Apart from the two Dukes in the Northlands who have declared independence, the fallen Luminaris, and the Duke of Fla Attendant, whose influence is negligible, the remaining nine Dukes have quietly begun to take action.
In the aftermath of Ephesande disappeared, the other princes and princesses who had left the capital early have inexplicably resurfaced, each claiming legitimacy and asserting their ability to manage the chaotic empire in the absence of our great Empress.
However, in reality, only two candidates for the position of Regent are seriously considered by the other Dukes—those personally endorsed by Ansel as the most suitable.
The empire's situation is unfolding as Ansel predicted. The raging war in the West has indeed been significantly mitigated by Diana's proclamation of regency.
Ansel handed the briefing to Ravenna. "Would you be pleased that I did sothing good upon seeing this?"
Miss Scholar, engrossed in so peculiar apparatus, glanced at the briefing and remarked nonchalantly, "This is rely a byproduct of your plan; it wasn't your primary intention..."
"That's not what you were saying last night, when you were licking my throat and softly—"
"Shut up!"
Ansel laughed heartily as he touched Ravenna's blushing earlobe, who swatted him away, her face even redder.
The young Hydral knew when to stop. He glanced again at the briefing personally delivered by Crow, noting the most crucial words.
Oberon... one of the eleven commanders of the Revolutionary Army and the only one active in the Western lands.
Three days ago, both Duke of Bloodust and Firmant simultaneously announced a cessation of hostilities by their regular armies. Taking advantage of the ongoing negotiations, Oberon launched a surprise attack on Bloodust's cherished blood reserves, successfully liberating hundreds of victims.
Before Duke of Firmant could even begin to celebrate, this Revolutionary Army commander infiltrated deep into his territory and blew up his largest alchemical weapons cache.
What marked Oberon's decisiveness was her intention to prevent Bloodust and Firmant from suspecting each other of foul play after signing the ceasefire agreent. She left behind her identity, purpose, and even her trail, thus temporarily binding the two feuding Dukes together.
Now, countless refugees in the war-torn lands between the two Dukes are seizing this precious ceasefire opportunity to flee in all directions.
Undoubtedly, this is a profoundly twisted world, but no matter how distorted it is, there are always those who remain upright and uncorrupted.
The composition of the Revolutionary Army is exceedingly complex, yet their resolve is unquestionably firm.
"Seri would probably have much in common with this commander," Ansel mused as he incinerated the briefing with the flas at his fingertips.
His mind conjured up an image of his wolf girl wreaking havoc behind the two dukes, laughing loudly while heroically saving countless victims.
A smile crept onto his face, perhaps born from the re thought of Seraphina in such a state or from the relief that there was more than one Seraphina in the world. Of course, Ansel would never dissect the source of his inner joy, so he remained unaware of his subtle transformations.
"That Revolutionary Army commander?"
Ravenna remarked, tinkering with the items on her workbench without looking up. "I don't think that's necessarily a good thing."
"Oh, really?" Ansel raised an eyebrow slightly. "You've been urging to beco a better person these past few days, so why oppose the valorous actions of that Miss Commander?"
"Do you take for your obedient little dog?"
Ravenna rolled her eyes, an unrefined but endearing gesture that made her appear quite charming.
"The regency conflict you've instigated is already enough to force a temporary truce between the two Dukes. She didn't need to risk her life to provoke their ire for the sake of... 'more people.'"
Ansel tilted his head slightly. "Is this a reminder that I shouldn't let your words influence my critical decisions, such as those involving… life and death?"
"You said that, not ," Ravenna retorted, her usual obstinacy proving she indeed thought as much.
Unlike Seraphina's "unwavering" resolve, Ravenna Ziegler, with Ansel's help, had chosen to live for herself and was still searching for her own path.
She had realized that making cold, self-righteous decisions was utterly unreasonable. On her journey to change, she hoped that Ansel, who would stop at nothing to defy fate, might also undergo so transformation.
But this does not an that Ravenna has abandoned the concept of sacrifice or inexplicably beco a saint intent on saving everyone. The balance of sacrifice still resides in her heart, though she no longer falls into obsessive extres.
Present-day Ravenna can accept losses, provided they are not too severe. In the struggle against fate and the transformation of thods, if acting gently would cause Ansel irreparable and significant harm, she would rather he follow his own plan.
"...In the end," Ravenna murmured to herself, "I am still a selfish person."
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Ravenna believed that, to so extent, she wasn't acting for the world's sufferers but simply hoped that Ansel could gradually free himself from his cold, dark past.
"A selfish person wouldn't go to such lengths for others," Ansel remarked, picking up a small object Ravenna had placed on her workbench and examining it closely. "Is it already complete?"
"Just the final practicality test remains," Ravenna replied, glancing up at Ansel. "Care to accompany to the lower district?"
"It seems I have no other choice, my dear Queen."
"Don't call that!"
"But last night you clearly—"
"No ntioning last night!"
Despite being five years older than Ansel, Ravenna often struggled to exude the authoritative deanor of an elder sister, both in appearance and spirit.
*
This ti, the little gadget Ravenna concocted was quite simple. With the right idea, creating it wasn't difficult at all.
Simply put, it was a surveillance system.
The small, square object that Ansel picked up could detect all violent incidents and imdiately relay the information back to a central system, marking the location so that responders could quickly deal with any malicious violence.
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