You have to play too, right?

When Iver woke up, he found himself in a place that was extremely familiar.

This was the Candle Holder Cathedral in the Red Queen District.

It wasn't the St. Genevieve Chapel he had entered last time when learning Sacred Art, but the bustling Main Hall.

And he wasn't the host of the Ritual, but sitting in the back row, quietly offering a Prayer.

Iver lowered his head imperceptibly and glanced at himself, finding that his attire was basically the same as before entering the Dungeon.

He was still wearing a white Priest's robe, and he wasn't even wearing a Mitre on his head.

Could it be a newly hired Priest? ...Strange, who am I? Just as Iver was wondering, a sharp and harsh voice, like fingernails scratching a blackboard, suddenly rang in his mind:

"You are Priest Julio Alexander, twenty-seven years old this year.

"Your niece Lisa was murdered a month ago, but the Bureau of Supervision failed to find the culprit.

"A month after that incident, you received a letter. The letter mentioned that you 'did not do as they said' and threatened to kill your son Iver Alexander next—specifically today.

"Fortunately, you are a student of Bishop Samuel Mathers, so you have come to the Candle Holder Cathedral today with your wife and children to seek refuge..."

The next moment, several lines of text popped up in front of Iver.

[Necessary Task——]
[Continue to play the role of Priest Julio Alexander, without being recognized and exposed by anyone other than your teammates (Points: 100)]
[Within four hours, ensure the survival of your son, Iver Alexander (Points: 500)]
[Additional Task——]
[Preserve Yourself: Ensure your own survival (Points: 100)]
[The Heart is the Sanctuary: Do not choose to hide in the Candle Holder Cathedral, take the initiative to go to Legal Square (Points: 100)]
[My Unforgotten Nature: Save those who are destined to die (Points: 100 per person, up to 300)]
[Once and For All: Find, arrest, or kill the murderer (Points: up to 500)]
[My Favorite Jasmine: Ensure the survival of your wife, Anne Alexander (Points: 500)]
[Live Longer: Among the nine Ritual participants, survive to the end as much as possible, or die as late as possible (Points: up to 500)]
[The Beginning of Everything: Find the Mastermind (Points: up to 1000)]

Iver's pupils suddenly contracted as he saw all of this clearly.

He suddenly realized something. Even Iver's breathing stopped for a moment.

He turned his head and saw his "wife" beside him.

She had platinum blonde hair draped over her shoulders, her posture was dignified and elegant, and she was wearing a Pearl-colored silk dress. She originally had a Beauty that would make people feel gentle and intellectual, but at this moment, her face was full of fatigue and haggardness, and she was holding the child in her arms, praying with her eyes closed.

And the boy she was holding in her arms had platinum blonde hair.

Because he was too young, his hair was still a bit sparse and fine, like the fine fluff of a kitten or puppy.

He obviously didn't yet know what he was about to face, just sitting quietly and obediently in his mother's arms, his sea-blue pupils wide, staring blankly ahead in a daze.

Seeing "Iver" look over, the boy widened his eyes and looked back.

"Dad..."

He lowered his voice, speaking softly and childishly, "You're distracted, Dad. Can't be distracted... you said so."

Iver's heart was a little chaotic. He just nodded hastily, not responding to Little Iver, and lowered his head to continue praying.

Only then did he truly react.

1884...

--Isn't that 14 years ago? Iver is eighteen this year, so fourteen years ago was when he was four years old. That was the year his parents died.

He was too young back then, and couldn't remember exactly how his parents died.

He doesn't even remember his parents' faces, let alone their names. But in his vague and blurry memory, there did seem to be such a scene...

He was sitting in his mother's arms, and in front of him were many dark figures like giant trees. People were chanting something, and he felt a little feverish, dizzy, and nauseous...

Julio...

Is that my father's name? So my mom's name is Annie... and I have a cousin named Lisa.

Then, they were all killed.

--The voice said, "Didn't do as they said," what did they say? Why didn't they kill "Julio," but wanted to kill "Iver"? But in actual history, Iver was fine, and Julio and Annie died--is there something different here?

Even though that Apostle repeatedly emphasized that the content of the Ritual was fictional... Iver found it strangely familiar no matter how he looked at it.

For a moment, he couldn't tell which were real and which were fictional.

First of all, he needs to confirm... whether his vague memory is correct.

