Mastermind: Genderbent Villainess

"My lord, we have arrived at the temple of Crea."

"So this is the famous temple that appeared not so long ago…" In the eyes of a high noble such as himself, the man was rather dazed at the sight.

A temple hidden in the forest, a forest that connected a multitude of kingdoms. If he had not seen it himself, he would not have believed such a place could exist in the forest.

It's white marble architecture rivalled that of a royal palace, something he had the privilege of witnessing quite a few times. Yet, he still couldn't believe how magnificent it seemed when contrasted with the untamed forest.

"It is said that the arch priestess has been bestowed a divine blessing by the deity of this forest, allowing her to commune with the plants and the animals. It also seems she has a formidable fighting force hiding in the shadows, my lord." The servant warned. Though being just an old man with 1st ascension power, he still had the wisdom that old age bestowed on all. Moreover, he had been the steward of the nobleman's father. As such, his words were always trusted.

"So you are saying that this unknown religion possesses the power of the forest? This is indeed a frightening revelation… No wonder the king asked me to come here. Perhaps if we pay heed to this religion, we can finally trade through the forest rather than relying on such a long route that goes through the mountains…" The nobleman was indeed smart, he recognised the truth of his deployment with not too much thought. This is indeed a trait that could help him go further in the world.

The two walked closer to the temple, treading lightly as to not arouse the suspicion of the native fauna.

"This place is quite eerie…"

Meanwhile, Tanya and the girls woke up or not woke up if they had never fallen asleep.

While Tanya, Penelope, and Rose were all well rested and ready for another day, the other girls were lying on the bed unable to close their eyes.

"That was so scary that I couldn't sleep!" Erina yelled, yawning from sleep deprivation.

Tanya smiled as she usually would. This was enough revenge for now. From now on, Tanya did not think she would have to worry about the girls peeking. They already knew what would happen if they tried to be sneaky. The tiredness was enough of a punishment.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Oh, looks like I will be going back early!" Tanya waved the girls goodbye briefly as she put her clothes on and left through the door.

"Tanya left so quickly… do you think she is okay?" 

"It is Tanya, I doubt there is anything that can stop her within this kingdom." Penelope answered.

As such, Tanya left with Alpha, who was dressed in a fine blue dress. The pair left while no one had gotten out of their room and proceeded back all the way to the academy dorm. With not so much as a quarter of an hour, Tanya and Alpha had entered Tanya's room.

"Master, we have perfectly executed stage 1 of the plan. 20 Homunculi have replaced the targets and their guards, all matters regarding corpse management have been settled without any problems. As for damages, one homunculi has received a 1nm deep cut on their external plating. Please punish me for my incompetence on this matter." Alpha bowed, kneeling down towards her master. In the eyes of the homunculi, they only could see a deity when they looked at Tanya. They saw her as their creator, god, mother, and master. Their reverence is unchanging, eternal.

"Oh, that is very good indeed. However, I must ask you to be much more careful regarding injuries. My policy is that none of you can use your bodies haphazardly in combat. You must value taking a life without losing your own." Tanya warmly replied. She didn't believe that she could make them have common sense easily, so she pretended that this much was still a loss.

"We will all remember this commandment. Rest assured that we will not take this command lightly, master."

"Good, good… now, would you please inform me about the status of the Crea religion growing in the forest?" Tanya asked.

"Master, the Crea religion is gaining popularity amongst the common class as well as merchants that desire wealth through forest trade routes. For those that cannot afford caravan guards, they seek Crea's blessing in walking through the forest without worry. Lately the religion has been growing at an exponential rate." Alpha reported without a single stutter in her words. Hearing this was like reading a book in her mind, it was impossible to twist a tongue that was not being used. 

"Oh, that is quite good." Tanya got up from her chair and held her hands behind her back.

"Inform the homunculi that 50 of our number will be sent to the Temple of Crea. They will follow the orders of the leader there and will make sure that no one interferes in the matters of the religion. If anyone should show hostility, they are to be executed swiftly and replaced by one of our own after quick study."

The use of the replacement strategy had become a somewhat common procedure as of now. Whenever the homunculi needed to get rid of someone important, they would replace them after an in-depth study of the target. This much would be enough for suspicion to be dropped. It also served as a way for Tanya to consolidate power in distant lands without needing to do too much work.

Tanya may not be at a stage where she can quickly gain her own strength, but she still had options when it came to sheer political power. When the time comes, she would have unlikely supporters from all nations. This much would make it much easier for her.

"As you wish, Master." Alpha had always been loyal. From the moment she first stepped into this world, she had already known her master. It was her nature to know who was responsible for the creation of her race. Alpha's very being was for Tanya to command and use as she pleased. No command was too great for her to execute.

"Well, it does seem like things will beat up soon enough. I believe war will soon be upon us. Even so, I do not feel the least scared for my life. What is the Estelle Kingdom in my eyes? Nothing." Tanya smiled deviously as she faced the window to the gardens.

"Can they really fight a war both internally and externally? My homunculi warriors are not combatants that they can easily remove. My only wish that has not been fulfilled is the death of that Duke Barwon. Alpha, I want his head on a platter. Whether it be by the work of my subordinates or myself, I want him dead. There is no such thing as personal vengeance when it proves detrimental to the vengeance itself."

Alpha grinned. This is the master she serves. Alpha would not hesitate to die for Tanya.