A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

“Shadewell’s efficiency couldn’t possibly be this low,” Ravenna furrowed her brow. “With Marlina temporarily reassigned, someone should have immediately stepped in to replace her. How come no one has—”

In that instant, Seraphina and Ravenna simultaneously fixed their gaze on a small hillock in the distance.

“Who’s there!”

Seraphina’s reaction was more severe and hostile than when she had discovered Marlina earlier. Her body instinctively entered a combat-ready state.

The aura…

Had the individual not deliberately leaked their presence, Seraphina might not have detected them.

A formidable opponent, appearing so suddenly. Were they here to eliminate Ravenna and me?

“So Lord Hydral had such a clandestine force at his disposal…” Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire

A rough, deep, and spirited female voice echoed from the hillock. A woman, standing at an impressive 2.3 meters tall, clad in damaged armor revealing muscular arms and abdomen, materialized.

“My apologies, this was apparently your comrade,” she said, holding up a man in black attire. “To avoid detection, I knocked him out preemptively. Fortunately, I didn’t resort to lethal force.”

Ravenna’s eyes narrowed slightly as iron-gray particles dispersed, instantly readying eight floating cannons, their muzzles emitting a dangerous white light. Seraphina, meanwhile, had already released her crimson-black murderous aura, with her all-devouring wolf pack poised to hunt at any moment.

“Ah, pardon me. I should have introduced myself first,” the woman laughed heartily.

“You can call me Odelia. If that name sounds unfamiliar, well…”

“I’m one of the eleven commanders of the Revolutionary Army, leader of the Desolation Forces. That should ring a bell, right?”

This Revolutionary Army corps commander, who had successfully struck at the rear of both Duke of Bloodust and Duke of Firmament and escaped unscathed, displayed clear goodwill. She politely tossed the captured Shadewell member to Seraphina’s side, declaring loudly:

“Dispute Fortress,Aridhill, and Boneblade asked me to thank you again for your help and care.”

Dispute Fortress…

Seraphina hesitantly loosened her fist slightly. “You’re…those Revolutionaries’ leaders?”

“More or less,” Odelia was about to leap down from the hillock when she noticed Seraphina’s renewed wariness. She maintained a safe distance, smiling as she frankly stated her purpose: “Aridhill constantly praises your prowess, urging me to recruit you.”

“… What’s wrong with you,” Seraphina was speechless. “I’m occupied with saving lives. Don’t waste my time.”

Initially anticipating some scheme, she found herself confronted with yet another recruitment attempt. Wasn’t their last interaction merely collaborative? Now they had the audacity to recruit her? How presumptuous.

“Ah, I merely mentioned it in passing. I’m well aware that our compensation pales in comparison to what Lord Hydral offers you,” Odelia replied nonchalantly.

“What, then, is your true purpose here?” Ravenna inquired, her brow furrowing. “One who risks life and limb in war to rescue refugees should, by all accounts, be preoccupied with saving those about to be consumed by the feasting flames.”

“Indeed, which naturally implies I have matters of greater import to discuss with you,” Odelia stated, crossing her arms.

“Has Lord Hydral briefed you on the recent assembly?”

Before Ravenna could intervene, Seraphina, her nerves hyperaware, instinctively retorted, inadvertently revealing her… ignorance: “What assembly?”

“Oh, he hasn’t?” The woman, more masculine than most men, stroked her scarred, calloused chin. “How… intriguing.”

“Continue your bullshit, and I will take my leave,” Seraphina declared, her patience wearing thin.

“Hahaha, my apologies,” Odelia chuckled. “I hesitated, believing two such benevolent souls, devoted to aiding civilians, might be reluctant to hear this news.”

Her eyes glinted coldly as she continued, “In essence, Lord Hydral has assembled the empire’s twenty-nine most formidable fifth-stage extraordinary beings, intending to infiltrate the Zero Realm Enigma and eliminate the instigator of this calamity —the former Elder Princess herself.”

“What?!” Seraphina’s voice cracked in disbelief. “How could Ansel not tell me such crucial information?”

“… You couldn’t participate anyway. Quiet, let her speak,” Ravenna interjected.

Odelia pressed on: “To maintain peak condition before breaching the so-called… spatial labyrinth, the Duke of Bloodust proposed utilizing the lives of nine million civilians to forge a barrier against the feasting flames. As it stands, this proposal…”

She shrugged. “Is on the brink of approval.”

In that moment, only the roar of flames pervaded the desolate plains.

“… You truly are insane,” Seraphina declared with absolute certainty after a few seconds. “You’ve lost your mind, spouting such nonsense.”

“Ansel would never sanction such a proposal,” Ravenna countered coldly, in stark contrast to Seraphina’s sardonic tone.

“Your fabrication is indeed laughable.”

“Indeed, Lord Ansel did oppose this proposal… If not for him, I’d have no time to seek you out, being preoccupied with preventing those lunatics from turning civilians into kindling,” Odelia declared, gazing down at Seraphina and Ravenna from her elevated position.

