She was essentially the only normal person in that squad.
When she took action, Annan felt very reassured.
Dmitry was still busy with work and didn’t co back for dinner; Maria hadn’t co down from the Tower of the Storm yet. In the vast Duchy Mansion, the ho of the ruler of the Winter Duchy, at last only two people sat down together for dinner.
The food at Duchy Mansion was indeed delicious but was by no ans luxurious—a platter of fragrant pan-fried lamb chops, a plate of sliced sausage, a small dish of pickled cucumber, followed by a bowl of salad, a bowl of stewed pear, and a serving of dumpling-like food filled with fish and egg.
Most of it was ant for Annan.
After all, Annan was growing. He had a silver-tier battle profession and, although he seldom exercised or fought, his daily training combined with the frigid Wintry weather allowed Annan to consu nearly twice as much food as a normal adult.
Given Ivan’s current health, the doctors had warned him that he could only eat stead or stewed tender at—fried, grilled, raw foods were not permitted, nor was overeating or consuming cold food.
This dumpling-like food was originally a special provision for Ivan. It later beca popular amongst the people of Winter.
Because it was leavened, which ans it was made from fernted dough, it was less straining on Ivan’s body. Additionally, Ivan himself detested waste—even if his health wasn’t good, he would make an effort to finish any leftovers.
Therefore, the Hands of Winter, responsible for taking care of his body, would generally control his portion sizes precisely. They’d rather prepare less than too much.
And these at and egg-filled "dumplings" could provide nourishnt without making too much for Ivan. A serving of dumplings and a few slices of pickled cucumber was his al, ensuring as little oil and salt as possible.
—Not to ntion a Duke.
In Noah, even an ordinary rchant without a manor, not even a noble, would not have such a simple diet.
Yet Ivan felt no disdain for such simple food.
He ate not only with great care and seriousness... but his pace of eating was even slow.
Mainly because he would spend quite a while chewing before he could swallow.
It wasn’t that he was like an old person, missing teeth.
Rather, Ivan’s body was extrely weak, and his muscles terribly feeble.
He needed a cane not just for walking... but even the length of ti spent eating would make Ivan feel tired.
He may have been middle-aged, but his eating habits, movents, and sleep patterns were like an elderly person’s. It was only his neat and white teeth that proved he was not yet an old man.
Annan heard Aunt Zoya, the "Ring Finger," ntion that Duke Ivan would usually eat only a dumpling the size of a fist and drink a bowl of stewed pear without a bit of sugar. Today Ivan eating two dumplings was already considered a ti when his appetite was relatively strong.
And this was probably because Annan was rarely ho.
Although Ivan’s face showed no expression and his heart felt no joy, his appetite had clearly increased.
—Despite being of the Winter lineage, unable to eat cold food.
This was almost a disgrace.
But Ivan still followed the doctor’s advice, just so he could live a little longer.
Because the Winter Duchy couldn’t do without him for the ti being.
Duke Ivan’s body was already overwheld.
Over the past two weeks, he had repeatedly found himself in that state between dreaming and waking, dreaming that he had beco a dragon, soaring through the skies with his kin... But each ti, he would regain consciousness at the final mont, choosing to return to his own body.
Ivan knew that it was his grandmother calling him.
The Blood of the Frigid Winter flowed through his veins.
It was genuine Dragon Blood.
The heart and muscles of a re mortal could never withstand the trendous power of Dragon Blood. That was the true nature of Ivan’s incurable disease.
If he were to die, his Spiritual Body should turn into a dragon. Returning to his grandmother’s realm, he would beco Her ssenger.
Once Ivan beca a ssenger of a True God, he would surely regain a healthy and mighty body... He wouldn’t have to live so strugglingly, in such agony anymore.
Just like his father and grandfather had.
The ways different deities chose their ssengers also differed. But generally speaking, ssengers of the gods were those they cherished the most.
For instance, ssengers of the Red Knight were chosen from those who had perford ritoriously and died in battle, without the slightest fear or regret about their deaths – "heroic knights." Even if they were re mortals in life, becoming a ssenger would transform them into undying, silver-rank spirit knights.
The Silver Baron, on the other hand, chose those extrely intelligent big bankers or legendary rchants - typically His Popes and Cardinals, or great rchants from other countries.
They had either made so significant discovery in life or had experience in "trades" that beca legendary. Without a doubt, they were among the smartest and sharpest people in this world.
If they had not offended the Silver Baron, after their deaths, they would be promoted to "administrators," gaining another form of eternal life. Their job would then be to help the church of the Silver Baron continue to expand its territory or manage various local enterprises.
They had another na, "Silver Guides." In fact, there was a summoning ritual called "Call: Silver Guide."
But when Ritualists summoned the Silver Guides, it definitely wasn’t to have them help in battle, but to assist them in starting businesses...
Similarly, there were the "Classical Scholars" of the Mysterious Lady and the "Bringers of Desire" of the Goddess of Cup. When Ritualists summoned them, clearly it wasn’t for them to act as enforcers either.
In theory, any deity could have their own ssengers. The creation of ssengers was, in itself, part of the power of a deity. They could substitute the deity in responding to rituals associated with their domain, their primary duty was actually custor service...
Of course, so deities were more reclusive and didn’t like to always be surrounded by ssengers.
For instance, the Bell Ringer had no ssengers, and the Paper Princess liked to travel alone and didn’t fancy creating ssengers.
If a deity didn’t intercept a soul to make a ssenger, then that soul would be "buried" by the powers of the Bone Mother. Gradually settling over twelve years, returning to the essence of the world. This could loosely be considered a form of "reincarnation," although there was no direct connection between the past and the future lives.
If the soul of the deceased did not return, then the world’s foundational power could be considered diminished by that much – after all, what has left has never returned. From this perspective, the existence of "undead" itself was a form of stowaway.
ssengers were in essence a kind of undead, only that their gods had supplented that power for them, making them legitimized.
"Annan."
Hesitating for a long ti, Ivan looked at Annan, who was eating, and finally made up his mind, "I have felt Grandmother’s call. It’s about ti you took over the tri-colored scepter.
"Because I... might already be on the brink of ’Dragonization.’"
At these words, Annan paused in his eating.
He gave Ivan a deep look.
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