Chapter 86 The End of Childhood - Two (III)


    "Everyone... everyone, listen to me." Seraphina''s lips trembled incessantly, her nails digging into her palms. She maintained the smile on her face and the confidence that had been so hard to ignite, trying her best to raise her voice: "We don''t need that guy... I mean, we don''t need Hydral, I can do it, I can help everyone live better, right? By relying on ourselves, with our own hands, we can also be better!" The surrounding noise quieted down, everyone was looking at Seraphina. Still relief, peace, suchforting and peaceful eyes. —But they were like... ruthless ice knives…dissecting Seraphina''s personality. "That''s great... Seri has really grown up, she''s considering for Lord Hydral, Lord Hydral will be very happy if he knows." "Relying on ourselves, hmm... it''s a good idea, we might as well do as Seri said, support ourselves for a while, and tell Lord Hydral after a while, maybe the effect will be better! Seri will definitely be more perfect in Lord Hydral''s eyes!" "Ah? But I don''t want to freeze, the big cold wave just passed, it''s too cold these days, I can''t stand it." "Shut up! Gleipnir, this is for Seri''s good, and for everyone''s good! Understand!" "Hmm... should we vote on it?" "What''s there to vote on, let Seri decide! Seri, your idea is very good, don''t worry about everyone suffering, you''ve brought so much to everyone, made the vige so much better, what''s a little hardship for us? Don''t worry, everyone will definitely make you better in Lord Hydral''s eyes!" "Yes, everyone will help you!" That passion that seemed to ignite the snowyer was so real, everyone was watching Seraphina intently, watching this big girl who hade out of their vige and brought a better life for the vige and everyone. They were willing, unconditionally willing to help Seraphina, willing to contribute their insignificant strength, how warm and beautiful, how touching. Seraphina was surrounded by such passion and kindness, she must be happy, right—every viger thought so with joy and pride. Even though Seraphina was already so prominent, they, these ordinary people, could also help this good child, how wonderful! Seraphina stood there nkly, hot tears streaming down her face non-stop. "Hey, hey, don''t cry, Seri... this is what everyone should do." Rhiannon clumsily wiped away Seraphina''s tears, feeling her own eyes welling up. Emotion is always contagious, Seraphina was moved to tears by their passion and sincerity, how couldRhiannon not be deeply moved by Seraphina''s unconditional trust and dedication to them? She hugged Seraphina tightly, saying with absolute certainty: "It''s okay, everyone will help you, no matter how much hardship we have to endure, we ept it." "As long as you be the best person in Lord Hydral''s eyes, the best helper, then everything is worth it." "If Lord Hydral is proud of you, Seri, you must be very happy too!" "Ah... ah..." The wolf, surrounded by love, uttered meaningless sybles so pale and hollow, as if she was intoxicated in this moment of happiness, unable to extricate herself.


    * n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ansel was engaged in a discourse on literature and drama with Professor Polonia. "Ah, this Cleophere, I have a vague recollection of him."


    The young man stroked the book cover, pondered for a moment, and then quickly realized, "Ah, I remember now, the famous ywright who was the talk of the capital thirteen years ago... only to beter discovered as a revolutionary and publicly executed in the Blue me Square."


    Polonia''s fingers trembled slightly, she fell silent for a moment, and surprisingly asked a question unrted to literature.


    "Lord Hydral, did you just refer to the rebels as... the revolutionary?"


    "Hmm?" Ansel looked up, "Is there a problem? If I remember correctly, that''s what they called themselves."


    "Even so, but... your way of addressing them." Polonia seemed to be reminding Ansel, she tactfully said, "It could cause trouble."


    Ansel, while flipping through the pages,ughed heartily, "Hydral is not so weak. But in front of those old fossils, I will make the right choice of address, because they are troublesome and disgusting."


    "As for me personally, I quite like the term ''revolution'' and the name ''New World'' that the revolutionary army calls itself."


    "A healthy nation needs to amodate different voices, doesn''t it?"


