Chapter 63: Villainess Princess × Slave (26)

Before the could land on Cassian’s unblinking eyes, Lyra stormed up with speed and caught the sharp metal tip directly in her bare palm!

SLAP!

A collective gasp echoed through the stone chamber as the maids covered their mouths in horror!

Blood immediately seeped through Lyra’s delicate fingers, bright red droplets falling onto the cold stone floor. However, because Lyra had secretly swallowed pain-numbing potion given by the System just minutes ago, she didn’t feel a single drop of pain! Her face remained completely calm, her dark eyes glaring fiercely into Julian’s stunned expression.

Cassian slowly glanced up from the floor, his eyes widening in pure shock.

When his gaze landed on her soft, jade-like palm dripping with red blood- all to protect his face- a suffocating gloominess consumed his entire frame. The dark aura deep within his soul flared once more, his hands clenching fists as a murderous intent toward Julian burned like an inferno inside his chest.

She bled for me... Cassian thought, his heart pounding with an intense rhythm.

Julian hadn’t expected this at all. Shock quickly morphed into bubbling anger as he stared at his sister’s bleeding hand.

"Lyra!" Julian barked, his face twisting in genuine frustration. "How could you hurt your precious hand for this dirty slave?! Are you going against imperial orders now?!"

Lyra raised her head high, holding the whip firmly in her blood-soaked hand without flinching.

"This is my slave!" Lyra declared arrogantly, her clear voice ringing through the damp hall with absolute authority. "He belongs to me! I can do whatever I want with him, bully him, or punish him as I see fit- but no one else in this empire gets to lay a single finger on him!"

The moment the words "he’s mine" echoed through the air, the dark, deathly gloominess in Cassian’s pitch-black eyes vanished instantly. A subtle, hidden smirk curved the corner of his lips in the shadows.

He’s mine... Cassian repeated those words in his mind, a deep, possessive warmth flooding his entire chest.

Ding!

[ METRIC ERROR! CASSIAN DRAVEN’S HATRED METRIC UPDATED! ]

Hatred toward Host: 31% ➔ 24%

Julian glared at her furiously, but seeing the royal blood dripping onto the floor, he couldn’t push further without risking the Emperor’s wrath over Lyra’s safety.

"Tsk! Guard!" Julian ordered harshly, waving his hand in annoyance. "Escort the Princess back to her estate immediately! Summon the Chief Imperial Physician to heal her hand right now, and make sure not a single scar remains on her skin!"

Soon, Mabel rushed forward to support Lyra, gently wrapping a handkerchief around her bleeding palm, while Cassian stood up silently and followed half a step behind them.

The moment they stepped out into the bright morning courtyard, Lyra stopped in her tracks.

Ding!

A bright red notification screen popped up right in front of her nose!

[ URGENT MAIN PLOT EVENT ACTIVATED! ]

OBJECTIVE: Order the Female Lead (Mabel) to treat the Male Lead’s (Cassian) bloody facial wound!

INTENT: Force romantic closeness between the Male Lead and Female Lead so they can slowly fall in love, as intended by the original script!

REWARD: +100 Plot Points!

Lyra nodded internally, her dark eyes sparkling with newfound hope. Finally! A proper romantic trope! If Mabel heals his face, he will definitely fall for her soft, gentle touch!

Lyra spun around, putting on her absolute best villainess sneer as she pointed her uninjured finger straight at Cassian’s face.

"You dirty slave!" Lyra barked arrogantly, her voice full of theatrical anger. "How dare you let your pretty face get hurt like that?! You are my property, and I refuse to look at an ugly, disfigured monster!"

She then turned her head toward Mabel, flicking her wrist disdainfully.

"You!" Lyra commanded Mabel. "Take him to his courtyard and treat his facial wound right now! I better see his face looking the exact same as before! If there is a single scar left on him, I will have your head!"

Cassian’s pitch-black eyes glinted subtly upon hearing her harsh words. Instead of looking angry, he lowered his head slightly, his raspy voice dropping into a soft, obedient murmur.

"I apologize for displeasing Your Highness with my appearance..." Cassian murmured smoothly.

Mabel bowed hastily. "I will treat him immediately, Your Highness!"

Mabel gently guided Cassian toward the guard’s courtyard. As Cassian walked away, he paused for a brief second, casting one last glance back at Lyra’s blood-stained hand, his dark eyes swirling with an intense emotion.

