A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 337: Before the Storm - II

The loyal hound, eager to share her triumph, boasted with joy: "This one was quite a challenge, but still no match for me, hmph!"

Ansel, observing the semi-translucent jellyfish carcass in Seraphina's hands, responded with a smile, "I knew you could do it, Seraphina. A mere lesser Tidecaller, how could it possibly stand a chance against you?"

"Hehe... Well, it wasn't entirely my doing, Ravenna helped me too. Ravenna... Ravenna?"

"... I am here."

"Why do you stand there, lost in thought?" Seraphina gazed with a hint of perplexity at the petite sorceress nearby, who could easily be lifted with one hand, "You are quite formidable, indeed. Those 'buzzing' and 'whizzing' devices... hmm, they seem rather useful."

Seraphina's affirmation did not bring any joy to Ravenna, who merely nodded numbly, yet remained standing in place, seemingly unaware of what she should do next.

What should she do? What tasks lay ahead for her? Was she now useless? Seraphina's game had ended, and it seemed she had also passed Ansel's latest trial? Would Ansel allow her to stay, presenting her with more challenges, or was he merely continuing his humiliation, his revenge? And what should she, herself… do in response?

"Let's go, Seraphina," Ansel said softly.

"Return and have Marlina dress you up nicely, so your parents and friends can see a brand-new Seraphina."

"Mm... Oh." Seraphina nodded, noticing that Ansel seemed to have no intention of mentioning Ravenna, then turned back to glance at the silent, motionless woman.

She suddenly remembered the question Ravenna had asked her before, and the words Ansel had spoken to her that night.

Within the plan... The terrifying nature of fate made Seraphina realize, not everything truly falls within Ansel's plans, and Ansel was forcing himself to do something. Thus, after meeting Ravenna, she could always sense a déjà vu from this cold, rational woman.

What Ansel truly thought of Ravenna, Seraphina had no idea, but she felt that Ansel probably... did not wish to push Ravenna towards destruction.

Thus, Seraphina tugged at Ansel's clothes, asking softly, "Um, Ansel, what about Ravenna?"

"..." The young Hydral slightly raised his eyebrows, turning to look at the lonely puppet lady, his lips curving into a slight smile as he spoke casually.

"My apologies, Venna, I almost forgot you... Come with us, let's head back to the manor for a rest. You must be tired after all the running around with Seraphina."

Previously, Ravenna would have immediately resisted Ansel without a second thought.

But now, looking into Ansel's eyes, those deep, ocean-blue eyes... she lost the courage to keep eye contact after just one glance.

Fear, Ravenna felt... fear.

Everything Ansel did was so interconnected, declaring that he would push Ravenna into the abyss of rationality, forcing her to pick up emotions as much as possible. And just as she was getting used to the fluctuations of her emotions, she quickly faced Ansel's judgment.

—Between you and me, things are no longer as they were.

Yet, even so, Ansel offered no explanation. He did not tell Ravenna what he had endured; he simply demonstrated what could not be conveyed in words through his actions.

Ravenna dared not look into Ansel's eyes, for any emotion they might contain—gentleness, tolerance, indifference, detachment... were all beyond her acceptance. Most absurdly, the only emotion she seemed capable of accepting was... hatred.

Now, the only thing that could make Ravenna feel less cold and rigid was the implied hatred and anger from Ansel.

But... could Ansel really be such a person?

"Yes... I understand."

All things considered, it ultimately boils down to such a phrase—a hollow and powerless response.

Ravenna Ziegler seemed to have truly transformed into a puppet, manipulated at Ansel's whim.

She followed the young couple nestled together, mechanically maintaining a distance between them.

Whenever it seemed she might draw closer, Ravenna would freeze in her steps for a moment before catching up.

The puppet lady, who believed there was nothing in her life beyond her ideals, experienced a sense of remoteness from another dimension.

In Ravenna's eyes, no matter how illusory and distant her ideals might be, she possessed the determination and confidence to realize them.

But now, the distance right before her eyes...

Indeed, it was untouchable.

*

In the empty grand hall, Evora rested her cheek on her hand, staring emotionlessly at the scene displayed on the light screen.

Her conversation with Ansel outside the hunting grounds was, of course, an act, as they had to constantly display a facade of opposition to each other. Otherwise, Evora, despite her domineering and capricious nature, would not continue to speak ill of Seraphina after being helped by Ansel several times.

But... some truths are spoken in the midst of pretense.

"You have already become fascinating enough... How did you turn into this displeasing state again?"

The future tyrant empress whispered softly, the unassuming tenderness on that handsome face on the screen made her feel nauseated.

Evora, as a human among the divine species, possessed the most abundant and normal emotions. Although her desire for Ansel, or rather... her desire for his offspring, outweighed everything else, in Evora's eyes, Ansel was the best husband in the world.

Having watched Ansel grow up, fully aware of his talent, gift, and charm, Evora had no expectations for any other male.

Naturally, although Ansel was excellent, Evora, in her pride, hoped he would become her favorite version of him.

As Ansel grew, Evora gradually saw in him the self-esteem and pride that the divine species should possess, completely different from his younger self.

Thinking of the young Hydral, even now, with Ansel implicitly acknowledged as her future husband, Evora felt a wave of revulsion.

"Indeed... it must be related to his parents."

The woman muttered with considerable annoyance: "Raising their son to be a 'normal person'? I wonder what Flamelle was thinking, is ruining their successor amusing?"

"After all the trouble of waiting for Ansel to awaken his self, now again..."

Her gaze was riveted upon that foolishly endearing smile, and within those eyes that seemed to blaze with sanguine flames, there was an unmistakable intent to kill.

"This is the price you pay for your folly, Flamelle... that your son could fall for such an imbecile, thus exposing his vulnerabilities so recklessly."

Evora sneered, "Without your ludicrous and absurd teachings, how could he have ever plummeted to such depths?"

"So be it, let the fragile parity between Hydral and Flamefeast end with me. Love... hahahaha, you will rue the day you harbored such a feeble thing, Ansel."

With a wave of her hand, the light screen dissipated into the air, and at the same time, a shadowy figure suddenly materialized in the great hall.

"How so," the Elder Princess drawled, "you've acquired the intelligence?"

"Yes, for your perusal."

The figure knelt on one knee, presenting a scroll aglow with luminescence. With a flick of her finger, Evora summoned the scroll into her palm.

Evora was the epitome of action; upon receiving advice from Ansel, she immediately dispatched agents to investigate the cause of Eileen's death.

-->