The villain's way to tame the protagonist

She subconsciously touched her left cheek. The sharp pain seemed to be physiological, but in fact... it was the physical projection of her soul that was further eroded and broken.

Smelling this breath, this breath that tightly wrapped around Number Nine and was about to tear her into pieces, Shitana remained silent and slowly wiped away her tears.

"Sure enough... it's impossible to explain it just by talking."

She murmured softly and slowly clenched her fists.

"I really overestimated myself."

There were still some tears in the girl's eyes, but her emotion was no longer just sadness, but more of... a determination to never give up.

"I will save you, Lina."

Xitana leaned over, held No. 9's cheek forcefully, and spoke word by word:

"No matter what method you use, no matter if you are self-righteous or not, no matter how much you will hate me in the end... I will definitely pull you out of the abyss."

"You deserve a happier life. No, not should... must."

Looking at the face so close to him, Number Nine remained expressionless.

After a brief silence, Xitana forced a smile and let go of her hand, saying in a hoarse voice: "Sorry to disturb your rest. I'll leave now."

She turned around, but after turning around, she couldn't help but look back at Number Nine lying on the bed, as if she wanted to imprint her current situation in her heart.

After that, he walked out with great determination.

And the moment she pushed open the door, the voice of Number Nine suddenly came from behind her.

"As an apology for disturbing me, please answer a question for me, Ms. Sitana."

Number Nine stared at Xitana's back and said indifferently:

"You know, you made Mr. Anser... weak?"

"……what?"

Looking at the surprised expression on the girl's face when she turned around, Number Nine already got the answer.

She shook her head and said indifferently: "Nothing, please leave, I want to rest."

"..."

Sitana looked at Number Nine deeply, then gritted her teeth and left the bedroom.

Number Nine was the only one left in the empty luxurious bedroom.

"How... arrogant."

After an unknown amount of time, she let out a soft sigh.

"Have I ever begged anyone for salvation?"

Chapter 7: The Judge (K)

In the simple study, Anser finished the last document on the table, rubbed his forehead and sighed.

Three days had passed since the battle against Ivora, and the impact of the annihilation of the Grand Duke and the leaders of all the supernatural organizations had begun to show.

During these three days, Anser cooperated with the garden and worked tirelessly to reorganize the affairs of various regions of the empire, but he only completed about two-thirds of the work.

Due to the influence of fate, Anser was very cautious in recruiting followers and cultivating his power, and always kept the number of people within a range where he could absolutely control each one. Therefore, when the affairs to be handled truly covered the entire empire, even he was stretched to the limit.

——If he just dealt with it and let the civilians everywhere get by, he wouldn't be so worried, but he just couldn't deal with it like this.

Those who can be won over, those who can be used, those who can be made into puppets, those who must be exterminated... Even though Anser no longer has any enemies on the surface, the remaining extraordinary people will be in chaos after being leaderless, which will be a big trouble.

Although it is nothing more than two steps of intimidation and winning over, facing such a huge empire and countless families and organizations, Anser, who has not reached the sixth level and cannot intimidate the world with just a name, still has a long way to go.

Hydra's gaze slowly moved to an envelope on the table. It was a real-time battle report on the war in the North, delivered by Shadow Marsh lurking in the North, two copies a day.

This just started three days ago. After the affairs in the West were over, Shadow Marsh was finally able to transfer personnel to the North. Before that, Anser did not arrange any personnel in that bitter and cold land because there was no need, or... the time had not come.

Anser had read the contents of the battle report before. The Revolutionary Army had won another great victory. Since Iron Blade and Gray Tower were unwilling to join forces, the New World was unstoppable in the north and had already captured nearly half of the territory.

To Anser, the New World, Iron Blade and Gray Tower were all inferior things. Even if all the extraordinary people in the North were piled together, they would not be enough for the Ex Machina to defeat. Or, if Shitana was given some more time to develop, she would not even need to be at the fifth level. As long as she could further master her own power, she would probably be able to kill her way back and forth in the North.

So naturally, what he cared about was not the victory or defeat represented by the battle situation, but the progress of something.

In the original timeline, at this point in time, Hitana should still be wandering around, Ming Furo has been walking alone in the world because of the collapse of the Tower of Babel, the saint of the church who bears a great sin has disappeared, and the brave man who reforms everything should have just started.

Anser sped up everything, so if fate wanted to deal with it, it would have to speed up certain things as well.

