A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 343: The Disqualified Puppet - I

After her conversation with Annelisa concluded, Ravenna had yet to emerge from her state of utter disarray.

The words of Lady Hydral had struck her with such force, not only further confirming Ansel's hidden troubles but also clarifying the dire straits he currently faced, which were far more than mere troubles.

Leaning against a pillar in the grand hall, Ravenna took deep, steadying breaths.

The confusion and chaos that once clouded her purple eyes swiftly gave way to a lucid calm. She clenched her fist slightly, and as her emotions settled, her breathing gradually became more even.

Now was not the time to be ensnared by senseless panic and weakness.

Having obtained the answers, it was time to take action, immediately, without delay.

"Oh, greetings, Miss Ziegler."

The youthful voice rose from beneath Ravenna's feet, and Lawrence, wagging his tail, greeted the young lady, "The Young Lord has sent me to guide you, please follow me."

"…Very well."

Ravenna exhaled slowly, her mind swiftly deconstructing all the intelligence and information she possessed.

The threat that Ansel felt... the terror he was reluctant to share with Mr. Flamelle and Madam.

Ansel had not confided in Mr. Flamelle and Madam, but it seemed... he had possibly confided in Seraphina?

In just a moment, Ravenna grasped a critical point.

This could not be a matter of personal preference for Ansel, but rather… a necessity.

If possible, Ansel would not hesitate to use any resource at his disposal. If relying on Mr. Flamelle could resolve the issue, he would have done so already.

This meant that the only ones who could resolve this issue were Ansel and his pact head, only… himself.

No, but how could there be a problem that Mr. Flamelle could not solve? It wasn't necessarily that he couldn't solve it, but rather that involving Mr. Flamelle could be extremely detrimental to him, or perhaps... it could lead to the worst possible outcome.

Ravenna's steps halted abruptly.

"What's the matter, Miss Ziegler?"

Lawrence, sensing her sudden stillness, turned his small mouse head and asked in surprise, "Is something wrong?"

"…No, nothing. Please, continue leading the way."

If all these points were connected, the only possibility could be...

The Empress.

In terms of power, someone who could match Mr. Flamelle and whose conflict with him would leave nothing but hell, regardless of the outcome.

Was the pressure Ansel felt... coming from the Empress?

But why would the Empress threaten Ansel? What she now desired was simply the continuation of life, yet—

Ravenna's pupils dilated to their limits.

Did Ansel possess the power to save the Empress from her madness?

If so, if that were the case... everything would make sense! Even the Empress's inexplicably strong favoritism towards Ansel from his youth could be explained.

The upper class of the empire were well aware that Her Majesty harbored an extraordinary fondness for the young Hydral, a closeness that had its inception during Ansel's early childhood. Ravenna, indifferent to such matters, could not possibly pinpoint the exact onset of this intimacy, but it was highly probable that it began around the age of ten.

Ansel possessed a certain ability to liberate the empress from her madness... Yet, if that were the case, why had he not first aided Mr. Flamelle? Did this ability come with risks? Or a cost? It must be an exceptionally unusual cost, for Ansel seemed to have never truly demonstrated his power in any setting.

Unlike Evora, who reveled in displaying her absolute might, Ansel's public exhibitions of his power were few and far between, and even then, they never touched upon the fundamental.

All signs pointed to this conclusion, and there were… no other plausible explanations.

The mere fact that "a threat to Ansel" could eliminate 99.9% of other possibilities was telling.

The only mystery that remained was why Ansel had forsaken everything he had once promised her.

Ravenna could comprehend the necessity for Ansel to strengthen himself to the utmost, a demand imposed by the empress's threat. However, according to Annelisa, Ansel was compelled to give up something of great importance to him. Contextually and temporally, it was highly likely that she referred to Ansel harboring hopes and ideals similar to her own...

Could the empress's shadow have influenced this aspect?

Ravenna could not yet construct a fully coherent logic on this matter, but the preceding deductions were sufficiently substantiated and logically sound. The derived conclusions were not significantly flawed, and there was no need to delve further.

Ansel's adversary... was the empress.

The strife among the divine species was such that even the combined might of the entire Empire's grand dukes would be inconsequential. For Ravenna, merely bearing the title of "genius" without commensurate power…

To involve herself in this affair was beyond folly and delusion; it was a question of sanity.

"Here we are," Lawrence said leisurely, bringing Ravenna before a massive door.

"Young Lord has been waiting for you for a while. Go in, Miss Ziegler."

"... Thank you."

"There's no need for formalities with me."

Lawrence stood erect, claws crossed over his chest, tilting his head as he scrutinized Ravenna for a moment before chuckling, "Moreover, considering your potential, I'll offer you a piece of advice."

His piercing crimson beastly eyes narrowed slightly, "No matter what big sis has told you, remember, never, ever bring up anything about her in front of the young lord—whether it's her feelings for him or something she said. Don't try to be clever."

"Unless the young lord himself asks you, otherwise... you'll bear the consequences."

Lawrence's words, laden with profound implications, prompted Ravenna to reconstruct numerous considerations... Ansel's attitude towards Annelisa was another exceptionally abnormal point of interest. His intense aversion, uncontrollable even by his own emotions, to a place that seemed perfectly suited for the Hydral family's rest and relaxation, was a significant enigma.

The doors to the alchemy workshop slowly opened, leaving Ravenna with no time for further contemplation. The advising Lawrence had already departed silently, and the petite sorceress took a deep breath before stepping into the workshop.

Upon entering, she immediately saw Ansel busying himself with some object.

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