Taming the Protagonist

Chapter 73 : The End of Childhood · Part Three

Hitana’s family and friends began their grueling struggle.

They hoped this would elevate Hitana’s image in Hydra’s eyes.

Of course, there was some self-interest, but more than that, it was ultimately for Hitana to have a better future.

Swept up in this love, Hitana couldn’t speak out, caught in this seemingly gentle but cruel vortex, unable to break free.

Tonight, she dreamed again, forced to endure Hydra’s conditioning once more.

Though her memory of the dreams was somewhat hazy, Hitana’s impression of the pain she suffered in them over the past few days was starkly clear.

The humiliations she faced in her dreams were far more brutal than the conditioning of the past, as if the earlier sessions were purposeful corrections by Hydra, while everything in her dreams since returning to the village… felt like cruel, merciless punishment.

Yet in this session, Hitana faced no cold abuse or punishment.

The originally boundless, chaotic darkness of the dream became clearer, transforming into Hydra’s study.

The scene was still somewhat blurred, and Hydra’s form remained shrouded in shadow.

“You’re very sad, Hitana.”

Hydra stood by her side, holding a teacup: “You didn’t expect this to happen, did you?”

“…”

Hitana stared blankly at the chaotic scene outside the study, lacking the will or strength to argue with Hydra, wanting only to escape this damned dream as soon as possible.

The devil, seemingly quite pleased with his methods, chuckled lightly, his unabashed amusement—once capable of easily enraging Hitana—eliciting no reaction from the now-soulless wolf.

“This feeling, it’s almost more despairing than witnessing the tragedy of Chishuang City firsthand, isn’t it?”

Hydra didn’t look at the numb Hitana but gazed with her at the chaotic boundary of the dream, sighing:

“On one side, everything you love; on the other, the devil who toys with your life.

You should know what to choose, shouldn’t you?”

His lips curled upward in an exaggerated, almost grotesque smile, one Hydra had never shown in reality.

“But the problem is—”

The young man chanted as if performing a play: “Everything you love denies your dignity and value with their love, while the devil who toys with your life sees your abilities and talents as treasures.Dear Hitana… are you sure you really want to choose the former?”

“Or rather… in choosing the former,”

He tilted his head, his smile harmless and kind: “Aren’t you, in effect, choosing the latter?”

“…”

“I won’t force you to do anything, Hitana.I’ve never forced you to do anything—oh, the conditioning doesn’t count.”

Hydra appeared behind Hitana like a specter, whispering in her ear: “I gave you the capital to challenge authority and scorn the masses, and with it, you gained nearly limitless… freedom to choose.”

“But in every choice, you pick the worst one, leading to the worst outcomes.”

That illusory hand wrapped around Hitana’s slender, toned waist, and the devil, his face gradually becoming clearer, rested his head on her shoulder, his voice forgiving and compassionate:

“Even so, I’m willing to bear the cost of your mistakes.Regardless of others, I think I’ve shown you the utmost leniency.”

“So… there’s only one reason you still hate me so much, isn’t there?”

“I trampled on your life.”

In that instant, Hitana, held by Hydra, suddenly grabbed his neck, swiftly pinning him to the ground, panting heavily as she straddled him, one hand choking his throat, the other clenched into a fist, raised high.

“What a… striking scene.”

Hydra, lying calmly on the ground, looking up at her beautiful face, laughed: “Want to reenact it in a dream, Hitana?”

“…”

The wolf remained silent, ultimately not bringing her fist down.

“What a pity.”

Hydra tilted his head slightly: “I thought I’d get to see you crying, weakly questioning why I did this.”

“Then I… really disappointed you.”

Hitana’s cold, hollow eyes reflected Hydra’s indistinct face, less like eyes and more like finely crafted, beautifully colored glass beads, rigidly and coldly embedded in her sockets.

“You have an answer?”

Hydra’s smile remained infuriating.

The girl’s lips twitched: “What does it matter if I have an answer?Do you think I’d believe you?”

How could she trust someone who might be deceiving her at any moment, guiding her toward some purpose to achieve his own ends?

How could she trust a devil who, even before meeting her, had already begun planning her life, manipulating her joys and sorrows in the palm of his hand?