    Under the bright gaze of Professor Polonia, Ansel casually said, "As long as they haven''t done anything too radical, I will still choose to call them the revolutionary army. Hmm... by the way, Professor Polonia, have you studied the revolutionary army?"


    The professor was startled and quickly shook her head, "No, no, how could I understand this... I am just... just a schr."


    "Ah, sorry, I forgot that you don''t study sociology. Oh... Frost Tower doesn''t seem to have this discipline either, hehe, forget what I said."


    Ansel continued to flip through the pages, casually saying, "I do have some research on them, of course, only a little. ording to my investigation, there seems to be signs of division within the revolutionary army."


    "..." Professor Polonia didn''t speak, trying to y the part of a listener.


    "Although the primary goal of both factions is to end the rule of mefeast, their actions after the end of the emperor''s rule arepletely different."


    "One faction is led by well-educated intellectuals with high moral standards. They advocate reforming the empire from top to bottom, abolishing the aristocracy, breaking the monopoly of extraordinary knowledge, and trying to elevate the entire empire, pushing society forward. As far as I know, many of them are nobles themselves, or control a lot of resources... It''s remarkable that those who benefit can have such awareness."


    "The other faction is led by people who have been oppressed by the empire and poisoned by the rule of the nobility. They advocate theplete destruction of all systems of the empire and the establishment of a new, oppression-free nation on the ruins. Compared to the former, theyck a stable and practical guiding program, seem tock visionary leaders, but they have arge base, strong power, and..."


    Ansel closed the book with a "bang", looked at Polonia with a smile that wasn''t quite a smile, "They are somewhat, unscrupulous, right?"


    "I... what you said... ah! I''m not, not very clear."


    Polonia''s eyes dodged, after all, Ansel''s words seemed to be hinting at Polonia''s identity.


    And for a professor who only studies academics and has almost no social activities, it''s normal to be afraid of the big hat ofthe empire''s executioner is putting on her.


    "Hehe, sorry, when ites to these social topics, I tend to be a bit verbose, you know... young people are like that."


    Ansel breezily moved on from the topic, "Let''s talk about literature and drama again... yes, we were talking about Mr. Cleophere.. his death was quite dramatic, wasn''t it?"


    Polonia steadied herself, "This... I have some impression, the exposure of this ywright seemed to be because his wife didn''t sleep normally one night, but prepared ate-night snack for him. As a result, that day, fer happened to bring arade who was almost exposed into his house to hide, and then..."


    "And then his wife discovered his identity." Ansel sighed and shook his head, "The dramatic part is that Cleophere''s deeply loving wife, unwilling to expose her husband''s identity, but afraid that she couldn''t keep the secret, chose... tomit suicide."


    "Her suicide attracted the attention of the ck Matrix, and with the little help of Hydral, um... that''s my father, the soldiers of the ck Matrix arrested Cleophere and executed him in the Blue me Square."


    Polonia was silent, seemingly also feelingplicated about the dramatic end of this ywright and revolutionary.


    "Love, huh."


    The young Hydral gazed out the window, he sighed like this, but the corners of his mouth were rising, as if he saw something... a breathtaking view that only he could appreciate.


    *


    Seraphina Marlowe, in the eyes of the man she loved, was strong and promising.


    But it wasn''t because she had the power to change the world.


    It was because she was a vassal of Hydral.


    For the proud wolf, what could be a more cruel love in this world?


    Seraphina, my dear Seraphina.


    The devil chuckled contentedly in his heart.


    How could I possibly use despicable, lowly, unscrupulous means to hurt your family, your friends, and you, whom I cherish the most?


    How could I possibly be so desperate as to use such means to coerce you, to force you back to me?


    I don''t want to hurt you anymore.


    So, let your family and friends love you on my behalf.


    Let countless loves surround you, let those loves destroy your self, your self-esteem, your self-confidence—


    Destroy the dignity and value that you regard as life, as all.