The villain's way to tame the protagonist

Anser, who had come back to take a bath immediately after being released from the dirty prison, rested his head on the wet and soft cotton ball, closed his eyes and said, "Something I need to reflect on myself."

Although the final result did not deviate from Anser's expectations, the slight loss of control during the training process forced Anser to reflect on himself again.

He knew very well that this had nothing to do with fate, it was simply a lack of self-control.

This was unacceptable to Anser, because now was not the time to indulge himself.

"desire……"

Anser placed his hand on his chest and whispered to himself: "My desire is consuming me."

The madness flowing in Hydra's blood, bones and soul began to show when Ansel was sixteen years old.

Even though Anser had learned to vent it in various ways in a restrained manner since a long time ago, he was unable to stop the madness and desire that had wanted to devour even the world in ancient times.

That was the curse he could not escape, and the source of countless despair he had seen.

Hearing the word "desire", Yura gently licked Ansher's earlobe for a while, then dived nimbly and silently under the bathtub.

Ansher didn't react much. He just half-closed his eyes in comfort and leaned back on the edge of the bathtub.

The curse in the bloodline is an unavoidable destiny, and Anser has taken it into account, but even if he wants to, sometimes he can do nothing about it.

Fortunately, although there were some ups and downs in the training process, overall, it was still within Anser's acceptable range.

He controlled Xitana's feelings towards him very well within a perfect range - a range where he would occasionally think of his good points, which even made her completely defenseless in some aspects that Xitana didn't know about, but also a range that would always make her think of her bad points and be easily disturbed by fate.

However, this state will not last long. When the wolf cub reaches the end of this training, it will experience complete growth and transformation...

"I will help you get rid of this."

Hydra whispered this, baring his fangs at the fate he hated.

*

In Shitana and Marina's room, the two sisters were taking a bath after chatting and eating.

Marina rubbed her sister's soft short hair, looked at her slender white shoulders, and sighed softly.

She should have been angry. After learning that Shetana had caused trouble again and caused Lord Hydra to take the initiative to accept punishment, Marina was really shocked and angry to the extreme.

But when Shitana came back, when she saw her tired and fragile look, when Shitana threw herself into her arms with tears in her eyes and apologized incoherently, the weakness in Marina's heart made her unable to say anything more.

When she came to her senses, she was already gently bathing Sitana.

"It's disgusting. Who on earth is in charge of the prison? I still feel sick when I think about that plate of food."

The wolf cub sitting on the small stool muttered angrily: "This is too much! Lina, can you tell Hydra to get the prison guard out?"

Marina knocked the girl's head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "You hate bullying the most, why are you doing this now?"

"How can this be considered bullying? The food is so bad, it's obvious that he is the prison manager and he pocketed all the money."

Miss Sitana felt that she had a good reason: "Anyway, there must be a problem!"

"Even so, your words are more effective than mine." Marina scratched the back of Sitana's ear.

"Him? He won't listen to me. Even if he does, he will definitely be planning how to get it back from me later. So forget it." Hitana curled her lips.

Marina sighed inwardly. She wanted to reiterate the importance of respecting Ansher, but it would be useless now except to make Sitana angry, so she had to give up.

And... Lord Hydra is willing to bear the punishment for the trouble that Xitana caused. He must be much better to Xitana than I thought.

The girl, who had no extraordinary talents, looked at her sister humming a little tune with envy in her eyes.

[That’s great…]

She didn't know how many times she had thought this.

"Oh, by the way, Lina, I have good news for you!"

Sitana suddenly reacted, turned her head, splashed bubbles all over Marina, and said excitedly: "We can go home! For seven whole days! Hydra will provide me with resources, we will set off today!"

She stood up, put her hands on her hips, and hopped up like a springy snow bunny.

"This is called, this is called... returning home in glory! Right? It's time to show everyone how powerful we are!"

"..."

Marina looked at her sister's happy and joyful expression, her lips moved slightly but she couldn't utter a word.

"...What's wrong, Lina?" Xitana tilted her head. "Isn't this a good thing? Why do you look like...you don't look very happy?"

After about two or three seconds of silence, the girl with waist-length snow-white hair reached out and stroked Xitana's foamy head, and said softly: "No, I'm very happy. It's just... Xier, you go back alone, I want to stay here."

Sitana was stunned. She looked at her sister's gentle and peaceful expression, but did not scream. Instead, she carefully tried to touch Marina's face.

