Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Chapter 164: Tiya – Let Me Go!

The boy stood bathed in a cold, serene moonlight, his black hair lightly swaying in the breeze. His back, lonely and desolate, seemed to blend with the stillness of the night. At this moment, his arms were spread wide open, as though embracing the vast night sky. He stood silently at the edge of the balcony railing.

One step forward, and he would plummet from this height in an instant.

As a Second-Rank Extraordinary, there was no conceivable way he could survive such a fall.

Tiya, who had followed him closely from beginning to end, was certain that the boy had come here alone, completely unaware of her presence. He wasn’t putting on a show for anyone.

Even if she pushed her doubts to the side:

Even if he had somehow noticed her, Tiya had layered herself in three, four levels of disguises. Even her closest confidants in the Church couldn’t recognize her without the aid of extraordinary items. Not even her dear brother, Xiya, would be able to tell it was her.

And definitely not this guy—a lunatic she’d only met once before, who had spewed nonsense at her during their first encounter.

So, he really did want to die.

In that moment, Tiya’s carefully laid plans crumbled to pieces, leaving her mind a chaotic mess. She was the kind of person whose brain shut down when unexpected situations arose. She was much better at following plans than coming up with them.

Yet, her body reacted on instinct, faster than her thoughts.

Before her mind could catch up, Tiya had already pushed open the glass door.

“You—what are you doing?”

Her voice was slightly raised, trying to catch his attention.

The next second, realizing what she had just done, Tiya froze in place.

This damned guy! It was because of him that her brother, Xiya, had misunderstood her before. She had sworn back then that the next time she saw him, she’d kill him.

Watching him jump to his death here and now would be the best choice.

But what… what am I doing right now?

Tiya bit her lip gently, raising her head as a tangle of emotions swirled inside her.

Time, however, did not freeze for her.

As her mind was consumed by chaotic thoughts, the black-haired boy at the edge of the balcony turned slightly, alerted by the sound.

He glanced back briefly and, seeing only a plain-looking short-haired girl behind him, lost interest immediately.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

On one side, Tiya hesitated, unsure of her next move. On the other, the boy looked as though he could step off the ledge at any moment.

I’m just afraid that if he dies, I’ll lose my only lead to those twelve missing years of memory.

That’s all. Nothing more.

Tiya whispered this to herself in her heart.

It was unclear how much time passed before the boy finally broke the strange silence.

“I am a failure,” he said.

The opening line caught Tiya off guard. Then again, upon reflection, it made perfect sense.

“A failure who lived solely for revenge,” the boy continued, his voice low and somber. “But in the end, I lost the most precious things to me without even realizing when they slipped away.”

“And now, I no longer have any reason to keep living.”

“So, please—don’t stop me.”

Revenge? A failure?

Tiya understood his first words well enough.

Though she hadn’t paid much attention to the events unfolding in the Imperial Capital over the years, after the incident at the teleportation array, Tiya had secretly gathered information about Lynn Bartleon.

She had learned of his tragic past. It was the kind of story that could stir empathy—if not for the conflict that had erupted between them.

Although Tiya often seemed emotionless, like a doll, she wasn’t truly devoid of feelings.

Compassion was, after all, a necessary quality for someone destined to become a Saintess.

As the most perfect successor the Silent Church had seen in a century, Tiya was flawless in every aspect.

Then there was the scene that night in the Council Hall.

Driven by vengeance, the boy had been the subject of countless accusations and doubts, like a villain condemned by a thousand voices.

Yet, his expression had remained calm throughout, as though none of it mattered.

It was only when she stepped forward to question him that he had shown any real emotional reaction.

In the end, the military’s sealed artifact had proven his innocence—a boy who was utterly loyal to the empire and filled with genuine passion.

Although Tiya had always felt that his demeanor was simply a façade, when faced with a situation unfolding before her eyes, no matter how much doubt she expressed outwardly, wasn’t there always a part of her subconscious willing to believe?

In the end, if that incident at the teleportation array hadn’t occurred, Tiya’s impression of him wouldn’t have been that bad—though with her personality, she found all men repulsive regardless.

But the boy’s second statement left her puzzled.

What kind of "precious thing" could he have lost that would drive him to choose death?

Despite the heavy atmosphere, a trace of confusion lingered in Tiya’s heart.

By now, her original objective was all but forgotten.

After all, with the boy about to jump, even if she wanted to question him, there would be no opportunity.

Hesitating for a moment, Tiya finally asked in her cold, clear voice, “What is this ‘precious thing’ you’re referring to?”

“If you need help, you could seek out Her Highness Shirina, the host of the banquet. Since you received her invitation, it at least means you’re acquaintances.”

For the first time, Tiya spoke at length to someone she’d barely met. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t even spare a glance at scheming human men.

The boy responded with a faint smile, though it was unclear whether he was mocking Tiya or mocking himself.

