Chapter 62: Villainess Princess × Slave (25)

The next morning, the bright sunlight filtered through the delicate curtains of the grand bedchamber.

Lyra slowly fluttered her dark eyelashes open, groaning softly as she stretched her arms. However, the very second her vision cleared, she was met with a pair of sparkling eyes staring straight down at her face from just inches away!

"Ah..." Lyra gasped in a quiet daze, her heart skipping a beat.

The girl standing over her bed had glowing skin, golden hair bathed in morning light, and an angelic, breathtaking smile.

Did I die in my sleep...? Lyra thought blankly, her mind still half-asleep. Is this an angel sent to take my soul to heaven...?

"Good morning, Your Imperial Highness!" the angel chimed in a sweet, melodic voice, clasping her hands together in pure delight. "Would you like me to help you wake up and dress for the day?"

Lyra snapped out of her daze instantly as her modern consciousness kicked back in!

She blinked frantically, realizing that the "angel" standing beside her satin pillows was none other than Mabel- the Female Lead! Mabel was dressed in a neat, crisp light grey maid uniform, looking extraordinarily adorable and radiant.

Ding!

A glowing red notification screen popped up right before Lyra’s eyes!

[ URGENT DAILY PLOT EVENT UNLOCKED! ]

MISSION: Make the Female Lead do all your tedious morning chores!

MANDATORY TASK: Harshly criticize her work, yell at her incompetence, and throw a tantrum to crush her self-esteem!

REWARD: +50 Plot Points!

Bruh... I didn’t even wake up fully yet! Lyra groaned internally, rubbing her burning temples. Why does the villainess grind start at seven in the morning?!

[ Host, do it now! ] the System urged, floating nervously. [ Show her no mercy! ]

Lyra sat up on her mattress, forcing her soft face into a heartless scowl. She pointed her finger at Mabel and barked, "You! What are you standing there gawking at?! Fetch my wash basin! Prepare the warm rose water! And don’t you dare spill a single drop, you useless girl!"

"Yes, Your Highness! Right away!" Mabel responded enthusiastically, curtsying with a bright, joyful beam.

Over the next hour, Lyra did everything in her power to act like a demanding, impossible monster. She ordered Mabel to comb her tangled dark hair, select her royal gown, polish her boots, and pour her morning tea. Every time Mabel finished a task, Lyra would sneer and try to find a flaw to yell at her.

"Tsk! This tea is too sweet!" Lyra snapped, slamming the cup onto the tray.

"I am so sorry, Your Highness! I will brew a fresh cup with less honey immediately!" Mabel replied happily, bowing deeply without an ounce of resentment.

"This hair ribbon is tied crookedly!" Lyra barked, glaring at the reflection in the mirror.

"You are completely right, Your Highness! My hands were unworthy! Let me re-tie it with absolute perfection!" Mabel sang out, her eyes shining with happiness as she delicately fixed the silk ribbon.

No matter how hard Lyra tried to criticize her, Mabel executed every single task with flawless, grace! Instead of crying or feeling hurt, Mabel looked like she was having the absolute time of her life being bossed around by her favorite princess!

What is wrong with her?! Lyra wailed in pure mental exhaustion, slumping into a plush chair near the window while Mabel quietly began tidying the massive bed. Why isn’t she breaking down?! Why is she enjoying this?!

Lyra let out a tired sigh, looking around the quiet bedchamber. Her dark eyes scanned the doorway, the curtains, and the balcony.

"Wait..." Lyra muttered, her eyebrows knitting together. She turned her head toward a head maid standing by the door. "Where is that filthy slave?"

The head maid bowed hastily. "Replying to Your Highness... Cassian was summoned to the Crown Prince’s private quarters early this morning."

Lyra’s eyebrows furrowed. A sudden, uncomfortable pit formed in her stomach.

Summoned to Julian’s quarters?! Lyra panicked, sitting up straight. System! What is going on?! Why did Julian summon him?!

[ Host, I don’t know either! ] the System shrieked, its blue screen flashing yellow in confusion. [ Wait! Let me check the original world script! ...Ah! It is mentioned in the plot that Prince Julian will summon Cassian to provoke him! In the original storyline, Julian insults Cassian’s fallen kingdom, provoking Cassian into fighting back. Then Julian uses that as an excuse to beat him bloody and throw him back into the dark dungeons! ]

Lyra’s heart dropped into her shoes. "Wait! But that plot isn’t supposed to happen right now! Isn’t that supposed to happen weeks later, after Julian comes back from the northern war?!"

[ YES! ] the System screamed. [ The timeline is shifting because of your falling hatred metrics! Julian is extremely pissed off after yesterday’s banquet! ]

Lyra’s face turned ghostly pale. Without wasting another second, she pushed herself up from the chair.

"Lead me to the Crown Prince’s quarters right now!" Lyra commanded loudly, her voice trembling slightly.

"Y-Yes, Your Highness!" the maids bowed in surprise, quickly stepping ahead to guide her, while Mabel quietly followed right behind her princess, her face filled with quiet concern.