"Um, Lina... Sister, did I do something to make you angry again? Tell me, I will change. Please don't be angry with me, okay?"

Marina smiled and touched Xitana's hand covering her face: "Xier did nothing wrong, it's my fault."

"Sister... don't want to go back?"

"No." Marina shook her head, "I can't waste any opportunity."

"...Opportunity?" Sitana looked at Marina in confusion, "What opportunity?"

"Xi'er, I'm different from you. I don't have the extraordinary talent that you have that would allow Lord Hydra to treat me like this."

Marina's voice was very gentle, without any hint of jealousy: "Staying by His Excellency Hydra's side is the only opportunity I can grasp to gain knowledge and grow myself. If I don't cherish it, I will definitely regret it."

"Although it's only seven days...but during these seven days, what more outstanding talents have been recommended to His Excellency Hydra? How much knowledge can I gain by staying with His Excellency Hydra during these seven days?"

Marina said this, hiding the melancholy and sadness in the deepest part of her heart.

How could she not... miss her family and friends in the village?

But she didn't have the capital to be as casual and willful as her sister. The only thing she could do was to seize the present moment.

"Go tell mom and dad that I'm doing fine." Marina smiled and picked up the basin to rinse the foam off Sitana's head. "Tell them not to worry, things will get better in the future."

Xitana wiped her face, suddenly sat down on the ground, and said in a muffled voice: "Then I won't go back either. There is no point in not going back with you, Lina."

"Xi'er, you——"

"Anyway, I can go back anytime! At worst I can go ask Hydra for help. What's the big deal?"

Xitana looked up at Marina and said, "Lina, how long do you want to stay with him? You can't just stay forever, right?"

Facing her sister's eyes full of hope and expectation, Marina was silent for a long time, and finally sighed helplessly and dotingly.

"Then... let's take a month. In a month, I should be able to learn a lot, and I also... I also have confidence. No, in a month, I will definitely make Lord Hydra realize my value!"

"At that time, it should be fine if I go back for a while."

"Okay! Then it's settled, one month later!"

Xitana stood up suddenly, grabbed the towel hanging on the side and ran out directly: "I'll go talk to Hydra right away, you take a shower first, Lina!"

Marina looked at the happy figure running out of the bathroom, shook her head with amusement, and then for some reason, her eyes drooped slightly.

Can you grant my request as long as I ask?

I really envy you, Xier.

*

After changing her clothes and with her hair not yet dry, Hitana hurried to the door of Ansel's study, ready to discuss the holiday with him.

When she was about two or three meters away from the door of the room, she suddenly heard voices of conversation coming from inside.

"Master, your decree will be implemented tomorrow, but it seems that some problems have not been resolved..."

Xitana's steps slowly stopped.

Chapter 43: The Art of War

Implementing a decree is a very troublesome matter. It is not that Anser just needs to write a document, gather the nobles together, and announce its implementation, and then the decree will be implemented.

The follow-up to that day's banquet was that Anther discussed with all the powerful nobles in the Red Frost Territory about the territory policy after the death of Earl Red Frost. Although nine out of ten of them were unwilling to implement Anther's decrees, those nobles who had already been frightened did not have the courage to go against Anther's wishes.

After so many days, starting from tomorrow, the policies he had prepared will finally be implemented one after another.

But Savile brought him some not-so-good news.

"At present, the nobles of the former Earl of Red Frost are relatively stable, but a few of them are making some small moves and are unwilling to accept your business policies and agricultural burden reduction. The wavering nobles should follow the policy, but in terms of specific implementation... I don't think there will be any changes."

"The most crucial thing is Earl Hardstone." The old butler paused. "He has always been on your side and has behaved very wisely in all aspects, but this time he has become your opponent. Although he agreed at the meeting that day, his actions during this period... have not been honest."

Anser, who was writing at his desk, did not look up and replied calmly, "Of course he objects. After all, he is now the most likely person to become the Lord of the Red Frost Territory in theory."

Anser, who didn't care about the gains and losses of this place, chuckled: "The lord of the Red Frost Territory cannot inherit such a strategy."

Liberate the peasants, reduce commercial taxes, encourage handicrafts, reduce transportation costs, absorb the population, limit the abuse of privileges by the nobles, and expand public facilities...

