Syllable.

Henry VIII gently closed the heavy book in his hand.

Annan glanced at it and saw that the cover was written in floral script, "Advanced Eling-A Detailed Discussion of the Special Significance of Syllables to Rituals."

What is this?

…… Live to learn?

Henry VIII raised his head, looked at Annan with a smile, and stretched out his hand to signal Annan to sit beside him, but at the same time he did not say a word.

So Annan spoke knowingly.

He did not salute the king, nor did he salute him or be polite.

He just glanced at the book on the table and said softly, "Are you studying the Elling?" ”

"yes, but there are some dragon notes that I can't read. It's great that you can come to me too. ”

"—I don't want you to come to me to make small talk with me."

Realizing that he had fallen into passivity, Annan decisively forcibly interrupted the previous topic.

Henry VIII was not angry.

He just glanced at Kaphni with a smile, then looked back at Annan and asked with interest, "Obviously you came to me, right?" I was brought to me by little Kaphne...... Isn't it? ”

When Henry VIII mentioned Kaphne, Annan clearly felt Kaphne's hand tremble and lowered his head. Then he quietly let go of Annan's hand a little timidly.

Annan didn't look back at Kaphni.

- but he grabbed her backhand directly and gently held her wrist.

Kaphne was shocked and looked at Annan in some surprise.

But Annan didn't say anything, just looked at Henry VIII calmly: "You already knew that I would come with Kaphne today."

"Since my actions now are still in your plan...... That's what you came to me. ”

"It's not a plan......

Henry VIII smiled slightly, his voice was smooth but very infectious: "If I announce your identity, it means that I have no ill will towards you." Whatever Philip wanted to do to you or not, whatever Elizabeth was planning. As long as your identity is revealed by me personally, you will be safe...... Isn't it? ”

- Indeed.

After all, Annan is not his royal family in the ordinary sense.

As a direct descendant of his grandmother, Annan was directly protected by his grandmother. If it is "unknowingly", it is understandable to hurt Annan, persecute Annan, or disrespect Annan...... As long as Annan does not die, it is not easy for the old grandmother to enforce the law across borders.

But after Annan's identity has been revealed, anyone who is hostile to Annan will suffer the revenge of his grandmother when the snow falls in winter.

The old grandmother has always held a grudge - the dragon's concept of time is not the same as that of ordinary people.

For an old grandmother who has been sleeping for a few years or more than ten years, it is normal for her to be mentally beaten and sober for thirty or forty years in a row.

After all, the month of the old grandmother's shelter is December...... The snow that falls every winter is completely deadly to the people she wants to kill.

- If you have the ability, you will never go out in December. As soon as you go out, it will go straight to the blizzard, and the snowflakes that fall on you will instantly turn you into ice sculptures.

The old grandmother's revenge is not based on days and months. It's normal for her to stay for more than ten years or decades...... If they don't find a chance when they die of old age, they will attack their descendants.

It is "traditional" for the father to pay the debt of the son; It is also a "tradition" to protect the short, and it is also a "tradition" to take revenge on blood relatives.

The old grandmother will never stop taking revenge until she thinks it can be over.

- No one wants to provoke such a god, except a madman.

The old grandmother was notoriously unreasonable.

Therefore, after Annan's identity was revealed, his personal safety in Noah was completely guaranteed.

And because it was announced by the king himself, it was completely impossible for those people to forcibly say "I don't know about it".

“…… Thank you so much. ”

Annan was silent for a long time, but still thanked him in a low voice.

He immediately asked, "But ...... are you?" ”

…… Is it perfectly clear what Philip and Elizabeth are going to do?

"I've been here, but I know a lot. Far more than they show. The raven is always loyal to the crown, even if it is rusty and dull. ”

Henry VIII sighed softly and said gently, "Whether it is Philip's relationship with the Rotten Church and the Little Crow, or Elizabeth's little hands and feet in the army, the school, and my guard...... And Margaret and Denton, I know that.

"—and, of course, Kaphne and you."

“…… What about you? ”

This really surprised Annan.

