Chapter 144 The Show Begins - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

"Father, you are truly something. You've dedicated your life to the emperor, and now that trouble's arisen, he can't even be bothered to protect you." "Look at you now—lying in bed unable to move, leaving our family in ruins." "You should learn from your son. Knowing I have no great abilities, I found someone powerful to rely on. Who cares what the result will be? At least I survive day by day, right?" "Sigh, I won't ramble anymore. Whether you can hear me or not, I promise you this." "Rest assured, I will try to keep this family going." In the bedroom, Lynn sat on a chair by the bed, mumbling softly. He looked at the man lying in bed with closed eyes, formerly known as Baron Bartlett, now presumably an earl, and sighed gently. Once in his prime, now his hair was gray, his body was weakened. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Lynn himself might have thought he was dead. Just then, a knock came from the door. Lynn tucked the blanket around his father, then quickly stepped out of the room. Facing the respectful demeanor of the head of the border attendants, Lynn remained expressionless. "So, did you find out anything?" The leader nodded. "Young master Lynn, as you suspected, these individuals are mostly spies planted by the Mosgra family in the past year, trying to secretly control your family." "Additionally, they mentioned Miss Eleanor is currently at the academy attending a send-off banquet for the fourth-year students heading to the frontline." A send-off banquet? Upon reflection, Lynn recalled a similar event before he set off for the demon battlefield. However, he knew Eleanor well. With the family facing such turmoil, if she wasn't forced, she would never leisurely attend such a banquet. It seems the reach of the Mosgra family extends further than imagined. Is it because Irina, that vile woman, is looking to advance further? Contemplating, Lynn stated after a pause, "I'll go change clothes. Prepare a car to take me to the academy." As he spoke, Lynn was about to leave. However, the head attendant seemed troubled. "Young master Lynn, what should we do with these people?" Lynn glanced at him. "Tie them all up and bring them along." Outside the estate, night fell. A grand spectacle seemed about to unfold. At the Royal Extraordinary Academy's Opal Hall... As the largest public building in the entire academy, the hall was now brightly lit and lavishly decorated. Students moved in and out, their makeup exquisite, their attire luxurious and elegant. They entered the hall in small groups to attend the grand ceremony of the night. Though most students appeared youthful, their noble birth granted them extraordinary poise and grace. Coupled with the high standards of the banquet, it had a faint resemblance to a prestigious Glostin social affair. At this moment, on the first floor of the hall, students gathered in small groups, holding drinks and champagne, chatting about campus anecdotes, or occasionally mentioning frontier battles. Most of them would, one day, enter the administrative core of the empire or military, inheriting their family's roles and becoming the cornerstone of the state. Even the mere mention of some surnames could inspire awe. Yet for tonight, the most dazzling presence in the hall was not among those mentioned earlier. "Senior Shia recently slew a fifth-rank legendary demon on the demon battlefield. This should set a record for the entire academy, right?" "Indeed, being just twenty years old and reaching the fourth rank, with the capability to fight above one's rank—such individuals are rare throughout academy history." "Rare means there are others?" "Are you new here?" "Sorry, senior, I recently transferred here, and I'm not familiar with matters in the imperial capital yet." "Oh, that explains it. Besides Shia, I remember two others who match his caliber." "Who?" "One of them is the current 'Valkyrie of the Empire,' who reached the legendary fifth rank at twenty-four and now commands a legion on the frontier. Though there's some hidden story there." "A hidden story?" "Yes, it's said the Valkyrie's achievements are linked to another person, her former fiancé." "If Shia hadn't achieved the feat of a fourth-rank slaying a fifth-rank legendary, he couldn't be compared to that person." "A fourth rank at seventeen, possessing 136 divine-imbued factors—if that incident hadn’t occurred, he likely... well." "What incident?" "Hmhm, just... the Mosgra family..." "Gossiping isn't a noble virtue." As two students were deep in conversation, a cold voice suddenly interrupted from behind. Startled, the gossiper quickly turned around. There they saw a young woman, dressed elegantly and wearing striking lipstick, standing behind them. She seemed to have overheard the entire conversation, her expression slightly displeased. Her looks were average, with slightly high cheekbones lending her a somewhat sharp and mean appearance. However, her noble attire and the air of aristocracy she exuded lent her an air of authority. The two students immediately broke into a sweat. "E-Empress Eunice..." They were visibly terrified. Encountering the event’s host and being overheard gossiping could spell disaster for them, given their families' limited power and influence. Big fish eat little fish; it's always been so. Fortunately, she seemed uninterested in further pursuing the matter, merely advising them to "pack up and leave," before continuing onward with her companion. The two students, sighing in relief, scurried out of the hall. Damn it. Recalling the gossip she had overheard, Eunice maintained a conversation with others, though her eyes betrayed a hint of darkness. Just then, her male companion spoke, "In truth, what they said wasn't wrong." "If not for those underhanded tactics to usurp the Bartlett family's status and wealth, without Irina transplanting that boy's divine-imbued factors, the Mosgra family could never reach its current standing." "And even so, to me, their status is merely a castle in the air. Given today, gone tomorrow." Hearing this, Eunice tensed, her hold on her companion's arm stiff. The young man beside her wore a serious expression, not cold, just solemn and earnest, almost rigid. With neatly combed hair and glasses perched on his nose, he appeared scholarly and composed. As they passed through the hall, various glances were cast their way. Most of these eyes, however, focused on the man beside Eunice. The fourth prince, Joshua Roland Alexini. Ranked fourth by the Holy Oak institution, he was one of the top contenders for the throne. Though there was a sizable gap in marks between him and the second prince, Ferit, reasons abounded. As the head of the Saint Roland Institute of Research, the fourth prince Joshua was known to detest getting embroiled in mundane affairs like the throne selection, dedicating himself fully to the realm of research. Even the genealogy factor transplant technique was pioneered under his leadership, earning him over three thousand points in recognition. Most of his scores came from patents he developed, garnering official commendations. Though rumors persist that he experiments on vagrants and orphans, discarding them afterward, such claims have done nothing to affect him. It's a common belief in the imperial capital that the fourth prince harbors no aspirations for the throne. But is that truly the case? After the level-zero containment incident, the Mosgra family, gradually distanced by the second prince Ferit, found a new ally in the likes of the fourth prince Joshua. Their assistance in collecting Bartlett's blood was precisely for this purpose. Hearing the tone-deaf remarks from the fourth prince Joshua, Eunice forced a smile. "Your Highness jests. With tonight's celebration so lively, why bother discussing such unpleasant topics?" "Indeed," Joshua replied nonchalantly. Just then, a petite figure in a pale blue gown flitted across a distant corner. Prince Joshua paused, a strange emotion flickering briefly in his eyes. "By the way, how have you handled things with Eleanor?" "The prince... seems rather taken with her?" A shadow crossed Eunice's eyes. As Eleanor's peer, during the time the Bartlett family thrived, she lived perpetually in Eleanor's shadow, outshone in both appearance and talent. Even now, though her family had risen while Eleanor's had fallen, she found herself just as before, overshadowed. Tonight, she spent hours meticulously preparing, hoping to catch the eye of Prince Joshua. Yet this indifferent man had not once cast his gaze her way. Hearing his response, a glint of greed flashed in Joshua's eyes. "Indeed." "Such perfect material, wasted if left outside." "I intend to keep it firmly in hand, and then dissect it, piece by piece, on the lab table, revealing all the secrets of the Bartlett family." For reasons unknown, a chill suddenly ran through Eunice's body, making her shiver involuntarily.