Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

He said, "I've already died once..."

Could it be that back then...

Suddenly, the girl seemed to understand the long-standing question that had been weighing on her mind during the Battle of Ainsworth. She looked up at the figure in the driver's seat, turning the key and starting the engine, her golden-red eyes revealing a complex mix of emotions.

At this moment, as the engine started, Samael leaned back in his chair with one hand, turned his head and smiled at his temporary ally who had been tricked onto the ship in the back seat.

"Now that we've finished discussing business, let's talk about some personal matters, Xiao Hei."

"what?"

"Do you remember what I said at the Tohsaka residence before?"

The Tohsaka family, what did he say...?

Somewhat dazed, Chloe didn't hear the changed address at all. Coming to her senses, she subconsciously pondered for a moment, her heart skipped a beat, and she stiffly looked up at the driver who was turning back in front of her.

Samael's smile was exceptionally bright.

Some parts are even distorted...

run!

In an instant, a strong sense of alarm pounded between Chloe's brows. Realizing something was wrong, the brown-skinned girl frantically lunged at the car door handle, intending to jump out of the car on the spot.

However, the moment her fingertips touched the doorknob, the familiar feeling of confinement spread again. Her body, as if wound up, stiffly retreated to the car seat, her limbs sprawled on the seat in a humiliating posture, supporting her body and arching her back.

"What did I say myself?"

At this moment, Samael, who had calmly locked the car door, raised his hand and tapped his head, leisurely asking and answering himself.

"Oh right, if you dare to be dishonest again next time, you won't get away with it so easily."

In an instant, Chloe, who was lying on the back seat, suddenly remembered the fear of being dominated by a demon, and her face turned pale.

"As a person, you must be honest and trustworthy."

Samael uttered a profound and educational maxim, then stepped on the gas, started the car, and snapped his fingers.

"Snapped!"

Immediately, a crisp sound echoed in the enclosed carriage.

At that moment, Chloe, who was lying on the back seat like a puppy, whimpered and grimaced, while her right hand, which had been raised at some point, slapped hard against her own upturned buttocks.

Soon, half of the little girl's buttocks swelled up rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Clap clap clap!"

But then, amidst the roar of the engine, a series of clear, resonant notes accompanied the sound from afar.

Samael glanced at the rearview mirror every now and then, a smile playing on his lips, clearly pleased.

Meanwhile, a brown-skinned girl, who was punishing herself, felt a burning pain in her buttocks. Her nose tingled, her eyes welled up with tears, and she felt inexplicably sad and indignant. All her words were condensed into one sentence.

Pah, you scum!

Chapter 223 Married Woman's Service (4.1k)

Fifteen minutes later, in a dimly lit alley, Chloe, clutching a load of cardboard boxes, gasped for breath with tears in her eyes, enduring the burning pain from her buttocks. Meanwhile, Samael, who had been using his power to drive child laborers, stepped forward and knocked on a tightly closed door.

"Yeah..."

Before long, the door was pulled open from the inside, and a Yamato Nadeshiko-style housewife, dressed in a gorgeous kimono, with delicate features that exuded a hint of heroism, and long, flowing black hair loosely tied in a woman's bun, stood in the entrance hall. She clasped her hands on her abdomen, bowed respectfully at a 90-degree angle, revealing her worrisome cleavage, and spoke solemnly.

"お帰りなさいませ、ごMaster様 (Welcome back, Master)."

"..."

At that moment, Samael, standing in front of the door, froze, and the forced smile twitched slightly.

What kind of weird character setting did Orange give her? Is it some kind of "married woman play"?

Hearing the commotion, Chloe came over and saw the awkward scene. She raised her elbow and nudged Samael in the lower back with a mocking smile.

"It sounds like she's calling you 'master'."

"Looks like you know a lot about this?"

"Just kidding, I'd never do something like that..."

Upon hearing that meaningful question, the competitive Chloe couldn't help but put her hands on her hips with a smug look on her face, exuding an air of "erudition."

However, before he could finish speaking, Samael raised his right hand with a big smile and skillfully rubbed his middle finger, index finger and thumb together.

Snapped!

A crisp snap of fingers echoed in the girl's ears.

Instantly, Chloe's body stiffened, her lips tightened as if glued shut, and she could only let out a faint, indistinct whimper.

Damn it, they've silenced me again!

Barbaric! Despotic! Dictatorship!

Chloe, punished by the Great Silence spell, lost the pleasure of teasing her enemy and could only glare at Samael with murderous intent.

After dealing with the little guy back home who was always looking for trouble, Samael carried the cardboard box into the room, looked around, and was somewhat surprised to see the empty workstation.

"Shi, where's the orange?"

"The owner said she was going out to buy a pack of cigarettes."

At the door, a doll, perfectly replicating Ryougi Shiki's appearance, shape, and posture, took out slippers from the shoe cabinet and respectfully handed them to Samael, then pondered before replying.

"That old smoker..."

Samael, dressed in slippers by a doll-like attendant, looked at the ashtray piled high with cigarette butts in the corner of his workstation, feeling both amused and exasperated. He tidied up the messy arrangement slightly before finally stopping, satisfied.

Samael then pulled out some good quality Japanese shochu and some rare Yanlong brand cigarettes from the cardboard box, threw them on the table, and turned to the waiting doll-like figure to ask again.

"Forget it, leave the stuff here and worry about Orange for now. What about the others?"

"upstairs."

The doll's red eyes lit up slightly as it mechanically answered and took the initiative to lead Samael through the barrier set up at the top and bottom of the stairs to the second floor.

"Lord Samael!"

"Hagi mochi!"

