"Stop!"

Just as "Princess Catherine" was desperately trying to move her legs to quickly shake off the paralysis from fear, the source of her tension was being blocked outside the Grand Witch Court by two teams of guards.

"Master Leon!"

Commanding two teams of bald-headed monk soldiers, the head monk blocked the "fierce-looking" Prince Lion Heart. A large fat monk with a peculiar burn scar on his head marched out of the Grand Witch Court and stood across from the evil prince, asking angrily:

"The Witch King Ritual is in three days. What are you doing here now with your men?"

This bald head... seems to be the head of the Blessing Monk Association.

After examining the large fat monk before him, the evil prince slightly raised his eyebrows. He then gently stroked the sinister black cat in his arms and replied with a calm face:

"I'm not here for the ritual. I'm here for Princess Catherine... How long until she can come out?"

What an unruly person!

Thoroughly annoyed by Leon's nonchalant attitude and his complete lack of respect, the fat monk barely managed to restrain his anger and coldly began to dismiss them:

"Please leave immediately! Princess Catherine is busy preparing for the Witch King Ritual and has no time for your visit!"

Hmm?

Upon hearing the fat monk's words, Leon — who had dawdled on the way for over two hours thanks to the resistance provided by [Materialism] and was finally dragged over by the [Bedtime Story] — was suddenly overjoyed.

"Alright, I'll leave right away!"

"???"

Watching as Leon, holding his black cat, turned away without even bothering to argue, the head of the Blessing Monk Association opened his mouth wide, unable to believe what was happening before his eyes.

Aren't you... as an ambitious man, just a bit too agreeable? And come to think of it, you came here with such a big show, only to leave after I put up a small hurdle? You... you...

"Wait!"

With an incredibly bewildered expression, as the fat monk looked on, the supposedly "busy" and "with absolutely no time" Princess Catherine actually hurried out from the inner court, shaking off the maid holding her train, and frantically called out to Prince Lion Heart:

"Don't leave! Come back!"

Accompanying Princess Catherine's timid shouts, a pitch-black crow circled in the sky and then quietly folded its wings, landing on the bone spire of the Grand Witch Court, fixating its coal-black eyes on Leon's retreating back.

With the bizarre "gaze" from the pitch-black crow, countless hair-thin invisible strands emerged from everyone present, twisting and tangling into strong loops of rope that aimed to ensnare the departing Leon.

In the crow's black eyes, like two deep pools, these loops formed by the [Bedtime Story] would meet resistance from a crimson light every time they moved towards Leon. Only a mere half would manage to stick, while the rest were repelled.

In contrast, the black cat in Leon's arms was tightly bound by numerous invisible strands despite the evil prince shielding it with his body. Only when Leon petted it did the crimson glow allow it a little movement.

What exactly is this red light?

After glancing at the resilient and intense red glow, failing to comprehend it, the crow — the avatar of the Narration of Nonexistence — lifted its wings slightly, giving a slight wave towards Leon.

In a world only it could see, the strands binding the man and the cat instantly tightened, momentarily obscuring the red glow with their numbers. Meanwhile, the evil prince attempting to leave found himself like a marionette, forcibly dragged back by the invisible strands.

...

It's over... The closer it gets to the plot node, the stronger the binding effect of the [Bedtime Story] becomes. There's truly no way out now...

Feeling heavy and sluggish, as if moving through a deep pool, Leon helplessly turned around. Following the script set by the Narration of Nonexistence, he sneered at the approaching Princess Catherine:

"Princess Catherine, you finally deign to see me."

"I..."

Facing the icy and furious expression of the Food God, "Princess Catherine" felt her legs go weak, instinctively taking a step back, and within her whisper-quiet voice, followed the plot:

"If I hadn't come out, you... you would have caused quite a scene, wouldn't you?"

"Heh, I'm not such an unruly person."

'Since... since you're not unruly, then please... please abide by the guest's decorum and... and watch your words and actions...'

"I have my own style of doing things, so don't worry yourself over it!"

According to the predetermined script by the Narration of Nonexistence, this moment is likely the second conflict point, where the words of both the just "Princess Catherine" and the evil Prince Lion Heart should be like sharp blades clashing. But alas, neither "actor" was truly present in the moment.

Leon, half-bound by the [Bedtime Story] and barely retaining some autonomy, was neither completely controlled nor had the patience to pretend politely, delivering his lines more rigidly than yesterday's cold bun, lacking entirely the craftiness and ambition expected of him.

As for "Princess Catherine," trembling from head to foot due to the effects of the [Disaster Avoidance], and with legs as weak as noodles, simply standing took all her effort, nearly burying her head in her chest, her voice softer than a mosquito's wings.

As the man and the timid woman were hurriedly running through their lines, the two opposing groups outside the entrance to the Grand Witch Court fell into a stunned silence.

The reason being, the chemistry between the two in front of the entrance seemed overwhelmingly intense.

Prince Leon had stormed the place with great fervor, and though Princess Catherine had received word of it, she delayed her appearance. Yet as Prince Leon prepared to leave in a huff, she immediately rushed out to stop him — creating a situation that seemed dubious regardless of perspective.

The subsequent "pointed" exchange between them was laden with deep passion disguised as confrontation.

Despite being able to turn and leave, Prince Leon paused immediately upon hearing her call and turned back, with that "Princess Catherine, you finally deign to see me" sounding less like an enemy's confrontation, and more like an angry demand from a lover feeling avoided.

Princess Catherine's meek response, "If I hadn't come out, you... you would have caused quite a scene, wouldn't you?" perfectly confirmed this suspicion.

And then that "Heh, I'm not such an unruly person," was unmistakably a sulky implication that if she chose to be strictly professional and disregard personal feelings, he'd handle it the same way.

Princess Catherine's weak rebuttal to "abide by the guest's decorum" and "watch your words and actions," instead of warningly chastising, seemed more like tearfully pleading, hoping the other could control his passionate feelings, not doing anything out of line despite being a well-disguised suitor.

Prince Leon's retort, "I have my own style of doing things, so don't worry yourself over it!" sounded more like a declaration of defying worldly constraints, preparing to love intensely for once, so...

These two sure have issues!

A glance at the fiercely glaring Prince Lion Heart, who brought his entourage to "raid" the place, then at the shy, head-bowed, almost tearful Princess Catherine, had everyone exchanging curious glances. Miraculously, they seemed to reach a consensus.

In this atmosphere, even a bystander could feel the strong implication of an affair!