The villain's way to tame the protagonist

Marina looked at her sister, breathed a sigh of relief, and said in a slow tone, "So, don't be so resentful of Lord Hydra. He won't always indulge you. Don't make mistakes again, Xitana."

After saying this, Marina suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

The next moment, tears welled up in Sitana's eyes.

"roll!"

She roared at Marina angrily: "Why don't you stand on my side? You are my sister! Why are you speaking for the guy I hate!"

"Shitana, you—"

"Marina, you should have seen the expression on your face when you were facing that guy in the study... and the look on your face when you mentioned his name just now. Do you like him? Do you want to be his lover like those women who flirted with Hydra?"

"Shitana!"

These outrageous words made Marina extremely angry. The girl, who had never really scolded her sister before, raised her hand and slapped her on the cheek somewhat uncontrollably.

"Do you know what you are talking about? How could you do this?!"

Even though Marina regretted it after slapping him, she still said it in a harsh voice with great anger and disappointment.

"..."

Sitana covered her cheek and said nothing.

And Marina read emotions in those cold dark red eyes that she had never seen before.

Hate.

The wolf cub, with tears in his eyes, turned around and ran out without hesitation, leaving Marina alone and at a loss.

In fact, it’s just like Hitana hasn’t really understood Marina’s good intentions.

Marina also didn't understand what had happened to her absurd, arrogant, and selfish sister after she woke up from her coma today.

——When Hitana asked why she was assassinated, she heard from Ansel, who never lied to her, that he had arranged the assassination.

Who would show any leniency to someone who wants to kill himself?

Poor Hitana even concealed the matter deliberately in order not to trouble her sister who was living a good life.

What he got in return was such ruthless and cold criticism, and... a slap in the face.

Chapter 38: Sisters Part 3

When Anser had finished processing almost half of the documents, there was a light knock on the study door.

"Please come in."

Anser, who already knew who the other party was, put down his quill.

"..." The frail and haggard Marina pushed the door open slowly and carefully. She was slightly relieved when she saw that Anser was not working, but she still said softly, "I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Hydra."

"Nothing, I just need to rest."

Anser looked at the girl's complicated expression and asked gently, "What happened, Miss Marina?"

"...No, no, it's nothing, please don't take it to heart."

While Marina was feeling regretful and confused in the room, she soon thought of another thing.

——That means Shitana didn’t control her volume well, and their argument was probably heard by one of the maids.

So, Marina didn't even have much time to worry or feel sad. She knew she had to do something immediately to make amends... Maybe Ansel herself didn't care, but she couldn't be so foolish as to think that she didn't need to do anything.

As for Marina now, the only thing she can do is to try not to be a burden to Xitana and try her best to show her value in front of Anther. As she is almost one with Xitana, as long as she does better, Xitana will be treated better by Anther.

Even if it could only increase the rating by one point, in order to keep Xitana by Anther's side, Marina didn't care even if she could only exchange the greatest effort for the smallest gain.

Marina firmly believes that her sister will one day grow up, and before that day comes, it is her duty to protect her, educate her, and help her...

So the girl tried to hide her tiredness and sadness, and smiled at Anser: "If you have time, can you allow me to ask you some questions?"

"of course."

Anser, who had seen Marina's expression, smiled and said, "I have already annotated all the documents I gave you before. Take a look at them first."

"……what?"

Marina stared blankly at the document handed over by Ansel. The calmness she had just tried so hard to pretend to be suddenly turned into a state of confusion.

She looked at the clear, neat and elegant handwriting on the document, the large number of comments that were almost integrated with the content she wrote without any sense of confusion or complexity, and the final evaluation...suddenly, an almost uncontrollable sour feeling surged in her heart.

Just like how Sitana, who has such a talent, puts her dignity above her life. How can Marina, who is smart and strong, but has to endure more hardships than Sitana, not desire that kind of thing, not desire respect from others?

She was obviously just a country girl from a remote village. Apart from her appearance, there was no way she could catch the eye of a big shot like Hydra. She might not even have a good appearance.

But even so, he still respected himself and did not regard himself as a vassal of his genius sister. He had not made any frivolous actions or even words so far, and he did not just give himself a job to get by.

