A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 85  The End of Childhood - Two (II)

Do you think this will make me submit, Hydral? You want to exploit my care for everyone, use my only weakness to make me submit, bow to you again, become your puppet? Seraphina stepped onto the thin layer of snow, her self that had been wavering between peace and pain these past few days seemed to break free from its shackles, making her want to burst into laughter. That despicable, hypocritical guy, can only resort to these tactics!

If Hydral maintains the peace in the village like this, over time, I might be forced to return to his side due to the requests of my parents and friends, because this is my only soft spot, Seraphina's only weakness. But now... this arrogant, foolish guy, has actually given up his greatest advantage, trying to use these laughable, despicable tactics to force me to submit. Since you've done this, what do I have to worry about? Without you, can't I make the villagers live a better life? On the other hand, for Hydral to go to such lengths to force me to return, doesn't it also prove that my potential is immeasurable? Most of the villagers had left their homes and gathered in the village. When they saw Seraphina, the worry in their eyes far outweighed any other complex thoughts. Because they all knew what kind of child Seraphina was, and they knew even more clearly the mistake she had made, and the despair it had brought her. "Seri, Seri, you..." Rhiannon ran to Seraphina's side, her eyes filled with worry and affection as she looked at her best friend. "I'm sorry... I, I thought you came back to play, I didn't know... didn't know how much you're suffering." The girl choked back sobs, regretting her actions over the past few days. She knew her friend was in pain, yet she insisted on dragging her around, which was not what a friend should do. "It's okay, Rhiannon." Seraphina patted her friend's head. She had imagined returning home in glory, loudly proclaiming her grand deeds amidst cheers and praises; she had imagined basking in the sun, being thrown high into the air amidst the crowd and enveloped in the love of her family and friends; she had imagined holding that person's hand, announcing to everyone she cherished that she had a cause worth dedicating her life to, a person worth trusting with everything she had. But she never imagined that she would have a day like this, comforting her friends, comforting her family, telling them that she had the ability and would definitely take on everything. The worry of her family and friends made Seraphina's resolve incredibly firm and fiery. At this moment, she felt the weight of responsibility more than ever, felt the warmth in her chest, felt the awakening of the long-silent beast in her soul, eager to show its, and her, power. The scene she had glimpsed in her dreams seemed to be beckoning her. Hydral? If that future truly exists, where would the powerful her have anything to do with Hydral? She didn't need pity, didn't need charity, didn't need a despicable schemer, didn't need a malicious ruler... Seraphina Marlowe would surely achieve her own great cause! A cause that could even overthrow the empire!

"Attention, everyone!" Seraphina strode to the center of the village, her gaze sweeping over the villagers who watched her with worry. The gloom and bitterness that had been lurking in her heart these past few days were incinerated by her newly ignited confidence. Indeed, why had she been so indecisive, so torn? Was life impossible without Hydral? Even if her flesh was scarred, her bones worn and broken, her will tormented, her faith in chaos — Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Yet, her self-awareness, her trust in her talents, her grasp of her strength... The wolf that gritted its teeth and crawled out of hell, no matter how lost, the foundation of her character and self that had led her to this day, had not wavered in the slightest. — Seraphina, she deeply believed in her own strength. How could a weakling who was unwilling to trust their own power possibly qualify to walk the path of a ruler, a path of supreme dominance? "Everyone, there's no need to worry about me. I will find a way to repay my mistakes and sins," Seraphina declared. The pure, soaring confidence that had long been absent from her face moved the villagers. "I know that my arrogance and willfulness… have caused a lot of trouble for everyone. But from now on, no, starting today, I promise you all, I will never be so foolishly self-righteous again." The smile on the young girl's face reassured the worried villagers. They looked at the girl in the center of the open space, their eyes filled with relief. This emotional feedback filled Seraphina with even more strength. She clenched her fist and raised her voice, as if some shadow... overlapped with her. "Even without the help of those nobles, I can lead the village, lead everyone to a better life! Believe in me!" Facing the villagers' warm gaze, Seraphina puffed out her chest and declared proudly: "Because, I am Seraphina!" Rhiannon covered her mouth, staring blankly at her friend who seemed to be radiating a dazzling light. "Se...Seri." She stuttered, "Are you… r-really... okay now?" "Absolutely, completely okay!" Seraphina laughed heartily, pinching Rhiannon's arm and lifting her high: "Right now, I couldn't be better!" This is... the feeling of growth! This is truly growing up! Hydral, Marlina... Growing up is not the disgusting and despicable thing you speak of, it's not something that can be achieved by trampling on others! "Ahhhhh—I get it, I get it! Put me down, I'm not a child anymore!" Rhiannon screamed in a panic. After Seraphina put her down, she first glared at her angrily, then sniffled and burst into tears of joy, hugging her. "That's great... I was worried that you would feel guilty for the rest of your life, unable to get out of that shadow. Now that you've come out of it, everyone can stop worrying, right?" "Yes, yes, I was scared to death when I heard the news that Hagrid brought back from Darkwater City. I was afraid that a good child like Seri would be devastated... It's great that she could come out of it." "After all... how should I put it, in the end, it's the nobles' fault, it can't be said that it's Seri's problem, it's clearly them who killed people, why should the blame be put on Seri and Lord Hydral?" "Those people really don't know what's good for them, if they have the ability, they should go find the nobles! What's the meaning of bullying our Seri? They think that Lord Hydral is lenient towards the common people, and Seri is kind to the common people, so they dare to ride on her head? A bunch of... what's the saying? Anyway, they're a bunch of shameless guys, they should all just die!" After learning that Seraphina was okay, everyone discussed happily, not worried about their current predicament at all. Seraphina was also overjoyed. The worries of each person before, the relief of each person now, didn't they all prove their deep love and strong trust in her? "Don't worry, I'll start thinking about how to make money tomorrow. I think, from—" "Hey, since you're okay, Seri, why worry about this." Rhiannon interrupted Seraphina's confident words, hands on her hips: "Everyone was worried that you couldn't get out of it, feeling guilty towards Lord Hydral. Now that you've figured it out, isn't there no problem?" The wolf's brilliant smile, due to her friend's words, took on a bewildered color. "…Huh?" "That's right!" A young man spat, "Damn it, that bastard Gregory dared to fire me, saying that Seraphina ruined Lord Hydral's reputation, and we have to suffer too... What a joke! Seraphina and Lord Hydral have such a good relationship!" "Lord Hydral even wanted to take on Seraphina's mistakes!" "Yeah, those self-righteous nobles, thinking that they can win Lord Hydral's favor by doing this? They have no idea what Seraphina means to Lord Hydral—you agree, don't you, Seri?" "…" Seraphina tried her best to maintain the smile on her face, but couldn't utter a single word. Hydral. Hydral. Hydral. Why... is it still Hydral? "Hmph, those idiot nobles. Now that Seri has come out, just contact Lord Hydral directly." Rhiannon said triumphantly: "Lord Hydral likes Seri so much, once he hears that Seri has been wronged, those nobles are done for!" "Hahaha! I can't wait to see that fat bastard kneel before Seri tomorrow, begging her to plead for him in front of Lord Hydral!" "Ah! Maybe when Lord Hydral gets angry, he might come directly! We might have a chance to meet Lord Hydral!" The noise, the clamor. Even without the comfortable living conditions, the villagers were still so confident, excitedly discussing things that were almost like fairy tales for commoners. Why? Why not? Our village, after all, has Seraphina! Lord Hydral's Seraphina! -- >