"If you continue to ignore my words, I will not hesitate to drink the liquid in this bottle."
Speaking, he single-handedly pulled the stopper from the bottle's neck and slowly brought it to his lips.
Ivyst indeed stopped.
But for some reason, a strange expression suddenly flashed across her bright red beautiful eyes.
"Do you... want to die again?"
Ivyst's tone seemed somewhat curious,
as if she had seen this scene somewhere before.
But Lynn had no recollection of it.
Hearing Ivyst's words, a bad premonition flashed through his heart.
But at this point, there was no turning back for him.
"Correct," Lynn said softly, "I would rather die than be treated like an animal and raised without any say over even my basic needs."
Hearing his words, Ivyst fell silent for a moment before speaking, "This potion must have been secretly given to you by Aphia, right?"
Lynn did not answer, only furrowed his brow.
"Despite being my subordinate, she's betraying me, which really ought to be punished," Ivyst's bright red eyes flickered, "Besides, why do you think I didn't notice all she was up to?"
Surprise finally flashed in Lynn's eyes as he looked at the bottle in his hand, realizing something.
"The bottle in your hand is the antidote," Ivyst slowly pulled out another bottle of liquid from her bosom, "The real Water Ghost Poison Essence is actually right here with me."
Speaking, she slowly pulled the stopper.
Lynn's eyes widened, instinctively trying to raise his hand to stop her.
But since only his right hand was unshackled and they were too far apart, he could only watch helplessly as she drank the poison from the bottle.
"Cough cough cough..."
In an instant, Ivyst's face turned slightly pale.
"You want to die, but I don't want to let you die," she said with a light laugh, "So, there's only one way now."
"The one who makes you suffer is me, so if I die, maybe you can be free?"
At that moment, Ivyst sat distantly on a wheelchair.
Her pure white long hair and bloodless pretty face made her look somewhat frail.
Yet even so, a slight smile still lingered on her lips as she quietly watched him.
"Have you gone mad?!"
Lynn tried to forcefully break free from the shackles, but other than causing blood to seep out, it was utterly ineffective.
By rights, as a Sixth Rank Demigod, he shouldn't be poisoned to death by something like the Water Ghost Poison Essence.
But the quantity was simply too much.
Moreover, he didn't know to what extent Ivyst's body had recovered.
Just as Lynn was about to shout for help, he saw Ivyst gently raising her index finger to her lips.
"What is it?" A sly smile appeared on her pale face, "It seems like you really don't wish for my death, do you?"
"So, let's leave the choice in your hands."
Saying this, she gently tossed a key towards him.
"There are two choices."
"First, after unlocking the chains, leave the manor without looking back. Although this would sadden the master, it can't be helped."
"Second... use the antidote in your hand to save me," a strange glow suddenly flashed across her bright red eyes, "But, I want you to come here willingly… and feed it to me with your mouth."
Ivyst gently touched her glistening lips with her delicate index finger, whispering softly.
Lynn silently watched the key on the bed, unsure of what he was thinking.
After a while, he slowly picked up the key and unlocked the shackles on his limbs.
With Ivyst's hopeful gaze upon him, Lynn jumped off the bed, then walked toward her while pouring the liquid inside the vial into his mouth.
Seeing this, she opened her arms happily, ready to embrace her little dog into her arms.
Performing intimate actions between master and pet is good for building affection.
This was a piece of knowledge she had learned from a book.
Unexpectedly, what met Ivyst was a somewhat rude action.
Lynn gripped her slender shoulders and pinned her against the chair, then forcefully lifted her chin like a conqueror.
Accompanied by a fierce tussle, Lynn slowly lifted his head after a moment, a silver thread trailing down.
Ivyst's chest heaved rapidly, breathing heavily.
She looked at him in surprise, seemingly not expecting him to react , her slender, pale fingers unconsciously clenching tightly.
"You actually don't need to test me in such a way," Lynn stared at the somewhat dazed Ivyst and said softly, "No matter what, I will not leave your side and will always consider your safety as my top priority."
At that moment, the string that had been taut for days inside Lynn finally snapped.
He had reached a breaking point, unable to bear everything that was happening to Ivyst any longer.
"No doubt, this is the truth."
Kneeling in front of Ivyst's wheelchair, Lynn looked up at her.
For some reason, a bad premonition unexpectedly surfaced in Ivyst's heart.
Lynn's gaze was too calm, as if foretelling the approach of a storm.
What... was he going to do?
Feeling Ivyst's instinctive desire to escape from his gaze, Lynn smiled lightly: "Really quite alike."
"In both appearance and other aspects."
"Although you never asked where I went after that, as a subordinate, I think it's necessary to report back to you."
Ivyst's heart thumped wildly.
But what permeated her chest was not joy, but inexplicable dread.
"Your Highness," looking into those bright red beautiful eyes, Lynn softly said, "During the month I was gone, I was actually always by your side."
"Only... it was the future you."