A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

The thunderous roar, which even the soundproofing spells failed to suppress, made Marlina instinctively glance out the window before quickly turning back.

"So, I believe," she said, refocusing her intense gaze on Ansel, who sat opposite her, "that after the eradication of the gang forces, if stringent controls are not enforced, the lower district will deteriorate even further."

"An abundance of unclaimed wealth, burgeoning ambitions, and a near-collapsed order... Their human desires and longings are visibly rekindling, but without proper guidance and restraint, they will only march toward destruction."

With a deep sigh, the young girl lamented, "It's my inadequacy. If I had managed the entire process well, prevented the situation from escalating to this point, and maintained the balance between their savagery and cowardice, we wouldn't need to undertake so much work now."

"What was your original plan for the aftermath?" Ansel asked, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"Retain a portion of the gang members who have fully pledged themselves to me, to stabilize the lower district's accustomed dark order. They could serve as ever-growing fodder, gradually fed to the commoners, allowing them to continue their struggle, maintain their anger, their hatred, and this hard-won vitality."

Marlina's tone was soft but clear and methodical. "If necessary, I could nurture them myself."

"Based on this, I will gradually improve the district's welfare. Let the common folk taste the sweetness of resistance, while the remnants of the gangs intermittently disrupt their victory, fostering deep-seated, irreconcilable conflicts, leading to another wave of confrontation.

This way, they will understand the importance of independent struggle and savor the supreme beauty of personal independence."

After these words, Marlina's expression grew tense. "Mr. Ansel, is this acceptable?"

"Hmm..."

Ansel tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "So, you still intend to control the lower district at all times, correct?"

"Yes... My abilities are limited. To ensure no accidents occur, I can only use this clumsy method."

Ansel chuckled. "It's fine for now because you're dealing with mortals—they cannot and perhaps will not resist. But when your schemes involve a higher plane, you should abandon this habit of micromanaging every detail."

"The more you think and do, the easier it is to err. You must find the critical lever that can move everything and handle all matters along that line... Do you understand?"

Marlina nodded vigorously. "I understand, Mr. Ansel."

"Good." Ansel gently patted Marlina's head, his voice warm. "You have a long time ahead of you, and the Western Land is an invaluable crucible for you. Do not waste it."

"Yes, Mr. Ansel!"

Marlina's face lit up with joy as she nodded in response, and then another tremendous boom echoed from afar.

"Has Miss Seraphina's battle already… begun?"

She couldn't help but glance out the window. "Given her character, she won't just defeat the opponents in the ring; she might even challenge stronger individuals, perhaps even the Duke of Azuregold... Shouldn't you go and check personally, Mr. Ansel?"

"You underestimate her, Marlina."

Ansel chuckled. "There's no need. That Duke of Azuregold isn't even a true avatar; he's preoccupied with other dukes and cannot afford to divert his attention. At most… he might pretend to let Seri gain an edge and then call it a draw."

"Is that so? Miss Seraphina is truly remarkable," Marlina murmured softly, gazing out the window. "She has… such incredible power."

Ansel also looked out the window. Naturally, he could see the battle more clearly than Marlina, and his smile was one of genuine pride and joy.

"After all, she is Seraphina, the one and only Seraphina."

"..."

Marlina withdrew her gaze from the window and looked at Ansel's profile. After a moment, she suddenly said, "However, it's equally impressive that you, Mr. Ansel, anticipated all of this."

"Hmm?" Ansel raised an eyebrow slightly. "What do you mean... anticipated?"

"Miss Seraphina, of course."

Marlina seemed puzzled. "You must have foreseen that she would eventually use her power without restraint, making it difficult to remain hidden. So, you deliberately exposed Faust's image to be closely associated with yourself.

This way, even if someone connects Fenrir with Miss Seraphina and Faust with you, they would think, 'How could Hydral make such an oversight?' and suspect there's more to it, right?"

These words brought the young Hydral into a brief silence.

Then, he couldn't help but laugh softly.

It was a laugh of helplessness, yet tinged with genuine ease and affection.

"No, I haven't thought that far, Marli."

Ansel, smiling, shook his head, the softness in his eyes unmistakable. "You're overthinking it. I simply never intended to control Seri."

"Is that... is that so?"

Marlina was a bit bewildered, then grew anxious. "But in that case, your identity, Faust... You should put some restrictions on Miss Seraphina!"

"Why should I restrict her?" Ansel countered.

"This is her journey, and I just happened to cross paths with her. Why should I limit Seri's actions for something utterly unnecessary?"

How could it be... unnecessary?

Marlina found it hard to bear, her voice growing urgent. "You've spent so much effort and thought in shaping Faust's identity. How can it be unnecessary!"

"Well... that might indeed be my lack of precision." Ansel nodded slightly.

"I shouldn't say it's unnecessary. Rather, no matter how much of a commotion Seri causes, I can adequately prepare for it."

"Wouldn't that be too troublesome? You've always avoided situations where unexpected incidents are likely to occur."

The gentle-eyed, golden-haired youth simply smiled and answered, "How could it be troublesome?"

How could it be troublesome? If it's for her, even if it means making temporary adjustments to pre-planned strategies, even if it might lead to thorny issues later on, it wouldn't matter. If it's for Seraphina, it's undoubtedly worth it.

Without needing further explanation, Marlina understood Ansel's meaning.

After a few seconds of silence, a smile also appeared on her face.

"Yes, to Mr. Ansel... it certainly wouldn't be troublesome."

Beneath this smile lay an unspoken gloom.

But does this... justify them causing you trouble?

*