Chapter 52: Villainess Princess × Slave (15)

Because Lyra was so utterly consumed by the heavenly taste of sweet cream and strawberries, she didn’t even notice the faint, translucent blue notification screen that had quietly flickered into existence right near her left shoulder...

Ding!

[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ]

CASSIAN DRAVEN’S HATRED METRIC: 84%

NOTE: Host’s previous mission reward (15 Soul Fragments) successfully credited! Current Total Balance: 55 Soul Fragments!

The blue notification screen hovered silently in the air for ten seconds, waiting for the Host’s attention. But Lyra was currently far too busy reaching for a second slice of chocolate cake to notice a single thing.

"System~" Lyra cooed in her mind, licking a tiny dab of sweet white cream off her index finger. "Life is so good when I’m not being chased by crazy executioners!"

[ Host... ] the System’s digital voice finally chimed in her head, sounding a bit exasperated. [ Shouldn’t you check your current metrics instead of eating your third slice of cake? ]

"Why should I?" Lyra scoffed playfully in her mind, taking a huge bite of the rich chocolate cake. "I completed the morning mission, I got my 15 easy soul fragments, and Cassian is probably off somewhere sulking about his fake whip punishment! Everything is completely under control!"

[ Are you sure about that, Host...? ] the System asked nervously, its blue screen flickering slightly.

"Of course I’m sure!" Lyra chirped confidently, swinging her legs over the edge of the chair. "I am a master strategist! As long as I keep handing out fake punishments and feeding him secretly, I can easily balance my mission points and survive until the Female Lead takes over!"

Unbeknownst to the overly confident princess, standing behind a high marble pillar at the entrance of the rose garden... was Cassian.

He stood quietly in the shadows, his pitch-black eyes locked onto her bright, cheerful face as she stuffed cake into her mouth. He watched the way her dark eyes shined, the way her cheeks puffed up like a cute little squirrel, and the way she giggled softly to herself when the sweet taste hit her tongue.

She looks so completely innocent right now... Cassian thought, his fists tightening as a dangerous conflict raged inside his soul. She acts like a spoiled, carefree child who has never known a single day of malice in her entire life.

He leaned his shoulder against the stone pillar, his dark smirk returning as he watched her take another big bite of strawberry cream.

Enjoy your sweet cakes while you can, my little Princess, Cassian thought raspy and low, his dark eyes burning with an intense gaze that refused to leave her figure. Because very soon... I am going to unravel every single secret you are hiding.

-------------------

Just as the System was about to explain the unread notification floating near her shoulder, a sudden, ice-cold gaze pierced straight through the back of Lyra’s neck.

A shiver rippled down her spine. The sweet strawberry cake in her mouth instantly lost all its flavor.

Lyra slowly turned her head toward the garden archway. Walking gracefully across the lush green grass was Cassian. He wore his tailored black guard uniform, his dark hair brushing against his forehead, and his pitch-black eyes were locked onto her with an intense focus.

Ding!

A bright red emergency window exploded right in front of Lyra’s face!

[ EMERGENCY VILLAINESS MISSION! ]

[ OBJECTIVE: Publicly torment and humiliate the Male Lead to raise his Hatred Metric immediately! ]

[ WARNING: Target’s hatred has fallen below safety thresholds! Raise his hatred or face MISSION FAILURE! ]

"Host! Raise his hate value right now!" the System shrieked frantically inside her mind. "Or we are going to fail the core world objective!"

Lyra’s eyes finally darted down to the small numbers in the corner of the screen. She blinked in utter confusion.

"Eh? It went down by 1 point once again?!" Lyra gasped internally. "It’s at 84% now?!"

"1?!" the System’s digital voice squeaked, sounding completely baffled. "Host, what are you talking about?! ’Once again’?! It went down way more than that before!"

"What do you mean ’before’?!" Lyra argued back in her mind. "It dropped from 96% to 85% last night while I was fake-fainted, and now it dropped another point to 84%!"

The System went dead silent for two whole seconds as its internal coding scrambled to process the discrepancy. Finally, as the system interface re-synced and analyzed the active data logs, the System realized the terrifying truth- the Target’s hatred metric had been steadily leaking away right under its nose!

Before Lyra could demand an explanation from the glitching System, Cassian stopped right beside her lounge chair.

Lyra’s breath caught in her throat. Up close under the bright afternoon sunlight, his sharp, handsome features looked breathtakingly sculpted. The faint breeze rustled his dark hair, highlighting his high cheekbones, dark lashes, and deep, mysterious eyes.

