97 - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!
## Chapter 97: Aren’t You Underestimating Me Too Much? Lynn massaged his slightly disoriented head, squinting as the sunlight slanted through the car window. As he felt the subtle jolts beneath his seat, a realization began to dawn on him. Looking around, he found himself seated in a luxurious compartment of a train. It was empty. Lynn paused briefly, then stood up, trying to steady himself while making his way towards the door. As he opened it, someone from the rear carriage noticed him and hurried forward. "Young Master Lynn, you’re awake?" The familiar voice of the female stewardess, Keisha, reached him. "Am I on the train back to the Imperial Capital?" Lynn rubbed his temples, casting a puzzled glance at her. With Keisha's help, they moved into the second carriage together. There, he saw several familiar faces seated—some were servants from the Augusta Manor, others were associates he had seen during meals with Yvette. Though he seldom interacted with them, their eyes conveyed a mix of respect and gravity as they briefly exchanged glances. "Young Master Lynn, we place great trust in you regarding Her Highness's affairs." A voice suddenly rose from the crowd. Simultaneously, the varied expressions in their gazes—approval, confusion, doubt—focused on him. Trust in me? Lynn was still grappling with the situation. Yet waves of fragmented memories rushed in, swiftly bringing back events from the previous night. What's going on with that woman? Staring at the train that symbolized freedom, Lynn did not feel the exhilaration he anticipated. Frowning, he turned to Keisha, "Mrs. Keisha, can you tell me what’s happening now?" Upon hearing this, the aged stewardess closed her eyes, motioning for him to sit beside her. Once seated, Lynn was still left without the explanation he hoped for. Instead, Keisha handed him a thick stack of papers. "These are Her Highness's savings account statements at Grosstein Central Bank—her personal savings accumulated over the years for you to use while in the capital." Saying this, Keisha handed him a slim booklet. On it was the flamboyant and bold signature of that woman: Ivette Roland Oleksini. Without thinking, Lynn accepted the booklet. Yet, his mind flashed back to the sorrowful yet gentle image of her under the moonlight the previous night. "This—" Just as he was about to speak, Keisha interrupted. "These documents are the deeds to properties Her Highness owns in the Imperial Capital. If you happen to have nowhere to stay due to influences from the Mosgra family after your return, you can temporarily reside in her residence, avoiding overt troubles from them." "This here records essential connections you can utilize when necessary. They aren't many, but represent Her Highness's hard-earned efforts over the years." "And these items here are—" "Hold on, hold on!" Lynn finally couldn't take it anymore and interjected. Staring at the pile of documents in his hands, he felt a wave of absurdity wash over him. "What's the meaning of all this?" Lynn frowned deeply. "Why is this being treated as if it were a deathbed entrustment?" "Moreover, she has so many capable subordinates. Why hand these over to me?" At this moment, he felt overwhelmed and at a loss. The unexpected weight of responsibility pressed down on him, leaving him unsure how to proceed. Hearing this, Keisha glanced at him and spoke expressionlessly, "Young Master Lynn, you should be aware of Her Highness's emergency mission details by now, correct?" "Yes." He nodded. Last night, Ivette had briefed him about her temporary mission issued by Saint Roland VI, which involved handling an unknown sealed item. However, she hadn’t disclosed any specific details about it at the time. Now, Keisha handed him a piece of paper: "This contains detailed information about the sealed item Her Highness needs to handle on this mission." Lynn accepted the paper, quickly scanning through it. Upon seeing the name of the sealed item, his face turned exceptionally grim. **[Item Name: Wishing Jar]** **[Item Number: Not Yet Contained]** **[Sequence Level: Unknown]** **[Origin: A mysterious artifact passed down through the Cult of Genesis, unknown to the outside world.]** **[Effect Description: Grants the user any three wishes, but realizes them in the worst possible ways.]** **[Containment Recommendation: Personnel should ascertain item characteristics before taking action.]** So this was her ultimate mission target? Suddenly, Lynn's hand began to shake. Yet Keisha, unaware of his internal turmoil, continued. "As you can see, though the sequence level is unknown, intelligence from His Majesty suggests it’s between Level 2 and Level 1, not exceeding Level 1." "With this in mind, Her Highness anticipates her sleep duration post-mission to be about four to six months." "Currently, it's a critical period for the royal selection, nearing the Autumn Hunt in the Imperial Capital. She doesn't want to waste the opportunity." "Hence, Her Highness has decided to dispatch some of her non-combative subordinates ahead to the capital to set the stage." "And out of everyone, you are the one Her Highness trusts the most, hence she has entrusted these matters to you—" "What did you just say?" Lynn lifted his head abruptly, incredulity etched across his face. "You are Her Highness's most trusted individual," Keisha replied matter-of-factly, as if stating an obvious truth. "There's no room for doubt in this regard." "She explicitly expressed this to me last night." "…" Lynn suddenly clenched the report on the sealed item and pounded the table in frustration. Trust me? Are you joking? From the very start, I've been trying to escape from that crazy, insane woman's clutches. I've dreamed of it, stayed up thinking about it! And now you pull something like this on me?! Do you even understand what that sealed item represents? As bits and pieces of the original novel's storyline reemerged, Lynn finally pieced together all the crucial points. Why did the antagonist princess disappear for nearly two hundred chapters after leaving the capital, only to reappear in the climax of the royal selection, when the second prince and others got defeated? According to the timeline, almost a year had passed! Now he also understood why the witch had said so many peculiar things when he last left the Pantheon. She not only asked him for the specific date of the current timeline but also urged him to seize this once-in-a-lifetime moment of her vulnerability and return to the capital. She even asked him to pass along a message to Aphia and the others. At the time, he felt uneasy but lacked the key information to deduce the