Chapter 202 The Curse Seal Takes Effect - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

With a subtle tremble of his wrist, the wicked, icy aura of the Fallen Hour slipped into Lynn's arms. Yet he had no time to pick it up; instead, he slowly clenched his fist. Anger? Sadness? Perhaps, but not because of those emotions. The sharp pain on his tongue and a sudden overwhelming impulse swept over Lynn, causing him to lose his rationality instinctively. A strange sensation from somewhere seemed to warn him that his current state was far from good. The Silver Moon appeared to be excessively excited. Lynn quickly realized that the desire accumulated by the groove on his tongue, acting as a switch for passion, had reached its threshold and had forcibly activated. It hadn't been long since his encounter with Her Highness in the carriage, yet it was flaring up again so soon. Especially in such an awkward and silent moment as this. Maybe Ivister hadn’t thought it through when she placed this mark, assuming Lynn would always stay by her side. She never expected that, just a week or so into their return journey, he would create such a chaotic mess in the entire empire, to the point where he had to flee. What she didn't anticipate even more was that the second time this mark acted up, the woman by his side would not be herself. Fate truly is bizarre. Yet, at this moment, Lynn had no leisure to lament these trivial matters. Just a moment ago, he was drowning in the anxiety over Tiya's unknown fate. The next second, his mind was filled with thoughts of pinning a beautiful girl in white stockings beneath him until she cried. To break the mark, besides forcibly enduring it, there was only the option of letting it all out at once. No, I can't. If he really did that, it would ruin the affectionate persona he had painstakingly cultivated. The Silver Moon mustn't show off! Lynn bit his tongue, letting the pain and taste of blood fill his mouth, attempting to regain his clarity. Yet, the delicate fragrance faintly lingering near his nose persisted in urging him to commit heinous acts against the girl beside him. At that moment, his reason battled fiercely against his beastly instincts. Even his body trembled slightly. However, Tiya, lying on the other side of the bed, had no idea what turmoil was occurring within Lynn. As time went on, the initial tension she felt gradually relaxed. Her small feet, adorned in white stockings, lightly flicked up and down, the tips polished with pale pink nail lacquer, looking rather cute. The fatigue from continuous travel and exhaustion from using her powers overwhelmed her like a tidal wave once she let her guard down. Before long, her breathing became long and steady, indicating she had drifted into a deep sleep. But she didn't notice. Shortly after she fell asleep, a shadow quietly crossed the barrier of the blanket, leaning over to examine her. The gaze traversed over her slender form wrapped in a moon-white robe, the budding curves of her chest and her delicately cinched waist nearly driving one to madness. Below her waist, the long legs encased in pristine, smooth white stockings faintly revealed a healthy skin tone. Seeing this, the man's already ragged breathing grew even more intense. At this moment, the girl lay completely defenseless—a tempting, unattainable bloom waiting to be picked. Finally, unable to resist the mark’s desires and impulsive urges any longer, he lowered his head deeply, hoping to draw her sweet, delicate little tongue into his mouth. But just as things were about to unfold, the girl in her sleep suddenly furrowed her brow. "Sia… brother." This soft call was like a bucket of cold water poured right over him, instantly clearing his head. The man seemed to freeze, lost in thought for a moment, before letting out a barely audible sigh. His hand, which had been hovering above her chest, paused and then redirected to softly tuck a few errant strands of hair behind her pointed elf-ear. After completing these actions, the youth painfully moved his injury-riddled body, returning to the other side of the bed, continuing the exhausting battle with the desires surging within him. He didn’t anticipate what happened next. Shortly after that name escaped her lips, as if dreaming, her previously furrowed brows relaxed. At the same time, she mumbled something in her sleep. "Lynn?" It seemed like a question, then she repeated it as if to confirm, her voice wrapping around the name warmly. "...Lynn." The following morning. As Tiya awoke from her slumber, slightly bewildered, her gaze first sought the ceiling before realization dawned upon her current condition, her eyes sharpening with vigilance. She had been far too complacent. Although she was fighting on her own and that posed its challenges, it was no excuse. Had someone approached last night, both she and he would likely have been captured by now. What's more peculiar is that, despite all this, she had had her best sleep in a long time. Even during her time with the Silent Church, she never rested as