Thinking of this, Iver turned his head to look at Little Iver, opened his eyes, and asked softly, "...Iver, do you have a headache right now?"

"A little, Dad..."

The little boy replied obediently.

"What?"

Hearing this, his mother Annie suddenly startled, opened her emerald eyes, quickly reached out and covered Little Iver's forehead, and scolded in a low voice, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"What's wrong?"

Iver immediately came over.

Annie frowned, and then tested her own forehead with her hand.

She said uncertainly, "It seems... a little hot. But I'm not sure..."

"It's okay, let me."

Iver said gently, took the younger version of himself from Annie's arms into his own.

He reached out and pressed his hand against Little Iver's Heart.

—Illumination Spell.

In the next moment, soft, water-like light seeped out from his palm. A warm power continuously poured into "Little Iver's" body.

Fortunately, they were sitting in the back row, not disturbing anyone else.

The instant he cast Illumination Spell, Iver immediately realized... the mana pool he was using now wasn't his father "Julio's," but his own.

A Priest should have at least completed their first advancement. It was impossible to only have a pitiful seven points of Light Attribute mana.

He poured in a full point of mana before stopping his Illumination Spell.

Iver's mood grew heavier.

Because he didn't sense any trace of illness from "Little Iver's" body.

If it were someone else, they might have thought it was just Little Iver's imagination, or that the child didn't want to be here and was just saying things randomly.

But precisely because it was Iver, he knew that "Little Iver" wasn't just making things up... on the contrary, he was being quite conservative.

He remembered.

At that time, his head was dizzy, and it felt like something solid was hitting his Skull from inside. His whole body was unbearably hot, his breathing became difficult, and the air exhaled from his nose felt like it could burn his nostrils. It was like being tightly wrapped in a quilt when you have a cold, rolled into a solid quilt roll, every beat of his Heart was very clear, and he could feel it all the way to his fingertips.

However, Little Iver was a very strong child.

He sensed the anxiety in his parents' hearts, so he didn't speak about the trouble he was encountering, but endured it silently.

Later, the childhood Iver gradually lost consciousness.

Seeing this familiar scene, the memories in Iver's mind were gradually being completed.

More and more details became clear:

He realized that the problem his "son" was encountering was definitely not simple. Being able to directly faint and lose consciousness was already a potentially fatal condition.

But, he indeed didn't find any illness on Little Iver...

"It's not an illness?"

His wife, Annie, frowned with worry at the sight.

She looked at her child, not knowing what to do.

She just fidgeted closer, her brow furrowed in thought, and suggested a Possibility: "I was thinking... is there a Possibility that the person who sent you the threatening letter was actually using a Curse?"

Hearing this.

Iver's movements suddenly paused.

He looked deeply at his wife "Annie."

—Her perspective and position in saying this were clearly wrong.

Iver held Little Iver in his arms, burying his face in his chest.

Then, Iver looked at "Annie," and leaned close to her ear.

He spoke softly, word by word, in a low voice: "I think... you're 'Lu Lu', right."

Seeing Annie's emerald pupils suddenly become flustered, her legs snapped together in an instant, she sat up straight, and her body subconsciously shifted away from Iver.

Iver couldn't help but sigh, inexplicably feeling a sense of guilt for bullying a child.

...So easy to guess.

She clearly hasn't been a mother before.

There are just too many loopholes... Aren't you an "All-rounder" of the Path of Beauty? Don't All-rounders learn acting?

But on the other hand.

It was precisely because he so easily pulled "Lu Lu" out from beside him that he truly realized the Ritual had already begun.

So he immediately perked up.

Iver didn't want to reveal that the child in his arms was the "himself" from his childhood. Therefore, Iver didn't show the slightest anxiety or concern in his heart. Instead, he revealed a confident and composed gentle smile.

He gently pulled the "Annie" who was subconsciously leaning back to avoid Iver back to his side with a little force.

"Don't move. If I'm guessing correctly, your task also involves 'acting', right... You are my wife now."

His deep and magnetic voice rang word by word in the ear of "Annie" who looked panicked:

"Don't be afraid, I am 'Fox'.

"I think you certainly didn't choose to abandon 'Dedication', right? I will protect you. This is exactly my task."

...One of them.

Iver added in his heart.

I asked the editor, and updating too fiercely during the new book period means it can't be delayed until the 1st of next month to be put on the shelves, so it has been changed to the 23rd of this month! I will try to update more then! Remember to follow the reading, brothers!