Chapter 64: Villainess Princess × Slave (26)

Ding!

[ MAIN PLOT EVENT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED! ]

REWARD: +100 Plot Points Granted!

Lyra stared at the glowing blue notification screen, her dark eyes instantly lighting up like bright stars. A big smile spread across her face as she pressed her hand against her beating heart.

Finally! Lyra cheered happily in her mind. It worked! Look at him wincing in pain while Mabel gently treats him! The Male Lead and Female Lead are finally building their tragic romantic bond! My job here is officially done!

Giving herself a mental high-five, Lyra turned on her heel, her silk skirts swishing softly against the grass as she prepared to sneak back to her lavish private quarters for a well-deserved nap.

However, the very second her shadow turned to leave-

Cassian stood up from the wooden bench.

Without saying a word to the trembling Mabel, he bypassed the medical tray entirely and stepped around the stone pillar with long strides. His tall, broad frame instantly blocked the sunlit pathway, casting a massive shadow over Lyra’s small body.

Lyra froze mid-step. She slowly raised her head, her dark eyes widening in surprise as she looked straight into Cassian’s pitch-black gaze.

He was standing right before her, his simple guard tunic slightly rumpled, a neat white bandage covering the bloody scratch on his jawline. Instead of looking angry or distant, his pitch-black eyes were shockingly calm, carrying an unreadable depth that made Lyra’s breath hitch in her throat.

"Where are you going in such a hurry, Princess?" Cassian asked raspy and low, his deep voice carrying a quiet melody.

Lyra quickly snapped out of her daze, coughing nervously into her fist as she stumbled back half a step.

"Ahem!" Lyra cleared her throat, forcing her eyebrows into an arrogant scowl. "What are you doing standing in my way, slave?! Since your ugly face has been properly treated by the doctor’s daughter, you should be standing guard outside my doors like a proper dog!"

Instead of looking offended, Cassian took a slow step closer to her.

"Is that so?" Cassian murmured, his gaze dropping down to her right hand, which was still wrapped tightly in fresh white silk bandages where she had caught Julian’s whip earlier. "Then permit this dog to accompany his master back. Your Highness’s hand is injured... you shouldn’t be wandering around alone."

Before Lyra could even utter a rejection, Cassian reached out his broad hand. With incredible gentleness, he didn’t grab her, but simply positioned his open palm right beside her arm, offering himself as a steady support if she needed it.

THUMP!

Lyra’s heart skipped a beat.

Why is he acting so attentive all of a sudden?! Lyra screamed in absolute panic internally, her face flushing a faint pink despite her best efforts to stay cold. System! Is this part of his plan to lower my guard before he assassinates me?!

[ Host, I don’t think he’s trying to assassinate you... ] the System’s voice chimed in her mind, sounding utterly defeated as it displayed the updated panel.

Ding!

[ CASSIAN DRAVEN’S HATRED METRIC UPDATED! ]

Hatred toward Host: 18% ➔ 15%

REASON: Target feels an immense, sweet joy seeing Host personally spy on him out of concern for his health!

FIFTEEN PERCENT?! Lyra’s soul almost flew straight out of her mouth right then and there! CONCERN?! I WAS SPYING TO SEE IF YOU WOULD KISS THE FEMALE LEAD, YOU DENSE FOOL!

"Hmph! Follow me if you must!" Lyra barked irritably, stomping her feet as she marched ahead toward the main palace, completely ignoring his offered hand while Cassian quietly fell into step right behind her, a subtle, hidden smirk flickering on his dark lips.

By the time late afternoon arrived, a dark, gloomy cloud settled over the imperial capital. The sky turned a shade of purple, signaling a autumn rainstorm.

Inside Lyra’s luxurious study, the warm fireplace crackled quietly.

Lyra was slumping over her desk, lazily poking a silver fork into a plate of sweet honey cakes that Mabel had prepared for her earlier. Mabel was standing politely near the bookshelf, organizing ancient medical scrolls, while Cassian stood like a silent marble statue right beside the closed double doors.

On the surface, the atmosphere inside the room seemed peaceful and quiet.

However, deep within the dark corridors of the imperial palace, a dangerous plot was rapidly unfolding.

BANG!

The heavy double doors of Lyra’s study were suddenly thrown wide open!

