Lynn didn’t know with what mindset he had read through the letters.
When he came to his senses, the last piece of letter paper in his hand was already crumpled with creases.
"Brother, I miss you so much..."
That plaintive phrase, along with the dried tear stains on the edge of the paper, filled Lynn’s heart with suppressed anger and resentment.
Just what burden must be so heavy as to make that little one, who always followed behind him crying, write to him with such tone?
Every line was permeated with the sorrow of the young girl.
Due to the family undergoing drastic changes, the past was gone, and now she remained the sole support, upholding the crumbling family.
As a brother, he truly wasn’t qualified.
Recalling the contents of the letters, from the oldest to the present, at first were words of venting pressure and sadness, but as they progressed, the writing grew colder and more detached.
Of course, he didn’t believe that Eleanor harbored resentment against him, her brother, but he knew quite clearly that it was very likely the little rascal had been surveilled by the Mosgla family.
To the point where the content of the letters was forcibly controlled.
Even very likely, those later letters were not written by her.
Lynn took a deep breath and then shifted his gaze to another piece of letter paper.
It contained only a short sentence.
He was very familiar with the handwriting; it was left by his older sister-in-law, who didn’t get along with the family.
Her marriage to his brother was a political one, their relationship poor, with constant quarrels and her eccentric behavior was somewhat offbeat.
Yet, unexpectedly, in such circumstances, she actually sent him such a letter, and according to the remittance slip, it seemed she had even sent some money.
However, according to information from Ivyst, for some unknown reason, or perhaps to protect the child in her womb, she seemed to have vanished without a trace in the Imperial Capital, and many powers were currently searching for her whereabouts.
"How can I possibly not go back?"
Staring at the content on the letter paper, Lynn took a deep breath and clenched his fist.
He had been prepared to wait for Ivyst’s response.
But after reading the content of these letters, Lynn suddenly felt that he could not wait a moment longer.
He wanted to return to the Imperial Capital immediately.
Then go and twist the heads off those bastards and kick them around like balls.
Just then, the hurried footsteps of a maid came from behind him: "Master Lynn, the Princess summons you to her study!"
When Lynn pushed open the door to Ivyst’s room after a long absence, the familiar scent of roses wafted over him.
The white-haired woman was sitting in a wheelchair by the window.
Unlike the previous fervor that had made him somewhat uneasy, her expression now seemed to have returned to its usual coolness and calm.
What was the situation?
Not knowing whether this change was good or bad, Lynn’s face showed a hint of wariness, and he slowly closed the door.
He feared that the woman would pounce on him the next second, locking him down with kisses and bites.
From a playful point of view, he wasn’t against it.
Simply because he had more important matters at hand and could not afford to waste time here.
He had already made up his mind.
If Ivyst continued in her obstinate delusion, then he would have to put aside Miss Witch’s trial and return to the Imperial Capital alone to begin his vengeance plan.
"Princess, you called for me?"
Lynn asked tentatively.
Hearing the young man’s voice, Ivyst slowly turned her head, her bright red eyes sizing him up.
After a prolonged silence, the Imperial Princess revealed a slight smile, "Why stand so far away? Come closer, let me get a good look at you."
At her words, Lynn took a deep breath and then slowly approached Ivyst, kneeling on one knee before her.
With her fresh, subtle scent filling his nostrils, he suddenly felt a cold, smooth touch on his chin.
Then Ivyst gently lifted her wrist, prompting him to slowly raise his head and meet her gaze.
At that moment, the distance between them was very close.
Lynn could even feel her sweet breath uncontrollably infiltrating his nostrils, causing his heartbeat to quicken slightly.
Rationally speaking, the allure of Ivyst’s body was at the level of an Enchanting Demon, surpassing Miss Witch.
Only the body, that is!
I will always be Miss Witch’s dog!
Lynn repeated to himself as if under hypnosis.
However, Ivyst was unaware of the boy’s inner thoughts at this moment.
She was measuring every inch of his facial skin with her cool and bright red eyes.
As if she was getting to know Lynn Bartleion all over again.
"You are very handsome," Ivyst said after a while, gently lifting Lynn’s hair from his forehead, "Even not from the perspective of a dog, but as a human being, as an independent individual, you are extremely outstanding."
"In this world, there are probably many women who would wish for you to become their life partner."
As she spoke, Ivyst teasingly pinched Lynn’s cheek.
Looking into those meaningful, bright red eyes, Lynn’s heartbeat missed a beat.
Even though the physical contact was, in comparison to the time he was imprisoned, as innocent as one could get, it still gave him a particularly thrilling feeling.
He was somewhat puzzled.
"If you have something to say, Princess, just say it directly."
