“Rotten Man.” Annan probed softly.
He attempted to get more clues.
With the alliance agreement just established, Maria wasn’t really on guard against Annan. In addition, Annan was officially wanted by the Noah Kingdom. The other three people present were all Austerian.
She nodded gloomily and admitted Annan’s speculation, “Yes, it is indeed Rotten Man’s curse directed through the name.”
“Have you not prepared any substitute?” Annan was a little surprised.
“Of course we have, but the curse managed to pass through for some reason. I’m fine, but the curse attacked my father, eldest brother, and Annan at the same time.
“The eldest brother can forcibly absorb other’s curses. He immediately shouldered the curse of three people on him alone.”
Maria seemed more evasive in talking about it, “In the end, my eldest brother has permanently lost his fertility, and lost the chance to inherit the Grand Duke’s position. Also, I’m not suitable. So we can only rely on Annan.
“He has a much better character than mine. Austere-Winter is in need of a Grand Duke who is kind and isn’t hungry for political power.”
“Your Royal Highness.”
Annan coughed slightly and reminded, “You spoke too much.”
If he heard so many secrets outside the dungeon instance, he wondered if he would be silenced through death.
Even Announ would not die in the nightmare, he still followed the cautious, timid, and calm character of “Gerald” in strict details, interrupting Maria’s words.
Of course, the main reason was that Annan had enough information from the conversation.
“In short, I can’t die here cause I need to protect my brother…”
Annan nodded. He said calmly and slowly, “I see.”
“Does our family seem naive and weak on the Noah side?”
Maria asked self-deprecatingly, “We’re unlike a noble family at all.”
This was expected. There were too few children who could endure the inborn curse and survive to adulthood in the Austere-Winter family.
Those heirs who could survive the curse and grow up healthily were tempered with incomparable tenacity.
Annan just shook his head. Then, he said earnestly, “I think this is a good and healthy family relationship.”
What Annan said was not an act but from the heart’s bottom.
Maria was silent as if she felt Annan’s sincerity.
But Annan realized immediately that Maria’s view of him had changed again.
She is still a child, after all. Annan sighed in his heart.
Maria, at this point in time, was like thirteen years old. Her mind became firm in advance through the painful tempering. There was a gloomy vibe with her too. Her words were calm, mature, and organized due to her wisdom and education. But, she was still a child after all. She trusted others easily.
Maria. You believe in strangers who came from wrong and dangerous origins. Annan sighed silently.
At this moment, the group heard the sound of the tea room opening.
Claire took Kim out of the tea room. They looked at the four people a little wary and distant.
They didn’t come up to talk either but took a long detour and left.
Obviously, Claire and Kim noticed something was amiss.
—From the very beginning, Ghirlandaio did not foresee whether the three of them would fight. But the way to survive to the end.
The answer was simple. The remaining three people had no way to withdraw and form an alliance alone.
Prophet Wizard was always the most cunning.
They could see a lot of things.
But few were willing to share with others.
Because the more people know the result they predicted, the more “variables” would be added to the result, and the more inaccurate it would become.
Many people believe that the Prophet Wizard was the most self-serving wizard.
Their power was the most suitable for helping others. But almost no Prophet Wizards were willing to share prophecies with others.
Some said they all liked to use their power to look into the future for themselves.
But this was not entirely correct because only when they predict things related to them, the accuracy could approach 100%. They enjoy having this kind of power to see the future and develop the habit of maintaining the accuracy of predictions.
It was just a habit.
——After you develop a habit, it is difficult to change.
The four of them waited for a while but had not seen Benjamin come out of the tea room.
So, they stopped waiting.
Instead, the group left through the same path they came.
Ghirlandaio claimed that he knew the location of another tea room. There was some food and water, but it would take a long way to go there.
The entire wizard tower took the hall as the center and extended symmetrically to both sides. What’s on the left side was also on the right side.
But when they returned to the hall. Annan suddenly narrowed his eyes slightly.
The rest of the group also noticed the problem at the same time:
“Do you feel like some statues are missing?”
The statues were arranged according to a particular pattern, like a starry sky. Something was missing.
Giant statue. Centaur statue.
Old man statue. Child statue.
Warrior statue. Maiden statue.
Giant snake statue. Fairy statue.
-Yup.
Angel statue was gone.
“Does the angel signify Eugene Melvin?”
Annan realized something immediately.
Melvin was the Idol Wizard.
The so-called idol originally referred to a human form made of wood or clay. The process of people worshiping and enshrining these sculptures was first to give the idol a real meaning, then put belief to it and duplicate the target.
Idol was named after this principle.
Idol was proficient in the making of mud puppets and golems, as well as the abilities of “substitute,” “projection,” and “ritual.” But, in general, it was the ability to absorb away, lead, and give others different curses.
Annan read from the book that the Idol Wizard was called “godlike” or “demigod on earth” long ago.
Because they could also listen to the prayers of believers from far away. They could also give someone a curse from a distance. In a sense, the Idol Wizard could deliver damage, defense, healing, or blessing at a very long distance. In the eyes of ordinary people who were not Transcended, the boundary between Idol Wizard and the gods was blurred.
-Angel.
This nickname was appropriate to address them.
Annan frowned slightly, thinking silently.
If these nine statues are us and the statues would disappear when we die.
Which statue represents Gerald?
In other words, which one corresponds to me?
Suddenly, a light bulb flashed in Annan’s mind.
“If the future is uncertain, does what has happened must exist?”
He recalled Master Michelangelo’s final words in his mind.
It was a question for them.
—If “Michelangelo will die” is an uncertain future.
Relative to this incident, if the future is uncertain, does what has happened must exist?
[Do not fight with anyone.]
[Get everyone’s real name.]
[At least survive till only four people remain.]
“I seem to understand something,” Annan murmured.
His eyes shone with confidence.
He would most likely successfully clear the dungeon within three hours.
He had fully understood the mechanism of this nightmare. Its principle was not complicated, but the most important person was not easy to find.
Who on earth is it?