84 - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Chapter 84: Do You Miss *Me? Why is the dog you raised so adorable? Adorable enough to make you want to do something to him. Staring at the handsome boy with black hair and blue eyes standing before her, Ives suddenly felt an impulse surging within her heart. She wanted to strip him of his clothes right then and there, to bite every inch of his skin, leaving her teeth marks deeply engraved on him. It's an extremely twisted psychology that normal people find difficult to understand. On one hand, she found him adorable, yet on the other, she wanted to see him whimper in pain, marking him with her exclusive insignia through acts of harm. Of course, this was merely a dark thought that flashed through Ives' mind for a brief moment. In the end, reason prevailed. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her slightly quickened heartbeat. As a leader known for her impartiality, she couldn't allow herself to treat her meritorious subordinate this way. Moreover, after a momentary surge of emotion, Ives' inherent skepticism reemerged. Never having experienced kindness from the outside world, she was inherently inept at handling such situations, always suspecting underlying traps. After all, this was the second time in recent times that Ives received goodwill from Lynn. The first time was during a banquet. This time, it was when facing the Church of Providence. Admittedly, deep down, she felt slightly at a loss. All these actions by Lynn seemed to be just the duties of a subordinate, yet they subtly transcended that role. This inevitably gave her pause. However, Ives didn't want her internal wavering to show on her face and said with feigned calmness, "Lift your head." Lynn instinctively looked up. Staring at his handsome face, the impulse rose again. Damn it. Ives bit the tip of her tongue hard, clearing her mind. At the same time, she forced a mocking smile, "Are you doing all this for me?" "What a loyal little dog you are. As your owner, I'm very pleased." Seeing the ring not emitting a red glow, Lynn let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the woman was currently exaggerating; clearly touched beyond words, yet feigning a smirk. Ives seemed to realize this too, covering up her emotional lapse with a light cough. Then she spoke again, "But how do I remember that not long ago someone hysterically sought me out, setting up a scene with threats of death?" "Yet only a few days have passed, and suddenly there's a change of heart?" Damn it. Lynn's relaxed mood tensed up again. It was indeed a big problem. In Ives' eyes, his recent behavior actually deviated from what was expected. Not that it couldn't be done, but he had overdone it. Just a short while ago, he was calling her a miserable woman destined for a lonely end, but within days, he transformed into a fiercely loyal protector, biting anyone who approached. He had painted a picture of unwavering loyalty too vividly, sparking suspicion! Seeing Lynn rendered speechless, Ives suddenly recalled a brazen statement he made the first time she hypnotized him. "I want to *you." In a moment, Ives felt a playful urge arise. She wanted to see what his reaction would be when truly faced with this question. So, in a cold tone, she said, "I read in a book once that when a man is willing to stand up for a woman, it likely means he's attracted to her body." "You did this for me; do you want to sleep with me?" Ives' red eyes glanced coolly at the ring on Lynn's hand, awaiting his response. "I don't want to." Lynn answered with great confidence. Unfortunately, the next second, the ring unforgivingly flashed red. "." Lynn took a deep breath. He genuinely didn't want to sleep with her, but perhaps his bodily desires disagreed. Damn it, embarrassing me at the critical moment, aren't you?! He roared in his mind. Sure enough. A fleeting smile appeared at the corner of Ives' mouth. Honestly speaking, she's likely the only boss who would feel elated knowing her subordinate was having erotic fantasies about her. Yet, outwardly, she showed no hint of it, silently observing Lynn, seemingly preparing to see his next move. Lynn could feel an extremely awkward atmosphere enveloping them. Of course, the embarrassment was solely his. He then tried to change tactics to ease the awkwardness. "With such a beautiful appearance and me being a normal man," Lynn tried to maintain his composure, "Frankly speaking, if I hadn’t entertained such thoughts, it would be an insult to you." "For me, I might have thought it, but I don't dare." Once again, the ring flashed red. Lynn was taken aback. No way, you're really going against me? Sweat formed on his brow. "Though I might want and dare, in my eyes, you will always remain the dignified princess rather than merely a woman!" Flash. "Alright, you are so stunning, there’s no way I can view you as anything other than a woman, but trust me, I would never do anything disrespectful to you in this lifetime." Flash. ". Perhaps you should just end me." Twinkling brightly. "Enough, stop talking." Finally, Ives intervened. Truthfully, she found it quite amusing but knew laughing in this situation could cause misunderstandings. Thus, she feigned indifference, "I knew you were bold, but I didn’t anticipate you were bold to this extent." "Under my usual demeanor, you should have been punished by now." "But taking into account your contributions this time, the royal princess will overlook it this once. In the future, know your place regarding what should and shouldn't be thought." Relieved, Lynn promptly ceased his futile explanations. It seemed this discussion was being brushed off. Personal matters concluded; it was time to talk business. Once calm, Ives looked at Lynn, "Your recent achievements are too significant, so I’ve decided to reward you greatly." "As last time, you can make a wish, and whatever it is, I’ll do my best to fulfill it." Another empty promise? Lynn smirked internally, unimpressed. However, this time, Ives wasn’t stingy. "Additionally, since regaining extraordinary powers, you still haven’t acquired your own sealing artifact," Ives continued, "Remember to visit Milani tomorrow afternoon and have her retrieve '1-0106' for you." 1-0106 Lynn's discontent vanished instantly. The digits at the beginning of the number indicate the level of the sealing artifact. And if this woman wasn't deceiving him, it meant he was about to obtain a highly valuable level 1 sealing artifact. It’s the highest level beneath level 0, surpassing trinkets like sinister coins or lethal puppets in every aspect! Enhancing his combat shortcomings would be ideal. Lynn felt a sense of joy bubbling up as he thought excitedly. Truthfully, judging by its value, a level 1 sealing artifact wouldn’t fall short of his recent frantic earnings if presented to the right buyer. Finally, she was being generous. "Thank you, Your Highness!" Seeing his evident happiness, Ives, too, felt her mood lighten significantly. I’m really starting to change, she mused silently. Simultaneously, Lynn heard a familiar system notification in his ear. [The plot deviation of the S-level character 'Ives Rolan Alexina' has reached 2.07%.] It was settling the deviation for the recent plot changes he enacted. Seems like I should claim a reward from the witch once I return. Right at that moment, Ives spoke again. "Furthermore, if there are any unresolved matters in Orne City, handle them swiftly." "In a few days, we'll prepare to return to the Imperial Capital." So soon? Lynn was startled momentarily. Yet, after pondering, Ives had indeed achieved her purpose in coming to Orne City, securing the support of an imperial elector. He hadn’t expected to be back there so quickly. [Due to reading mode restrictions, please exit reading mode to click the next page.] [End of chapter]