He had thought that Henry VIII should have known something to a greater or lesser extent...... But he didn't expect him to know so comprehensively and so much.

But he obviously knows everything, but why...... He doesn't do it at all?

"Because I'm dying, Annan...... Your Majesty. ”

Henry VIII recounted calmly.

"But I can see that you are still in good shape......

"Nothing to do with that. I'm a 'cup of the cup', just a temporary replacement. ”

The old king smiled, "Whether it's a war with Winter's realm, a contract with the people underground, or diplomacy with the Cult...... No matter how well I handle it, I can't change one fact.

"—I am not a naturally born human being, but a 'cup child' created by the power of the cup bearer, used to continue the royal bloodline. It's just a tool for transitioning and continuing the bloodline.

"My father, who had chosen it that way - I would only live to be sixty-five years old, and I would have to give up the throne to my children. Even if I have a life span of ninety-eight years...... It's the same. This is because I have lived too long, and the political turmoil that occurs when I inherit the throne from generation to generation. ”

The corners of Henry VIII's mouth rose slightly, revealing a smile that I didn't know whether it was pity or mockery: "Yes...... My father was afraid of me and feared me. He gave his only child a life-destroying curse at birth—just for the sake of the kingdom's survival. ”

“……”

Annan was silent.

In the face of Henry VIII's words, he did not know how to respond for a moment.

Is it should be and? Is it against? Is it comfort? Is it encouragement?

— but none of this makes sense.

"So...... You don't love your children? ”

After a long time, Annan asked slowly.

Hearing Annan's words, Henry VIII showed a smile of relief that belonged to the understood, and nodded lightly: "If what you are talking about is the love between parents and children...... Well, yes. ”

He confessed.

"Someone once said that 'in the cup' has no feelings. They may be right...... The truth is, the child in the cup woke up too soon.

"Humans have an instinct to love babies. When the baby feels kindness and love from all directions, he thinks he is the king of the world, and he dares to extend the tentacles of consciousness outward. They will store this kindness and love as a firewood to burn when they meet, know, and love others. ”

The old king said slowly, "But while the cup is still in the cup, before he opens his eyes, he has a mind and can hear all words. And people do not shy away from unborn fetuses.

"Yes, maybe it's a mischief or a boon from the glass-bearer...... They were able to understand all speech when they were in the cup, before they were born—but after they were born, they lost that ability.

"That is, before they feel 'love', they are already drenched in the blood of human desire. They can only feel hypocrisy, desire, disgust and regret from their own 'father' or 'mother'...... Then comes the outward expression of 'love'.

"The child in the cup is not a continuation of life at all – just a replica of life. Anyone who sees a child in their cup will instinctively feel disgusted, because this baby who is exactly like themselves is a proof of their failure in life......

"Man-made things, can you understand human love? What a joke...... If you haven't felt love since birth, how can you love someone? ”

Henry VIII looked at Annan: "For my father, I am his continuation; And for many of my children, they are my continuation. What if you are killed? It doesn't matter if you're poisoned, you can kill each other. The mind is controlled, and it has nothing to do with me.

"It's not revenge, it's just a statement.

"Since my father saw me as a tool to perpetuate the kingdom and royal bloodline, I don't need to express an opinion on anything other than that—which of course is in line with his opinion.

"If Philip or Elizabeth had come to see me, I would have been lying in bed and pretending to be feverish. But you are different from them, you are not my offspring, so when I see you, there is no need to be wary or disguised.

"Anyway, this year is the sixty-fifth year of my life, and next Wednesday is the day I die, and nothing has anything to do with me...... Let them do it. Because I have no 'love' for them.

"To me, they're not as interesting as a book."

He uttered words that contradicted common sense, but he did not hesitate at all.

Annan understood perfectly.

Henry VIII did not have the slightest "love" for Noah's kingdom and his children.

In his heart, there is only hatred, responsibility, and indifference—hatred for the "father" who copied his life and bound his life, the responsibility for the "royal family" and "kingdom" that binds his life, and the indifference to the future fate of himself and his children.

It's not that he doesn't understand love.

— but you don't need to understand.

I don't want to understand.