Chapter 208 He Always Takes Everything on His Own - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

As the sun set in the west, the night descended upon the city. For the majority of the lower-class residents living in the northern district of the lower city, it was time to wrap up a long and exhausting day. Although life wasn't affluent, the prospect of returning home to a dilapidated hut where a wife and children eagerly awaited with warm milk and freshly baked soft bread gave them something to look forward to. However, for those in the Black Street Market, it was with the arrival of night that their real hustle began. This place was rife with violence, bloodshed, and chaos—an unrestrained haven for crimes such as countless assassinations and human trafficking. Here, one might even witness women being assaulted in broad daylight or gang members fighting to the death, leaving dismembered bodies scattered everywhere. Even the officials from the Imperial Civil Affairs Department were reluctant to cast too much attention upon this filth-ridden area. Or perhaps, behind the scenes, there were whispers of certain nobles secretly pulling the strings. In such a blood-soaked and chaotic grey area, no matter what occurred, it was hardly cause for surprise to the smugglers and slave traders lingering in the Black Street Market. That is how it should have been. Yet at this moment, as they gazed upon a second, brilliant moon hanging high in the sky, they all simultaneously felt a chill and shudder from the depths of their souls. No. That wasn't the moon at all but the special ability of a high-ranking extraordinary individual! "Boom!!!" With a thunderous crash akin to a meteor descending, shockwaves and dust spread across the surrounding neighborhoods. W-what in the world happened? At this moment, everyone in the Black Street Market, including the wild extraodinary individuals who had come to trade, felt for the first time the terrifying force of such extraordinary power at such close proximity. Everyone was so frightened that they stood frozen in place. Only when everything subsided did they scream and scatter in chaos. On the ruins stood Tia, her entire body glowing with radiant moonlight, as cold and noble as a goddess. The body of the Black Street girl, Julie, lay quietly at her feet, her eyes refusing to close as if she couldn't find peace in death. Surrounding her were the bodies of assassins, their fates uncertain, as if mourning her passing. "I'm sorry, I couldn't save you." The battle had ended, and Tia lowered her eyes, gazing at Julie's cold form. Outwardly, she remained composed, yet her heart was overwhelmed with sorrow and grief. It wasn't that she had a deep friendship with the girl. In fact, if it weren't for helping Lynn, she might not have even touched this convoluted thread. Yet the outcome was painfully tragic. So tragic it made Tia question herself. Did she do something wrong? Or was it that those who became too closely associated with her were doomed to fall into such a tragic cycle? Not just the Black Street girl Julie, but even that other person as well. For some reason, Tia had a vague sense that ever since she left the Silent Church, the goddess, and the predestined fate that should have been unchanging, everything was careening uncontrollably toward a tragic end. However, now was not the time to dwell on such matters. Clutching the moonlight scepter in her hand, she descended from the ruins, ignoring the slain assassins scattered by her hand, and walked straight toward the trembling Frank, who seemed too shocked to move. With just a single strike, she had destroyed three surrounding districts?! And yet she had still managed to give innocents enough time to escape, as if everything was under her calm control! Frank had often heard that extraordinary individuals from official backgrounds were well-trained and had the upper hand over wild extraordinary individuals. Back then, Frank didn't believe it, convinced that the Black Street assassins he had raised were the true combatants. If enough were gathered, even a high-ranking extraordinary individual could be defeated! However, he overlooked one small thing. A simple, yet apparent fact. In his own world, he saw himself as the protagonist, so relying on subjective assumptions to determine certain matters felt natural. But in this complex world made of countless individuals, he, "Hound" Frank, was merely an insignificant bit player. Even within the St. Roland Empire, even within Glossatin, he was nothing more than a dog responsible for handling dirty work on behalf of the influential players. When being used effectively, he was termed "Hound." Yet once he encountered an entity recognized as the "protagonist" of this world, or perhaps even of the era, the so-called hound naturally became just a stray dog on the street. At this very moment, feeling the icy, deadly gaze of the young girl and the cold scepter at his throat, with a gasp, Frank collapsed in a panic. “Don’t, don’t kill me!” Having grown up in the Black Street, he knew how to bend with the wind. “Miss Saint, no, Lady Saint! Spare me! I was just following orders, and had no choice…” "You should know why I'm here to see you today." Tia seemed unconcerned with his pleading, her voice calm. Yet her calmness only intensified the terror in Frank’s eyes, leaving