Lynn took a deep breath and slowly shifted his gaze.
"Of course, I have something to tell you," Ivyst said gently caressing Lynn’s nose, "But before that, I hope you can answer a few questions for me truthfully."
"Is that woman really that good to you?"
"Your Highness, actually, there’s no need for you to differentiate between you and her in my eyes..."
"Such talk is only good enough to deceive a young girl." Ivyst pressed a cool finger lightly to Lynn’s lips, stopping his words, "Besides, I’m well aware of what kind of person I am."
"With that woman’s personality, she must have emphasized to you, you absolutely have to treat us as separate entities."
Lynn had expected Ivyst to get angry, but to his surprise, he found her unusually calm at the moment.
The Princess is divine!
Sensing the shock in Lynn’s eyes, Ivyst didn’t speak but after a moment asked her second question.
"How big is the gap between her and me in your heart?"
Is this a question that’s going to get me killed?
Lynn had intended to shower praises on the Princess to save his own skin first and foremost.
However, feeling Ivyst’s serious gaze, for some reason, those insincere words became somewhat difficult to utter.
All in all, it was a close call between the two.
After all, essentially, they were the same person.
But Miss Witch had helped him tremendously, even saving his life in critical moments, and with her personality being a bonus, for the amnesic Lynn, she surpassed Ivyst.
Feeling Lynn’s evasive gaze, Ivyst seemed to understand something.
"I see... I understand now."
What was unexpected, again, was that when she said this, her expression remained calm, as she lightly brushed at her long hair by her ear.
Even when sensing Lynn’s puzzled gaze, she revealed an unfathomable light smile.
"Are you curious why I’m not angry?"
Ivyst touched his head.
What exactly have you done during these days in the room? Could it be a direct enlightenment on the dragon’s field?
Lynn was utterly confused.
"During these days alone in the room, I had had an unusual amount of peace," Ivyst slowly started, "I thought about many things, and I understood a lot."
"But first, I have something to say to you."
Feeling Ivyst’s crimson eyes, Lynn’s heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
"Your Highness, you..."
"Actually, regarding your previous answer, I only appeared calm on the surface, but I was furiously angry inside."
Saying so, Lynn suddenly felt his cheeks being pinched by her forcefully.
Ivyst looked intensely into Lynn’s eyes with those crimson pupils, as if trying to convey some deep-seated emotions from her heart.
"After all, you just utterly denied me as your master and also as a member of the opposite sex, forcing me to admit that my position in your heart is inferior to another woman’s."
"It’s like saying ’Ivyst, you’re just a pathetic loser.’"
"Your Highness, actually I..."
Lynn wanted to argue a few words, but Ivyst did not want to give him that chance.
"But... what of it?" Her lips suddenly curled into a faint smile, "Long before you even appeared at my side... I, had already become accustomed to failure, to being labeled a loser by others."
"Do you think, with such a tiny setback, you can destroy my dignity and self-esteem as the Imperial Princess?"
"Lynn Bartleion, don’t underestimate me too much." Stay connected through empire
In an instant, a familiar arrogance and defiance appeared in Ivyst’s crimson beautiful eyes, as if that villainous Princess of yore had returned to her.
Under Lynn’s astonished gaze, she suddenly gripped his collar, gradually pulling their distance closer.
Feeling their noses about to touch, Lynn’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
He had thought Ivyst was having another bout of her sickness, instinctively wanting to flatter her heat.
Unexpectedly, her red lips only grazed his cheek lightly, then stopped at his ear.
"From now on, I will try to treat you as an independent individual."
"Treat you as a human, a man, a man whose physiological signs are fully developed, a man capable of reproducing with women."
What is she implying with these words?
Feeling the hot and sweet breath by his ear, along with the woman’s words, Lynn had a vague premonition in his heart.
The next second, Ivyst’s voice cut through his heart like a decisive, sharp longsword.
"Lynn, I will make you fall in love with me."
"As a man, fall in love with me as a woman."
Lynn stared blankly at the wall behind Ivyst, uncertain of what was running through his mind.
But she didn’t give him the chance to ponder.
"By the way... did you just think I was going to kiss you?"
"Congratulations, you guessed right."
In an instant, with a warm touch falling upon him, Lynn felt like he plunged into an abyss of sweetness and softness.
His brain overheated, seizing up like it had lost the ability to think.
At the same time, he understood one thing.
Lynn finally realized how Ivyst today differed from when she had held him captive.
Compared to the feeling of the mucous membrane touch when she’s fed him mouth-to-mouth previously, today he experienced something entirely new from her.
Its name was, desire.
...Yun Chang, you’ve bumped into the Princess!!!