Anne didn't know what was going on—she had barely had time to see two strangers standing at the entrance of the cemetery when she was blocked by the old guard's slightly rickety body, and the old man's slightly nervous voice came to her ears: "Don't look over there, child." ”

The little girl was a little nervous: "Grandpa guard, what's wrong?" ”

"Don't move, don't talk, it's fine." The old man whispered, his gaze still fixed on the burly figure, one of his hands at his side, blocking Anne's somewhat restless vision, and the other pressed to his chest—there was an amulet that could be used to set off alarms throughout the cemetery if necessary.

The burly figure was coming this way.

The muscles of the old man's body tensed.

"Good morning," a deep voice came from under the thick bandage, as if echoing from the tomb, "this should be my first official 'visit.'" ”

It was a clear verbal exchange, and a friendly attitude - as in previous contacts, the unspeakable "visitor" showed a friendly stance.

But the muscles on the old guard's body didn't dare to relax at all, he had thought that sooner or later this visitor would have the next visit, and also thought about under what circumstances he would communicate with the other party, but he never expected that the other party would come to the gate of the cemetery in such an open manner, standing opposite to greet him, he didn't know whether Anne behind him would be affected by this visitor, so he could only block between the two as much as possible, and quickly think about the next response.

The old man's nervousness fell completely in Duncan's eyes.

He looked even more nervous than he had seen the first time he met – was it because of the child behind him?

"Relax," Duncan said, with a smile in his tone, "I don't have any hostility—and I won't hurt the kid behind you." ”

"I know you're friendly, but your very presence has the potential to affect ordinary people," the old warden said cautiously, trying not to offend the visitor in front of him with his words, "This kid is not trained in the supernatural. ”

"Oh, she's safe, then," Duncan said, "and what she can't see, you should understand." ”

The old guard was silent for a moment, he knew what the other party meant, and he also knew that Anne, as an ordinary person, should not be affected by some extraordinary power like himself, but he still did not relax, but asked cautiously: "What do you want to do when you come this time?" ”

"Isn't that goddess there?" Duncan glanced curiously in the direction of the cemetery, "I have something important to tell her." ”

"She's just gone," said the old guard, more cautious at the mention of Agatha, "what are you looking for her?" ”

Then he paused, and added, "I can reach her at any time—the cemetery caretaker is also a clergyman, and can have direct access to the cathedral and the gatekeeper." ”

"Ah, that's fine, I can save some trouble," Duncan said, raising his hand and digging into his pocket—this action made the cemetery guard in front of him visibly nervous, and he smiled and shook his head, "Don't be nervous, if I really have malicious intentions, I don't need to raise my hand." ”

As soon as the words fell, he had already taken out a sealed letter from the pocket of his windbreaker, raised his hand and handed it to the old man in front of him.

"It would be fine to pass this on to the 'gatekeeper' named Agatha, or directly to your cathedral," Duncan said casually, "and it's news anyway, and the news will be delivered." ”

A ...... Letter? It turned out to be a letter?!

The old guard looked at the other party's takeout in astonishment, and subconsciously took it before reacting, he blinked in confusion, never expecting an indescribable visitor to come to the cemetery in person, in order to give himself a letter.

He flipped through the envelope and looked at it again.

On the back of the envelope, the mark and number of a small local printing house can be seen - this is not even some "ritual secret letter" condensed by extraordinary power, it was bought from a newsstand at the intersection, and maybe even bought it when passing by this morning.

The old man raised his head, his slightly cloudy and yellowed eyes with obvious doubts and inquiries.

"Make a small contribution to the safety of the city-state," Duncan smiled, but unfortunately his friendly expression was completely blocked by bandages, and then his gaze passed over to the old guard and looked at the little girl who was hiding behind the old man, "Are you scared?" ”

"No," Anne shook her head, carefully looking through the old man's fingers at the tall, burly figure opposite, "I'm very bold. ”

"I have a niece, and she's bold," Duncan said, looking at the old man, "and this kid is ......."

