Mind-Controlled by the Villainess? I’ll Turn the Tables and Make Her Mine!

The Kingdom of Lenaya, in the south of the continent.

This was an island nation scattered along a long coastline at the southernmost tip of the North Continent.

In the early morning, the waves crashed relentlessly against the reefs. The salty sea breeze, thick with moisture, enveloped the small coastal town in a hazy mist.

Inside a villa halfway up the mountain, Barcas stood by the window, gazing at the blurred horizon.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of sea mist, glimpsing the world across the water.

Starting from here and crossing the vast ocean led to the South Continent—a sprawling, barren land with few inhabitants.

The sea surface was churned by massive waves year-round, and countless ships attempting the crossing had met their end in these Stormy Seas.

And it was said that at the center of those never-ending Stormy Seas lay a paradise, the God-given land where the elves had fled overseas—Elune.

Barcas had once engaged in large-scale smuggling deals with certain elven rebels, but the demons still knew very little about this declining nation. Elune remained shrouded in layers of mist, full of the unknown and the mysterious.

“Come in.”

A demon guard led a guest into the room.

Although this wasn't the first time he had met this ‘new ally’ from the City of a Thousand Stars, Barcas couldn't help but start when he saw the man's current state.

“Mr. Angelu, your arm...?”

The bald mage's left arm was in a cast, suspended against his chest by several layers of bandages. Beyond the obvious fracture, the state of his skin was horrific.

His entire body looked as if it had been scorched by fire or corrosive substances, with large areas of blackened rot. Although new skin had begun to grow in many places, the mottled appearance remained a shocking sight.

“What happened to you? How did you get hurt like this?” Barcas asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Don't ask,” Angelu said, his face darkening. “I had a run-in with that damned Ash Witch, and then I had to spend some time recovering...”

“Damn it! What kind of magic is that? Even I couldn't dodge it... How can there be such strange flames? No matter how I try to treat it, it won't heal...”

Hearing that name, Barcas's eyebrow twitched.

“I warned you long ago that those two...” He looked at the man with a complex expression. “They are much harder to deal with than you imagined, but you didn't listen to my advice.”

“Heh...” Angelu gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I did indeed underestimate that Ash Witch... No wonder someone told me she’s the most talented mage since the Third Era...”

Looking at the man’s pathetic state, Barcas sneered inwardly.

Arrogant fool...

However, as soon as he thought of Ansu and Celia, a nameless fire surged in his heart once again.

He instinctively turned to look at one wall of the room.

The wall was covered in paper documents, hand-drawn portraits, photographs, and various investigation materials, packed tightly together. The scope of the investigation ranged from Benalu City to the Eastern Wasteland, then to Norvigel... and even the demihuman tribes of the Talin autonomous territory. All the clues were linked by nails and red thread, woven into a vast and complex network of information.

And all the clues in this entire network ultimately converged on two figures side by side.

The Echoes of Truth cult.

The Hermit, Ansu Morris.

The Ash Witch, Celia.

Barcas stared intently at the two black and white sketches on the wall, the veins on his temples bulging slightly.

Angelu noticed his strange expression and followed his gaze, his eyebrows arching slightly. “What? You've been investigating them?”

“Of course...” Barcas squeezed the words through his teeth. “I’ve been investigating them, investigating the demon army’s...”

“Number one enemies.”

From the two of them seizing the demon army's massive treasure that had been passed down for a thousand years, to his meticulously laid plans in Norvigel being completely exposed and his northern intelligence network being purged... and then to the Talin autonomous territory, where the Wolfgar wolf-born legion was nearly wiped out with the support of the Echoes of Truth, and the wolf-born leader was captured alive and publicly executed...

Even the high priest he had high hopes for, the necromancer Gulzan who could manifest a massive domain, had died miserably at their hands.

Time and time again...

Ansu, Celia...

The two of them were constantly ruining his grand designs! Because of them, the great cause of demon restoration and world conquest was being thwarted at every turn!

Barcas gritted his teeth as he murmured those two names. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, his expression twisting with resentment.

“Barcas? Barcas?”

Angelu had to call out several times before Barcas snapped back to his senses.

“These two must be eliminated!” Barcas said gloomily. “Otherwise, our plans cannot move forward.”

“I understand.” Angelu nodded, then said coldly, “We are planning the next assassination. They are currently disguised as a merchant caravan heading for the South. There are many stops along the way; there will be plenty of opportunities.”

“If the two of them are together...” Barcas narrowed his eyes. “I would actually suggest you kill Ansu first.”

“Why?” Angelu raised an eyebrow, somewhat confused. “Does that mid-tier mage have any other special qualities besides his academic talent?”

“Yes, his uniqueness is second to none.”

Having fought a battle of wits and strength with them for so long, Barcas knew the terror of these two better than anyone.

“Confronting Celia head-on isn't worth the cost; I don't think we should face her directly. Instead, this Ansu... he has always played the role of the mastermind by Celia's side. I strongly suspect that almost every event that has occurred this year was orchestrated and led by him from behind the scenes...”

Celia was not someone who vied for power or profit, but ever since she had this man’s assistance, Samantha was removed, and all opposing elders were purged... Even the direction of the entire cult's development was completely different from before.

Therefore, the combination of these two was what gave him the biggest headache.

Barcas paused, concluding with a deep gaze:

“One could even argue that Ansu is the true leader of the Echoes of Truth.”

“Looking at it that way...” Angelu mused for a moment. “This guy is indeed a threat. So, what do you need me to do? A mid-tier mage like that might be smart, but his strength is really nothing special. I have plenty of chances to...”

“No, you won't be able to kill him easily,” Barcas shook his head. “Because Celia will definitely place great importance on the safety of her chief confidant. Furthermore... they obtained the demon army's treasure from the ancient ruins; they have plenty of life-saving methods.”

“So what is your idea?”

“Draw them away from each other and separate them,” Barcas said, his eyes darkening. “I will create as many opportunities for you as possible, and then... find a way to kill Ansu first.”

He clenched his fist and said coldly:

“Clip Celia’s wings, then turn back to deal with her. Only by clearing the greatest obstacles to our plan can everything...”

Angelu nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Although the Academy didn't participate in your demon war in the last era—in fact, we stood on the side of the righteous god faction back then—now, for our common goal, and for our respective gods—”

“Exactly!” Barcas took over. “You can only trust the demons, and you can only choose the demons.”

The demons were the enemies of all living things.

After a moment, Barcas asked again, “Do you have a chance of winning against Celia?”

“The chances aren't high,” Angelu’s voice lowered. “But we aren't without options.”

“Are you sure?”

By now, Barcas was unwilling to trust any more promises. Facts had proven that Celia’s combat power was nearly an unsolvable problem.

Angelu seemed to see his concern. “There is no truly unsolvable opponent in this world. All insurmountable barriers, in the final analysis, are just a lack of power. Do not forget, we are the City of a Thousand Stars.”

“Do you... have another trump card?” Barcas couldn't help but ask.

Angelu asked in return, “Who is my Master?”

Barcas’s pupils constricted, a look of surprise crossing his face. “Could it be... He is about to wake up?”

Angelu nodded slowly.

“When the stars return to their correct positions, clamor and chaos will emerge from the deep abyss—the Great Progenitor will wake up and take control of everything.”

Barcas’s heart was in turmoil. He hadn't expected the God of Magic to wake up before the demon god Ersos.

“Therefore, things in the South must be accelerated,” Angelu urged in a deep voice.

Barcas nodded.

“Don't worry. This time, I will handle it personally.”

...

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!