In a pristine study, bereft of any superfluous ornamentation save for a voluminous collection of books, Ansel sat behind his desk, scrutinizing the agitated young girl before him, while trying his utmost to conceal the mirth in his eyes.
He could sense the restless unease radiating from Seraphina, could perceive how, on their journey to his study, she had contemplated turning back countless times. Yet, she had not, and Ansel knew she would not.
He had prepared for this moment for a considerable length of time, transforming the confusion, impotence, resentment, and fury of his youthful years into a power unique to Ansel of Hydral.
Now, it was time to begin the first— and most memorial— training.
"Miss Marlowe."
Ansel took a sip of the pale golden liquid in his cup, his tone gentle, "Are you certain you wish to serve me once again?"
"..."
Seraphina Marlowe, her head bowed, remained silent.
A slight smile tugged at the corners of the young noble's mouth, his mirth hidden behind a cheerful cadence, "Given your demeanor, I would assume you don't wish to—"
"...Yes."
"Pardon? What did you just say, Miss Marlowe?"
"I said...Yes!"
Seraphina's voice rose sharply, her neck flushed a faint shade of crimson as her blood surged, and she glared defiantly at Ansel, "I wish to continue serving you, is that enough?!"
"You should look at yourself, Miss Marlowe."
Ansel leaned back in his chair, spreading his hands, "Is this how you present yourself when asking to serve?"
He fell silent, smiling and watching Seraphina.
In the quiet study, only the sound of the young girl's increasingly ragged breaths could be heard.
["Seri, Lord Hydral can show you a broader world."]
["Father, mother... and the village will all become better!"]
The happiness of her loved ones, the small village brimming with her fond memories, and her envisioned future.
—Just like that damned Emperor, to be able to look down upon the world, where no one would dare to belittle her. A future where everyone would have to show her utmost reverence, a future shining with immeasurable radiance.
Her sister's gentle, pleading words, the beautiful vision she painted, all brutally suppressed Seraphina's defiance.
Ansel relished in Seraphina's struggle; everything happening before his eyes was, to him, as inevitable as that damned fate.
All he did was... give a minuscule nudge, treating Seraphina "a little" more tolerant and kind. That was all.
Marlina, intelligent as she was, would struggle to voice her suspicions due to her inherent weakness. But that didn't matter, it was exactly what Ansel wanted.
More importantly, it would solidify Marlina's belief in having Seraphina follow him.
As someone who knew Seraphina just as intimately, Marlina knew precisely how to make Seraphina capitulate— there were only a few weaknesses in the life of the Sky Wolf Empress, and precisely for this reason, she seemed particularly powerless when confronted with them. It was in that future where Seraphina had lost these weaknesses that she had become the invincible Sky Wolf Empress.
Her unreasoning resistance and abhorrence could scarcely stir up any trouble now.
"Lord... Hydral."
Her somewhat disheveled snowy hair looked like the beautiful mane on a wolf's neck. The girl gritted her teeth, swallowed the intense discomfort and hatred festering in her heart, and squeezed out a humble plea, almost grinding her teeth in the process.
It was the first time she had spoken in such a manner to someone she loathed so deeply, not even when she had been expelled from the Frost Tower had she ever bowed her head like this.
"Please... allow me... to serve... you."
The words Marlina had taught her were forced out between her gritted teeth, her resentment and hatred causing her blood to surge once more, staining her delicate ears beneath her fine hair a shade of red.
"Hmm..."
Ansel, swirling his wine glass, pondered for a moment, "Barely acceptable."
"Therefore, you, uh, Lord—"
"But," Ansel interjected, his laughter light. Seraphine, head bowed, was unable to view the unrestrained, exuberant joy and delight etched on Ansel's countenance.
"Returning to my side signifies one thing, Miss Marlowe."
He sipped his wine, letting out a content sigh,
"—you must reclaim your deserved…punishment."