“Time is of the essence. He could only postpone the decision by a day. Without a better alternative, he’ll ultimately resort to this preposterous plan.”

“To verify the truth, why not inquire directly with him?”

Seraphina and Ravenna lapsed into silence once more.

“As for my reason for seeking you both… The answer is simple. I intend to eliminate the Duke of Bloodust.”

Odelia stated nonchalantly, her tone belying the gravity of her words.

“By any means necessary, I must prepare for the worst, exhausting every option to extinguish that possibility. Simultaneously… my thoughts turned to you, Seraphina Marlowe, the lauded [Marlowe the Calamity] of the empire, so highly esteemed by Aridhill.”

“I believe, if you truly are as he describes, you couldn’t possibly stand idle as nine million lives are discarded like refuse into an inferno.”

Ravenna immediately gripped Seraphina’s wrist tightly, cautioning her against falling for the ploy.

The impact of this information was indeed overwhelming, yet not difficult to verify. If true, Ravenna feared Seraphina might lose control.

The Revolutionary Army’s attempt to assassinate a Duke was inconsequential, but Seraphina… absolutely not. At least not now. Even with Ansel’s indulgence of her caprices, this was utterly unacceptable.

Ravenna felt Seraphina’s wrist pulsing violently, veins protruding. As her concern mounted, she suddenly heard Seraphina emit a cold laugh:

“Do you take me for a fool? Attempting to implicate Ansel through me? Keep dreaming!”

“Such an unexpected response,” Odelia rubbed her forehead, sighing. “It seems even Aridhill can misjudge.”

“You dare attempt moral abduction on me?”

Seraphina’s disdain intensified. “A loser like you, trying to manipulate me… Don’t you know, I’m usually the one morally abducting others!”

“…” Ravenna remained silent.

Whenever Seraphina displayed behavior inconsistent with her intelligence, her intellect would swiftly resurface in peculiar ways.

The visibly irate Seraphina even extended her middle finger towards Odelia. “If you know you’re outmatched, piss off! Or do you want a fight with me right here? Huh?”

Odelia paused momentarily, then chuckled at Seraphina’s display. Shaking her head, she replied with amusement, “Lady Calamity truly suits my taste… I’m beginning to understand Aridhill. Lord Hydral indeed beat us to the punch. What a pity.”

“Very well then,” she gestured nonchalantly. “Please continue aiding the civilians. I no longer have that luxury, so kindly cover my share as well.”

With those words, she vanished without further comment, her battle-hardened form disappearing to parts unknown.

Seraphina and Ravenna remained tense and silent, retreating from the inferno. Only after ensuring Odelia’s departure did Ravenna exhale softly, “I’m surprised you saw through it.”

“I told you I’m not a fool!” Seraphina rolled her eyes. “Am I really that stupid to get cheated?”

“… Cheating may not be the issue here,” Ravenna’s expression darkened. “Given her confidence, it’s likely true.”

“…”

Seraphina clenched her fists, a fierce crimson flashing in her eyes like a wolf pack in full charge. The uncontainable fury and hostility within her lent her an inhuman, dangerous aura.

Nine million people… Nine million! What kind of monster could conceive such a plan?

“It’s alright,” Ravenna said softly. “Ansel must have a plan. He surely has another method, or perhaps he’s covertly orchestrating the Duke of Bloodust’s demise. That Revolutionary Army leader… might well be Ansel’s pawn.”

“How else could she eavesdrop on a meeting of thirty top-stage extraordinary beings? It’s likely Ansel’s deliberate scheme.”

Seraphina’s expression softened slightly. She unclenched her fists, though her tone remained discontent:

“Ansel always has a solution… but I just swore not to rely solely on that thought.”

“Assassination suits neither of us. That’s simply how it is.”

Despite her words, Ravenna knew Seraphina wouldn’t heed them. Judging by her expression, Ravenna surmised… she was likely thinking she wasn’t strong enough yet.

Even if she could reach that level, it would take time.

Time…

A vague possibility flickered through Ravenna’s mind, but she didn’t grasp the crucial elements as the shadow-shrouded Crow the Ninth had.

In any case, they should trust in Ansel’s plan.

What Ravenna didn’t know was that while Ansel had indeed discovered the eavesdropping Revolutionary Army and intentionally allowed them to continue, two things were unforeseen.

He hadn’t anticipated the Duke of Bloodust’s sudden, insane proposal, nor had he planned to use the Revolutionary Army as cannon fodder from the start.

Moreover, he was unaware that… the Dispute Fortress incident had led the Revolutionary Army to reassess Seraphina. He didn’t know that Aridhill, having joined forces with Odelia, had been continually praising Seraphina. And he certainly didn’t foresee that Odelia, influenced by these factors… would seek out Seraphina and Ravenna prematurely, revealing information they weren’t meant to know.

As for the consequences of this revelation, only the silent chess player truly knew.

*