Every meticulous and detailed stroke on the document reflects the young and tolerant big man's genuine respect for himself.

Xier...how could you be so disrespectful to Lord Hydra?

When Marina thought about how her sister had offended the respected Lord Hydra countless times, but had received his unconditional tolerance and forgiveness countless times, her heart ached uncontrollably.

[If, if I am the one who possesses that kind of talent, would Lord Hydra also be able to——]

A dark and cold light flashed across Marina's mind.

"Ms. Marina?" Anser asked softly, "Is there something you don't understand?"

"...Ah? No, no! Your comments are very clear!"

Marina suddenly came to her senses, and while she responded to Ansel in such a panic, she felt ashamed of her previous thoughts.

"To be precise, your ability to understand and analyze is excellent, Ms. Marina."

Anser looked at Marina with a polite and gentle look, causing the latter to look away nervously and shyly: "I... I'm not as powerful as you say, Lord Hydra."

"Being overly modest is not a good character, Miss Marina."

Anser chuckled and said, "Or are you doubting my judgment?"

The girl hurriedly replied: "No! How dare I!"

To doubt Lord Hydra's vision, isn't that equivalent to saying that he has misjudged Aytana?

"Then you should hold your head high and talk to me, Miss Marina."

The handsome young noble held his chin up. He did not deliberately show any "charming smile" but said gently: "You have talents recognized by me. You can be proud of it. There is no reason to shrink, right?"

The girl, who had tied her long snow-white hair into a simple braid, looked at the face that seemed so close and yet so far away. She felt her inner timidity being gently lifted, and the fatigue and loneliness that she had almost never told anyone about was illuminated by the warm sun.

In the eyes of Lord Hydra, she was not just a girl with a pretty face, nor was she a country girl of humble origin, nor was she a vassal of her genius sister.

But a valuable, dignified, capable and upright person.

"Yes."

Marina, who was trying hard to hold back her tears and didn't want to make herself look unbearable now, straightened her chest, raised her head and looked at Anser, and responded softly but firmly: "I will, I will definitely not let you down."

"Please move a chair over here and sit opposite me."

Anser smiled and said, "You can ask me any questions you want, no matter how big or simple the questions are."

Marina was no longer ecstatic or excited at this moment. She nodded obediently, sat opposite Ansel, and asked Ansel all the questions she didn't understand without hesitation or hiding anything.

Anser carefully and meticulously explained to Marina the various documents he had handled, including government affairs in the Red Frost Territory and letters specifically sent to him personally.

The girl was fascinated by what she heard. Now she realized that her methods of dealing with the tax collectors were no different from children playing house. The relaxed and carefree look of Lord Hydra walking between the two archdukes made Marina fascinated.

If Hitana were here, she would just yell that the nobles were all hypocritical bastards. However, Marina was seriously trying to absorb the knowledge and skills that Ansel brought her to survive and grow in this society, and she felt deeply shallow and inadequate.

"Mr. Hydra, regarding the request for the transfer of Earl Solidstone's private troops, why do you——"

"Goo~"

The girl's face instantly turned red. She covered her stomach and uttered a soft, panicked sound like a cat: "Um, I, I..."

"Has it been three hours?" Anser said with emotion, as if he had not heard the previous voice at all. "Even I forgot the time, Ms. Marina. As a student, you are much better than I expected."

"It's time for me to eat, too, Ms. Marina. How about we end today's class here?"

Marina stood up holding the notebook Ansel gave her and bowed deeply to Ansel: "I will never let you down, Master Hydra."

Anser smiled and waved his hand: "Don't add pressure to yourself, just eat well first, Miss Marina."

The girl's ears were burning. She lifted her skirt and performed the increasingly skilled lady's greeting to Anser, then covered her cheeks and ran away in a hurry like a deer.

Ansher watched Marina go away with a smile, and stretched lazily.

"You don't have much time left, my dear Sitana."

He leaned back lazily in his chair and muttered to himself with amusement and pleasure:

"So, what choice will you make?"

“It’s really… exciting.”

