A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

If during this time, you had shown even the slightest bias towards me, I wouldn't have trusted you so little, but you didn't, Venna.

I should have realized this earlier, I should have understood that what you needed was never a friend or companion, just... a means to achieve your ideal.

Ah, look at your eyes now... disappointed, angry, staring at a betrayer.

I know you too well, Venna, I have never hated understanding you as much as I do today.

But you never really understood me... heh, it's not your fault, who made everything we've experienced a lie?

It's all, just lies.

*

"You are truly disgusting… in your grandeur."

Faced with Ravenna's resolute declaration, Helen responded expressionlessly.

Possessing a soul identical to Ravenna's, and thus sharing her determination, she uttered words that completely contradicted her own nature.

"Is there not even a small space left for Father in your grand blueprint?"

"Why should I reserve a place for those who betray me, those destined to obstruct me?" Ravenna coldly replied: "You really are... thoroughly insane."

"Soil enhancement potions, portable healers, mechanical armor, data systems..."

Helen stared intently into Ravenna's eyes, listing one alchemical apparatus or tool after another.

"...Synthesizers, universal ether furnaces, even the Nidhoggur you now control, which one did not originate from Father's ideas and designs? Ravenna Ziegler, who do you think enabled you to achieve what you have today? Even the knowledge and power you now possess come from Father's grace."

"How do you have the audacity, the face... to so blatantly disregard the efforts and sacrifices Father made for you, to haughtily deny everything he has done?"

"That was his lie!"

Ravenna shouted angrily: "You fool! Haven't you remembered everything yet? That was a lie to tame me, to tame you!"

"That was never a lie!"

Helen responded with a voice as loud as Ravenna's, her voice somewhat hoarse with rage: "That statement itself, is the lie!"

...

In the study, Ansel, who was single-handedly supporting his cheek and watching this scene through a screen, his fingers trembled slightly.

That statement itself... is the lie.

He murmured Helen's words, then heard the reborn petite woman angrily say to her "self":

"All the affection Father poured into you, all the efforts he made for you, everything you've experienced... it was never fake! He just didn't want to tell you that reason, he just didn't want you to know his hardships... but you would rather believe father's 'lies' than think that father had his difficulties!"

She grabbed Ravenna's collar, her fingertips turning pale from the force.

The reborn soul, having accessed the full scope of past memories, no longer stood on that crumbling belief but stood from Ansel's perspective, declaring with such loathing: "You are the betrayer, Ravenna Ziegler, you simply... do not deserve to stand beside father."

Ansel, watching this scene, appeared somewhat bewildered.

"Helen... Venna..."

If at that time, Venna had not commanded him to provide reasons like a judge sentencing a criminal, but had asked him like Helen… if he had any hardships.

Would everything have been different?

"I don't need to stand by his side; a mere mutual use is sufficient."

Helen remained unmoved by Ravenna's words, and Ravenna, unaffected by Helen, simply looked indifferently at her other self, responding emotionlessly: "Even if you speak for him, he won't care about you, because in his eyes, a failed you is just a worthless reject."

"And you... have no chance of defeating me."

"If it were merely a fight to the death, indeed, I would stand no chance."

Facing this vastly unequal contest, Helen showed no fear or even nervousness; she stepped back and placed her hand on the nearby workbench. "But as me, you wouldn't use the measure of force to decide who truly... controls."

"...Hmph."

Ravenna snorted coldly but did not deny it: "Even if it's not by force, you still have no chance of winning."

She too turned around, facing the workbench, beginning to pick up tools.

Two people with absolutely identical souls need no words to understand what the other is thinking.

Whether Helen or Ravenna, from the beginning, they had no intention of using force to decide the outcome of this wager.

Otherwise, Ravenna had a thousand opportunities to kill Helen instantly.

What they were contesting was not about who lives or who wins, but about who truly is... Ravenna Ziegler, who is the real master of this soul favored even by fate.

Therefore, only victory in the domain they most crave represents true victory.

And in this domain, their ultimate goal, for which they have been striving since fifteen years ago, could naturally only be one thing—the realization of an artifact that allows mortals to wield the extraordinary:

The world-altering... Universal Ether Furnace.

*

End of the chapter.

Ye again WebNovel needs 1000 words to publish so... here comes author's ranting time xD

I can't believe I've been writing for so long... The idea for this story has been in my mind for a while, and the first confirmed main character is Seraphina. It was only natural for her to appear in the first chapter as a newbie boss (haha). Venna came to me while I was playing a certain R-18G game, and suddenly I had an idea: an idealist forced to choose between ideals and emotions...

She could either become a machine to ideals or a slave to her feelings. But what if there were other possibilities? This internal struggle seemed really interesting! So, I started writing.

As for the other characters in the future, I have a rough idea. I'll take my time and develop them. So far, I think the story is quite fascinating~

Thank you so much to the friends who have been commenting and silently supporting me xD I couldn't have made it this far without all of you. Through your comments, I've come to know the characters you each like. If there's a chance, I might consider writing some spicy side stories as extras in the future. Ahaha, not just kidding!