Chapter 164 Tia: Let me go! - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

The boy was bathed in a layer of cool moonlight, his black hair gently swaying in the breeze. His back seemed lonely and desolate. At this moment, he stood at the edge of the balcony railing with outstretched arms, as if ready to embrace the entire night sky. One more step forward, and he would plummet instantly from such a height. Being a second-tier extraordinaire, there was absolutely no chance of survival for him. Moreover, Tiya had been following this guy from the very beginning, so she was sure that he had come to this place unknowingly and alone. He wasn’t doing it for anyone’s attention. Even if he had somehow noticed her, at this moment Tiya was disguised beneath several layers, such that not even her colleagues from the church could recognize her without extraordinary tools. Not even her close brother Sia could recognize her. And certainly not this guy who spewed nonsense the first time they met. So he truly wanted to die. But…why? All of Tiya's plans were thrown into disarray, leaving her mind in a fog. She belonged to the type that would go into shutdown mode during sudden situations, more suited to executing plans rather than devising them. However, her body instinctively took the lead. Before her brain could respond, Tiya found herself pushing open the glass door. “What… what are you doing?” She slightly raised her voice, trying to catch his attention. The next second, realizing what she had just done, Tiya suddenly froze. It was because of this damned guy that her brother Sia had misunderstood her before. She had sworn to kill him the next time they met. So watching him jump from here would be the right choice. But what am I doing now? Tiya bit her lip lightly, raising her head with a flurry of emotions surging in her heart. However, time was not frozen. As her thoughts spiraled chaotically, the black-haired boy standing at the edge heard her and turned slightly. Seeing that the one who appeared behind him was just an unremarkable short-haired girl, he immediately lost interest. The atmosphere grew heavy at once. On one hand, Tiya hesitated; on the other, the boy seemed ready to jump at any moment. I'm just afraid that if he dies, I'll lose the clues to those twelve years of missing memories, that's all. Yes, that's all. Tiya said softly to herself in her heart. After a seemingly endless silence, the other party finally broke it by speaking up. “I am a failure.” The boy’s opening words were unexpected, yet somehow made perfect sense upon reflection. “A failure solely bent on revenge.” The boy continued without much pause, his voice carrying a heavy tone, “Yet in the end, I didn’t realize when the most precious thing slipped away from my side.” “At this point, I have no reason to continue living.” “So… please do not stop me.” Revenge? Failure? Tiya could understand the first sentence. Although she rarely paid attention to what happened in the imperial capital over the years, after that incident in the Transient Matrix, she had secretly gathered intelligence on Lynn Bartleon. She knew about his tragic background. It indeed evoked empathy—if there hadn’t been that conflict between them. Though Tiya always seemed like a puppet without emotions, it didn’t mean she was devoid of feelings. Having compassion was a necessary principle to become a saint. Being a truly perfect successor to the Silent Church in a century, she had excelled in all aspects. Not to mention the scene in the Council Hall that night. For the sake of revenge, the boy faced accusations and doubts from everyone present, appearing as an antagonist pointed at by a thousand fingers. Yet he remained calm as if those didn’t matter. It was only when she stepped forward to question him did he show any emotional fluctuation. In the end, with the help of military sealing items, his innocence was proven— a boy absolutely loyal to the Empire with a fiery heart. Though Tiya always thought that was just a part of his persona. When faced with the situation in front of them, no matter how one might argue otherwise, subconsciously, some belief is inevitable. In sum, if the incident in front of the Transient Matrix hadn’t happened, Tiya wouldn’t have had too bad an impression of him—although with her personality, she found all men detestable. However, the second sentence he spoke now left her puzzled. What kind of precious thing had he lost that would make him choose death? Even amidst the heavy atmosphere, a sense of confusion lingered in Tiya's heart. At this moment, she had seemingly forgotten her initial purpose. After all, now the main person involved was about to jump off a building, leaving no room for her to ask questions. With such thoughts, Tiya hesitated for a moment before asking in a cool voice, “What is the precious thing you mentioned?” “If necessary, you could seek help from the host of the banquet, Princess Silina—since you received her invitation, it means you’re at least considered friends." For the first time, Tiya spoke so many words to someone she had barely met. