The usually radiant and knight now teetered on the edge of darkness, her presence exuding a dangerous allure.

Despite her commanding and queen-like demeanor, Shia found he preferred the soft elegance she normally carried.

Faced with her accusations, Shia showed no guilt.

He raised his hand—and delivered a firm flick to her forehead.

"Bang!"

The resounding smack echoed through the room.

Aph’s head buzzed from the force of the flick. Tears welled up in her eyes almost instantly, her already delicate expression becoming even more pitiful.

But Shia showed no mercy, his tone sharp.

"You’re questioning my character!"

His stern demeanor made him seem even more intimidating than Aph.

Aph pouted, feeling wronged. But under the boy’s dominance, her assertiveness gradually faded, and she returned to her gentle, knightly self.

Still a little indignant, she mumbled softly, "Then what were you two doing in the grove?"

She had noticed earlier but had kept silent until now.

"She was just trying to express her gratitude," Shia replied, his tone casual and sincere.

His nonchalant demeanor made Aph believe him a bit more.

"Gratitude?" she echoed, confused.

What exactly was Violet grateful for? It was hard to imagine the princess doing something like that.

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"Yes," Shia said with a shrug. "Back in the Goblin Kingdom, I saved everyone. At the time, there was danger, and as the only guy, it was natural for me to protect them."

"I also happened to make the right decisions. Because of those experiences, Violet developed a bit of reliance and affection for me."

He raised an eyebrow meaningfully, leaving the rest unsaid.

Aph understood but couldn’t help pouting further.

This explanation didn’t make her feel better—it made her feel worse.

"Isn’t that just liking someone?"

She had hoped Violet’s negative impression of Shia would change, but learning that Violet had fallen for him left her feeling sour.

It was like her man was being stolen by a younger girl.

On one side was the person she admired, stirring jealousy and possessiveness; on the other was the princess she had raised and adored.

The feelings were... complicated.

"Not quite," Shia replied.

Aph raised her head, puzzled.

Shia began to explain, "When people are in danger, they’re more likely to develop feelings, something called the suspension bridge effect."

"In a perilous situation, a person’s instinctive vigilance causes their heartbeat to speed up. But when there’s someone of the opposite sex nearby, the brain might mistake that accelerated heartbeat for romantic attraction—a misperception."

"When the danger passes, the dopamine released during the crisis diminishes, but the feelings of excitement linger in the heart."

"Only with continued interaction can someone realize the emotional mistake."

"So, everything I’m doing now is helping her understand her own heart."

As Shia finished, Aph’s eyes lit up with sudden realization.

Inwardly, Shia felt a pang of guilt.

Why was he getting so good at manipulating girls?

Damn Lilith!

Spending too much time with her had rubbed off some bad habits!

Aph, meanwhile, looked at him with wide, curious eyes, amazed at the psychological phenomenon he’d described.

"Thank you," she said softly, her tone tinged with guilt.

"Protecting Her Highness is my duty, but I failed..."

In the recent goblin crisis, it was Shia who had stepped up to fulfill the knight’s role she had neglected.

Her lips pressed into a line, self-reproach welling up within her.

It was precisely this failure that made her so vigilant about Violet in recent days. Her overprotectiveness stemmed from both a knight’s sense of duty and genuine worry for the princess.

But in doing so, she had misunderstood Shia.

Her shoulders slumped, and she sank deeper into self-blame, her spirit visibly dampened.

Shia moved closer, sitting beside her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle and soothing.

"This wasn’t your fault."

"No one could have foreseen that accident."

"It’s too much to expect you to handle everything alone."

"Sometimes, it’s okay to share the burden."

Aph looked up at him, her gaze vacant but softening.

His scent, warm and reassuring, made her want to lean in and rely on him.

Was there a deeper meaning to his words?

Her eyes flickered with emotion as she glanced away, offering no clear response.

Instead, her warmth seemed to intensify, and a faint, shy smile appeared in her eyes.

Slowly, she reached up to undo her ponytail, letting her dark green hair cascade down like a silken waterfall.

In that instant, she fully let go of her inner turmoil.

"Thank you," she whispered again.

Then, with a swift motion, she pushed Shia down, looking down at him from above.

"Thank you for everything you’ve done for the kingdom," she murmured, her voice low and tender.

Leaning closer, her hair formed a curtain around them, trapping them in an intimate bubble.

"And for protecting and nurturing Her Highness."

Her hesitation and accusations were gone, replaced by passionate determination.

She tightened her hold on the boy beneath her, her eyes briefly flashing with sly intent that went unnoticed.

She was going to exhaust him completely.

If she could make him lose interest in Violet, her goal would be half-accomplished!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com