A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

This little box could be easily concealed and was capable of detecting all violent incidents within a fifty-meter radius, with no other peeping functions. Compared to traditional malicious detection spells, it boasted greater flexibility and an unbeatable, ultra-low cost.

Enveloping an area in malicious detection magic wasn't hard; in fact, it was far simpler than creating these little devices. However, from a long-term ether consumption perspective, as the area expanded, no matter how refined the spell's consumption became, it couldn't compare to these mass-produced gadgets.

Ansel sat on a bench by the roadside, holding Ravenna in his arms, watching as two drunkards stumbled into an alley.

Before long, the round lamp in Ravenna's hand emitted a glaring red light and started buzzing, simultaneously projecting the scene of the drunkards brawling, with the exact location marked in the center of the image.

"Looks like it's working quite well," Ansel said, resting his chin on Ravenna's head. "What do you think, Venna?"

Ravenna was undoubtedly a genius. This otherworldly violent incident monitoring system wasn't something Ansel had suggested using knowledge from his world; she had figured it out on her own.

The setback with the soil enhancement potion had plunged Ravenna into a long period of anxiety and indecision. She didn't know what to do to bring about a better change in the world, fearing a repeat of the Pelican Town incident.

But the recent success of the purifier had inspired her. If the things she created could cause unavoidable negative impacts due to the unpredictability of human nature and the entanglements of interests and values, then… wouldn't it be better to minimize the "value" of those things as much as possible?

The purifier addressed the environmental issues in Dispute Fortress's lower districts, but how much worldly profit could solving such a problem bring? Similarly, this surveillance system aimed to maintain order in the lower district. How much benefit could be extracted from maintaining order?

The only issue was that extraordinary beings might react poorly to losing their "toys," but Ansel had already dealt with that problem.

"It's alright. If I had better materials, I could expand the detection range and possibly extend it beyond just violent incidents to other malicious events as well…"

Ravenna remarked, somewhat dissatisfied, believing that Dispute Fortress's conditions constrained her abilities.

"This is great as it is. If Seri saw this, she'd probably be so happy she'd lift you up and spin you around," Ansel commented.

"Then I'd definitely punch her, and you better not stop me."

Ansel couldn't help but laugh. "Did you forget? No matter how many times you hit her, she wouldn't feel a thing."

"..." Ravenna fell silent, her expression clearly conveying "her spiritual essence is disgusting."

Ansel, meanwhile, gazed at the dark street before them, a hint of sentiment in his eyes.

This was, indeed, a destined heroine.

He didn't believe this device alone could transform the lower district, but undoubtedly, Ravenna's small creation could hasten the arrival of order by many times.

At the same time, with Sersphina's absolute martial might, she could withstand enough pressure on higher levels to push for significant changes.

Expanding from the lower district of Dispute Fortress to a larger territory, things might not be this simple. Expanding to the empire, or the entire world, would be even more complex. But Ravenna and Seraphina were also far from reaching their peaks.

With their help, everything seemed to become much clearer.

If there was a single issue… it was that both Ravenna and Seraphina, due to their youth, were somewhat superficial and hadn't considered deeper, more complex problems. However, this superficiality wasn't necessarily a bad thing. At least it was driven by a desire to help the common people live better lives.

Ansel couldn't help but ponder how he would manage the lower district without Ravenna and Seraphina.

Simply maintaining order would be futile; to transform this deeply entrenched place, drastic measures were necessary. The first step was to gradually foster their self-awareness, making them realize their individual worth and collective strength.

The simplest method to awaken them was to let them earn the right to continue living through primal means—through anger and violence… Yes, he would introduce gang leaders to impose relentless pressure, and when the tension peaked, he would ignite the conflict, covertly fanning the flames, culminating in a bloody clash that would force these numb souls to fight for survival…

The "villains" should ideally be their own people. They were too weak and ignorant to seek a flawless plan. The key was to manipulate the villains, making them appear sufficiently weak and fearful, so that these people could derive satisfaction from their victory. This way, they would gain a sense of validation for their existence.

No matter how numb or sickly their hearts, a glimmer of light would emerge. Although casualties in such a melee were inevitable, but—

Ansel's thoughts abruptly ceased. He squinted slightly, as if struck by a revelation.

"Venna," the young Hydral whispered, "do you want to install this now?"

"Of course," Ravenna replied without hesitation. "Since it's proven effective, the sooner we cover the lower district with these surveillance systems, the better. It seems to have grown chaotic again, which is not good."

"..."

After a brief silence, Ansel slowly rested his chin on Ravenna's shoulder. "How about waiting a little longer?"

Ravenna turned her head, her expression slightly puzzled by the proximity of his face. "Why wait?"

"Because it's not very kind… to Marlina," Ansel said gently. "She's a serious person. The purifier was harmless, but this surveillance system might make her feel she only completed my task by relying on your power."

"... Is she really that stubborn? If it were her sister, I'd understand."

Of course not. Marlina wasn't that stubborn, but...

But her thinking aligned with mine.

And if my calculations were correct, Marlina was preparing to ignite the conflict around this time. If Venna installed these devices, Marlina's plan would be doomed to fail.

Failure...

Ultimately, do I really have to follow through with my original plan? Must Marlina take such drastic measures to achieve results?

Though Venna's contribution was merely stabilizing order, not changing the lower district' mindset, with this order, I could find other ways to alter their perspectives. With their help, it wouldn't be difficult.

Deliberately provoking conflict and the ensuing sacrifices... could be avoided. It wasn't necessary. Continue your story on empire

"Ansel?" Ravenna suddenly asked, "What are you thinking? Does Marlina have something to do with this?"

The astute Miss Scholar quickly sensed Ansel's unusual demeanor. After a brief silence, the young Hydral chuckled softly and shook his head.

"Nothing. Since you insist, Venna... let's proceed with the installation."

A lighthearted smile appeared on Ansel's face. "Indeed, there's no need to overthink it."

In the end, I was overthinking.

As Seri's sister, Marlina… at her core, remains kind-hearted. She doesn't genuinely want to do this; she pushes forward because she believes it's the best choice for me. If a better option exists, she would certainly accept it.

Marlina, you should understand my current decision just as you have understood me at any other time.

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