The Righteous Player(s)

Did the Eternal Duke exist?

Was Eternal Duke really a legacy passed down from generation to generation?

Did the giants really not know that the Eternal Duke hadn’t been replaced for a very long time and had always been the same individual?

Also…

Would the presence or absence of Eternal Duke really have a big impact on them?

A race that didn’t even care about their own life or death.

Regarding the existence of Eternal Dukedom, would they even care?

The answer was naturally no.

“It was probably the moment the Eternal Duke’s territory was invaded by the gray mist that he realized… from the very beginning, he was the one who wasn’t needed.”

The people of the Eternal Dukedom were fearless to death, which also meant that they would not actively flee from it. In other words, the ancient giants of Eternal Dukedom were a race doomed to extinction from the very beginning.

The memories inherited by each generation of Eternal Dukes and the “burdens” they had bore through painstaking efforts were just wishful thinking.

“Since they are not afraid of death, it means that they will not thank Eternal Duke for ‘continuation’. In other words… all the Enternal Family has done is to prolong the death of this doomed country.”

The giants were like students who had completely given up on taking their college entrance exams — the kind who didn’t even plan on showing up. And the Eternal Duke was like the homeroom teacher who chased after them, urging them to study hard.

Full of weariness and exhaustion, a repetitive job without any real purpose. But as a ‘duty,’ it had to be done.

If it weren’t for the collapse of the Great Barrier, maybe the Venerated Skeleton… in other words, Grand Duke Midas, might have taken hundreds, even thousands of years to realize this.

Of course, maybe he had realized it a long time ago. But just like those farmers who’d rather believe in the existence of the valley wolf, he preferred to think that the mission he bore had meaning.

“It’s just self-deception.” Elle said calmly, “This nightmare is the same.”

Crossing the sea of ??wheat fields with almost no obstacles, “Elle” arrived at a dense forest.

“Dove—”

“Elle” stopped in front of the dense forest and called out, “Are you there?”

Soon, a serval cat appeared silently on a tree branch before “Elle” like a shadow.

She gracefully leaped down and walked over to Elle with light, cat-like steps, gazing at Elle with eyes filled with doubt, astonishment, and anticipation.

“It’s me, Dove. I’m Annan.” “Elle” squatted down, touched serval’s chin with the back of her hand, and showed a calm smile, “I’m here to save you.”

Upon hearing this, the other party showed almost no hesitation and a visible “relief”.

“Boss, you’re finally here…” Dove complained, came over, and nudged Elle’s belly with her head. It licked her hand, “But… why is it Elle’s body?”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just remember — keep playing your role as the serval cat, don’t speak unless necessary, and don’t leave this forest. At midnight, gather in the center of the wheat field to the east… Do you have a way to tell the time in the jungle?” 𝒃𝙚𝒅𝒏𝙤𝙫𝒆𝒍．𝙘𝒐𝙢

“Yes, it will be a piece of cake.” Dove said lightly, “It’s included in my profession. I have also memorized most of the astrology of this world.”

“Okay, then goodbye.”

“See you at midnight.”

After Dove finished speaking, she turned around and jumped onto the treetop. It didn’t make any sound or even shake the tree. It leaped a few times and disappeared into the dense forest.

[She just left like that. Can such a short conversation make her feel at ease?]

Elle asked with confusion and some self-doubt.

[Why would she choose to believe you when she heard your name? This is obviously my body, right?]

“Of course, it’s because I’m worthy of trust.”

“Elle” said without changing her expression. Then, she asked, “So do you trust me, Elle?”

[Of course, I trust you. You are my secret keeper.]

“In that case, you might as well trust me completely. You can always trust Annan Austere-Winter.” “Elle” said this as she walked through the jungle.

Not long after, Elle arrived at a wilderness. This was the same place where Longjing Tea had encountered Elle previously.

Coming side by side from afar, it was Celecia accompanying the “teacher”.

“Elle” rushed over in a couple of steps.

Upon seeing Elle, Celecia paused for a moment, then visibly sighed with relief.

“Elle” also showed a cold smile and greeted her with open arms.

For a moment, Ceresia felt she had seen Elle’s smile somewhere before… But before she could figure it out, the two girls were already warmly embracing each other.

“Mr. Thoreau Nick.” Annan whispered in her ear, “I’m Annan Austere-Winter.”

It happened like the whisper of a demon.

At that moment, the old fear struck Celecia.

Like ice-cold water with chunks of ice poured over her head, chilling to the bone.

