<h4>Chapter 389: The Entangled Fate</h4>


    Joseph Buckel… Elle’s biological father, the “Brother Hammer” in the Gallery nightmare.


    At that time, Elle Morrison’s name was also called Elle Buckel.


    Elle’s mother (ra) was Joseph’s apprentice back then. At that time, Joseph left Elle and divorced ra because she nned to use this child to ckmail Joseph.


    She sought more benefits from Joseph, like bing a real wizard or even a Great Wizard and mentor.


    Actually, Joseph had already given her a lot of things.


    After Annan cleared the Gallery nightmare and spoke to Joseph about the oue, he exined the whole truth to Annan, which was thest piece of the story.


    In fact, ra had no talent at all to be a wizard.


    Joseph had provided many ult knowledge to ire, including the tome written by someone from the Austere-Winter family in regards to the ck Widow, the tome about the Venerated Skeleton, and many books of other deities.


    His intention was clear.


    Joseph knew she did not have the talent to be a wizard, so he gave her the books, hoping she could be a ritualist.


    ire was not the kind of person who was particrly keen on being a wizard anyway. Instead, she learned spells hoping the magic could improve her status and be a great person.


    It was just that Joseph did not imagine ire chose to be “the Spider Whisperer” in the end.


    He did not want to be with a ck Widow’s believer for long.


    After all, he could be poisoned to death unknowingly.


    However, Joseph ended up having his family break apart because of his fault.


    ra was elected to the White Tower back then because of his rmendation. At that time, ra had not started to believe in ck Widow, nor had shee into contact with the taste of power and wealth. She was fourteen years old, an innocent and lovely young girl.


    Simply put, Joseph lusted for her, and he changed the trajectory of her life.


    As to what ra looked like, that could be seen from Elle.


    Her family background was ordinary.


    Her father was a dock worker, and her mother was a female textile factory worker. Not to mention that she wasn’t from a noble family and hardly knew any words. Her biggest advantage was her outstanding appearance and willingness to endure hardship.


    That was why Joseph fell in love with her. He even made ra his Silver Rank Secret Keeper. The oath power immediately boosted ra on some Perception attributes, barely allowing her to pass the exam.


    By the way, Annan’s secret keeper was Dove, who guarded him during the advancement process. Then, he told Kafni about itter, just in case.


    There was no additional value in the secrecy anyway.


    It was just that “his left eye could not see anything”. Other than that, it was not much.


    After Annan found out that the “curse” of Silver Rank could improve his attributes, he nned to set it as a reward for the yers’ main mission of the next phase. That would not only strengthen the yers but also show that he trusted the yers and strengthen the oath power.


    In a way, it was “three birds” with one stone.


    However, Joseph did not expect ra’s personality to change quickly after being invited to enter the White Tower. She had already learned of Joseph’s curse and gradually began to ckmail him.


    It might not be at the level of ckmailing, but she did keep asking Joseph for more things.


    Instead, it was precisely because she was used to a hard life andcked a sense of security that she cared more about her future quality of life. Due to Joseph’s desire to be in control, she did not get to know other wizards, so she could only ask Joseph for more stuff.


    In her original life trajectory, she should marry a foreman, a government clerk, or a teacher. If she was lucky, she might marry a young priest.


    Unless this priest suddenly advanced to the bishop level, she would never be able to achieve a rank promotion in her life.


    After she came into contact with the wizard’s world, this became possible.


    As long as she could graduate to be an official wizard, she would be hired by the local nobles, and she would not be worried about her daily necessities for a lifetime. Even the nobles had to respect her. Coupled with her well-cared-for appearance and figure, she could be a nobledy if lucky.


    Even though the status of a Silver Rank Great Wizard was much higher than that of the local nobles.


    ra still wanted Joseph to get a title, preferably a fief, or get more money. But, Joseph knew he did not need that.


    As an Edict Wizard, he was the only transcender with “the ability to detect falsehoods”. He could verify the owner of an item, interpret whether the other party was lying, carrying poisons and dangerous items, check the cause of wounds, see people’s real names, and space maniption abilities. For example, pushing someone away or swapping the two people’s locations.


    The Edict school was the most convenient wizard school in real life.