Seraphina's form stiffened; she slightly lifted her gaze towards Ansel, her voice hesitant, "...Punishment?"
"Indeed, the punishment you were spared at last night's banquet because I allowed you to depart."
The young and handsome Hydral cradled his cheek in one hand, his eyes mirthful as he regarded Seraphina, "Since you intend to return, then I ought to retract this mercy."
…So that was it.
Seraphina let out a quiet sigh of relief. She now comprehended why this man was willing to welcome her back.
—Turns out he was petty-minded, planning to exact his revenge now!
"Fine, I accept!" Seraphina, confidence straightening her posture, nodded, "I accept your… your punishment."
Just a reprisal, what could it be?
Seraphina was never fearful of pain. Her rough handling of the assassin last night was evidence enough. Even Marlina had grown accustomed to Seraphina's injuries, not even surprised by the wounds bandaged on her body.
In the Marlowe family, their father was incapable of hunting or labor due to a severe injury sustained in his early years, even incurring substantial medical expenses. Their mother was frail, and despite her best efforts, could earn little. The same was true for Marlina; her primary role in the family was to negotiate as best she could with the tax officials. In such circumstances, their family continued to suffer the brutal taxation rates of the Red Frost territory.
Nevertheless, Seraphina single-handedly shouldered this family, all the hardships, the pain, even despair, had long made her indifferent to physical suffering.
If it was just punishment that would grant her this opportunity, ensuring a promising future for her family, her village, this price was insubstantially small.
"Then, remove your clothing."
"Alright, no prob—"
Seraphina's action of lifting her garment halted as her mind stuttered.
The girl stared at the young man before her, who was not much older than her, her body frozen for half a minute.
"What did you just… say?" Her voice wavered.
"Take off your outerwear," Ansel replied languidly.
At that moment, it seemed as if something… in Ansel's study was stirring.
It was a formidable beast that had traversed the icy, savage land, shattered indomitable legions, conquered mountains piercing the heavens, using its supreme might and brutal tyranny to intimidate the entire world!
Even Ansel thought for a moment… that the Sky Wolf Emperor truly had transcended the vast expanse of time, shattered the chains of fate, and poured his wrath into this small study.
But it lasted only a moment.
Ansel's hand, holding the wine glass, did not tremble at all. Having witnessed despair and terror that could drive anyone to madness, how could he be swayed by the so-called…protagonist's "aura"?
And so they locked eyes until Seraphina, silent and shivering, began to remove her clothing.
—If that Hydral planned on doing that sort of thing, she would kill the beast instantly. Opportunities, futures be damned, she wanted him dead now!
Without any forewarning, the nameless rage that ceaselessly stirred Seraphina Marlowe's emotions seized the upper hand. Had it not been for Ansel's prescient restraint, the last vestige of her sanity would have been consumed, and the furious young wolf would have ripped open his throat instead of undressing.
The girl cast her austere attire to the floor, revealing her skin, pure and glowing with a jade-like luster in the dim light, as though she was an ethereal dream.
Her shoulders were slender, the roundness tinged with a delicate blush. Her stomach appeared soft and inviting, the distinct lines formed between the rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles extending towards her pelvis, accentuating a slight protrusion. It displayed a level of fitness and allure beyond her years.
Her thighs, far from slender, but robust and devoid of any excess fat, revealed graceful muscle contours as she stood. Corresponding to these thighs, her calves appeared incredibly slender, the proportions impeccably perfect. Her feet, devoid of any prominent veins, were smooth and alabaster. One was wrapped in a bandage, but it did not detract from her beauty; rather, it added an unusual aesthetic.
Upon the young girl's delicate frame remained only a few layers of decent fabric.
"You seem rather reluctant, Miss Marlowe," Ansel, propping his cheek on one hand, looked at her with a playful smile.
Seraphina's eyes, now a deeper shade of red due to the anger coursing through her, remained fixed on Ansel, silent.
