A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 325: Ansel's Gift - Five (II)

"After spending so much time in the imperial capital, it's been ages since I've smelled such an exciting scent. I mustn't waste Ansel's kindness!"

With a sprightly leap, Seraphina landed on the vines of a nearby colossal tree, her nostrils flaring, her expression one of intense focus, as if she had quickly caught a scent.

"The pungent smell of… poison," she sniffed vigorously.

"It's strong; it must have been here recently. To leave such an overt trail, hmm, it seems we're dealing with something formidable."

In the jungle and the wilderness, the weak do everything in their power to conceal themselves, while only the truly powerful have no need to hide their tracks. Encountering such a formidable being right away was a delightful surprise for Seraphina.

"Ravenna!"

Seraphina turned her head to gaze down at the diminutive sorceress below: "Can you keep pace with me?"

Without a word, Ravenna's ring on her middle finger shimmered, and a sizable floating cannon materialized beside her.

The petite scholar effortlessly mounted the floating cannon and floated up to Seraphina's level, silently observing her.

"You are indeed... quite convenient," Seraphina remarked, eyeing Ravenna and her "steed" with a twitch of her lips, struggling to suppress a laugh.

Ravenna remained unresponsive, merely inquiring calmly, "Should I prepare to conceal myself? Frankly, although Ansel has assigned me to assist you, I am utterly inexperienced in hunting and uncertain of my usefulness to you."

"Oh, don't worry about it," the magnanimous Miss Wolf replied with an air of "I never had any expectations of you" attitude.

"I rely on this skill for my livelihood; without it, my family would have perished from hunger long ago."

Despite having not hunted for some time, Seraphina had absolute confidence in her innate talent and instincts as a huntress.

"Ravenna, you just... well, stay hidden on the side. Do you have any spells that can mask your scent and presence?"

Ravenna nodded, and suddenly the light around her floating cannon twisted, rendering her invisible to Seraphina, and indeed, her presence became faint. Without close attention, Seraphina could only detect a slight essence.

"Wow... magic is truly convenient."

After Ravenna reappeared, Seraphina, with a hint of envy, said, "I only know how to fight; I know nothing about everything else... But now Ansel doesn't need me to fight for him."

The young girl often found herself in this quandary, wishing to fight for Ansel against his enemies, yet not wanting him to be in a difficult situation.

She nimbly leaped through the forest, her tall and graceful figure stretching like a sleek cheetah, while Ravenna piloted the drone to keep up with Seraphina, who rambled on, "Like during the last lecture... Ansel told me there was someone he wanted me to confront, and I was thrilled! But I couldn't imagine who would dare provoke Ansel, only to realize they were targeting you."

"..." Ravenna remained silent, the trial aimed at her, the gift for Seraphina, was so... unforgettable.

"To be honest, that fight was exhilarating, but afterwards, I felt somewhat guilty—I seemed to have completely forgotten you."

Seraphina scratched her head, "Ansel explicitly asked me to protect you, yet I got carried away in the fight."

"...That's precisely why you were able to help me."

"Huh? Is that so?"

"Had you not fought so fiercely to obstruct him, Conrad could have easily killed me. Your interference was so intense that he had to choose between defeating you first or taking the chance to ambush me during the fight."

Ravenna said camly: "Your abilities are not suited for protection; had you truly focused on protecting me, it might not have been effective. Thus, your... combative spirit, indeed saved me."

"About your personality…"

The woman lowered her head, speaking softly, "Ansel, he understands this very clearly."

"Hehehe... so that's how it is," Seraphina laughed naively, "Ansel really knows me best!"

"Regarding this matter—" Ravenna couldn't help but ask, "Ansel's absolute perception of you, his understanding and even... control, do you think... it's a good thing?"

"Huh?"

While sprinting at high speed, Seraphina managed to glance at Ravenna, "What's wrong? Isn't it good that Ansel understands me?"

"What I mean is..." Facing those confused yet incredibly pure eyes, Ravenna opened her mouth but ultimately swallowed the words she intended to say.

"No, it's nothing, I spoke out of turn."

"... You strange," Seraphina muttered, not minding much, "This mysterious half-spoken, secretive demeanor, you're really like Ansel."

At this point, Seraphina couldn't help herself; she slowed down and asked Ravenna, "Hey, Ravenna, three years ago, you and Ansel... wait, huh?"

The intoxicating scent that Seraphina had been tracking suddenly intensified, prompting her to halt in her tracks and survey her surroundings with narrowed eyes.

Perched on a sturdy branch, she crouched slightly, her nose twitching subtly: "It's close... right in this vicinity, it has stopped."

Ravenna's floating cannon hovered behind Seraphina: "Have you located your quarry?"

"Yes, the smell of the venom... It's likely it has just captured its prey; this must be its lair."

Seraphina glanced at the mushrooms growing on the branch, her ears twitching as she captured the babbling sound of the river. Looking up, she noted that although the forest was dense with foliage, it did not completely obscure the sunlight, which bathed the area in a pleasant glow.

"The environment is so favorable... This is the place, it cannot escape now!"

Seraphina's expression grew increasingly animated as she turned to Ravenna: "Hide just like this, remain here, I will seek it out."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Seraphina leaped from the branch, her figure vanishing into the dense vegetation.

It was at this moment that Seraphina truly appreciated the formidable power of the head of wind.

This ability, originally meant for perceiving the hidden and discerning all things, had become specialized within her... Even in this jungle, teeming with complex information elements that even top hunters would struggle to discern, it guided her unerringly.

Or rather, every blade of grass, the swaying plants, the gentle breeze... all that would normally disrupt her perception, now served her, transforming into aids in her hunt for the monster. The intricate jungle before her eyes was, in fact, a clear path!

"How effortless..."

She murmured joyfully: "This is the power Ansel has given me, truly formidable!"

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