Super Righteous Player
Chapter 191 - 189: Magic Mirror_1

Chapter 191: Chapter 189: Magic Mirror_1

The deeper Annan ventured into the dungeon, the more he felt a bone-chilling coldness.

Especially since he had just broken into a sweat, and it had not completely dried yet. Now he felt even more acutely the pervading chill in the air.

"...This basement of yours, senior, is quite a tough environment,"

Annan murmured.

By the door, where it was close to the Philosopher’s Stone, the temperature had soared over fifty degrees; whereas here in the dungeon, it’s at least below zero—it’s practically like a cold storage... Annan could even clearly see the white mist he exhaled with every breath.

He searched around the dungeon for a bit.

The first thing Annan found was the Black Fire that Salvatore had stored away.

They were all kept here, right against the wall. The white frosty air descended like a light veil, completely enveloping these Black Fires.

"...Hm,"

Annan suddenly remembered something as he looked at these Black Fires.

Not long after he arrived at Frostwater Harbor, the ship that Tan Juan was on was burned with Black Fire by someone.

At that time, Annan had stolen some joy.

Because by setting the ship on fire, the Viscount had essentially destroyed all the previous evidence. Whatever was left on the ship, whoever had been on it, and the marks of battle on it... all of it vanished without a trace.

They also completely lost the evidence that Annan was not Tan Juan Geraint.

Initially, Annan and Salvatore thought that it was Viscount Barber’s doing. In their analysis, it was to get Salvatore to analyze the Black Fire in the basement and, seizing the opportunity, to trap Salvatore in the basement.

It was precisely because of these Black Fires that Annan began to take Viscount Barber seriously. And he was just about to make an enemy out of him—only then did he uncover the conspiracy of the Church of the Rotting Fles.

But looking back now...

The old Viscount seemed to have no need for such a move.

Because he didn’t need to burn Annan and Salvatore to death.

All he had to do was let those Black Fires explode in Frostwater Harbor.

A large number of civilian casualties would immediately draw the attention of the Church and the internal mechanics of the kingdom—since these Black Fires bore Salvatore’s personal signature, and with no other suspects found, Salvatore would inevitably be detained and await investigation. Meanwhile, as the lord ruling over the Beihai region and the de facto controller of Frostwater Harbor, it would be only natural for Annan to be summoned for interrogation.

And the garrison of the Beihai region has always been at Roth Fort.

That is to say, the only qualified area that could temporarily detain two Transcendents was in Roth Fort.

By then, Viscount Barber would certainly demand "Tan Juan Geraint" and Salvatore to head to Roth Fort and wait for the investigation team from the Royal Capital and the people from the Black Tower to arrive.

Once the two of them, unarmed, were locked in the controlled area of Roth Fort... the lives of Annan and Salvatore would be completely in Viscount Barber’s hands.

Even if Viscount Barber didn’t get the chance to act, he could find a way to turn this incident into a stain on Tan Juan Geraint’s reputation. Subsequently, it could become an excuse for the Geraint family—since his ultimate goal wasn’t to kill Tan Juan, but to continue ruling over the Beihai region until the ceremony was complete.

Driving Tan Juan back to the Royal Capital would yield the same result.

But if it wasn’t Viscount Barber’s handiwork... then who burned the ship?

"...It was Benjamin,"

Annan murmured to himself.

Yes.

This batch of Inert Black Fire was the only one that Salvatore ever made. He made it when he and Benjamin had not yet left the Heath Tower of Black.

Although these Black Fires were sold to Viscount Barber through Gerald’s channels, Gerald could only have bought them from Benjamin.

These "inert" Black Fires were able to be recognized by Gerald of the Soul Snatching School for their significance—could Benjamin, as a master of the Transformation School, have completely overlooked their value?

That was unlikely.

Benjamin should have kept at least a sample batch.

That means, aside from being in Gerald’s and Viscount Barber’s possession...

Benjamin was also hiding a batch!

By setting the ship ablaze, he was not only destroying the evidence that "Tan Juan Geraint was dead"; he was also using the incident to warn Annan and Salvatore.

He was telling them that Viscount Barber was going to make a move on them using the Black Fire as an excuse!

"At least at that time, Benjamin had not left,"

Annan frowned slightly, "Strange..."

What was Benjamin’s intention?

Why did he deal with this matter?

Did he accept himself as Tan Juan’s stand-in?

"...He has seen Maria, he should know I’m Annan Winter."

He doesn’t doubt why I would appear here?

Annan’s movements halted.

He had thought of that.

There was only one possibility that could perfectly explain these things.

— Benjamin knew from the start why he appeared here!

Even the reason why he arrived at Frostwater Harbor...

Was directly related to Benjamin!

"...Yes."

Annan’s line of thought suddenly became clear.

Because the Church of the Rotting One feared the Skeleton Lord, the guards never actually reached Frostwater Harbor and left halfway by taking a small boat.

And if Benjamin was the one who burned the boats, he must have at least arrived at Frostwater Harbor. Since Annan did not see Benjamin’s vessel and wizard robe at that time, it meant he had already left.

Based on the level of hunger Annan Winter felt after waking up... he had also just arrived at the beach not long ago.

Which is to say, Benjamin had definitely seen Annan!

And though he knew of Annan’s noble status and that he could not come to harm, he didn’t take Annan with him.

This indicated...

The act of impersonating Tan Juan was within his calculations!

That’s why he left Tan Juan’s relics.

Those letters, the ring, the pocket watch, Tan Juan’s dagger, and...

...The Fragment of Truth - The Book of Celestial Chariot?

Although he still felt his deduction had some loopholes, Annan felt he was exceedingly close to the truth.

"What exactly do you want to do..."

Annan mumbled to himself, furrowing his brow.

He suddenly lost interest in thoroughly searching the dungeon.

Of course, part of the reason was that he discovered many things here could not be preserved at room temperature...

Forget it.

After all, whatever he wanted, he could just directly ask his senior. There was no need to take anything with him... it was the same wherever it was placed.

Not wasting was the true principle.

As Annan walked around, he soon found the location of that so-called "magic mirror."

It was a huge floor-length mirror, about three meters tall, draped with a thick red cloth.

Annan pulled the red cloth down a bit from behind the mirror—there was no need to pull too much, about one meter and sixty centimeters in height would do.

So that it wouldn’t be inconvenient for Annan to cover it back up later.

Using someone else’s belongings and returning them to their original place was a courtesy Annan still understood.

It was also why Annan enthusiastically returned to the front of the mirror.

Let me see what my soul essence is---

The mirror surface was covered with black patterns, like ice cracks. Aside from these patterns, Annan could only see another self in the mirror.

Black shoulder-length hair, lightly pursed pale lips, ice-blue pupils shining as if with light, and a pale complexion nearly translucent.

...It seemed there was no difference?

Before Annan could think further, the black patterns on the mirror gradually faded away.

"...Huh?"

Annan’s pupils slightly constricted.

Under Annan’s gaze, the mirror’s image suddenly changed!

He saw on both sides of his head, slowly appearing two other heads—one on the left was a black bull’s head with dark stone curved horns of a marble-like texture; on the right was a majestic lion, with a mane wrapped in radiant light, glowing like the sun.

In the mirror, the heavy cold-weather clothing on Annan gradually faded away and disappeared.

Two wings wrapped in a soft white glow sprung from his waist, then folded, shielding the lower half of his torso from the chest down, like a long skirt that covered all the way to his knees. Behind Annan’s shoulders, two radiant golden wings slowly unfolded.

And in the moment when he made eye contact with that central face.

A buzzing sounded in Annan’s mind, and he suddenly lost consciousness.