A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

“Nevertheless… don’t treat me like a child. If you’re bored, you don’t have to bother with me. I refuse to be seen as an annoying nuisance!” Annelisa declared, crossing her arms with mock seriousness.

“I am deeply moved,” Ansel sighed, “If only you could remember this sentiment ten minutes from now.”

“Why must you be so disagreeable, child!”

Marlina secretly observed the huffing Annelisa, then glanced at the slightly helpless Ansel. As she quietly dined, a smile involuntarily spread across her face.

For Marlina, the only solace in this absurd, dark world was probably her own family.

The love of family is the purest, a love that asks for no return. This love is the root of Marlina’s immense sacrifices for Seraphina, because she too felt this love from Seraphina and her own parents.

She always felt that Ansel was carrying an indescribable heavy burden. She wanted to share it, but hesitated repeatedly when she thought of her own identity.

Merely serving as a secretary for Ansel, executing orders and handling documents, she didn’t have the right to speak her mind like Seraphina.

But as long as she could see that Ansel’s soul had something to rely on, something to comfort him, Marlina was already happy and satisfied, even if she wasn’t the one doing these things.

However… It seems that Mr. Ansel likes to keep a distance from ma’am, but he doesn’t seem like the type who likes to chat and act spoiled with his parents?

But Mr. Ansel is clearly the same age as Seraphina, which seems a bit abnormal… No, no, no, stop overthinking.

Annelisa undoubtedly loves Ansel, and although Ansel maintains a certain distance in his tone and attitude towards his own mother, his emotions are very candid, which is good.

Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen my parents… The Baron of Darkwater said that a teleportation circle was to be built at the entrance of the village, and I should be able to go back and see them in a while.

All thanks to Mr. Ansel, it seems that there aren’t many more tasks recently, should I take Seri with me after studying to his room…

“Marlina.”

The indescribable scene in Marlina’s mind faded when she heard Ansel’s call, she shuddered violently, almost dropping her knife and fork.

“I, I’m here, what’s up? Mr. Ansel?”

Ansel looked at her slightly strange appearance, just raised his eyebrows, and didn’t think much: “I’m going to find Seraphina, remember to come find me after you finish eating. Rune, show Marlina the way when the time comes.”

The maid bowed slightly and agreed softly, while Ansel got up and left the dining table, leaving only Annelisa, who was leaning on her arms and tilting her head on the dining table, and Marlina, who was beginning to feel awkward.

“Little Marlina.” After her son left the table, the somewhat bored Lady Hydral blinked, “Is it hard to work under Ansel?”

“Uh, ah?”

This question caught the increasingly quiet Marlina off guard. She quickly put down her knife and fork and wiped her mouth, saying very seriously: “No, ma’am, Mr. Ansel is very good to me. Being able to dedicate my power to him also makes me feel… very happy.”

“Oh~”

The woman’s face showed a teasing smile: “Very happy, is it?”

Marlina’s face turned slightly red, but she didn’t deny it, instead she nodded lightly: “Yes, very happy… Ah! Ma’am, please rest assured, I don’t have any presumptuous thoughts, just being able to accompany Mr. Ansel like this, I’m already satisfied.”

Annelisa didn’t seem particularly satisfied or impressed with Marlina’s answer, obviously she had seen too many girls who were “extremely satisfied just to be with Ansel”.

— After all, there are such girls everywhere in this manor and in Hydral’s territory.

However, as a mother, as a wife, she keenly sensed something very crucial.

She straightened her head, propped her chin on her arm, and asked with interest: “Although you are very satisfied now, but actually… you have never given up the possibility of going further, right?”

“…”

After a brief silence, Marlina nodded, saying softly but firmly: “Yes, ma’am.”

“Hmm… There are indeed a few girls like you, but I have excluded many of them, do you know why, little Marlina?”

This sentence made Marlina’s nerves tense instantly. She looked serious, but very calm, and said: “Please enlighten me, ma’am.”

Annelisa couldn’t help but laugh: “I actually don’t like being respected too much… But you’re a bit special, little Marlina, I’m quite comfortable being treated with such respect by you. Okay, then I’ll tell you some secrets that I won’t tell ordinary girls.”

“These ordinary girls, including the daughters of the grand duke, the granddaughters of the fifth-stage extraordinary beings, the once famous beauties of the imperial capital; appearance, aptitude, family, ability… No matter from which aspect, they are all top-notch, but in my eyes, they are still ‘ordinary’. The reason… little Marlina, what’s your opinion?” freёweɓnovel.com

Under Annelisa’s gaze, Marlina gave her answer seriously almost without spending a few seconds:

“Because for you… no, for Mr. Ansel, everything other than ‘ability’ and ‘aptitude’ has no value at all, and there are always people with ability and aptitude in this world. Unless they have a very exceptional value, such as…”

“Just like little Seraphina.” Annelisa nodded with a smile, “Well said, continue.”

Marlina organized her thoughts again when Annelisa took over the conversation, and after calming down, she continued: “So, for Mr. Ansel, the most important quality of a follower is not on the follower himself, but focuses on… the ‘following’ aspect.”

“For example, unwavering loyalty, constant self-sacrifice, or mutual understanding of intentions… Only these things are worth Mr. Ansel’s attention, worth your attention.”

Annelisa’s eyes gradually brightened, but she didn’t praise Marlina, instead she continued: “But these qualities, some of the girls also have them, they have left the so-called ‘ordinary’, but I still rejected their attempts to contact Ansel through me, why is that?”

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