“You might not know this, but I’ve known from the start why ‘the Winter Insurgent’ betrayed us. I also know that you haven’t seen him for a long time. It feels uncomfortable to be avoided by the teacher, right? Don’t you know why he is avoiding you?”

It was a soft, warm whisper.

“Elle” narrowed her eyes slightly and raised the corners of her mouth.

Celecia, on the other hand, couldn’t stop trembling. Her expression kept changing.

“Elle” the elegant voice sounded, “Obey my orders. I will give you a chance to see him again. Do you believe me?”

“Yes, I believe you, Your Highness.”

“Call me Your Majesty. I have succeeded the throne. If I wish, I can pardon you… Of course, I assume you’d rather see your teacher again, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes.” Celecia gave in.

“Then come with me; I have some tasks for you. First, say your goodbyes to this ‘substitute’. It won’t take you very long, maybe about two or three hours. You two should arrange a time to meet up again. “

The two girls hugged each other intimately and whispered.

Elle’s body was so soft that it felt like her whole body was melting. Celecia was like a quiet, gentle blooming flower, catching the butterfly firmly.

However, the middle-aged scholar, who looked like “the Winter Insurgent” on the side, didn’t hear the whisper between them at all.

“Your friend, Celecia?” The middle-aged man asked curiously.

The hug between the two girls had just ended.

“Elle” turned around gracefully and curtsy to the man, “Hello, sir… I am Elle Angelo, the daughter of Painter Amos.”

“Oh, I heard about your father!” The man praised enthusiastically, “I didn’t expect his daughter to be so beautiful and cute. You can call me ‘teacher’. I am this child’s teacher and her father.”

Bullshit…

Amos was not surnamed Angelo at all.

“Elle” raised her eyebrows after having a deeper understanding of this nightmare.

But, teacher?

She looked at Celecia with interest.

Under Elle’s gaze, Celecia seemed a little ashamed — Her body trembled, and she quickly asked the “teacher” for a leave.

She then left with “Elle”.

“Remember… once you return at 6.00 p.m., continue playing your roles as a student and a daughter, and try not to do anything out of character. Then, at precisely midnight, arrive at the very center of the wheat field to the east, at Elle’s house.”

After the “teacher” left, Annan gave Celecia instructions.

“Yes.” Celecia agreed.

Celecia was a little confused and asked her previous lord, “Then, why do you need me now?”

“Convince your crew to stay in character and not break role… It could be fatal. They only need to play their parts until midnight. At that time, everyone should gather in the wheat field. Don’t come too early; if you’re early, wait outside the boundaries of the field, but don’t get too close. And definitely don’t be late.”

“Elle” raised her eyebrows and sneered, “I won’t give you a reason to convince them. Can you convince them on your own?”

“No problem.” Celecia nodded and asked in a low voice, “But I don’t know where they are, so maybe…”

“Elle” nodded, “But I know their location. Give me a map, and let me mark it for you. Before that, you come with me first. You can learn how to persuade them. You and I shall split up, or else we don’t have enough time. Also, it’s impossible for me to convince your crew.”

“That won’t be a problem. My crew members absolutely trust in me — I don’t think there’s any challenge in this.” Celecia replied affirmatively.

It was when she talked about her crew that there was light in her eyes.

“A simple trust… What’s the use of it in the face of desire and fear.” Elle said thoughtfully.

They passed through the wilderness and abruptly found themselves on the edge of a city. The blonde girl flashed a charming smile and expertly hailed a taxi — their destination being the residence of a wealthy man.

That was where the Wandering Child lived.

When they arrived, there were no surprises.

—They were stopped by the guard.

Then, “Elle” took a deep breath. She shouted, “Cade, come out!”

In less than half a minute, the magnate, dressed as flamboyantly as a peacock and looking quite out of place, came stumbling and tumbling out of the front door.

He was practically shouting in a sobbing tone, telling all the security guards to get out of the way.

He was stunned for a moment after seeing Elle and Celecia, but soon his eyes focused on Elle.

“I’m Annan.” “Elle” said leisurely, “I’m here to save you.”

Wandering Child breathed a sigh of relief, “Boss, you are finally here. I know you will definitely come and save me. I’m so scared right now.”

His reaction was exactly the same as Dove’s.

This left Elle silent and confused.

However, this time she didn’t ask the same questions. Instead, she just observed quietly.

Really… it only takes a name.

Annan—

Is he so trustworthy?

Elle fell into deep thoughts.

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