A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 588 The Heart Sunk in Darkness - I

gazing at the extraordinary beings seemingly consumed by madness, ravenna furrowed her brows, bewildered. "is this competition truly worth their fervor?"

"you're not a hyena, venna," ansel replied with a smile. "of course, you can't empathize with a hyena's joy."

"...i don't care what kind of animals they are."

the petite scholar instinctively pressed down on ansel's shoulder, her violet eyes filled with disdain and scorn, yet also complexity and sorrow, as she watched the frenzied adventurers.

"if they have nowhere to expend their energy..." she murmured softly, "wouldn't it be better to use that power to change the world?"

"do you want the extraordinary beings to change the world?" ansel raised an eyebrow. "that's quite different from your grandfather's vision, venna."

"that's why it's not his vision, it's mine."

ravenna's tone was calm and natural as she glanced at ansel, extending her hand towards the sky, where iron-grey particles formed a delicate little tower.

"to still be a beast trapped in the past is a disservice to your constant nagging, you chatty monster."

just as seraphina pursued her fervent and pure sense of justice, ravenna continued on her path of seeking transformation.

but unlike the past, she no longer sought a radiant future for anyone else—she wanted to carve out a new world, using her own will and power, for herself and the boy from three years ago. —to live for herself.

this smart brat, who always liked to lecture her, somehow always struck a chord in the places she was most willing to accept.

ansel gently patted ravenna's head with a smile. "so, you're willing to accept help from extraordinary beings now?"

ravenna sneered. "so what if i am? would they be willing to do so? grandfather never placed his hopes on the extraordinary beings because they could never sincerely help mortals."

"but the difference between him and me is..."

the diminutive beauty sitting on ansel's shoulder gently rested her head against his.

"i have you by my side, don't i, ansel?"

"do you only act coy when you need my help?"

having spotted their target, ravenna first pointed out the location to ansel, then asked, "why does such a guild exist?"

"hmm?"

ansel turned his head slightly in the direction ravenna indicated. "what do you mean by 'why'?"

"from your description, they hardly go on expeditions to the zero realm enigma or excavate dynastic relics in the western lands. they exist by taking on others' commissions."

ansel's question made ravenna even more curious. "is there another 'why'?" enjoy exclusive content from empire

"...no."

ansel shook his head with a smile, the surprise in his eyes fading to calm in an instant.

*

"this is merely the order among hyenas."

marlina, holding a record book, explained to the troubled seraphina, "in the western lands, dominated by numerous adventurers, the empire's original political system struggles to fully control these very... pure, purely pleasure-seeking adventurers. or rather, the four dukes here haven't intentionally tried to restrict them."

"that's why intermediary guilds like the executioners have emerged. they act as a buffer when adventurers come into conflict over certain issues. by delegating disputes to guilds like the executioners, the adventurers' infighting doesn't become excessively chaotic and direct. these buffer guilds help maintain a degree of balance and coordination."

this long explanation left seraphina dizzy. she clutched her forehead and shook her head vigorously, looking pitiful. "i... i don't understand, marli."

she reached out and grabbed marlina's arm, shaking it in a childish manner. "anyway, with you here, you can decide these things. why do you have to explain it to me?"

marlina calmly withdrew her hand, making seraphina look even more pitiful. the mortal girl sighed inwardly but maintained a serious expression.

"i am only temporarily assisting you, miss fenrir. soon, i will return to mr. faust. you must learn to handle these matters on your own... and my name is margarete, please stop calling me by the wrong name."

"margarete the heck... it doesn't sound good. there's no one else here, you don't need to pretend—"

"miss fenrir," marlina interjected, taking a step back and lowering her head slightly.

"please maintain your decorum."

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