“…”

Ansel was momentarily taken aback. Seraphina’s mood… was surprisingly not low. Could it be that Marlina had successfully counseled her? Ansel quickly understood the situation and immediately prepared to execute his backup plan. “Ah, Seraphina, you seem… not as upset anymore.”

Ansel sat down next to Seraphina and said softly, “I’m sorry, I—”

“Ah, sorry? What are you apologizing for?”

Seraphina tilted her head, looking at Ansel with a puzzled expression, “Why are you apologizing to me?”

“…Because I forced you to cancel —”

“Oh, that.”

The young girl wiped her wet hands with a cloth and grinned, “I thought it was something serious. Ansel, why do you care more than I do?”

She scratched her head, somewhat incredulously, “Ansel, you didn’t come to see me these past two days… because you were struggling with this, weren’t you?”

“…” This time, it was Ansel’s turn to fall silent. “Is that really the case?”

Seraphina’s eyes widened slightly. “…Yes.” Ansel, unable to resist the accuracy of Seraphina’s words, gave a helpless smile, “Indeed.”

“Ansel…”

Young wolf stared at Ansel for a moment, then suddenly shouted, knocking him to the ground. “Ansel, Ansel!” She joyfully called Ansel’s name, rubbing her cheek against his, “I knew you were the best to me!”

“…Seraphina, you didn’t come to see me.” Ansel tried to place his hand on Seraphina’s head, but couldn’t quite manage it, “Why is that?”

“Hmm? Because there’s no need.”

Seraphina sat up straight on Ansel, saying matter-of-factly, “After all, you’ll take care of everything… Although I was a bit curious why you only came to see me now, it doesn’t matter! Because you… hehe~”

The young girl was overjoyed that Ansel was “struggling” with her feelings. This joy was so pure, so beautiful. “I will definitely… take care of it.”

Ansel repeated Seraphina’s words softly. “I will definitely take care of it, so Seraphina, you don’t care at all?”

Seraphina looked at Ansel with a “what strange things are you saying” expression, “You’ve arranged everything, Ansel. What else do I need to care about? I just need to follow your instructions, right?”

“…”

After a brief silence, Ansel asked softly, “What if, my arrangements are wrong?”

“But I’ve never seen you make a mistake, Ansel.”

Seraphina tilted her head, “Besides, if you make a mistake, then you make a mistake. Who doesn’t make mistakes? Didn’t I make mistakes every day before?”

“But Seraphina, if you follow my wrong arrangements, you will get hurt.”

“So what.” The young wolf girl was fearless, “If I get hurt, then I get hurt. Anyway, I’m tough, it doesn’t matter.”

“I mean—”

“Ah, Ansel, you’re not asking if I would blame you, are you?”

“…”

Looking at Ansel, who had fallen silent again, Seraphina was stunned for a moment. She was a bit angry at first, but then she couldn’t help but laugh. She fell into Ansel’s arms, laughing louder and louder, “Pfft… Hahaha, Ansel, Ansel! You’re so strange today, why would you think of such a thing, it’s not like you… but it’s so cute.”

The young girl snuggled comfortably against Ansel’s chest, her voice soft and firm, “Ansel, why would you ask me such a question? You’ve forgiven me so many times, helped me so many times, always standing by my side.”

“Just like you will always forgive me.” She lay on Ansel’s chest, winking at him. “I will always forgive you too.”

Reason.

Analysis.

Plan.

Ansel was able to find a way to contend with fate in six years because he learned to freeze and divide his emotions in an incredible way, to find his own thoughts, to choose the absolutely correct path. “Ansel.” Seraphina poked his cheek, “By the way, what did you come to see me for? It can’t be as simple as just apologizing. Is the ascending to the third stage going to be postponed until tomorrow?”

“…Ansel, Ansel? Why are you spacing out?”

That was a long, long silence. So long that Seraphina felt something was wrong, but she didn’t say anything, just quietly lay on Ansel’s chest. “…Seraphina.”

In this long silence, Ansel finally spoke. “Is this how you… trust me?”

“What are you talking about, Ansel.” Seraphina punched him, “Don’t you trust me? Isn’t it the same?”

“Ah… hehe, you’re right.”

“You’re right.”

Ansel laughed softly, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He held Seraphina’s hand, his voice gentle, “Seraphina, I’m here to ascend you to the third stage.”

“Eh? Really?” Seraphina’s eyes lit up, “What do I need to do? What is the special method you mentioned?”

“It’s this.”

The young Hydral, holding the ring that symbolized the pact head to the girl in his arms. This was the third choice, not included in his plan. Under Seraphina’s stunned gaze, Ansel said, “The power that the head of Hydral can bring to you can directly transform your physical body, without the need for your soul to undergo an internal transformation.”

“Theoretically, without the need for your soul to ascend first, you can advance to the third stage, which can also bypass the awakening of the spirit.”

But this is just… theoretically. In absolutely important matters, Ansel would not gamble recklessly—showing Seraphina his memories was a necessary measure, saying it was a gamble, might not necessarily be a gamble. Such a probability event is far less secure than letting Seraphina drink the water of redemption and then advance. But Ansel still chose to do so. “…Really?”

Seraphina nervously stared at the ring, “Can-can I… wear it now?”

“Of course.” Ansel affectionately stroked Seraphina’s head, “This is what you deserve, Seraphina.”

The young girl’s face turned red. She reached out to the ring that Ansel was holding, but quickly withdrew her hand. “Ansel, I…”

She looked up at Ansel, her eyes full of hope, “Will you help me put it on?”

Ansel smiled and stood up, helping Seraphina up as well. He took her left hand and slowly but firmly slid the ring onto Seraphina’s index finger. Until the ring was fully on, he slowly stopped. “This is… the ring of the pact head, it’s so beautiful!”

Seraphina held her index finger with the ring on it like a treasure, rubbing it back and forth with satisfaction, “Now I’m Ansel’s pact head, and the first one at that! Hehe… hehehe!”

“Just…”

The young girl looked quite puzzled as she held up her five fingers, carefully examining the fierce snake ring on her index finger. “Just why don’t I… feel anything?”

“…The change of the pact head is subtle and silent.”

Ansel rubbed Seraphina’s head, “When you wake up tomorrow, you’ll notice the change. The Blazing Ice Viper also—”

“Just leave it to me.”

Seraphina hugged Ansel tightly, laughing, “This is the first battle, I won’t let you down.”

“I trust you, Seraphina.”

Ansel also hugged the confident young girl, but quickly let her go. “Get some rest.”

He said softly, “Prepare for tomorrow.”

“You too, Ansel.”

Seraphina put her hand on her hip, looking very confident, “Tomorrow, you better watch me closely!”

Ansel nodded with a smile and left Seraphina’s bedroom. The moment he closed the bedroom door, his expression changed instantly. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely cold, even a bit… furious. This was the first time Ansel had lied to Seraphina. Because even after putting on that ring —

Seraphina was still not his pact head.

*