The sky in August, it always turns dark exceptionally late.
Before twilight, guests began to arrive at Henry VIII’s eightieth birthday banquet.
Annan hadn’t kept Dmitry waiting for long.
Before the guests all arrived, Annan and Kafney had already returned together. Kafney even changed into a more fluffy, formal, and magnificent gown.
Seeing Kafney rarely dressing up and combing her somewhat fluffy hair neatly, Elizabeth nodded in satisfaction and smiled tenderly at them.
—And seeing Annan keep his promise to return on time before dinner, Dmitry also relaxed his brows slightly and showed a less indifferent expression.
Dmitry was always ... He didn’t like surprises and valued tradition and promises. In his teens, he liked to mediate others’ conflicts, lecturing and setting rules for people, always appearing quite mature.
And indeed, his style of conduct was very steady.
By the time Dmitry was thirteen or fourteen, he had already started to handle government affairs with his father, and he was the one who took care of his younger brothers and sisters. The Grand Duke Ivan was very busy... Both Annan and Maria were raised by Dmitry.
With his always serious demeanor, unable to comprehend jokes told by others, plus his brows that were almost always furrowed and seldom relaxed... It was natural for Maria to say he was like an old man.
Now, seeing Annan and Kafney holding hands and tucked away in a corner, Dmitry’s expression momentarily became somewhat complex.
It was like constipation.
...You just met this afternoon, right?
It wasn’t even a full afternoon yet... How did your relationship become so intimate so suddenly?
However, considering Annan’s timid nature, it was already a big step for him to willingly interact with others... Although Dmitry felt it was slightly improper, he didn’t have the heart to stop the two children from playing together.
—After all, once you return to Winter, you won’t see each other anymore.
As for marriage alliances...
That’s a matter for later discussion.
But what Dmitry could never have guessed was... the reason why Annan was holding hands with Kafney.
At this age, girls are usually a bit taller than boys of the same age—among the two, Kafney was clearly the more dominant one.
Her right hand held Annan’s left hand, and placed it in the pocket on the side of her dress. It was an undoubtedly bold move... so much so that Kafney’s own cheeks had become a bit red.
And their two hands were in the same pocket...
...holding the same gun.
—Annan had handed "Miss Quiet" over to Kafney.
Ferdinand was a man of the Third Prince, and there was a considerable chance that Prince Philip would become aware of some properties of Ferdinand’s powerful cursed object.
Annan had already conducted experiments—apart from himself who possessed the system and the players, other people could not know all the attributes of certain cursed objects, they could only know the domain to which the cursed item belonged, and then rely on experience and knowledge to make judgments.
Apart from Wizards from the School of Prophets who could use "Check Cursed Object" to obtain properties of cursed items below gold level. Only Transcendents above the silver rank could gradually understand its related properties by carrying the cursed object into their sleep.
Although Prince Philip might not know all the properties of "Miss Quiet"... Annan decided to play it safe.
If chatting alone with Philip might alert him... then they would both chat with him together.
Conversations between two strangers often fall into an awkward silence due to a lack of topics. But if a "middleman" who knows both parties interjects... whether the conversation is enjoyable is uncertain, but at least it won’t be so silent.
"Prince Annan, and... Kafney?"
A voice that was a bit surprised but very cheerful and upbeat rang out, "Wow, you two... progress so quickly!"
Annan blinked, turning his head to look aside.
He discovered that the one who started the conversation was Prince Philip.
Prince Philip plopped down next to Annan on his right, engaging them in a chummy conversation: "Your Highness, did you know each other before? It’s not like you’ve met in a dream, right?"
Before Annan even had a chance to approach Philip, he had already come over on his own.
—But this was within Annan’s expectations.
Their seats were located at the edge, two or three body lengths away from the "stage"; he had intentionally lured Philip over.
Philip didn’t come over to chat with them, but rather to have a reasonable excuse to sit outside the "ceremonial ground".
All of this was within Annan’s calculations.
And Annan also realized from his attitude—he indeed had no particular thoughts about himself, at least he hadn’t tried to deceive him into the ceremonial ground...
...or had he decided that the only enemy from Winter was Dmitry?
Annan took a careful look at the prince sitting beside him.
Philip Noah was older than his younger brother Albert, yet he looked much younger than Albert and was also shorter.
He wore a black dress suit embroidered with dark gold patterns, and like other members of the Noah family, had buttons featuring a golden lion design. He had the signature black hair and red eyes...and a round, babyish face.
He seemed exceptionally harmless, with a perennially cheerful, optimistic expression on his face. When he sat down, he secretly slipped a piece of candy into Annan’s hand.
Philip himself also picked up another piece of candy, peeled off the wrapper, popped it into his mouth, and revealed a carefree smile, "Why so silent, Your Highness? Have a taste, this milk candy is really delicious!"
"...My brother doesn’t allow me to accept things from strangers,"
Annan said with a stern face, speaking seriously.
"I’m not a stranger, I’m Philip—Philip Noah. Don’t let my youthful looks deceive you; I am Kafney’s uncle, you know?"
Philip laughed heartily, speaking with the tone one might use to cajole a child.
Annan’s eyes widened, and in an innocent voice he asked, "...Really?"
"If you don’t believe me, just ask Kafney!"
Philip’s face broke into a cunning smile that adults sometimes wear when asking children "Who did you play with in school?" and whispered, "Speaking of which, Brother Philip has a lovely daughter too, not any less than Kafney, you know?"
"...Aren’t you Kafney’s uncle?"
Annan blinked and questioned.
Philip laughed again, pinched Annan’s face, and said with a smile, "Each has their own, each has their own! I’m so young, and since you’re a big kid, of course, you should call me brother."
"I still need to call you uncle."
Annan said with a stern face, very seriously, "If I call you brother, my brother would be unhappy."
"Oh? What would Prince Dmitry do?"
Prince Philip asked with keen interest.
Annan immediately adopted a look of terror, and with the dramatic flair of telling a ghost story, he threatened with his hands like claws, "——He’ll kill you!"
"Hahahaha, you’re so cute!"
Philip, hitting another funny bone, suddenly burst into unstoppable laughter, "Then let him try! If he can’t kill me, then you can come and be my little brother!"
Perhaps Philip laughed too loudly, as Albert approached.
He appeared to be a whole decade older than Philip. Standing over one meter eighty-five, with broad and lean shoulders, he wore slender, rectangular glasses, and his mustache was exquisitely groomed.
Philip showed little respect for him, bursting out, "Hey, Albert! This kid is much more interesting than you, hahahaha! How about you go to Winter, and let him be my little brother, huh? Have some candy, Annan, I have lots more!"
At such frivolous words, Albert immediately frowned.
Before he could say more, several guards rushed in, their expressions frantic.
Elizabeth’s face changed, but instead of scolding the soldiers, she immediately gestured for the panic-stricken guard to come closer.
She asked in a low voice.
The guard stammered, "The eldest son of the Geraint family... Earl Geraint’s firstborn is dead!
"There was...evidence of Cold Touch magic on the body!"
Elizabeth was taken aback at the news.
Then instantly, her eyes darted to old Merlin—then just as quickly, as if dismissing a thought, she shook her head.
she whispered. "Take me there..."
Philip noticed something was afoot and took the initiative to step forward.
"What’s happened, sister queen?"
He dug out a piece of hard milk candy, began chewing it earnestly, and asked proactively, "Do you need help?"
Upon seeing him, Elizabeth’s brow furrowed slightly.
——This was the first time Annan had seen a look of displeasure cross Elizabeth’s face.