Earl of Stone was a smart man. He knew that Anser's policies were essentially for the better development of the Red Frost Territory. It was just that in the early stages of this process, the lords had to bear an unusually high price - because Anser's policies were obviously exaggerated in numbers, and he seemed to not care about the interests of the lords at all.

Then how should he deal with himself when the Earl of Stone takes office? Maintaining Anser's policies is equivalent to bleeding himself, and vetoing Anser's policies means that the anger of the people in the Red Frost Territory, which was originally appeased by Anser, is likely to erupt in a more terrifying way. What's more, the special nature of the position of the Lord of the Red Frost Territory... It is destined that he cannot be a good lord who "does his duty diligently".

"After all, the North is one of the rebel bases."

Anser said meaningfully: "The radical elements among them have been looking for opportunities. The people of the Red Frost Territory have been living a hard life for hundreds of years. If he does not operate properly... and the rebels use it as a breakthrough point, it will not be as simple as losing your head."

Rebels, righteous army, it doesn't matter what they are called. Anser prefers to call them revolutionary army, but given his position, he still has to call them rebels verbally.

This group of people continues to thrive and are already considered part of the empire. The "historical cycle" in the memory library also applies to this world and the empire.

However, every time when the point of decline comes and the rebels raise their flags to the sky, the Empire always shows its pure, despairing... terror.

There was the emperor who led an extraordinary army of 100,000 rebels and burned them to ashes in a single breath from a thousand miles away, there was the grand duke who wielded a battle axe to kill his way through the battle formation and beheaded the rebel leader, or there was the Hydra of that generation who brought the most complete despair to the entire rebel army.

Therefore, Anser basically would not apply many theories of that world to him, because it was meaningless and was only used as reference material for research.

"So, what do you need me to do?" As the person who could best understand Anser's intentions, Savile bowed slightly and said, "Want to give Earl Solidstone a little warning?"

"A mere warning is meaningless."

Anser smiled and waved his hand: "On ordinary days, the Grand Duke is standing behind us. At this critical moment, we are just the Grand Duke's puppet. There is no need to embarrass our poor Earl of Stone."

Savile remained silent. He felt that the Earl, who was usually respectful and cautious towards Ansher, should be thankful that his prudence and wisdom had won Ansher's mercy.

If he had done even one thing wrong, today’s conversation might have been different.

"If that's the case, then we are actively destroying Earl Hardstone's plan. Our early action will be force majeure for him."

Savile said: "If the Iron Blade Duke still cares about his success or failure under such circumstances, it can only be said that it is the Earl of Solid Stone's fate-"

The old man paused suddenly, and he immediately swallowed the rest of his words and stopped talking.

To Xavier's surprise, Anser said calmly, "No need, Xavier, just let him do it."

"If he wants to continue to exploit farmers, increase taxes, maintain high-pressure rule, and prevent my decrees from being effectively implemented, then let him do it. I don't care."

"Do you want to...get rid of him directly?" Xavier frowned slightly. "The Duke of Iron Blade is currently in a weak position. If you get rid of his only chess piece, he may not be as gentle as the Duke of Gray Tower."

Young Hydra chuckled: "Don't worry, Xavier, a truly wise man can see the path I left, and he knows what to do."

The old butler who always carefully considered Anser was still worried: "If that's the case, the prestige you have accumulated in the Red Frost Territory... is likely to be because of your indulgence of him this time-"

"Well, it won't be too late to take action then, right?"

Xavier finally stopped reminding him. Although he knew that Ansel had probably taken it into consideration, he still didn't want anything to happen that would hurt his master.

Old people are always like this. They understand the situation but still can’t let it go.

What's more, Savile couldn't understand why this matter should be known to... the girl who had already escaped outside the door?

"Gone?" Ansel asked with a smile, holding his chin.

"Yes."

Xavier's position seemed to be slightly different from the previous second: "And he looks very angry, Master."

"It won't be long before she becomes complacent. She finally got hold of my 'handle', right?"

This makes the situation more complicated. Savile wanted to say this, but seeing Anser's calm smile, he said no more.

His young master, Ansir Hydra, was a natural, great ruler, and loyal Xavier had no doubt of it.

The young noble opened the book he had written himself and stroked the square handwriting that only he could understand.

"The first is to attack the enemy, then the second is to attack the enemy, the second is to attack the army, and the third is to attack the city."

He chanted words that Xavier could not understand at all, and spread out his palms. He seemed to see the always reckless and anxious girl running on them until she was exhausted.