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That was also, essentially, why he and Overra had worked so hard to oust the Rainlords from the Vanguard. While it was true that plan had gone slightly off the rails, the core justifications behind it remained unmitigated, even now.

Zeff Elroy, the Water Dragon of Sair, had needed the push. As did many others, of course, but he was the most important. The Water Dragons of Old were some of the most powerful forces for good that the world had ever seen, but at the rate he was growing, Abolish would have killed him off within the next fifty years, at most.

But now, the lad was on his way. After all those emergences, Zeff was probably twice as strong as he was before, if not more.

It was just a shame what had happened to Mariana. Her death had not been necessary. Not at all. She was a good woman, and moreover, she would have likely become a strong ally against Abolish, too.

Hopefully, her death would continue to inspire Zeff and perhaps others to greatness in the future, but Parson had to admit, such a gamble was far from ideal.

And it reminded him of his own wife. And his mother. Rest their souls.

But this was the hard truth.

It had not escaped his notice, the idea that if he hadn't weakened Sair by removing the Rainlords, then Morgunov might not have chosen to attack now.

The idea that the disaster at Uego might have been his own fault.

But such self-flagellating thoughts were beyond worthless, he knew. It was one thing to have a guilty conscience. It was another to blame yourself for things that were entirely beyond your control or that might have happened anyway, even if you had done everything differently.

If Morgunov hadn't chosen Sair, he wouldn't have simply remained quiet. He would have chosen some other hapless country. Perhaps one that was even less prepared for him than Sair was.