Chapter 197: Old Hatred
After noticing Albert’s expression wasn’t quite right, Annan quickly found an excuse, grabbed Salvatore, and hurriedly left. He handed the interrogation on Rotten Man’s a.s.sa.s.sin to Albert.
After all, the information coming from the a.s.sa.s.sin wouldn’t include “Annan Austere-Winter.” Also, Albert had now become a solid ally, which he would tell Annan if there was information of significance.
After Annan left the church with Salvatore, he immediately a.s.signed new missions to the players.
Then, he commenced his next plan without hesitation.
Though, it felt like fleeing to escape from his crime.
Annan had the players go to No. 12, Rusty Water Street in the east area.
It was located next to the Gerald Dental Clinic—Nottdamm’s “current” residence, where Nottdamm lived with his new wife.
In actual fact, his “designated” wife had not officially married him, let alone getting pregnant.
At No, 44, Clear Water Street, where the actual Maemis Nottdamm was pregnant, Annan and Salvatore went to check the situation in person.
Annan had notified the players not to startle the target but just observe if there were any abnormalities.
Currently, Annan wanted to experiment with Salvatore.
He wanted to try if the door at No. 44, Clear Water Street, in the west area, was closed.
Will the door at No. 12 Rusty Water Street open then?
In other words, are the two rituals interlocked?
Annan remembered the first time they went to No, 44 Clear Water Street, the door was open, and there was no one inside. It was after all the doors were closed that the “past,” which was four years ago, flipped over from the “mirror” into reality.
If the two sides were interlocked, then Annan wanted to test it out. If the “past” consisted of childbirth was inverted, had the “non-existing” ritual failed or was it a success for the ritual to hide?
If it were the former situation, then Annan would have to set up defenses for both sides simultaneously. However, for the latter case, he only had to place his defenses on Rusty Water Street.
But if the rituals on the two sides weren’t interlocked, that would be fun.
Annan just wanted to know one thing—
“What will happen if two ‘Nottdamm’ meet?” Annan a.n.a.lyzed with a serious face, “Aren’t you curious, senior?”
Even though his ident.i.ty was exposed, he still habitually called out Senior Salvatore.
Salvatore was still used to calling him, Don Juan.
But now, Salvatore looked at Annan with a complex expression.
“Honestly, Don Juan, do you know His Highness Kafni?”
Salvatore looked curious and lowered his voice to ask, “Just tell me. I promise not to let anyone else know.”
Annan looked helpless, “I really don’t know her.”
“For real?” Salvatore doubted.
Seeing the senior’s persistent questioning, Annan couldn’t help but sigh, “Yes…”
Regardless of whether the past Annan knew her before, the current Annan didn’t know her anyway.
Annan didn’t dare to accept this kind of unfounded kindness.
Annan didn’t mind deceiving others, nor did he have an obsessive-compulsive disorder issue when his teammates were hurt. Annan would even let the weaker teammates block the bullet as long as his goal could be achieved.
The purpose was to allow more important teammates to survive first.
All efforts were for efficiency.
Just like Salvatore was easy to be fooled, so Annan didn’t want to fool him.
Kafni claimed to protect him, and it was for free. So, Annan didn’t want her to tank any potential damage and lose her health points.
Also, Annan didn’t need protection. I have tools (players) that can be resurrected at any time to tank the health damage.
If there were enemies, Annan’s resurrection authority could be fully utilized. With 4 Bronze players keeping giving their lives indefinitely, Annan could stop the enemy no matter what. If the four of them couldn’t stop the enemy, adding a Kafni into the equation probably wouldn’t change anything.
Worse still, she would take away the experience points.
“But with His Royal Highness Kafni, I don’t think we will need to utilize our prior preparations.”
Salvatore exclaimed, “I don’t know if it’s a pity or a blessing, but we won’t be using Sage’s Stone anymore.”
“It’s better not to use it.” Annan said without hesitation, “Believe it or not, after we take this item out, we will be troubled indefinitely?”
“Of course, I believe that’s true.” Salvatore shrugged, “Sage’s Stone is something that all Alteration Wizards are pursuing. Other than them, it garners huge demand for all the big shots.”