Meanwhile, Lyra slumped onto a plush bench in the palace garden while a team of royal physicians carefully applied soothing ointments to her hand.

Once the physicians bowed and left, Lyra clutched her head in utter despair, letting out a massive, pathetic groan.

"System... what on earth shall we do?!" Lyra wailed frantically in her mind, her soul rolling around on the floor in madness. "His hatred keeps dropping every single day! I caught a whip for him and now his hatred dropped down to twenty-four percent! AT THIS RATE, HE’S GOING TO PROPOSE TO ME INSTEAD OF EXECUTING ME!"

[ System sighs softly... ] The glowing blue screen floated before her, displaying a tired, defeated face icon.

[ Host, we have no choice left! ] the System chimed, shaking its digital head. [ Since he isn’t reacting to your villainous acts, we MUST make him fall in love with Mabel first! Once he falls head over heels for the Female Lead, tormenting and bullying Mabel will actually work to drive his hatred up to one hundred percent! ]

Lyra let out a deep, heavy sigh, resting her chin in her hands. "Guess you’re right... If he falls for Mabel, his protective instincts will kick in, and he’ll hate me for bullying his girl. This medicine scene has to work!"

Over in the quiet, shaded guard courtyard...

Cassian sat calmly on a wooden bench. Mabel stood before him with a silver tray of bandages, rubbing alcohol, and soothing green herbal ointments.

"Please hold still, Cassian," Mabel said softly, dipping a cotton ball into the stinging alcohol. "This might hurt a little."

She reached out, gently pressing the cotton ball against the bloody whip scratch on his jawline.

STING!

Cassian didn’t even blink. His dark, sculpted face remained completely motionless, His mind wasn’t on the pain at all- his thoughts were entirely filled with the image of Lyra catching the whip with her bare, delicate hand.

Mabel, on the other hand, was working with absolute focus. As she dabbed the soothing green ointment onto his skin, she looked at him with gentle, bright eyes.

"Her Highness really cares about you, doesn’t she?" Mabel commented warmly, a sweet smile gracing her lips. "Even though she speaks so harshly and pretends to be angry, she jumped in front of the Crown Prince’s whip without hesitating for a single second just to protect you!"

SNAP!

The peaceful air in the courtyard instantly shattered!

Cassian’s pitch-black eyes snapped toward Mabel, a suffocating pressure erupting from his frame so suddenly that Mabel froze, her breath catching in her throat!

"Do not speak her name so casually with your mouth," Cassian growled, his raspy voice dropping into an icy tone that made the temperature in the courtyard plummet to freezing.

Mabel’s hand trembled slightly, clutching the cotton ball tightly. The overwhelming darkness in his gaze sent a cold shiver down her spine.

"I-I was only stating the truth..." Mabel stammered out, lowering her eyes nervously. "Her Highness truly saved you today..."

Cassian slowly reached up, his broad hand catching Mabel’s wrist in a firm grip, pulling her hand away from his face. He stared down at her with pure coldness- not an ounce of warmth, romance, or affection in his pitch-black eyes.

"Listen to me carefully, doctor’s daughter," Cassian whispered low, his dark aura coiling around her "You are here only because Princess Lyra ordered it. Do not misinterpret your position. You are nothing more than a maid in her estate... and if you dare try to use her kindness or insert yourself between us, I will make sure you disappear without a trace."

She nodded frantically, her face pale as paper. "I-I understand! I swear I only wish to serve Her Highness faithfully!"

Cassian roughly released her wrist, turning his head away with absolute disdain.

"Finish the dressing and leave," Cassian commanded coldly, completely ignoring her presence.

Meanwhile, hiding behind a thick stone pillar near the entrance of the guard courtyard...

Lyra and the System were peeking through the green leaves, trying to spy on the romantic scene!

"Is it working?!" Lyra whispered frantically, her dark eyes wide with anticipation. "Are they locking eyes?! Is the romantic spark flying between the Male Lead and the Female Lead?!"

[We need to go closer to see, Host!]

"You’re right," Lyra said excitedly.

As they drew closer, a stone moved under her boot. Hearing that tiny sound and her sweet fragrance once again, Cassian knew immediately.

He instantly shifted his expression from gloomy to calm, wincing as if in pain. Mabel was shocked, but seeing him secretly sign for her to continue, she gulped and complied.

Lyra saw this and was amazed. It’s working! For the first time, she felt the Male Lead was pitiful looking at his wounds...

The System stayed silent.