Therefore, Lynn didn't pay much attention.
It seemed he noticed the silence growing heavier, and the unexpected figure was the first to break it.
With a series of crisp footsteps, a tall and graceful woman approached him.
Seeing Hillena suddenly getting close to that guy he despised, Xiya stopped talking to Tiya subconsciously and turned his eyes towards his superior.
Accompanied by a strange yet refreshing faint fragrance, Lynn suddenly saw a pale, delicate hand reaching out in front of him.
In her hand was a gold-embossed, luxurious invitation.
"Tomorrow, if you are free, let little Ivyst bring you over for some fun," Hillena's expression was gentle, seemingly forgetting Lynn's previous comments about her looks, "It will be at my mansion, but unlike tonight, it will be a private dinner party with friends of the same age."
Like a gentle elder sister.
Normally, when a heterosexual male sees such a beautiful woman taking the initiative to invite him, he would be moved.
However, Lynn... was not a normal person.
He shook his head without hesitation, "Sorry, my prince doesn't allow me to speak with strange women outside."
Lynn seemed like an obedient child.
It wasn't a staged act.
But because... that woman, Ivyst, had actually instructed him so explicitly.
If she found out later that, without permission, he had accepted her enemy's dinner invitation, the consequences upon returning were too dreadful for Lynn to even consider.
What's more, why had this woman suddenly extended him an invitation?
There must be a demon behind abnormal occurrences.
Lynn had just returned to the Imperial Capital and didn't want to provoke these forces recklessly.
Dealing with the Mosgla family and the Heavenly Principle Church alone was enough to keep him busy.
Upon hearing this, Hillena's face froze momentarily, but she quickly recovered, casually flipping her platinum blonde hair behind her ear, her starry eyes brimming with allure.
"No worries, just pass it on to her."
Saying this, Hillena flashed a captivating smile then turned and left.
After whispering to Xiya for a moment, she glanced discreetly over here, then the group left Elloch Palace and disappeared into the night.
Watching that stunning and graceful figure, Lynn took a deep breath to calm the stirrings in his heart.
This woman... was truly very beautiful.
If he hadn't seen the Witch Miss after the curse was lifted, experiencing a sort of soul-stirring shock, he might have been lost in that woman's soft and serene smile.
The most beautiful woman in the Imperial Capital wasn't just beautiful in appearance but also carried a kind of "Charm" buff.
Just then, Lynn suddenly heard the sound of a wheelchair being pushed.
"Why did the prince invite that guy?" Xiya asked somewhat confusedly on the carriage ride back.
Hillena propped her cheek and gazed out the window absentmindedly.
After hearing her subordinate's question, she fell silent for a moment, then a trace of helplessness appeared in her eyes.
Because... her father, Calderon, had instructed her to do so.
After the audience with Saint Laurent VI, he directly made the request for her to get close to Lynn, to unearth some secret he harbored.
Although Hillena was unaware of it at the moment, it was an order from the Emperor.
Moreover, he had promised her a considerable reward in the King's election score as compensation.
Although her first impression of the little guy wasn't great, Hillena still decided to take on this task.
But at this moment, in front of a close subordinate, she somehow didn't want to say it.
Perhaps for fear that Xiya might overthink and cause some unnecessary misunderstanding.
Seeing Hillena fall into silence, Xiya didn't pursue the matter further, and once the carriage reached its destination, he got off and returned to the Military Department.
"Good night, Your Highness."
Xiya waved his hand while bidding her farewell in a gentle voice.
Hillena flashed a smile, "You also, good night."
After watching Xiya return to the Military Department, Hillena ordered her carriage to depart from the place.
Now alone in the carriage, it suddenly grew quiet.
As for Tiya, a nun had come to take her back when she left the Elloch Palace.
Being the Silent Saintess, she held a high position within the Church.
The street view outside the window flew past.
After a while, the carriage slowly stopped in front of her own mansion.
As Hillena was about to head in for a good soak in the hot spring to wash away her fatigue, she noticed a delicate figure in a moon-white Magic Robe, standing primly at the entrance of the mansion.
"Tiya? Is something the matter?"
Recognizing the identity of the person, and though puzzled, Hillena still asked.
In a sense, the relationship between the two competitors could only be described as lukewarm.
Upon hearing Hillena initiate the conversation, for some reason, the Elf girl, who would usually be as cold and indifferent as a doll, showed a rare hint of hesitation in her eyes.
After a moment of silence, she spoke softly, "Could I have two invitations?"
Hillena was somewhat surprised, "You wish to attend the dinner? But I hadn't heard that..."
"It was Brother Xiya. When he was leaving, he suddenly asked me, seemingly interested in attending."
Tiya tiptoed slightly, her boot tips touching the ground, trying to appear as calm as usual.
So, it was to accompany him?
Hillena did not suspect further, not even thinking that Tiya was lying.
Because the persona Tiya exhibited was usually so indifferent that it was hard to associate her with lying.
Watching the two extra invitations in her hand, Tiya took a deep breath.
"Would you like to come in and sit?"
After turning down Hillena's invitation, Tiya left the place with a heavy heart.
Walking on the deserted streets, it was a long while before she finally exhaled deeply.
In fact, she indeed had deceived Hillena just now.
Xiya had no idea about attending the dinner.
In fact, Tiya was planning to infiltrate the dinner by disguising herself.
The reason was simple.
It might be one of the few chances she would get to confront that detestable man up close.
It wasn't due to any obsession with him.
She was merely terribly confused and hesitant about the twelve years of memories she had lost.
She wanted to use that damned man to figure out her past.
She did not rule out the possibility of using some coercive and rough methods.
However... this was, after all, a private meeting with another man.
According to the norms of the Silent Church and conventional views, it was an act of infidelity.
Even though Tiya despised that man to the core, it was still highly inappropriate.
Therefore, she decided to keep it fully concealed.
Let it be... a little secret buried deep in her heart.
"Sorry, Brother Xiya."
Beneath the moonlight, the girl murmured heavily to herself.
(ps: Big chapter of 7000 words! Two more chapters tonight! In the new month, I aim to return to the realm of ten thousand a day!! Please support with monthly tickets!!!)