Ravenna's displayed submissiveness and coquettishness were shattered by Ansel's words, pointing directly to the core issue—if Ravenna truly considered Ansel's interests, why did they part ways three years ago?
Either, as Ansel suggested, Ravenna's current behavior is sheer pretense, or...
There must be sothing that, despite Ravenna's considerations for Ansel, prevented her from standing by him.
Another possibility is that Ansel had broken off with Ravenna abruptly without saying anything, but that's implausible because Ravenna is clear that without a solid reason, she would never genuinely see Ansel as a traitor.
Indeed, if she is now willing to entertain the audacious thought of assassinating the empress due to threats against Ansel, then her past self... had no reason to lack such resolve.
So, what was the fundantal reason for their fallout?
Upon closer reflection, Ravenna's mind throbs uncontrollably, the pain as if her soul were being cleaved, preventing her from recalling those nearly blank mories.
And yet... she has lost the mories of that day.
Myorn had said that rest would gradually restore them, so why is there no sign of improvent after such a long ti?
Ansel, observing the silent Ravenna, tugged at the corner of his mouth and suddenly released her, placing her back on the ground.
The petite puppet instinctively covered her key areas, but after a few seconds of hesitation, she lowered her hands, her slender legs wrapped in black tights nervously shifting on the floor.
"You see, Ravenna, your so-called resolve is so easily shattered," Ansel said nonchalantly. "Is deceiving yourself amusing?"
"It's because I... I lost the mories of that day… Lord Ansel," Ravenna instinctively explained, though she knew her justification seed feeble.
Because the fact remains—
"Does it matter?"
The devil gazed down indifferently at the fragile and helpless sorceress before him. "Three years ago, you who were once so close to , refused to trust then. So now, what reason do you have to change your mind because of my mother's words?"
"Ha, that is indeed a sufficient reason—it seems that when you recall that cause, you will make the sa choice as you did three years ago, won't you?"
"You have never changed, Ravenna." He stood up, approached Ravenna, and gently grasped the sorceress's delicate neck.
"But I have changed a great deal."
So whispered Hydral, no longer a child.
His grip tightened rcilessly as he lifted Ravenna, a feat not challenging for a being of the third stage, but the suffocating pressure he applied was clearly too much for the sensitive Ravenna to bear.
Yet Ansel quickly steadied Ravenna by her waist, releasing her neck, which instinctively caused her to wrap her astonishingly long legs around his waist and her arms around his neck to maintain balance and prevent falling.
"Cough...cough!"
After hanging on Ansel and coughing a few tis, Ravenna was not seriously hard, but in such an intimate position, she saw nothing but… icy coldness in Ansel's eyes.
She instinctively thought of Annelisa's words—Ansel was deeply hurt, he had given up hope.
Why hadn't she believed Ansel back then, why hadn't she stood by his side? What was the reason?
It could only be that their conflict was utterly irreconcilable, no longer a matter of trust, with no second option possible.
But if that were the case, did she really have any standing or reason to help Ansel now?
If not, then she would never have distrusted Ansel at that ti, it was impossible, absolutely impossible...
Absolutely...impossible.
Either way, these thoughts pushed the current Ravenna further into a dark abyss, where her resolve could no longer find footing.
Was there really no reason to help Ansel, or... had she not even chosen to trust Ansel three years ago?
Why couldn't I rember those mories, why haven't I thought of this before... I should have foreseen this situation, why...
"My face shouldn't read 'please help .' And Ravenna... what you want, your motivation, was never just to 'help ,' right?"
Ansel supported the softest part of Ravenna's body with one hand: "You told it was to have a better assistant, right?"
"...Yes."
"I could always help you," Ansel said with a pleased smile, "as long as you're willing to pay the price. Why think of doing such absurd things, trying to solve problems that don't exist?"
Ravenna's legs instinctively tightened around him.
She bowed her head for a long while before whispering softly, "But what I want is not sches and ideas, but—"
"The from three years ago?"
Ansel tugged at the corner of his mouth: "Such words don't suit you, Ravenna."
Ravenna remained silent, unsure of how to respond to the almost threatening words, while also gradually realizing the shift in her own mindset under Ansel's influence.
Her attitude had evolved from initial anger, estrangent, indifference, confusion, and bewildernt to now tacitly acknowledging her "need for Ansel."
The notion that "Ansel bears an irresistible burden" reignited hope in Ravenna's heart, while also deepening her guilt over her previous attitude towards him.
She saw all this clearly—her gradual, imperceptible change in ntality and thoughts—but was … powerless to stop it.
How could she stop it? By constantly reminding herself that this was Ansel's trap, would the facts that had occurred simply cease to exist?
It was precisely because she had indeed made those mistakes that Ansel now had the opportunity to exploit them.
"How much longer do you intend to hold like this?" Ansel asked languidly, "Don't be childish, Ravenna."
"...What should I do?" Ravenna suddenly asked.
"Hm?"
"What should I do," Miss puppet gazed at Ansel, "for you to forgive ?"
"Forgive? Even after I've made myself so clear, do you still intend to indulge in aningless self-comfort?"
Ansel's tone was undisguisedly indifferent and uncaring, "Rather than wasting energy on that, I suggest you think about how to recover your mory, Ravenna."
"If the situation is truly that... dire," Ravenna replied softly, "it's not too late to have regrets. Because what I can do for you is already extrely limited."
Ansel paused, then burst into laughter, "You really don't hide anything, do you? Not even trying to deceive by saying that I'm temporarily more important than your ideals?"
"Would you believe it?" Ravenna countered.
"...Heh, yes, I wouldn't believe it either." Ansel leaned forward slightly, his forehead resting against Ravenna's, responding with a detached tone, "Otherwise, you wouldn't be Ravenna."
In such an intimate posture, they exchanged words with such clear-cut stances.
"However... since you've put it that way."
Ansel's tone shifted, becoming light-hearted as if he were a different person from a second ago, "I wouldn't want to waste such an interesting opportunity to gain my forgiveness, hmm..."
He snapped his fingers, his smile radiant, "How about you join for a stroll outside?"
"...Alright."
Ravenna let go of Ansel, jumped to the ground, and prepared to pick up and put on her discarded clothes. Although she didn't know what Ansel was planning, she would choose to comply as long as it wasn't too excessive.
"Oh, wait, that's not the attire you should be wearing, dear Miss Ravenna."
Ansel stopped her from changing into her clothes, his eyes narrowing with a smile, "For this outing, you and I will need to play roles, so don't give us away."
Ravenna paused, giving Ansel a glance, her tone slightly unnatural, "Play roles as... a couple?"
"A couple?"
Ansel laughed heartily, "Ravenna, you're thinking too much. How could it possibly be a couple?"
The young nobleman adjusted his collar, tapped the ground with his scepter, and in an instant, his youthful vigor was reined in, his presence becoming calm and composed, exuding an air of maturity that belied his young appearance, giving the impression of soone in their twenties.
The young Hydral smiled and said, "Of course, it's... father and daughter."
*
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