Chapter 217: Brother Sia, I'm Sorry - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

The cold moonlight poured over the expansive women's dormitory, illuminating every detail of the soft and luxurious carpet. At this moment, beneath a petite, delicate foot clad in a stocking, a black-haired boy lay unconscious in front of Shirina, completely at peace. His disheveled and bedraggled appearance suggested that he had been through a rough patch recently, with a pale complexion and a conspicuous bruise on his forehead. Compared to the notorious fugitive wanted by the entire city, the boy before her seemed more like a small-time thief who had missed the mark. Perhaps it was because of his strikingly handsome features and the serene aura he exuded that made him appear entirely non-threatening. Yet Shirina was not the type to be swayed by appearances. Recognizing his identity, she instinctively took two steps back, watching the boy in front of her as if he were a formidable enemy. Why is it him?! Shirina's heartbeat quickened slightly. The entire Glostine was hunting this boy, and yet he inexplicably appeared in her room. Could it be a coincidence? Or perhaps... Remembering her father's instructions from that night, she fell silent. As the eldest princess, her first instinct was to bind him and deliver him to the Eloht Palace, as this was someone Sixth St. Roland wanted. Capturing him before other factions would not only be a significant achievement but would also silence the noble factions. With this thought, Shirina's expression grew stern, and she lightly tapped his chin with her toe. After confirming that he had indeed lost the ability to act, she leaned down slightly to check his breathing. It seemed he had hit the corner of a table while sneaking into her room, causing him to fall into a coma. It was oddly amusing that the notorious killer who had toyed with the entire imperial capital would be caught in such an absurd way. Shirina pursed her lips. However, considering the situation, it seemed he wasn't wandering aimlessly but had a clear purpose. Looking for me? Does he think I look kind-hearted and would extend a helping hand in such circumstances? Shirina felt it was absurd. Although she often projected an aura of compassion and benevolence, she had no sympathy for the villain who killed her brother Joshua. As she was contemplating this, the anxious inquiry of the maids came from outside the door: "Your Highness, are you all right?" Perhaps they had heard her earlier exclamation, prompting the maids nearby to gather promptly. "I'm fine, you should..." She meant to say, "Come in and tie this guy up," but before she could finish, the unconscious boy's lips moved slightly. Then a faint murmur reached Shirina's ears. "I will definitely save you all." Shirina was taken aback. Who does "you all" refer to? Was it the third princess Yveth he served, or someone else? And why would such soft words come from a person accused of serial murders? Such a heinous criminal should be colder and more ruthless. The word "save" was utterly out of character. During their first encounter at the transmutation matrix, she had already seen through the troublesome nature of the boy before her. Indeed, the subsequent weeks' events revolving around him confirmed her judgment. Yet now, she couldn't help but hesitate. Meanwhile, the scene from that night flashed in her mind. To this day, she occasionally recalled how he used mysterious methods to erase the extraordinary power outburst, like a magician's trick. This action indirectly saved fifteen innocent lives. Was it unintentional, or was there kindness in his heart? If it was the former, there wasn't much to say. But what if it was the latter? From the beginning, Shirina had felt there was a layer of darkness shrouding over Glostine. Though everyone said Lynn Bartoleon was the culprit behind the assimilation cases, that was undoubtedly information provided by the empire's council and factions like the Mosgra family. Believing them without question would be outright foolish. Judging by time and distance, the boy before her had no opportunity to commit the crimes. Unless he possessed a means of translocation beyond the military's capacity, enabling him to travel between Orne City and Glostine instantaneously. But that was unrealistic. Moreover, according to the nuns who survived the silent church incident, not only did he prevent a demon's arrival, but he was also later taken away by Tia, causing an unprecedented blunder. Previously preoccupied with the Hermeneus mausoleum, she hadn't analyzed this case carefully. Reflecting now, every aspect was rife with suspicion. Moreover, her father's repeated insistence on "sparing his life" was certainly noteworthy. It seemed she couldn't just hand him over so easily. At the very least, she needed to uncover the entire truth. "Your Highness? Can we come in?" The maids outside continued to express their concern, followed by the sound of a turning doorknob. Shirina snapped back to attention, gazing at the black-haired youth unconscious on the ground: "No, you all stay outside." "Nothing happened here at all." Tia was uncertain what expression or mindset she held as she returned to the church. Along the way, she ignored all the greetings from the nuns and returned to her room, accompanied by Louise. Perhaps I was wrong. Rather than revealing the truth, it might be better to concoct a complete lie, using harsh reality to deceive her. Louise looked at Tia's vacant expression with concern and sighed softly. In her heart, a sliver of blame toward Lynn emerged. Although it seems harsh to say, why did he have to let things reach this point? Any woman would struggle to remain neutral upon seeing him like that. "I'll head back, Tia. The Moonlight Rite is in two days; you'll...need to adjust your mindset." Louise softly urged from the doorway. Though the Moonlight Rite was undoubtedly important, she truly hoped her dear friend could quickly emerge from her blue mood. Seeing Tia with her head bowed in silence, Louise wasn't sure what to say, only reaching to touch her face gently before turning to leave. "Is the Moonlight Rite really that significant?" She hadn't taken many steps when a mosquito-like voice came from behind. Louise halted immediately. She took a deep breath, nervously glancing around to ensure no one was present in the monastery before exhaling softly. She then turned to look at Tia with a serious expression. It was the first time, in all the time she'd known her, that she'd heard Tia question the church. "I won't speak of this to anyone, Tia," Louise stated earnestly. “You must be exhausted, which is why