Chapter 76: Villainess Princess × Slave (39)

"I... uh..." Lyra stammered out, her voice trailing off in flustered confusion.

Why on earth is the Male Lead jealous of the Female Lead?! she screamed internally, her brain short-circuiting as she took a cautious step backward. This makes zero sense! He’s supposed to be head-over-heels in love with her, not treating her name like a curse!

She knew instantly that she shouldn’t have stirred his dangerous emotions right now, but it was already far too late.

Cassian didn’t stop. He kept walking toward her with slow strides, his towering frame completely blocking out the warm firelight. His pitch-black eyes burned with an unhinged, dark intensity that made the air in the bedchamber feel suffocatingly thick.

Plop!

Lyra’s back legs hit the edge of the bed, and she tumbled backward onto the mattress

Panicking, she frantically turned and started crawling backward toward the headboard, trying to escape his reach. But Cassian was infinitely faster. In a fraction of a second, he lunged forward, pouncing over her small body and climbing straight on top of her

He pinned her fragile wrists firmly against the sheets on either side of her head, trapping her beneath his muscular frame. He leaned down until his sharp jawline was hovering just inches from her face, his ragged breath brushing hot against her skin.

"Tell me, my Princess..." Cassian growled raspy and low, his voice dripping with a possessive, aching vulnerability. "...haven’t you missed this slave of yours even once? You’ve only been two weeks apart from that maid, yet the moment you are in my arms, you ask for her? Is she closer to you than I am?"

Lyra’s dark eyes widened, her heart pounding loudly.

"Do you really have no place for me in your heart...?" Cassian whispered, his pitch-black gaze searching her face with a desperate depth.

Lyra stayed completely silent. Her throat felt dry, her mind spinning in chaotic circles. How could she possibly answer that? Tell him she was trying to force him to marry the maid to save her own soul?! That would only push him deeper into his unhinged madness!

Seeing her remain completely silent, giving him no reply, the lingering light in Cassian’s eyes shattered into an absolute, pitch-black abyss. A laugh escaped his throat.

"...Even if there is none," Cassian murmured, his deep voice carrying a terrifyingly sweet vow, "I will carve a place out for myself... a place in your soul that will belong only to me."

With that, his lips crashed violently down onto hers

"Mmm-!" Lyra gasped, but her plea was instantly swallowed up by his ravenous hunger.

The kiss was long, deep, and utterly possessive. Cassian claimed her mouth again and again, devouring her taste as if he were trying to imprint his very soul onto hers. Lyra’s mind went completely blurry, her rational thoughts melting away into a warm haze under his intense, touch.

Slowly, his hot, lingering kisses trailed away from her swollen lips, moving down to her jawline, brushing against her sensitive chin, and sliding lower and lower down her long, snowy neck. The heat between them spiked to an unbearable level.

Before Lyra even realized what was happening, the ribbons and silk of her gown were completely undone and dissolved, sliding off her skin just as his dry black tunic was discarded onto the floor. The atmosphere in the grand bedchamber exploded into an overwhelming, breathless storm of raw desire and devotion, carrying them deep into the long night.

The next morning, pale golden sunlight filtered through the high arched windows, illuminating the quiet, lavish bedchamber.

Lyra’s dark eyelashes fluttered open slowly. The very second her consciousness kicked back in, a sharp wave of pure exhaustion and soreness washed over her entire frame

"Oww..." Lyra whimpered softly under her breath, wincing as she tried to shift her legs. Every single muscle in her body felt like it had been run over by a heavy carriage!

She couldn’t move even an inch.

A pair of broad arms were wrapped tightly around her bare waist, pulling her back flush against a solid chest. Cassian was still holding her in a firm, possessive embrace, his chin resting gently in her hair as his steady, warm breathing brushed against her shoulder.

Hearing her soft whimper, Cassian’s pitch-black eyes slowly opened.

He looked down at her pale, flushed face, seeing the exhaustion in her dark eyes. A sudden flash of genuine guilt and tenderness softened his features. He tightened his grip around her waist slightly, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss against her temple.

"I am sorry, my Princess..." Cassian whispered raspy and low, his voice thick with sleep. "I was... too harsh on you last night."

Lyra couldn’t move her arms to push him away, but inside her head, her soul was screaming in absolute, rage!

SYSTEM! Lyra wailed frantically in her mind, her soul clutching its head in madness. THIS FREAKING MALE LEAD IS TOO HASTY! IS THIS HIS WAY OF TAKING REVENGE ON ME?! MY WHOLE ENTIRE BODY HURTS LIKE HELL!