His dismissive attitude instantly ignited a spark of anger within her, and her gaze grew colder, no longer veiling her disdain.

If this were any other occasion, someone of his status wouldn’t even qualify to meet the Silent Saintess.

What an ungrateful wretch.

As expected, anyone who opposed her brother Xiya must be a bad person.

With this thought, Tiya raised her hand slightly, preparing to summon her Moonlight Staff to teach this arrogant fool a lesson.

But in the next moment, under the pale moonlight, she caught sight of two streams of tears silently rolling down from beneath his bull-shaped mask.

The absurd image of the mask almost made her chuckle, but for some reason, the atmosphere suddenly turned sorrowful.

He… he was crying?

The extraordinary energy that had just formed in Tiya’s palm vanished in an instant.

She stared at the scene before her in disbelief, unsure whether to laugh or speak.

Men… cry?

Normally, this would be enough to provoke ridicule. After all, society often associated crying with weakness, with traits like gentleness or fragility, typically tied to women.

Yet, for reasons unknown, the current atmosphere left no room for amusement.

At that moment, the silent night seemed to mourn alongside the boy, as if even the moonlight itself sympathized with his sorrow.

Tiya’s pale pink fists clenched slightly as an indescribable feeling surfaced in her heart.

She quickly snapped herself back to reality.

What am I doing?

Am I feeling sorrow for an enemy I’m destined to kill?

This is ridiculous!

Tiya bit down on her silver-white teeth and stepped forward.

She had no intention of indulging his nonsense any further. Her plan was to approach him quietly, subdue him, and carry out her original interrogation.

But perhaps fate had other plans.

Before Tiya could collect her thoughts, the boy at the edge of the balcony spoke again, seemingly in response to her earlier question.

“The precious thing I mentioned… is a girl named Veya,” he said softly, suddenly removing his mask. His expression was a mixture of sadness and despair. “I… lost her.”

Tiya froze mid-step.

She stared blankly at the boy in the distance.

At that moment, his eyes brimmed with tears, his expression pained and desperate, like a child who had lost his way.

Combined with his striking features and still-somewhat-youthful face, he exuded an air that could awaken a protective instinct in anyone. Any woman, no matter how cold, would feel the urge to embrace him and soothe his sorrow.

This wasn’t something that could be faked.

Every emotion he displayed was raw and genuine, coming from the depths of his heart.

Such thoughts suddenly surfaced in Tiya’s mind.

At the same time, the familiar name echoed in her ears once again.

Veya.

It bore a resemblance to her current name, but ultimately, it was different.

And according to what the boy had said during their last meeting, this was the name she had used during the twelve missing years of her life in the Elven Royal Court.

In that instant, Tiya felt the world spinning around her. She swayed slightly, her expression dazed.

Veya?

It feels… unfamiliar… yet oddly familiar… Could it be…

No, I am Tiya, brother Xiya’s future wife, the Saintess of the Silent Church. I am who I am...

Countless chaotic voices echoed in Tiya’s mind.

“Tiya is the woman I love most in this world.”

When Lynn reached the balcony first, he had no hesitation. He immediately pulled out the mirror and activated the power of the Lie Eater on himself.

This was all part of the situation he had anticipated, leading step by step to the scene unfolding now.

Looking at the pale-faced, trembling girl who seemed on the verge of collapsing, Lynn realized the critical moment in affecting the storyline deviation had arrived.

He spread his arms wide, embracing the chilly autumn breeze, as if to welcome the entire starry sky.

“Goodbye,” Lynn said softly, though it was unclear whether it was directed at the world or at the girl he cherished.

In the next second, as the sensation of weightlessness struck, Lynn fell backward. Facing the sky, he plummeted rapidly toward the mansion grounds below!

From the height of the fourth floor, it wasn’t too high nor too low.

For someone like him, whose body had been strengthened by the Heart of the Scorching Flame Dragon, it wasn’t lethal. At most, it would leave minor injuries.

If it got worse, he could always pull out Endless Threads and act like a clumsy eel failing to escape.

However, if things developed to that point, it would mean that his carefully crafted plan for tonight had completely failed.

That was a scenario Lynn was determined to avoid.

Having read the original story, Lynn knew very well that the seemingly compassionate and goddess-like Shirina, famed for her charitable demeanor, privately had a sly and manipulative side.

Conversely, the seemingly emotionless Silent Saintess, who was as cold as a doll, possessed an unparalleled respect for life.

Even though the divine blessing she bore had left her utterly disgusted by all men.

But that’s life, isn’t it?

The true heroes are those who, even after seeing the harshness of reality, still choose to love and embrace it.

As the weightlessness intensified, a faint, unfamiliar fragrance suddenly filled Lynn’s nostrils. It was soft and tranquil, like moonlight itself.

