The deeper Annan advanced into the dungeon, the more he felt a biting chill.
Especially since he had broken out in a thin sweat just now and had not completely dried it off. Now he could feel the coldness in the air.
"...Senior, the environment in this basement is quite difficult."
Annan slapped his mouth.
The temperature at the door, near the Philosopher's Stone, has exceeded fifty degrees; and the temperature here in the dungeon is at least below zero, just like a cold storage... Annan can even clearly see the breath he sprays out.
White mist.
He searched around the dungeon.
Annan first discovered the black fire stored by Salvatore.
They are all stored here, close to the wall. The white freezing air falls like a veil, completely covering these black fires.
"……Well."
Looking at these black fires, Annan suddenly remembered something.
Not long after he arrived at the frozen water port, the ship Don Juan was on was burned with black fire.
Annan was secretly having fun at that time.
Because the viscount sent people to burn the ship, which was equivalent to destroying all the previous evidence. How many things were left on the entire ship, how many people had been there, and the traces of the battle on it...all disappeared.
They could not find any evidence that Annan was not Don Juan Geraint.
At first, Annan and Salvatore both thought that this was the black hand of Viscount Barbour. In their analysis, this was to let Salvatore go to the basement to analyze and study the Black Fire, and take the opportunity to kill Salvatore.
Stuck in the basement.
It was precisely because of these black fires that Annan took Viscount Barbour seriously. And it was precisely because of his intention to become his enemy that he discovered the conspiracy of the Church of Corruption.
But looking back now...
The old Viscount seems to have no need at all.
Because there was no need for him to burn Annan and Salvatore to death.
He just needs to let those black fires explode in the frozen water port.
A large number of civilian casualties will immediately attract the attention of the church and the kingdom. These black fires have Salvatore's personal label. If no other suspicious elements are detected, Salvatore will inevitably be imprisoned.
Waiting for investigation. At the same time, as the lord of the Northern Sea Territory and the actual controller of the Frozen Water Port, it is natural for Annan to be transferred for questioning.
The garrison in the Northern Sea Territory has always been at Rossburg.
In other words, the only controlled area qualified to temporarily detain two extraordinary beings is in Fort Ross.
At that time, Viscount Barbour will definitely ask "Don Juan Geraint" and Salvatore to go to Roseburg and wait for the investigation team from the royal capital and the people from the Black Tower to arrive.
And the two were unarmed and imprisoned in the controlled area of Rosberg...The life and death of Annan and Salvatore were completely in the hands of Viscount Barbour.
Even if Viscount Barbour has no chance to take action, this incident can still find a way to turn it into a stain on Don Juan Geraint. And then become an excuse for the Geraint family - because his fundamental purpose is not to kill Don Juan, but to kill Don Juan.
Continue to rule the Northern Territory until the ceremony is completed.
Driving Don Juan back to the capital, the result was the same.
But if it wasn't Viscount Barbour's hand... who burned the ship?
"...It's Benjamin."
Annan murmured.
Yes.
Salvatore made only one batch of this inert black fire in total. It was made before he and Benjamin left the Black Tower in the Zeland.
Although these black fires were sold to Viscount Barbour through Gerald's channels, Gerald could only purchase them from Benjamin.
The significance of this batch of "inert" black fire could be perceived by Gerald of the Soul-Impering School. Could it be that Benjamin, as a master of the Transformation School, would completely ignore its value?
This is unlikely.
Benjamin should have at least left a batch of samples.
In other words, except in the hands of Gerald and Viscount Barbour...
Benjamin also has a batch hidden in his hands!
On the one hand, he burned the ships to destroy the evidence that "Don Juan Geraint was dead"; on the other hand, he used this incident to remind Annan and Salvatore.
Tell them that Viscount Barbour is going to use Black Fire as an excuse to attack them!
"At least at that time, Benjamin hadn't left yet."
Annan frowned slightly: "Strange..."
Benjamin what does this mean?
Why did he want to get rid of this handiwork?
Does he accept that he is Don Juan's substitute?
"...He has met Maria, so he should know that I am Annan Rendong."
Doesn't he wonder why I'm here?
Annan's movements paused.
He thought about it.
There is only one possibility that can perfectly explain these things.
——Benjamin knew why he appeared here from the beginning!
Maybe even the reason why he appeared in Frozen Water Port...
Directly related to Benjamin!
"……Yes."
Annan's thoughts suddenly became clear.
The Rofu Church was afraid of the Skeleton Lord. Therefore, the guard captain and his companions did not arrive at the frozen water port at all, but left on a small boat halfway.
And if the person who burned the ship was Benjamin, then he at least arrived at the frozen water port. Because Annan did not see Benjamin's carrier and wizard robe at that time, it means that he had already left at that time.
Judging from the hunger level of Annan Lingdong after he woke up... he had just arrived on the beach not long ago.
In other words, Benjamin has 100% met Annan!
And he knew that Annan's status was noble and nothing could happen to him, but he didn't take Annan away.
this means……
The matter of letting Annan pretend to be Don Juan was part of his calculation!
That's why he left Don Juan's token.
Those letters, rings, pocket watches, Don Juan's dagger, and...
...The Fragment of Truth·The Book of Heavenly Chariot?
Although he still felt that this guess had some omissions, Annan felt that he was very close to the truth.
"What on earth do you want to do..."
Annan murmured and frowned.
He suddenly lost interest in searching the dungeon carefully.
Of course, part of the reason is that he found that many things here cannot be stored at room temperature...
never mind.
Anyway, if you want anything, just ask your senior directly. There is no need to take it with you...it will be the same wherever you put it.
Don't waste it is true.
As Annan walked around, he quickly found the location of the so-called "magic mirror".
It was a huge floor-to-ceiling mirror, about three meters high, covered with a thick red cloth.
Annan pulled off some of the red cloth from behind the mirror - it doesn't need to be too much, a height of about 1.6 meters is enough.
This will prevent Annan from being inconvenient to put the red cloth back on again later.
When you use up other people's things, put them back in their original place. Annan still understands this kind of politeness.
It was Annan who walked back to the front of the mirror with great interest.
Make me healthy, what is the essence of my soul——
I saw black lines all over the mirror, like ice cracks. Apart from these lines, Annan could only see another version of himself in the mirror.
Black shoulder-length hair, tightly pursed light-colored lips, sparkling ice-blue pupils, and pale to almost transparent skin.
...it seems like there is no difference?
Before Annan could think about it, the black lines on the mirror gradually faded away.
"……Huh?"
Annan's pupils shrank slightly.
Under Annan's gaze, the pattern on the mirror suddenly changed!
He saw two other heads slowly appearing on both sides of his head - on the left was a black bull's head with marble-like black stone horns on its forehead; on the right was a majestic lion with a head as bright as the sun.
Mane twined with glow.
In the mirror, Annan's heavy cold-proof clothing gradually faded and disappeared.
Two light wings wrapped with white soft light opened from his waist, and then closed, covering half of his body below the chest, covering all the way to his knees like a long skirt. And behind Annan's shoulders, there were also two golden wings.
The wings of light slowly opened.
And the moment he looked into the face of the person in the middle.
Annan's head buzzed and he suddenly lost consciousness.