A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 129  An Unacceptable Answer - II

"Firstly, in my scheme, the empress will not become our adversary, thus reducing our need for substantial military strength," Ansel elucidated. "Secondly, as the pact head, you have become sufficiently formidable under my aegis, Seraphina. Even without reliance on the spiritual essence, you possess exceptional combat prowess. Furthermore, even if you become stronger, the scope of power application is somewhat narrow—"

"It shouldn't be like this!" Seraphina abruptly rose, half-kneeling on Ansel's desk, speaking with palpable urgency, "What's wrong with becoming stronger! With your help, Ansel, I won't make mistakes again, right? Since I won't do anything wrong, shouldn't I become as strong as possible? Through Seraphina's dark red eyes, Ansel saw a burning, fierce discontent. If anyone other than Ansel told her, "You don't need to become stronger," the current Seraphina might have already lost control. Who would renounce such a prospect? Who would give up the power that could rival the strongest in the world? Seraphina had witnessed the heights she could reach in the future, the power she could wield. Even an ordinary person would find it hard to accept, let alone Seraphina, who inherently pursued power with tenacity? Moreover, in Seraphina's eyes, what Ansel needed most now was... power. She clearly wanted to help Ansel, so why wouldn't Ansel accept it? Why would Ansel tell her that he... didn't need to become that strong? The restless beast in her soul growled with immense discontent. Now, as Seraphina recalled, at the very beginning... at Howling Wind Castle, when she encountered that assassin, she seemed to be the same. The spiritual essence, driven by her by force, granted her extraordinary physical strength, but because she didn't trust her pure power, she chose to use thought and reason against the enemy. Even though she successfully killed the opponent in the end, that power obviously began to weaken when she was thinking. When she didn't believe in her own power, the beast also roared with such discontent and anger. ...Had Ansel prepared for this from that time? Was he calculating my current situation from that time? A sour pain welled up in Seraphina's heart, she looked at the silent boy in front of her with sorrow, wanting to question something, but she couldn't speak. Of course, she knew that Ansel was smarter than her, better at fighting fate, and what Ansel wanted to do would definitely be right. But Seraphina was still very sad. Every night she fell asleep thinking about how to become stronger the next day, and every day she became stronger, she thought about how to better help Ansel. But why... why would Ansel treat her like this? Didn't Ansel say that he would always stand by her side and never give up on her? "...Ansel." Seraphina forced a smile, "I know, I know you must have your own thoughts, and you must have thought more thoroughly than me, so... even if I don't understand why you want me to do this, I will... obey."

"But—"

The girl leaned forward, her eyes full of hope and pleading, "But Ansel, can you tell me why? Why can't I become stronger? Don't you need me? Or... or will I cause you trouble in the future?"

"Ansel, you won't lie to me, right?"

The self in the depths of Seraphina's soul roared in anger, it seemed to be furious at her current self, at such weakness and pleading. This anger infected Seraphina's emotions, making her feelings more chaotic. Even so, Seraphina was still waiting for Ansel's answer, no matter what, as long as Ansel was willing to answer her, and as always, sincerely give an answer, Seraphina could accept any answer. But such expectation, in the long silence... turned into torment. Ansel didn't answer Seraphina's question, he was just silent. "...Ansel?"

Seraphina's voice trembled slightly, "Ansel, why... why don't you answer me?"

"Seraphina."

After a long silence, Ansel looked into Seraphina's eyes and calmly replied, "I think, not answering this question is better for both of us."

"Because you..." The young Hydral looked into the pair of dark red eyes and the beast hidden deep within them, which was almost starting to roar at him, "will definitely not accept this answer."

"...I won't accept, I won't accept?"

Seraphina murmured in a low voice, her body gradually began to tremble, then she suddenly raised her head, grabbed Ansel's collar tightly, and shouted in grief and anger:

"I accepted even that kind of absurdity! I've told you so much... and you've promised me so much! Now you're telling me, I won't accept?!"

"Ansel! Tell me! What about you... what about you can't I accept?!"

The emotions that had been surging during this time, the ambiguity experienced, the expectations harbored... all at this moment, due to Ansel's cold and alienating words, turned into a cruel blade. "How could I..."

The hand clutching Ansel's collar gradually slipped off, Seraphina leaned her head against Ansel's chest in a daze, murmuring in confusion and sadness. "How could I, not accept what you say to me, Ansel."

"..."

Hydral looked down at the trembling white hair on his chest, his hands resting on the armrests, his fingers involuntarily lifted slightly, but only slightly. He remained indifferent. Seraphina's body was still trembling slightly, but Ansel didn't hear any sobbing. Unconsciously, she was no longer that weak. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"... I'm sorry, Ansel." After a while, the young girl whispered, "I spoke harsh words; I was too willful." "... No," Ansel touched Seraphina's hair with his fingertips and softly said, "It's alright if you hate me now, for all I've done is for my own sake." "I won't hate Ansel." Seraphina lifted her head and tried to smile at Ansel, "I just... need to calm down." She thought she had come close to Ansel, being the closest person to him in this world. But now, Seraphina suddenly realized that even though Ansel shared a secret with her as fantastical as a fairy tale, there was still an incomprehensible chasm between them. — She could never truly understand Ansel, nor could she see through the emotions and the... reality hidden beneath his ever-gentle and handsome smiling face. Seraphina didn't hate Ansel; she just felt a little sad and heartbroken. "When you need me to ascend, come find me."

The young girl whispered, "I won't go anywhere these days; I'll stay here." She stepped back, retreating while looking at Ansel's face, saying, "Goodbye, Ansel." Ansel and Seraphina gazed at each other, his expression remaining calm and unruffled. He simply nodded and calmly replied, "Goodbye, Seraphina." As the study door closed, the room was instantly filled with a visible surge of dark matter, dancing wildly on the walls, floor, ceiling, desk, and bookshelves. The great and mysterious unknown spread in all directions through this dance. An ordinary person stepping into the study would be captured by the pervasive element, witnessing sights they could never see in their lifetime. They would then collapse completely in madness and ecstasy, their fragile essence unable to bear the mystery, their entire existence reduced to nothingness. Under a sigh from Hydral, the endless mysterious factors vanished in an instant, as if they had never appeared. "So, you prepared everything earlier, just as I had tried to restrain Seraphina's wild nature earlier?" Ansel had never underestimated fate, having tasted the bitter fruit of countless perceived successes that ultimately ended in failure. So, at that moment, when Seraphina made her promise to him, Ansel merely thought he had gained a slight advantage over fate, an insignificant edge that could not determine the true outcome between them. "...Beast." Hydral, preparing for his final game with fate, closed his eyes and murmured complexly, "Seraphina, why must your essence be that of a beast?"