A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

"Three years ago, at eighteen, you lived your life according to Eileen's design, striving for his blueprint, never considering your own feelings."

"Now, at twenty-one, you sacrifice everything for me, including your body and soul."

"...It's worth it."

Ravenna calmly replied, "The former, because my grandfather gave me hope in life. The latter, because you gave me the meaning of life... I certainly have a reason—"

"You certainly have no reason to do so," Ansel interrupted her, staring directly into Ravenna's eyes. "What Eileen bestowed is not hope, but shackles."

"And what I give you... meaning of life, I'm glad you think so, Ravenna."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"But precisely because of this, you should care more about meaning, about life itself, rather than thinking that blindly sacrificing for me will give you value and significance."

"Tell me, Ravenna," Ansel asked, "Is your heart's desire merely to pursue ideals and die for me?"

"How could it be!"

"If not, then what is it?"

Ravenna was not one to fall into long-term confusion.

Without Ansel's influence, she could have freed herself from the truth of Eileen's death and found conviction in the void of life, just as Ansel had resolved after recalling Annelisa's words.

"I want… to be with you," Ravenna murmured softly.

"I want to see the arrival of a new world with you."

"I want to be with you," she repeated, her beautiful purple eyes growing brighter.

"With you... to see this world become splendid."

Chasing ideals is not about grand narratives or remarkable visions; it's about a child's simple wish to see the world become better and more colorful.

The hope to save Ansel stems from the desire to stay with the one who changed her life and made her understand what it means to live.

A gentle smile appeared on Ansel's face as he firmly held Ravenna's hand, saying nothing more.

He realized that what he and Ravenna shared was not just childhood suffering and a false life.

It was also the numbness from long-lasting pain, forgetting their former selves, and never truly … living for themselves.

Ravenna saved him, so this time, it was his turn to pull her from the abyss of numbness.

Don't live for me, Venna. Live for yourself.

"But I..." Ravenna still had a trace of confusion. "But I don't know what to do, how to move forward."

"Neither do I," Ansel smiled, extending his hand to Ravenna. "So, shall we do it together?"

Ravenna's eyes blinked slightly.

"Brat."

She sighed softly, placing Ansel's hand on the control lever, wrapping her hand around the other side, interlocking their fingers as they both gripped the lever tightly.

"Remove the 'shall we'," Miss Ravenna slightly raised her chin. "Say it again with certainty."

The power of the God from the Machine had reached its peak at this moment.

The blazing blade that pierced the sky, propelled by the thrusters, descended upon the world with a force that made all extraordinary beings watching almost kneel in reverence.

"Then let's do it together, Venna."

"You could never shake me off," Ravenna responded, her hand still firmly gripping his, refusing to let go.

At that moment, Ansel, feeling the warmth in his right hand, suddenly sensed a small hand clutching his left.

"An... sel..."

A voice filled with resentment and a hint of grievance echoed in the cockpit, "What about me?"

It turned out that Seraphina, who had been sleeping soundly by Ansel's side, had woken up. Ansel didn't know what she had exactly heard, but now, she looked up at Ansel with a pitiful expression, resembling an abandoned puppy.

"Did the intense elemental fluctuations of the God from the Machine wake you?" Ravenna glanced at Seraphina, "I thought you were too exhausted to be disturbed."

"..."

Seraphina stared at Ravenna for a while but, surprisingly, did not react aggressively. Instead, she continued to look at Ansel with a sorrowful gaze.

Ansel, amused, took Seraphina's hand, interlocking their fingers in the same way as they both gripped the other side of the control lever.

"I will always be within your reach, Seri, have you forgotten?"

Hearing this, Seraphina blushed deeply. She touched the engravings on her collar, the phrase etched into it, and held Ansel's hand tightly, unwilling to let go.

"So... I want to be together too!"

Despite her weakness, Seraphina's eyes sparkled as she spoke.

Holding the hands of both girls, Ansel gazed at the blood-red sky that seemed about to collapse. Never had he felt so empowered, so courageous, so... resolute.

With the combined force of the three, the control lever was pushed to its limit, and the God from the Machine's power surged to a new level!

As the blazing light descended from the sky, it split the heavens and the fiery curtain in two.

Every flame of the Flamefeast was extinguished under this supreme destruction. When the fierce light reached the capital's sky, the entire street melted instantly under its brilliance.

Ephesande, stunned, looked up at the descending pillar of light, her eyes flickering with a sudden realization of danger.

She sensed... peril.

As a divine species, she felt threatened by these… seemingly insignificant beings?

"I am destined to become the seventh-stage Flamefeast, to surpass the Abyss, to be the eternal monarch!"

This danger did not frighten Ephesande but rather filled her with... humiliation.

"How dare you... how dare you make me feel threatened! Only divine species are worthy opponents, you damned rebels!!"

Her roar pierced the sky, and a pillar of fire enveloped her, exuding a ferocity a thousand times greater than before!

"What!"

Seraphina's eyes widened, "How can she still be so powerful!"

"She burned away the last suppression with the Flamefeast fire... she has returned to the true sixth stage."

Despite saying this, Ansel showed no sign of panic.

"She seemed to be in a daze just now..." Ravenna frowned slightly, "Was she actually wearing down your suppression?"

"Perhaps," Ansel chuckled, "But Her Majesty would never have expected..."

The young Hydral, in sync with Ravenna's maneuvers, channeled all their power into the colossal blade that cleaved the heavens and the earth!

"This is the moment… I've been waiting for!"

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