[Seri, promise me, no matter how he tests you next, you can't let him down, understand?]
The atmosphere once again became tense. Seraphina was waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to kill Ansel, while he... well, he was contentedly admiring Seraphina's body, with no other thoughts in mind.
Until a sudden ringtone broke the heavy impasse.
Ansel casually picked up the square magic crystal from the table, pressed it, and held it to his ear.
"...Mhm, alright, got it, hehe, I'll remember," he said.
Then, without any warning, he tossed the magic crystal to Seraphina.
The girl instinctively reached out to catch it, only to realize too late that she'd once again been thoroughly observed. Before she could send a murderous glance Ansel's way, a voice she was all too familiar with echoed from the crystal.
"Seri, Seri, is that you?"
It was her mother.
"Mum... Mother?" Seraphina spoke into the magic crystal in disbelief, "How could you—"
Her words were cut off by a voice, brimming with so much joy that it was on the verge of tears:
"This morning, a noble brought doctors to our home... They cured your father's illness and announced that our village would be exempt from taxes for five years! Seri, they say you've become an incredible person, that you're working for a kind and generous man, that Lord Hydral, our benefactor! Is it true? Are you really working for him?"
"I..."
Hearing her mother's voice, almost breaking into tears, Seraphina opened her mouth, glanced back at the beast behind the desk, and after a brief silence... she allowed her arm to fall from her body.
"Yes, Mother, I'm working for him," she replied softly, striving to keep her voice steady and natural.
"Father... he really is better?"
"Of course, of course! Ull! Come over here, talk to Seri!"
A few seconds later, Seraphina heard a rough, quivering voice from the magic crystal.
"Seri, I... my wounds have healed, you no longer need to hunt alone, I—"
"What are you talking about, dad!"
Seraphina cut off her father's words: "I'm a big shot now! I don't need you to go hunting anymore, you don't have to!"
"...Yes, yes, I know... I always believed in you, good girl."
Her father, who had never cried in front of her, his voice was now choked up: "I knew you would... you would become an incredible person."
"Hey, then—ah!"
"...Seri? What's wrong?"
"... " Seraphina clutched the magic crystal tightly, lowering her gaze to the... serpentine, pitch-black, sinister object slowly wrapping around her body.
Like a whip, but with orderly, snake-like scales on two sharp edges, along with its incredibly complex mechanical structure, it proved to be more than just a simple whip.
And the one holding this "blade whip"...
Who else could it be but Ansel?
The blade whip coiled around Seraphina's leg like a living entity, slithering upwards, winding around her waist, nestling between the soft folds of her chest flesh, undulating gently.
"I... I'm fine, dad, I'm quite well," she responded softly, blood seeping from her clenched palm, stark against the cold touch of the blade whip, a mere breath away from slicing her skin.
"Good... good, Seri. Do remember to express your gratitude to Lord Hydral. Serve him with all your heart and soul. Refrain from being willful. I know you can do it," the voice echoed from the magical crystal.
Serve... him?
Why him?
Wasn't it she who had striven for all these, for respect and recognition? Wasn't it her who, with her own strength, had obtained all these lavish rewards, had restored her father's health, had improved the village?
The voice in the magic crystal ceased, the call ended.
At this moment, the voice of Ansel echoed, haunting and distant.
The tip of the blade whip traced a delicate path along Seraphina's chin, not cutting, but teasing like a pet.
"My dear Miss Seraphina," the demon from the abyss began his sermon, "what do you believe... has made you into such a 'figure of importance'?"
The paramount essence in taming animals and training pets is what?
Not the method, nor the patience, but... understanding.
Understanding forms the bedrock of all training, the guarantee that when you extend your hand, it will nuzzle its head into your palm.
So, when Ansel beheld the shift in Seraphina 's countenance at her parents' words, he knew the time was ripe.
