A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Chapter 700: Ecstatic Joy - II

"Lord Crow, all refugees have been relocated to the designated temporary shelter."

Crow the Ninth murmured, perched atop the sanctuary, her gaze fixed on the blood-red horizon.

[Excellent. In five minutes, Cricket will take over. Continue to shadow Seraphina and Ravenna, maintaining your task of guiding their rescued refugees to the nearest sanctuary... Here are their coordinates.]

Crow’s voice resonated within Nine’s mind.

"Understood."

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Nine responded impassively, descending from the shelter’s roof with feather-like grace. She surveyed the crimson expanse that nearly engulfed the horizon, preparing to advance towards her objective.

As she took her first step, a timid, childlike voice halted her.

"Um, hey, sister..."@@@@

Nine turned to see a raggedly dressed little girl standing before the shelter’s entrance, her parents lingering apprehensively nearby.

"Th-thank you for saving me, my father and mother. I saw those two sisters..."

The innocent child, unaware of the chasm between extraordinary beings and mortals, saw her savior not as an untouchable superior, but merely as an impressive elder sister.

Her parents cowered, torn between calling her back and fearing to offend Nine, while the girl, though frightened, bravely stood her ground.

Nine studied the little girl for a moment before kneeling and placing a hand atop her head.

"Your gratitude is misplaced, child. It’s Lord Hydral you should thank. Remember that. Lord Ansel of Hydral."

She attempted to imbue her voice with its former warmth and melody, yet despite her efforts, it remained as hoarse and grating as a death-knell raven’s, instinctively evoking revulsion and dread.

The little girl, however, showed no disgust. Instead, she beamed, nodding vigorously. "I’ll remember! Lord Hydral saved me!"

Transforming into a shadow and swiftly advancing towards Seraphina and Ravenna’s location, Nine inwardly chuckled with self-derision.

All I can still accomplish is merely handling troublesome matters for those two ladies.

Nine harbored little resentment towards them, merely finding it... pitiful.

Only she knew the true cost of her transformation from Marlina to Crow the Ninth, from an ordinary village girl devoid of extraordinary qualities to a shadow-shifting extraordinary being.

From paying the price to now reaping the results, Nine found herself pitiful.

Nevertheless, she had no intention of wallowing in self-pity. Having obtained what she most needed at an irreversible lifelong cost, both her goal and the price paid compelled her to exert every effort, even without a glimmer of hope, to ascend to that position... where she could truly influence Ansel’s thoughts.

As Nine neared Seraphina and the others, preparing for her second task, Crow’s voice suddenly resonated in her mind.

[Number Nine, in three seconds, our Lord will communicate with you. Three, two—]

[...What?]

Before Nine could process her astonishment, the voice of the one she longed for, the one who had sustained her through that period of despair, echoed in her mind.

[It’s been a while, Marlina.]

[Y-yes, Mr. Ansel. My name is now Crow the Ninth, please call me Nine.]

[Nine... I see. Then I shall address you as such for now. I have an important task for you.]

The shadow skimming the ground instantly rose, transforming into a pitch-black girl. She trembled slightly, as if the one issuing the order stood before her, curtseying to the empty air ahead.

[Please, allow me to serve you, Mr. Ansel.]

Her hoarse, even distorted voice quivered with ecstatic joy, reminiscent of a zealot receiving divine revelation from their personal deity.

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