To be on the safe side, Annan still put iron gloves on "father".
This is a special way to imprison a Ritualist.
No one knows what weird rituals they have mastered... and what odds and ends they may use to suddenly attack.
But if there is a problem, there is a solution.
The tool specifically for ceremonial masters is the "iron gauntlet".
It is roughly similar to handcuffs, but in front of the handcuffs, an iron glove with fully fixed joints will be put on. The knuckles of the iron gauntlet were slightly bent, they neither touched nor completely opposed to each other, and they didn't even stretch out their ten fingers.
Such a posture does not meet the requirements of all rituals... and their wrists are locked by handcuffs, so the movements of their ten fingers cannot be changed at all.
Only by controlling it with such props can the ritualist's actions be completely blocked.
—Of course, the simpler and safer way is to chop off their hands and cut off their tongues.
But Annan did not intend to do so.
Because of this ritualist, he seems to be available...
Annan was sitting opposite the old ritual master. "Daddy" was sitting on the dining table with Annan with his hands locked.
The chef has already prepared dinner for Annan.
Annan politely poured a glass of wine for each of them - but the other party had no hands at all to drink and eat.
But in the face of such treatment, "father" did not show any abnormality, he just sat quietly opposite Annan.
"I think you probably know me."
Annan took a bite of the barbecue and looked at the old ritual master: "You know what I mean."
"That's natural, Your Highness Annan."
"Father" lowered his head and replied softly, "I met you a few times when you were young."
"How small?"
Annan asked back.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if a little displeased.
— But in fact, Annan was just talking.
The old magician did not look up at Annan, but continued to answer: "About when you were six years old... and when you were eight years old, I met each once. Soon after, I came to Noah. After that There is only some correspondence between Lord 'Daughter of the Storm'."
Annan was silent, and made a quick calculation in his heart.
The body of Annan Lindong is fourteen years old this year. And Maria participated in Michelangelo's ceremony five years ago.
Is it almost after that...
Oh, that's alright.
Seeing less is a good thing.
"Maria..."
Annan's expression was a bit complicated, he hesitated to speak.
He looked at the old ritual master and said slowly, "What do you think of me?"
"You will be our future Grand Duke, the king of wolves..."
"Father" paused, then calmly continued: "The only heir to the Dragon Throne."
… Sure enough, he knew a lot.
Annan was thoughtful.
But it didn't show on his face.
He just frowned slightly, and looked at the old ritual master seriously: "I'm not talking about this...you understand."
As for what to know
Oh, I don't understand myself.
Annan complained silently to himself.
But when he heard An Nan's words, the old ritual master was taken aback.
He raised his head, as if seeing the future Grand Duke for the first time, and looked at Annan carefully.
And Annan looked straight into his eyes without fear.
After a long while, the old ritual master gradually withdrew his gaze and lowered his gaze again.
"I thought you gave up."
he whispered.
But Annan did not respond.
Seeing that there was no answer, the old ritual master sighed, and then said: "It seems that you have succeeded.
"It is indeed a reverse inscription... I can feel that the curse of the Heart of Winter has indeed been resolved by you, Your Highness, your method is correct."
"correct… "
Annan murmured repeatedly, shaking his head lightly, as if silently denying something.
There was a complicated light in his eyes, and he sighed slowly and heavily.
The old ceremonial master who raised his head happened to see this scene.
He could only comfort him: "You are indeed right—and the year you went to find the Silent Lady, didn't you just avoid that catastrophe? All of this is destiny."
"... let's talk about it in more detail."
Annan was silent for a while, then replied in a low voice.
And the old ritual master also obediently spoke, persuading in a low voice: "I think you should have heard it more or less... Just in the past year, there have been many disasters in Lindong. I don't know if you know... two A month ago, the rotten man came up again. He still came to you.
"At that time, the old grandmother was still in Dragon's Rest. His Highness Maria was still practicing at Stormy Cliff, and His Highness Dmitri was studying at Howling White Tower. The only person in the throne room was your father..."
"Father, he..."
Annan's voice trembled slightly.
The old ceremonial master was silent for a while, and replied in a low voice: "The Grand Duke is not in a very good condition. If you have the opportunity, I still hope that you can go back and see him... Sorry, Your Highness. In my capacity, I Shouldn't have said that. It's just—"
"I can understand."
Annan nodded slightly and replied in a low voice.
According to the information he found, although Ivan Lindong was a strict father, he was a very good monarch. He is known for his justice and frugality. Although he is a grand duke, he can live and eat with the people. In the Duchy of Winter, where there was very little food, he never wasted money or wasted food.
Among the people, Ivan's reputation is very high.
It's normal for an old ritual master to have such thoughts.
"And after that?"
Annan asked.
The old man was silent for a while, and replied: "I don't know what happened after that. Not long after that, Lin Dong completely blocked the news. But as far as I know, the rotten man took a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child , and forced him to jump into the Black Sea.
"I think that should be your substitute... After all, you left Winter a year ago. And very few people know about it."
What, I left Winter a year ago
Annan frowned slightly, and then gradually relaxed his eyebrows.
It turns out that Annan's reverse inscription was carved by Ms. Silence herself.
Judging from these words, it should be that the young Annan ran away from home at that time, planning to find Lady Silence by himself, and asked to reverse the inscription to resolve the curse from Winterheart.
But the position where he was lying when he woke up did seem to have floated over from the other side of the Black Sea... A few days ago, when the rotten man met Annan, he did admit that it was He who pushed Annan into the Black Sea. He can't be mistaken.
...Could it be that at that time, Annan returned to the capital of the cold winter quietly. But then he was discovered by the rotting man who followed... and thrown into the sea
Annan realized what details.
If it is said that even "father" doesn't know that he has returned to the Dukedom of Winter... that means most people probably don't know. The matter of returning to the country by oneself should be kept confidential.
But the rotten man knew it, and he knew it very early.
-This shows what
"I want to know... more about Maria."
Annan asked in a low voice: "Also, what should I call you? Just call you 'Daddy'?"
"I can't, I can't... If Her Royal Highness Maria finds out, she will take my skin off."
The old ceremonial master smiled wryly and shook his head again and again: "You can just call me by my name directly. I am Vasily Manning. You can just call me Vasily or Old Vasily."
"... Manning?"
Annan repeated slowly.
He has a vague impression of this surname...
Vasily nodded: "You must know my brother.
"He's Merlin Manning who used to be 'Right Finger'. He's my brother."