Cassian looked down at her rosy, slightly swollen lips once again. Unable to resist the overwhelming pull, he leaned in, intending to capture her mouth in another deep kiss

However, the moment he saw a faint, glassy sheen of teary frustration glistening in the corners of her dark eyes, Cassian stopped mid-air.

He knew her body was completely exhausted and desperately needed rest. He let out a low, soft sigh, smoothing her tangled hair away from her forehead with his thumb.

"Sleep more, Princess," Cassian murmured tenderly, pressing a gentle kiss against her forehead. "I will be right here."

Lyra didn’t need to be told twice. Her body was far too sore and tired to argue. Closing her eyes, she sank right back into a heavy, deep slumber against his warm chest.

Lyra slept peacefully for the next three hours.

By the time her eyes opened once again, it was a bright, golden afternoon. The space beside her on the grand canopy bed was empty, though the mattress still carried his lingering warmth.

Lyra slowly sat up, gasping softly as she noticed her surroundings.

She had already been carefully changed and freshened up into brand-new, comfortable white silk inner robes while she was sleeping. Her ruined, torn clothes from last night had been completely cleared away, and her skin smelled faintly of soothing floral bath oils.

Tsk! Lyra clicked her tongue in deep annoyance, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling. This bitch... at least he had the decency to clean up his mess!

Ding!

A bright blue notification window suddenly materialized right in front of her face, flashing green icons

[ HOST! I AM FINALLY ONLINE! ] the System’s digital voice chimed loudly, sounding thoroughly relieved.

"SYSTEM!!" Lyra complained immediately, her soul wailing in despair. "Where on earth were you last night?! I was practically devoured alive!"

The System’s floating screen instantly flushed a deep, bright shade of digital pink emoji.

[ I-I am so sorry, Host! ] the System stammered out, sweating profusely. [ The Male Lead’s emotional intensity completely overloaded my servers again! But don’t worry! I am activating the High-Grade No-Pain Buff right now so you won’t feel any physical pain or soreness anymore, Host! ]

A soft, warm light washed over Lyra’s body. Almost instantly, the heavy, throbby soreness in her back and legs vanished completely!

Lyra let out a long sigh of relief, stretching her arms. "You better! That buff just saved my life."

She paused, her dark eyebrows knitting together as she got down to business. "So, what’s the Male Lead’s next move? What shall we do now to fix this broken storyline?"

[ We need to wait a few more days, Host, ] the System explained, displaying a timeline progress bar. [ The grand coronation ceremony and imperial banquet are scheduled for later this week! That is when the final power dynamics will settle. Until then, our main priority is to make sure the Female Lead, Mabel, stays completely unharmed! ]

Lyra froze.

"I have no idea where she even is!" Lyra groaned, burying her face in her hands.

The moment she remembered what had happened last night when she simply asked Cassian about Mabel’s whereabouts- how his eyes had turned pitch-black with terrifying jealousy before he pinned her to the bed- her cheeks flushed a burning, bright red!

There is no way in hell I am asking him about Mabel again! Lyra thought frantically, a cold shiver running down her spine. What if that wild dog loses his mind and hops on me once again?! I’d rather swallow glass!

Later that evening, the doors of the grand bedchamber pushed open smoothly.

Cassian stepped into the room, dressed in his regal black-and-gold imperial robes. The moment his pitch-black eyes landed on Lyra sitting by the vanity table, the cold, murderous aura surrounding him melted away into a warm, deeply possessive focus.

He walked over with long, quiet strides, standing right behind her chair. He leaned down, placing his broad hands over her shoulders and meeting her dark gaze in the mirror.

"Are you feeling better, my Princess?" Cassian asked raspy and low, his lips lightly brushing against her temple.

Lyra forced her face into an arrogant scowl, refusing to look him directly in the eyes. "Hmph! As if a dirty slave like you could ever break this princess!"

Instead of getting angry, Cassian let out a low, thoroughly amused chuckle, his dark eyes sparkling with a dangerous warmth.

"Is that so?" Cassian purred, his large hand gently cupping her chin and tilting her head back so she was forced to look up at him. "Then I shall have to try harder next time."

Lyra’s jaw dropped, her cheeks flushing red once again! THIS CRAZY BASTARD!

"The coronation ceremony will take place in three days," Cassian informed her smoothly, his thumb tracing her lower lip. "And on that night... the entire empire will bow to you as my Empress."

Lyra swallowed hard, her heart doing a frantic flip inside her chest.