Cycle of Destiny

Chapter 41 The Successor of Alexander

If you open the "Directory of Nobles" and randomly turn to a page, you might see entries like this:

Earl So-and-so is the eldest son of Earl So-and-so, and his mother So-and-so is the second daughter of the late Marquis So-and-so.

He received his early education at a certain knight academy, where he earned his knighthood with outstanding grades. After graduation, he worked for a certain department of the Empire and was also a member of a certain association.

At what age did he defeat a level seven standard warrior to qualify for the inheritance? At what age did he inherit the title of Earl after his father's death?

He married so-and-so...

The Empire's "Noble Celebrity Directory" details the life story and lineage of each nobleman, essential knowledge for every nobleman.

Harry was required by his father to memorize the text from a young age, and after joining the Knights Academy, the explanation of the "Who's Who in the Noble Family" even became a course.

Harry doesn't remember much of the contents now, but he can still roughly recall the part about the Duke of Alexander Langton.

Because the entry about this duke is just too simple!

It reads:

Duke Alexander Langdon won a place in the tournament and was awarded the title of Viscount. He then helped the Church defeat the demons in the "Crimson Invasion" and was finally made a Duke.

simple!

It's so easy!

Apart from these, there is no other information.

Some newly nobles who rose through the ranks through tournaments, such as Harry's father, were not of noble birth, so when tracing their lineage, their family history was written in a very vague way.

Harry's father is described in the biographical directory as having parents from a gentlemanly family in the South.

There are no specific names or titles; they are simply referred to as gentlemanly families.

The intention behind this statement is quite clear—to conceal the fact that there is no verifiable noble lineage.

New nobles who have no traceable aristocratic lineage use this method to conceal their commoner origins.

However, Alexander Langdon's account is entirely different.

There are absolutely no relevant records there!

It was as if he had no father or mother.

Even his age and specific ranking when he participated in the competition were not mentioned.

Although the Duke's ranking in the tournament is not recorded in the biography, Harry knows that he came in tenth place, losing to his own father.

Even the most crucial achievement—"assisting the church in defeating the demons"—was only mentioned briefly, without any details or anything at all.

The nobles in "The Nobleman's Register" are described in several pages, not to mention dukes, even marquises.

The Dukes in the book would have been described in at least a dozen pages, but the Duke of Alexander Langton was summarized in a single sentence.

All information about the duke's past can only be guessed from rumors and gossip.

It is said that he was extremely skilled in martial arts, which is why he was able to achieve a ranking in the martial arts tournament and help the church defeat the demon.

Finally, regarding the Duke's death, the biography makes no mention of it whatsoever.

No one knows how he died, and after his death, his body was not buried in the noble cemetery east of the capital.

However, there are rumors that he died from his injuries sustained during the "Bloody Invasion," but this is just speculation.

Alexander Langton was no ordinary nobleman.

From an ordinary commoner to a renowned duke, he was a figure almost revered as a legend!

However, there are not many records about such legendary figures.

Such a name, which should only exist in the legendary stories of bards, was now connected to him in an incredibly real way through the soul attached to the necklace.

"Alexander..." Harry finally found his voice, but his tone was filled with disbelief and difficulty. "You mean... the legendary... Alexander who defeated the demon? Your... master?"

Upon hearing the word "master," a distinct hint of tension flashed in Xiao Bei's eyes.

She immediately raised her right hand and gently but clearly placed her index finger in front of her lips, making a shushing gesture.

"Shh—" she whispered, her voice a little more urgent than before, "Harry, you mustn't say that, especially not the word 'master'."

Harry was taken aback by her sudden tense reaction and instinctively lowered his voice, "Why?"

Bella didn't immediately lower her hand; she listened intently—though within this completely isolated magical barrier, the action was more of a habitual caution.

Then she lowered her hand, her voice very low, her white eyes serious: "My sister... she really, really hates Alexander. Using the term 'master' makes her furious immediately."

This explanation stunned Harry, who recalled Bella in the Red Robe—her almost ever-burning rage and the undisguised disgust she showed when she looked at him.

