The news of the resurgence of Grand Duke Annan, coupled with the intel that he had successfully ascended, quickly spread throughout the entire Frost Speech province.
The existence of a Gold-tier Transcendent holds calamity-like oppressiveness in any country in this world.
Because with conventional ans, forces that lack a Gold-tier Transcendent are completely incapable of resisting those at the Gold tier—the absolute overpowering of Elental Power is manifested in all aspects.
It’s not uncommon for Bronze-tier to defeat Silver-tier, mortals to defeat Bronze-tier, or even mortals to defeat Silver-tier... just like Defu when he first entered the ga, and that Diviner Wizard nad Jude.
But, Silver defeating Gold is different.
Throughout history—
Even stretching the tiline back to the Second Age, Silver-tier individuals who could defeat Gold-tier Transcendents like Annan could be counted on one hand. They themselves could be called "legends".
Their deeds will be celebrated for generations to co, and the Gold-tier Transcendents they defeated will beco famous alongside them.
And typically... these individuals would beco remarkable figures. Those who did not die young all beca existences beyond Gold-tier.
Either they are the favorite of a True God—very likely to beco the Pope, defeating weaker Gold-tiers with the power of Divine Arts, just like Noah’s Silver Knight Captain Alexander; or they are the wielders of the Fragnts of Truth, the future deities... such as the forr Iris Marquis and the now-present Annan.
And Salvatore is an exception among exceptions.
Until now, he is the only one who could forge a Philosopher’s Stone at the Silver-tier... apart from the Philosopher’s Stone, nothing else could allow one to advance to Gold prematurely. After all, it is of the sa order as Elental Power, or even of a higher standing.
To confront a Gold-tier, another Gold-tier must be dispatched; otherwise, at most, a nation could only expel it with the country’s full might.
In situations where gods, especially True Gods, cannot directly intervene with mortals, the Gold-tier becos the unrivaled zenith that acts arbitrarily in this world.
And if this transcendent being, who originally has special rights and status, makes the country incapable of united resistance against him... or even adores him instead, then it is a perfect impasse.
The only option is to wait for his life to end.
Until then, his word is law.
Those nobles who were once ambivalent, imdiately and without hesitation, sided with Annan and Dmitry. On the very first day of Annan’s return to Winter, he had already declined dozens of "celebratory banquets" and "eting requests" from various nobility—of course, their goodwill and gifts were accepted.
After all, they had no significant matters... nor could they possibly have any.
As everyone knows, it is Dmitry who actually handles affairs in the Duchy of Winter. The Grand Duke of Winter is only responsible for providing guidance on the overall direction and serving as Dmitry’s "solid support".
These people rely ca to flatter a few words and to show their loyalty.
If Annan refused even the gifts, they would be prone to wild speculations—does the Grand Duke intend to dispose of oneself? Is it too late to switch allegiance to the Grand Duke now?
To prevent them from descending into clouded fear, to the point of taking desperate actions... Annan still let those Winter’s Hand servants accept their gifts and correspondence.
That way, when they inquired among themselves, they would realize although Annan had not accepted their eting invitations... Grand Duke Annan had not accepted anyone’s eting invitations. This would put their minds at ease.
However, Annan didn’t even glance at the gifts sent by those people.
He directly allowed those players serving among Winter’s Hand to distribute those gifts themselves—take whatever they wanted for themselves.
If it were the traditional Winter’s Hand facing this situation, they would exemplify impartiality, which could easily drive these relatively compliant people into the opposing camp... Such matters could only be handled by players not stripped of partial emotions by the Winter’s Hand’s Curse Binding.
Of course, there is actually a list on Annan’s side.
Or rather... a notebook.
For those who had troubled Dmitry before or did sothing dishonorable when Annan left the Duchy of Winter, Annan would directly dispatch the real Winter’s Hand and make it clear to them, "accept nothing, promise nothing".
The Winter’s Hand are loyal only to Grand Duke Annan; his command is absolute.
Without Annan’s permission, they would unhesitatingly turn people away, accepting no gifts no matter what they see.
Of course, this action in itself is aningless.
Those families wouldn’t suddenly repent and beco good people because Annan refused their gifts. In fact, this was to reassure those who were still relatively honest and competent... and to prevent these players, who might be susceptible and "not professional enough," from engaging in a battle of wits with professional persuaders.
To prevent them from being swayed by what they heard, feeling sympathy for the other side... and accepting the gifts out of a mont of soft-heartedness.
This was entirely possible.
And in just two days, nobles and officials throughout Winter had grasped their likely fates through Annan’s deanor.
So of them still maintained a semblance of dignity.
All adult mbers of the family committed suicide, leaving the children to be adopted by distant relatives with a na change; or, as they squandered all their family wealth, the elder of the family went to confess at the old grandmother’s church; or the entire family went straight to the Frost Beast troops to report—
In short, they were dissolving their own family na willingly.
At any cost, even if it ant losing face, they only wanted to survive... hoping that their children would continue to live, ensuring the lineage would carry on.
For those more respectable gentlen, Annan was also willing to show his "rcy." He wouldn’t pardon their cris, but would treat their families as if they no longer existed.
In other words, they would have a record but no further investigations would ensue.
If their descendants were to commit cris again, it wasn’t impossible to dig up old cases and conduct investigations delayed by twenty or forty years; if they could beco pillars of the country, it could also be pretended that these records didn’t exist.
If this were a low-magic fantasy world, Annan might still worry about a possible "turn of fortune after thirty years" or a doorman’s son enduring hardship for the sake of vengeance...
But the old grandmother has already awoken, and Annan will soon ascend to True God—making their confessions acceptable.
Not to corner soone completely is also to prevent desperate actions.
Although Annan wasn’t afraid of them—that didn’t an the common people of Winter weren’t. If they really sought revenge on society, it was uncertain how many would suffer as a result.
But indeed, there were those who wouldn’t submit... those who, facing their impending fate, tried to resist. Not admitting their mistakes, not showing submission, they were secretly gathering strength.
—Like the lvin family, for example.
The nominal head of their family was detained by Annan, but they acted as if that person never existed and had never been there.
After all, the lvin family, in essence, was a hereditary family centered around the "God in Human Flesh." The "God in Human Flesh" passed down from generation to generation was their backbone and the true leader of opinion.
Their family head was just a puppet they put forward.
"Your people, they just don’t want a dignified end, do they?"
Annan sighed to the lvin family head who was drenched in sweat and had lost a lot of weight in two days.
He did not torture this family head, not even imprison him. Annan gave him whatever he himself ate.
Just by watching everything that Annan did, the family head grew more and more nervous, more and more fearful, and increasingly respectful of Annan.
This attitude was a stark contrast to the lack of fear and even so contempt he showed in the face of Dmitry.
"Do you understand what I an?"
After finishing lunch, Annan wiped his hands.
He asked calmly, "Earl lvin?"
"...Are you planning to look for Gerenz Nuha?"
"That will co later. Of course, it’s not impossible to handle both matters at once."
Annan revealed a kind smile: "If they won’t end things with dignity—I’ll help them do so."
Having said that, Annan picked up the three Sirens beside the table, a symbol of the archducal power of Winter.
"Jacob."
Annan called.
Behind him, a skinny and short man erged in the light.
That was a Divine Art given to him by Annan.
"I am here, Your Majesty."
"Open a door," Annan said lightly, "Send Earl lvin ho. I will go too."
"Do you need to co along?"
"That won’t be necessary," Annan chuckled, "Not that I can’t protect you, but dying once does hurt quite a bit.
"After everything is settled, I’ll fly back myself."
Annan suggested with an underlying aning.
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