Ansel picked up Ravenna on his way back.
Her mood was evidently complex, a mix of bad and good, a nuance only someone as experienced as Ansel could grasp.
"Looking back now, I realize there were many times I could have seen that my father and mother... always cared about me," Ravenna said softly, sitting opposite Ansel in the living room.
"But fate made me miss those moments, forcing me to walk the path… it had set."
"Do you hate it?"
"Not that much," Ravenna shook her head. "Ultimately, I was too foolish, too self-centered."
"That's why you're so hard to deceive," Ansel joked. "If you don't even hate fate that much, how could I have dared to tell you about it back then?"
"..."
Ravenna's gaze gradually sharpened. "I told you, didn't I? You have to pay the price—for your distortions, your malice, your distrust."
"...Yes, I think you did mention that," Ansel replied nonchalantly.