…… Annan Rindong?

Hearing this familiar name, Celicia's light blue pupils shrank slightly.

- Of course she recognized the name.

But that was a long, long time ago......

At that time, Celicia was also a teenager named "Soloniko", who followed the teacher "Vladimir" in the hands of Winter. And as the Winter Hand of the Reserve, she certainly had contact with the son of the Grand Duke.

Of course...... With her status at that time, even if she had contact with Annan, she would definitely not be very close.

But even so, she is enough to understand the breathtaking [demonic nature] of "Annan".

At that time, Annan had a nickname, "The Silent One", "The Monster Who Leaves No Trace".

He wasn't called the Silent One because he was cared for by the Silent Lady – but the opposite.

In the middle of the night, Thoronik handed the young "Annan" evidence of a rebellion against a certain count.

Yes...... Not for Grand Duke Ivan, but for Annan. This evidence was compiled by Vladimir himself and handed it directly to Soronik, who asked him to give it to His Highness Annan by name.

Not even Solonik himself had seen it.

After Annan received the investigation report, he just sat in silence in the study, writing something seriously on the paper - when Annan sat on the chair in the study of the Grand Duke's Mansion, he couldn't even reach the ground.

It's just immature to such an extent.

Even Thoronik, who had an almost fanatical "faith" in Vladimir, could not help but slander:

- Can such a young child read all the words of this letter?

"'Can such a young child read the letter in its entire......ty?' That's what you're thinking, right? ”

At that moment, young Annan suddenly raised his head and looked at Thoronik with his tired, calm, almost demonic eyes.

It was an emotionless, god-like gaze.

“…… I see, you are such a person. ”

After a few glances at himself, the black-haired boy showed a cold, unsmiling smile: "Because your worthless life has been affirmed by him, he has decided to sacrifice his future life and all his loyalty to Vladimir...... Right. ”

When these words fell, it was like thunder.

The "Hand of Winter" is a tool that must be absolutely loyal to Winter. Protect the heart as if it were your hands—it would be better to hold the blade of the sword with your hand and lock the incoming dagger with the back of your hand than to allow it to pierce the heart.

At that time, Solonik was overwhelmed with fear.

And the child's demonic whisper did not stop:

"Serve Vladimir...... Isn't it winter? It's funny. I guess you're already murderous to me right now. If my guess is right, you should already be far stronger than the Winter Hand of the same period...... Is it because you can't pass the wolf's kiss ritual? Rather, it is okay to avoid that when you betray in the future, you will get into trouble because you know too many secrets. ”

"Wait, wait!"

The first half made him so frightened that his heart chilled, and the second half made even Thoronik himself can't help but defend: "I swear I will never betray you-"

"You will."

With a more affirmative attitude than Solonik, Annan said calmly: "Because Vladimir will eventually betray me." ”

“…… What——?! ”

"I know him better than you do. And knows you better than you do. Naturally, I know you better than he does. It's so easy to understand...... I can even see your end at a glance. For I have seen a similar story in another history. ”

The young Annan said this for unknown reasons, and threw the reply in his hand into the hands of Thoronik, who had a chaotic brain.

"Pretty Riddler, right? But sooner or later, you'll understand. ”

Annan said.

After that, Annan regained his silence again, flipping through the books without saying a word.

But at this time, Thoronik did not dare to listen to him again—but fled from the study with an almost embarrassing motion.

It wasn't human.

It's an abyss inhabited by monsters—

After he handed Annan's reply to Vladimir with a slightly trembling hand, Thoronik couldn't help but ask:

"Teacher...... Will you betray the Grand Duke? ”

The moment he asked this, he already regretted it.

But Vladimir just glanced at him and replied coldly: "Don't tell anyone what you heard from His Highness Annan." ”

"Then you mean ......"

"-Of course I will."

Vladimir calmly uttered something completely beyond Thoronik's understanding: "Because betrayal, sometimes it also has its meaning." ”

"The ...... of betrayal Significance? ”

"You're not the Grand Duke, so you can't understand."

"Then you ......"

"If the Grand Duke needs it, I can be the Grand Duke too."

It's also a big rebellion.

Vladimir forcefully ended the day's conversation and disappeared for two days.

Vladimir's words at that time, until now Celicia has not fully understood.

But she remembers......

Another week has passed since that day.

The Count, who tried to rebel, seems to have not appeared for a long time. When people realized it, they found that all the people in the Earl's Court had committed suicide in the Earl's Court.

Everyone left a suicide note, and there was no trace of anyone entering or leaving the Earl's Court, nor was there any trace of a fight. Even with the use of the Prophetic Spell, no traces of casting can be detected, so it can only be judged as suicide.

The Earl's relatives also happened to be seriously ill, bankrupt, or imprisoned for crimes.

The last person to inherit the title of earl was a young man from the Winter Hand. He was Thoronic's brother...... Also belongs to Vladimir's faction.

Later, when the icebreaker army was formed, the other party was also a nobleman who provided them with support, and naturally it was liquidated in the future, and the whole family was thrown into the frost beast army.

- To this day, Cecilia doesn't understand what happened that day.

But she only knew that it must have something to do with Annan's instructions and the teacher's actions.

So the first thing she could do after the teacher really betrayed her...... It is to escape from the province of frost and escape to a place that Annan cannot see.

Even now, she occasionally wakes up from a dream of Annan's gaze.

She didn't worry about being captured or imprisoned. Whether she was imprisoned or executed, there was nothing to fear for her – she was ready to die for her teacher as a teenager.

But if Annan was in front of her, watching her in silence...... Instead, it will make her tremble with fear.

And now......

I saw that after "Elle" finished talking with Longjing Tea, she turned her head.

"Elle" folded her hands and smiled strangely and somewhat familiarly at herself.

"It's been a long time...... Remember me? ”

She said softly, "Thoronik...... Mr? ”