Chapter 177: Crazy Digging for the Hero - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

To die for you is the least of what I am willing to do. When these words reached Tia's ears, she stood there in a daze, her hand unconsciously releasing the hem of her dress that she had been clutching. It wasn't adorned with any extravagant rhetoric, nor was it a romantic pledge of unending love. It was merely the simplest of promises, spoken as plainly from the young man's lips as if he were asking about the weather. Ordinarily, such words from a man would have filled Tia with disdain. Even her admired brother Sia was someone whose actions spoke louder than words. To him, less talk and more action were his trademarks. He rarely engaged in so-called romance, which is why Tia always thought of herself as someone who scoffed at melodramatic declarations of affection. She couldn't understand why some women swooned over a few sweet words. Yet, at this moment, she realized she had been sorely mistaken. The young man's words weren't love confessions, and there wasn't any intimacy between them. But for reasons she couldn't comprehend, the moment those words registered, Tia's heart seemed to skip a beat. To say she wasn't moved would certainly be a lie. The reason was simple. At this moment, the young man was in a state of hypnosis. This meant that his words were the truest thoughts from his subconscious. He would give his life for her, without hesitation. Tia couldn't help but think of how many married couples in this world, bound by promises, were still driven by ulterior motives and could not truly share life and death, let alone someone she had hurt deeply. Yet he had accomplished it, aligning his heart with his words. His intentions towards her were not dark, but just as they appeared on the surface. An unprecedented sense of regret washed over her. Why had she asked such a question? In that instant, Tia wished she could travel back a minute to stop her impulsive self. Deep down, perhaps she understood why she retracted her question earlier without asking about the past. Her heart was already tied to Brother Sia with no room for other concerns. If anything had indeed happened between them in the forgotten twelve years, how could she face this person? Maybe this hypnosis had been a mistake from the very start. Tia closed her eyes in distress. Neither Sia's ordeals nor Lynn's subtle manipulations were within her expectations. At this moment, her thoughts were in disarray, filled with an overwhelming urge to escape. Yet the hypnosis wasn't finished, and there was more to ask. “What else did Brother Sia say to you during the interrogation?” Tia inquired softly after a long silence, her voice complex. She wanted to know every detail of what had occurred. In response, Lynn, in his state as the Swallowing Deceiver, answered without hesitation, "He said he would ensure I couldn't leave the prison alive, that it was the price for attempting to encroach on you." The boy spoke woodenly. Not leaving the prison alive meant... hiring an assassin to kill him there? Tia's heart jolted, reflexively denying, "You're lying! He couldn't possibly be like that!" Indeed. He was lying. But so what? Digging pits for the hero? Piece of cake. Leaning against a wall, Lynn chuckled inwardly. Sia would never do something so foolish; he was inherently proud. Even if he disliked him, Sia would confront him directly rather than rely on cheap tricks. Yet the interrogation room was silent. Tia refuted in a panic, then realized there would be no answer because Lynn was under hypnosis. Realizing this again, she felt a little broken. Everything today had repeatedly impacted her fragile and helpless heart. The proud and righteous Brother Sia in her heart would resort to hiring a killer against an innocent person? How much did he hate this person? If the prior torture could somewhat pass as a manifestation of his hatred for wrongdoings, this was sheer personal vendetta. Simply because he found him disagreeable, because he was too close to her. While other women might be enamored with Sia’s domineering behavior, feeling cherished and protected, Tia, as the Silent Saintess, felt no such thing. Instead, an inexplicable irritability hovered faintly within her. Perhaps she was overthinking. Sometimes, threats must be understood in context. Perhaps Brother Sia spoke rashly out of anger, without true intention to harm. After all, that guy wouldn’t be locked up long—he’d be out by morning. Once he left the prison safely, it would prove Sia's innocence. Tia bit her lip, forcing herself to think this way. She struggled to believe the Brother Sia she had known for years was a man different from what he appeared to be. Taking a deep breath, Tia concluded it wasn’t wise to linger there any longer. In just a few minutes, her mental world had endured unprecedented upheaval. How much further could things escalate if she stayed? Yes. She was afraid. Fear urged her to leave immediately. “After the hypnosis ends, you will forget everything that just happened.” With that thought, she hiked up