Chapter 121 What the hell are shackles? ! - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

"This gentleman is...?" Looking at Duke Tyrus, who had just arrived, Rynn cast an inquiring glance his way. "This is His Highness, the Second Prince, Ferit," Duke Tyrus quietly introduced. "Just call me Ferit," said the silver-haired young man with a slight smile. "Rynn Bartleon, we finally meet." "I've been..." Before Rynn could finish, Ferit interrupted him. "Shh, you're too loud." Rynn frowned slightly, then glanced at the white-haired woman leaning against his chest. Her gentle breath lightly brushed against him, and for some reason, it tickled his heart. It was supposed to be their first meeting, yet the relationship between them had inexplicably become so close. How strange, Rynn thought silently. Ferit, caught off guard by Rynn's words, stood dumbfounded. From childhood to now, it was the first time someone had spoken to him with such an impatient tone. Looking at Evester in Rynn's arms, Ferit suddenly had a ridiculous feeling. The ugly princess who had been bullied since childhood, the odd child always playing the wicked witch in games, the detestable evil princess—could someone actually cradle her so carefully? It was truly astonishing. In the harmonious scene between the two, Ferit was at a loss for words. "Monster." The word instantly surfaced in his mind. Evester, cursed by the gods, was destined to be unliked by any living thing in the world—a misfit of a monster. Only her kindred would love or accept her. Suddenly, Ferit understood why Rynn could achieve feats impossible for ordinary people. Because he, like Evester, born with destructive powers, was also a monster. Given this, it wasn't incomprehensible that he could survive the riot of a level-0 containment object. Ferit knew that as an outsider, he couldn't expect to hear the whole story. So, even though he was filled with curiosity, he chose to suppress his confusion. "Answer me one question, and I'll leave." Ferit tried to maintain his usual calm demeanor, though his fists were clenched tightly behind his back. He wanted to make an offer and recruit Rynn, but upon seeing his expression, that desire vanished. Because he knew full well, the young man before him was already deeply bonded with Evester—far beyond what mere benefits could sever. But why would anyone be so interested in someone like Evester, dubbed the ugly princess? Ferit truly couldn't understand. Rynn slowly lifted his head at the question, "What do you want to know?" "How did you handle the situation with the sacred oak and all those people outside?" Without hesitation, Ferit pressed on, still immersed in the shock of earlier events and far from regaining his composure. Rynn, holding Evester in a princess carry, chuckled, "Well, it was just your typical case of robbing the rich to feed the poor." "The behavior of those nobles was so revolting that I couldn't stand by, so I took action." "That's impossible," Ferit shook his head, "Duke Tyrus didn't lend you any men, there's no way you could have countered local nobles with private armies." "Moreover, from what I know, the food stocks those nobles held weren't much, not nearly enough to feed the entire city's two hundred thousand disaster victims." This was the part that puzzled Ferit the most. The only viable method seemed impractical with the standing ban on actions. After all, to rebuild order, he needed to stop the rioting, and that meant feeding the survivors so they'd be strong enough to work. But with the overall lack of resources, how did he make something appear from nothing? Post-boast moments like this were always enjoyable. Rynn was about to speak when he noticed Evester in his arms frowning. "Good dog..." Mumbling in her sleep as if disturbed by the noise, she clutched tighter onto Rynn's chest. Seeing this, Rynn paused for a moment before sighing softly. "For the specifics, Duke Tyrus can explain. I'll be going ahead to settle Her Highness." Watching Rynn's retreating figure, the others stood there, dumbfounded. He's gone just like that? So nonchalantly—typical of him. With this thought, Greya and Morris exchanged glances, as if they were finally relieved. Not only were they happy for Rynn's return, but it felt like they finally had a guiding presence, no longer aimlessly wandering like headless flies. This was the peculiar charm he possessed. Meanwhile, like Ferit, a sense of bewilderment hovered in their hearts. Even though Rynn made it sound so easy, they couldn't believe