At this juncture, he addressed Seraphina with an insouciant and casual demeanor, "Do you genuinely believe, that those nobility's posturing is due to your 'power'?"
"What do you mean, Ansel... L-Lord Ansel?"
Seraphina's voice seemed oddly tempered, akin to a low growl held at bay in her throat.
"Miss Seraphina, you were expelled from the highest academy of the North, the Frost Tower, at the age of twelve, having attended only one term."
Ansel stood, his ever-present serpentine scepter transforming into a pitch-black blade whip, securely held as if it were the reins controlling a fiery steed.
As he meandered towards the bookshelves, rummaging for something, he casually continued, "But in that single term, you ascended from an ordinary individual with no ties to the extraordinary, to the second stage of the Heavenly Road, the Crystal Staircase, shattering the record for the fastest promotion in the history of the Frost Tower."
He cast a sly grin towards Seraphina, "A prodigious genius, aren't you?"
She remained silent, evidently, that academic experience held no cherished memories for her.
"But how could the Frost Tower expel such a prodigy within a single term? Ah… Allow me to recount your heroic deeds--"
"Publicly humiliating novice instructors with your harsh words, hmm... six times; injuring peers through excessive brutality in public duels, twelve times; repeatedly uttering disrespectful remarks about the nobility and imperial laws in public places--"
He waved the thick report in his hand, chuckling, "It appears, the Frost Tower wasn't blind to your talents, rather, they were exceptionally magnanimous, Miss Marlowe."
"You know nothing!"
As Ansel finished, Seraphina seemed to lose her composure, her voice echoing like a beast's roar in the study, "The city's nobility regarded me as a beast from the wilderness. If they intended to humiliate me... they should prepare to have their limbs broken!"
Her body began to move, the blades clinging to her delicate skin threatening to pierce the thin layer of flesh.
"Ah, composure, Miss Seraphina." The seemingly complex blade whip was remarkably docile in Ansel's hands. Even though Seraphina was riled, Ansel ensured no marks were left on her.
"I can empathize with your anger," he assured her gently.
"..." Seraphina sighed, her gaze strayed, "You are slightly different from them."
Ansel was taken aback by this remark, then couldn't help but laugh, "I think you've misunderstood something, Seraphina. "
"My understanding of you doesn't mean I empathize with your situation, rather... I discern the true source of your anger."
The devil whispered softly, "You resent your own folly and impotence."
"..."
"Your family exhausted ninety percent of their savings to secure your admission into the Frost Tower. This shows the extent of their expectations and resolve."
"But you -"
Ansel tossed a piece of paper at Seraphina's feet, his tone growing indifferent.
It was a notice, an expulsion notice.
The frosty inscription declared the fall of a pampered daughter of heaven, akin to a meteor descending.
"But you let them down."
"That wasn't my fault!"
Ansel's words had dug into Seraphina's deepest wound, she ignored the blade whip coiling around her and crushed the expulsion notice under her foot, roaring furiously, "It's them, they couldn't tolerate me! Those nobles couldn't bear to see a twelve-year-old girl from a rural village being stronger than them!"
"You see, Miss Seraphina," Ansel loosened the blade whip's hold on Seraphina, sighing lightly, "You're always like this, never willing to accept your mistakes."
"I didn't -"
"Hush."
The blade whip's tip rested against Seraphina's throat, Ansel raised his index finger to his lips, whispering, "Listen to me, Seraphina. "
"You despise every noble equally, deeming them all to be foolish, despicable, narrow-minded, and intolerant."
"Firstly, I must concede that the empire is indeed in its twilight years, thus, the nobles you see do constitute the majority. Yet, I implore you to examine your conscience, Miss Seraphina, during your unparalleled display of talent in the Frost Tower... Was there not even a single noble who showed you kindness? Did all the nobles truly exhibit nothing but abhorrent jealousy in that moment?"
