Kanis changed the subject, her tone turning sharp. "Granted, she has every reason to wish you dead, but Your Excellency makes a valid point: as a seasoned political animal, whether she would truly cross that final line remains to be seen. Besides, she still needs you to complete the trial of the rational Titan. Not to mention, when the Citizens' Assembly was first proposed, it was we who pressured Aglaea... How can the Senate believe that you didn't collude with that woman before coming to this meeting, merely to pull the wool over our eyes and abet her tyranny?"
"She was ready to punish me long ago..." Anaxas's expression remained unchanged. "The executioner, Castorice—I trust you are not unfamiliar with the name. The moment I returned to Ohema, Aglaea sent her to watch me. Had I failed to reach the Marble Sky Palace within that window of time, Thanatos would likely have found me before you did. Compared to a 'comprehensive solution' with an uncertain outcome, simply cutting open my chest to extract the Ignition Seed—wouldn't that save her endless sleepless nights? Everything has long been ready; she merely lacked a suitable occasion."
"So your arrival at that very moment was part of her scheme?" The unease in Kanis's heart surged anew, almost prompting her to call for the guards.
Chapter 341