YM778.TV Chapter 363: A Game in which Nobody Hurts - I
Moreover… he was aware of the truth, that lay concealed beneath all external appearances.
Although Eileen had passed away, his legacy strangely remained intact, barely untouched by the greedy predators that lurked within the capital.
He bequeathed the Ziegler Manor to Ravenna, along with a fortune vast enough to last ten lifetimes. The alchemical heritage, however, was entrusted to his most faithful student, Hendrik, serving as the foundational resource for the construction of the Tower of Babel.
Even though Ravenna rejected the Ziegler Manor and the fortune, which she deemed meaningless and tainted with her grandfather\'s blood, she still had the unwavering support of Hendrik, Ronger, and other steadfast followers of Eileen.
Living with them, despite a life devoid of luxury and akin to asceticism, she never truly encountered the hardships of the world. It would be more accurate to say that… from her childhood to the present, Ravenna\'s life was solely dedicated to learning and research, far removed from the sufferings of the common folk and even normal societal interactions.
She aspired to change the world, but what exactly did she wish to alter?
Ansel\'s question cut to the heart of the matter, offering Ravenna a clear choice.
— That is, Ravenna Ziegler was indifferent to the plight of the empire\'s commoners; her sole concern was whether the world could undergo a transformation, whether a "bright future" could be realized through the use of extraordinary and the ether power, nothing more.
She had never considered the repercussions of such a transformation, the true nature of that future, or the impact on the empire\'s commoners amidst such monumental changes… never.
However, this choice offered by Ansel was also incorrect, as Ravenna, under the guise of Helen, had recently criticized Ronger\'s weakness, believing their ideals would ultimately fail to benefit the common people.
If this was also mistaken… then what exactly was Ravenna Ziegler, as an individual, as an existence, "pursuing"?
The answer is, indeed, nothing.
The young Hydral, with his ability to see through fate and the future, had already perceived the essence of the present Ravenna.
Beneath her absolute rationality was a determination that was both coldly obsessive and transparently void.
Just as Seraphina, who had never experienced such hell, was considered foolish and presumptuous, Ravenna, who had not wandered the world after the fall of the Tower of Babel, was an idealist with significant flaws.
"..."
Houses flanking the road were adorned with multicolored stone bricks, each marred by various stains and cracks, while their wooden surfaces were overrun with dark green mold. The desolate streets were permeated with the putrid stench Ansel had mentioned earlier, drawing curious glances from passersby who quickly retreated in timidity.
Their attire was not shabby but rather modestly normal, their faces devoid of any numb or pained expressions, indicating a life of normalcy —
Merely getting by in a city where every corner revealed decay and poverty, a reflection of the commoners\' current state under the empire.
Upon witnessing this, Ravenna did not feel an immediate surge of determination but was instead engulfed in confusion.
"This is the reality of the empire, dear little Helen."
In her moment of blankness, Ansel wrapped his arm around Miss puppet\'s shoulder, whispering in her ear, "This is the place you wish to change."
Now would have been the perfect opportunity to press on, as Ravenna\'s hesitation and trembling were visibly apparent, yet Ansel chose not to.
Instead… he offered Ravenna a moment to catch her breath.
"So, let\'s play a game."
He suggested with a smile, as if the previous topic was merely casual conversation.
"A game? Yes, yes... a game," Ravenna replied, her breathing becoming more rapid, her voice trembling.
Ansel\'s sudden proposal was like a lifeline, pulling her from the depths of her extreme doubts, suggesting that regardless of the topic Ansel diverted to, Ravenna was likely to instinctively agree.
Anything to momentarily pull her from the void was welcome.
"Since we\'ve seen the Watson territory, let\'s now visit the Spirity Lake territory."
The Spirity Lake territory... wasn\'t it already merged, no, destroyed due to the Grand Duke of Arboro\'s experiments? How could it be... wait, is it about visiting Hydral\'s domain?
Ravenna quickly shifted her focus to the topic Ansel was now discussing, yet the void\'s shadow still lingered in her mind.
["Why do you chase after these empty illusions?" ]
This question haunted her like a devil, a ghost, an indelible nightmare, impossible to ignore despite Ravenna\'s attempts, whispering in her mind.
Ansel, holding Ravenna\'s hand, took in her intense emotional turmoil and struggle, finding some pleasure in it, but that was all.
As a tamer, he was acutely aware of one thing more than anyone else: the current progress of the situation. Only by understanding this could he ensure that he made the most appropriate arrangements for the subsequent stages.
This father-daughter game, in Ansel\'s eyes, was merely a prelude. He was keenly aware of one fact—that no matter how much Ravenna wavered, her pursuit of change was absolutely genuine and without falsehood.
Just as Seraphina had committed many foolish acts, at the heart of it all, she was driven by her exceedingly simple view of right and wrong; Ravenna\'s current inability to recognize the origin of her quest did not mean that her thoughts of pursuit were false.
Now was not the time for a rash attack, especially since in this taming process, what Ansel sought was not merely destruction.
Moreover, Ansel never harbored the ludicrous fantasy of destroying a person\'s beliefs and character with mere conversation without sufficient groundwork.
The young Hydral gently caressed the delicate hand, and suddenly, a whistle appeared in his other hand. He placed the whistle to his lips and blew gently. The sound was unremarkable, but Ravenna faintly sensed a specific etheric fluctuation from the whistle\'s sound.
"Such a small domain\'s teleportation array certainly can\'t take us directly to the Spirity Lake."
Ansel, as if completely discarding the previous topic, smiled and winked, "Have you ever experienced the sensation of flight, Helen?"
"...What?"
Ravenna, slightly dazed, had just spoken when the veil on her face trembled slightly, and within a second or two, it began to flutter.
Her clothes shook uncontrollably, and her unbound hair began to sway because... a fierce wind was sweeping through the sky!
Amidst the screams of the bystanders, the violent gale, like a towering tidal wave, swept up everything on the ground. Ravenna instinctively looked up and saw the dark shadow blocking the sun, the source of the gale, plummeting down rapidly.
Whoosh—!
When it landed, the endless gale instantly subsided, and even the most ferocious and violent flow of air seemed to be under its control.
It was a gigantic falcon with wings spread wide enough to eclipse the sun!
"Long time no see, Falcon."
Ansel reached out to touch its massive head, "Still busy with that task? You haven\'t visited the imperial city in a while."
"Yes, I\'m still searching for what the master needs."
The giant bird did not speak, but its voice flowed with the air into the ears of Ansel and Ravenna, "It would be too rude to just see you and leave, so I decided to carry out the master\'s orders."
"You have a mission to fulfill, so there\'s no need to visit me," Ansel said with a smile, "However, I must trouble you to carry us for a journey. I need to return to my domain, specifically, to the newly incorporated Spirity Lake."
"Understood, young lord."
The falcon gently bowed its head, lowering its body to allow Ansel to climb onto it, but in the moment it lowered its head, Ravenna locked eyes with its noble, holy azure eyes.
It was but an instant... perhaps even shorter, yet Ravenna knew she had been completely seen through.
For the being gazing at her was the overseer soaring in the sky, the spirit beast that understood all, the unbound azure gale, the head of wind of Flamelle.
Externally, it was referred to as "Lokarthbyr," meaning the secret observer, but the Hydral family and other pact heads simply called it falcon for simplicity.
"Young lord."
Strangely, the ethereal voice sounded again, easily seeing through Ravenna, the current head of wind, yet asked, "May I have your permission to look again at this girl by your side?"
Ansel smiled, "It\'s fine, Helen won\'t mind, right, my daughter?"
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