A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 292: The Devil’s Test Soon Arrives - II

Ravenna's thought process was as clear as ever. She quickly redefined her goals and planned to take immediate action.

As she finished her contemplation and was about to open the storage locker, the bell at the entrance of the Alchemy Workshop suddenly rang, indicating someone's request to enter.

"Open the door," Ravenna calmly said, reaching out to open the storage locker as the workshop door opened.

Boom—

"Ravenna, do you have any free time…?"

Ronger, who heard a strange noise, looked at Ravenna, who was pressed against the storage locker door, with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?"

"...Nothing, ma'am."

Ravenna calmly closed the storage locker door, carefully pulled out the open-crotch white stockings that had slipped out of the door gap, and stuffed them into the pocket of her top. "What can I do for you?"

Although Ronger was puzzled, she didn't think much of it. The lady, who had a high reputation in the Tower of Babel and was also a disciple of Eileen, smiled, "The Etheric Academy is seeking peace with us."

This news stunned Ravenna for two seconds.

"The Etheric Academy... is seeking peace?" She repeated Ronger's words, "Are you sure, madam?"

"I can't say that everyone is seeking peace with us."

Ronger flicked her hair with her hand, and the woman, who hadn't been so radiant in a long time, smiled brightly, "But, this is indeed good news."

"The sanctions imposed by Her Majesty seem to have affected many. The death of Duke of Luminaris has plunged the Etheric Academy into serious factional chaos. Many high-ranking sorcerers who were abroad have returned to the Etheric Academy, most likely to divide the resources of the grand duke's lineage."

The inheritance of a fifth-stage extraordinary being, along with the still-existing grand duke's status, would not be so blatantly devoured and divided by others, no matter how he died.

But unfortunately... this poor and unlucky grand duke died by offending our great empress. Those countless jackals and tigers wouldn't pretend to be reserved or act as bystanders. They would wish to completely devour the entire grand duke's family in a few days.

The Etheric Academy, grand dukes, and other individual extraordinary beings all coveted the Luminaris Family's vast inheritance. It's not surprising that this led to intense internal strife in the Etheric Academy, which was already full of factions.

But Ravenna didn't care about this. What she cared about was Ronger's previous sentence—

[Many high-ranking sorcerers who were abroad have returned to the Etheric Academy]

The headquarters of the Etheric Academy is indeed in the imperial capital, and those who stay here are indeed the cream of the crop. But that doesn't mean... all its vast energy, spread across the entire empire, is concentrated here.

The imperial capital symbolizes the most abundant and high-end resources, but it also symbolizes... the empress's permanent pressure.

Not everyone is willing to bear this cost. Among the nine highest seats of the Etheric Academy, only two fifth-stage sorcerers are permanently based in the imperial capital. The inheritance of the Duke of Luminaris has obviously attracted many old monsters who have been away from the imperial capital for a long time.

Among them... there is a high probability that the murderer who killed her grandfather is included.

The Tower of Babel and the Etheric Academy have been at odds, a conflict that can be traced back to even before the establishment of Babel. The radical ideas of Eileen and the conservatism of the Academy are fundamentally contradictory. Ravenna's intense hatred for the Academy is inextricably linked to this.

"So, is there a faction within the Academy that wishes to court us?"

Ravenna asked calmly, concealing her thoughts and emotions from Ronger. "Not just one, but several."

Ronger's smile broadened. The Tower of Babel had been suppressed by the Academy since its inception... Living under such pressure for years, who would have thought that Babel would see such a day?

"Duke of Magus Primus, Phase Traveler, Lost Wanderer... Three fifth-stages, three factions have extended their invitation to us, inviting us to hold lectures at the Academy."

"... Three?"

Although the Tower of Babel is not so formidable as to be opposed by all factions within the Academy, it is also impossible for any faction to respect Babel, even the most neutral ones harbor some hostility towards it.

Yet now, three of the nine highest seats in the Academy have shown goodwill towards the Tower. A third of the Academy is leaning towards them?

Even if this is for the inheritance of the Duke of Luminaris, showing such a tendency is already quite remarkable.

"Yes, three! Ravenna, we are now—"

"Calm down, madam."

Compared to the excited Ronger, Ravenna seemed unmoved. She furrowed her brows slightly and said, "Do you really think that their attitude was won by our own efforts?"

As Ronger's smile froze on her face, Ravenna continued:

"Or rather, are they really trying to court us?"

"..."

The lady opened her mouth, the joy on her face gradually faded, and she fell silent.

Yes, the Etheric Academy, those three factions that are courting them... who are they really trying to court?

"... I got carried away, Ravenna."

Ronger sighed, "How could I forget such a simple thing? Even now, even though we have no obstacles and abundant resources, no one values us."

"Everyone is just valuing Lord Ansel."

The status of the Tower of Babel in the eyes of the big shots has suddenly risen, not because it represents an extraordinary new future, but because... it is the new toy of the future Hydral.

Ronger could already guess what Ravenna would say next—that benefiting from this "identity" is not something to be proud of, but rather a shame... The girl has always been like this, always rational, always calm, always... ruthless.

"But, this is also something to be happy about."

Under Ronger's slightly stunned gaze, Ravenna said this, her lips curling up slightly:

"Madam, we will definitely have a better future."

Seeing Ravenna like this, Ronger stood in place for a long time, then quickly stepped forward and hugged her, leaving Ravenna at a loss.

-->