Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Chapter 38: Giving Her Highness a Surprise

“Why’d you kill him?”  

After everyone had signed their contracts, Greya finally approached Lynn.  

Looking at Mark’s lifeless body on the ground, Greya asked regretfully, “If we’d brought him back for questioning, we might’ve uncovered the mastermind he mentioned.”  

“Sorry.” Lynn wore an expression of helplessness. “When I heard him say he wanted to frame Her Highness Yveste for the deaths of over three hundred people, I got too angry and acted impulsively.”  

“Oh, I see, I see. Don’t beat yourself up over it,” Greya quickly consoled, moved by what he saw as Lynn’s loyal and steadfast demeanor.  

After all, everything that had happened today was thanks to Lynn. Without him, Greya would likely still be groveling somewhere, begging for a way to clean up the mess.  

Thankfully, it was all resolved now.  

Watching the refugees being allowed into the city in an orderly manner, Greya finally relaxed.  

“I’ll handle the rest. These refugees will be temporarily housed on Augusta family properties,” Greya said with a reassuring smile. “Once you’re back at the estate, go report to Her Highness. Consider it a surprise for her.”  

With a wink, he handed Lynn the stack of signed Extraordinary Contracts before leaving with the two uneasy sheriffs.  

One of the sheriffs gave Lynn a peculiar look before departing, but who knew what he was thinking?  

As their figures disappeared from sight, Lynn smirked inwardly.  

Everything he’d said earlier was nonsense.  

Angry for Yveste? As if.  

He didn’t have the time to get worked up over that woman.  

In both his lives, nothing had ever angered him to the point of losing reason. Even if he suffered a setback, he always found a way to settle the score later.  

Lynn had killed Mark without hesitation purely to avoid getting too entangled in the succession battle.  

He knew there weren’t many people who could meddle with Orne City at such a time. With his knowledge of the original story, it wasn’t hard to guess that one of the royal princes was behind it.  

If Lynn had captured Mark and uncovered the mastermind, he’d risk permanently antagonizing that prince.  

Lynn had no interest in boarding the sinking ship that was Yveste’s faction.  

Small matters like today’s could be handled, but actively helping Yveste cripple a prince’s influence? That would brand him as her ally for good, making escape nearly impossible.  

And Lynn fully intended to flee when the time was right.  

One less enemy is better than one more.  

Sighing, Lynn made his way to the carriage Greya had left behind.  

Afia was sprawled on the carriage roof, basking in the evening sun with her eyes half-closed, purring contentedly.  

When Lynn approached, she lazily stretched and instinctively rolled over, exposing her belly.  

“All done, meow?” she asked languidly.  

Her voice had a strange softness to it, which made Lynn uneasy.  

“Are you sick?” He gave her a quizzical look. “Acting all ladylike—it’s kinda freaking me out.”  

“I’ve figured it out,” Afia huffed lightly. “Getting mad at someone like you is pointless—I’d just keep getting angry forever. So from now on, I’ll ignore whatever you say.”  

Oh?  

The confidence in her tone amused Lynn, and for some reason, he felt like teasing her.  

He leaned in and asked, “By the way, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask... When you were in heat at the inn, how’d you feel about my technique?”  

The atmosphere froze.  

For several seconds, Afia demonstrated the meaning of “dying of shame and anger.”  

She stared at Lynn, initially confused as she tried to decipher his words. Then her body tensed, and her snowy white teeth bared as her fur bristled.  

“I-I’LL KILL YOU!!!”  

With a furious cry, Afia pounced on Lynn, clinging to his face like a facehugger and sinking her teeth into his forehead.  

“Hiss—ouch, ouch, ouch!” Lynn’s muffled voice came from beneath her soft belly.  

---

“Welcome, dear custom—uh, excuse me, sir? Your face...”  

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Lynn said casually, waving off the shop assistant’s concern.  

At that moment, he was inside a high-end boutique in Orne City, an extravagantly decorated shop specializing in women’s clothing and accessories.  

The peculiar sight of a man with a cat latched to his face had brought all activity in the store to a halt.  

After a strained smile, the shop assistant asked, “How may we assist you, sir?”  

“Do you sell women’s shoes? Bring me the most expensive pairs to look at.”  

Afia’s ears twitched slightly at his request, though she kept biting down.  

Soon, the shop assistant returned with the priciest women’s shoes available.  

Lynn, forced into a ridiculous posture because of Afia’s attachment, squinted at the options.  

Eventually, he pointed to a pair of cute black princess shoes.  

“I’ll take these,” he said.  

“That will be three gold coins,” the shop assistant replied politely.  

Three gold coins?!  

Though pained by the expense, Lynn pulled out the gold coins he’d earned earlier from the Greed Box.  

After paying, he took the shoes into a fitting room and tapped Afia, still clinging to his face.  

“Get down and try these on,” he said.  

“?”  

Afia released her grip, landing lightly on the floor. She eyed the delicately crafted princess shoes with a frown. “What are you up to?”  

Lynn shrugged. “I noticed last time you transformed into human form, you weren’t wearing shoes. So, consider this a gift to make up for earlier.”  

Afia’s expression grew complicated.  

He’s actually... quite thoughtful.  

After a moment of hesitation, she murmured, “You’re... the second person to ever give me shoes.”  

That rankled Lynn.  

First, he’d been the second person to be collared by Yveste. Now this?  

Even though it wasn’t something worth bragging about, his male pride flared up.  

“Who was the first?” he asked, his tone serious.  

“Her Highness,” Afia replied.  

“Oh. Well… that’s fine,” Lynn muttered, averting his gaze.  

An awkward silence fell between them.  

After a moment, Afia broke it.  

“You’re a good person, but... I’m sorry!”  

Her voice was unexpectedly nervous.  

Before Lynn could respond, she grabbed the shoes in her mouth and darted off.  

What just happened?  

Even after leaving the fitting room, Lynn was dazed.  

The shop assistant, who was escorting him out, smiled knowingly. “Sir, didn’t you know?”  

“Know what?” Lynn asked blankly.  

“For beastfolk women, they never wear shoes unless it’s for one specific occasion: marriage. Their husband gives them shoes as a proposal gift.”  

“...”  

Lynn froze.  

No wonder Afia had acted so strangely.  

So I just got hit with a forced “good guy” card?!  

Humiliation washed over him, made worse by the three gold coins he’d spent.  

This is what they mean by “accepting a gift doesn’t mean agreeing”?  

Fuming, Lynn stomped toward the parked carriage outside.  

“Take me back to the estate!” he barked.  

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