Super Righteous Player
Chapter 268 - 266: The Number Six_1

Chapter 268: Chapter 266: The Number Six_1

Kafney suddenly froze when Annan grabbed her hand.

Her body was somewhat stiff.

Kafney’s eyes widened slightly, her pupils clear as crimson glaze, filled with bewilderment and surprise.

...At this time, is Kafney’s hand so soft?

The first thought that sprang to Annan’s mind was this.

He had had his hand pulled by Kafney many times... but if asked for his impression, it was that her hand was exceptionally strong, unlike her appearance.

Despite having no calluses and skin that was exceptionally pale, when she grabbed Annan’s hand, he was absolutely unable to break free...

Yet now, Kafney’s palm was so soft it could even be called delicate and feeble.

...Is Kafney not a Transcendent at this time?

Annan was slightly stunned.

That is to say...

Did Kafney advance from an ordinary person to a Transcendent of the silver rank within four to five years?

She doesn’t even have a basic profession yet...

Isn’t this rate of leveling up terrifyingly fast?

But Annan suddenly noticed something.

The palms of young Annan’s hands bore very clear calluses—these must be traces from sword training.

...That’s right.

The "young Annan" that appeared in Annan’s mind the first time he used the Frost Sword Technique was about this age.

Is young Annan already starting to practice the Frost Sword Technique now?

"With our hands joined together, we are friends."

Annan’s voice came out childish yet sincere, "If someone bullies you, I will help you fight them."

Before speaking, Annan had considered his tone several times. Finally, with great difficulty, he figured out how he should speak.

This should be what a nine-year-old boy ought to say... right?

Annan suddenly felt that he should change his name.

Under the circumstances, he shouldn’t call himself Annan, he should call himself Conan Edogawa...

Annan was very clear in his mind.

The clue was with Kafney... To save time, he needed to conquer Kafney as efficiently as possible. He wasn’t hoping that Kafney would immediately "join the team," but at least to make her willing to "provide information."

His grip on Kafney’s hand suddenly became tighter.

But he maintained it well, not pinching her—it wouldn’t draw her attention.

At this time, if Kafney, because of nervousness or whatever reason, were to break away from Annan’s hand, or push him away—then the atmosphere between them would immediately become distant and cold.

If Annan tried to grab Kafney again, she would firmly reject him.

That’s because, Kafney herself has a fondness for Annan, and young as she is, she is actually unable to distinguish whether she should politely maintain distance or keep the status quo.

If she tries pushing Annan away or wants to break free and fails, she would subconsciously think that she truly desires such a friend... but if she were to successfully reject Annan once, she would immediately come to her senses and remain calm and vigilant.

However, Annan didn’t want to grab Kafney by force—

After all, Kafney’s status was ostensibly as noble as his own. As a foreign guest, he also couldn’t be too discourteous... not with the maids watching.

However, according to Annan’s experience, he didn’t need brute strength...

He just squatted down, still holding hands, and very naturally changed the subject: "What are you drawing?

"Is it a meadow?"

Annan deliberately kept control of the rhythm of the conversation.

Kafney of this period was clearly much easier to fool than she would be five years later.

Her attention was quickly diverted by Annan.

Perhaps it was also because she truly couldn’t find anyone who would appreciate her paintings—Kafney replied softly and uneasily, "Yes... it’s these flowers."

She was worried... that the boy, slightly shorter than herself, would mock her drawings for being "strange and scary."

He was rare in his willingness to talk to her without fearing her.

Kafney naturally had the ability to see through people’s hearts and discern the truth.

She knew... that the boy with the lovely blue eyes indeed genuinely wanted to be her friend!

Kafney did not want to lose such a rare, true friend.

But fortunately, Annan didn’t mock her.

He just nodded solemnly, "You’ve indeed drawn it very well.

"You might become a great painter in the future, Kafney."

—This was not flattery on Annan’s part.

For Annan truly knew that Kafney’s painting skills in the future were nothing short of extraordinary. At only fourteen years old, she was already successful in imitating Amos’s works. She herself could create strange "revelation paintings" with a mysterious aesthetic.

And now, the blood-red sea of flowers under her pencil... even though the crayon strokes were still rough, they already had a hint of what was to come.