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t spare a glance at those scheming human males. Hearing this, the boy chuckled lightly. It was unclear whether he was mocking Tiya or himself. Seeing his reaction, a fire rose within Tiya, and her gaze turned unabashedly cold. Ordinarily, someone of his status wouldn’t even qualify to meet the Silent Saint. What an ungrateful fellow. Indeed, those who oppose Brother Sia must be bad people. With that thought, she was about to raise her hand to summon her Moonlight Scepter to teach this insolent guy a lesson. But the next instant, under the pale moonlight, Tiya vaguely saw two streaks of tears slowly trickling down his face beneath the mask. Even though he wore a bull’s mask which seemed amusing, somehow, the atmosphere turned sorrowful. He's crying? The extraordinary power that had been gathering in Tiya’s palm immediately dissipated. She looked incredulously at the scene before her, unsure whether to laugh or what to say. Can men cry? Ordinarily, this would be something to mock. After all, usually, it's women who are the tearful ones, bringing to mind adjectives like delicate or gentle. But for some reason, the current atmosphere offered not even an inkling of humor. At this moment, the night sky was tranquil, seeming like the gently flowing moonlight mourned for the boy. Tiya's rosy fists clenched slightly, an unspeakable emotion surfacing unconsciously in her heart. Then she abruptly snapped out of it. What am I doing? Am I feeling sorrow for an enemy destined to be killed? How preposterous! Tiya bit her lip tightly, stepping forward. She decided not to listen to this guy’s nonsense anymore, intending to approach silently and capture him, continuing with her original interrogation plan. But perhaps fate had its hand in it. Before Tiya could collect her thoughts, the boy standing at the balcony’s edge spoke again. He was answering the question Tiya had posed earlier. “The precious thing I mentioned is a girl named Viya.” The boy suddenly removed his mask, his expression filled with sadness and despair. “I lost her.” Tiya's steps halted. She stood there blankly, watching the distant boy. Right now, his eyes were filled with tears, his expression both tragic and anxious, like a child lost in the world. Coupled with his already outstanding appearance and slightly youthful features, it could easily evoke maternal instincts in any woman, making them want to cradle him tenderly and offer comfort. This was not something acting could achieve. All the emotions he revealed came from his truest feelings. A thought suddenly floated in Tiya's mind. At the same time, the familiar name echoed in her ears again. Viya. Similar to her current name, yet fundamentally different. And according to what the boy said the last time they met, it was the name she used during her twelve lost years in the Elven Court. For a moment, Tiya felt the world spinning, shaking her head in dazed confusion. Viya? A little strange yet eerily familiar—could it be... No, I am Tiya, Brother Sia’s future wife, the saint of the Silent Church; I am who I am. Countless chaotic voices swirled in her ears. “Tiya is the woman I love most in this world.” When Lynn first arrived at the balcony, he had taken out the mirror without hesitation, using it to evoke the Devourer of Lies upon himself. This was a scenario he had long anticipated, evolving step by step into the current scene. Watching the pale-faced girl swaying on the verge of collapse, Lynn realized that a critical juncture to influence the storyline deviation had arrived. So he slowly spread his arms, facing the cool autumn breeze, as if to embrace the entire starry sky. "Goodbye." Lynn murmured softly, unsure if he was bidding farewell to this world or his beloved girl. The next second, with the intense sensation of weightlessness, Lynn fell backward, facedown, plummeting toward the ground from the mansion! The height of four floors was neither very high nor very low. With his body enhanced by the Heart of the Blazing Dragon, it wouldn’t be fatal, and he might sustain only minor injuries. At the worst, he still had the Endless Thread he could use, portraying a failed eel. However, if things advanced to such a point, it would mean that Lynn's meticulous plan for the night would have ended in complete failure. He was unwilling to witness such an occurrence. Having read the original novel, Lynn was well aware that the seemingly goddess-like, compassionate Silina privately harbored a green tea and cunning side. In contrast, the emotionless Silent Saint, akin to a doll, paradoxically held unparalleled respect for life. Despite possessing the power bestowed by a goddess, which made her loathe all men in the world. But life is like that. To still love it after seeing its true nature is the mark of a true hero. Accompanied by the powerful