A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

"I cannot represent Mr. Faust's will."

Miss Margarete, the "hostage," replied calmly. "If you want that qualification, you must earn it yourselves."

"Heh, aren't we trying right now?" The Hunter raised an eyebrow. "Testing the mettle of that werewolf on behalf of Lord Faust. If she can only match me, then there's no need to trouble Lord Faust."

Marlina's face remained expressionless, but her emotions hadn't been this unsettled in a long time.

Within ten minutes of receiving Crow's intelligence that Seraphina was returning to Dispute Fortress, Marlina had devised a plan to divert Seraphina once more. It was simple, effective, and unlikely to arouse suspicion… and it also increased her control over the fortress in the aftermath, reaching the utmost limits of what she could achieve.

The task on Hunter's side was to assess Seraphina. If Seraphina wasn't their match, Marlina could invoke Ansel's name to prevent them from harming her. Thus, regardless, Seraphina wouldn't be hurt, at most stalled by the Hunter.

As long as Seraphina was delayed, the lower district's riot could be quelled.

What Marlina couldn't accept wasn't Seraphina discovering that she had instigated the riot… but rather that Seraphina would personally end the riot, rendering all her efforts futile.

Those mortals who could seize the opportunity for independence through blood and battle were ultimately shielded by the extraordinary beings at the final juncture. The self-respect and dignity they could have grasped crumbled like a domino effect... This was certainly not what Ansel wished to see.

Consequently, it was also not what Marlina wanted to see.

As long as Seraphina could be delayed until the riot was quelled, it would suffice.

Before departing, Marlina had commanded every segment to proceed at the fastest pace. She knew that once she left, the adventurers, lacking point-to-point control, would undoubtedly encounter various mishaps. Yet, this was the utmost Marlina could achieve.

At this juncture, all she could do was strive to delay Seraphina and then pray for fortune's favor.

"She's here."

The Hunter, his demeanor nonchalant, suddenly spoke. "Soon—no, too soon. This speed is somewhat abnormal for a third-stage... Hmph, to catch the eye of that legendary figure, she must have some merit."

He stood up and glanced at Marlina. "Give me ten minutes, Miss Margarete. Ten minutes, and I'll discern whether she possesses the qualification to face Lord Faust's blade in the arena."

"...Good luck."

Marlina lowered her gaze, replying softly. To prolong the delay, she had purposefully allowed the Hunter to bring her to a place far from Dispute Fortress. Though uncertain how long the Hunter could hold out, the round-trip journey... should suffice to delay until the riot's end.

Next would be the aftermath. Mr. Ansel and Miss Ravenna should return in two or three days; the matters in the Imperial Capital wouldn't conclude so swiftly... Yet, to be safe, and to prevent unforeseen events like today's, it was prudent to prepare in advance. Miss Ravenna wouldn't be as easily fooled as Seri; the matter of the alarm needed an explanation, and then...

Boom!

A thunderous roar, as if the earth itself were splitting, rudely interrupted Marlina's contemplation. The girl stiffly lifted her gaze and looked into the distance. The most conspicuous sight was the rising dust, and then the ground... the ground was fissuring, spreading towards her!

The battlefield was at least several hundred meters away, yet the fissures had spread visibly to here. Just now, who? Who unleashed such terrifying power?!

Instinctively, Marlina stood up, nervously gazing into the distance, and then... her expression froze.

She saw the tall, familiar figure, the red-black wolf shadow behind her seemingly capable of devouring the heavens and earth, and her snow-white hair stained with crimson.

It hadn't even been… two minutes!

"Marli... Marli!"

The figure approaching her, resembling a demon god, lost all its imposing aura the moment it called out her sister's name.

Like a long-lost puppy returning home, the girl sprinted towards Marlina, only slowing down at the last moment to gently crash into her embrace.

"Are you alright? Did they do anything to you? Were you scared? It's all my fault... It's all my fault for not staying in Dispute Fortress, it's all my fault..."

The ferocious wolf, now covered in bloodstains, kept apologizing with a voice tinged with sobs. She clutched Marlina tightly, as if afraid she might lose her again.

"What would I do if something happened to you? How would I explain to Mom and Dad, to Ansel..."

"..."

After a brief silence, Marlina gently stroked her sister's blood-stained hair and said softly, "It's alright, it's alright... They wanted to use me to lure out Mr. Ansel. They didn't harm me, so don't worry."

A different explanation was needed for Seraphina. The Whistling Legion, especially after its purge, was crucial for Marlina as the foundation for her intelligence network in the West. She couldn't let Seraphina harbor great enmity towards them, or if Seraphina decided to wage a battle against them, it would be troublesome.

After hugging Marlina for a while, Seraphina sniffled and slowly released her, saying softly, "I won't leave your side again, Marli, unless you have Ansel with you. Otherwise, I won't go anywhere."

"Even in Hydral's domain? I won't be able to work properly then."

Marlina laughed, gently pinching Seraphina's reddened nose. "Don't worry too much, I'm fine. Miss Ravenna even gave me a protective weapon. Look—"

She pulled out an alchemical firearm from her pocket. "It's really powerful. Miss Ravenna said it could kill even a third-stage extraordinary being with just one shot, as long as you pull the trigger."

"Just a third-stage... That's not much use. The guy who took you was a fourth-stage."

Seraphina murmured, "But that little one is quite nice... I'll thank her next time we meet."

Marlina, gazing at Seraphina's profile, suddenly said, "Even if he was a fourth-stage... you dealt with him in an instant, didn't you?"

"Hmm? It wasn't exactly instant."

Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

Seraphina scratched her head. "At first, he threatened me with you, and I was unsure. But when I used the power of the Head of Wind to sense that no one else was around you, I acted."

"..." Marlina's expression stiffened slightly. "So... it could have been faster?"

"In a real fight, it would have taken about ten seconds."

The wolf girl pouted, "If I used all my power, exerted every bit of strength, it would be less than a second—just like just now. One punch and I turned him into a pulp."

-->