Faust... Marlina knew this identity of Ansel. During that brief day in the Imperial Capital's black market, this na had left an indelible impression on her.
"Many people have co to see Lord Ansel recently, but the only one he personally received was the wife of the Duke of Azuregold, and..."
Rhine's cat eyes narrowed slightly. "I only found out about this the next day. That damn bird hiding in the shadows bypassed , as if declaring sovereignty."
The coldness in her eyes, the chilling aura she now exuded, seed to have an explanation—the bird in the shadows... is it the head of the Shadewell?
"This matter need not be hidden from you, Marlina. As part of a proper transaction, I must tell you exactly what I need."
Rhine's intentions finally surfaced as it gazed into Marlina's eyes, speaking deliberately, "The Garden and the Shadewell have always cooperated with each other, but now, Lord Ansel has divided us into two blocks to carry out two tasks.
"Unsurprisingly, the final outco will determine who holds the authority of the Head of Devouring."
"And I need it; it can only belong to ."
Marlina remained silent for a long ti before she asked, puzzled, "I don't seem to have the ability to participate in such a... contest."
"No, you do—and not by relying on Miss Seraphina's connections."
The coldness in Rhine's eyes slightly faded as it reached out and gently patted Marlina's shoulder. "I can confirm that Lord Ansel, in his guise as Faust, will soon head to the Western lands... He is always fair and will not show bias in this trial, but even so, his very presence is a great support to the Shadewell. The performance of the Shadewell will be most directly observed by Lord Ansel."
"So... I need soone to diminish the positive impression of the Shadewell in Lord Ansel's eyes—not by sabotaging their actions, of course. Whether you can do it or not, such an act would be utterly foolish."
Rhine spoke softly and gently, "I will recomnd you to Lord Ansel, and you only need to perform your duties as a mber of the Garden by his side... just ensure he does not overly favor the Shadewell."
"You were an excellent personal secretary before, weren't you? Lord Ansel, as Faust, will need soone who can handle various trivial matters for him at any ti."
The mature and captivating female voice shifted from gentle to seductive:
"Think about it. If you perform well enough, you might not even need my help to gain the chance to change your fate. Moreover, this is an extrely rare opportunity to spend a long ti alone with Lord Ansel."
Indeed, from any angle, there is no downside for .
The outco of the struggle between Lady Rhine and the unknown head of the Shadewell remains uncertain, but the benefits I can gain are tangible.
There is no reason to refuse, except...
"Will Lord Ansel agree?" Marlina asked, "Will he agree to take along? What about the Shadewell..."
"He will," Rhine said confidently. "He is aware of this delicate imbalance, so as long as I recomnd you, he will certainly agree. Besides... Lord Ansel is quite fond of you, isn't he, Marlina?"
"As for the Shadewell, you needn't worry. After all, you—"
Rhine paused, gently rubbing Marlina's shoulder with her paw. "After all, you are just a newcor, and that asshole is very proud. They won't be foolish enough to argue with Lord Ansel over you."
...No, it's because I am just an ordinary person who can be easily crushed by any of you.
Marlina silently added the words Rhine had left unsaid.
Because soone like , whether in the eyes of the head of the Shadewell or in yours, Lady Rhine, is an insignificant role not worth considering.
Perhaps you, Lady Rhine, might value a bit more because of this transaction, but fundantally... there is no difference.
Marlina, thinking this, however, showed Rhine an extrely excited and grateful smile:
"Why would I refuse, Lady Rhine? As you said, there is no downside for ."
She bowed her head respectfully. "I should be the one thanking you for giving such an opportunity."
Gratitude was only natural, and Marlina harbored no resentnt for this "contempt."
Because Rhine's attitude was not truly "contempt"... who would deliberately despise an ant?
The Shadewell wouldn't care about an ordinary person like her being by Ansel's side, and even Ansel would accept the proposal because Marlina was "ordinary" enough—this was Rhine's thought.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have sought out Marlina.
This was never contempt, but a matter-of-factness that transcended contempt.
A matter-of-factness that constantly burned, gouged, and pricked Marlina's dignity.
These lofty extraordinary beings, capable of participating in the contest for the pact head, thought they had Marlina figured out, but in reality, she had guessed all their thoughts.
But so what? Would Rhine care?
Even if Rhine knew Marlina's cautious and probing thoughts, she wouldn't care.
This was the insurmountable chasm between mortals and the extraordinary.
It was also the infinite fuel that continuously fed… Marlina's growing desire.
*
Instead of returning to her residence to rest, Marlina chose to go to the Hydral Manor.
She didn't intend to do anything presumptuous, so she didn't plan to inform Ansel of this matter in advance.
She ca to see Ansel simply because Rhine had asked her to do a simple handover, a small prelude as the cat had put it—though Rhine spoke confidently, she was still very cautious and attentive to details.
Following the maid's guidance, Marlina arrived at the study door. She knocked lightly and, after stating her identity, was granted permission to enter.
The girl, turning the handle, was still pondering how to prepare for the journey to the Western lands, and was even excited by the thought of "long-term solitude."
Thinking this, she pushed the door open and saw… her sister, lying on the desk, naked, her skin flushed and dewy, and the boy she longed for, holding her sister's arms as if holding the reins of a wild horse.
He looked at Marlina, tilted his head slightly, and a smile of irresistible charm appeared on his handso face:
"Would you like to join us, dear Marlina?"
*
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