Although Annan didn’t know what the Old Crow wanted to accomplish with “Kafni”, her strength and prestige were limited.
Her value was nothing more than “the only daughter of the Fourth Prince”, “Nicholas Flamel’s student”, and “Annan·Austere-Winter’s friend”. It wouldn’t end up well for her if she were involved.
As Kafni’s friend, Annan wouldn’t allow this.
Kafni trusted him and relied the problems with her teacher, mother, and her curse on him. As long as something went wrong, she would be in an irreversible troubled state.
Annan couldn’t allow himself to screw things up.
Thus, Annan’s reply threw the pressure back on Nolan.
If the Old Crow acknowledged Annan’s words, they had to act and kill Kafni’s mother. Otherwise, it would be a gesture of “the king trying to turn his back on the Silver Sire’s command and act as he pleases”.
However, if the Old Crow claimed to have no knowledge of this, it meant the king no longer trusted them. The intelligence-gathering ability and political status of the Crow Family were no longer adequate to intervene in the following matter.
As a result, they couldn’t continue to ask Annan for the rest of the information on the matter, nor could they ask Annan for help in this regard. Had the Old Crow chosen to remain silent, the outcome would have been the same.
As long as he didn’t admit it, One-Eyed Crow would have to carry out the mission of monitoring, capturing, and even assassinating the prince’s wife. At the same time, Annan had the right to refuse all his demands. It was the mission Silver Sire arranged for Annan. The act of him hindering Annan would be equivalent to offending an upright deity.
There was only one answer left for the Old Crow to pick.
The old man smiled wryly, “Why do you have to do that? If she doesn’t want to go back to the capital for the time being, so be it.
“We’re already arranging our plan to assassinate Margaret. After returning to the capital, the Fourth Prince spoke to us and allowed us to carry out this plan. After leaving behind the documents and evidence, he agreed to wash away the relevant memory of this process.”
However, there would be implications and aftermaths.
His memory was deleted. Hence, the Fourth Prince would not be allowed to be in contact or learn about Margaret’s assassination.
Nolan added, “To prevent the ‘Dream Stealer’ Danton from making a desperate move and threatening Your Majesty or His Highness Albert, we must lure Danton out. At the very least, he has to be drawn away from His Royal Highness Albert.”
“I see.” Annan narrowed his eyes slightly, “You plan to use Kafni as the bait.”
The Crow Family seems to know everything.
They knew what the Fourth Prince didn’t know.
I’m afraid Danton has already long been exposed.
However, he is a threat that cannot be easily eliminated, a Gold Rank Transcended, notably a Soul Snatch Wizard.
Anyone speaking to him would have their memory easily read and modified. Even if the Crow Family could control the Transcended who could get in contact with His Majesty the King, he would leave significant damage to the kingdom out of desperation—for example, driving a few people crazy and murdering a couple of people.
Worse still, if Danton wiped the memories of several ministers clean, including those secrets buried in their hearts, the Noah Kingdom would fall into turmoil.
A Gold Rank Transcended who infiltrated the palace was far more dangerous than a bomb. So even though the Crows had already seen through everything, they didn’t dare to make a move.
There was only one chance to stop Danton.
If the Crow Family were to fail, the outcome would be devastating.
During the conversation, Nolan had brought Annan into the basement and closed the door.
“Feel free to get seated. You know there’s only one ‘Dream Stealer’. No one knows how far is his capability. We only know that he can’t modify the memories of people he hasn’t gotten in touch with.”
Nolan sat on the sofa, put his hands on his knees, and said calmly, “The safety of the Fourth Prince, the safety of His Majesty, and the safety of the high-ranking officials of the kingdom are more important than the safety of the Fourth Prince’s daughter.”
Annan sat on the side sofa with Eugene Geraint sitting beside him just as Nolan explained their priorities.
Annan wasn’t angry at all about such indifferent words.
In Nolan’s position, he did precisely the right thing.
As long as their plans failed, the entire kingdom would be in turmoil at a minimum. If a little girl with no special skills could be used as bait and eliminate the risks, it was doable even though she had the royal blood.
It was undoubtedly a correct move, but…
“In this world, not everything has to follow the correct way.” Annan smiled gently, “I don’t think it’s not enough just to be correct. I want it to be perfect.”
Annan spoke calmly, with his face brimming with confidence.
The aquamarine pupils reflect the ceiling light, giving off a bright outlook.
“…As expected of you.” Nolan sighed after a moment of silence, “If only a young man like you could be born in Noah.”
“That’s not impossible…” At this moment, Eugene blurted out.
When Nolan heard those words, he appeared surprised, and he showed an understanding look later, “That’s true. By the way, you and Her Royal Highness Kafni seem to…”
“…” Annan was speechless for a moment.
Damn.
Is this a trap?
What a mistake.
As expected of the Old Crow, he has planned his every move.
Annan didn’t believe it was Eugene’s quick wit. If Nolan wouldn’t let him speak, how could an intelligent man like him dare to turn the subject into a strange topic when Annan talked about serious business with his father?
As long as Annan responded, forcing the Old Crow to be his ally and revealing their plan, Nolan would blurt that out sooner or later.
From the standpoint of a “friend”, it seemed not enough to explain why Annan would do so much for Kafni.
It was in the Crow Famil’s interests to use a young girl as bait to abduct the unstable bomb or the Fourth Prince himself. At the same time, using this young girl to ally with the only heir of the Austere-Winter Dukedom and the Old Grandmother’s future subordinate deity was a great bargain.
His Majesty the King had always dreamed of unifying the five kingdoms and rebuilding the Great Barrier.
If they managed to establish a royal marriage with the Austere-Winter, the Noah Kingdom would have completed ¼ of their goal.
Austere-Winter was a “traditional place” and had a different culture from other countries. Even for a Grand Duke, it would be strictly monogamous.
Kafni was indeed cute.
However, Annan couldn’t agree to it openly before the Old Crow. It was different from Annan’s attitude of being “vulnerable”. If he admitted this matter, he had put his weak point in the hands of the Old Crow.
Annan replied calmly, “This is just a promise I made with her. I thought you knew about it.”
“A promise?” Hearing this, Old Crow was stunned for a moment.
Annan nodded earnestly, “When she calls for help, I will rescue her. This is my promise as a man.”
“Is that so…” Old Crow was silent for a while, then nodded slightly, “I understand.
“Did it happen when you and His Highness Dmitri visited?” the old man asked curiously.
He didn’t know much about the promise.
However, that was expected because there was no such promise at all.
Annan made it out at the spur moment.
Annan asked rhetorically, “I’m curious. I’ve heard ‘that Old Crow is some deity’s cardinal bishop’.
“I’ve answered so many of your questions, so can you satisfy my curiosity? I just want to know, which deity will a great man like you serve?”
“It’s fine to tell you about it. If you ask Merlin Manning’s brother, he’ll tell you directly.” Nolan smiled warmly and replied, “I’m the believer of the ‘Faceless Poet’, the subordinate deity of the Silent Lady and the Deity of Records and Secrecy.”