"I just want to visit the cemetery, an ordinary person who has nothing to do with the church," the old man said at once, and after realizing that Anne was really unaffected, he relaxed a little, "I am persuading this child to go back, the weather is terrible today." ”

"It's easy to slip on a snowy day," Duncan nodded, then looked at the little girl and asked casually, "What's your name?" How old is this year? ”

The old guard's heart tightened, and he wanted to remind Anne, who had never been in contact with extraordinary powers, not to speak, after all, revealing the name of the superior transcendent of unknown origin was quite a dangerous move-

But he was a step slower.

"My name is Anne," said the girl unsuspectingly, "Anne Barberly, who is twelve years old!" ”

In front of the cemetery gate, silence suddenly enveloped it.

Duncan looked silently at the little girl who was poking her head out from behind the old guard, looking into her eyes and the outline of her eyebrows, which vaguely resembled those of Captain Christo Barberly.

He just asked casually, but he didn't expect it...... It would have been so coincidental.

The sound of snow stepping came from the side, and Alice looked at the little girl who called herself "Anne Barberly" with some surprise, and then turned to look at Duncan: "Ah, I remember the surname Barberly, it's not ......"

Duncan slowly bent down, keeping his gaze level with the girl, and making his tone as gentle as possible, "Your surname is Barberly?" ”

It seemed that because of the sudden change in the atmosphere, Anne looked a little nervous, and she shrank behind the old guard: "Yes, yes." ”

"Captain Christo Barberly, what's your relationship?"

"He's ...... My dad. Anne whispered, then subconsciously grabbed the old guard's clothes, and looked up at the old man, as if to ask for help.

The old man, however, did not react, but only looked stunned, as if he had thought of something, and looked at Duncan with an expression of incredulity, and at the same time looked at the young woman with the veiled and blond hair and shawl in disbelief.

"You're Captain Christo's daughter - you live on Fireplace Street with your mother?" Duncan looked at the little girl in front of him and asked again.

Anne nodded hurriedly, and then seemed to react: "You...... Meet my dad? ”

“…… Yes, though not too familiar," Duncan said softly, "he asked me to see you and your mother, and I didn't expect to meet you here before I could go to you." ”

Anne's eyes widened in surprise.

The same is true of the old guard on the side.

"My dad is ......" Anne opened her mouth, but she didn't think about what to say for a long time, and after desperately organizing the language for a long time, she asked cautiously, "He's really dead...... Is that right? ”

Duncan nodded slightly.

"That'...... Will he still be sent here? Anne hurriedly asked, "The adults say that those who believe in the god of death will return to Bartók's cemetery after death, and then be led to the gate, and the caretaker grandfather told me that this cemetery is ......"

As Anne spoke, her voice suddenly became quieter.

In fact, since a long time ago, she no longer believed what the old man had told her.

She is twelve years old this year.

Duncan suddenly reached out and rubbed Anne's head—a little unmelted snowflake fell from the thick woolen hat and mixed with the snow.

"Captain Christo is a wonderful man, very remarkable—he is now in Bartók's country, where he has rested."

Anne looked up and blinked.

She didn't quite understand what Duncan meant by that—she didn't even understand the presence of the tall, burly figure in front of her.

But the cemetery guard next to her reacted suddenly.

The old man suddenly pressed Anne's shoulder and told the child not to continue talking, then he raised his head and looked Duncan in the eye: "What did you say...... Is it true? ”

“…… I think," Duncan thought for a moment, he didn't know what was going on with Bartoc, the so-called god of death, or what would happen to humans after they died, but in the presence of a child, he knew what he had to say—and that was what he wished for," I sent him away. ”

The old guard's pupils contracted slightly, but he quickly concealed the change in his expression.

"It's almost time for me to leave," Duncan said, glancing at Anne, who was still a little confused, and then at the caretaker of the cemetery, "I still have a lot to say, but I still have a lot of work to do, so let's meet again."

"Also, don't forget the letter."

The old guard blinked, and before he could speak, he saw a flash of green flames in front of him.

(End of chapter)