Meanwhile, inside the grand, gloomy training chamber of the Crown Prince’s quarters...

Heavy weapons lined the dark stone walls, and the high windows let in only dim sunlight.

Cassian stood motionless in the center of the cold stone floor. He wore his simple dark guard tunic, his arms resting at his sides.

A few feet away, Crown Prince Julian stood holding a riding whip. A dark smirk was plastered across Julian’s handsome face as his amber eyes swept over Cassian’s tall, muscular frame.

"It seems like my dear sister is treating you- a lowly, dirty slave quite well lately, hm?" Julian drawled smoothly, stepping closer with slow strides.

Cassian kept his pitch-black eyes fixed straight ahead, remaining completely silent.

Julian snickered, a dark, sinister chuckle echoing through the empty hall. He stopped right in front of Cassian, leaning in close with pure malice in his gaze.

"Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, slave," Julian whispered maliciously.

Suddenly, without any warning, Julian brought his heavy boot down hard, kicking the side of Cassian’s knee with a force!

BANG!

The sheer impact forced Cassian down onto one knee against the hard cobblestones. Yet, despite the sudden pain, Cassian’s posture remained rigid, his dark face completely calm, silent, and emotionless.

Seeing no reaction, and no pathetic plea for mercy, Julian became instantly pissed! His charming mask shattered, his jaw clenching as his amber eyes burned with dark fury.

"What?" Julian sneered, raising his whip and pressing the handle roughly under Cassian’s chin, forcing his head up. "Are you trying to seduce my royal sister? Trying to use your pretty face to climb out of the mud... just like your pathetic, whore of a mother seduced your father before our army slaughtered your kingdom?"

The moment those vile words left Julian’s mouth-

Cassian’s pitch-black eyes turned deathly, terrifyingly cold.

A suffocating, and icy dark aura exploded from Cassian’s broad frame like a dormant volcano erupting! The surrounding temperature in the stone room plummeted instantly. Deep within his pitch-black eyes, a murderous intent flared with terrifying intensity.

Julian’s breath hitched. He instinctively froze, a sudden spike of primal terror shooting through his veins as he stared into Cassian’s murderous, gloomy eyes. For a split second, Julian felt as if a giant, ancient shadow monster was standing over him, ready to snap his neck in half.

This slave... Julian thought, his hand trembling slightly on the whip. His aura...!

Cassian’s fingers twitched at his side. His muscles coile. He was less than a second away from unsheathing his hidden blade, ripping Julian’s heart straight out of his chest, and painting the stone walls red with the Crown Prince’s blood

However-

Just as Cassian was about to strike-

Tap... tap... tap...

The faint, hurried sound of light footsteps echoed down the long stone corridor outside the hall.

Cassian’s sharp ears caught the familiar, soft rhythm of those footsteps instantly.

Lyra...

In a fraction of a second, the murderous aura surrounding Cassian vanished completely without a trace. His pitch-black eyes lost their deadly glint, returning to a dull, helpless, and stoic blankness.

Instead of ripping Julian’s throat out, Cassian stayed completely still on one knee, deliberately letting Julian’s next violent strike land directly across his face

WHACK!

The sharp metal tip of the whip slashed viciously across Cassian’s cheek

A deep, bloody scratch burst open across his sharp jawline. Crimson blood welled up instantly, trickling down his pale skin and dripping onto his collar.

"Imperial Brother!" a frantic, clear voice suddenly shrieked from the heavy archway

Lyra burst into the stone chamber, her dark eyes wide with utter shock and horror! Mabel and the maids hurried in right behind her.

The scene before her eyes made Lyra’s soul freeze in panic.

Julian was standing arrogantly with a bloody whip in his hand, while Cassian was kneeling on the cold floor, blood dripping down his bruised, cut face, his head lowered in silent submission.

Lyra stared at Cassian in absolute disbelief!

WHAT IS THIS?! Lyra screamed frantically inside her mind, her hands clutching her head internally as her soul rolled around in madness. WHY ISN’T CASSIAN DEFENDING HIMSELF?! HE IS THE OVERPOWERED MALE LEAD! HE COULD EASILY WIPE THE FLOOR WITH JULIAN IN A SECOND! WHY IS HE JUST SITTING THERE LETTING JULIAN RUIN HIS HANDSOME FACE?!

[ HOST! ] the System panicked, yellow warning lights flashing everywhere. [ JULIAN IS GOING TO PERMANENTLY DISFIGURE THE MALE LEAD IF THIS CONTINUES! INTERVENE NOW! ]

Julian turned his head toward Lyra, a sweet, fake smile instantly returning to his lips as he casually wiped the blood off his whip.

"Ah, my dear sister," Julian purred softly, his amber eyes glinting with amusement. "You arrived just in time. I was simply teaching your personal slave a little lesson in obedience."

Julian raised the whip high in the air once again, aiming directly for Cassian’s pitch-black, unblinking eyes!