Kafney also turned around in surprise to look at Annan.

She saw that Annan truly thought her drawing was good!

Even Kafney herself didn’t think much of her own work...

"What’s the matter?"

Annan turned his head with a hint of confusion.

Had he said something wrong?

Why had she suddenly become so shocked, her face a portrait of entanglement?

Annan clearly hadn’t realized... that Kafney’s ability to perceive spirits could actually see through lies and into people’s hearts.

This was a skill the fourteen-year-old Kafney had never shown in front of Annan before.

"...No, nothing."

Kafney suddenly felt her cheeks growing warm.

She averted her gaze, looking towards the painting.

She let out her characteristic gentle voice, elongating the tone as she took the initiative to explain, "Because I saw... the sky turn red. It was a color like fire... there were red vines, crawling from the ground to the sky, turning the whole sky red."

After speaking such a long sentence in one breath, Kafney took a couple of gasps.

Annan furrowed his brow slightly, deep in thought.

...Red vines... climbing into the sky...?

What was this...

Kafney was young and her description wasn’t very clear. But she had spirit perception... she must have seen something we couldn’t.

While Annan was earnestly pondering the painting.

Kafney was stealthily watching him.

Annan... seems to really like my painting?

Kafney felt a stir of emotions.

Until now, she hadn’t realized... her left hand was still clasped with Annan’s right.

—But her father had seen it.

Prince Albert had just rushed out from a side hall... Looking at the direction, he seemed to be looking for Kafney.

But what he saw was the maid accompanying the princess, smiling as she put a finger to her lips, gesturing him to silence.

It was then that Albert realized something.

From afar, he glanced over—his first reaction was that he didn’t see Annan. After all, Annan was dressed in a pure white ceremonial outfit, which nearly acted as camouflage amidst the silver-purple expanse of flowers.

And when he located both Annan and Kafney, his expression became somewhat complex.

...As he knew, Prince Annan had only gone to the garden a few minutes ago.

He realized that his daughter Kafney was still out there... With her notoriously peculiar temper, indifferent to others, and poor communication skills, she might have offended Prince Annan.

That was why Albert had rushed over, wanting to smooth over any potential conflict.

Annan had set out merely five minutes before him. And as young Annan likely didn’t walk as fast... it would’ve taken him less than three minutes to get here.

...But in such a brief time, had they already gotten so close together?

Even holding hands...

It hasn’t even been three minutes!

Seeing the rare excitement on Kafney’s face, and her eyes that seemed to gleam as if they were lit up, Albert even felt a tinge of jealousy... Yet, on the other hand, he couldn’t bear to disrupt Kafney’s unusual joy.

Meanwhile, Annan hadn’t noticed Kafney’s intent gaze upon him.

He was just seriously considering her words.

Red tendrils...

Red skies...

All of a sudden, Annan vaguely realized something.

He leaned in close, whispering in Kafney’s ear—a question that didn’t seem like one he would normally ask, so Annan tried to keep his voice as low as possible, "How many vines did you see, and where are they? Did they form any kind of pattern?"

Kafney’s face reddened as Annan leaned in so close.

Her body slightly recoiled, flusteredly shifting away a bit.

Then she quickly regained her composure, mimicking Annan and leaning in close to his ear, murmuring, "There are six... here’s one. And there are five others... Do you want to see them? I can take you there."

Indeed—

Annan narrowed his eyes slightly.

Is it... a hexagram?

Six is the number of war, and the month blessed by the Red knight, the war god, is June. If the purpose of this ritual is to incite war... then building the ceremony around the number "six" makes perfect sense.

From underground to the heavens...

Does this mean the entire palace is the ceremonial ground?

Could it be underground?

Annan set aside his speculation for the moment, nodding earnestly at Kafney, "Alright, lead the way."

Kafney showed no hesitation.

She immediately put on her boots, grabbed her drawing board, and was ready to take Annan away—until she realized they had been holding hands for such a long time.

She pursed her lips, reaching out to Annan proactively.

"Let’s go, Anna."

She said earnestly, "I’ll show you."

"...It’s Annan."

Annan corrected her, a hint of resignation in his voice.

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