Ansel, gazing at the petrified Seraphina, moved forward with a gentle smile, "It appears you recall the circumstances quite vividly. However, why... why did all the nobles become detestable to you in such a short time, turning into your enemies?"
"The answer is simple—Seraphina, who despises the nobility from the core of her being, not only rejected any goodwill but also haughtily scorned them."
"Because you deeply believe in the greatness of your talent, elevating your pride and dignity even above that."
"Therefore, you ended up so angry... Dearest Seraphina."
The handsome noble drawing nearer to the silver-haired girl, murmured thoughtfully. He watched as the girl's body began to tremble, and in a pleasant tone, continued.
"The shock, disappointment, anger, and ultimate forgiveness of your family made you realize your errors. As you grew older, you started to understand, and in the dead of night, you would imagine—what if you had accepted the goodwill of at least one noble, would things have turned out differently?"
"You regretted, you resented that twelve-year-old child, that naive, arrogant, foolish child, foolish... self."
"Shut up!!"
Seraphina's crimson eyes trembled violently, her pupils in the center of her eyes seemed eerily to disperse and reform. She tried to pounce on Ansel in an uncontrollable roar, but was held back by the blade whip, strangely leaving only a few light bloodstains on her.
"Are you already so incensed? But this is merely the beginning, Miss Seraphina."
Ansel stood just an arm's length from Seraphina, maintaining a composed smile.
"Let's return to our initial topic—what do you think made you significant? Your power? The Crystal Staircase? An ordinary second stage?"
The blond youth sighed and shook his head, "Miss Seraphina... do you know how many superhumans of the Crystal Staircase level exist in the Northland, no, in the Red Frost territory? Do you know the level of the Count Stonehear's manor's chief guard? Why would you think that the nobles, in just one night and one morning, would strive to handle matters so beautifully, for just an ordinary human of the mere Crystal Staircase level?"
"Ah... I understand what you think. You believe that they saw your unparalleled talent—just like the mentors in the Frost Tower who tried to keep you."
"But here, Seraphina, I can tell you explicitly."
Ansel of Hydral, a young noble with the magical blood of the terminal beast Hydral flowing in his veins, delivered his judgement impassively.
"You are worthless."
"No one cares about your talent, no one cares about your power. Seraphina, you must understand one thing, your existence, in the eyes of the Red Frost nobility, holds only one value."
"—That is to win my favor."
"Bull…shit!"
Seraphina bellowed.
"Why wouldn't they curry your favor directly then? Why not deliver those things to your doorstep? Ha! Are common folk like my parents of value to a person of your stature?"
"So, Seraphina," Ansel advanced a step, tenderly and pityingly stroking her head, "you've grown, yet you remain blind."
"Why? Because you have been the beneficiary of my leniency, my indulgence."
He flexed his fingers and the blade whip nimbly caught Seraphina's hand as she tried to seize his forearm.
He continued, laughing, "You see, it's just like this. I've forgiven your affronts, your rudeness, your arrogance...countless times. "
"I've turned a blind eye to your uncouth language, dismissed your brutish behavior with a laugh - do you know what that signifies in the eyes of the nobility, Miss Seraphina?"
Ansel's touch was as gentle as one would bestow upon a lover.
"It signifies that you are of utmost importance to me, that you are deserving of the leniency of a Hydral, perceived by them as brutal, malicious, terrifying. Therefore, your happiness becomes a reflection of my own state of mind."
"So, Seraphina...everything you've acquired has nothing to do with you personally."
"— It's merely due to the mercy that I've bestowed upon you."
"Hyd...ral!"
The blade whip binding Seraphina suddenly emitted a metallic creaking noise. Her fair skin contrasted with the dark whip, creating an eerily alluring tableau.
But the protagonist of this scene was undergoing an even stranger transformation.
Her dark red eyes staring fixedly at Ansel… gradually distorted, no longer resembling the shape of human pupils. Her irises seemed to stain with blood in her roar, her eyes about to mutate into…those of a beast!
