Gryaznuha made a low and old voice that was reminiscent of vibrating wing membranes: "Of course... I'm here to witness all this. That's all."
"witness?"
Annan laughed.
He turned around and looked up at Gryaznoha.
That was a very old man.
His beard and hair are all white - not the pure white like that of Annan and Maria, who awakened the heart of winter and gave people a cold feeling like snow fields. But the old man's extremely slender white hair, which can even be faintly seen through.
The slender hair roots see the scalp.
He was wearing a white double-breasted trench coat and was not holding anything in his hands. His old figure was still upright and his slender white hair was blowing in the wind. He looked like an old general.
Gryaznuha looks about only 50-60% similar to Grand Duke Ivan.
If the two of them are placed together, it can be seen that they are related to each other - but if they are not particularly familiar, they will not be able to tell that this old man is from the Winter clan.
His pupils were not the ice blue common among the Winter clan, but dark golden vertical pupils.
There are clearly visible wrinkles on his face, but his skin looks quite clean and fair.
Gryaznoha gives people a strong sense of contradiction. If you were walking on the street, you would be able to catch the eyes of passers-by in an instant.
Annan asked back: "Believe in the Duke of Bones and trick others into sacrificing relatives and friends; encourage the northern nobles to build curse cellars and assassinate the Grand Duke; join forces with Melvin and other families to launch a rebellion, seek the position of the Grand Duke, and try to seize the power of great-level curses...
...and even tried to turn the entire Principality of Winter into a country of the dead.
"And now, I have uprooted the Melvin family."
The corners of his mouth raised slightly: "But you said - you are just here to witness?"
Annan would not believe his lies.
"I also know that no one will believe it."
Gryaznoha whispered: "But this is the truth.
"I'm here to witness it all - as always."
He said and took two steps forward.
Gryaznuha's style looks a bit awkward. In other words, it's asymmetrical.
Although he was wearing a pure white double-breasted long windbreaker, his left arm did not come out of the sleeves of the windbreaker, but was just hidden in the clothes - judging from the bulge, his left arm was not
It was a broken arm, but it was carried behind his back like a butler... and he hid the dagger behind his back like a killer.
But his right arm was hanging down naturally, without holding anything. It could be seen that his knuckles were calloused - this proved that he had practiced swordsmanship for a period of time before entering the Silver Rank.
Annan narrowed his eyes slightly and cheered up.
Although he could "see" it, Gryaznuha's hand behind his back was only lightly clenched into a fist, and he was not holding any weapon.
But as the mastermind who was expelled from the "Winter" reputation and attempted to assassinate Ivan and Annan many times... one cannot be too vigilant.
After all, Gryaznuha is also a genuine gold-level transcendent—and quite old at that. In the world of transcendent beings, old age usually means strength.
If the amount of "remaining soul" is not calculated, this theorem is also applicable to the golden level.
Annan even tasted a clear sense of danger from Gryaznuha.
This means that Gryaznuha is also a sufficient threat to Annan, who now has a righteous heart.
"You know, Annan," Gryaznuha said in a low voice, "this is not the first time I have seen you.
"I met you once when you were very young.
"Ivan brought me to see you."
"...You mean," Annan raised a sarcastic curve at the corner of his mouth, "that you are an undercover? The best sixth man used to trap those who oppose the cold winter to death?"
"I have indeed been stripped of my name of winter."
Gryaznoha had no reaction to this.
He just said calmly: "But that's not because I believe in Lord Bones. It's because I try to turn the people I protect into materials.
"I think you also guessed it..."
"The Bone Master's sublimation ceremony, right?"
"That's right."
Gryaznuha nodded quietly: "I was a ritual master like you from the very beginning. When I was very young, I came into contact with the rituals of the Skeleton Lord... and then learned about his true history.
"
His dark golden pupils were as deep as the abyss: "It's different from you.
"From the beginning, I didn't think there was anything wrong with him.
