I Have 10,000 SSS Rank Villains In My System Space Chapter 416: Plan

Razeal failed to catch that nuance right away, his eyebrows furrowing lightly while observing Sofia pull them apart, bewilderment flashing over his face. "What happened?" he inquired, his voice relaxed yet truly puzzled, like he couldn't grasp why she'd done that.

"Perhaps your wife feels a bit jealous of me... getting so near to you," she replied, her gaze holding on him a touch too long, "But don't fret... I realize it's not your fault."

And then

"Sorry... if I caused you to feel insecure," Maria chimed in, her face morphing into an appearance of remorse, although the faint smirk at her mouth's edge left its sincerity in doubt.

"You..." her eyes expanded a bit, initially more stunned than furious, then they narrowed swiftly, her stare intensifying as she fixed on Maria, her look growing menacing—not explosive, but sharp and restrained. Insecure? The term reverberated in her thoughts, annoyance surging. She's overstepping boundaries... and twisting it this way?

Sofia locked eyes with Maria for an extra moment.

"Nothing... it’s fine," she stated, deliberately leveling her tone, reining in any deeper response, her head giving a small shake as though brushing off the matter, "I just thought she was..." she halted, interrupting her own idea, "...never mind. It’s not important."

It wasn’t nothing.

Yet Sofia restrained herself once more. Speaking up now would only come off as jealousy... precisely as she suggested... her jaw clenched a little, And no proof exists... merely a hunch..

For now, that is.. But she'll keep an eye on her.

But Maria

And as Sofia retreated, opting for quiet

And Sofia spotted it right away.

And when Maria realized Sofia had spotted it

Just enough to verify it.

But before she could

"So," she uttered fluidly, redirecting her focus to Razeal like the strain had vanished, her voice returning to poised interest, "What’s the plan?" her eyes pinned on him, "Where do we start... and when?"

That compelled Sofia to hold back her retort.

Her attention shifted.. Against her will.

But even then

And Razeal

"Tomorrow." With those words, he flicked his fingers softly, gesturing at Maria to seal the choice, "We start tomorrow," he affirmed, his manner leaving zero space for postponement.

"...Tomorrow?" she repeated, shock hitting her instantly this round, "Isn't that too rushed?"

Didn’t show any reluctance.

As if merely aiming to appear completely supportive instead of probing.. unlike how Sofia was acting

"Kingdom of Denvaar," Razeal went on, his tone firm as he declared it, his eyes drifting a tad as though plotting further.

"Because it’s already locked in war," Razeal responded plainly, like it was plain as day, his voice even and unaffected by the gravity of his disclosure, "And I’ll intervene as their guardian... rescue it... gain the people's trust," he pressed on, his look flicking shortly between them both, "Secure their loyalty that way," a subtle grin appearing on his face as he tossed in casually, "And in the process... we’ll seize control of it," he shrugged mildly, "but with their consent." His tone held an odd serene assurance, as though the clashing notions posed no issue for him.

"I thought no wars raged anywhere close by," she persisted, her voice turning sharper with analysis, rooted in reason as she picked apart the flaw, "From what I know... in at least three thousand kilometers surrounding the Empire of Aetherion? This empire.. no major battles have erupted in decades.. Like practically forever.." she stressed, motioning lightly while talking, her assurance drawn from facts not guesses, "And the Kingdom of Denvaar lies not so distant... merely three or four kingdoms off," her eyes squinted a fraction, "Which places it under imperial oversight... straight or through the Empress’s command," she wrapped up, her tone hardening, "And I'm dead certain she’d never permit a war in her domain," she declared solidly, since that was no guess but reality, "So what you claim... it doesn't add up,"

"But the war is happening," he repeated, straightforwardly.

Maria gazed at him.. Even with all her learning screaming the contrary

Not due to it being logical.. But since he stated it regardless.. Like common sense and facts mean nothing.

"...Fine," she breathed softly, pushing her mind to adapt despite the reluctance, "Let’s pretend that’s the case," she added, her voice sharpening into a more tactical edge, "So, who exactly are they battling?" she pressed urgently, her thoughts surging ahead, "If we dive into this mess... we have to grasp the factions, the power balances, the layout of the battle," a subtle, assured smile flickered across her lips.

"They’re clashing with the Empire of Aetherion," Razeal stated without hesitation.

Maria failed to respond right away, as her brain simply rejected the notion.

"...What?" she murmured softly, her voice crumbling for an instant, her face going blank like the fact wouldn’t sink in, then she shook her head once, slowly, then repeated it, as though attempting to shake off the ridiculous concept physically.

"Do you grasp what that means?" she demanded, edging nearer, "An empire teeming with supremes lurking under every tree, in every unexpected nook and cranny," her hand rose in a frustrated wave, "The empire claiming seven of the top ten mightiest supremes on the global rankings?" her breathing grew a bit faster.