earning six hundred points in ten days could be that simple. Even now, they still hadn't fully recovered from the excitement and shock of pulling such a dramatic turn. One by one, all eyes turned to Duke Tyrus at the center of the crowd. "Duke, please enlighten me." Ferit bowed slightly. Duke Tyrus nodded, a hint of admiration in his eyes as he replied, "Honestly, what he did was quite simple, so simple that it seemed unimaginable to me. It wasn't until the results were announced that the weight in my heart finally lifted." "Your puzzlement boils down to two points." "People, and food." "The matter of 'people' is actually closely linked to the latter." "As you can see, the tens of thousands of starving people outside the estate are a force that can rival the local noble houses." Ferit looked astonished, "Getting those starving refugees not to retaliate is challenging enough; how could they even be commanded?" "Simply put, give them 'food' or set a target, telling them where 'food' can be found." Duke Tyrus answered calmly. "So we're back to the original question," Ferit frowned deeply, "How did he materialize such an enormous quantity of food seemingly out of thin air?" That was tens of millions of pounds! "That's what I admire about him," said Tyrus, his voice turning peculiar. "In those ten days, he did two things." "First, under the authority of my name, he pressured the city's council to enact temporary legislation, forcibly raising the prices of food in the marketplace by several times." He's lost his mind! Upon hearing this, everyone, including Ferit, was instantly shocked. With the nobles manipulating prices, the cost of food had already been uncontrollable, with refugees starving and begging in the streets, cries of anguish everywhere. It almost turned into a horror where people might prey on each other. Yet, Rynn seemed reckless to the point of madness, not controlling prices but exacerbating them, aligning with those damned nobles! At this rate, Orlane City's order wouldn't just fail to rebuild but descend into deeper chaos! Seeing the incredulous gazes, Duke Tyrus smiled, "Initially, I shared your thoughts, questioning if the lad wasn't just insane." "But as it turns out, it was us who were." Ferit, with a grave expression, as if to confirm his suspicions, asked, "So, what was the second thing he did?" "The second thing he did was spread the word that 'the Tyrus family was profiteering off the disaster' throughout Orlane City and the surrounding noble houses and merchant guilds." I'm sure I've seen her before. Not as the witch, but Evester herself. As he watched the calm, sleeping face of the woman in bed, Rynn thought to himself quietly. After carrying Evester back to the room and settling her comfortably in bed, Rynn sat down in a chair beside her, taking advantage of the solitude to ponder the events that had just unfolded. It was all quite chaotic and bewildering. Acting on some inexplicable impulse, he had done things that were completely out of character for him. Moreover, Evester's behavior and the reactions of those around him constantly implied that they had a significant history together. No wonder Duke Tyrus had shown such an expression upon learning of his amnesia. The witch must know something about it, yet she hadn't told him anything. Recalling her insistence back in the Pantheon that he distinguish between Evester and herself, Rynn felt a vague understanding, although it made little sense. Perhaps she disliked who he was in the past and thus chose not to inform him of his memory loss. Still, he felt that Evester seemed far more human than the witch. Simply put, Evester felt far less distant, as if she was genuinely alive before his eyes. Moreover, she seemed to have a fondness for him. She's a remarkable woman—beautiful, with an extraordinary figure. Although her strength is currently diminished, she will recover in time. Her personality also appears quite agreeable. Fiery and passionate, rather than the witch's cold and world-weary demeanor. Even without the influence of certain irrational thoughts, he would probably fall for her sooner or later. Is this the kind of woman he would assist in the future? To stay by her side forever? It seemed quite appealing. Rynn mused absentmindedly. Yet, lost in thought, he failed to notice as the woman lying next to him gradually awoke from her slumber, her gaze hot and intense. The next moment— "Click!" An icy sensation suddenly enveloped his neck as a shackle connected to a chain appeared abruptly.