Chapter 36: Sisters Part One

This trip to Xiaofeng Fortress was quite fruitful for Anselm.

Hitana’s training had made substantial progress again; he had also formally seized this year’s “harvest” of Chishuang Territory from the Grand Duke of Gray Tower, and had not let that old fox’s truly hidden purpose succeed three times.

Gray fox was by no means a term of contempt or jest; this was the resentful and vigilant name given by many people who had suffered losses at the hands of the Grand Duke of Gray Tower.

From the shallowest perspective, the Grand Duke of Gray Tower wanted to expose Anselm’s fake assassination by having the two viscounts fake their deaths to escape, destroying the popular support and arrangements Anselm had accumulated in Chishuang Territory; going one level deeper, he knew Anselm would not sit idly by, so he hoped to use this to test Anselm, who seemed to carry no assistance, what kind of trump cards he held.

And the true intention hidden under these two purposes was to be completed by the assassin from the Order of Time.

For a grand duke, for this person already standing at the peak of royal power, was the gain or loss of a territory, the external forces held by Anselm, really that important?

Of course not; the most important was always only one thing.

—That was Hydra itself.

Only those standing higher knew more clearly what Hydra meant for the Empire.

They were far from just “the Emperor’s butcher knife,” “executioner of the nobles” so simple; the relationship with the Emperor was even more not in the traditional sense of superior and subordinate.

In the current era when the contemporary Hydra was increasingly mad, and Anselm was about to take over the authority, nothing was more important than Anselm himself.

And for the grand duke, Hydra’s Contract Heads were not a secret.

Therefore, in this scheme laid out by the Grand Duke of Gray Tower, the core purpose was to probe Anselm’s foundation, that was…

To probe that Hitana, who was treated in an abnormal way by Anselm, and possessed outstanding talent, is very likely to become a Contract Head.

This last hidden core purpose was very tricky and insidious; even if Anselm had the ability to detect all assassins, how could he discover in a short time that one of the assassins was a strong one from the Order of Time?

Unfortunately, as Anselm said to Ocalian, many times, countless strategies and calculations only needed one thing to destroy—information asymmetry.

No matter how perfectly the Grand Duke of Gray Tower planned, he did not know that in Anselm’s group of seemingly ordinary servants, that seemingly elderly butler was such a monster; did not know that among all the Contract Heads of Anselm’s father, Saville was the most special one; he even more did not know that the power mastered by Anselm himself was enough to make the assassin from the Order of Time completely betray, making his plan completely bankrupt.

This was also the “unstable factor” that Anselm had determined to eliminate at that time.

After all, assassinating Hitana according to the will of the Grand Duke of Gray Tower, and assassinating Hitana according to his own will, were two completely different concepts.

When Anselm pulled Ocalian to his side, everything that happened in Xiaofeng Fortress had already fallen entirely into his grasp.

Miss Young Wolf, in this short farce, recognized the importance of knowledge, witnessed the infinite possibilities of transcendent beings’ killings, comprehended the powerful force of thinking, and with this defeated a strong enemy that was almost impossible for her to defeat, tasting an incomparably sweet victory flavor.

—Even if Ocalian actually did not know how much water he released; that genius assassin who could use three different forms of time spells at the same time, under Anselm’s instruction, did not force Hitana to the limit at all; it was already enough, or rather for Anselm, it should be so.

Hitana Lansmarlos did not need to grow madly and barbarically in killings bathed in blood in that future mode; she only needed to follow everything he planned, with that unreasonable talent, she could similarly achieve greatness.

In this way, Miss Young Wolf who tasted all victories and joys brought by Anselm, even from a young wolf becoming wolf queen, when facing Anselm, was also the most perfect and sincere loyal bitch.

However, that was also a future matter; the most important right now was to proceed step by step, steadily and orderly, gradually carrying out the training of Hitana.

Coming to the mansion entrance, Anselm, welcomed by the maids in line, smiled.

[Dear Hitana, starting with that deep hatred you have for me, the real training is only now beginning]

[Are you ready?]

***

Marina felt deeply ashamed of her own powerlessness.

The “simple” paperwork Anselm left for her, Marina handled with complete confusion; the first day was entirely completed under Merry’s constant guidance.

And that considerate maid, with a genuinely gentle tone, said things like

“The situation in Chishuang Territory is somewhat complex,” “The mess left by Count Chishuang is indeed difficult to handle,” and even, “Miss Marina’s literacy rate is already quite remarkable!”

What made Marina even more upset was that Merry genuinely meant no harm; she truly believed that, given Marina’s background, such a literacy rate was very rare, which made the girl feel a sour sadness.

She had once been delighted that Anselm gave her work, thinking that the young Lord Hydra recognized her insignificant bit of cleverness.

But in the end, the only thing she could show for it… was her literacy rate?

“Sigh… I wonder how Hitana is doing, she hasn’t angered Lord Hydra, has she?”

Marina, who had finally managed to independently complete the third document, stretched and sighed with some worry.

“That child… she’s not usually like this.”

As her older sister, Marina found it hard to understand the deep dissatisfaction, even hatred, Hitana harbored toward Anselm.

She knew very well that Hitana despised nobles, but she also knew her sister was absolutely not someone who couldn’t distinguish between gratitude and resentment.

From an outsider’s perspective, Marina could feel Anselm’s indulgence, almost leniency, toward Hitana.

Why did Hitana show no gratitude for Anselm’s kindness, instead repeatedly disrespecting him?

[Is there… some secret here? Did Hitana notice some issue with Lord Hydra?]

She needed to find a chance to talk properly with Hitana; maybe she could figure it out—

Just as Marina was thinking this, the study door was suddenly pushed open.

“How have these past two days been, Miss Marina?”

Anselm smiled, greeting Marina, who instinctively stood up.

“Hy, Lord Hydra!” the girl exclaimed, “You’re back? I… I’m sorry, I didn’t know!”

Her expression was quite flustered, clearly nervous for not having gone to greet Anselm.

“Why should you be nervous about not greeting me?”

Anselm tilted his head slightly, smiling lightly at her:

“Miss Marina, you are not my servant.”

“…” Marina’s words caught in her throat; she felt an indescribable warmth and softness, a kind of joy that made her feel light.

You are not my servant.

Such words, for a girl who had long endured the contempt and exploitation of tax officials, who faced disdainful glances due to her status every time she entered the city, yet was sensitive and intelligent, were so warm and precious.

Respect from a great figure.

This was something Marina never dared to dream of.

“…Thank you, thank you, Lord Hydra, I am truly grateful for your—”

The girl, lacking the courage to meet Anselm’s gaze, turned her head slightly; all her joy and shyness transformed into physical expressions, her flickering gaze, lightly bitten lip, slightly swaying body, the tip of her foot nervously tapping behind one leg, her long braid swaying, highlighting her flushed earlobes, and reflecting her pure and beautiful soul.

Just as she was about to pour out her heartfelt gratitude to Anselm, the door was slammed open with a “bang.”

“Hahaha, Lina, you absolutely won’t believe what I—”

“How incredible…”

“I am…”

The young wolf, covered in bandages, looked suspiciously at the venomous snake with a beaming smile and her blushing sister.

“…am?”

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