Compared to caring about that insignificant person, the matter at hand was clearly more important.

“You’ve become this proficient already?”

Ansel looked at Ravenna, who was in the midst of forging, with some surprise: “Last time it took you six days to reach this point, and now you’re doing it effortlessly?”

“What do you think I’ve been doing these past three years?”

Ravenna’s tone was indifferent, but the etheric threads she manipulated were incredibly stable, without the slightest deviation, symbolizing that the shaky second-stage sorcerer from three years ago, was long gone.

“If I can’t even produce this piece of armor,” her purple eyes flickered with the flames of the etheric furnace, “then the ideas you’ve piled up at my place would be nothing more than a joke.”

“…Even in the future.”

The current Ravenna could even spare the time to look back at Ansel: “Even if there’s no affection between us, I believe that you will eventually collaborate with me again.”

“In terms of value recognition, you and I are not that different, Hydral.”

“Haven’t you already given up on me?”

Ansel looked at her in surprise: “You’re still considering working with me?”

“Just because you’re not the person I was hoping for doesn’t mean I deny your abilities.”

In the alchemy workshop, the sound of machinery echoed, along with Ravenna’s emotionless words: “To this day, I have never met anyone who can reach your level of thought.”

“On the contrary…”

The flames in the etheric furnace suddenly turned from red to blue, the erupting fire almost licking Ravenna’s face, but she remained unmoved, simply stating:

“On the contrary, I can’t stand working with mediocrity.”

Saying this, she slowly pulled out a block of metal from the furnace. Its surface was covered with irregular patterns, and some blue flames still lingered, making it look quite extraordinary.

“You won’t refuse my request for cooperation, because that’s my value, and you won’t waste it. So even if I no longer have any illusions about you, you’re still a potential collaborator.”

Ravenna’s emotionless declaration of “this is my value” gave Seraphina goosebumps. She couldn’t imagine how extreme a person had to be to consider themselves a bargaining chip, to be weighed on a scale.

“You’re quite optimistic,” Ansel chuckled, “I didn’t make you pay for those ideas before to appease you, because in my eyes, you were the price.”

“But you didn’t pay, dear Miss Ravenna.”

The young Hydral sighed like this, spreading his hands helplessly: “Still want to take those brilliant ideas from me for free?”

“…I can’t afford to pay the price now, but that’s only for now.”

Ravenna tossed the massive piece of metal to Ansel, her voice indifferent: “You even handed over the mechanical armor, which shows you don’t care about the era and future we once discussed.”

“And since they can trade with you, why can’t I? The ability to pay the price is just a matter of time.”

She put her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, pulled at the corner of her mouth, and said with a hint of sarcasm: “After all, you never cared about the ideals and future we once passionately discussed, you never cared about the new era you spoke of.”

“If it’s merely a partnership,” Ravenna paused slightly, her tone becoming somewhat more amicable, “That would be preferable… No, perhaps that is indeed the optimal relationship between us.”

“Oh? No longer interested in becoming my pact head?” Ansel jested.

“There are many ways to become stronger, many methods to further pursue the truth. Being a pact head is merely the most convenient one. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean that I’m helpless, that it’s the end.”

Seraphina, who had been bored to the point of drowsiness, perked up at this, immediately retorting, “Remember, you said this yourself. Don’t shamelessly chase after Ansel for the ring later!”

“Judging by your character,” Ravenna turned to look at Seraphina, “You’re likely the type to shamelessly chase after Hydral for a ring, and thus you assume I would do the same.”

Seraphina, whose mood had just improved, felt her blood pressure spike. Her eye twitched as she took a step forward, “Dare to say that again? Believe it or not, I’ll pin you to the ground and beat you up, and Ansel won’t stop me.”

“…”

Ravenna looked at the smiling Ansel, but said nothing.

— He would agree.

Such a thought rose in her heart.

Hydral would allow this beast’s unreasonable violence because, in Hydral’s eyes, I hold no value equal to hers.

In an instant, Ravenna understood this, and immediately, uncontrollable anger surged from her heart.

Ravenna instinctively wanted to obliterate it in an instant, but at the same time, she had another thought.

A thought that flowed smoothly from her mind, but shouldn’t have appeared at this moment.

In this situation, where Ansel can stir her emotions, denying it would undoubtedly be a mistake — Ravenna thought.

Because he knows she would choose to eliminate all unfavorable emotions, this must be his deliberate design.

Although she doesn’t know why he did this, without a doubt, going against Hydral’s wishes is the right choice.

Moreover… maintaining this emotion, to some extent, is also a motivation for her.

Although she no longer has any expectations for the pact head, but thinking that such a person could receive Hydral’s favor… she has no reason to slack off in any way.

There’s no need to forcibly erase emotions, remember it as a humiliation. As for the surface… continue to maintain the coldness of complete emotional control, let him think that she has done so.

That would be good.

For Ravenna, making such thoughts, judgments, and choices only takes an instant, just like instinctively extinguishing her emotions.

So, Ansel saw that Ravenna’s gaze and expression did not fluctuate at all. His unreasonable favoritism towards Seraphina seemed to have no effect on Ravenna.

In response, Ansel betrayed no emotion, merely tossing the metal in his hand to Seraphina with a smile, “Seraphina, test this.”

“Eh?”

The young girl who received the metal block was slightly taken aback, “Test what?”

“Ravenna’s craftsmanship.”

The tiny metal bug flew out of Ansel’s palm, landing on his shoulder, while Ansel continued, “Try to destroy this thing.”

The entire piece of metal was probably as thick as Seraphina’s fist. If a normal person heard this request, they would basically start to doubt whether Ansel was sane. Fortunately, our Miss Seraphina has never been a normal person, and she will never doubt Ansel’s sanity.

“Destroying things… I’m quite good at that!”

The young girl placed the iron block on the ground. Her dark red eyes, like those of a beast, seemed to reflect only its ordinary appearance, but in reality, they concealed a scene that only she could see.

The power of the Head of Wind captured the flaw in this armor for Seraphina… in an instant. But what surprised Seraphina was that this thing, which Ravenna had made in no time at all, was surprisingly solid and stable. Even Head of Wind could only find a very small weak point.

However, that very small one was enough.

Seraphina slowly exhaled, her breath as hot as steam. She excitedly clenched her fist, and as her muscles tensed, her seemingly slender arm began to exude a sense of power. After arriving in the imperial capital, the wolf had never been this serious. Her eyes boiled with the joy of being able to wield violence at will. She raised her fist high, and then —

She held the air and even the ether in her fist, sweeping up visible waves of air, creating a sonic boom. The howl formed by the torn wind was like the roar of a wild beast, and then it hit hard on the “armor” crafted by Ravenna!

Ravenna didn’t know that a dull sound could be deafening.

–>