Chapter 138 This is my future husband - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

As the blinding white light faded away, Shia and his companions found themselves transported back to the imperial capital, having traversed more than half the empire in the blink of an eye. The slight dizziness they felt was a normal reaction after using the long-distance teleportation matrix, so they weren't particularly surprised. Leading the group, a blond youth steadied himself and noticed he was standing on a platform inscribed with elaborate matrices. Below the platform, several hundred soldiers, clad in crisp uniforms, stood in neat formation along with their leader, Colonel Hayden. At the sight of Shia, a look of joy instantly appeared in the soldiers' eyes, and they all saluted in unison. "Welcome to Captain Shia, hero of battle, back to Glostine!" The soldiers shouted in unison with impressive fervor, as illusory magical fireworks burst into the sky, heightening the atmosphere. After a quick glance at the crowd, Shia's eyes brightened slightly. He immediately returned the salute and then led the way off the platform towards the tall woman at the forefront of the crowd, wearing a cloak. "Your Highness, mission accomplished," Shia half-kneeled on the ground and respectfully saluted. Out of her sight, a flash of admiration and longing passed through his eyes. This noble and sacred woman was his sworn liege, Her Highness Silina Roland Alexini, the imperial crown princess. Known as the most beautiful woman in the entire Holy Roland Empire, few could escape falling in love at first sight. Shia was no exception. "Defeating a fifth-level legend with the abilities of a fourth level, even with the aid of teammates and sealed artifacts, remains a rare feat," Princess Silina gently helped him up, her voice soft. "You've done well, worthy of being among my prideful subordinates." "Your will is my command," Shia replied with reverence, boldly meeting her gaze. This achievement of his had boosted Silina's name throughout the capital, and she would undoubtedly reward him handsomely afterward. Yet to Shia, none of that really mattered. Sensing his passionate gaze, Princess Silina showed no signs of displeasure, only softly jested in a voice audible to them alone, "What, captivated?" "Your Highness, actually I—" Shia instinctively reached out, trying to hold her hand. "Enough, there are too many people here. Whatever you have to say, reserve it for later," Silina said, taking a subtle step back to avoid his affectionate gesture. It was not the place for flirting in front of an audience. As the crown princess, she'd hardly disregard the empire's dignity for a dalliance with a subordinate. Moreover, though she was aware of the youth’s affections, their relationship had not evolved to that stage. Even Silina herself wasn't sure if she only valued his talents or genuinely appreciated him as a person. Noticing her retreat, a hint of regret flashed in Shia's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. Meanwhile, his team members approached. "Greetings, Your Highness," they all respectfully saluted. Yet Tia, as her gaze met briefly with Silina’s, displayed a flash of coldness. Silina, perceptive and sensitive, quickly guessed her thoughts, finding it amusing. Nonetheless, she chose not to explain, her voice remaining gentle as she reassured them, "Shortly, you will accompany me to the palace district where His Majesty has prepared a banquet to honor you, with the awards ceremony to follow." "But for now, we must wait a bit," Silina continued, glancing at the teleportation matrix that lit up once more, "there are other travelers arriving.” “They will be tonight's true honorees,” Silina’s words puzzled Shia. He had assumed the banquet was in his honor, but apparently, there were others. Upon reflection, it made sense. After all, with Saint Roland VI himself attending, the banquet must be of extraordinary importance. Deciding he should freshen up and change before reconvening with the princess, Shia began to leave with Tia and the others. "I hear the second group includes the Third Princess Evester and her escorts, all to be awarded by His Majesty as the main heroes from the recent border conflict," a soldier's whisper reached him as he passed by. Evester? Hearing her name, an inexplicable sense of aversion arose within him. Perhaps it was due to her infamous reputation in the capital that irked him. Shia shook off the thought. As he was about to exit the teleportation facility, with his sharp hearing, he caught another snippet of a conversation. “They say young Lynn Bartleon isn’t dead from the border chaos, and even caught the attention of the Third Princess. He's been brought back to Glostine with them,” a voice spoke. “What expressions will the nobles show upon hearing that news, I wonder?” Lynn Bartleon? For some reason, as this name passed through Shia's mind, an uncontrollable, even agitating hatred surfaced within him, as if the person was his nemesis. Why? Why do I harbor such animosity towards an unknown stranger? Shia covered his face, trying to calm his turbulent emotions. "What's wrong?" his team members and Tia looked at him with concern. "No, nothing," Shia replied casually after some time, lifting his head, "You go ahead. I need to stay for a bit." He decided to stay, driven by curiosity to finally see the person who stirred such strong feelings in him. Knowing Shia's tendency to keep things bottled up, Tia silently stayed behind. Though unable to console him with intimate gestures, she chose to accompany him in silence. As the teleportation matrix activated, a familiar tugging sensation reminded Lynn of the feeling he often experienced when heading to the Pantheon. Fortunately, he was accustomed to it by now, and the dizziness and nausea were bearable. Moments later, the intense white light dimmed. He stepped first out of the matrix, only to be greeted by a sight that left him astonished. Below the platform, hundreds of soldiers knelt in unison as he appeared, resembling a scene of welcoming a dignitary to Glostine. Yet, this caught Lynn off guard. "Rise, my dear subjects?" he muttered quizzically. Hearing this, Colonel Hayden lifted his head instinctively, meeting a pair of bright sea-blue eyes. Startled, he asked, "Who are you? Where