In a space seemingly constructed entirely of shadows, a mature, husky, yet lodious female voice resonated.
"Henceforth, I shall lead you all in the purging of Western adventurers."
"... You seem to be getting ahead of yourself, Nine."
Nerilia's visage gradually materialized from the darkness. "While you've secured this crucial mission for us, it doesn't entitle you to command us."
"Is that so?" The wheelchair-bound girl tilted her head slightly, smiling at those before her. "What say you, Lord Crow?"
"Your blazing ambition is all too apparent, Nine," Crow's impassive voice emanated from the heart of the shadowy realm. "Though your talent and aptitude are universally acknowledged, you've yet to prove yourself worthy."
Upon hearing Crow's response, Nine sighed with a hint of disappointnt.
"How regrettable. I had thought that after our last discourse, you would have recognized the disparity between us."
This preposterous statent plunged the other Shadewell mbers into stunned silence, unsure how to react.
The disparity between Crow and… Nine? Had Nine's mind been addled by the Abyss, causing her to misspeak?
"Lord Crow, do you recall the words that solidified my resolve to join Shadewell when you brought here?"
The haunting voice echoed through the boundless darkness.
"re obedience is insufficient."
So matters yield superior results when addressed with more ruthless thods, yet Ansel often refrains from such approaches.
Unless absolutely necessary, he typically opts for slightly milder asures. This isn't a matter of benefit, but rather a reflection of his nature.
As for the degree of this "necessity," Ansel never divulges it to others. In such instances, his subordinates are left with only two choices.
The first is to ticulously follow Ansel's instructions to the letter. The second, naturally, is to attempt to find the optimal solution that Ansel doesn't demand but undoubtedly exists, while still fulfilling his orders.
This is the distinction between Shadewell and the Garden.
During the trial at the clock tower, the Garden's proposal was to spare the traitor's family, allowing him to die with dignity after confessing his cris. At the ti, Nine believed this to be Ansel's style, which led her to join the Garden in her pursuit of him.
As for Shadewell? Their approach was to execute the traitor's entire family. Moreover, they sought to inflict excruciating pain upon the traitor before his death, ensuring he paid a sufficiently heavy price for his transgressions.
Was this a superior solution? Indeed it was. No nobleman would show the "rcy" Ansel did when confronted with betrayal. The punishnt for traitors should be cruel enough to serve as a deterrent, etching the consequences of betrayal into the minds of all who might contemplate it.
For Ansel, this was a trivial matter, and he didn't need such thods to prevent betrayal. But for Shadewell, this was their responsibility to fulfill.
They were a group of dangerous individuals gathered for Ansel's sake. Their duty was not blind obedience, nor satisfactory compromise, but rather a cold, bloody... perfection.
Not every matter required such treatnt, but there were always so affairs that demanded this approach.
It is precisely for this reason that Shadewell is not rely a tool. Their core philosophy is that "Lord Ansel, too, has his oversights." To compensate for these oversights, one must possess both a profound understanding of Ansel and a potent subjective perception of worldly affairs. Only then can one discern which nuances Ansel hasn't considered, yet could indeed enhance the outco.
Each mber of Shadewell assists Ansel with their own worldview and insights, making asured alterations and refinents to his decisions based on their individual volition.
This is a formidable task. Excessive caution often results in negligible change, while overreaching leads to presumptuous decisions that defy Ansel's orders, with graver consequences.
However, Ansel's selection of Shadewell mbers is even more rigorous than that of the Garden. Thus far, no Shadewell mber has worsened a situation while thinking, "I believe this is the better course of action."
Shadewell, under Crow's leadership, has never erred and faithfully executes what they perceive as their arduous yet glorious duty. Hence, its prestige is not sothing Nine, a recent addition, can easily challenge.
Yet, Nine never intended to persuade the other Shadewell mbers. Her aim was always to defeat Crow alone.
"Lord Crow, do you truly believe you can outperform ?"
The girl's smile, obscured by shadows, exuded an eerie aura.
"Actions speak louder than words," Crow replied impassively. "When you've achieved sufficient rit for Lord Ansel, then we'll revisit this matter."
"You're right, actions do speak louder than words."
At that mont, everyone in the shadow realm felt Nine's gaze upon them.
Despite being seated in a wheelchair, her eyes were filled with arrogant contempt, looking down on them all.
"So, let ask you once more: at Dispute Fortress, why didn't you, who could supposedly achieve more than I, fulfill Mr. Ansel's unspoken desires? Was it lack of ti, lack of energy, or..."
All the Shadewell mbers staring at Nine seed to see the exaggerated, maniacal grin beneath her ebony mask.
"...lack of courage to even compare yourself to ?"
At Dispute Fortress, Ansel's instructions to Marlina were rely to assist Seraphina and address the lower district's issues, transforming it into the harmonious place Seraphina envisioned.
Ansel had even wavered due to Ravenna's perspective, considering abandoning actions that would bring greater turmoil to the lower district. If the commoners desired stability, then let them have it.
Yet, in the end, Nine chose to plunge the entire lower district into a bloody arena.
She didn't just modify or alter Ansel's orders; she completely overturned them.
Moreover, these orders concerned Seraphina, whom Ansel cared for most.
Nine now posed this question to Crow, the question he had previously t with silence, unable to answer.
— If our roles were reversed, would you have the courage to make the sa decision I did?
"You seek to topple years of my correct decisions with one reckless act?"
Crow's typically raspy voice grew uncharacteristically serious.
"Do you believe your overreaching will always be correct?"
Nine fell silent for a few seconds. Then, suddenly, she let out a soft chuckle.
"...Heh."
"Hehehe... Hahahaha!"
The chuckle evolved into a disconcerting, contemptuous, and unbridled laugh.
"This, Lord Crow, is the gulf between us," Nine declared.
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"While you're still pondering whether such actions are correct, whether they might negatively impact Mr.Ansel's plans, whether they defy Mr.Ansel's true intentions..."
The wild laughter abruptly ceased. Nine's words, brimming with intense self-assurance and arrogance, bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain young girl… who had embarked on the path of supremacy.
"I have already accomplished what Mr. Ansel truly needs."
"...You've lost your mind, Nine," Crow shook his head.
"Are you suggesting that you need not assess the situation or contemplate right and wrong? That you believe yourself to be eternally correct?"
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