A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Seraphina turned her gaze towards Ansel, her dark crimson eyes reflecting the luminous stars above. Yet, the resolve in her irises shone even more brilliantly than the celestial lights.

“There’s no need to do evil things that you actually don’t want to do any longer,” she murmured, her hand gently caressing Ansel’s cheek.

“I won’t insist that you must follow my suggestion, but if there’s any way I can be of use to stop you from wrongdoing, then don’t torment yourself or your conscience. Simply use me.”

“Promise me, promise me,” the docile wolf implored, embracing Ansel’s neck and nuzzling his cheek.

Her voice, both tender and resolute, whispered in his ear, “Promise to depend on me, to trust me. Will you?”

She blinked, a contented and joyous smile gracing her features.

“I believe that by bringing me here, Ansel, you want me to diligently oversee these guys and help the unfortunate refugees in rebuilding their homes. Rest assured, I shall not disappoint you!”

Ansel’s hand, stroking Seraphina’s cheek, paused imperceptibly. In response to her words, he merely offered a gentle smile, seemingly both an answer and a silence.

“Ah, how wonderful it feels to have spoken my mind!”

After basking in Ansel’s embrace for a brief moment, Seraphina straightened her back, stretching languorously before playfully planting a kiss on Ansel’s lips.

“It’s always best to express myself clearly to you, Ansel! I hate to hold back…like that shorty, hehe.”

Ansel poked her cheek teasingly. “Ravenna is hardly reclusive now. She’d be quite vexed to hear you speak of her thus.”

“Let her be vexed… It’s not as if she can do anything to me,” Seraphina remarked nonchalantly.

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“I may have been no match for her at the third stage, but now… hmph, she’s no rival for me, in or out of bed. What grounds has she to challenge me?”

At this, Miss Wolf’s cheeks flushed slightly. She edged closer to Ansel’s ear, whispering, “Ansel, Ansel… She quarreled with me again today. I want to take my revenge. Shall we torment her together?”

Ansel raised an eyebrow. “If you insist on this course, know that I would acquiesce to Ravenna’s request to bully you as well, should she ask.”

“Hah, her?” Seraphina scoffed. “Let’s see who would torment who.”

However, upon realizing the “impropriety” of her words, Seraphina’s face reddened once more. The nascent tyrant, once on the plush bed, regardless of her fierce demeanor, would invariably find herself meekly tending to the serpent’s tail.

“Ahem, ahem! Well, I’ll go find something to eat. I haven’t had dinner and I’m feeling a bit hungry. I’ll be off then, Ansel!”

The rosy-cheeked maiden coughed lightly, placed a final kiss on Ansel’s cheek, then leapt from his embrace. In a few swift bounds, her form vanished into the night.

Shortly thereafter, iron-grey particles coalesced beside Ansel, materializing into the petite and charming scholar.

“Finished your dalliance with your little pup?” she remarked expressionlessly, climbing onto Ansel’s lap and settling into the spot Seraphina had just vacated. Her brow furrowed slightly.

“…Still so warm.”

Though her words were often biting, Ravenna always thoughtfully afforded Ansel his space.

Being embraced by the now-larger Seraphina, or holding the diminutive Ravenna – either experience could incite jealousy. Ansel, privileged to enjoy both, rested his chin atop Ravenna’s head and inquired with a smile, “You’ve toured the vicinity today. What are your thoughts?”

“Utterly terrible,” Ravenna replied succinctly, echoing Seraphina’s assessment.

“Both the refugees requiring aid and the areas needing reconstruction pose immense challenges… Unless our Lord young princess possesses both the capability and resolve to direct most extraordinary beings towards reconstruction efforts, it will be tremendously difficult. Moreover…”

Moreover, even if extraordinary beings could be mobilized for reconstruction, would they truly accomplish the task effectively?

Ravenna was uncertain. On this matter, she could only be grateful for Seraphina’s presence, though Seraphina couldn’t possibly be omnipresent.

“War…” the woman said in a complex tone, “is something that should never exist.”

Having witnessed the brutalities of war firsthand, she was even more averse to such scenes than Seraphina. Undoubtedly, her ethereal firearms had played a significant role in the conflict between the Firmament and Bloodust.

“Ansel,” the embraced Ravenna suddenly spoke, “I likely won’t be accompanying you constantly from now on.”

Ansel wasn’t surprised by this. “You wish to contribute to the reconstruction efforts, don’t you?”

“…I merely have some new ideas to implement. Besides, Tower of Babel has received substantial investment in Hydral’s domain without reciprocation. It’s time we provided tangible returns. If certain equipment proves successful here, then in Hydral’s realm…”

Ravenna, who had begun with a series of persuasive reasons, gradually fell silent under Ansel’s knowing gaze. Finally, she punched him lightly in frustration.

“What are you looking at? I… I do want to help with the reconstruction, but that’s just incidental… Fine, it’s my primary objective. Satisfied now?”

Ansel suppressed a chuckle, gently pinching Ravenna’s cheek, which she irritably swatted away. “You still need to learn to be more candid, Venna.”

“I’m always candid!”

Ravenna exclaimed loudly, then added in a softer tone, “I’m sorry, Ansel, that I can’t always be by your side.”

“You make me sound like some pitiful wretch who’d fall apart without a woman around,” the young Hydral laughed heartily.

“I never intended to keep you all tethered to me forever. Remember what I told you, Venna?”

“Yes,” Ravenna’s purple eyes held a tenderness visible only to Ansel. “To live for myself, right?”

“See? You understand perfectly,” Ansel buried his face in Ravenna’s hair, his voice gentle. “Continue to forge your own path. If you ever lose your way, you can always come to me.”

Ravenna grasped Ansel’s wrist, where her “core” was worn. She sighed, part resignation, part relief.

“In this regard, I’m still far behind that foolish dog.”

“Seri’s openness and clarity are innate. No one can emulate that, just as no one can reach your level, Ravenna.”

“Don’t exclude yourself,” Ravenna leaned gently against Ansel’s chest. “I’ll be very lonely.”

“Oh? Will you? You never used to be.”

“Go to hell!”

“Hahaha!”

This moment of intimacy with Ravenna brought a different kind of warmth and joy. Ansel sometimes felt that Miss Scholar, though five years older than Seraphina and far more aloof in temperament, was actually considerably more endearing than his puppy.

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