Novel Full Chapter 605 It Filled Her With Determination - II
“Ha.” Inothea sneered, “Do you think I am surrounded by shadows?”
Hearing this, the girl asked in confusion: “Aren’t you?”
Step by step, she approached until she was within arm’s reach of Inothea, close enough for Inothea to strangle her, and whispered:
“Mr. Faust is watching you, Miss Inothea.”
“Because I am watching you.”
As she met those deep crimson eyes, Inothea felt, for a fleeting moment… as if her consciousness was being drawn into a vortex. The next second, she broke free from this strange sensation, her uncontrollable anger surging to its peak.
—For the damned woman before her knew no spells, nor could she ever. She had simply been… frightened just now.
On what grounds… can she so brazenly use Faust’s name to intimidate me!
Just as Inothea instinctively raised her arm, attempting to grab Marlina’s neck, the girl who had struggled through the wilderness smiled, lifting her chin slightly as if she knew exactly what Inothea would do, and offered her delicate neck.
The lioness’s paw hovered in the air, pausing just before touching her neck.
“Miss Inothea.”
Marlina gently placed Inothea’s hand on her neck, arranging her fingers and slowly tightening them.
“I know your anger doesn’t stem from my offense.”
The girl’s voice remained ever gentle, but the resentment in her crimson eyes seemed almost impossible to suppress.
“You are angry because I have the right to speak to you as an equal, angry because I am favored by Mr. Faust, angry because that person… is not you.”
She suddenly sighed: “In truth, I wish you were simply angry at my offense, even just a hint.”
Marlina continued to lean forward, but Inothea dared not extend her arm further. She was forced to bend her arm, her fingers applying no pressure.
“I wish you were angry because ‘this mortal dares to challenge me,’ and not because ‘why does she receive Faust’s favor.'”
“Ah, please don’t misunderstand. I am very happy to receive Mr. Faust’s favor. I never thought of giving it to anyone else, but sometimes I wonder…”
At this moment, Inothea, having calmed down, was no longer as furious.
She was instead somewhat perplexed, for the girl before her had not displayed such an almost… unhinged demeanor during their negotiations not long ago.
“Sometimes I wonder, is this fate of being overlooked truly unchangeable?”
A contemplative look appeared in Marlina’s eyes, tinged with confusion.
But it only lasted for a moment, dissipating without a trace. She smiled apologetically and released Inothea’s hand from her neck.
“Sorry, I needed to… vent some emotions. You should understand, everyone has those few days when they feel sentimental, right?”
Gazing at this increasingly bizarre and inexplicable girl, Inothea suppressed her irritation and asked in a low voice, “So, what exactly do you want from me?”
Marlina, having regained her composure, replied gently, “Mr. Faust desires…”
She quickly summarized the matter regarding the air purifiers, leaving Inothea utterly stupefied.
“Just this?”
She stared at Marlina in disbelief, “Are you fucking out of your mind? I thought Faust wanted to kill someone or needed me to do something serious… but it’s just, just this? Purifying the air?!”
As she continued, Inothea found herself laughing in exasperation, “Are you kidding me?”
“I hope you can say that directly to Mr. Faust,” Marlina responded with a sweet smile.
“…I understand.”
Though she found it utterly baffling, Inothea, knowing that Faust was always busy with some commissions, dismissed it with a wave of her hand, “Faust can do whatever he wants… even if he wants to tear down and rebuild the Lower District. Just tell Milo directly, there’s no need to come to me.”
“And there… lies the problem, Miss Inothea,” Marlina sighed softly, “None of you seem to find this peculiar.”
“…What do you mean?”
If a child could develop some attachment to certain toys, the residents of the Lower District were merely second-rate playthings, tinkered with on a whim and discarded just as easily.
Only when they wished to play would they realize—hey, who changed my toy?
And then they would mold it back into something they found “interesting.”
Inothea wouldn’t think, or rather, wouldn’t consider that the extraordinary beings would, over time, notice the improved environment in the Lower District and belatedly realize they had lost their playground, thus deciding to control the purifiers.
Marlina didn’t bother explaining this, knowing that changing these people couldn’t be achieved through words, or even by force… which would only provide a temporary solution.
“My point is, Mr. Faust won’t remain in the Dispute Fortress, but those purifiers must continue to operate.”
It took a while for Inothea to grasp, “You’re worried someone will sabotage them… who would be that bored?”
She herself couldn’t believe anyone would do such a thing, but the truth was, someone would.
So Marlina merely smiled, “Just be aware of it, and remember… Mr. Faust is watching you.”
“Mr. Faust’s name will soon spread throughout the Western Lands, throughout the Empire. He won’t stay here, but you will forever be in his shadow.”
Marlina bowed slightly, “Please do not forget this, Miss Inothea.”
When she lifted her gaze, the coldness in her crimson eyes was not something a normal human should possess—a terrifying aura.
“Revere everything about him.”
Thus concluding her words, she once again donned a sweet and charming smile. After politely bidding farewell to Inothea, she turned and walked away.
Step by step towards the door, the smile on Margarate Gretchen Müller’s face gradually faded.
Ansel’s commands and requests would be carried out meticulously by her.
Ansel wanted to fulfill Seraphina and Ravenna’s small wishes, so Marlina would do everything in her power to make Inothea fear Faust a little more, and then even more. This was to minimize the wastage of resources as much as possible.
—She had lied at that moment; Ansel’s gaze wouldn’t linger here, but he could always send someone to keep watch.
The reason for the lie was simple… For the mere Lower District of Dispute Fortress, for the mere environmental issue of the Lower District, why arrange for a trusted and diligent person of Ansel to oversee it?
Ansel was currently facing numerous matters and problems, with places needing manpower everywhere. Why waste resources on such utterly insignificant matters?
But since Ansel had already made such a decision, the waste was inevitable. He wouldn’t just send Marlina on a trip and be done with it—Seraphina and Ravenna wanted it, so he would respond to them with a perfectly crafted vision. That was Ansel’s character, something Marlina knew all too well.
Therefore, Marlina used words and actions, intimidation, and threats to deepen Faust’s influence in Inothea’s mind, just to minimize the wastage of Ansel’s resources… even though Ansel himself didn’t really care.
“…It doesn’t matter.”
Exiting Inothea’s bedroom, Marlina rubbed her cheeks vigorously, shaking off the irritation and frustration in her heart. She clenched her fists slightly, encouraging herself.
“Dispute Fortress, the Whistling Legion, the Revolutionary Army, Seri, and… Ansel’s vision.”
Marlina murmured to herself. She had stepped onto the stage Ansel had prepared for her, and she firmly believed this was Ansel’s test for her.
“Start with… the Executioner.”
“As long as it ends perfectly, Mr. Ansel… will surely see me in a different light.”
By then…
By then, Mr. Ansel will also heed my opinions, just as he fulfills the expectations of Seri and Miss Ravenna.
Although she longed for a position where she could stand shoulder to shoulder with Ansel, she didn’t hope for it right away—not to attain the same treatment as Seraphina and Ravenna so soon. No matter how difficult it might be, no matter how much time it would take, Marlina was willing to proceed step by step, in the most steadfast manner.
Her current goal was singular: as long as Ansel would consider her opinions more, refer to her choices more often, as long as she no longer felt like a toddler being gently guided by Ansel but could instead provide him with genuine assistance… that alone would bring Marlina immense happiness.
The girl lifted her head, squinting at the blazing sun, her heart filled with sweet aspirations.
The light and warmth descending from the heavens filled her with determination.
*