Chapter 126

“Chapter 126: Your Highness, I’ve Seen Your Future Self.”

When Lynn woke up from his drowsy slumber, he felt a familiar scent of roses lingering at the tip of his nose.

And there was a vague, chilly wetness remaining on his chest.

It seemed a woman was leaning over him, doing who knows what.

Lynn let out a silent sigh in his heart.

Who would have thought that the master of ideas like himself would meet the perverted Ivyst and end up at a loss?

Though the shackles on his neck were removed, he found himself in a far worse predicament.

Feeling his limbs incapacitated, as well as his eyes and mouth blocked by strange fabric that emitted a familiar scent, Lynn gave up thinking.

Clearly, upon realizing he had amnesia, that woman had gotten even worse.

She treated him like a dog, keeping him by her side like a pet.

After a moment, Lynn suddenly felt the fabric blocking his mouth loosen, as if he could speak again.

Oh?

What a chance!

“Your Highness, I actually think that, well, memory doesn’t need to be perfect,” he spoke hurriedly, afraid she might block his mouth again. “Don’t dwell on the past, focus on the present. There are so many wonderful things waiting for you in the future.”

However, the woman didn’t seem to heed his words, just gently caressing his face.

“Good puppy, it’s time to eat.”

As the sound of a plate clattering reached him, Lynn faintly smelled the aroma of food.

A moment later, the woman’s soft lips touched his.

Then, chewed food was transferred to his mouth.

What the hell.

This woman is truly insane.

Feeling the intimate contact devoid of any desire or affection, Lynn muttered to himself.

Undeterred, he instinctively swallowed the food and mumbled, “By the way, Your Highness, don’t you care about the royal selection? The autumn hunt is coming soon. If you don’t return to the Imperial Capital quickly, I fear—”

Before he could finish, the woman’s sweet-scented lips pressed against him again.

Gulp!

Lynn swallowed the soup in his mouth.

Damn it.

Bribed with gourmet food.

You think I can just gulp it down like that?

In some bizarre atmosphere of silence, the woman fed him all the food on the plate.

What a pervert.

Feeling his stomach swell, Lynn critically thought.

If it were any other woman treating him like this, he’d probably puke it out due to his obsessive cleanliness.

But this one was Ivyst.

The childhood version of the Witch Miss.

Ugh.

Thinking about it, in front of the Sorceress of the End, Ivyst was a total undeveloped little girl in terms of age, power, or any aspect.

Wait a minute! I almost forgot the important stuff!

“Your Highness, we are currently at a critical stage of the first phase of the royal selection.” Lynn could think of nothing to change this woman, so he had to trigger her deepest obsession. “Even though you’ve escaped the negative situation, you still face risks.”

“But if you have your subordinates’ help, once we return to the Imperial Capital, within just a month—mark my words—I swear with my life, that you will definitely escape being in last place!”

“You really are different from before!” He abruptly heard some rustling noises beside him but continued persuading. “With Duke’s support and the gains from this trip to Orlen City, the Emperor will definitely reward you when we return!”

The rustling didn’t stop and he could faintly hear the sound of the woman’s bare feet on the ground.

“Execution Night! My guess is, there’s an 80% chance the Emperor will hand over the Execution Night organization for you to manage!”

“That is the largest violent organization operating in the gray areas of the Empire!!!”

“With such a force helping you, you’ll no longer be the former third princess without connections, but a hot competitor in this royal selection!!!”

Relying on his foresight of the plot, Lynn decided to drop a bomb.

He didn’t want to be trapped by this woman for the rest of his life!

Even though lying in bed all day like this, having beautiful sisters take care of everything—eating, drinking, and relieving himself—while enjoying gourmet food.

But that wasn’t what he wanted!

Lynn breathed heavily, silently thinking.

“Are you done talking?”

The woman seemed to stop rustling, asking softly.

“I’m done.”

Lynn gritted his teeth.

Based on the original plot and Ivyst’s character, after his elaborate pie-in-the-sky analysis, she should be totally captivated by now.

But from her calm tone, Lynn felt a bad premonition creeping in.

“Did you remember anything about your master today?”

Her voice was very gentle.

“No.”

“In that case, let’s go to sleep.” Upon saying this, the woman slowly leaned closer, stuffing a warm bundle of fabric into his mouth. “This is newly changed today.”

“You love it, don’t you?”

Damn it.

This woman won’t budge!

Hearing the sound of the woman pushing the wheelchair away, Lynn felt unbearable rage.

But sensing the faint rose scent from the fabric, despite being angry, he slowly reined it in.

Meanwhile, he tried to shift his focus.

No wonder she’s a Sixth Stage Half-Divine, having an extraordinary life level, and doesn’t need to metabolize like normal people, that’s why it tastes nice.

It’s not because he’s weird, it’s just his character.

What’s that saying?

Life is like whatever; since you can’t fight it, just enjoy it.

