Within the teleportation chamber of Hydral Manor, Seraphina embraced Ansel tenderly, hoisting her luggage with a sprightly air, she exclaimed, "Ansel, Marli and I shall take our leave now!"
Ansel responded with a nod and a smile, "Enjoy yourselves... Marlina, upon your return, do not concern yourself with the affairs of the Red Frost territory. Spend some quality time with Seraphina and rest well."
The serene, snow-haired girl bowed her head slightly, replying softly, "Yes, Mr. Ansel."
Initially, Seraphina had intended to summon her parents to the imperial capital, but it was Marlina who dissuaded her.
With heartfelt sincerity, Marlina explained that their parents would not find joy in the grandeur of Hydral Manor or the capital; instead, they would be overwhelmed with unease and dread. The kindest decision was to leave them in peace.
Seraphina, not fully comprehending but trusting her sister implicitly, took advantage of the perfect arrangements made by Ansel to spend this afternoon with her loved ones.
Clutching a suitcase brimming with gifts, the young girl made her way to the teleportation circle. Mid-stride, she suddenly turned back, dashing to Ansel's side to plant a kiss on his cheek, her face flushed with a rosy hue as she joined Marlina in stepping into the teleporter bound for their village.
Ansel, touching his cheek where the kiss had landed, chuckled softly before turning to leave the chamber. Outside, Ravenna stood in silent vigil, like a statue carved from marble.
"Now... it's just you and me, Venna," he said.
Leaning casually against the doorframe, Ansel gazed down at the exquisitely beautiful, petite puppet with a half-smile, "You never show such expressions. It seems you're weighed down by heavy thoughts. Would you care to share them with me?"
His words were generous and kind, as if they were still the closest of companions, confidants on a shared journey.
Ansel noticed a barely perceptible tremor in Ravenna's shoulders, and a surge of pleasure welled up within him.
Ravenna was a creature with scarcely any vulnerabilities.
Her abnormal childhood and terrifying talents had shaped the Ravenna Ziegler of today, capable of maintaining rationality and making choices at any moment. Even with significant informational disadvantages, she could keep pace with Ansel's thought processes.
It could be said that aside from straightforward coercion, there was little that could compel her submission.
"Hmm?" Ansel raised an eyebrow slightly, "What do you mean by what do I want you to do? Have I ever given you orders or forced you to do anything, Venna?"
His tone was not particularly aggressive; instead, it carried a teasing note, which made Ravenna even less able to accept it.
"Oh..."
Seeing the woman's increasingly rigid demeanor, Ansel's smile deepened. He leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "Are you trying to provoke me, Venna?"
Ravenna immediately responded, "I didn't—"
"No, you are trying to provoke me. You seek a clear negative reaction from me to confirm that I still care."
Young Hydral gently caressed the porcelain cheek of Miss puppet, chuckling, "This is unlike you, Venna."
"How have you become so fragile? Like a pitiful cat abandoned by the roadside, seeking to affirm your current predicament in such a manner."
Ravenna's mind was in turmoil and pain. When Seraphina's words pierced through her last defenses, the rationality she had been restraining did not prevail. Instead, the instincts from deep within took control.
What had she said... just now?
Did she really want to provoke Ansel with those words, to confirm that he would still react with anger and resentment towards her?
How could there be such an... absurdity?
As Ansel had said, Ravenna herself did not believe she could be so weak.
Ansel found Ravenna's demeanor to be quite satisfactory. Although he was genuinely indifferent to the extent of her current taming—fate's intervention had expedited her progress far beyond his prior expectations—Ravenna's visible confusion and timidity still brought him a profound sense of delight.
-->