"Polynia's Aether Shroud will only transform into Great Silence after three years. If fate pushes us, it is not impossible to skip these four years."

Anser held his chin with one hand, tilted his head, and held the envelope, thinking: "Then the Church of Saints...will arrive ahead of schedule if nothing unexpected happens."

Although Ansel didn't know everything about the Holy Church, he knew the most crucial parts clearly - the saint, the church, the brave, the revolutionary army... Their confluence was one of the important factors in overthrowing the empire and establishing a new order in the later period. Before that, a very important... "plot" would take place.

Anser was paying attention to the war in the north, waiting for that plot to come early under the push of fate.

It would be great if you could capture both the Saint and the Brave at the same time in this plot, but if that's not possible, it doesn't matter if you only catch one.

At this point, his taming of the protagonists was no longer a bargaining chip to fight against fate, but simply a precaution - it didn't matter if he didn't turn them into contracted subjects, as long as he destroyed their possibility of becoming heroes.

As for why he changed his mind, apart from the initiative that Anser now holds, there is another more important factor.

——He would not allow anyone else to enter his heart. The only people who could interfere with his thoughts and decisions were Xitana and Ming Furo.

If there are more, even just one, the possibility of fate disturbing him will increase significantly, or in other words... it is already very high now.

Ansel, who realized the changes in himself, felt helpless about this change for the first time.

It was impossible for him to abandon Xitana and Ming Furo, nor was it possible for him to let go of his hatred for fate. He could only accept the influence the two girls had on him, and on this basis... continue his struggle.

This will be much more difficult than before, and he will have to face more obstacles and constraints that he shouldn't have to face, but that doesn't matter.

Anser believed that they would eventually help him overcome those obstacles. If that didn't happen now, then he would give them some time and wait patiently.

If fate did not give them time, he would take it for them.

“It’s time to contact the church.”

Putting aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind, Anser slowly exhaled and devoted himself to his work again.

Whether it is to solve the problem of Marina, or the subsequent control of the empire, or the important plot later... introducing the church is imperative for Anser.

He was not worried about whether the Church of the Holy Alliance would suddenly retaliate, because he knew very well what kind of truth was hidden under the guise of the Church of the Holy Alliance's worship of gods.

...However, fate may have had some influence on the church. The two Flamel's heads who were still staying on the other side of the continent for unknown reasons were proof of this.

According to the original timeline, they did not stay in the church for so long, and they even lost contact with them.

Even though Anser is in a dominant position now, he still cannot slack off in the game with fate.

After forming the framework of the next task in his mind, Anser picked up the feather pen and slowly wrote words filled with surging ether on the rare special scroll.

This kind of day should last for quite a long time. Although it is boring, it is not a day that Anser hates.

Although she still couldn't relax, she no longer needed to plot how to gamble with fate every moment. Today, Hydra was no longer walking on thin ice.

Tuk-tuk-tuk——

Just as Anser was working carefully, there was a knock on the door outside the study.

Through the door, Anser also noticed who was coming. He raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise and said, "Come in."

As Anser answered, a wheelchair slowly rolled in.

"I'm sorry for the sudden visit, Lord Anser."

The black-haired girl in the wheelchair smiled softly: "I hope I didn't bother you."

Because of the erosion of the abyss, No. 9's body has fallen into an incurable weakness. Unless she obtains strength from Ansor, from now on... she will most likely only be able to move around in a wheelchair.

Although the power that Anser bestowed on Number Nine did not come out of thin air, and the more power he gave to Number Nine, the less he would have to take away, but Anser did not mind giving Number Nine some power that could at least allow her to move normally. After all, it was not even a drop in the bucket for him, but Number Nine was unwilling to accept it.

Her original words were: "Even if it is only one in ten million, the effect it can have on Mr. Anser will be greater than the effect it can have on me."

Only when necessary would Number Nine borrow Anther's power, otherwise she would not accept even the slightest waste.

This excessive self-deprecation left Anser speechless and he could only let Number Nine be.

In fact, even though he had confirmed time and again that No. 9 was the one who disappointed him the most, during these three days, Ansel would occasionally wonder "Does she have other ideas?"

Deep down, Ansel still couldn't believe that the girl he recognized would fall into such a state.

But thinking of this, Anser could only laugh at himself.

