"I think I understand what you mean."
Larkspur took a deep breath. "Thank you for thinking so highly of me and showing me such favor, but unfortunately, there are two reasons why I cannot agree to your request."
As she spoke, she felt a faint tremor in the floor beneath her feet. Clearly, the airship had already taken off during their conversation.
Given the current atmosphere, Larkspur's answer could not have been more poorly timed. Whether it was Emerald, the one in power, or subordinates like Zhe Helan, they had all shown considerable enthusiasm for "nominating Larkspur as the new Sapphire Scepter." Rejecting them now was no different from slapping them in the face.
But just as Larkspur herself had said, she had reasons she had to refuse.
Fortunately, even after she spoke so bluntly that several Magic Affairs Institute members in the group visibly showed regret and disappointment, Zhe Helan's expression did not change in the slightest.
"Please, go on." She merely kept her head lowered as she responded.
Seeing how rational she was, Larkspur knew there was no need for unnecessary explanation. She got straight to the point. "First, publicly, I am still an exile forbidden from entering the Kingdom. That is an order from the Rose Palace, and I have already declared that I would obey it. Even standing here now, I crossed the World Gate by something close to smuggling myself in. So I cannot violate the Kingdom's rules, and the Kingdom cannot possibly recognize someone who 'should have been exiled.'"
"Yes, that is indeed a problem we need to solve." Zhe Helan nodded.
"Second, I carry a certain hatred with me. At some point, I am destined to seek out my enemy and take revenge. I do not know when that journey will end, or