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"What\'s the matter?" he asked with a light laugh, "Do you remember the night you broke with me? Do you remember the betrayal you so despise, and why it happened?"

"... No, I, Ansel... Father."

The diminutive scholar struggled to crawl to Ansel\'s side, clutching at his trouser leg.

Ravenna Ziegler, who disdained all the genius sorcerers of the empire and could exchange inspiration and ideas with a fifth-stage sorcerer, had never been so disheveled.

But this time, it seemed she was not just disheveled; she wasn\'t doing this because she had no choice.

Because Miss puppet was afraid.

Only with loss can one appreciate what is precious. Ravenna often missed the days when Ansel was by her side, when they were so in tune that any problem could be easily solved.

But this nostalgia was just that—nostalgia. For the very realistic Ravenna, everything that happened three years ago had passed, and the current Ansel would not be willing to lend a hand, so there was no point in dwelling on these memories.

But now, at this moment, having experienced Ansel\'s tenderness, care, and especially his profound and clear insights into the realm of change that she had never ventured into or understood, Ravenna... simply couldn\'t let go.

Ravenna cannot afford to lose Ansel now.

Without him, she would have to face the terror alone, the terror of not understanding herself, of having no basis for empathy with the commoners despite her desire to change the empire and pursue her ideals, the ultimate void that negates her reason for existence.

At this moment, Ravenna even forgets that her current predicament is a reality crafted by Ansel\'s own hands.

"Let me at least..." The pain of recovering memories still furrowed Ravenna\'s brow as she spoke with great difficulty, "Let me at least… accompany you... until the end of this game."

Ansel looked down at the pitiful doll clutching his trouser leg and sighed softly, "You are truly too weak to bear, Ravenna."

Despite his words, a smile appeared on Ansel\'s face.

"Fine, I agree. Until the game is over, you can stay by my side. But don\'t expect me to play house with you like before."

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He lifted Ravenna\'s delicate and light body, speaking with relish:

"On the contrary, I want to see you recognize yourself once again, to see just how shallow, how... void you are."

Thus, their brief journey began.

Their first stop was a relatively prosperous domain within the Watson territory, which had a decent foundation.

Here, the influence of the Pelican Trading Commerce was not overwhelming, and a few local commerce associations were barely protecting the food industry from being destroyed by the Pelican\'s terrifying dumping. But they were already stretched thin.

"The president of this commerce is a rare good businessman."

Outside an open-air café in the upper city district, Ansel gently swirled his drink, watching a middle-aged man making a speech on the roadside, and said leisurely, "Even though the farmers\' grains can hardly be sold, he is still using his own money to support them, trying to hedge against the Pelican Commerce\'s grains with lower prices.

This indeed has slowed down the complete destruction of the local food industry, but how long can he hold out?"

"Look, Ravenna."

Ansel said with a radiant smile: "A merchant with a conscience, in this world, is even rarer than a noble with a conscience. Maybe in a few days, he will go bankrupt because of his protective actions towards the farmers."

"Oh right, he\'s just an individual in the grand scheme of things, an individual who can be sacrificed... let\'s ignore him, shall we?"

Ravenna watched the haggard merchant on the roadside, who hoarsely called out for people to help the local farmers, saying "they have provided you with food" for a long time, until finally, she silently lowered her eyes.

The individual who is sacrificed... is not worth considering.

Towards the end of their journey, Ravenna heard from Ansel that the businessman had died.

He died amidst a conflict between the public and the farmers. The farmers complained that after years of hard work, they received no gratitude and were discarded like trash, while the public believed there was nothing wrong with buying cheap, high-quality grains, and that the farmers\' inability to produce was their own problem.

The contradiction between the two erupted one day, leading to an uncontrollable situation. The businessman went to the scene to mediate and ultimately died in the chaos.

Upon their second stop, they arrived at a remarkably barren minor lord\'s city, the most desolate place Ravenna had ever laid eyes on.

Astonishingly, there was not a single trace of the Pelican Trading Commerce to be found, nor were there any signs of the grains sold throughout the Watson territory.

"So, you\'re unaware of whom the farmers\' lands rightfully belong to, right?"

Ansel of Hydral jeered at Ravenna from atop the city walls.

"Some farmers manage to secure a considerable degree of autonomy, allowing them to independently transact with grain merchants and trading associations. This is possible because their lords have no intention of meddling with the farmlands, opting instead for the collection of basic taxes."

"However, theoretically speaking..."

The young Hydral gazed distantly at the opulent fortress standing amidst the barren city, his eyes briefly betraying a flicker of disdain.

"The farmlands of the peasants belong to the lord who rules over their village. He has the authority to dictate the use of the grains produced, with the peasants merely serving as his labor force. In such a scenario... the grains themselves become his property."

"Even if the Pelican Trading Commerce could offer substantial tax revenues, possibly even more than what he could earn by selling the grains himself, how could a lord, driven by sheer selfishness and a voracious desire for control, allow the existence of something that not only devalues his property but also completely undermines his control over the common folk?"

To prevent unfair competition? Very well, then let there be no competition at all, by outright denying the Pelican Trading Commerce any opportunity to establish itself within his domain.

"That\'s why I say, do you truly believe everyone can be well-fed?"

Ansel caressed Ravenna\'s cheek, looking into her vacant and dim purple eyes, and spoke leisurely, "I find it hard to believe that with your capabilities, you couldn\'t foresee this possibility. You are simply... unaware."

"Yes, you are merely unaware of how the world operates, yet you dream of enacting change... Pfft, haha, I mean no offense, dear Ravenna, I just find it amusing."

Miss puppet\'s already somber eyes darkened further.

You know nothing, yet you presume to change everything.

Ansel mercilessly exposed this void, offering no comfort, nor guidance to Ravenna, merely unveiling the very thing she dared not confront.

"Ah, right, I remember asking you, what should you do when faced with someone who obstructs your path, correct?"

Ansel, looking towards the castle within the lord\'s city, suddenly spoke with an expectant look and a bright smile.

"Come."

The young Hydral took Ravenna\'s hand, adorned with a bracelet, "Show me."

Ravenna remained silent as she raised her hand, from which the micro bugs — Nidhoggur emerged, transforming into a sniper rifle.

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