paranoianovel Chapter 750 You Never Loved Me - V
Chapter 750 You Never Loved Me - V
Thus, Nine spoke with tenderness: "But this is what you've longed for, isn't it?"
"After arriving in the Western Lands, you undertook numerous commissions, accomplished so much. It wasn't merely to distract yourself, but to... rectify past regrets. You desire to become the sun more than anyone, don't you?"
The aspiration to transform the empire, to enable the common folk of the Western Lands to live with dignity - these thoughts, these musings, are utterly genuine, devoid of any falsehood.
If Nine could discern the torment and anguish Ansel now endures, how could she fail to perceive... that fervent desire?
Is it not evident whether he continuously yields to Seraphina and Ravenna due to favoritism, or if he equally harbors that benevolence in his heart?
— If Ansel of Hydral truly lacked even a modicum of goodwill, how could he possibly feel hypocritical about his instinctive act of salvation... born from his desire to defy fate?@@@@
It is precisely because his soul's depths perpetually retain the yearning to change everything that he cannot accept... committing such acts under fate's distortion, cannot accept such a betrayal of his true nature.
Yet now, Ansel has trodden that path for far too long.
Just as he said during the cat-finding commission in the lower district of Dispute Fortress.
The path of return is always arduous.
Ansel never contemplated turning back, but the two girls he chose presented him with the possibility of return.
Thus, he was never merely cursed by "love," but by the radiant life that this love embodies - the life Ansel yearns for but cannot attain.
"So what?"
Without vehement questioning or rebuttal, without acerbic sarcasm or mockery, Ansel calmly, indifferently asked Nine: "Even knowing all this, what can you do?"
Indeed, knowing all this, what can Nine do?
She doesn't even know what Ansel is facing, merely conjuring an unknown enemy through Ansel's reactions. In terms of ability, endowment, and knowledge... Nine cannot compare to Seraphina and Ravenna, to Crow and Rhine, to countless others.
Besides understanding herself to this extent, what else can she do?
"What can I do... isn't it quite simple?"
Facing this seemingly unsolvable question, Nine displayed, for the first time on her face so different from her former youthful visage, a smile of such pure warmth.
Marlina laughed lightly. She stood up, happily twirling her dress, and said with a charming smile: "Have you forgotten what a cunning woman I am? I can perceive your thoughts, Mr. Ansel. I can make..."
Make the choices that Ansel wanted to make, but didn't.
In other words... she has the resolve and ability to make decisions even when Ansel hasn't voiced them, when they're merely fleeting thoughts in his mind, without any intention of putting them into practice.
Indeed, this is Marlina's talent... No, it's the ability that the only person willing to dedicate everything to him must possess.
The crimes she commits, the evil she does, were never acquiesced to by Ansel, but rather... her "presumption".
An unerring presumption.
"And there's one most crucial point, Mr. Ansel."
As her swirling skirt slowly settled, the pitch black sorceress bent down, cupping Ansel's face in her hands, pressing her forehead against his.
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"This is more important than my talent, more important than your predicament. It's the key to gaining your approval."
She opened her eyes, gazing into those sea-blue eyes never before so close, and spoke with the affectionate tone of addressing a lover, filled with happiness:
"You don't love me."
Ansel of Hydral would never love someone who sacrifices everything for him.
Therefore, he won't fall in love with such a foolish and obsessed woman; therefore, no matter what befalls this foolish woman, whatever happens to her, he won't find himself in the same dilemma of indecision as he does with those two girls.
He can discard her when necessary, abandon her when needed... If this foolish woman makes any mistake, he can easily make a decision without hesitation.
Yes, the decisive "love" Marlina spoke of to Suellen was neither her love for Ansel nor Ansel's love for her.
It's because Marlina understands more clearly than anyone —
You never loved me.
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