Novel Full Chapter 580 Les Miserables - I
Learning requires time, and understanding requires time.
However, Ansel, who was purposefully guiding Marlina, did not afford her much time.
The young girl, burdened with numerous responsibilities, followed Ansel from place to place. Even with the small trinket Ansel had bought her earlier—a necklace to enhance her stamina—she still appeared somewhat fatigued.
Her workload was unimaginable to the average person—organizing Dispute Fortress’s network from scratch using the Queen Bee as a focal point, constantly pondering and anticipating Ansel’s intentions and making preparations in advance, daily analyzing existing intelligence to solidify the foundation, contemplating how to achieve results under Shadewell’s suppression, and balancing her aspirations and achievements without neglecting her primary duties… Now, she also had the additional task of managing the chaotic lower city for her troublesome sister.
On top of all this, Ansel placed the most arduous and nearly suffocating burdens on her shoulders.
Although compared to the harsh methods he took when taming Seraphina and Ravenna required harsh methods, this task was relatively gentle. Yet Marlina was entirely different from those two girls—from the beginning, she held absolute admiration and loyalty towards Ansel, unwavering even unto death, just like the majority.
Thus, Ansel harbored high expectations for her, undoubtedly. He wouldn’t waste time on someone without value.
If she held no value, even if Marlina was Seraphina’s sister, he wouldn’t allow her to frequently appear in his life.
“Salt Lake City… Hmm.”
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In the swaying carriage, Ansel gazed towards the city at the edge of the dusty yellow land and softly said,
“Margarete, how long have we traveled from Dispute Fortress to this Salt Lake City by carriage?”
Marlina, who was recording something, immediately looked up, “Six and a half hours. It’s not far from Dispute Fortress.”
“A small city,” Ansel murmured to himself, “The teleportation array is closed, no prominent figures come and go, but it’s not too far from a major city like Dispute Fortress. The resources and conditions are decent, making it a suitable place for retirement.”
The young Hydral looked at the pensive adventurer lady and smiled, “Do you agree, Margarete?”
Marlina, who had placed her notebook on her lap and was sitting properly, pondered for a moment, then shook her head,
“A third-stage extraordinary being can receive excellent treatment anywhere in the empire. Even if they do nothing, many nobles will still seek them out. If one wishes to retire… whether it’s the East Port or the Southern Region, both are far better than the Western Lands.”
“Then why would this adventurer who bought the boy, and many who have long since ceased exploring, choose to settle in the Western Lands?”
“Isn’t it obvious!”
Before Marlina could answer, the adventurer in the same carriage lifted his hat and grinned, “It’s for the freedom, of course.”
“…Yes, freedom.”
The question was simple and uncomplicated. After repeating that word, Marlina organized her thoughts slightly:
“The influence of noble forces in the Western Lands is minimal… Even though the Grand Duke still governs the four major territories, adventurers enjoy far more freedom compared to extraordinary beings in other parts of the empire.”
Extraordinary beings gain countless privileges through their extraordinary powers, and adventurers in the Western Lands even more so. Even after stepping down from the front lines, they would never abandon that freedom.
Nobility and freedom…
Marlina’s fleeting thoughts grasped a crucial point. She looked at Ansel, about to speak, but was interrupted by the adventurer in the carriage.
“I say, bro… you have quite the unique taste.”
The adventurer sitting next to Ansel chuckled and nudged his shoulder, “You like them this skinny? Can this mortal endure—”
The sudden appearance of a bloodline around his neck silenced him.
“Apologize to my servant,” Ansel said, his eyes half-closed, his tone indifferent.
“Oh, oh, oh… easy there, bro.”
Despite the threat, the adventurer neither got angry nor showed any sign of panic. Instead, he raised his hands, very earnestly saying, “Just a joke… don’t take it seriously. I didn’t think anyone would take a fragile mortal as a servant.”
With that, he clasped his hands together and pleaded with Marlina, “This lovely lady, could you ask your master to spare me this once?”
There was neither the resentment of someone facing a life threat nor the reluctance of bowing to a mortal.
Marlina had seen many people, and she could tell at a glance that this adventurer was entirely indifferent, as if he was… playing around while “apologizing” to her.
Marlina remained silent, and her silence finally made the adventurer uneasy. He laughed awkwardly, carefully inching away. When he reached the end of the carriage, he immediately vanished.
A prudent man, as all seasoned adventurers are.
But a seasoned adventurer shouldn’t act so recklessly, challenging a stranger with extraordinary powers.
This implies that, in the eyes of seasoned adventurers, bullying a mortal isn’t considered a challenge. No, it’s not even considered bullying; it’s merely a harmless jest.
Evidently, among adventurers and extraordinary beings, this is an unspoken consensus.
As the carriage wheels rolled forward, Marlina gripped her notebook tightly, as if holding on to her last shred of dignity.
“Do you want me to kill him?”
Ansel suddenly asked.
His question stunned Marlina. This solicitation of her opinion filled her heart with fear. She was about to instinctively refuse in panic, but when she met Ansel’s deep sea-blue eyes, she fell silent.
If she were to refuse, it shouldn’t be because she didn’t want to trouble Mr. Ansel.
This thought surfaced in her mind.
Thus, the girl gently shook her head and said, “No need, Mr. Ansel. It is not worth it.”
“Not worth it?” Ansel questioned.
In a soft voice, Marlina responded, “The talents of a mere mortal like Margarete might be worthy of your guidance, but they do not justify killing an extraordinary being over a careless remark. Such a tyrannical act is beneath you.”
She was not belittling her own abilities but rather emphasizing her “mortal” status.
Ansel gave a slight nod and said no more, his gaze fixed calmly on the approaching Salt Lake City.
Marlina observed his profile, a visage starkly different from his original appearance, exuding a solemn and commanding presence that made one think this must be the true face of Faust.
Yet Marlina knew that when alone with her, Ansel’s tender expressions had become increasingly rare. She did not believe this indicated a growing distance between them, nor did she think the ever-gentle youth was intentionally adopting a stern demeanor. It was only in solitude with her… that the man she admired would begin to ponder such weighty matters.
For this, Marlina felt both honored and uneasy.
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