him no choice but to comply, "You want to know how to get Mr. Lynn out of the city, correct?" Tia remained silent, only pressing the scepter against his neck a bit more forcefully. "I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you right away!!!" Frank seemed to abandon all hope of resistance, taking off the spatial magic ring from his wrist. “In fact, when Glossatin was first established, many ancient families foresaw the fierce power struggles that would take place and constructed secret escape tunnels in their estates in case of emergencies…” “This ring contains a map. It records a residence of the Cortez family near Bernel Street in the upper city. In its basement lies such a tunnel that leads directly to the outskirts of Silin town. In terms of efficiency and safety, it's the best option currently available.” Before he could finish speaking, Tia snatched the storage device from his hands. After checking for traps, she activated it with her extraordinary power. With her spiritual force, she quickly located the map Frank mentioned and observed the contents of the ring. It was filled with jewels and wealth, along with a few low-level sealed artifacts emanating faint ripples, as well as various life-saving elixirs and potions. Then, her eyes suddenly brightened as she noticed something that brought unexpected delight. It was a bottle of shimmering silver moonlight essence, a commodity so rare even in the Black Street Market that it was practically priceless. Especially in recent years, the Silent Church had strictly controlled its supply, making it nearly impossible for moonlight essence to appear in the market. To understand its value, consider this simple example: The now-paralyzed Councilor Blake had been unable to obtain a single bottle for treating his injuries, despite his efforts. Of course, how much this involved family infighting is unknown to outsiders, but it does highlight the preciousness of the moonlight essence. If they secured this bottle, his injuries might be healed, right? Unconsciously, Tia found herself thinking of that person still lying sick. A flicker of an unintentional soft smile crossed her face. But this fleeting moment of vulnerability was caught by the kneeling Frank. A glint of malice and wickedness flashed in his eyes instantly. As a dog in the eyes of the powerful, he was acutely aware of his situation. Once failed, someone new would swiftly take his place. More critically, having grown up on the Black Street, as a stray, he wasn't short of the courage to take a desperate gamble. "Kill!!!" In a flash, he mustered a weak surge of extraordinary power, lunging toward the girl in front of him. Yet Tia, who had maintained her vigilance all along, had no intention of allowing this vile creature to come near her. Die. Let it be a tribute to Julie. In the past, she seldom took lives, but now, as Tia stepped up, she found she bore no mental burden for the inevitable act. In an instant, the power of moonlight flashed, and Frank's body, which had just begun to move, froze in place. A thin line of blood appeared at his throat. It slowly widened, and blood began to spurt out. A gurgling sound escaped his throat. Although his windpipe had been slashed, at the brink of death, there was neither terror nor despair on Frank's face, as if everything before was just an act. On the contrary, he seemed to wear a sly grin, a sign that his plan had succeeded. Something's wrong! A sharp warning struck Tia's heart. However, having just used her extraordinary power against Frank, she found herself in a fleeting yet unavoidable moment of vulnerability, like the descent in a roller coaster, before she could rally her strength again. In other words, for a brief 0.5-second window, she couldn't activate her defenses a second time so frequently. Frank had counted on this, using his life as bait to lure a hidden assassin into making a final deadly strike! "Swish—" A sharp, pale purple dagger darted towards Tia. "Thud—" Blood splattered in the air. "Father, we've detected signs of an extraordinary individual, possibly related to the church, battling near the Black Street Market in the northern district, estimated to be of at least third rank in power!" In the Samuel Cathedral of the lower city's northern district, a cleric hurriedly reported. As one of the first division churches established by the Silent Church in the lower city, Father Andrew, who managed this area, immediately adopted a grave expression. Considering the significant event that occurred within the church earlier today, it was hard for him not to connect this with the long-missing Saint. "Organize a team immediately to head to the Black Street Market and find out what's happening… No, I will lead the team myself, right away!!!" Saying this, he removed the goddess pendant from his neck, straightened his white clerical robes, and quickly walked out of the cathedral. But just then, a young woman with a somewhat anxious expression entered the church. "Sorry, we are not open for prayers at this time, and the confession room is also temporarily unavailable. Could you come back another time?" The clerics stopped the woman who appeared to be a follower. On a usual day, a new follower in the chaotic and economically depressed northern district would've been a cause for joy. However, right now, there were