"HYDRAL!!!"
Ansel recoiled slightly, frowning, "It seems you, Miss Seraphina, are still unwilling to accept reality…well then, I'll have to tell you something even more unbearable."
"In relation to my earlier analysis…in fact, after being expelled from Frost Tower, you started to learn to constrain your arrogance. You knew not to be too presumptuous in front of nobility, people more powerful than you. Even if it would eventually be exposed, at least initially, you could disguise it well."
"Otherwise, you, who already had the power of the Crystal Staircase after being expelled from Frost Tower, would have killed the tax officer who came to plunder your village. You wouldn't have allowed yourself and your sister to be taken away so easily by the Count of Red Frost, would you? "
"So the question is…why were you so rude when you first met me?"
The true malice churning in Ansel's heart was now transformed into lethal fangs.
"Seraphina, I have carefully read the information about you and drawn an interesting conclusion."
"You have many talents…among them, what I find most intriguing is your almost omniscient intuition."
"Like sensing hostility and murderous intent at that banquet, or helping you find prey, or even having the instinct to seek gains and avoid harm like a beast with great survival skills, right?"
Ansel, leisurely and calmly, watched Seraphina struggle madly, trying to knock him to the ground and rip open his throat on the spot.
"You can sense a person's character, and even their very essence. So when you face those overly dangerous nobles who would easily harm you, you try to control your temper as much as possible."
"But on the contrary…when facing harmless individuals, the savagery and arrogance in your heart would grow uncontrollably. I'm not wrong, am I, Seraphina?"
— Of course, the reality is not like this.
The defiance flowing in Seraphina's blood makes her unwilling to bow to anyone. She submits to those harsh nobles only briefly, for the sake of her family.
This is why the future Sky Wolf Emperor appears so invincible—because by then she would have lost everything she held dear, evolving into a higher level of consciousness.
But Ansel doesn't need that future, nor will he allow Seraphina to possess such enlightenment.
So, in this prolonged verbal slaughter, Ansel prepared to deal Seraphina the final, lethal blow.
"So, your rudeness towards me is not because you couldn't control your wildness for a moment."
"It's because your intuition told you…I wouldn't hold your offences against you."
"Ha...ha… Hydral, Hydral..."
Struggling in her hysteria, Seraphina had now collapsed to her knees, the sounds emanating from her throat no longer discernibly human. Ansel, however, showed no signs of halting, continuing his ruthless adjudication:
"You have been exploiting me."
"You have repeatedly provoked and affronted me, becoming increasingly audacious as you confirmed your intuition."
"'Hydral... I will...kill...'"
"Moreover, you even leveraged my tolerance for your personal gain. Although it may not have been your original intent, you followed your instincts without hesitation, didn't you?"
"Kill you... I will kill you!"
"What's more, you even had the audacity to attribute all credit to yourself thereafter. Well, from a certain perspective, it is indeed your doing, isn't it?"
Hydral sighed mournfully, wielding the most merciless hammer with a tone of profound regret, shattering the dignity that the young wolf held dear:
"Seraphina, you are so ignoble, so deceitful, so..."
"Cowardly."
"HYDRAL!!!"
Her nearly crazed roar shattered the glass in the study room. Rage, hatred, cruelty... An endless fury gave Seraphina strength that she should not possess at this time.
Crack—!
The blade whip that bound her was broken with raw strength. Her blood-red eyes tore through the air like lightning, and the girl, her delicate skin stained with blood, howled as she threw Ansel to the ground. Ansel himself was completely taken aback.
However, he was not worried.
Even if Seraphina crushed his throat, he wouldn't flinch.
For he had prepared chains for this savage young wolf. He did not need to pull them; they would automatically strangle Seraphina.
At this moment, under self-loathing and the fanning of nameless rage, Seraphina should have completely lost her sanity.