His fall abruptly stopped. Suspended mid-air by an external force, Lynn found himself hanging at the edge of the balcony.

A pair of small, trembling, yet icy hands clung tightly to his, preventing his descent.

In that moment, Lynn realized this was likely his first physical contact with the girl.

And perhaps it was also her first physical contact with a stranger—a man—without feeling disgusted.

Feeling the delicate sensation of her palms, Lynn knew he had gambled correctly tonight.

But at this very moment, Tiya, who was clutching him with all her strength, seemed oblivious to the significance of her actions.

What... what am I doing?

Tiya was dazed, her thoughts still trapped in the question that had been reverberating in her mind moments earlier. Yet her hands continued to act on their own.

As a Fourth-Rank Extraordinary, though her physical abilities were not as developed as her brother Xiya’s, her body had still undergone four rounds of extraordinary enhancement. Her strength was far beyond that of an ordinary person.

Though her hands appeared soft and slender, they were more than capable.

At the very least, pulling Lynn up wasn’t overly strenuous for her.

Moments later, she was slightly out of breath as she gazed down at the black-haired boy now lying on the floor. Her first instinct was to withdraw her hands.

But before she could, a force she couldn’t refuse firmly held her small hand within his warm palm.

Realizing what had just happened, Tiya’s jade-green pupils contracted slightly in disbelief, as though she had witnessed an absurd impossibility.

I... I...

The overwhelming shock of the moment rendered her temporarily speechless. Her soft pink lips parted, but no words came out.

I just held hands with a man I’ve barely met?

And… I didn’t even feel the slightest bit of disgust?

How... how is this possible?!

For a moment, a surge of panic and disbelief swept through her mind, completely unraveling her composure.

Tiya instinctively tried to shake his hand off and let out a scream, as though her entire worldview had been shattered.

Yet the unyielding force continued to anchor her slender hand in place.

“Let me go!” Tiya clenched her teeth, a newfound cold, murderous intent glimmering in her eyes.

The Moonlight Staff materialized in her palm, and as her rising anger ignited from within, the calm and serene moonlight around them began to tremble as though boiling.

Under the unrestrained wrath of a Fourth-Rank Extraordinary, how could a Second-Rank even hope to survive?

Lynn groaned, his face pale.

“Veya... you’re Veya, my Veya...”

Lynn’s fingers interlocked with hers, holding on tightly as though she were his lifeline. His voice murmured with desperation, as if clinging to the last thread of hope.

Tears welled in his azure-blue eyes, spilling out with an overwhelming sense of joy, as though he had just recovered something precious he had lost. It was as if he were dreaming.

But Tiya had no time to entertain any of this. Her mind was a mess, and all she wanted was to leave this place and collect her thoughts.

“Let go of me! I don’t even know who...”

“Denying it won’t change anything,” Lynn interrupted with a pale yet contented smile.

“Do you know, Veya? Ever since you left me, I don’t know if it’s divine punishment or something else, but I’ve been afflicted with a rare curse.”

“Any woman who touches me fills me with an overwhelming sense of disgust... unless it’s someone I truly love.”

“Veya, at this point… are you still going to deny it?”

The boy’s pitiful expression, like an abandoned puppy, tugged at the heartstrings.

Hearing this, Tiya froze once again.

A curse?

But why… why does it sound so similar to the goddess’s blessing she bore?

One caused her to feel disgust toward all men. The other caused him to feel disgust toward all women—except for the one he truly liked.

The difference between the two seemed… no, was it really a difference at all?

In an instant, a horrifying and deeply unsettling thought surfaced in Tiya’s mind.

Having always loathed every man she encountered—even her brother Xiya—Tiya had instinctively believed this was simply the nature of her goddess’s blessing.

But what if… what if there was an additional condition hidden within it?

What if the blessing only spared someone she actually liked from her disgust?

I… I like him?

During those twelve years of lost memory, could I have fallen for this guy?

Tiya couldn’t think of any other explanation.

But even so, for someone who had long decided to remain utterly devoted to her brother Xiya, this was absolutely intolerable.

What kind of cruel joke is this?!

In that moment, a surge of moonlight emanated from Tiya’s body like a rising tide.

She wasn’t sure why she was doing this.

All she knew was that for this man, who repeatedly disrupted her emotional composure, she could no longer outmaneuver him with words. She had no choice but to resort to the most base means available.

She had to kill him.

Slowly, Tiya raised her Moonlight Staff.

But as fate would have it, things rarely went as planned.

The more determined someone was to accomplish something, the more likely unforeseen events would intervene.

Just as Tiya was about to strike down the man who had thrown her emotions into turmoil, clear footsteps suddenly echoed from beyond the glass door.

The pace was unhurried, and a faint sigh accompanied the sound:

“How strange… Where could Tiya have gone?”

The tone and voice were unmistakable to both of them.

Xiya Asolant!