Wasn't it him who was the devil in the past who made Marina become like this? Wasn't it him who was the devil now who was trying to push her into the abyss?

This regret and pity is too hypocritical and ridiculous.

"About the recent situation of the empire and the future situation."

The sickly girl in the wheelchair whispered, "I have some ideas. Could you please take a moment to listen to them?"

Anser put down the quill, stared into No. 9's dark eyes for a while, then nodded slightly: "Tell me about it."

"You don't have to devote your energy to the entire empire."

Number Nine folded his hands and placed them flat on his legs, his voice still gentle.

"In the South Territory, you have absolute say. Both the noble families and the extraordinary organizations are in awe of you. It is the least likely that a major turmoil will occur, so you can put it aside for now."

"Donggang, the three grand duke families have been passed down for nearly a thousand years, and have long formed a complete and inherent system. They will not fall into too much chaos due to the lack of a family head. The severity of the internal fighting will be maintained within a certain reasonable range, and this kind of internal fighting... will also make it easier for you to control Donggang in the future. Therefore, you only need to let them continue to occupy that coastal continent, make a statement that you do not intend to intervene, and watch them fight each other."

"In this case, the focus should be on the West Country."

Number Nine put her ten fingers together, and at this moment, she clearly did not look like a tool at all, which made Anser difficult to understand.

In those dark eyes that were no longer as warm as water, there was clearly a color of "only me", a kind of arrogance that was similar to Hitana's, but completely different... madness.

Whenever he saw Number Nine like this, Anser couldn't help but wonder - was she really influenced by the sermon, completely indulged in the fanatical pursuit of herself, and gave up on herself?

"Then what are you going to do?"

Anser's tone unconsciously became more serious.

Number Nine smiled with her lips pursed. If she had shown this expression in the past, she would give people the feeling of a shy and lovely girl, but now this faint smile carried a different kind of beauty, a hazy and dangerous... beauty.

"kill."

She gave her answer with a smile.

"All adventurers must be granted the right to explore by you. All adventurers should have laws to obey. All adventurers must realize that the days when they were reckless and did whatever they wanted are over."

“Anyone who disobeys will not be punished otherwise.”

The black lines on the left side of Number Nine's face twisted slightly, but her voice was still very gentle as she spoke softly those extremely cold and cruel words.

"Only death."

Anser looked at No. 9 for a long time, and suddenly laughed.

"If that's the case, the Western Kingdom will probably be flooded with blood."

"This is its value." Number Nine said softly, "It takes time to win over others, and it takes examples to deter others. The adventurers from the Western Country are the best examples."

A group of hyenas with no background, no basis, only seeking profit and acting recklessly. Their value is to let everyone in the empire know that Ansir Hydra's will cannot be disobeyed.

Number Nine just looked at Ansher, his dark eyes seemed to be saying these words silently.

She smiled sweetly, "You're just leading them on the right track, aren't you?"

"Anyone who is unwilling to follow your path is a rebel, and the massacre of rebels is not a massacre, but a justifiable death penalty."

At this moment, the roles seem to have reversed. Number Nine is no longer the innocent girl who was bewitched by the devil and fell into the abyss, but is... the incarnation of the devil.

She was gentle and sweet, and she seduced Ansel with her soft voice to do evil.

"The difference between massacre and execution is not in the target, but in the degree."

But how could the former true devil be persuaded by her? Anser looked at the weak No. 9 and said calmly: "Killing is not the goal, but the means. Make no mistake, No. 9."

"Yes, I'll keep it in mind, Mr. Anser."

Number Nine lowered his eyebrows and responded very meekly.

——Her plan was actually correct, and it was indeed the important task that Anser was going to assign someone to carry out next.

The order of the Western Kingdom can be said to be in chaos. The four grand dukes fight with each other and allow adventurers and extraordinary people to act recklessly. After their death, this group of hyenas, who are hardly affected by the order of the empire, will make the Western Kingdom a mess.

The word "kill" from No. 9 got to the point very concisely, because Anser really needed a sacrifice that would allow him to quickly establish his authority, and it was really impossible for these adventurers to settle down, and most of them really had no value... their only value was probably to contribute some strength when a dragon disaster occurred.

But when the four grand dukes were fighting, they were able to deal with the dragon disaster and even regarded it as a grand hunt. After Anther completely took over the Western Kingdom and re-established order, dealing with the dragon disaster was naturally easy.