Since Xio Derecha had already advanced to Imperative Mage, even though she had been subjected to Hypnosis back when she was Mid-Sequence, she could still break free of control and regain herself if she encountered something tied to her obsession.
Therefore, the best approach was to make her believe she had found her enemy and completed her revenge. Only then could her obsession be eliminated, allowing Pride to control her more effectively.
Of course, all of that merely gave George III a reason for Hvin to kill Viscount Stratford.
As for whether George III believed it, Abner did not actually care... and even George III himself would not care.
He was merely a captain of the guards who had risen through betraying his former superior. Why would George III, who could abandon even his own son for the sake of his plans, care whether he lived or died?
Moreover, as George III knew, Viscount Stratford had privately been in contact with Hvin before and had even collaborated with him quite extensively. Only in recent months had that relationship gradually faded.
Now that Hvin wanted to kill Viscount Stratford, whether due to a personal grudge, because Stratford knew some secret and needed to be silenced, or, as Hvin claimed, simply to better control the young lady of the Dill family, George III had no intention of interfering.
He was only Mid-Sequence. If he had to be sacrificed, then so be it...
What was more, ever since agreeing to let the Purple Saint use him to lure out Trissy Cheek, George III had already abandoned him.
Thus, the King of Loen agreed to Hvin's request with almost no hesitation.
Next, the three discussed the timing and specific details of the operation before Abner finally ended the audience.
At the side of