the edge of her robe, revealing her fair and graceful legs, exposing the Mind’s Eye mark at her thigh to Lynn. As Lynn awoke, she quickly released the fabric, letting the hem swing gently at her boots. "Viya? Were you just...?" Feigning ignorance, Lynn looked at her with surprise and concern. But Tia, unwilling or unable to speak more, cast him a cold glance before turning to leave the interrogation room. Throughout, she never asked about the limb-connecting Bour Shuman because she believed Lynn was innocent. With a dull thud, the door closed. Lynn breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief, not expecting the plot deviation to only rise by 5%. Still, it was a better gain than from the royal princess or the witch. Thinking that, he glanced at his bloodied clothes from Sia's torture, feeling uncomfortable and instinctively taking off his outer garment. His lean yet muscular build was exposed, quite a sight. His body was now smooth and scar-free, his injuries healed with the help of moonlight essence, save for the scar left by Tia on his chest. He needed an explanation for Iviste about this. While pondering, the previously closed door swung open again. "You—" Tia reentered, only to find Lynn caressing his chest scar, seemingly lost in thought. Her face flushed red, her gaze growing ever more complex. He had healed all his injuries except for the one she had inflicted, a constant reminder. "Sorry, I didn’t know you hadn’t left yet," Lynn said, hastily covering himself, his eyes hinting at apology. Why are you apologizing?! An inexplicable irritation rose within Tia over Lynn's cautious demeanor. However, she suppressed these thoughts. As for a man's nakedness, it wasn't as if she had never seen it before. Although she disliked it, during missions at the Saint Farlos Fortress with Brother Sia, she'd often encounter rugged soldiers baring their chests, chugging beer to appear bold and brash. Thus, she didn't show panic. Taking a deep breath, she calmly stated, "Before you leave, there's something I need to remind you." "What is it?" "Seeing you so carefree, you're unaware that disaster is looming." Tia eyed him coldly as Lynn displayed a fittingly confused expression. "This move by the Imperial Council is aimed at you and the Third Princess; you must have known this already." Her gaze fixed on the wall behind him, avoiding his eyes. "However, thinking that you are safe just because you're not the serial killer is foolish." "Viya, could you be a bit clearer? You know, I've been struggling to follow your thinking for quite some time now, remember—" "Shut up!" Tia suddenly raised her voice, cutting him off with agitation. Realizing her lack of composure, she took several deep breaths to calm her restless mind. "In any case, the nobles of the Imperial Council won't really arrest you as a murderer; instead, they'll employ underhanded tactics. From what I know, His Majesty has entrusted the organization of the Night Enforcers to the Third Princess. Therefore, investigating the Limb-Connecting Case is your rightful duty." "But as the new head of the Night Enforcers, you not only failed to quickly take control of this force, but also found time to attend banquets and let the thirty-sixth murder case occur under your watch." "This is your major misstep and weakness, and they will undoubtedly seize upon it relentlessly." "So in tomorrow's public hearing, they won't charge you with murder. Instead, they'll step back and hit you with negligence to make their case." For the first time, Tia found herself speaking so much in one go. Upon leaving the interrogation room, a member of the Executor team informed her she had three minutes left. She wasn't sure why she returned to this room after leaving. Perhaps she simply didn't want to owe him anything. Hearing this, Lynn's brow furrowed as if realizing the gravity of the situation, and he fell into silence. Seeing his understanding, Tia added, "After that comes the true focus." "To rationalize this targeting, they might assign you impossible tasks." "Like solving this year and a half-old unsolved case in three days." "For example..." Here, she hesitated, stopping as if out of caution. She took a deep breath. "In short, during tomorrow’s public hearing, think carefully about how to counter their traps. This will decide your future." "I hope you watch out for yourself." At the same time, at the Mosgra Manor: "Father, we've coordinated with the Executors, and they will act tonight." In the study, a middle-aged man respectfully reported to Marquis Mosgra. "Are you sure there won't be any mistakes?" replied Marquis Mosgra, casting a brief glance at him. "Of course," the middle-aged man assured, wiping sweat nervously. "In a place where supernatural powers can't be used, how could a seventeen-year-old boy possibly survive being mobbed by dozens of inmates?" "Do not underestimate the situation. Since we've opted to act against Irina's wishes and eliminate him now, ensure there's no room for failure. That boy is too cunning. We cannot let him leave that prison alive." "Understood, Father."