truth. Having diligently studied the original novel, Lynn had a level of confidence in this ultimate antagonist's capabilities that even surpassed her own self-assessment. So he never pondered the worst-case scenario until now. But seeing the name of the sealed item, Lynn instantly grasped everything. That damned Saint Roland VI had given completely false information. Because that Wishing Jar, dammit, was not some mere Level 2 or Level 1 sealed item—it's Level 0! A genuine Level 0!!! Furthermore, a terrifying demon resides within that jar, which, though incomplete, is incredibly formidable! In the original narrative, the protagonist and allies were cornered to desperation, resorting to divine intervention to resolve the crisis; otherwise, half of the Saint Roland Empire might have become a wasteland. Thus, Ivette's mission was doomed from the start. Not only would it fail, but it also led to all her subordinates perishing without a trace, and even Ivette herself slipping into a prolonged slumber. Upon awakening, her personality was drastically altered, even undergoing some degree of distortion, resulting in the ensuing chaos in the capital and ultimately her defeat by the protagonists, leading to her imprisonment in the Dead Water Prison of the northernmost region. If everything unfolded as per the original narrative, that would indeed be the case. Isn’t this the epitome of tragedy? Lynn's expression shifted unpredictably, his thoughts obscured in turmoil. Seeing Lynn suddenly fall silent, Keisha didn't say much and instead took out two more items. "This is from Aphia, for you," she placed them in front of him. "Even though she turned you down, she still accepted your gift. Her Highness has already scolded her about it." Lynn gazed at the small, pristine princess shoes on the table, falling into a daze. Next, an envelope was placed in front of him. "This is from Master Greya." Instinctively, Lynn accepted the letter and began to read. It contained just one line. "Her Highness said that anyone personally involved in this mission will receive an award from His Majesty—an easy military merit! Haha, just don't forget about me in the capital. Wait for my triumphant return!" I never thought I’d see a death flag so perfectly erected in my lifetime. And what's the point of going along when you’re not even a transcendent being? Lynn felt a strong urge to criticize but realized he wasn't in the mood. Greya was one of the few friends he'd made since coming to this world, and it was troubling to see him dragged into such a predicament. Unlike Lynn, everyone else lacked the foresight about what would transpire next. Seeing Lynn in such a trance-like state, Keisha finally spoke up, "Young Master Lynn, are you feeling unwell?" "Oh, no, I'm fine," he shook his head reflexively, glancing at the princess shoes. "It's my first time receiving shoes worn by a beautiful girl. I'm a bit excited." "…" Keisha remained silent. "By the way, is there a restroom here?" Suddenly, Lynn swayed to his feet, asking casually. Whether it was residual effects of the sedative, or for some other reason, he wasn’t sure. After Keisha directed him, Lynn almost fled to the restroom as if escaping. He turned on the tap, cupping water in his hands to splash on his face, trying to clear his head. Staring at the boy with wet black hair in the mirror, Lynn took a deep breath. "I'm glad," he suddenly said, "I'm glad to have escaped from that woman." A lie. That is a lie! He hadn’t truly lied to himself; it was merely a spoken thought, and the truth-detecting power of the Lie Eater activated instantly. A lie? How could that be? Lynn gazed into the mirror and noticed his face looked oddly pale. Now he felt lost about the nature of his relationship with her, and what his true feelings were. His mind was a chaotic mess. So, to find a real answer, he resorted to self-examination. "I…" Lynn wanted to ask something, but the words blurred under the sedative's lingering effects. What was I about to ask? He tried to relax, but the spark of clarity eluded him. "Smack!" With a sudden slap, Lynn struck his own cheek. Now he remembered. The echo in his heart turned out to be a simple phrase. A casual conversation he once had with Milanie. He had asked her what the most profound emotion was. With a smile, Milanie replied: regret. Indeed. The most profound emotion in the world is not anger or despair, but regret. Time cannot be rewound; whatever decision you make keeps pushing you forward on your chosen path, without any chance to turn back. And the emotion that grows deeper with time is regret. Regret for making a wrong decision. "If I just walk away today… I will regret it." That was the truth. The Lie Eater confirmed it. Why? Lynn was puzzled. He was caught in a storm of conflicting emotions, unable to organize his thoughts. However, there was no time for introspection. Thus, he chose not to delve further. He gave his trust fully to the Lie Eater at that moment. At the same time, another strong emotion surged in his chest. "I am very angry right now." That was the truth. In his mind surfaced the day at the Pantheon, when the witch urged him to leave Oleen City immediately. And Ivette’s silent tears from last night. He seemed to understand something. Everyone assumed he was the weakest link in this entire event. Let's not talk about Her Highness. But the witch? She gave up, thinking he could do nothing, could change nothing, so she told him to flee to the capital, preserve his life. As for what tragic fate might befall her later, it seemed irrelevant. For the greater good? Building strength, aiming for a more distant future? Perhaps a logical choice, but without consulting his wishes. Everyone overlooked one thing. "Ms. Witch, and Your Highness, haven't you underestimated me too much?" Lynn took a deep breath. A sense of calm, his usual demeanor, returned. Besides, for such a major event full of potential—where he could change historical juncture, how could someone like him resist? "Leon Bartley, you will change everything." He spoke firmly, staring at his reflection—a young man with black hair. Is that a lie? Something within seemed to ask. “No, it’s a promise.” “Because I’ve already promised the witch to please her.” “Be it today’s her or tomorrow’s her.” “Keisha, Keisha, something terrible happened!!” A subordinate suddenly rushed over in a panic. “What happened?” Sipping her tea, the stewardess remained composed. "Young Master Lynn… Young Master Lynn escaped through the window from the restroom!" Like a bolt from the blue, the news sent those present into chaos. Only Keisha remained calmly seated. “I see… Inform the conductor to set the train to full speed.”