Eblana didn't press for an immediate reply. There was still plenty of time—even if war was coming, it wouldn't break out right away.
Though her control over the Death Flame far surpassed Eblana's own, thanks to the Taixu Sword Qi, splitting the flames still drained her own strength.
To make her fire burn ever fiercer, besides strengthening her own flames, she could also achieve exponential growth through a kind of 'lending.'
Let the flames ignite and grow within others, then have them spread to even more people. That way, when she reclaimed the flames, she could collect all that extra interest.
But that was the original Eblana's method.
As an Eblana with connections in high places, she had many solutions.
The simplest was to apply for a Core or a Sephira Crystal—though that felt somewhat wasteful.
So instead, she requested something cheaper: the three-piece set effect of the Sacred Stigmata of Shennong.
In the game, this stigmata boosted the recovery rate of health packs and energy packs.
After optimization, it became an unconditional increase to health and energy regeneration. Though the recovery amount was nerfed, the boost from the stigmata itself was already visibly substantial.
Pulling her thoughts back, Eblana turned her gaze to Spear, who had been holding back her emotions and staying silent all this while.
"So, how did it feel? The real fight?"
She asked with a light smile.
Spear pressed her lips together. "I led the team and took care of all the bandits on the road."
She had always been aware of Eblana's unnerving maturity and unusual nature.
In the past, she often tried to build a good relationship with her, but the results were… less than encouraging.
Even though she saw herself as both Eblana's older sister and her vassal, this mismatched identity, paired with Eblana's smile that never quite reached her eyes, always left Spear uncertain of what the other was truly thinking.
Yet even so, she knew Eblana treated her differently.
"Those three, and those guards… what were they?"
Spear had meant to ask how Eblana knew the identities of those three and seemed so familiar with them, but she was even more curious about the eerie flames and the resurrected guards.
"You can consider it a kind of blessing."
Eblana's voice carried a flippant tone, yet it revealed her indifference toward life.
"After undergoing the baptism of flame and death, they will gain greater glory than they ever possessed in life."
Spear was left speechless. The Eblana before her seemed no different from the girl she had known, yet in the past, she had only ever seen her behind a desk.
It was only when Eblana appeared on a battlefield—even one with less than a hundred combatants—that Spear truly began to understand the nuances of her character.
On the return journey, Eblana rode in the carriage with the father-daughter pair.
With the increased number of guards, and the group of white-clad figures carrying an air of uncommon refinement, they encountered no further bandits or mountain thieves.
The Three Beasts had already been transformed into servants by the flames.
Unlike the guards, their individual consciousness was completely suppressed by Eblana, trapped in the deepest, most immobilized recesses of their minds.
What she needed wasn't them as individuals, but their combat prowess.
Of course, this was only temporary. Once she had more capable personnel later on, Eblana would give them a chance to choose anew.
Chouri had naturally overheard the conversation between Eblana and Spear.
In fact, since her childhood, he had deliberately tried to keep Eblana away from power. After all, a princess of formidable ability didn't align with his desire for a reclusive, low-profile life.
But that resolve had gradually weakened as Eblana repeatedly displayed her ambition and capabilities.
He understood clearly that Eblana was no benevolent ruler. Her craving for power, her relentless pursuit of it, and her utter disregard for the bloodshed behind it all—it terrified even Chouri.
Yet, in this era, in this world, perhaps Eblana's temperament and methods truly could ignite a different kind of flame.
That extreme self-absorption, which inspired awe, fear, and yet a willingness to follow—perhaps it was more capable of achieving greatness than the path of a benevolent sovereign.
After a night of contemplation, Chouri did not take his usual seat at the head of the table during breakfast the next morning. Instead, he sat in the secondary seat where Eblana normally sat.
When Eblana arrived at the dining room and saw this, she raised an eyebrow, then settled quite naturally into the head seat.
Once Spear, who seemed somewhat dazed and unfocused, had taken her seat, Chouri finally spoke.
"What is your plan?"
Knowing the question was for her, Eblana wasn't surprised and replied with composure.
"The Revolutionary Army has sent us letters several times, inviting us to join their ranks to overthrow the Empire together."
Of course, that was partly because the Revolutionary Army was unaware of Eblana's true identity. Had they known, the invitation would never have been extended.
Chouri was naturally aware of this.
Revolutionary armies were common, but it wasn't until Honest secretly seized control of the court that this one truly gained momentum.
"You want to join the Revolutionary Army first."
Chouri frowned. "This so-called Revolutionary Army is a treasonous lot that's colluding with non-human races, promising to cede territory to them once their goal is achieved."
Even if those lands were originally taken by the Empire from non-human territories, once conquered, they belonged to the Empire.
As imperial subjects, to cede imperial land and ally with outsiders to fight the Empire—is that how a revolution is supposed to work?
"Didn't I already say, Chouri?"
Eblana's tone didn't change. "I intend to rekindle a flame fierce enough to burn the current order to ashes."
"Whether it's the Empire, the non-humans, or the Revolutionary Army—once this fire has swept through, all will be nothing but dust in the annals of history."
The implication was clear: this wasn't an alliance, but using them before discarding them once they'd served their purpose.
Chouri naturally understood this. He fell silent for a moment, then continued, "The addition of East Ridge City would allow the Revolutionary Army to complete their encirclement of the Empire."
"They won't refuse our participation, but how do you plan to secure a leading role in this cooperation?"
"Simple. I will demonstrate power that forces them to take me seriously."
Eblana was already prepared.
Eblana needed followers because what she aimed to burn away wasn't the world itself, but its existing order and rules.
She certainly had the power to slaughter everything in her path, but mere killing wouldn't establish a new order—it would only plunge the world into chaos.
For that, she needed manpower, needed others to follow her.
But in the end, this was a world where individual martial prowess ruled. As long as her strength was sufficient and her terms favorable, people would naturally be willing to follow.
Was the Revolutionary Army truly united? Of course not. It was just that even a rotten Revolutionary Army was better than the current Empire.
She didn't need to paint herself as some paragon of virtue, because her competitors were base enough.
Cooperating with the Revolutionary Army wasn't about borrowing their strength, but leveraging their connections.
"Soon, I will ignite the first bundle of kindling—right in Viscount Clott's domain."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.