Chapter 166 The Confused Saint - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

As Tiya found herself thrust into Lynn's embrace, her petite frame instinctively tensed. In that moment, her hands rested gently against his chest, bringing their bodies almost imperceptibly closer, a distance so small that it scarcely existed. Her bust, not particularly prominent, nonetheless pressed softly against his firm chest, shaping into a graceful arc. The intimacy of this posture was utterly palpable. If she just lifted onto her toes, she could tilt her head and kiss him. She could even feel his breath brushing lightly against the tips of her hair. Intensely heated. Then came a subtle fragrance, reminiscent of sun-dried clothes with the faint undercurrent of fresh grasses and woods. It wasn't the type of scent often associated with women, nor was it the cloying fragrance of cosmetics. Rather, it was a clean, sunny aroma. A far cry from the typical male odor she had stereotypically assumed, marked by sweat. As a soldier of the military, Sia spent half the year at the fortress and she often accompanied him as the Silent Saintess. Under such conditions, even drinking water was scarce, let alone water for soldiers to bathe. Hence, even Tiya found herself occasionally unable to bathe for several days on end. Fortunately, the goddess's blessing made her constitution unique. Her metabolism was slow, and even her bodily secretions carried a sweet scent. But those soldiers were not the same. If she ever entered their tents, the blend of sour and sweaty odors was potent enough to almost knock someone out. Even Sia, upon returning from long missions, often appeared disheveled, the odors clinging to him causing her to frown. This only reinforced her stereotype that men were inherently odorous. There's an old saying that only through practice can one gain true understanding. Tiya had never practiced—where would true knowledge come from? And thus, this less-than-pleasant misunderstanding incidentally became Tiya’s first real life experience. Realizing men could indeed smell good. Barely perceptibly, Tiya took a sniff, only to be startled awake, suddenly aware of what she was doing. An icy touch of humiliation spread in her eyes as she clutched tightly onto the fabric of Lynn's shirt, trying in vain to conceal her chaotic emotions. She couldn’t kill him. After a long silence, Tiya reached this conclusion. After all, he had just helped her out of an awkward situation, preventing Sia from any unnecessary misunderstanding. Even though the urge to kill him still lingered within her, fairness mattered. Even when judging mortals, a reasonable verdict must be given, no? At present, Lynn had not only committed no wrongs, but also ended up disadvantaged by her reflexive response, injured considerably. Besides, he worked under the Third Princess, held in high regard by Her, fresh from winning an incredible comeback. Even those restless nobles wouldn't dare provoke her now. Though Tiya, as the Silent Saintess, was one of the most powerful women in the church, in the end, she wasn't royalty. Moreover, considering Evester's abilities, she couldn't attack him now. With this in mind, Tiya gritted her teeth and said quietly, "Let go of me." He was holding her slender waist in a posture akin to perfectly attuned dance partners, ready to waltz away to music, if only. But this didn’t make her happy; instead, it filled her with guilt towards Sia. Another man had touched her body. And in such a shameful way. Impure. Thoughts along these lines flickered through Tiya's mind, casting her expression in shadow. Yet thankfully the next moment, a warm hand eased its grip on her waist, allowing her to step back, out of Lynn's hold. "Sorry, I got carried away." Lynn sighed softly, his gaze fixed on the girl before him. "Holding you like this always reminds me of the past." "Back then you clearly..." "Shut up." The Moonlight Scepter appeared in Tiya’s hand, forcefully pressing against his throat. She, who should have been as aloof as a doll, now showed unprecedented human emotion—cold and furious. "Say those nonsensical lies again, and I'll kill you." Lynn lowered his head in silence, like a stray dog abandoned, looking miserable. That expression again! To Tiya’s horror, a fleeting feeling of guilt seeped into her heart. His appearance was dangerously misleading. No matter how hard-hearted a woman, Lynn’s pitiable look could invoke nurturing instincts. Evester