sensation of weightlessness, for an instant, a mysterious fragrance wafted to his nostrils, serene and tranquil like moonlight. Suddenly, Lynn’s body halted mid-air, hanging by the balcony edge under an external force. Slightly trembling yet cold little hands firmly held onto his hands, preventing him from falling further. He suddenly realized that perhaps this was his first physical contact with the girl. It was also the first contact the girl had with a stranger without feeling repulsion. Feeling the tender touch in his palm, Lynn knew he’d made the right gamble tonight. At this moment, though, Tiya, who was pulling him with force, seemed unaware of this fact. What… am I doing? Tiya was in utter shock. She was still mired in the questions that had been echoing in her mind, yet her hands continued working unimpeded. As a fourth-tier extraordinaire, though not as adept in physical abilities as Sia, she’d at least gone through four enhancements with extraordinary power, far beyond an ordinary person. Though she appeared weak and slender, her strength was substantial. At least while dragging Lynn, she didn’t feel overly strained. Moments later, breathing lightly, she gazed at the black-haired boy lying on the ground before trying to retract her hand instinctively. But an irresistible force suddenly enveloped her supple little hand, gripping it firmly in a warm grasp. Finally recovering her senses, Tiya realized something. Her emerald pupils shrunk slightly as she gazed in disbelief, witnessing something as absurd as a fairy tale. I... I... The intense shock from the scene temporarily robbed her of speech, her rosy lips parted slightly yet unable to utter any words. I held hands with a man I barely met? Without feeling the slightest aversion? H-how is that possible?! A whirlwind of events beyond control overwhelmed her heart with panic and astonishment. Tiya instinctively wanted to fling his hand away, to scream, as though her entire worldview had crumbled because of this. Yet that undeniable force continued to pin her delicate hand in place. "Let go of me!" Tiya bit her silver teeth, her eyes emanating an unprecedented chill of killing intent. Her palm manifested the Moonlight Scepter, and with the surge of anger from her heart, the surrounding moonlight, meant to be cool and tranquil, seemed to seethe like boiling liquid. In the sheer fury of a fourth-tier extraordinaire, how would a second-tier even survive? In an instant, Lynn groaned, his complexion turning deathly pale. "Viya, you're Viya, my Viya..." Lynn entwined his fingers tightly with hers, muttering as if clutching the last straw for survival. Tears gradually brimmed in his blue eyes, reflecting the joy of regaining something lost, like a dream. But Tiya had no leisure to concern herself with such things. Her mind was chaotic; she just wanted desperately to leave this place and organize her thoughts. "Get lost! I don’t even know..." "Denying it is pointless," the pale-faced boy said with a cheerful smile. "Did you know, Viya, since you left me, whether it’s a divine punishment or otherwise, I’ve been cursed with a rare affliction." "Except for a genuinely beloved opposite sex, any woman touching me evokes an involuntary sense of disgust." "Viya, will you still deny it now?" The boy’s pitiful appearance, like that of an abandoned puppy, softened the heart. Tiya was dumbfounded once again. Curse? Why does it sound so similar to her goddess's blessing? One caused aversion to all men, the other caused aversion to any woman except a preferred opposite sex. The difference seemed minuscule at best—is it truly a difference? In an instant, a terrifying and panic-inducing speculation emerged from Tiya's mind. Since seeing every man she encountered filled her with immense loathing, she assumed this trait was part of the goddess’s blessing. But what if there was a conditional clause—except for a liked opposite sex? I... I like him? In those lost twelve years of memory, could I have had feelings for this guy? Besides this scenario, Tiya couldn’t think of any other possibility. Yet even so, for someone who’d decided her fidelity would remain with Brother Sia, it was absolutely intolerable. What kind of a joke is this?! Suddenly, like a tide, moonlight poured from Tiya's body. She didn’t understand her actions; she only knew that regarding this guy who repeatedly stirred her heart, she couldn't overcome him verbally and resorted to the basest measure. Kill him. Tiya slowly raised her Moonlight Scepter. However, things didn’t go as planned. Sometimes, the more you aim to achieve something, the more unforeseen obstacles appear. Just as Tiya prepared to kill the man who disturbed her peace, the sound of clear footsteps suddenly came from beyond the distant glass door. The steps were neither hurried nor slow, accompanied by a soft sigh of a young man, "How strange... Where could Tiya have gone?" The tone and inflection were all too familiar to the two present. Sia Asolante!