peacefully, always haunted by women's murmurs, which, when reported, were explained away as divine revelations, words she supposedly needed to constantly heed. Perhaps it was part of the duty of being the Silent Saintess, though none of those murmurs ever made sense to her. Yet somehow, in the presence of that guy, she found serene rest. It's as if those unsettling whispers were completely blocked out. But that might not be a concrete fact, merely her assumptions. More testing would be required to ascertain the truth. Reflecting this, Tiya slowly sat up, letting her white silk-clad feet slip into short boots before standing to tidy her hair, finally turning her attention to the other side of the bed. Then, she froze. Although she had slept peacefully, the boy beside her seemed quite the opposite. He lay there, drenched in sweat and pallor, looking exceedingly fragile. Even his lips bore the marks of being bitten, traces of blood faintly seeping through. "Are you... alright?" Tiya's heart skipped a beat, worrying his injuries might have flared up again. But at present, she wasn't carrying any Moonlight Essence; the only bottle had already been given to him back in the interrogation room. "I'm fine." His voice was hoarse, yet he still managed a weak smile in response. Though it had been arduous, he had triumphed over his desires. Truly, the will is as mighty as a mountain. After all, he is the master of his body; how could he let a lesser urge take over? Seeing his perseverance, Tiya decided against pressing further, just stealing a few more glances. When her gaze landed on a significantly raised part of the blanket, a faint blush flashed across her face. Pervert. Tiya spat in her mind. But seeing the boy's fragile state, she abstained from making snide remarks, instead extracting a bundle of clothes from the item-storing artifact ring, tossing them his way. It was a set of somewhat cheap-looking suits, attire that would draw ridicule if presented at a prestigious upper-town soiree. But in the lower districts, it blended right in as pedestrian ware. After all, the area didn't lack faux-gentlemen concerned with their public demeanor. Wearing overly expensive clothing, on the other hand, invited unwanted attention. Even though Tiya possessed an artifact capable of altering one's appearance, it only made such investigative detentions easier. Truth be told, she had successfully infiltrated a gala hosted by Shirlynn incognito before, skilled in all the ways Lynn could merely dream. "Sorry, Wei Ya, but I really can’t move…” While contemplating how to reach Black Street's market in the Northern District later, Lynn's faint voice wafted into her ears. Finally, Tiya realized—considering he was injured all over, wearing clothes truly posed a formidable challenge. She bit her lower lip, casting a brief silence. If he walked the streets in his current garb, it wouldn’t take long before the authorities apprehended them. But dressing another—it was a task she had yet attempted in her life. Was this already the end of an arduous, precarious escape before it had even begun? Absolutely not. She had bet everything, abandoning the honor and duty of being the Silent Saintess! No, she couldn't let it end here. Finally. After a long silence, Tiya's eyes darted around before gently setting down her Moonlight Staff. "I-I'll help you." Ten minutes later. A young gentleman with an ordinary face walked slowly down the street, a smile on his face, supported by a woman wearing a ladies' brimmed hat at his side. Under the brim of her hat, the disguised girl didn't look nearly as striking as before, with a few freckles adorning her nose. Yet despite this subtle transformation, the girl's faintly shy expression and slightly flushed cheeks drew the attention of passersby. It was the allure of her aura. "Why are they all looking at me?" Tiya, playing the part of a young wife, slightly lowered her head, brushing the hair back from her ear. Upon hearing this, Lynn chuckled lightly, thrusting his chest out with pride: "Because Wei Ya is the most beautiful wherever she is." "You smooth talker," Tiya retorted with a soft huff. Yet the radiant, relaxed corners of her eyes indicated her mood was quite good at the moment. Even in such dire circumstances, they didn't seem overly affected. Shortly thereafter, the two found themselves in a public carriage that could accommodate six people. This carriage traveled between the Western and Northern districts, the round trip costing only twenty copper coins—a price so cheap, Tiya found it somewhat alarming. Not only that, she was accustomed to traveling in her own private carriage. Experiencing this means of transport for ordinary citizens was a first for her. Lynn, however, shook his head: "True commoners wouldn't dare spend a week's worth of meal money on something like this." Tiya paused at these words, pursing her lips slightly. It wasn't that she disbelieved him, just that living on merely twenty coppers for an entire week seemed like fantasy. As the Silent Saintess, she had visited church-governed