Rivendell Territory.
In a palace formed from a giant tree, Candice, dressed in green leaves that brimmed with a natural aura, leaned lazily against an oak throne.
The oak throne had been grown entirely by nature, with no traces of cutting or carving.
Before Candice stood two male Evolvers. One was burly, clad in full metal armor, with a square face; the other wore a pointed wizard's hat and a black mage's robe.
"Lady Candice, why don't we take this opportunity to march into White Phoenix Fief?" the burly armored man asked.
Candice shook her head. "Without any pretext for war, attacking White Phoenix Fief directly would incur the hostility and even opposition of the other territories. It would also go against Rivendell Territory's long-standing stance of strict neutrality."
"But those are all empty reputations. Swallowing a territory for nothing—that's where the real benefits are."
Candice smiled.
"It isn't that simple. Lu Wang isn't dead, so the Territory Stele still has an owner. That means it can't be annexed and can only exist as a colony seized by force. There'd be no way to develop such a colony with peace of mind. Lu Wang, who possesses the stele, could sneak back at any time and activate the self-destruct authority after coming into contact with it. Any investment would go down the drain.
"Besides, White Phoenix Fief should have a second-tier formation. That alone means we couldn't break through its shield quickly and would be trapped in a war of attrition. And even if we broke through the shield, conquering White Phoenix Fief wouldn't be easy. After this war, do you still think Lu Wang is the reckless sort who never keeps a fallback plan?"
At this point, Candice said with a smile, "Those rotten old men in the group are