For the next several days, Lynn was kept in bed like a pet, receiving care from Ivyst.

During this time, he tried to resist or curse her out.

Once, while enjoying gourmet food, he even bit down on Ivyst’s tongue, wanting to aggravate her.

To his surprise, she simply patted his head and said nothing, cleaning up, and left.

Lynn felt very confused.

To be honest, he had no idea what Ivyst had been through these days.

But from her unusually gentle demeanor lately, Lynn vaguely sensed a shift in her mindset.

It was hard to tell if the change was good or bad.

At this point, he had no clue what this woman truly wanted to do.

Was it merely to make him remember everything that happened between them?

But that was like math, not easily recalled just by effort; it wouldn’t come back just through striving and enlightenment.

Right now, he had no better method.

He could only leave everything to time.

If he couldn’t return to the Imperial Capital before the autumn hunt, he would undoubtedly miss a critical plot point, making him very regretful, and everyone’s situation would become increasingly disadvantageous.

But while his heart was subtly anxious, Lynn understood that Ivyst’s issue was the most serious one currently.

If the hidden dangers weren’t completely resolved, it would eventually blow up in the future.

Time continued to pass.

How long had it been since then?

Four days? Five days? Or even longer?

Lynn wasn’t sure.

After all, he had been bound in bed, unable to move, completely losing track of time.

Normal people would have probably gone crazy by now.

Only he could entertain himself all day, immersed in a fantasy world, barely holding on.

However, even so, Lynn felt as if he were a tightly stretched string, close to a breaking point.

He thought these dull and tedious days would continue endlessly.

Unexpectedly, that afternoon, a turning point suddenly emerged.

“Bad, bad guy?”

Along with a familiar voice ringing in his ears, Lynn suddenly felt something furry nudge against him.

How did she end up here?

Lynn was a bit surprised but still moved his body.

After Afia took the cloth from his mouth, Lynn took a few deep breaths and asked, “What are you doing here?”

He felt quite embarrassed about his current state and didn’t want anyone around to see it.

But Afia wasn’t dismissive; instead, she gently licked his cheek with her tongue.

“I’m here to let you go!”

The little black cat whispered in his ear.

Then, she grabbed a set of cool keys and made her way to Lynn’s right hand shackle, fumbling around for a bit before finally managing to unlock it.

Feeling the freedom of his right hand return, Lynn almost cried out.

Having maintained the same position for so many days, his shoulders and wrists were already stiff, and he grimaced as he stretched his joints. Just as Afia was about to unlock the three remaining shackles binding him, she suddenly felt a gentle pat on her head.

“I appreciate your good intentions.” Lynn’s voice was a bit hoarse. “But if you let me go just like this, the princess will definitely punish you severely afterward.”

From what he knew of Ivyst, even if Afia was her dear pet, she’d still get a good talking to.

Upon hearing this, Afia’s eyes flickered with a hint of repression: “But you’ll go crazy being locked up here forever!”

“Don’t worry, I’m not that fragile yet,” Lynn replied slowly. “But there is indeed something I need your help with.”

“Put the unlocked shackle back on me without locking it, so I can move freely whenever.”

“And besides…”

A whisper followed, and Afia’s eyes widened.

“Is that really okay?”

She hesitated to ask.

“I don’t know.” Lynn stretched his stiff right joints. “But it’s the only method we have right now.”

In truth, that wasn’t entirely accurate.

If this method didn’t work, he’d have no choice but to resort to the last option.

Even Lynn had no idea what would happen if he had to choose that path in despair.

He silently thought, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

“Time for dinner!”

That evening, accompanied by Ivyst’s gentle voice, the door was slowly pushed open.

However, upon seeing the situation in the room, she froze.

At that moment, instead of lying in bed bound, Lynn had somehow freed his right hand and met her gaze calmly.

“Your Highness, shall we talk?”

Lynn spoke slowly.

“…”

Ivyst silently placed the tray she was holding on the floor.

“The chains are loose,” she said, ignoring Lynn’s intention, as she pushed her wheelchair closer to him, her voice soft. “Don’t be afraid, let your master give you a hug.”

As she spoke, she gently opened her arms, seemingly wanting to comfort him in an embrace.

Seeing this, Lynn let out a slight sigh.

It was evident that at the moment, with the princess in her current state, rational communication was off the table.

Feeling Ivyst’s gentle gaze, he didn’t lean in but slowly opened his right hand, revealing what he was holding.

“Your Highness, please don’t come any closer.” Lynn’s voice suddenly became serious, “As you can see, this is a potion of Water Ghost toxin. A normal person only needs to take a drop to experience cardiac paralysis and die within a minute.”

“If you continue ignoring my words, I won’t hesitate to drink the liquid in this vial.”

As he spoke, he slowly pulled the cork from the bottle and brought it to his lips.

“…”

Ivyst indeed stopped.