She halted for a moment, yet the deeper she pondered, the more outrageous it seemed, her features hardening with bewilderment and irritation. "And that’s not even counting... they wouldn’t bother rallying the full empire," she pressed on, her words gaining a keener bite. "No need for a noble house either... Forget that." A bitter, empty huff escaped her. "Just dispatch some ordinary tavern or merchant stall right in the heart of the capital. Bet they’ve got ties strong enough to obliterate that kingdom in under a day." Her gaze rose to meet his, probing intensely, craving explanations to make sense of this insanity.

Her skepticism intensified, morphing into a weightier blend of real worry and annoyance. "That goes beyond just backing them," she insisted, every syllable measured and forceful. "It means deliberately picking a fight with that colossal empire." She waved vaguely, as if its vastness defied description. "Do you get the consequences?"

She fixed her stare on him, nearly speechless. "Rather than building strength gradually, tackling tougher foes step by step... you’re charging at the absolute pinnacle, the supreme unbeatable adversary right from the outset." Her tone softened a touch, laced with disbelief. "It’s like battling the endgame boss on day one of the tale."

"Relax," Razeal replied, his tone steady and offhand, like discussing a minor errand instead of a realm-shaking conflict. "It’s nowhere near as dire as you imagine. I’ll claim victory in this war within ten days."

She truly couldn’t fathom the source of his unshakable assurance.

She shook her head lightly, in quiet despair, her eyes flickering as she tried to comprehend him beyond mere words.

It started faint, almost imperceptible at first. A subtle shift in his face. An unshakable poise. A certainty that whispered rather than roared, utterly profound.

Hold on...

"...Is the Empress aware of this brewing war?" she questioned deliberately, her inflection altering, tinged with budding doubt, insight, maybe even disquiet.

And... Razeal merely grinned.

"No."

"Should the Empire of Aetherion learn of a war raging in one of its domains, it’d squash it instantly... vaporize it before things could spiral." She hesitated briefly, her eyes narrowing as the idea crystallized, "Thus, the sole reasonable conclusion..." her voice dipped subtly, "...is that key figures remain in the dark." Her stare intensified, pinning him in place.

For the first time.

Not stunned.

His gaze held hers a beat longer than normal, silently reevaluating. She pieced it together... that quickly? The notion flashed through his thoughts, his face concealing most of it.

"What?" she uttered, her voice edging toward incredulity, slightly irked, her mouth opening a fraction, "Why stare at me that way?" she probed, eyebrows knitting, "As if I’ve pulled off the impossible?" She shook her head softly, blowing out a breath.

Razeal gave a light shrug.

Excellent. You get it.

But indeed... He offered no denial.

"Alright then..." Maria picked up after a short silence, her focus snapping back to keen interest, "Precisely who’s on the other side?" she urged, her brain already plotting courses, "If we’re jumping in... I require details on the enemies, their organization, their magnitude."

Maria blinked her eyes.

She hesitated for a moment.

"You'll be compelled to concede defeat." Her statement carried no emotion.

"She doesn't tolerate the concept of losing," Maria went on, her voice nearly emotionless now, like declaring an unbreakable truth, "So your plan for an independent kingdom... under her rule?" She shook her head lightly, "That's not something she'll allow to exist." Her look grew a touch softer, not from uncertainty but worry, "It's not your power that matters... it's the system."

Silence stretched out between them.

"She'll have to."

Calm. Certain. Utterly Unshaken.

He smiled faintly.

"I'll make it happen," he said plainly.

Maria kept her eyes on his a bit longer, probing deeply, examining closely, hunting for any trace of doubt, hesitation, anything at all.

That absence unsettled her.

"You need it, no matter how much you resist admitting," her gaze locked with his once more, "It'll take more time, true... but it's steady. Under control. You won't charge headlong into mortal peril."

Sofia's face echoed the same idea.

"I will... I will," she responded fast, her tone resolute even with inner struggle, shaking her head a little to cast aside her previous hesitations, "I was mistaken to propose differently," she pushed out the words, "I'll follow you anywhere," and in that split second, a shadow flashed in her eyes—a subtle hint of madness, fixation, something profound and shadowy—vanishing as swiftly as it came.

"Good," Razeal nodded approvingly, "And believe me... I'll prevail," he continued, his voice laced with that unyielding certainty, "I don't devise plans destined to crumble," he stated simply, "I know full well what I'm doing."

'He's bound to fail... no chance this succeeds,' the idea clung to the recesses of her thoughts, ponderous and inevitable. But that changes nothing, she reminded herself. I'll stick with him no matter what, since arguing was futile—she already grasped that no words of hers could alter his course.

She would remain by his side... whatever transpired. Her decision solidified into ironclad determination. Even if it meant demise... she'd be there. What if she failed to shield him? If chaos engulfed them? No reply existed yet, but it held no weight now—all that counted was abiding with him, even into a fight she knew unbeatable.

Razeal nodded once more. "Good," he declared, as though all pieces clicked flawlessly into position, the daunting, improbable journey forward now irrevocably set.