was the prime example. She couldn't stay with him any longer. Who knows what chaos would ensue in her heart otherwise! In that cluttered state of mind, Tiya made the wisest decision. She had thought everything tonight would go according to plan. Yet everything diverged from expectation the moment she entered the balcony. Ten minutes ago, she could never have imagined being held by him, nor that she wouldn’t end up killing him. Tiya took a deep breath. Next, her body was enveloped by a gentle glow like a flickering candle. When Lynn looked up again, the girl had vanished from sight. The air echoed with her frosty voice: "I swear by the honor of the Silent Saintess, next time we meet, I will kill you, Lynn Bartleon." Soon after, silence reclaimed the balcony, save for Lynn, who still tended his bleeding chest. From the outcome, the night's plan seemed a failure. Even with all his efforts, he had not formed the most basic amicable relationship with Tiya. Instead, he had perhaps increased misunderstandings and intensified her hostility. But was that really the case? After a lengthy silence, Lynn bent down, and with a hint of amusement, picked something off the ground. "Talking about killing me, yet in the end, you’re the one with a sharp tongue but a soft heart." As he spoke, he held a bottle up to his eyes. Under the moon's glow, the contents emitted a faint silvery glimmer, beautifully enchanting. Moonlight Elixir. Lynn instantly recognized the liquid's origin. It was holy medicine exclusively produced by the Silent Church, extremely rare, with Tiya allotting only a few milliliters even as the Silent Saintess. Yet, the effects were extraordinary. As long as it wasn't a fatal or irreversible injury, like losing a limb, the elixir would instantly heal all wounds without leaving a scar. And this wasn’t his first time using it. When he first met Evester, during their cat and mouse game, her blood thorns wounded him. Later, she used it to heal him, though the previous vial was far larger. Evidently, Tiya didn’t want to owe him. After all, she was at fault. When someone helps you, it's unreasonable to repay them with harm. Thus, Tiya took a pragmatic approach. But Lynn was less concerned. He now faced two choices. First, accept Tiya’s awkward goodwill and use the elixir to thank her properly next time. Second, sell it, since Moonlight Elixir fetched a hefty price on the black market, ten thousand gold a bottle, a first choice for countless nobles as a lifesaver. "..." Studying the silvery liquid, Lynn smiled. He chose option three. Faithful to his emotional character, Lynn decided to keep the elixir, considering it as the first gift he received from Tiya. When they meet again, he would casually let this fact slip. As for the wound on his chest... Lynn hesitated not at all, reaching into his pocket for a lesser healing potion, which he drank swiftly. The wound slowly knitted together, leaving behind a faint reddish scar. He preferred this outcome over the miraculous healing of the Moonlight Elixir, which would leave no trace of the injury. Because this scar was tangible evidence of everything that transpired tonight. It would never fade. No matter how much Tiya might try to hypnotize herself into forgetting, seeing this scar again would inevitably remind her of the night's events. Lynn never feared a woman’s hatred for him. After all, love and hate are two emotions highly prone to flipping. The real danger is when a woman feels nothing for you, when her heart remains wholly unmoved. As a strategist, the goal was to leave a lasting impression, whether positive or negative. And as of now, the first step was perfectly executed. With that in mind, Lynn straightened his clothes, observing his bloodstained chest, and prepared to take his leave. Using the power of the "Deceiver," he planned to find some unlucky soul to exchange clothing with. Evester’s cold demeanor meant she likely wouldn’t inquire further. Holding onto this belief, he slowly departed the balcony, heading downstairs. He had been away from the banquet too long; there was a chance that the conversation between Dianxia and Silina had concluded. As for what had transpired earlier, Lynn decided not to disclose any of it. Or rather, he didn't dare. If that woman knew, he’d likely face another round of so-called "sweet punishment." Lost in his thoughts, as he passed the third floor, an overwhelming scent of blood wafted down the corridor. It was intensely pungent.