A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

"The Throne cannot remain vacant, nor can the Empire continue in chaos."

"No matter what, we need someone who can restore the Empire to its proper course."

Ravenna looked at Diana’s proclamation, her brow slowly furrowing.

She turned her gaze to Ansel, who was intently arranging the chessboard, and asked with suspicion, "Was this your doing?"

Grasping the rook and pondering his next move, Ansel couldn’t help but chuckle, "Why is it that whenever something happens, Venna, you suspect it’s my doing?"

"It’s hard to imagine an incompetent Duke, kept in the capital by Ephesande, suddenly going mad and attempting to seize the regency."

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Ravenna squinted and said, "Considering you made a sudden trip to the Hydral territory three days ago, it seems quite reasonable."

With a gentle clash of chess pieces, Ansel’s black rook shattered another white rook. The young Hydral, without lifting his head, answered, "Actually, there’s no need for conjecture, as I haven’t hidden my presence in the capital."

Miss Scholar’s eyes twitched slightly, "And you still have the nerve to question me?"

"I just hope, Venna, that you won’t develop the habit of… thinking everything that happens is related to me... It’s not a very good habit."

Ravenna jumped off the bed, walked to the opposite side of Ansel, and looked down at the chaotic chessboard, humming softly, "But I’ve never been wrong."

"Yes, yes, dear Miss Ravenna, you are undoubtedly one of the people who knows me best in this world."

Ansel smiled up at Ravenna, but it seemed perfunctory, as he quickly returned his focus to the chessboard.

However, Ravenna, sitting opposite, said nothing. She rarely saw Ansel so absorbed, and this chessboard...

The chessboard was enormous, densely packed with squares. The white side had two kings, three queens, thirteen rooks, but very few pawns, as if they had been slaughtered by Ansel’s black rooks.

On Ansel’s side, it was even more peculiar. He had only one king, one queen, one rook, and the rest were all… pawns.

When the rook moved forward, it could shatter all pieces within nine squares around it. No matter how many pawns there were, without opportunity, they were worthless.

Ravenna observed the chessboard for a long time, watching Ansel maneuver the rooks across the battlefield, using numerous pawns to lure away the marauding white rooks, allowing the black rook to crush the remaining white pawns one by one. She noticed that the rook was gradually becoming more solid and hard, emitting a unique luster. Explore new worlds at empire

"Whom… have you considered your adversary?"

Having almost deciphered the meaning of the chessboard, Ravenna whispered, "If it’s fate, there shouldn’t be two kings. Who are these… two kings?"

Snap—

The black queen, which had been beside the black king, inexplicably moved to a different place on the board.

Ansel lifted his head, looking at Ravenna’s slightly stunned expression, and said with some helplessness, "Evidently, our queen is a bit too proactive."

"..." Ravenna, her face slightly flushed, averted her gaze, "She might not make mistakes."

"But the king can’t afford to gamble, Venna," Ansel sighed softly. "He only has this one queen."

This statement instantly dispelled the romantic thoughts that had just arisen in Ravenna’s mind. Standing on the white side, surveying the game, her palms began to sweat. The two kings and three queens remained motionless, the thirteen rooks fought independently, and even so, Ansel occasionally had to use pawns as bait to ensure the black rooks could grow steadily.

"Is it very difficult to… add new pieces?"

Ravenna, clueless about the game, could only offer the simplest and most effective suggestion.

"There can be as many pieces as needed."

Ansel propped his head on his hand. Each time a pawn was shattered, a new one would form out of thin air. When he reached for the white rooks, the pure white pieces would faintly darken.

"But what do I truly need, Venna?"

The young Hydral, gazing at the chessboard, murmured softly, "Is it an equally invincible new rook, or a knight that can maneuver nimbly through enemy lines? A powerful, versatile queen to serve as a trump card, or..."

He gently caressed the new piece in his hand but did not place it down.

It was a jet-black bishop.

Ravenna couldn’t help but reach out and rub Ansel’s brow, "After resting for so long, you finally want to make a big move?"

Ansel lightly grasped her soft hand, closing his eyes to feel the gentle pressure on his brow.

He didn’t reveal his specific plans to Ravenna but almost explicitly indicated his schemes to her, using another way to relieve his accustomed pressure. Miss Scholar, who was in sync with him, did not hesitate to show her softer side.

With his eyes closed, Ansel murmured, "Some opportunities cannot be missed."