is Her Highness the Third Princess?" Typically, the first to emerge from the teleportation matrix was the most important person. Naturally, he had expected Evester, but evidently, that was not the case. "Oh, right, they're behind me," Lynn realized, pointing back as the rest followed through the matrix. However, before finishing his announcement, he witnessed a disheveled blond youth among the crowd bend over shouting. "Ughhhh!!!" Vomiting was audible. "Aw, come on, Greya, don't you dare puke on me!" Lynn exclaimed, stepping aside in disgust. "Save me, I'm dying," Greya weakly leaned against Lynn's shoulder. Watching the scene unfold on the platform, the soldiers stood confused, unsure whether they should rise or continue kneeling. Silina, at the forefront, barely concealed her frown. She remained silent, simply observing the chaotic spectacle unfold. Finally, as the crowd parted, a striking woman with long, black hair, without a mask revealing her pale face partially covered in dark runic inscriptions, calmly surveyed those around her. "Everyone seems alright," she remarked, speaking as if she were alone, disregarding Silina's gaze and the soldiers' salutes. Having done this, Evester motioned for Lynn to come to her. Lynn reluctantly walked over. Their eyes met, and, in Evester's crimson gaze, a fleeting vulnerability appeared—deeply poignant. It seemed to say, "For you, my master has expended all her recently regained strength to return early to the capital. You must take responsibility and embrace your master tightly before everyone." In the next moment, she performed spectacularly, dramatically clutching her chest and pretending to faint. This was Evester's deliberate move to publicly affirm her connection with Lynn, leaving an unmistakable mark. She intended to signal that this young man was intricately tied to her, warning anyone who dared to challenge him to reconsider their grounds. A gleam of satisfaction showed in Evester's eyes. She expected him to catch her, thinking everything would go as planned. However, Afiya unexpectedly produced a brand-new wheelchair from nowhere, escorting Evester into it. What? A brief moment of shock turned Evester's expression ice-cold. Afiya would never dare sabotage her plans; there was only one explanation. Evester's gaze turned accusingly to Lynn. Hadn't she destroyed all the wheelchairs beforehand? How did he find another? Lynn's eyes flickered with guilt but signaled: Your Highness's safety is my priority—I address any oversights. Yet, this didn't appease Evester. Her relentless gaze persisted: You think this act fools me into believing it wasn't that vile woman's doing? Lynn's heart skipped, a cold sweat forming on his back. The terror of a woman's intuition was undeniable. A sudden message from the witch last night had warned him of potential scenarios today, advising him to not comply with this woman's wishes lest it complicate future trials. Caught between these two women was undoubtedly unsettling. Lynn shifted his gaze away, lowering his head to mimic a quail's timid posture. "Cheats are so dull," Evester sniffed dismissively, finally ending the episode with an irked expression—or perhaps it was someone in the crowd unable to bear the silence any longer who disrupted it. Seeing Evester safe, Silina exhaled a subtle breath and greeted her with a warm smile, "Little Eve, it's been a while. Aren’t you going to say hello to Big Sis?" Evester's expression dulled considerably at the voice, realizing Silina's presence. "Take me down," she instructed Lynn quietly. He nodded and carefully wheeled her down the platform, stopping in front of the speaker. His attention fell on her. A truly beautiful woman. Lynn quietly thought, eyeing Silina, wrapped in her grand cloak. Her wavy platinum blonde hair elegantly swept up, her slender waist accentuated by a fitted gown, and a bosom that could only be described as divine. Even Evester, before her, conceded gracefully. No wonder she was dubbed the future Mother of All Life. Possibly only the lady in the white hat from Orne City could surpass her beauty. Despite her striking figure, Silina’s face was flawlessly exquisite and noble, like a goddess, empathy emanating from her eyes. Lynn instinctively accessed the system. [Character Name: Silina Roland Alexini] [Plot Level: S] [Plot Derailment: 0.00%] As expected. Aside from the princess, another S-level plot character had appeared! "Do you like what you see?" Evester’s nonchalant voice cut through his thoughts. Silina barely noticed a frown, but said nothing. She assessed that the young man's gaze had contained no disrespect—curious, perhaps, at meeting such an illustrious woman. But he wasn't her subordinate, preventing her from speaking on his behalf. Understanding her sister well, she feared Evester would take this harshly. Yet, rather than reacting with fear, Lynn calmly sighed, unfazed by everyone’s tense gaze, "Your Highness, mere curiosity compels me to see who warrants the title of 'Capital’s Most Beautiful Woman.' Yet, today's encounter exceeded my expectations." "Indeed, rumors are untrustworthy—for you are the most beautiful I've seen." Silina: ? Others: ? Evester: φ(゜▽゜*) "My ring didn't light up," Evester noted, judiciously checking her fingers with a radiant smile, "He's truthful." "Silina, thanks to you, I had quite the experience at the border," she said, unfazed by any other emotion. Watching Evester’s unexpectedly cheerful demeanor left Silina feeling paradoxical. It seemed her once-troublesome sister had changed significantly. What exactly transpired? She instinctively glanced toward Lynn, only to find his gaze finally meet hers—yet promptly flicking away, as if looking at something unsightly. Even with her exemplary demeanor, Silina couldn't help but feel slighted. Shame, I intended to utter a few kind words for you. This sly little fox! Yet Silina restrained herself, presenting a gentle smile, "Won't you introduce him?" Evester toyed with her black hair idly. Her eyes twinkled mischievously, hearing this. In an unexpected move that astonished Silina, Evester suddenly clasped the young man's hand, intertwining their fingers. "Since you ask, a formal introduction is due." With all eyes on her, Evester smiled, "This is my future consort and the future prince of this nation, Lynn Bartleon.”