At nine o'clock in the morning on the next day, Annan as scheduled, set out.
Duke Ivan originally wanted to assign a Hand of Winter to Annan, but Annan firmly refused.
Annan believed that the presence of a Hand of Winter would make Vasily Rasputin apprehensive and unable to speak his true thoughts.
As it happened, Annan himself appeared harmless and adorable, while also bearing faint Dragon Race features. Whether Vasily would greatly underestimate Annan, or treat him with immense respect, both were possibilities, and either would reveal Vasily's own stance.
But if a Hand of Winter were added to the mix, neither possibility would occur.
This would, in effect, turn it into a "conversation under the supervision of Duke Ivan." It would make the other party conceal things... and that would be more detrimental to the negotiation.
Annan was not afraid of him spouting nonsense.
His left eye could detect betrayal.
And the right lies could in fact reveal much more information.