areas with companions to distribute relief food. From what she observed, the plight of the poor hadn't seemed that extreme. Noticing the thoughts bouncing around in her mind, Lynn merely smiled without rebutting. This world was indeed harsh, yet sometimes a bit of naive thinking wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Once they entered the carriage, they saw only two seats were left. Lynn left the window seat for Tiya, seating himself next to a stranger. Besides them, the carriage held two other couples. One appeared to be well past their prime, and the other was of a similar age, both young. Seeing the last two passengers were also a couple, the others offered Lynn and Tiya friendly gazes. Lynn nodded with a smile, acknowledging them. Tiya, on the other hand, wasn't quite adept at social interactions, and simply lowered her hat brim, lightly tapping the floor with the tip of her boot. Soon enough, the carriage began to move. Due to the poor conditions of the roads in the lower town, there were occasional jolts. However, not long after starting, the carriage suddenly came to a halt. Outside, faint sounds of city guards could be heard, seemingly intending to search the carriage. Tiya glanced at Lynn, worry flickering in her eyes. It seemed the lockdown in Grosstien was even more severe than she had imagined. There was no point pondering whether they could find a way out after reaching the Black Street Market, as passing this checkpoint alone presented a challenge. If the guards used detection artifacts, their disguises would easily be uncovered. Fortunately, Lynn appeared calm, gently patting her hand. By now, such gestures no longer bothered Tiya much, or rather she had no time to dwell on such trivialities. When the carriage door opened, several vigilant city guards came into view. Behind them stood figures in official military uniforms—extraordinary individuals originating from the military elite. "State your age, name, residential address, and purpose for going to the Northern district, all of it," the guard demanded sternly. The young couple across from them appeared somewhat frightened, supplying their personal information with timid caution. A guard to the side took notes on a small pad. When it came to the elderly couple, perhaps because of their life experience or their age rendering them more composed, they responded coolly. Yet, they didn't resist, answering all questions obediently. Our turn has come! As the guards' severe gaze settled on them, Tiya began to feel pressure. In truth, she was unaccustomed to lying. Having grown up in the secure environment constructed by the church, without any experience of deception, she felt overwhelmed. Moreover, she hadn't elaborated overly on her falsified identity—age and name were manageable, but the residential address could expose them if checked. What can I do? Should I just concoct something to get past this immediate hurdle? Or… Sweat beaded on Tiya's palms as she considered the worst-case scenario—a public confrontation. Reaching such a point would make retreat impossible. Under her lowered hat brim, she appeared pale. Yet in the next moment, the boy's fluent responses echoed in her ear. "Officer, my name is Paris Nelson, and this is my wife, Veronica Nelson. We live at 306 Pierion Street and are heading to the Northern District for..." As the guard's suspicion began to fade, Lynn once again appreciated the power of the Whispers of the Liar. Despite not having advanced this ability, since utilizing the talents inspired by the Binésé tarot's Fate Manipulator mode, he wielded it with increasing proficiency. Even against a demigod, he was confident in maintaining the ruse briefly. As he understood it, Whispers of the Liar related to the "Trickery" faith. The powers borrowed in Fate Manipulator mode seemed tied to that faith's corresponding deity—The Prisoner of Fate. Whether there was indeed a connection remained a mystery. "Alright, you may proceed," the guard finally declared, relaying their basic information to the coachman before waving them on. Seeing this, Lynn let out a small sigh of relief. Yet before he could fully relax, the military extraordinary behind the guard spoke coldly: "That's it? No wonder you haven't found those fugitives. You're just a bunch of freeloaders pretending to work!" As they belonged to different administrative systems, the guard was visibly indignant but held his tongue due to the officer's rank. He replied with restrained frustration, "If you could deploy detection artifacts here, it would surely help." "You dare instruct me?!" the military extraordinary snapped. "Moreover, detection artifacts are incredibly valuable, assigned to major checkpoints and passages. How could they be wasted here?!" After chastising the guards soundly, the officer strode into the carriage. Surveying those inside, he spoke suddenly: "You claim you're all married couples?" "Of course, officer," the elderly husband replied with trembling conviction. Remaining stoic, the officer stated, "If that's so, show me proof."