"She seems... to hate me too," Harry said almost instinctively.

Bella nodded, a gesture tinged with a helpless certainty. "Yes. Because she hates Alexander, and you... are Alexander's successor. So she hates you too."

"Successor?" Harry seized on the word, the sense of absurdity and being dragged into enormous trouble intensifying. "But I know nothing about Alexander! How did this 'successor' status come about? And if you hate Alexander so much, why are you here with me? And this chain... how did it end up around my neck?"

Faced with this series of questions, Xiao Bei looked confused. She raised her eyebrows slightly, as if trying to recall her long-dormant memories.

"Why did it appear on you..." she repeated the question slowly, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I'm not entirely sure of the specifics. After Alexander's death, my sister and I entered a deep sleep, and the necklace was either sealed away or passed on. When we were awakened again, it was already on you. I don't know what happened in between, or how it ended up with you. But since the necklace is on you, it means Alexander chose you."

Harry immediately seized on this new piece of information and asked, "Why did Alexander choose me?"

Upon hearing the question, a clear hesitation flashed in Xiao Bei's pure white eyes. Her hands, which were placed in front of her, tightened slightly, her fingertips unconsciously curling into the wide white sleeves. She gently shook her head, her long red hair swaying slightly with the movement.

"I'm sorry, Harry," her voice was lower than before, filled with clear apology, "I can't say right now about why I chose you."

"Why?" Harry pressed, his brow furrowed.

Beckham's eyelids drooped slightly, avoiding Harry's eager gaze, as if carefully choosing her words. "My sister... she very clearly warned me that I couldn't... couldn't tell you about Alexander, about many crucial things from the past, beforehand." She raised her eyes, Harry's confused and dissatisfied face reflected in her white pupils, and added, "Her exact words were, 'Knowing too early won't do you any good; it will only interfere with your judgment and might even create unforeseen risks.'"

"Sure enough, another riddle teller..." Harry felt a surge of frustration and helplessness. He lowered his voice, "When will I find out? Do I have to wait until I get stabbed through the chest like last time?"

Xiao Bei was silent for a moment, seemingly seriously considering the hypothesis, before slowly speaking, her tone regaining its gentle certainty: "I don't know when I can tell you. But I can sense that this prohibition my sister set isn't permanent. Maybe...maybe after you experience something, or witness something firsthand, when you yourself touch the edge of part of the truth, then my sister will allow me to tell you some things. Right now, I really can't tell you any more."

She saw the undisguised disappointment and anxiety on Harry's face, paused for a few seconds as if organizing her thoughts, then looked up, her white eyes fixed on Harry, her tone softening as if to reassure him, and added the crucial yet vague answer:

"But I know why we were awakened and are here with you. It's all to make sure everything happens the way it should."

Seeing the deeper confusion on Harry's face, she explained further, "The reason we still exist in the form of souls is to help you choose the right path when necessary, to ensure that certain inevitable events are not unexpectedly deviated from. And you are the most crucial link on this path."

This explanation did not put Harry at ease; instead, it made him feel as if he were a piece placed on a giant chessboard, and the player's purpose was simply to make the game proceed according to a predetermined, cold script.

"We follow you and help you because you are Alexander's chosen successor. And our purpose... is to make what has already happened happen again."

Harry stared at her, momentarily unable to grasp the full weight of her words. "Make what has already happened… happen? What's the point? If something has already happened, why bother 'making' it happen again? Isn't that… nonsense?"

“This isn’t what you think is ‘nonsense’,” Bella explained patiently, though her explanation itself was shrouded in mystery. “It’s more like… maintenance. Time is a flowing river, but certain key events need to be ensured to occur along a predetermined path. Your existence is to ensure that these events are not interfered with by the wrong forces and can accurately… arrive at where they should be. For example, your death and return are such events that must be ensured to occur.”

Harry felt as if a cold, tangled mess had been stuffed into his brain.

According to this theory, his murder, his return to the past, and even his becoming a disciple of the Holy Mage may all be part of a grand plan or set of rules that were set up long ago.

His so-called struggles and changes may just be moving along an invisible, predetermined path.