NOVEL WEB Chapter 294: You are Born for This - I
Yuktreshil, the Etheric Academy's headquarter.
During this tumultuous period in the imperial capital, the grand sorcerer's tower seemed to be teeming with activity.
The legacy of the Duke of Luminaris and the Luminaris family, preserved for three centuries… was coveted even by the affluent Alchemy Association, not to mention the myriad of enigmatic figures within the Tower of Babel and beyond.
In this affair, due to the Duke's "oversight," the Etheric Academy, now controlling nearly all of the Duke's inheritance, found themselves in a position where the assets were not easily divided.
The Etheric Academy held the most direct claim, but the other two grand dukes from the southern territories, eager to carve up the Luminaris estate, were not to be underestimated.
The Alchemy Association unearthed a substantial debt, ready to exploit the chaos for profit, while the mercenary group, the Zero Explorers, embodied the spirit of dedicated troublemakers, pledging allegiance to the highest bidder.
Amidst this, internal factional struggles within the Etheric Academy were evident, signaling their desperation.
Thus, it was unsurprising that some were so anxious to curry favor with Ansel of Hydral that they would even bow to the Tower of Babel.
"So, among these three, which one has the lady chosen?"
Ravenna, with her hands tucked into her lab coat, walked alongside Ronger, followed by a group of excited scholars from the Tower of Babel.
"The Phase Traveller, Barnes Catena."
"…Him? I thought you would choose the Duke of Magus Primus."
The fertile southern territories were governed by four superior beings. Among them, the smallest yet most prosperous and idyllic domain within the empire belonged to Hydral, while the other territories were divided among the Dukes of Luminaris, Arboro, and Magus Primus.
With the Duke of Luminaris deceased, the Dukes of Arboro and Magus Primus were naturally locked in fierce competition. However, The Duke of Arboro's stance was not as straightforward as that of the Duke of Magus Primus, who was one of the nine supreme seats of the Etheric Academy, while Arboro is from Alchemy Association.
The Duke of Magus Primus, bolstered by his dual status as a grand duke and a member of the supreme nine, was theoretically the most likely to secure the lion's share.
For this reason, he faced the most severe factional opposition within the Etheric Academy. A fifth-stage faction might not dare to confront a grand duke directly, but several, coupled with the machinations of the Duke of Arboro, meant that the Duke of Magus Primus was in a precarious position.
However, this precisely highlighted the importance of the "assistance" offered by the Tower of Babel. Let's not forget that… the actual ruler of Hydral's domain, the young Ansel of Hydral, could easily reach the lands of the Duke of Luminaris. With his support, the Duke of Magus Primus could potentially reverse his fortunes, and the Tower of Babel could perfectly demonstrate its "value."
If it were for the sake of the Tower of Babel, accepting the goodwill of the Duke of Magus Primus would seem to be the better choice. Ronger, a clever woman, would not fail to see this.
"I understand your thoughts, Ravenna."
Ronger said softly, "But after much consideration, I've concluded that we should not act with undue haste."
"Although to everyone, the Tower of Babel seems to be under the purview of Lord Ansel, this does not mean we should willingly brand ourselves with such a mark—we… exist not for any one individual, Ravenna."
"…So you plan to minimize the strong association between the Tower of Babel and Ansel?"
Ravenna's brow furrowed slightly. "Ronger… this is a perilous course. Our current status and resources are due to Ansel. If you entertain such thoughts, it could bring us considerable trouble."
She spoke these words through a spell, audible only to Ronger, who simply smiled and replied, "We all hold Lord Ansel in high esteem, but respect for him does not preclude our independence. Lord Ansel is not Her Highness, the Elder Princess; he is willing to grant us autonomy, so why should we insist on becoming his vassals?"
"Moreover, seeking to increase our influence in such a manner is not a legitimate act, and Lord Ansel would not appreciate us leveraging his power so casually, would he?"
It was peculiar.
Just this morning, Ronger had agreed to Ravenna's plan to contact Ansel, to have him demonstrate his regard for the Tower of Babel, thereby providing it with a more compelling bargaining chip.
Although Ronger's current line of thought was in character for Ravenna, it was curious how she could have adopted such a diametrically opposite approach… in such a short span of time.
"Have you ever considered the issue from a contrary perspective?"
"Madam."
Ravenna's gaze sharpened slightly, "Is that truly your only thought?"
Ronger was taken aback, then laughed involuntarily, "What other reason could there be? Am I acquainted with the Phase Traveller?"
She noticed Ravenna's peculiarity. After laughing, she asked quite seriously, "Or do you think there's a problem, Ravenna?"
"...No, I just feel that your thoughts have changed too quickly. This morning, you didn't think this way."
"Oh, that..." The dignified and elegant lady seemed thoughtful, "This morning, while preparing lecture materials, I had a chat with a young man. His thoughts were similar, and I suppose I was inspired by him."
Ravenna paused slightly, but it was only for a moment, and she didn't show any unusual reaction.
"That young man, is he your assistant, or..."
"No, it was just a casual conversation when he passed by. He's probably a newcomer who hasn't been with us for long." Ronger chuckled.
By now, Ravenna had understood.
Without a doubt, this was the doing of the mysterious chess player who hadn't "shown up" for a long time.
Some factions within the Etheric Academy were trying to bow to the Tower of Babel to win over Ansel.Ansel knew she wouldn't miss such an opportunity to significantly elevate the status of the Tower of Babel, so she had already set a price, waiting for her to pay.
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