“Therefore…”

Ansel’s gaze shifted to Suellen’s innocent and charming face, “The order of the empire lies solely in the will of the empress. If the empress wishes for the empire to improve, it will improve, and vice versa. Hence—”

“Princess Suellen’s actions can be deemed meaningless, unable to change anything, and she is well aware of this.”

“Right?”

Ansel tilted his head, smiling at Suellen, “Your Highness?”

“…Lord Ansel,” Suellen calmly responded, as a pure, gracious youngprincess, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. If you are unwilling to assist me, then I will retract my previous—”

“Why would Princess Suellen, knowing all this, risk offending our dear Elder Princess Evor, and even commit the heinous act of falsely transmitting the empress’s decree, just to halt the mass production of the floating cannon?”

Ansel interrupted Suellen’s words. His words, sharp as a blade, mercilessly dissected the young princess’s self in an instant.

“Because she… she wants to offend the Elder Princess.”

“— Lord Parla,” he suddenly said, “The following conversation is not suitable for you. Please step out for a while.”

“…”

Parla remained silent for a moment, then whispered to Ansel, “Ansel, I don’t know what you’re planning, but… Princess Suellen’s intentions are genuine. She truly wishes to put an end to this absurd tide.”

After uttering these words, his figure vanished from the office.

“Well, now we can talk more freely,” Ansel nodded in satisfaction, “There’s no need for you to pretend anymore, right, Princess Suellen?”

“Lord Ansel,” Suellen let out a weak sigh, shaking her head, “I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Please don’t put any more pressure on me.”

“Is that so?”

The young Hydral raised his eyebrows slightly, turning to look at the girl beside him.

“Seraphina, if your mother hates something from the bottom of her heart, what would you do?”

“Of course, I would remove that thing from her sight, or even wipe it out!”

Seraphina answered without hesitation, “That would solve the problem.”

“Your mother would be very happy, and the thing she despises would also be something you despise. This would make both of you happier, right?”

“Of course, it would be very… huh?”

Seraphina also sensed something unusual.

This analogy, simple enough for even a dog to understand, gradually wiped the smile off Suellen’s face.

Until it completely turned into, cold indifference.

“Lord Ansel,” she said, her voice devoid of any fluctuations, “There should be no discord between us.”

“There wasn’t before,” Ansel chuckled, “But there was after you terminated the mass production of the floating cannons.”

“…You’re siding with her?”

Suellen furrowed her brows slightly, “You should not be able to tolerate my sister’s vile character.”

“No, I never take sides. I only stand for myself.”

Compared to Suellen’s increasingly solemn demeanor, Ansel seemed utterly relaxed, “It’s the same this time.”

“You need me to lift the Alchemy Association’s restrictions on the mass production of floating cannons.” Suellen understood Ansel’s intentions immediately, “But Lord Ansel, what can you offer for this?”

Although it sounded foolish to negotiate with Ansel at this point, it precisely demonstrated Suellen’s courage.

Because to some extent… she was truly representing the empress in this matter.

The aging monarch detested the successor who was constantly hoping for her demise, and her growing influence.

The existence of firearms had already greatly expanded Evora’s already substantial power. If the floating cannons produced under Evora’s command were also mass-produced… the Elder Princess’s influence in the empire would undoubtedly reach its peak.

Ephesande, the one who could not choose to kill Evora, and who was also unwilling to see Evora’s power grow— even though she was now clinging to life, unwilling to die, she was still the supreme ruler of this empire.

How could she tolerate someone so arrogantly and continuously encroaching on her authority under her watch?

At this point, someone needed to step forward to solve this problem for our empress.

“I can assure you that I will not interfere with any of your future plans or actions. If necessary, I can even help you— of course, for a price.”

Ansel, with a light laugh, made his second seemingly unequal trade after returning to the capital, “As long as you restart the production of the second generation of floating cannons.”

The political creature adept at disguising stared at Ansel for a long time, then nodded slightly.

“Alright, I agree.”

“In terms of decisiveness, you are on par with Lord Evora,” Ansel said cheerfully, looking into her eyes, “But, Lord Suellen, you need to think it through.

Although you have Her Majesty’s protection, and Lord Evora won’t rashly do anything to you, the moment Her Majesty passes away, no matter how much you try to weaken her power, the first person she will settle scores with when she puts on the crown will definitely be you.”

“But she is not yet, she does not yet possess the power to decide everything.” Suellen said calmly, “My mother, is not yet dead.”

“Before that end comes—”

The young princess, unwilling to accept a fate determined by bloodline, locked eyes with Ansel, as if to boost the confidence of her future ally:

“Anything is possible, Mr. Ansel.”

She paused, then once again lifted her skirt to curtsy to Ansel.

“Then, I hope you can get what you need, Lord Ansel. And I hope you can keep your promise.”

“Of course,” Ansel responded with a smile, “I always keep my word.”

“I do not deny that.”

Suellen nodded, then after a brief silence, asked another question, “Forgive my boldness, this floating cannon production line that is meaningless to you… why are you so insistent on starting it?”

“Why?”

The wicked Hydral half-closed his eyes, he just smiled and didn’t speak, but the slight waving of his scepter, like a conductor’s slow swing, was enough to show his pleasure at the moment.

Of course, it was to let a certain genius lady… slide into an abyss from which she could never escape.

*