Chapter 39: The Good and Evil of Wolves

Her sister and the bastard she hated the most were having a hot affair. Hitana, who had escaped, had no idea about this.

She wiped her tears hastily and walked down the streets of Chishuang City with her head down, totally out of tune with the laughter of passers-by and the noise of passing cars and horses.

Although it is the main city of the Red Frost Territory, Red Frost City was not so prosperous before.

Anser had explained this in detail to Marina. This involved some special features of the Red Frost Territory, the game between the two grand dukes due to this special feature, and why Count Red Frost, who was pushed to the forefront, acted so unbridled and had no bottom line.

Anser's explanation was very thorough, and Marina had already fully understood the situation in the entire Red Frost Territory. However, Miss Hitana, who was also identified by Anser as "having talent", was kicking stones on the street in an angry and helpless manner.

"'He's our benefactor, don't make the same mistake again'... How funny!" The girl imitated her sister's words in a weird voice, "That guy almost had me killed! And he said something like 'it's just a simple after-class test', what a bastard who doesn't take human life seriously!"

She gnashed her teeth and said to herself, "Sooner or later, I will make you feel half dead!"

Hitana kicked the stone with hatred, sending it flying like a bullet, directly making a hole in a carriage about ten meters away.

Screams were heard immediately from inside. A well-dressed gentleman pushed open the car door and looked around angrily: "Who is it! Which lunatic is hurting people in the street!"

The eyes of passers-by were all focused on the beautiful girl with snow-haired hair, who seemed to have something wrong with her.

"..." Hitana's face froze. Through the open carriage, she could see a woman inside with a bloody head and horrific injuries. Knowing that she had caused trouble, she gritted her teeth, swallowed the anger in her chest, tried her best not to put on a murderous expression, and walked over.

"I did it. Sorry."

She turned her face away, her tone a little stiff: "How much compensation do you want?"

"I don't need a penny from you!" The gentleman glared at Xitana, "Apologize to my female companion first, and then we will conduct the trial according to the Red Frost Territory and its laws!"

"I--"

Xitana was a little confused. In all the troubles she had caused, there were always only two outcomes - either the other party was convinced by her fists, or a false settlement was reached in a way that had nothing to do with the procedure.

Laws, judgments? She never thought that those things were useful. Otherwise, how could there be so many nobles riding on her head and bullying her?

The girl was silent for a moment, feeling a sense of justifiable panic.

But even so, she still gritted her teeth and responded without any evasion: "Okay, the one inside, the lady, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Xitana pulled out the hunting dagger from her waist and cut a gash on her forehead without hesitation. The deep scar was frightening to see. She said in a loud voice, "I don't know how the court will rule, but this is my sincerity."

The gentleman was frightened by Sitana's action, and the anger on his face disappeared. He hesitated to speak, but looked at his female companion who was sobbing and crying, and said coldly: "I respect your sincerity, but I will not cancel any charges against you, young lady. When the guards come, we will meet in court."

Shitana put the hunting knife back into her waist, wiped the blood off her forehead, and just stood there, with no intention of escaping.

However, this gentleman and Xitana did not wait for guards, but another carriage that looked expensive.

The carriage approached quickly, and the owner of the carriage leaned out of the window. He did not look at the gentleman, but greeted Xitana: "Your sincerity is admirable, Miss Lancemalos."

"……you know me?"

"How could the people of Red Frost City not know you?" The middle-aged man, who was either a merchant or a noble, smiled. "Everyone knows that the beautiful girl with hair as pure as the snow on the mountaintop is the powerful guard of Lord Hydra, isn't it?"

Before Hitana could say anything, the gentleman was frightened and pale by the meaningful "Mr. Hydra" in her words.

"My friend," the middle-aged man said gently to the gentleman, "have you just come to Scarlet Frost City to do business? Under the management of Lord Hydra, the Scarlet Frost Territory has shown some signs of rejuvenation. You must remember... When you go to a new place, try to be more tolerant. You can always make more friends and have fewer troubles."

He retreated into his carriage, ordered the driver to drive the horses, and drove away amid the sound of rolling wheels.

Hitana didn't know what this guy was up to, but it had nothing to do with her. She was planning to wait here for the guards to arrive anyway.