Ah… it’s not like there was no way.

Forget herself, forget everything, cast aside the basic dignity of being human, willingly abandon her self and soul, and see being dominated by Hydra as the greatest, the only happiness in her life—

Then, she could believe him, couldn’t she?

Even if he told her to die, she wouldn’t hesitate.

But… hadn’t she already done that?

So humbly, like a dog, begging him, willing to sell her entire being to him, pleading with him not to tell her those things.

As long as he didn’t tell her… how could someone as foolish as her ever realize he was toying with her life?

He could do whatever pleased him, continue manipulating her entirely, and as long as she didn’t know, what would it matter?

He could have kept sneering at her ridiculous, foolish actions from behind the scenes, enjoying her guilt and sorrow toward him.

He could have kept orchestrating her life and will as he pleased, just like from the beginning, while she, unaware, had been ready to give him everything.

But Hydra, you didn’t do that.

You even trampled on such a humble plea.

A spark of life suddenly flickered in Hitana’s empty eyes.

Yes… you even trampled on me when I’d abandoned myself, my dignity.

“Since you need me… since you need me…”

She didn’t, as Hydra said, show weakness or weep.

Instead, hating Hydra’s ruthless cruelty and arrogant malice, hating her own foolish arrogance and absurd ridiculousness,

She roared at Hydra with this dual hatred:“Why… did you have to trample my life like this!”

In this one matter alone, Hitana was unquestionably the victim—whether from a neutral perspective or her own.

Hitana was an arrogant, foolish, impulsive, and haughty person, and in the many disasters she caused, her own actions were undoubtedly the primary cause.

But in truth, Anselm, who had been “disciplining” and “guiding” Hitana, hadn’t fulfilled his broader responsibilities—after all, he was only molding her into the shape he needed.

Thus, in other aspects, the troubles Hitana caused were either due to Anselm’s deliberate guidance or his indulgent negligence.

Hitana didn’t deny the sins born of her stupidity, and by now, she no longer blamed Anselm or Marina for the disaster in Chishuang City.

She only blamed the nobles’ greed and corruption, their depravity; she blamed her own foolish arrogance, not only for making self-righteous demands but for failing to see through the exquisite illusion Hydra wove for her.

Yet Hitana’s acknowledgment of her mistakes and foolishness didn’t conflict with her boundless hatred for Hydra.

If, at that moment, Hydra had stopped that conversation… Hitana would have chosen to forget everything he said, willingly sinking into the beautiful dream he created for her.

But Hydra didn’t.

He felt no affection for her, so arrogantly and gleefully told her that everything she experienced was his arrangement, her thoughts, her emotions, all in the palm of his hand.

As if just to savor the moment of her utter despair, he mercilessly killed the old Hitana without any attachment.

The Hitana who could never have left Hydra, who would never leave Hydra.

Other than treating her as a plaything to manipulate at will, what other mindset could drive Hydra to do such a thing?

If he had even a shred of affection for her, shouldn’t he have accepted her complete, dog-like loyalty after she abandoned everything?

“Yes… that’s right…”

Hitana stared at that shadowed face, murmuring with loathing and sorrow:

“Hydra, Anselm.You never… cared about me at all.”

After a long silence, Hydra, lying on the ground, said calmly:“…Is that really what you think?”

Hitana didn’t speak, only released her grip, stood up, and stopped looking at Hydra, as if he didn’t exist.

“Sigh…”

Hydra looked at the girl’s back, seeming to want to say something, but only sighed softly in the end.

He stood, lightly brushed off his clothes, and bowed slightly: “See you tomorrow, Hitana.”

“Do as you please, keep tormenting me to your heart’s content.”

Hitana said expressionlessly: “Satisfying your boring desires—hah, is that the only value I have left to you?”

Hydra smiled:“But you seem willing.”

Hitana froze slightly, turning to look at that indistinct face, her eyes widening as she suddenly strode toward Hydra.

But after one step, the devil’s figure vanished.

The dream collapsed, and all the churning emotions turned to nothing.

Hydra, as always, disappeared from Hitana’s dream, but in reality, she still had to face her cold, cruel life.