A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Seraphina rubbed the back of her hand with a look of disgust and inquired, "You said... you'll handle this?"

"Is your quarry not the Tidecaller?" Ravenna replied serenely, "Thus, the optimal strategy would be for me to dispatch these nuisances while you continue your hunt."

"If we both linger here, it could create more trouble at any moment."

"But..."

Seraphina, clutching her longbow, seemed somewhat embarrassed and reluctant to leave Ravenna alone.

"You appear to be overthinking, Seraphina."

The autonomous floating cannons commenced a one-sided slaughter in the jungle, while Ravenna, pushing up her glasses, reminded, "Have you forgotten what this is? This is the game Ansel prepared for you; your only concern should be to enjoy it."

"Do you not wish to hunt the Tidecaller?" she posed the question.

"... Of course, I do!"

Seraphina responded immediately, her tone turning fierce: "But there's someone interfering me... It's hiding now, but don't think I can't find it! Once I've dealt with the Tidecaller, I'll capture that guy, clean it, skin it, and roast it on the spot!"

With that, she patted Ravenna's shoulder urgently: "I'll leave this trouble to you, Ravenna. I'm off to settle things with that one... Hmph! Think you can escape? Not a chance!"

"It's alright, Ansel said," Ravenna replied softly, her eyes downcast, "I am your assistant."

"Heh, thanks! You're not as bothersome as I thought!"

Seraphina patted Ravenna's shoulder again with a grin, then shouldered her longbow and dashed off in the direction of the fleeing Tidecaller.

Roar!!!

A tiger's roar echoed through the dense forest, seemingly in pursuit of Seraphina, but Ravenna calmly raised her hand, summoning another floating cannon. A blazing light struck a corner of the jungle, and the roar turned into a pitiful wail.

"Have you seen enough, Lord Suellen?"

The woman asked with an indifferent expression.

"Or do you fear that Seraphina will immediately find the lesser Tidecallers, hence your constant vigilance?"

"... Miss Ziegler," emerged a girl clad in pure white from the void, floating mid-air, looking down upon Ravenna with a cold demeanor.

"Could you elucidate what you are currently doing?"

"As you can see," Ravenna replied nonchalantly, hands in pockets, "I am clearing obstacles for Seraphina."

Suellen chuckled, a laugh devoid of warmth that sent shivers down the spine: "So, this is your mission? Is this how you fulfill your promises?"

"It's merely understanding the crux of the matter," the petite sorceress waved a hand, controlling the floating cannon to actively seek and destroy targets: "Pleasing Ansel seems more pragmatic than completing our transaction."

"... So, you have descended to such depths," Suellen sighed, "I had hopes for you, Miss Ziegler."

"Do you have the right to judge me?"

Ravenna retorted emotionlessly: "Had you not come bearing Her Majesty's name, you would have… no, you wouldn't have the right to even step through the door. Lord Suellen, aren't you far stronger than me, when it comes to relying on others?"

"Otherwise, why don't you tell Seraphina directly that Her Majesty wants the Tidecallers to grow to stop her? Because you know Ansel is here for Seraphina's birthday, and you dare not spoil her mood, for that would be akin to provoking Ansel, who could leave at any moment... leaving you alone to face Lord Elder Princess."

"So, you're using me, making me drive Seraphina to hunt other creatures—because you dare not offend Ansel over any slight possibility."

Ravenna succinctly dismantled Suellen. Ravenna, who, facing intellectual clashes with Ansel almost daily, clearly bypassed Suellen.

"Being incapacitated by the Elder Princess would make you appear inept, Lord Suellen; having Seraphina 'hunt' the Tidecallers is evidently more acceptable to Her Majesty."

"Am I to thank you for this?"

Suellen regained her usual elegance, unable to suppress a laugh: "You truly are... intriguing, Miss Ziegler."

She narrowed her eyes, adding, "Do you know why I sought a deal with you? It wasn't just a test of Lord Ansel's disposition, but also... my affirmation of you, Miss Ziegler."

"I've looked into your interactions with Lord Ansel three years ago, and despite scant information, it sufficed, along with recent events between you two, to confirm one thing—you would never flatter Lord Ansel, even… you are resisting any assistance from him, not just because of the cost, but you inherently resist it."

"That's why I approached you, because you wouldn't seek Lord Ansel's help, because you had some worth."

"But now..." Suellen tilted her head, sighing with a hint of regret, "you seem to have changed from the Miss Ziegler I knew, not entirely leaning towards Ansel, but becoming lost, becoming..."

"Despondent."

Suellen immediately countered—since you enjoy interpreting me, let me interpret you.

"A kind of despondency that signifies giving up the struggle, utterly powerless. You're not leaning towards Lord Ansel, but rather clueless about what to do, probably just self-hypnotizing."

"Your imagination is indeed vast, Lord Suellen."

"Hehe, is that so?"

The diminutive scholar stood with an icy demeanor, while the radiant smile of the pure white princess illuminated the scene. They locked gazes for an extended period, until the floating cannons annihilated all the monsters controlled by the Tidecallers in the vicinity.

"It seems I'm headed for failure," Suellen suddenly sighed, "I'm bound to face punishment from Her Majesty upon our return, which is quite the nuisance."

"You seem to accept it quite readily."

"What would you have me do? Should I, like my sister who cannot stand to lose anything, hysterically scream and shout at you?"

Suellen raised an eyebrow, "That would be rather unseemly, Miss Ziegler. I admit I am furious, but I am on a quest for vengeance, not to reduce myself to a clown."

"However..."

Her gaze turned icy in an instant, as intimidating as that of a cold-blooded creature.

"You've also made it onto my list for revenge, Miss Ziegler. I will not forget your betrayal this time."

Suellen's lips curved into a slight smile, "You will never surpass Miss Marlowe in the eyes of Lord Ansel, which means you are always at risk of being discarded. And when that time comes—"

"By then, you might want to consider whether you've already been reduced to ashes by the Elder Princess," Ravenna retorted coldly.

"Oh~ such a strong attack. Did I touch a nerve just now?"

Suellen's eyes twinkled, "I'm terribly sorry, but the truth is as it stands, Miss Ziegler."

"Compared to Miss Marlowe, who is loyal, adorable, beautiful, with a youthful innocence yet an undeniably sexy figure, and possessing unparalleled potential—"

She lifted her chin slightly, spewing venomous words without reservation:

"Your paranoia, self-centeredness, coldness, and generally off-putting personality, coupled with a physique that fails to arouse the slightest interest, not to mention your delusions that no one can comprehend... You are utterly worthless."

"You are no match for the Elder Princess either—"

"Hhehe, goodbye then, worthless Miss Ziegler~"

Without waiting for Ravenna to respond, Suellen's figure faded away. Clenching her fists and bowing her head, Ravenna remained silent for a long while before suddenly unleashing several shots towards the spot where Suellen had been.

Indeed, from any perspective, whether it be personality or appearance, she couldn't compare to Seraphina.

The only value Ravenna held, deemed worthless in the eyes of others, was her unique thoughts and abilities, which held unparalleled worth to that only fellow companion. Now, with his departure, the distinction between their statuses… blurred once more, leaving her to persevere alone.

"Despondent... absurd."

Ravenna murmured to herself, "I will find the answers, whether it be the death of my grandfather or... the change in Ansel."

Despondency and confusion were far from the truth.

She had simply seen Ansel's true intentions and, aligning with his wishes, made the best choice possible.

That was all.

*