really not dead yet... right?"
"Captain Bartokto was a remarkable man, a very remarkable man - he should be in a country now, resting well there."
"It's almost time for me to leave," Duncan said. He looked at Anne, who was still a little confused, and then at the cemetery guard. "Although I have a lot to say, I still have a lot of things to do. Let's meet again when there is a chance.
"Then...will he be sent here again?" Annie asked calmly, "The adults said that the souls of those who believe in the god of death will return to Chris's cemetery after death, and then be led to the gate. The caretaker told me that this cemetery is..."