your thoughts are racing. Go back to bed.” "Sorry, Louise." Realizing her earlier lapse, Tia inhaled deeply and forced a smile. After seeing her friend off, she slowly closed the room's door, leaning against it as if she wanted to shed all her burdens: the responsibilities of a saint, her tumultuous emotions, uncertainties about the future... With a faint sound, Tia's back slid down the door until she sat by the entrance, hugging her knees and burying her face. "Why?" After a long silence, she softly spoke. It was as if she was addressing a bothersome person not with her or questioning herself. Reflecting a bit deeper, even during their time on the run, they never truly sat down to communicate face-to-face due to their conflicted positions. The only time he seemed to show interest was during breakfast that day when he inquired about the Moonlight Rite concerning her. But she had curtly dismissed him then. In hindsight, she regretted it deeply. From the beginning, Tia never understood what Lynn really wanted. Clearly, their relationship was improving. Clearly, it wouldn't be long before she could send him safely out of Glostine. Clearly, all she needed to do was maintain those lies. There was no need to reveal the truth. She could let him live within that illusion until the day they went their separate ways. Yet, he chose not to do so, cruelly and indifferently tearing apart the bubble that surrounded her. She thought seeing his true colors would enable her to set boundaries and possibly become adversaries. Yet, in the end, he silently took on all blame. If it wasn't for Louise informing her, she might have been deceived by the church for the rest of her life. What was he really thinking? Tia didn't know. People are inherently difficult to understand one another. But there was something that concerned her. The question she had posed to Louise stemmed from the confusion in her heart. The man who had saved her countless times was still being persecuted by the nobles and the council; even the public was misled into branding him as a villain worthy of scorn. She didn’t know what others were thinking. But the teachings she had received since childhood told her she couldn’t be indifferent. Yet, the Silent Church, which knew the truth from that night, never intended to vindicate him. They simply allowed the empire’s council and numerous nobles to slander the boy. This caused Tia to question the worldview and values she'd held onto. What should I do? Tia stayed leaning against her bedroom door well into the night, not moving at all. Her mind was tangled, with an impulsive desire deep down, yet she couldn’t bring herself to act on it. *Knock, knock, knock—* Suddenly, a gentle knock at the door startled Tia out of her muddled and struggling thoughts. She instinctively looked up. "Tia, it’s me." The familiar voice came from outside. Sia? Tia panicked. She stood up cautiously, holding her breath, trying to remain silent as she listened intently for any sounds outside. She never expected him to show up now. Previously, she kept herself busy with many things, distracting herself from contemplating her and Sia’s relationship. Yet now, his presence forced the issue to the forefront. To be honest, ever since that night when she helped Lynn vent his desires with her hand, Tia hadn’t considered herself worthy of Sia anymore. In the relatively conservative Saint Roland Empire, pledging one’s feelings meant lifelong fidelity, with no betrayal. This was also a tenet mentioned in the teachings of the Lunar Goddess. And for Tia, losing her purity meant breaking those vows and promises. So, facing Sia again brought feelings of guilt. "Tia, I have good hearing, so I know you're in there... You may not want to see me right now, but that's okay. You don’t need to open the door. I’ll just say a few words and go." Sia said from the doorway. Normally, Tia might have opened the door to welcome Sia in. But at this moment, she simply pressed her lips together, a hint of sadness in her eyes, with no intention of opening the door. After a moment, Sia began to speak. "In those terrible days when you were taken by that damn beast, you must have been very scared? I’m sorry I couldn’t reach you in time and prevent all of this." He wasn’t a damn beast, and I wasn’t scared... Tia reflexively countered in her mind. However, Sia was unaware of her thoughts, continuing, "Regardless, I promise you, no more than three days from now, I will personally capture him and hang him at the gallows to avenge you." Why is even Sia so convinced that he's the culprit? Have none of you the basic ability to discern right from wrong?! Or are you all just looking to pin everything on him? Recalling those officials who perished in the fire, it's evident that a hidden hand is trying to erase traces of Bhershumann and link the assimilation events to Lynn Bartoleon entirely. An inexplicable anger surged, prompting Tia to clench her fists. But she wasn’t ready to confront Sia directly. In this situation, she could only remain silent. Though only a door separated them, it wasn’t opened, which made Sia clench his fists instinctively. Before coming, he had already lost his composure in anger multiple times. Ultimately, Shirina ordered him, in a superior tone, forbidding him to visit Tia before the Moonlight Rite. Yet he came anyway. He thought he had calmed down, suppressing the turmoil about "what happened during her disappearance," but when he heard her quickened heartbeat, all sorts of emotions surged in him. Doubt, frustration, distress, anger, sorrow... He clenched his fist, trying to keep his voice as gentle as ever. "Tia, do you remember the promise we made?" A promise? Tia was momentarily stunned, and after a few seconds, she realized what he meant. He was referring to the promise after the Moonlight Rite. She had once promised him that after beseeching the goddess to lift the curse on her, she would offer him her most cherished possession as proof of their love. Realizing this, an unbearable chill swept over her entire body. How could this be? Am I feeling nauseated by Sia’s request? Tia bit her lip, feeling numb. If the pre-curse Tia overcame her male aversion to love him, the breaking of that facade now revealed her truest reaction. Maybe it was all due to the curse, or perhaps it was pure disappointment in Sia. No matter how one sugarcoats it, dislike is dislike. Tia remained silent, taking a deep breath. Sia, outside the door, soon heard a familiar gentle voice. His face showed a hint of delight. But after hearing her words clearly, he was left dumbfounded, his expression growing rigid. "Sia, I’m sorry, but let's not bring this up again."