In the semi-open corridor, a sudden burst of pure white light appeared, akin to a gateway.

A silhouette emerged from the light, gently descending from mid-air. He wore a deep purple crown and was draped in a robe of pure white, yet this white was branded with countless intricate and twisted patterns.

“It’s been a while, Ansel.”

The ordinary-looking man burst into laughter, “The last time we met was four years ago when Mr. Flamelle asked me to teach you soul magic.”

Ansel bowed slightly with the simple etiquette of a junior, “The scene of that day is still fresh in my mind, Lord Soren.”

Soren Canaster, the Soul Dominator, the Eternal Lost Eye, one of the nine highest seats in the Etheric Academy, possessed a terrifying mastery in the study of soul magic that was unparalleled in the empire.

“However, I didn’t expect,” he said with a light laugh, “that you would come so quickly.”

“Quick? Anyone would be this quick!” Soren shook his head, “Ansel, Ansel, you need to understand what Mr. Flamelle’s latest design… implies.”

Conrad, who had been bowing since Soren’s appearance, twitched at the corner of his eye, while Ravenna’s pupils contracted slightly, shifting her trembling gaze to Ansel.

“Alright, next I will take you on a tour of the Etheric Academy, and we can discuss that design later, but first—”

“Hydral!”

Facing the empire’s biggest villain, facing the fifth-stage sorcerer of the Etheric Academy, Ravenna, who was still a mere third-stage and only famous among the younger generation, boldly interrupted Ansel, completely abandoning her previous rational demeanor.

“You…”

Ravenna stared intently at the fake smile that always made her uncomfortable. The words squeezed out between her teeth were cold, yet seemed to carry a burning anger.

“What exactly is Flamelle’s design that you’re talking about?”

“…You are Ziegler’s granddaughter, right?”

Before Ansel could speak, Soren interjected, “I heard you were a person without manners, but I never heard that you were a fool.”

“Hydral!!”

But Ravenna, like a madwoman, ignored Soren and glared at Ansel, with the barrel of her floating cannon even faintly gathering light particles.

“You’re going to hand it over to the Etheric Academy? You’ve really sided with them!?”

Bang!

It wasn’t the sound of the floating cannon firing, but the sound of machinery being crushed on the spot.

“As expected… it’s still a puppet.”

Seraphina, who had lifted Ravenna by the neck with one hand and tossed her off the ground, discarded the crushed floating cannon in her other hand. Her dark red pupils flickered with a brutal light.

“You just now,” she leaned slightly forward, staring at the purple eyes under the glasses, and whispered, “had murderous intent towards Ansel, didn’t you?”

“You…”

Creak —

The sound of metal deforming and twisting came from Seraphina’s palm. The puppet’s neck was slowly being crushed into scrap metal by the wolf, who had always seemed careless and clumsy, but at this moment, she showed a pure ferocity that devoured all enemies.

Even Conrad, who considered himself well-experienced, was intimidated by her ferocious aura.

“You want to kill… Ansel?”

When Seraphina uttered these words, the outcome seemed predetermined without Ravenna’s answer.

“I’ve remembered your scent…”

A cruel expression appeared on the wolf’s face, “Not just the puppet, I will make you pay—”

“Eh?” The girl turned her head and blinked, “What’s up, Ansel?”

“That’s enough.”

“…Huh?”

Ansel’s eyebrows raised slightly, “Don’t I have the final say?”

Hearing this, Seraphina reluctantly dropped the puppet at her feet and walked unhappily to Ansel’s side, giving Ravenna a fierce glare.

“Hmm…” Soren stroked his chin, “Ansel, your pact head… is quite something.”

“You flatter me, Lord Soren.”

“Flatter? The one who should be flattered is that puppet little girl. Is this the genius that has been troubling those old guys for so long?”

Soren tugged at the corner of his mouth, “Her grandfather wasn’t as foolish as her. Ansel, how do you plan to deal with her?”

No one knew what had gotten into Ravenna, but everyone except Ansel thought she was done for.

Having murderous intent towards Hydral, and even showing signs of taking action… If Flamelle threw her onto the Etheric Square and turned her into an alchemical potion in front of countless people, it would be considered lenient.

“Well…”

Ansel leaned on his scepter, walked to the puppet that was twitching due to damage and seemed on the verge of collapse, and looked down at her.

“Ravenna.”

The young Hydral sighed softly, “Why bother? Haven’t I told you? You are of no value to me.”

“…”

The light in Ravenna’s puppet eyes dimmed a bit, and the only thing that could ignite that faint light was the great flame of hatred and anger.

Then, Ansel squatted down and whispered to Ravenna:

“Isn’t it better for everyone if you hand those things over to someone more valuable?”

Calm, rational.

The more rational a person is, the more likely they are to have a major breakdown at a point where they can’t control themselves with rationality after repeatedly calming down with rationality.

Ravenna told herself rationally that Ansel had not truly given up his talent and ideals; she told herself rationally that his actions were only trying to make her submit and become his loyal servant; she told herself rationally that Ansel would never side with the Etheric Academy, he would never… never, commit such an unforgivable betrayal.

So now, Ravenna’s rationality has collapsed.

Under such a collapse, what controlled Ravenna’s actions was the madness of a seeker and idealist.

“Changing the world sounds like fun. Alright, I’ll help you.”

“Or… you can help me, Venna.”

In a daze, Ravenna heard the slightly immature but still pleasant voice of the boy in her ear.

And what she really heard in her ear was—

“I’m sorry, I don’t need you anymore, Ravenna.”

“Lord Soren.”

She heard the devil say, “I need your help with a small matter.”

She heard his… vicious and cruel words:

“Help me put Ravenna’s soul into this puppet.”

*