The two white-haired heads standing guard at the stairwell turned around simultaneously upon hearing the noise, but their words were completely different.

Hearing this impolite cheer that revealed her true foodie nature, Sera, who had a single ponytail and a somewhat domestic demeanor, secretly glared at Liselle, the shameful maid next to her who only knew how to slack off and steal food, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face.

Samael didn't seem to mind. He smiled gently at the two maids, took out a bag containing wagashi (Japanese sweets), potato chips, hamburgers, and other food, and handed it to them.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you? I brought some food with me on the way, so have something to eat first."

"Thank you for your concern..."

"Uh-huh!"

Two maids with contrasting personalities: one adhered to tradition and respectfully carried the luggage; the other nodded repeatedly, and after receiving permission, eagerly took the paper bag and began to devour the food.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh."

Seeing Lizzie devour her food like a starving ghost, the head maid Sera, maintaining proper etiquette, tried to suppress the throbbing veins on her forehead and awkwardly thanked and apologized.

"You haven't eaten or rested for almost a day and a night, so don't be so reserved. Just think of it as a temporary relaxation."

Samael smiled slightly and offered words of comfort.

Since the battle at the Linglongguan Dojo, when the two maids disobeyed orders and escaped from the castle to come to the deep mountains to meet Irisviel and Artoria, they have gone through the reunion at the Kotomine Church and the Battle of Ainsworth, and have been in a state of high tension ever since.

Even the most perfect doll cannot withstand such intense torment.

Moreover, they are creations with some inherent flaws.

"If you want to take care of others, shouldn't you at least take care of yourself first?"

After being persuaded by Samael, Sera finally calmed down a bit and politely accepted a cup of hot drink.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the two maids guarding the gate, Samael paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and his expression became more serious and apprehensive.

"Alice, how is she?"

"Thanks to you, the situation has stabilized for the time being, but she's still unconscious. Saber is inside taking care of the young lady. Would you like to go in and check on her?"

Sera quickly answered, her gaze towards the man before her filled with deep gratitude and respect.

Upon hearing this, Samael nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.

The situation isn't too bad...

Then, Sera got up and led the two to the door of a large room at the end of the corridor. She chose the key, deactivated the outer security magic, and gently opened the door. She then stood quietly outside the door with her hands at her sides, ready to give any instructions.

"Samael, you've come."

Hearing the noise, Artoria, standing in front of the bed draped in orange curtains, immediately stood up from her chair and nodded to the person who came. Although she still habitually put on a stern face towards her former "arch-enemy," her body muscles subconsciously relaxed and her brows naturally unfurrowed. Clearly, without realizing it, she regarded the man in front of her as a reliable and trustworthy companion.

Samael, whose real name had been revealed, did not take it to heart.

After all, this is no secret.

Back in the battle at the Linglong Pavilion's private dojo, Irisviel had unintentionally called him by his real name.

Of course, he didn't deliberately hide it; whether you can guess it or not depends on your own level of perception.

"I bought some hamburgers. You should eat something and rest for a while. I'll watch over things here."

Samael handed the still-warm handbags to Artoria, along with a bag of dog food, so she could feed her own King Kavas II.

Caught between the demands of "eating" and "feeding the dogs," Artoria finally relinquished her duties and temporarily relinquished her position to Samael.

Having successfully taken over the task of caring for Irisviel, Samael gently sat down by the bed and carefully examined her. The weight that had been hanging over her heart finally lifted slightly, and she sighed inwardly.

Indeed, it was the right decision to let Orange take over this task.

As a renowned Grand Dollmaker, Aozaki Touko is undoubtedly the most qualified to speak on issues such as artificial life.

Therefore, after the Battle of Ainsworth ended, Samael instructed Artoria to bring the unconscious Irisviel to the shopping district and ask Aozaki Touko for help.

In any case, those old guys from the Einzbern family have already regarded the four people from Fuyuki City as expendable pawns. It is still unknown whether they have any further arrangements or methods in the Tree Sea Castle. Just in case, it would be better to entrust Alice, Artoria and the others to Orange.

The token, of course, was the scale that Irisviel wore.

In retrospect, although Irisviel's problem has not been completely resolved, at least her condition has not continued to deteriorate, which is a stroke of good luck amidst misfortune.

As his thoughts returned, Samael gazed at the woman lying quietly on the bed with her eyes closed, like Sleeping Beauty, and couldn't help but lose himself in thought.

The more beautiful something is, the more fragile and easily broken it is.

The more sacred the light, the easier it is to be tainted by defilement;

It is all the more remarkable that it has been able to maintain its purity to this day.

This complex sense of contradiction always evokes a strong protective instinct and tenderness in outsiders.

The Winter Saintess before us, burdened with the mission of saving the world and resolutely heading towards her end, is probably just like this.

"What's wrong with her?"

The sudden question in his ear brought the ancient snake back to its senses, and it turned to look behind it.

"I didn't care about her, I just..."

Chloe hesitated, her gaze somewhat unfocused.

But you are the same kind...

Samael silently finished Chloe's unfinished words in his mind and sighed.

As creations of the Einzbern family, one is a near-miraculous masterpiece made over centuries; the other is a lingering will born from corpses after years of failure.

They seem to be two extremes of things, but they have many similarities.

They are all tools for achieving a goal.

Relief, relief, human relief, oh...

How many people have committed evil deeds in your name!

Samael's mind conjured up images of ambitious individuals, politicians, and fanatical idealists who claimed to liberate and save humanity under the banners of economics, war, and religion, and he shook his head and scoffed.

After a brief sigh, the ancient serpent regained its composure and briefly recounted Irisviel's condition to Chloe, offering a quiet reminder at the end.