Afterwards, Anselm did not engage in much conversation with the Rancemalos sisters, merely sharing some of his sweet treats with them before allowing them to return after Malena had applied the ointment to Sitana.
After all, Sitana's current state was not conducive to conversation, and Anselm's objective had already been achieved.
Seeing his young master's leisurely demeanor, Savile felt genuinely pleased. As one of the only two among Anselm's father's eight Contract Heads who had watched Anselm grow up, and the only one who had remained by his side to this day, Savile, without any family of his own, perhaps valued Anselm even more than his own father did.
"It seems you've reaped the fruits you needed, young master," Savile remarked.
"Indeed, and you played your part admirably as well, Savile," Anselm replied, swirling the wine in his glass and chuckling, "To think you were so gentle with your strikes, you really do understand me."
"Those two girls possess considerable value just from their appearance, young master. There must be a more profound reason for retaining them," Savile observed.
Anselm, sipping the crimson liquid, glanced at Savile and asked, "Just their appearance?"
After a moment's hesitation, Savile responded gravely, "The elder sister offers no further value, but Sitana..."
"Though it seems improbable, she appeared to have caught a fleeting glimpse of my movements for an instant, albeit only a moment."
"You're not old enough to be hallucinating yet, Savile," Anselm laughed heartily, "If you say it's so, then it must be true."
—To catch a glimpse of Savile's movements, anyone who knows of Savile's capabilities would find it perplexing, even alarming.
Raising his glass, Anselm gazed at the red liquid within, murmuring to himself, "This is... the protagonist."
"Then her value is indeed precious," Savile declared without hesitation, "She possesses the talent to become a Contract Head..."
At this point, the old man paused, then suddenly realized, "So, she is the one you have chosen, albeit somewhat wild and... unwise, but with your techniques, young master, she should be disciplined within three days."
"Three days?" Anselm laughed, "That appears rather brief, you're even more confident than I am, Savile."
Savile's expression was solemn, showing no intention of jesting: "Her sister, you should be able to handle her tonight, shouldn't you?"
"Hmm... it's different, there's a fundamental distinction between the two."
He did not deny that he could handle Malena tonight—though he wouldn't do so either.
After all, in Anselm's plan, the dear Miss Malena was more important than anything else.
The young Hydra downed the wine in one gulp, staring into the fireplace, seeking a new future in the flames.
*
"That bastard, scum, beast!"
Inside the room, Sitana furiously pounded the bed, and upon hearing this, Malena, who was occupied with something, immediately panicked, "You mustn't speak of Lord Hydra in such a manner, didn't you hear the cheers? Lord Hydra must surely be a good person!"
"Ha, don't we have enough nobles screwing us over already?"
The ointment provided by Anselm was indeed miraculous, and Sitana's face had already returned to its original flawless, snow-white softness, with no trace of being struck visible. Yet, the words spoken by the girl with such a delicate and adorable face were quite crude: "From the magistrates to the tax collectors, from the minor lords to the major lords, they're all shit! All shit! The Empire too!"
"Sitana!"
Startled, Malena's voice suddenly rose: "Do you know what you're saying!"
"..." Realizing her mistake, Sitana remained silent, merely pursing her lips.
Malena, observing her expression, temporarily stopped what she was doing and walked over to sit beside her.
"…Sita, I know these days have been tough for you."
The girl gently stroked her sister's soft, smooth short hair and gently embraced her: "Not just these days, you've been enduring a hard life since you were a child."
Leaning against Malena's shoulder, Sitana's heart softened, and she hugged her sister, murmuring, "It wasn't all bad; life with mom, dad, and Lena was still filled with happiness."
Malena smiled and tugged at her sister's cheeks: "How could I not understand what's on your mind? You're a gifted child, and it's a pity for you to put up with those incompetent people. Both mom and dad feel remorseful."
The girl held Sitana's hand, her eyes lighting up with hope.
"We... no, you have a chance, you have a chance to change all this."
"…A chance, what chance?" Sitana looked puzzled at her sister.
"Lord Hydra."
Malena solemnly uttered the name of the man whom Sitana deeply despised.
"HIM?!" The wild, wolf-like girl exclaimed in shock, then cursed, "What kind of chance is he, that damn sissy, freak, nutcase..."
"Sitana!"
Hearing her sister's voice carry a hint of anger, Sitana could only reluctantly shut her mouth.
"Listen well, Sitana, Lord Hydra is a significant figure." Malena firmly grasped her sister's shoulders, "We have to rack our brains to deal with the magistrates and tax collectors, but they are as trivial to ordinary lords as snowflakes, and even minor lords have to bow to the master of Scarletfrost, Earl Scarletfrost, but Earl Scarletfrost..."
Her words paused, and a hint of reverence crept into her tone without her noticing.
"To Lord Hydra, Earl Scarletfrost is merely a minor character he could dispose of over a meal—he is such an inconceivable figure to us."
Pressing harder on Sitana's shoulders, Malena looked into her sister's eyes: "Most importantly, his mercy might be fake, his kindness might be fake, his gentleness might be fake, but he... is definitely a smart person, a powerful person, a person who can see your value."
Malena had seen too many people.
Since the age of twelve, she had started helping her parents negotiate with the magistrates and tax collectors, who just wanted to scrape out a few more grains of food from their hands.
In the living room, that moment of affection was not false, and her reaction was genuine, but upon returning to her room, Malena immediately reflected and acknowledged her place.
"Do you understand, Sitana. Lord Hydra... is the hope for you, for me, for our family, and even for our village."
The frail snow-haired girl cupped her sister's face: "I will bring up your talent to Lord Hydra; you must... do everything you can to remain by his side, for he will change your fate, Sita."
Sitana stared blankly at her sister, who had never spoken to her so seriously even after being expelled from school.
She knew it was not the time to be willful... her sister was right, regardless of anything else, at least that jerk was more pleasing to the eye than that fat pig, and he wouldn't look at her and her sister with that despicable gaze, although he was a sissy and a freak, for her sister and her parents, she could endure it—
Sitana's thoughts came to an abrupt halt.
The moment the idea of "temporarily serving that Lord Hydra" surfaced in her mind, a nearly nauseating sense of revulsion surged from her mind, flooding her limbs and bones.
Her stomach instinctively began to convulse, and her body trembled uncontrollably, as if... at that moment.
—The moment she saw that Anselm Hydra.
That absolute sense of revulsion, as if seeing the ugliest, most grotesque monster in the world, as if she could never live in the same world as him...
"I DON'T WANT TO!"
Driven by this revulsion, the impulsive and hot-headed girl shouted out unexpectedly.
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