    He would be the best cop, detective, and bodyguard. Any nobleman must befriend at least one Edict Wizard, or else trouble woulde.


    If Edict Wizard had his territory and title, doing things would be much more inconvenient. It was because he was no longer impartial.


    However, ra could not understand it. She even contacted some jobs and asked him to use his spells to do some illegal things. If Joseph refused, ra would mention that Joseph, her mentor, did not allow her to graduate and advance to be a wizard.


    That was actually the direct cause of the intensification of their conflicts.


    Considering the age…


    Louis was 30 years old this year, and his father died shortly after his birth. Moreover, he was personally taught by his uncle, Alexander when he was in the Silver Knight. Thus, the time when Alexander executed the mission should be 50 years ago. At the same time, Elle’s mother died forty-six years ago.


    So, Joseph might have even fought against Alexander back then.


    It was because of a major problem with intelligence that Alexander must have spared many people, perhaps including Elle’s mother.


    Annan thought of this, so he immediately asked, “Your Excellency Alexander, do you know a man named Joseph Buckel?”


    “Where is he from?” Perhaps because the time was too long, Alexander was confused for a while.


    After Annan reminded him that this was about Freezing Water Port 45 years ago, Alexander soon came to a realization.


    “Do you mean the ‘Hand of Justice’ Buckel? I know him, but I haven’t seen him in a long time. He is probably dead.


    “Yes, I’ve seen him. I was hunting down his ex-wife, who believed in ck Widow. Even though I failed in arresting her in the end, she broke her limit and concocted a poison capable of killing me as I pushed her to the edge. However, she was inadequate and died because of the bacsh of the ritual’s failure.”


    He shook his head regretfully, “It’s a pity because I did not intend to kill her even though she would be subjected to death penalty if arrested. However, Buckel had already talked to me at the time.”


    When Alexander talked about it, he paused and added calmly, “I epted his bribe. Of course, it was within the scope of the ‘transaction’ allowed by the Silver Sire. After all, his ex-wife believed in ck Widow not long ago, which she only had the time to kill one person. She almost killed her second husband, but luckily I came just in time, and the man survived. I remember that the man seemed to be a well-known painter. I don’t know the details, so I don’t have a deep memory about it. Since she didn’tmit multiple murders, her crime can be changed from ‘living sacrifice practice’ to ‘murder’. If she pays for the bail fully, her punishment can be shortened to 10 years in prison.


    “It’s just that his ex-wife didn’t trust me… or rather, she didn’t trust Buckel, and she died in the end. I had taken the potion Buckel gave me, and I couldn’t give it back to him. I was deeply sorry about it.


    “So after he returned to the capital, I could onlypensate him with my weapon. Although he did not want to ept it and said it was not my fault, I gave him the hammer in the end.


    “That’s my favorite curse vessel, but not the curse vessel he needs the most. So I need to give up what I treasure most to discipline myself.”


    Alexander sighed and said with some regret and nostalgia, “Although I know this is not in line with the value of what he handed me, this is the greatestpensation I can make.”


    The Paper Princess asked curiously from the side, “Is it to warn yourself to be serious about making a promise to other people?”


    “No, but that’s to stop myself from making random promises, especially things that I may not be able to.” Alexander’s eyes were calm, and his gaze was deep.


    Wait, hammer? Annan was surprised.


    No way?


    Annan was amused.


    Fate is the best and worst director.


    Alexander indirectly killed ra, which led to Amos starting to study Ritual Spell, summoning the Venerated Skeleton, betraying Elle, and eventually forming “Nightmare: Gallery”. Amos himself was killed by Buckel, who held the “Barrier Destroyer’s Right Arm”.


    Meanwhile, without Annan’s intervention, Louis might end up dying at Freezing Water Port, given his stubbornness. Perhaps, the Angel of Betrayal had hatched by that time.


    If Alexander gave that overkill hammer to Buckel, the story was connected.


    This was the karma that existed even outside the nightmare.


    The power of destiny.


    Annan asked probingly, “Can I ask? Do you remember the name of that curse vessel?”


    The answer was as expected.


    “It’s called ‘Barrier Destroyer’s Right Arm’, and it’s a one-handed hammer. It’s a custom-made curse vessel from the cksmith in my church.” Alexander replied with nostalgia.