"In every country that does not fear or even expect death, sacrificing their lives without their permission - this may be inappropriate, but can it really be regarded as betrayal?"
"Of course."
Annan replied without hesitation: "Betrayal is not a continuous state. It only exists and does not exist. Once is as guilty as a hundred times, because the consequences of that one time may be more painful than a hundred times combined.
"Therefore, mortals cannot measure the 'quantity of betrayal', nor are they worthy of weighing it. No matter how small a betrayal is, it may turn into despair that destroys everything under the wings of a butterfly over time.
"And when that time comes, no matter how absurd it is, the betrayer should bear responsibility for it..."
"You also said, responsibility——"
Gryaznuha interrupted Annan: "That's it."
The old man asked: "Why - do people have to bear responsibility?
"Do people live for others?"
"Of course people have to live for themselves. But they can also live for others. It all depends on you."
Annan said softly: "You can live for yourself, there is nothing wrong with that. But don't laugh at those who devote their lives to others."
Gryaznuha closed his eyes and shook his head slightly.
"Easy to say."
He repeated: "Living for others is the second hardest thing in the world. You have to be restrained in everything you do, and you have to consider others - consider those stupid, short-sighted, cowardly mortals.
"If you can be sure and convinced that the end result is good. Does the process really matter?"
Gryaznuha said.
He put his right hand in front of him.
One by one, he slowly unbuttoned his trench coat.
At the same time, he said calmly: "I know that I have failed. Although I didn't do anything wrong, it was just because there were people besides me who did it better.
"With the crane in this world, it no longer needs me to make it survive. It can live like a human being with its chest raised and its head raised, and it doesn't have to be a dog. This is good, of course it is good
of."
After he said that, he unbuttoned all the buttons of his windbreaker.
Gryaznuha grabbed the left breast of the windbreaker with his right hand, pulled it off, and threw it up.
At this moment, a strong wind happened to blow, blowing his coat high.
"I sacrificed everything."
Gryaznuha whispered.
"Reputation. Money. Power. Love. I have a home and can't go back... I lost the most important [name]. The name I value most.
"But I don't regret it. Because I am the savior - because I am the last possibility in this world, and they don't understand me.
"I'm not afraid to tell you. I can ignore everyone's gaze, and I can obey arrangements to go to any country and do any job. This is because I know that the end of the world will eventually come, and only those who follow me can survive; and
Those who despise me, dislike me, and reject me...because of their short-sightedness and stupidity, there is absolutely no place for them in my new world.
"I am the eldest son! I was originally going to be the Grand Duke of Winter - I gave up this noble status and endured this ordinary, mediocre and boring life to 'wait for the opportunity', just for the sake of something more noble!
"Yes, I am indeed not a good person. But aren't evil people allowed to save the world? If you want to save the world, you have to pass a magic test? Oh, you are not kind and just enough, so please come back. We have to wait for better news.
A good righteous person?
"I just save the world for the sake of fame and future power! There is nothing worth escaping from my motives, because no matter what, this is a kind of salvation!
"Just like this, I waited in the mortal world for a full hundred years...and then you were born.
"Everyone who knows about worms is rejoicing for you. They all know that this world can be saved. They don't need to be abandoned here, and they don't need to be transformed into undead... It's better than the original plan.
times the plan, then the original plan can be abandoned."
With the narration of Gryaznuha.
His appearance gradually began to look younger.
It was as if time began to flow backwards for him - he gradually transformed into a young man in his thirties.
His eyes are burning and his spirits are high.
Like a wild eagle.
"But, Annan."
His left hand is still behind his back.
Gryaznuha raised his head, looked at Annan, and asked word by word: "You are the new savior. You are the heavenly chariot. You are the heir of the heavenly chariot driver. You are the worm nemesis. You are despised by this world.
Love, every righteous god is your supporter. Everyone loves you... I also think you are a good boy. You are only fifteen years old, you are full of energy, young and beautiful.