Lyra completely forgot what she was doing. She sat there with a fork halfway to her mouth, staring blankly up at his face like a dazed idiot.

The two young maids holding the feather fans exchanged hushed, excited glances, covering their giggling mouths behind their sleeves. Why is Her Highness so utterly mesmerized by her personal slave today?

Ding!

[ HOST! SNAP OUT OF IT! ] the System roared inside her brain like an alarm clock. [ HE IS YOUR FUTURE EXECUTIONER, NOT A PINTEREST MODEL! ]

Lyra’s mind short-circuited. She instantly snapped out of her daze, her cheeks flushing bright red with embarrassment! She quickly set her cake fork down with a loud CLINK! and kicked her feet off the footrest, putting on her absolute best sneer.

"You... you dirty slave!" Lyra barked loudly, her clear voice ringing across the rose garden. "How dare you be so late to arrive by this princess’s side?! Do you think you can just wander around my estate as you please?!"

Cassian kept his face expressionless, bowing his head slightly. "I apologize, Your Highness."

Lyra puffed out her chest, desperately trying to construct the most humiliating punishment she could think of on the spot.

"As your punishment for being late," Lyra declared arrogantly, pointing her finger down at the white basin resting near the fountain, "you will wash this princess’s feet right now!"

The two maids gasped softly in surprise.

Upon hearing her demand, a dark glint flickered deep within Cassian’s pitch-black eyes.

Meanwhile, high above in the thick leaves of a nearby tree, the hidden shadow guard watching the scene nearly choked on his breath! His hand instinctively gripped the hilt of his black dagger, his eyes burning with pure rage behind his mask.

That spoiled, arrogant princess! the shadow guard cursed furiously in his mind. How dare she make our glorious Crown Prince- the noble ruler of Solis- kneel on the dirt and wash her feet like a common servant! I ought to slit her throat right now!

However, Cassian didn’t show an ounce of anger.

Slowly, Cassian sank onto one knee on the soft grass before her lounge chair. He fetched the silver pitcher, filling the white basin with lukewarm, rose-scented water, and placed it right in front of her slippers.

Cassian reached out. His large, broad hand- cool came into gentle contact with her bare ankle as he slid off her delicate slipper.

Lyra’s breath hitched.

Her foot was small, delicate, and white as pure jade, with soft pinkish tones at her toes. Resting in Cassian’s large, broad palm, her foot looked ridiculously tiny and fragile.

Cassian stared down at the small, jade-like foot resting in his hand. For some strange, unexplainable reason, a thick, possessive urge coiled tightly inside his chest. Looking at how small and delicate her ankle was, he didn’t feel insulted at all. Instead... he felt a bizarre desire to wrap his entire hand firmly around both of her legs, holding her tightly in place so she could never run away from him again.

He gently dipped her small feet into the warm rosewater, his large fingers lightly tracing over her soft skin to wash away the tiny specks of dust.

Lyra gulped heavily, her heart pounding loudly.

Wait a minute... Lyra thought frantically, her mind spinning in complete chaotic terror. This was supposed to be a humiliating, soul-crushing punishment! So why on earth does it feel like he is actually ENJOYING this for some reason?!

A cold, intense shiver rippled straight up her spine as his large, cool thumb gently rubbed the arch of her foot. His pitch-black eyes were locked onto her face, watching her every expression with a suffocating gaze.

Ding!

A bright red notification screen flashed violently between them!

[ WARNING! HATRED METRIC UPDATED! ]

Cassian Draven’s Hatred toward Host: 84% ➔ 82%

"EH?! EH?!"

Both Lyra and the System shrieked in absolute mental horror!

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Lyra wailed frantically in her head, her inner soul grabbing her hair in pure despair. "I ordered him to wash my feet! That is the ultimate royal humiliation! Why did his hatred drop two whole points instead of going up?!"

[ I DON’T KNOW, HOST! ] the System screamed back, its blue screen flickering wildly with error messages. [ HIS METRICS ARE GOING COMPLETELY HAYWIRE! THE CODE IS NOT CODING! ]

Unaware of the absolute mental breakdown happening inside her head, Cassian finished washing her feet in calm silence.

He reached for a soft, white cotton towel resting beside the basin. Without taking his dark eyes off her flushed face, Cassian lifted her small, wet legs with effortless strength and placed them gently across his sturdy thigh.

Lyra froze completely, her jaw practically unhinging....