"You’re really drinking it! I spiked it."

This inexplicable statement immediately plunged the atmosphere into a bizarre tension. Even Sofia couldn’t keep up with Lance’s logic for a moment, her expression frozen in surprise.

She didn’t think much of it until the strange sensation truly started to affect her nerves...

But Lance’s strange utterances didn’t stop despite her reaction being unchanged.

"How is it? Feeling warm all over? Or are your limbs weak and limp?"

"You... when..." Sofia shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her mind, "You... what kind of drug is this?"

"That’s why you shouldn’t touch cups that don’t belong to you. As for what kind of drug? It’s obviously an aphrodisiac. Haven’t you been seducing me all along? I’m giving you the chance right now."

Lance continued explaining to himself, "It’s normal to feel dizzy. Just close your eyes, and when you open them again, you’ll be crawling toward me, undressing voluntarily..."

As Lance spoke, Sofia seemed to collapse, slumping over the table. Her eyelids felt as heavy as mountains, and despite her inner resistance, they trembled uncontrollably, her pupils rolling upward. She couldn’t speak anymore.

"This is the antidote." Lance casually placed a potion in front of her and thoughtfully opened it, "Drink it, and it will counteract the effects."

"Ah!" Without much hesitation, Sofia growled lowly, struggling to grab the bottle. However, her limbs were unresponsive, and instead, she knocked it over, spilling its contents onto the table.

Sofia couldn’t care less; she lay down and desperately licked the spilled water off the table’s surface, lost in a frantic, fevered state...

After struggling for a moment, it looked like Sofia finally waited for the antidote to take effect, her previously uncontrollable body falling still, yet she remained splayed over the table as if passed out.

"Was it fun?" Lance crossed his legs, leaning back as he observed the hilarious scene, breaking her facade with a direct remark.

Sofia slowly lifted her head, her face wet. Her light, close-fitting clothing stuck to her skin, becoming translucent. Her eyes reflected helplessness and even faint tears.

Under the dim candlelight, her pitiful state inexplicably evoked a sense of protectiveness.

Lance was unmoved, gazing at her with a smile, teasing, "What are you doing? I was just joking with you. Why did you take it seriously? I came in here with you; how could I have spiked your drink?"

Do you think Sofia will believe him? Nonetheless, these words injected a complexity into her gaze, a mix of fear and resentment.

Regardless of her belief, the truth was, Lance hadn’t actually drugged her, nor did he have any potions.

The previous act was just [Enchanting Voice] leading her to react, while his mastery over the Power of Flesh and Blood made it easy to induce physical sensations.

The potion was merely Lance’s Holy Water (plain water); its only "effect" was Lance’s suggestion to lift the hypnosis.

This experiment left Lance even more impressed with the prowess of [Enchanting Voice]. It proved ineffective on brainless fools like the Great Crab or the Devourer, but it worked extensively on humans who could comprehend language and grasp meanings.

Sofia’s will undoubtedly underwent trials, yet she succumbed without realizing it.

Her initial compromise set the stage for inevitable retreat.

"If you hadn’t drunk it, I could still respect you somewhat. But now, I truly look down on you, desiring gain yet unwilling to sacrifice."

If Sofia had truly been ruthless and refused the antidote, she could have proven her mettle, leveraging herself as a chip and maintaining her innocence to garner sympathy.

But it was clear she never intended to make the move, merely exploiting her advantages.

Playing innocent for personal gain?

Time to deliver harsh blows and strict deterrent!

This sentence is an unmasked humiliation, exposing her ugly nature.

Nevertheless, Sofia’s endurance was remarkable; she withstood the pressure, refusing to crumble, even feigning innocence like she was a victim of Lance’s maltreatment.

"What are you talking about... I never thought the Lord could be such a person..."

Lance barely glanced at her, proceeding to ask his own question.

"Should I call you princess, or... Noth?"

At these words, Sofia could no longer maintain her composure. Her expressions quickly reined in, eyes brimming with vigilance.

Having discussed Sofia’s matters with Grendel, Lance grew curious about this so-called princess, prompting him to consult Amanda.

Indeed, the princess’s disappearance stirred some ripples, leading the Romani to research and uncover details about this princess’s identity.

The supernatural path of the Empire’s royalty was uncertain, but Sofia’s maternal lineage had been excavated.

Just as "Rom" phonetically equates to "human,"

The name "Noth," in this instance, was not merely a name but an old, mysterious transcendent path—Perfumer.

In a way, also a categorically considered Pharmacist, skilled in distilling scents with mystical power, using potions as carriers—the core being the fragrance.

"Of course, you wouldn’t put it in the wine, because you, yourself, are the drug."

In front of Lance’s words, Sofia seemed completely transparent.

As a perfumer, Sofia couldn’t have influenced Lance by drugging the wine. The scent emanating from her was the true sedative.

After acquiring this information from Amanda, Lance understood how she managed to elude so many predicaments along her journey. It was sheer "luck."

Grendel once thought she had influenced Sofia, when actually Sofia was the one adept at manipulating scents, completely immune to influence.

In fact, it was Grendel who was affected; otherwise, her irrational fondness for Sofia was hard to explain.

But it had no impact on Lance, who decided to play along with her little game.

Sofia’s silence didn’t grant her reprieve; Lance unabatedly continued.

"I know your perfumers are notorious for concocting a terrifying perfume. Just a drop can frenzy everyone in an entire square with desire.

Unfortunately, you lack such perfume. What makes you think you can affect my senses? Didn’t Grendel tell you? I’m a Transcendent too."

Never mind, [Natural Purification] maxed his resistances to these things.

Even without it, Lance could sever irrelevant nerves through flesh mastery, discarding extraneous emotions.

If it targeted the soul, nothing could shake it, not even gods.

"When did you find out?" Sofia regained composure from earlier shock.

Even though her expression grew uglier, Lance noticed her retaining calmness, proving her steadiness.

Answering her query, Lance nonchalantly responded, "From when you arrived in Hamlet, I knew."

Of course, this was a bluff; back then, he almost mistook her for Margaret. Regardless, it didn’t hinder him from feigning superiority now.

At least, Sofia believed it. Hearing this, she felt like a clown, unable to maintain composure any longer, feeling utterly exposed before him as if naked.

"I lost. Do as you will."

Sofia’s body swayed, dropping into the chair with the demeanor of resignation, her eyes void of life, akin to a dead fish.

Sofia’s resolve was under severe testing... a pitiful sight!