But before this... she had heard the bell of the future, a sound pleasant to the ears.
Father, mother, sister, village...
[What would happen to them if Hydral died?]
When this thought flashed through Seraphina's mind, her hand stopped.
—Even though she was choking Ansel's throat with both hands.
"I..."
Straddling Ansel, the girl, naked and covered in blood, began to tremble.
"What... am I doing?"
She looked at her released, trembling hands, and asked herself in confusion, fear, and emptiness:
"Why... why did I do this?"
"No... it's not like that... I didn't want to exploit..."
She never gets this angry about things she hasn't done. At most, she would just beat the other person up.
But just now, the intent to kill that devoured everything... could it be that her intuition, her true self...
Was she really accepting that she was exploiting... Hydral's tolerance?
"It can't be, I can't... I absolutely won't..." *sob*
"How could I possibly be..." *sob*
"... be... such a person?" *sob*
The girl straddling Ansel lost all her strength and cried helplessly.
"You look terrible, Miss Seraphina."
A pitying sigh sounded in the young wolf's ears.
"Whether it's your furious behavior or your helpless crying now."
Ansel straightened up, one hand bracing her waist, pulling a handkerchief from his collar to wipe her cheeks, saying gently, "Both are unbecoming."
"Hydral... Hydral, release me… What do you intend?"
Fighting for the remnants of her shattered dignity, Seraphina found herself at a loss. Aware of the potential aftermath of her actions, she dared not move excessively, merely voiced her protest.
"Would it be peculiar if I wished for my followers to maintain their dignity?" Ansel queried, tilting his head to observe her.
"..."
Caught off guard, Seraphina allowed Ansel to carefully wipe clean her face.
"What... what did you say?"
At this moment, she gave no thought to her own condition nor the proximity between them, her voice choked with disbelief, "I... a follower? You still consider me a follower? You're not... not doing this out of revenge?"
"See, Seraphina, you're falling into your old habits again," Ansel chuckled lightly.
Flushing a faint red, Seraphina turned her head away, "But I... I thought--"
Ansel shrugged, "You stopped yourself--of course, that's a lie."
He reached out, gripped her chin, and lifted her face slightly,
"Let me tell you my answer, let me reveal the truth of your intuition, Seraphina."
"I extend this leniency because I believe in your worth."
"Do you recall my words at the banquet last night? 'You're worthless in my eyes, at least for now.' Yet, that applies only to the you of now, Seraphina."
He gazed into her restored crimson eyes, "Your self-assessment is not wrong; you possess the talent to achieve greatness. I have no doubt about this, hence I tolerate your disrespect, your foolishness, your savagery-- but your behavior that night left me sorely disappointed."
"But now, you've returned, armed with reason, sincerity, and the composure to halt in the face of humiliation. Therefore, I think I can afford you another chance."
Ansel's face drew slowly closer, causing Seraphina to reflexively lean back in surprise. Still, Ansel's face halted just close enough for their noses to nearly touch.
"Seraphina, are you angry?"
"I... why would I be angry?" The young wolf evaded his gaze weakly.
"Being looked down upon." Ansel chuckled lightly, "Being regarded as a mere vassal of mine, being scorned to the dust-- are you angered by this?"
Unsure of Ansel's true intentions, Seraphina continued to dodge, "I--"
Ansel promptly cupped Seraphina's face in his hands, fixing her gaze with his, his voice and demeanor turning incredibly stern,
"Answer me, Seraphina-- are you indignant, are you angered by this?"
"..." Seraphina, left with no escape, was forced to stare into his sea-blue eyes.
A moment of daze later, she felt as if... something was entwining her.
"I..."
A wild flame rekindled without warning in the depths of her heart. Seraphina felt frustration in her weakness, agitation in her frustration, chaos in her agitation.
In the midst of the chaos, she clenched her teeth and yelled in a fit of self-abandonment, "Isn't that obvious! How could I possibly stand it! Why should everything I have be attributed to your grace!"