more pressing matters at hand. Father Andrew glanced at her briefly without breaking stride, ready to head out. After all, this matter would determine whether he could advance within the church over the next three years to obtain a higher ecclesiastical position. But before he could step out, the nervous young woman suddenly spoke up, "I-I'm here to report a crime!" The cleric sighed, "Lady, this is a church, not the police station. To report a crime, you should—" "But—Miss Tia Juhesti asked me to report at the nearest Silent Church!" The lady raised her voice slightly. In that moment, Father Andrew halted abruptly, turning back with shock, "What did you say?!" As if realizing the gravity of the message, he quickly approached the woman, taking a deep breath and speaking in the gentlest tone possible, "Please, tell me everything you know." "Rest assured, this is the church. No one will harm you, and your safety will be guaranteed like never before." Hearing this, the woman paused briefly, then visibly relaxed, "That's… that's good. Here's the situation: I'm a waitress at the Blue Tint Hotel three blocks from here, at 19 Gusslow Street, usually responsible for cleaning guest rooms." "But earlier, as one guest who recently checked in took away their meal tray, I noticed a note hidden under it with the words 'Help me' written." "Out of curiosity, after the guest left the room, I sneaked in and saw a young lady, looking as if she had been kidnapped, tied up in the room. Upon seeing me, she—" The waitress spoke quickly, with much of what she said vague and full of suspicious details. Yet to Father Andrew and all the clergy present, these doubts could be readily justified with various reasons and excuses. Or perhaps this version of events seemed more credible— The nuns who survived the old factory were misled by the demon named Lynn Bartleon using wicked methods, leading them to falsely recount events that didn't actually occur? Was the Saint actually the real victim, abducted and fighting desperately, yet ultimately failing and gravely injured? Had she never ceased to resist, nor surrendered to evil forces for even a moment? Had it all been a misunderstanding by the church and the world? This realization— The mere thought of the Saint being tormented by the villain infamous for killing a prince ignited fury within Father Andrew. Lynn Bartleon, the Silent Church will not stand by!!! With this resolved, he offered a grateful smile to the waitress, then promptly altered his orders. "Everyone, move out immediately. Together with me, head to the Blue Tint Hotel, and ensure the rescue of the Saint!!!" "Yes!!!" Instantly, Samuel Cathedral was bustling with clergy, preparing for the potential battle to follow. Observing the scene, the waitress suddenly shivered from head to toe, as if snapping from a trance induced by a falsehood. Recalling the bespectacled boy's eerie red eyes from the afternoon, she felt a chill creep over her. She couldn't shake the feeling of being dragged into trouble. Although she was well aware that her report didn't match the actual circumstances within the room, everything was orchestrated and manipulated by the boy. But at this point, she didn't want to reveal the truth, fearing unforeseen complications. Thus, after excusing herself from the clergy, she hurried away. Returning discreetly to the hotel, Tia stood at the doorway of the room but resisted the immediate urge to enter. She took a small mirror from her pocket and used the flickering hallway light to inspect her appearance. Pale from blood loss, her face was that of someone who had endured fatigue. Apart from the sickly pallor, nothing was out of the ordinary. Yet, the wound on her shoulder sent sharp pangs of pain, causing her brow to crease slightly, portraying an endearing fragility. The knife in the Black Street Market had been too close, even though Tia had managed to dodge in time. Nevertheless, it left a significant gash on her shoulder. Unfortunately, amid that dire scene, she hadn't been able to capture the assassin for interrogation. She fled the market before the official extraordinary individuals arrived, entrusting a proper burial for Julie to others. Additionally, that dagger appeared to be some sort of uniquely effective sealed artifact. No matter the treatment afterward, the wound refused to heal, exuding a faint stench of decay. If the curse it carried wasn't removed quickly, it could prove deadly. For now, she could only deploy her extraordinary power to suppress its effects. Fortunately, healing this injury wasn't a difficult matter; it would only require the moonlight essence from Frank's storage device. Yet even as this thought emerged, Tia swiftly dismissed it. She squeezed the bottle containing the moonlight essence in her pocket, an involuntary smile gracing her lips. She could almost foresee his surprise and happiness when she would calmly hand over the elixir as if it were a casual gesture. But the next moment, staring at herself softly smiling in the mirror caught Tia off guard. Breathing deeply, she lifted her uninjured hand to rub at her eyes, attempting to erase the gentle expression and restore her usual calm demeanor. After ensuring once more that her reflection bore the expected indifference, Tia finally relaxed, grasped the cold brass handle, and slowly opened the door.