Seraphina rubbed the back of her hand with a look of disgust and inquired, "You said... you'll handle this?"
"Is your quarry not the Tidecaller?" Ravenna replied serenely, "Thus, the optimal strategy would be for to dispatch these nuisances while you continue your hunt."
"If we both linger here, it could create more trouble at any mont."
"But..."
Seraphina, clutching her longbow, seed sowhat embarrassed and reluctant to leave Ravenna alone.
"You appear to be overthinking, Seraphina."
The autonomous floating cannons comnced a one-sided slaughter in the jungle, while Ravenna, pushing up her glasses, reminded, "Have you forgotten what this is? This is the ga Ansel prepared for you; your only concern should be to enjoy it."
"Do you not wish to hunt the Tidecaller?" she posed the question.
"... Of course, I do!"
Seraphina responded imdiately, her tone turning fierce: "But there's soone interfering ... It's hiding now, but don't think I can't find it! Once I've dealt with the Tidecaller, I'll capture that guy, clean it, skin it, and roast it on the spot!"
With that, she patted Ravenna's shoulder urgently: "I'll leave this trouble to you, Ravenna. I'm off to settle things with that one... Hmph! Think you can escape? Not a chance!"
"It's alright, Ansel said," Ravenna replied softly, her eyes downcast, "I am your assistant."
"Heh, thanks! You're not as botherso as I thought!"
Seraphina patted Ravenna's shoulder again with a grin, then shouldered her longbow and dashed off in the direction of the fleeing Tidecaller.
Roar!!!
A tiger's roar echoed through the dense forest, seemingly in pursuit of Seraphina, but Ravenna calmly raised her hand, summoning another floating cannon. A blazing light struck a corner of the jungle, and the roar turned into a pitiful wail.
"Have you seen enough, Lord Suellen?"
The woman asked with an indifferent expression.
"Or do you fear that Seraphina will imdiately find the lesser Tidecallers, hence your constant vigilance?"
"... Miss Ziegler," erged a girl clad in pure white from the void, floating mid-air, looking down upon Ravenna with a cold deanor.
"Could you elucidate what you are currently doing?"
"As you can see," Ravenna replied nonchalantly, hands in pockets, "I am clearing obstacles for Seraphina."
Suellen chuckled, a laugh devoid of warmth that sent shivers down the spine: "So, this is your mission? Is this how you fulfill your promises?"
"It's rely understanding the crux of the matter," the petite sorceress waved a hand, controlling the floating cannon to actively seek and destroy targets: "Pleasing Ansel seems more pragmatic than completing our transaction."
"... So, you have descended to such depths," Suellen sighed, "I had hopes for you, Miss Ziegler."
"Do you have the right to judge ?"
Ravenna retorted emotionlessly: "Had you not co bearing Her Majesty's na, you would have… no, you wouldn't have the right to even step through the door. Lord Suellen, aren't you far stronger than , when it cos to relying on others?"
"Otherwise, why don't you tell Seraphina directly that Her Majesty wants the Tidecallers to grow to stop her? Because you know Ansel is here for Seraphina's birthday, and you dare not spoil her mood, for that would be akin to provoking Ansel, who could leave at any mont... leaving you alone to face Lord Elder Princess."
"So, you're using , making drive Seraphina to hunt other creatures—because you dare not offend Ansel over any slight possibility."
Ravenna succinctly dismantled Suellen. Ravenna, who, facing intellectual clashes with Ansel almost daily, clearly bypassed Suellen.
"Being incapacitated by the Elder Princess would make you appear inept, Lord Suellen; having Seraphina 'hunt' the Tidecallers is evidently more acceptable to Her Majesty."
"Am I to thank you for this?"
Suellen regained her usual elegance, unable to suppress a laugh: "You truly are... intriguing, Miss Ziegler."
She narrowed her eyes, adding, "Do you know why I sought a deal with you? It wasn't just a test of Lord Ansel's disposition, but also... my affirmation of you, Miss Ziegler."
"I've looked into your interactions with Lord Ansel three years ago, and despite scant information, it sufficed, along with recent events between you two, to confirm one thing—you would never flatter Lord Ansel, even… you are resisting any assistance from him, not just because of the cost, but you inherently resist it."
"That's why I approached you, because you wouldn't seek Lord Ansel's help, because you had so worth."
"But now..." Suellen tilted her head, sighing with a hint of regret, "you seem to have changed from the Miss Ziegler I knew, not entirely leaning towards Ansel, but becoming lost, becoming..."
"Despondent."
Suellen imdiately countered—since you enjoy interpreting , let interpret you.
"A kind of despondency that signifies giving up the struggle, utterly powerless. You're not leaning towards Lord Ansel, but rather clueless about what to do, probably just self-hypnotizing."
"Your imagination is indeed vast, Lord Suellen."
"Hehe, is that so?"
The diminutive scholar stood with an icy deanor, while the radiant smile of the pure white princess illuminated the scene. They locked gazes for an extended period, until the floating cannons annihilated all the monsters controlled by the Tidecallers in the vicinity.
"It seems I'm headed for failure," Suellen suddenly sighed, "I'm bound to face punishnt from Her Majesty upon our return, which is quite the nuisance."
"You seem to accept it quite readily."
"What would you have do? Should I, like my sister who cannot stand to lose anything, hysterically scream and shout at you?"
Suellen raised an eyebrow, "That would be rather unseemly, Miss Ziegler. I admit I am furious, but I am on a quest for vengeance, not to reduce myself to a clown."
"However..."
Her gaze turned icy in an instant, as intimidating as that of a cold-blooded creature.
"You've also made it onto my list for revenge, Miss Ziegler. I will not forget your betrayal this ti."
Suellen's lips curved into a slight smile, "You will never surpass Miss Marlowe in the eyes of Lord Ansel, which ans you are always at risk of being discarded. And when that ti cos—"
"By then, you might want to consider whether you've already been reduced to ashes by the Elder Princess," Ravenna retorted coldly.
"Oh~ such a strong attack. Did I touch a nerve just now?"
Suellen's eyes twinkled, "I'm terribly sorry, but the truth is as it stands, Miss Ziegler."
"Compared to Miss Marlowe, who is loyal, adorable, beautiful, with a youthful innocence yet an undeniably sexy figure, and possessing unparalleled potential—"
She lifted her chin slightly, spewing venomous words without reservation:
"Your paranoia, self-centeredness, coldness, and generally off-putting personality, coupled with a physique that fails to arouse the slightest interest, not to ntion your delusions that no one can comprehend... You are utterly worthless."
"You are no match for the Elder Princess either—"
"Hhehe, goodbye then, worthless Miss Ziegler~"
Without waiting for Ravenna to respond, Suellen's figure faded away. Clenching her fists and bowing her head, Ravenna remained silent for a long while before suddenly unleashing several shots towards the spot where Suellen had been.
Indeed, from any perspective, whether it be personality or appearance, she couldn't compare to Seraphina.
The only value Ravenna held, deed worthless in the eyes of others, was her unique thoughts and abilities, which held unparalleled worth to that only fellow companion. Now, with his departure, the distinction between their statuses… blurred once more, leaving her to persevere alone.
"Despondent... absurd."
Ravenna murmured to herself, "I will find the answers, whether it be the death of my grandfather or... the change in Ansel."
Despondency and confusion were far from the truth.
She had simply seen Ansel's true intentions and, aligning with his wishes, made the best choice possible.
That was all.
*
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