But for some reason, a strange light flashed in her crimson eyes.

“You want to die again?”

Ivyst’s tone sounded a bit odd, almost reminiscent of something she had seen before.

But Lynn had no recollection of it.

Hearing Ivyst’s words, an uneasy premonition flashed through Lynn’s heart.

But at this point, he had no other choices available.

“Exactly,” Lynn replied softly. “I’d rather die than be treated like a beast, with no authority over my own eating or toileting.”

Upon hearing his words, Ivyst fell silent for a moment before saying, “That vial should have been secretly given to you by Afia, right?”

“…”

Lynn didn’t answer, only furrowed his brow.

“How could my subordinate do such traitorous deeds? That should be punished.” A flicker flashed through Ivyst’s crimson eyes. “Moreover, why would you think I didn’t notice her doing all this?”

A glimpse of astonishment finally crossed Lynn’s eyes as he looked at the vial he was holding, as if realizing something.

“That bottle in your hand is the antidote.” Ivyst slowly pulled out another bottle from her clothing. “The real Water Ghost toxin essence is in my possession.”

As she spoke, she slowly uncorked the bottle.

“You—”

Lynn’s eyes widened, instinctively trying to raise his hand to stop her.

But since he had only released his right hand from the shackle and the two of them were at a considerable distance, he could only look helplessly as she drank the toxin in one go.

“Cough cough cough…”

In an instant, Ivyst’s complexion turned pale.

“You want to die, but I don’t want you dead.” She said with a light smile. “Since that’s the case, there’s only one way left.”

“What torments you is me; if I die, you’d probably find relief, right?”

At that moment, Ivyst was sitting far away in her wheelchair.

Her pure white hair and bloodless face gave her an aura of fragility.

Yet even so, a faint smile lingered at the corner of her lips as she quietly gazed at him.

“You’re crazy?!”

Lynn struggled to break free from his shackles, but aside from cutting his skin, it was utterly useless.

By rights, with a Sixth Stage Half-Divine physique, he shouldn’t be able to be poisoned by the Water Ghost toxin essence.

But the sheer volume was overwhelming.

Moreover, he didn’t know how much Ivyst’s body had recovered at this point.

Just as Lynn was about to shout for help, he saw Ivyst gently raise her index finger to her lips.

“What’s wrong?” Her pale face bore a mischievous smile. “It seems, you don’t actually wish for me to die?”

“In that case, I’ll hand the power of choice to you.”

As she spoke, she gently tossed him a key.

“Two choices.”

“First, unlock the chains and leave the manor without looking back. Though this would sadden your master, it’s something beyond our control.”

“Second… use the antidote in your hand to save me.” A strange sparkle suddenly flickered in her crimson eyes. “But I want you to come over and feed me with your mouth.”

Ivyst’s slender finger lightly brushed her shimmering lips, whispering.

“…”

Lynn silently stared at the key on the bed, unsure what he was contemplating.

After a moment, he slowly picked up the key and unlocked the shackles from his hands and feet one by one.

In response to Ivyst’s expectant gaze, Lynn jumped off the bed and walked towards her, pouring the liquid into her mouth.

Seeing this, she happily opened her arms, ready to welcome her little puppy into her embrace.

A bit of affectionate interaction between a master and pet can help deepen their bond.

This was knowledge she had learned from books.

Unbeknownst to her, the reception waiting for Ivyst was rather rough.

Lynn grasped her delicate shoulders, pushing her against the chair, then, like a conqueror, firmly lifted her chin.

As an intense entanglement ensued, moments later, Lynn slowly lifted his head, a silvery strand cascading down.

Ivyst’s chest rapidly rose and fell, her breathing slightly uneven.

She looked at him in surprise, seemingly not expecting him to react this way, her delicate white fingers clenched unknowingly.

“You don’t need to resort to such methods to test me.” Lynn gazed at the somewhat dazed Ivyst and gently said, “No matter what, I will not leave your side and will consider your safety as my top priority.”

At that moment, the tightly wound string in Lynn finally snapped.

He had reached a breaking point and could no longer endure everything happening with Ivyst.

“No need to doubt, this is the truth.”

Squatting in front of Ivyst’s wheelchair, Lynn looked up at her.

For some reason, an unprecedented unease surfaced in Ivyst’s heart.

Lynn’s eyes were too calm at that moment, as if a storm were imminent.

What was he going to do?

Feeling Lynn’s gaze, which seemed to lead her to instinctively want to evade, he smiled slightly. “It’s really quite similar.”

“Whether in looks or anything else.”

“Although you’ve never asked where I went after that, as your subordinate, I think it’s necessary to report to you.”

“You—”

Ivyst’s heart raced.

But what filled her chest wasn’t joy, but an inexplicable fear.

“Your Highness,” looking into her crimson eyes, Lynn softly said, “For the month I was missing, I’ve actually been by your side.”

“Just the future you.”

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