“Speaking of which, senior.”
Annan feels that the timing was appropriate for him to ask this question so that he wouldn’t appear to have an ulterior motive, “Even if you suddenly dreamed about the refining method of Sage’s Stone, where did the inspiration come from? “
“I do not know either.” Salvatore choked at the question and replied vaguely with a wry smile, “Dream… It’s just a dream.”
“—Idiot. I don’t know how to use Prophet spells, so I don’t know prophecy.” At this moment, the shadow made a low and hoa.r.s.e voice, “It’s Teacher Benjamin’s notes you saw before you left Black Tower. Your memory is getting worse, Salvatore.”
Well, isn’t it because you disturb my sleep? Salvatore almost scolded out.
But he still endured it.
“—Oh yes, it’s Teacher Benjamin’s notes!” Salvatore pretended to remember all of a sudden, with a look of realization on his face, “I saw it before I left Black Tower!”
Annan’s footsteps stopped suddenly, “Benjamin again?”
He turned around and asked with a bit of surprise.
Watching Annan’s reaction, Salvatore blinked his eyes, “What’s wrong?”
“I forgot to tell you some information before, senior.” Annan said quietly and quickly, “Your Excellency Benjamin is indeed not dead. He even came to Freezing Water Port 10 days ago;
“I saw from the nightmare that Gerald manifested. The person who was under your pursuit. He had a great relationship with Benjamin a few years ago, at least when their relationship had trust;
“Gerald and Benjamin are both witnesses of Master Michelangelo’s ritual, and they are all together now. So I was thinking…”
“You want to say that the matter with me crafting the Sage’s Stone is also part of Benjamin’s teacher’s plan?” Salvatore quickly understood what Annan meant.
Salvatore was in a daze and almost thought this was the truth. This was because he knew Benjamin’s behavior. Benjamin also knew he had a shadow. Most likely that the Sage’s Stone was one of Benjamin’s arrangements at this time.
“Teacher Benjamin is indeed the kind of person who calculates ahead.” But Salvatore quickly denied, “But this is impossible. Teacher Benjamin isn’t proficient in Prophet spells.”
“But Master Michelangelo did,” replied Annan.
From the moment Annan heard the name Benjamin, he suddenly realized one thing.
A ritual always needs an executor, right?
Annan initially thought that the “past Michelangelo personally arranged this ritual.” But if everything was within Michelangelo’s plan, while Benjamin and Gerald were both p.a.w.ns of his chessboard…
Why did Benjamin not feel the slightest anger being exploited when he heard that Michelangelo was about to resurrect in the nightmare?
But, if they are ritual executors, then…
“If Gerald hadn’t died, what would happen?” Annan murmured, “He was able to control the situation immediately when he met with the viscount. A Bronze Rank hunter couldn’t resist Gerald’s mind control, especially from the viscount and Rotten Man believers.
“As the ritual controller, he is undoubtedly the most stable choice. After Gerald’s death, Benjamin is the ritual executor.”
Salvatore asked, “What are you trying to say, Don Juan?”
There was a vague idea in his mind that wasn’t well-formed, but he couldn’t organize it well.
“—Fool.” The shadow cursed in a low voice.
Annan replied, “It’s straightforward.”
At the next moment, Annan and the shadow almost overlapped in voices,
“—Suppose the contradiction (hatred) between Benjamin (teacher) and Gerald was caused by this matter now?”
That matter referred to the resurrection of Michelangelo!
Because Annan clearly remembered that Gerald killed all Benjamin’s students a few years ago, but their relationship was pretty good at that time.
But after that, as a new student of Benjamin, Salvatore didn’t seem to know the relationship between them. He thought that Gerald and Benjamin were old enemies for many years. Black Tower also issued a wanted order to Gerald, “To get the hammer back.”
But what use was that hammer for Swamp’s Black Tower?
And Gerald was also trying to use Salvatore to advance into Gold Rank.
Salvatore was Black Tower’s Son. If Gerald killed him, Gerald wouldn’t end up well.
But why was he in such a hurry?
Probably because Benjamin was fighting with Gerald for the right to execute this resurrection ritual!