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Her voice chilled suddenly, a bone-deep coldness that seemed out of character for the eternally gentle and beautiful lady.

"One day, he informed me that he was to depart from the imperial capital."

Annelisa\'s gaze met Ravenna\'s, the emotions brimming in her eyes too intense for Ravenna to bear.

"Ans, he spared any superfluous words," the woman\'s voice was barely audible as the flower in her hand visibly withered and died.

"But I felt it... he had given up, he had lost all hope."

"He was in profound sorrow."

"In that moment, I truly contemplated whether I should end you, little Ziegler."

"You inflicted pain upon my son, and I had no interest in right or wrong, only in venting my fury."

The once tranquil flower field seemed to morph into a battlefield lined with swords, the emanating hostility and murderous intent rendering Ravenna\'s body rigid.

"Yet, I lack the right to act on such impulses. This was Ans\'s choice, and I shall not interfere with his thoughts, even though I harbor an intense, overwhelming loathing for you."

"I despise that you claim to be his comrade, yet failed to offer assistance when he needed it most. I ponder whether things would have been different had you stood by his side then. Would he be willing to… sit here with me today?"

"... But once I extricated myself from the grip of rage," Annelisa sighed, "I realized that blaming you was illogical. You, too, were a victim, albeit in my eyes, the harm Ans suffered was far more severe."

The oppressive aura dissipated as if it had never existed, and the flower field remained, as idyllic as a dream.

"Little Ziegler, do you think that my desire for solitude with you is driven by a need to criticize, to vent the frustrations in my heart?" Annelisa inquired with a gentle tone.

"I... You don\'t seem to be that kind of person," Ziegler hesitantly responded.

Clutching her fists tightly, Ravenna\'s body trembled slightly as she spoke with a hoarse voice, "But if indeed you harbored such thoughts, I... I would find joy in it."

Annelisa smiled reassuringly, "It appears you have endured much turmoil during this period, which is commendable. It signifies that Ans\'s affections were not entirely misplaced. Fear not, little Ziegler, my presence here is not to criticize you."

"On the contrary, I am here... to seek your assistance."

Ravenna looked towards Annelisa, bewildered, "My... assistance?"

"Upon seeing you, I realized that Ans exploited little Seraphina\'s birthday as a means to tame you, did he not?"

Ravenna seemed to grasp Annelisa\'s implication, lowering her head and softly replying, "I was merely incidental."

"Incidental? There is no such thing as incidental, little Ziegler."

Annelisa shook her head, "Ans truly adores Seraphina, deeply. For her birthday, a day of such significance, he orchestrated numerous arrangements, striving for perfection, not permitting any flaws."

"And yet, on such a day, he chose to use it as a means to tame you, to mar such a pure day with flaws, how could that be incidental?"

"You wish to tell me, that Ansel cares—"

Mid-sentence, Ravenna suddenly stopped.

Even with such love, such affection for Seraphina, Ansel chose to use her birthday to tame me, even if it was incidental.

Is this Ansel caring for me, valuing me? No... no, this is, this is him—

"It\'s proof that he… can exploit even this emotion," Ravenna murmured.

"It\'s an unconscious exploitation," Annelisa corrected, "In Ans\'s eyes, it doesn\'t count as exploitation, just as you said, incidental, but in reality... it is exploitation."

"He has already been willing to sacrifice his own feelings as part of the bargain, and it has become instinctual, seen as a matter of course."

Ravenna\'s body began to tremble incessantly.

Another more potent, irrefutable evidence was laid before her.

Ansel of Hydral, a future divine species, what could possibly require his sacrifice? What could compel him to make such a sacrifice? It seemed impossible.

Yet, the reality was such, even to the extent that... this exploitation, this sacrifice, had become Ansel\'s habit, his... instinct.

So ingrained that he didn\'t even realize what he was sacrificing, simply taking it for granted.

To develop such an instinct, what choices, what sacrifices had Ansel made?

Could it be that long before meeting her, he was already like this?

"Ugh... Ah!"

Ravenna\'s stomach convulsed violently, if that was the case... then as Annelisa said, at the moment Ansel decided to sever ties with her, just how much... how much pain did he endure?

"Little Ziegler."

Annelisa steadied Ravenna\'s shoulders, her voice a gentle whisper.

"I share this not to burden you with guilt towards Ans, nor to ask for your loyalty anew, for such remorse will not beget loyalty, and I surmise your allegiance is not so easily bought."

"I merely wish to let you know… the hardships Ans has endured, and his need for someone\'s aid."

"I, alongside Mel, yearn to undertake this task, yet Ans conceals his troubles from us, leaving us to watch, powerless."

"Should you truly be his companion, one who comprehends his plight... even if your loyalty to him wavers, even if in your eyes, there are matters of greater importance than him."

Annelisa\'s gaze pierced into Ravenna\'s eyes, articulating each word with gravity, "I, too, hope you might assist him, to prevent his further descent into this abyss."

"This is my entreaty to you, as a mother."

Turning away, her eyes met the endless expanse of the floral sea, and with a visage of tender youth surfacing in her mind, she murmured sorrowfully:

"How I long to see him bestow upon me a sincere smile once more."

"Even if just once."

*