A tall figure stepped into the warm room, surrounded by a dozen heavy-armored imperial knights holding polished spears.

It was Crown Prince Julian!

Julian wore his formal dark gold dragon battle armor, a thick black fur cloak resting on his broad shoulders. His amber eyes swept across the study like a hawk, landing directly on Lyra, who almost choked on her piece of honey cake.

"Imperial Brother?" Lyra blinked in complete surprise, quickly swallowing her cake and standing up from her chair. "What brings you to my quarters at this hour?"

Julian didn’t answer right away. He walked into the center of the room with footfalls, a cold, smile plastered across his handsome face.

"My dear sister," Julian drawled smoothly, stopping a few feet from her desk. "I have come to say my formal goodbyes. The Emperor has issued the final mobilization order. I shall be leading the vanguard army to the northern frontlines within the hour to crush the border rebellion."

Lyra let out an internal sigh of relief. Thank goodness! The crazy brother is finally leaving for war! I can finally breathe in peace!

"I wish you a swift victory, Imperial Brother," Lyra said politely, bowing her head.

"Thank you, sister," Julian purred softly. However, his amber eyes suddenly flicked sideways, locking onto Cassian who was standing silently by the door. Julian’s cold smile widened into a sneer. "However... before I depart for the blood-soaked battlefield, there is one small matter I must settle regarding the safety of your estate."

A sudden, chilling pit formed deep in Lyra’s stomach. "What matter?"

Julian raised his gloved hand, snapping his fingers sharply.

The dozen knights behind him immediately drew their long steel swords with a loud CLANG! The sharp blades glinted dangerously under the chandelier light as the knights quickly fanned out, surrounding Cassian from all sides!

Mabel gasped in horror, dropping her medical scrolls onto the floor, while Lyra’s face turned ghostly pale!

"Imperial Brother! What is the meaning of this?!" Lyra demanded loudly, stepping around her desk and slamming her hand onto the wood. "Why are your knights pointing their weapons at my guard?!"

Julian slowly turned his gaze back to Lyra, his amber eyes dripping with poisonous malice.

"Earlier today, my shadow intelligence captured a secret messenger hawk flying out from the capital’s eastern gates," Julian explained smoothly, pulling a small, blood-stained parchment scroll from his inner coat. "This letter contained detailed maps of the palace guard rotations and the layout of your private estate... and it was signed with the crest of the fallen Eastern Kingdom!"

Lyra’s heart dropped into her throat. The Eastern kingdom! Cassian’s fallen kingdom!

"The traitor who sent this letter is hiding within your very estate, Lyra," Julian said, his voice dropping into a low growl as he pointed his finger straight at Cassian’s chest. "And who else could it be... besides this dirty, defeated prince standing right beside you?"

Cassian stood in the center of the blade circle. His pitch-black eyes remained icy, calm, and completely unbothered by the sharp swords hovering just inches from his throat. His broad chest rose and fell in slow breaths, his hand casually resting near his belt.

"This slave is a high-level rebel spy," Julian declared coldly, looking at Lyra with a mocking, victorious glint in his eyes. "Under imperial martial law during wartime, all suspected rebel traitors must be executed on the spot without trial. Stand back, sister. My knights shall decapitate him right here and present his head to the Emperor before I march to war!"

The knights took a step forward in unison, their heavy boots thundering against the floor as they raised their sharp swords high, preparing to lung at Cassian simultaneously!

System! Lyra screamed frantically in her mind, her soul completely collapsing in terror. Is this part of the original plot?! Is Cassian really going to get killed here?!

[ NO, HOST! ] the System shrieked back, red warning icons flashing frantically across its screen! [ Julian is framing him! In the original script, Julian didn’t have proof, so he just beat him up! But Now, because Julian is extremely jealous of Cassian’s closeness to you, he forged a fake letter to execute him before leaving for war! ]

HE FORGED A FAKE LETTER TO KILL THE MALE LEAD?! THIS CRAZY BASTARD!

If Cassian was forced to fight back here to save his own life, he would unleash his full, hidden godly strength, massacre Julian and all his knights right in front of everyone, and blow his cover completely! The entire royal army would surround the estate, the storyline would collapse into a bloodbath, and Lyra’s mission would fail instantly!