A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

"When I take you to the Garden, someone will connect with you. I have three more interviewees to attend to, so I won't be able to stay with you."

"Ah, you seem very busy..."

"Busy? Not really."

Malver glanced back at Marlina, saying meaningfully:

"Most interviewees' processes take years. Someone like you, who only needs to answer a multiple-choice question, is very rare."

Marlina was momentarily stunned, then said helplessly, "So that's why Miss Nerilia called me a lucky one."

"Hahaha, don't mind it. Anyone who joins the Garden or Shadewell is a lucky one."

They chatted casually as they walked, soon arriving at the Grand Plaza of Flowers.

"Look, that's the administrative building."

Malver pointed to an ordinary-looking administrative building not far away, "Someone is waiting for you at the entrance. Just identify yourself."

"...Is it there?"

Marlina's eyes widened slightly, looking at Malver in disbelief, "That... ordinary administrative building?"

"Where else?" Malver raised an eyebrow, "Did you think it would be in some secret underground lair?"

"Because you and Miss Nerilia acted somewhat... special."

"Don't worry, don't overthink it. We are a normal administrative unit... well, a bit higher in rank than usual, but still an administrative unit."

The man's well-fitted, proper uniform made his words very convincing.

"Since it's a normal administrative unit, of course, we work in an administrative building, just a bit higher up."

Hearing this, Marlina stopped overthinking. She bowed her head respectfully to Malver, "Thank you for your help, Mr. Malver."

"Just doing my duty."

Malver adjusted his collar and smiled, "Good luck, Miss Marlina."

"I will, Mr. Malver." Marlina's usually gentle and serene face lit up with a spirited smile, clearly for one person alone.

"For Mr. Ansel, I will give my all."

At that moment, Malver stood with his back to the sun, and Marlina, looking up, couldn't see his face clearly, only hearing his soft chuckle:

"Heh... well, good luck."

Marlina nodded again, then turned and walked towards the distant administrative building with unwavering confidence.

From now on, she could better contribute her strength for Ansel.

The dazzling midday sunlight illuminated her path ahead, casting a very long shadow behind her.

*

"Oh... so this is where Marlina works?"

Seraphina looked up at the imposing administrative building, admiringly saying, "It feels so impressive."

"You find everything impressive," remarked Ravenna, who had shrunk to a mere sixty centimeters and was perched nonchalantly on Ansel's shoulder. "You even marvel at the roadside sculptures."

"Shut up! You have no sense of aesthetics!"

"Do you even understand the concept of aesthetics?"

Seraphina and Ravenna often argue... but rather than "argue," it was more like children squabbling.

After all, Seraphina was not particularly bright, and Ravenna's social skills were virtually nonexistent, matching her ability to argue.

Thus, their quarrels always veered into rather peculiar territory.

"Dwarf!"

"Dumb dog."

"Dwarf!"

"Stupid dog."

"Dwarf!"

"...Is that all you can say?"

"You keep calling me a dog!"

For Ansel, listening to the girls' endearing squabbles was a delightful pleasure.

He was supposed to be handling his piled-up administrative duties, but since Seraphina wanted to see Marlina, Ansel decided to come here first and inspect the work of the staff.

The girls' argument ended with Seraphina's disgruntled huff, and she soon became cheerful again at the prospect of reuniting with Marlina—how could she not be happy when Ansel had accompanied her as soon as she expressed her wish?

However, it wasn't long before a puzzled expression appeared on the wolf girl's face. Clinging to Ansel's arm, she began sniffing the air, as if she had caught a strange scent.

Sniffing, she even let go of his arm, her face full of suspicion as she followed the scent, eventually dropping to the ground and sniffing all the way to the shadow cast by the administrative building.

"...Huh? What's going on?"

Crouching by the edge of the shadow, Seraphina poked at it, muttering to herself, "This smell... Ansel! There's a strange smell in the shadow!"

She called out loudly to Ansel.

Ansel shook his head with a smile, "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Okay..."

Although still puzzled, since Ansel said so, Seraphina didn't dwell on it.

To avoid causing a commotion, Ansel and his group concealed themselves as they entered. In her eagerness to see Marlina, Seraphina became much more subdued after entering, following Ansel to the floating platform. They quickly arrived at the eleventh floor of the administrative building.

As soon as they ascended, Ravenna, perched on Ansel's shoulder, raised an eyebrow slightly. "Aetheric domain with thirty-six layers of cyclic overlay... Whose handiwork is this?"

"Just some ordinary methods from ordinary subordinates," Ansel replied with a smile, walking towards the only door in sight and pushing it open.

The moment the door opened, all eyes turned to Ansel.

"...Eh? Why is everyone looking at us? Did the concealment spell fail?" Seraphina asked in confusion.

"Ansel dispelled it, you silly dog," Ravenna whispered. "But there are probably very few concealment spells in the world that could penetrate the compound domain in that corridor."

"Lord Ansel—!"

Just as a cheer was about to erupt in the room, Ansel raised his hand, silencing it.

"Continue with your work."

The young Hydral smiled.

In the next second, everyone returned their gaze to their tasks, as if the previous moment had never happened.

Seraphina, however, strained her neck, searching for her sister. If she hadn't needed Ansel's permission, she would have already been sniffing out Marlina's scent.

Seeing Seraphina's anxious expression, Ansel couldn't help but smile and pat her shoulder. "Go ahead, but don't disturb Marlina; she might be working."

"Okay!"

With permission granted, Seraphina joyfully released Ansel and navigated through the orderly office cubicles, following the familiar scent. She soon found Marlina's location.

Marlina was facing away, engrossed in her work. Following Ansel's advice, Seraphina approached cautiously, not wanting to startle her sister.

But the closer she got, the more something felt… amiss.

She heard faint, muddled… murmurs.

"No, no... This isn't right."

"I'm almost done. I don't need rest. Almost... almost..."

With a growing sense of unease, Seraphina quickly stepped behind Marlina and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Marli, what's wrong—"

The moment her hand touched Marlina's shoulder, Seraphina froze.

Incredibly... emaciated.

She could barely feel any flesh, as if it were just skin and bones!

Marlina, startled by the touch, reflexively shouted, "Lady Rhine, I don't need rest, I can conti—"

"...Seri?"

Marlina turned her head, looking at her sister in confusion. "Why are you..."

Crack, crack, crack—

The sound of bones growing echoed in the spacious office.

Seeing her sister's sunken eyes, disheveled hair, and deathly pale, emaciated face, Seraphina's breathing grew heavier.

She cradled Marlina in her arms, slowly turning around, her clenched teeth emitting a chilling grinding sound.

Her eyes, now transformed into serpentine pupils, squeezed out a ferocious and violent growl:

"Who... did... this!"

*