The hidden forces in the shadows of fate abandoned Evora, choosing Suellen instead.

Is it because Suellen, with his insatiable desire for power and status, is easier to control? Or is it that the tyrannical Evora, after inheriting the power of the feast flame, is destined to destroy everything? For whatever reason, they must make a choice at this moment.

— Will they bet on the young princess who has already curried favor with him, or save Evora, whom they had deemed an outcast in the predetermined future?

Do you want the tyrannical heir to return to the throne, or will you watch as the wicked Hydral rules the Empire?

When Ansel branded Suellen, he had already prepared for this moment.

It was also the only way he could think of to "reasonably" bring Evora back from the Zero Point Enigma and escape Ephesande’s eternal flames.

"Speaking of which," Ansel reopened his eyes, his sea-blue eyes full of gentle smiles, "I didn’t entirely provoke this event just to stir up some big trouble."

"A calculation that achieves multiple goals—your old technique."

Seeing Ansel’s relaxed expression, Ravenna withdrew her hand and resumed her usual aloof demeanor, humming lightly, "I know you’re impressive, Mr. Hydral."

"Aren’t you curious about my other goals?"

The petite scholar crossed her arms, mimicking Ansel’s earlier tone, "But our queen, isn’t her initiative a bit too strong?"

Her slightly raised eyebrows looked incredibly cute.

Ansel reached out to touch her raised eyebrow, and after being swatted away, he couldn’t help but laugh, "This has nothing to do with initiative."

"The queen can listen?"

"Of course, the queen can listen."

Ravenna, her cheeks a bit redder, raised her chin slightly and asked with an inexperienced regal demeanor, "Then, ahem... then tell me, let me hear it."

This pose was something the old Ravenna would never have assumed. Ansel looked at his friend’s charming and lovely appearance, the depths of his sea-blue eyes radiating a bright and warm light.

"I’ve always considered your suggestions, Ravenna."

The young Hydral gently stroked the scholar’s soft, delicate hair and spoke warmly, "Perhaps, when it’s within my power, I can indeed make better choices."

Ravenna was stunned for two seconds upon hearing this, then leaned in so close that Ansel could directly feel her warm breath.

"Are you serious?" she asked, "Aren’t you forcing yourself?"

"Do I look like someone who forces himself?"

"Hmph... haven’t you forced yourself enough times already?"

After a light hum, Ravenna lowered her head slightly and rested it on Ansel’s chest, sighing with relief, "But if that’s truly the case, then that’s wonderful, Ansel."

"The importance of the regent issue is undeniable. The dukes won’t remain on the sidelines; not just the dukes, everyone will turn their attention to the capital."

Ansel gently embraced Ravenna, "The intensity of the war between Bloodust and Azuregold will decrease because of this, and the revolutionary army in the west, running around to save civilians, will have the opportunity to help more people and allow more to escape the battlefield."

"Although it’s just incidental... it’s a very good start. But there’s still one problem."

"What problem?"

Ravenna, leaning in Ansel’s arms, raised her head, her eyes incredibly serious, "I haven’t provided you with any help."

The young man chuckled, "Does it have to be that you provide me with help for there to be no problem?"

"Since it was my suggestion... no, my demand, then I obviously have the obligation to do everything in my power to realize it."

Ravenna’s tone became somewhat angry, "Do I look like the kind of woman who only makes demands and never contributes?"

"In terms of contributions," Ansel pinched Ravenna’s cheek, "I think you ask for too little."

Ravenna rarely asked Ansel for anything, but as a genius alchemist, the conveniences and help she brought to Ansel were countless.

"Stop talking nonsense. Let’s keep things clear."

Miss Ravenna, her face cold as Ansel pinched her cheek, said, "Don’t try your tricks to fool little girls here, Ansel. Do you think I’d be moved and get all flushed like your puppy because of such words?"

"Alright."

Ansel let go, bowing slightly with an apologetic smile, "I was too immature, my dear queen."

"I—"

No longer a little girl, Miss Ravenna choked on her words, unable to say what followed her "I."

After a long while, having calmed down, she seemed unsure of how to continue and sought to change the topic. Somewhat nervously, Ravenna suddenly stared at the chessboard, squinting slightly:

"There won’t be a second queen on that board, will there?"

"About that..."

"No hesitation allowed!"

"Well... there probably will—"

"You might as well die."

*