Having vented, she collapsed, puffing at Ansel, "Are you satisfied now? Do you want to call me selfish again?"
Ansel laughed heartily, "No, there's no need, this is just fine. Seraphina... I need you like this, I need your anger, your... greed!"
He held her face firmly, a pure, unadulterated fervor ignited in his sea-blue eyes, a fervor witnessed by only a handful.
"Then go prove them wrong, Seraphina, prove that you will become a great one worthy of submission, not just a footnote of Hydral."
"And before that, I will become your nourishment, your sustenance, your strength. If you possess the capacity-- then devour me without restraint!"
In the stupefied gaze of the young wolf, Ansel of Hydral made his mad promise,
"This is my vow to you, and you must become my aid in return."
"Seraphina, my dear..."
The demon, having ended his sermon, extended an invitation to the young girl:
"Do you wish to sign this pact, witnessed only by you and I?"
"..."
Seraphina remained silent for quite a while, then responded with equal gravity:
"Sometimes, I fail to control my own temper. Consider this carefully."
"Could it possibly be more perilous than what we've just endured?"
"I—alright, alright, no need to argue further!"
Seraphina first subconsciously averted her gaze, then forced herself to meet Ansel's eyes, affirming word by word:
"I accept your terms, Hydral. If you can truly deliver as promised, then...you may use me as you see fit."
Ansel responded with a satisfied grin: "Excellent. It's time then, to provide an impeccable guarantee to our agreement."
A sense of foreboding welled up within Seraphina's heart: "What are you planning?"
Ansel merely laughed without answering, nonchalantly picking up his blade whip from the ground and giving it a light flick. The parts Seraphina had shattered instantly reassembled themselves. He tossed the whip behind a table, hooked something, and flung it towards himself.
Ansel, still smiling, caught the object with his other hand: "Now, wear this, Seraphina, as proof of our pact."
Seraphina stared at the object in Ansel's hand, her mind suddenly overwhelmed.
"You—you!" She cried out in disbelief, "You expect me to wear this?!"
—It was a collar!
"I plan to keep you close by, Seraphina, but can you assure me that..." Ansel pointed towards her mouth.
"I've said it before, I will tolerate your savagery, but the more savage you appear, the more it will seem like you're receiving my favor—in the eyes of others. Miss Seraphina, surely I do not need to repeat what that implies?"
Ansel undid the clasp of the collar, speaking leisurely: "Whatever you gain from my generosity, it does not belong to you, but to me. I will not permit you to freely take what is mine. Do you understand?"
Seraphina stared at the collar, her expression changing rapidly: "What does this have to do with this object?"
"It will allow me to stop you from uttering inappropriate words or engaging in offensive behavior at the earliest opportunity—unnoticed by others."
Ansel stated matter-of-factly: "And it can be removed at any time."
After a lengthy hesitation, the young girl finally accepted the collar from Ansel's hand, glaring fiercely as she put it on herself.
"How can this thing—Ah!!"
She let out a sharp cry, a mix of surprise and a hint of coyness, her body trembling as she collapsed into Ansel's arms.
"Although it may appear to be an ordinary collar, it has been forged with the magic crystal of a Thunderhawk, capable of releasing varying intensities of electric current at my command—rest assured, the maximum is just enough to cause a mild numbness."
Ansel positioned Seraphina's head on his shoulder, unable to suppress his laughter: "How does it feel, Miss Seraphina?"
" Hydral..."
Drained and slightly twitching, Seraphina roared in mortification:
"You truly are the worst!!"
a 3k chapter lol
I don't like breaking long chs into two chs, you guys suffer reading while me the author can't help flooding everything out...
I beg for collections and power stones ~
Also, don't worry about the taming process getting too fast! Puppy's favorability value will raise from -99 to -10 to 0 hahaha, there's a long way to go~
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