Chapter 147 Audience with Saint Laurent VI - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

"Miss Mosgra, judging by your expression, you seem to know this person?" Catching sight of the fleeting astonishment in Eunice’s eyes, Lynn spoke up without hesitation. Damn it. Eunice instantly composed herself, her expression turning icy: "I don’t know what you're talking about." Clearly, Lynn's sudden return had disrupted their plans. Even the servants they had planted in the Batlion estate were all apprehended by him. Upon hearing this, Lynn chuckled, "You don't know? It doesn't matter if you don't." He then turned to the Fourth Prince Joshua beside him: "Your Highness, according to the empire's code, what penalty is appropriate for those who trespass on noble lands without permission?" Lynn's voice rang out, ensuring everyone in the hall could hear. The Fourth Prince slightly frowned, "Death." "Very well." Lynn nodded approvingly, "In that case, allow me to introduce these people to you, Your Highness." "As the sole legitimate heir of the Batlion family, I haven’t received any employment applications or contracts from these servants. Yet, they appeared in the mansion openly and even acted as if they were the owners." "Your Highness, do you think these people deserve to die?" . The Fourth Prince seemed to have an inkling of what was happening as he observed Lynn’s aggressive demeanor. He frowned but chose not to answer. Seeing this, Lynn subtly raised his hand, and a border guard behind him handed him a revolver filled with bullets. "Close your eyes." Feeling Eleanor's small hands clutching his waist, Lynn gently whispered to her. In Eleanor's eyes at that moment, her brother appeared to be the most handsome man in the world, so she obediently nodded, glancing hatefully at the maid Maria before closing her eyes. Her heart was filled with anger toward one of the culprits who had killed her personal maid and imprisoned her in the estate. Eunice’s brows furrowed as she watched the scene unfold: "What are you trying to do?!" "This is the Royal Transcendental Academy. Even if you want to act wildly, know your place!" Eunice’s chest heaved with anger over the disruption of her banquet by this scoundrel. But Lynn paid her no mind. "One last chance." He pressed the cold barrel against the back of Maria’s head, "Tell me who ordered you, and I might spare your life." Fearful tears welled in Maria’s eyes as she instinctively looked up at Eunice. Upon seeing the confidence in her lady’s eyes that Lynn wouldn’t dare shoot, Maria’s feelings calmed somewhat. "You presum—" "Bang—" Before she could finish her sentence, the sudden gunshot echoed throughout the hall! "Ahhhhh!!!!" The abrupt shooting sent everyone into a panic, many of the young noblewomen even trembling and covering their faces, unable to witness the scene. Someone died! The unexpected turn of the banquet had finally resulted in an inevitable death! Everyone wished to scatter but found themselves blocked by the imposing border guards stationed at the doors. As soon as the gunshot rang out, Eunice’s expression froze. Murder! He actually... dared to commit murder! And in front of countless nobles! Was he intent on trampling the face of the Mosgra family into the dirt? Did this guy have a death wish?! Eunice was suddenly reminded of her brother, who had died at the border under mysterious circumstances. Watching Maria's lifeless body hit the ground, her heart missed a beat for reasons unknown. Beside her, the Fourth Prince's expression was equally grim, and he remained silent. Clearly, none of them had anticipated that the young man’s lawlessness, rumored from the border to the imperial capital, would be this unrestrained. Not only was it unchecked, but it was even more blatant than they imagined. Just like that, in full view of the public, he executed the Mosgra family’s servants. Yet the ordeal was far from over. As everyone stared, horrified at the lifeless body on the ground, another trembling servant was pushed forward. The moment the hood was removed, the cold barrel was pressed against their head once more. "Speak." Lynn, feeling no need for lengthy discussion, curtly ordered. "." The person remained silent. "Bang!" Another lifeless body collapsed, blood and brain matter spreading like a creek in all directions. "Next." Lynn’s eyes bore no emotion, as if he had merely slaughtered a chicken. Following his orders, another servant was ushered forward. The moment their hood was removed, the person panic-strickenly struggled and shouted, "I-I’ll tell you! I’ll tell!!!" "I know who gave..." "Bang!" To everyone’s astonishment, Lynn fired again. "Too long-winded, next." Lynn waved the gun in slight annoyance, issuing orders to his attendants. The Fourth Prince’s eyelid twitched. And Eunice’s face was pale, her lips quivering from anger. At a time when the Mosgra family was on the rise in the capital, their prominence confirmed by hosting such a banquet, the nobility cared most about power and dignity. Yet this lawless madman was now tearing apart the Mosgra family’s facade, executing her subordinates in plain view. The lives of these people didn’t concern her. But they represented the family’s reputation. At this moment, each gunshot from Lynn felt like a blow to her heart. But right now, this damned man was in control. She longed to leave in defiance, then inform her family to handle the matter, but doing so in public would lead to even more outlandish rumors in Glostine. She could already imagine the tale: the Mosgra family’s rightful heir fleeing in terror from the returned, vengeful Batlion. Such a scenario would bring shame upon her family. "Stop this at once!" Eunice raised her voice, attempting to overpower him. "Bang!" But this reckless man fired once more. This time, barely giving the servant a chance to speak, he already pulled the trigger. Sensing the panic and astonishment around them, Lynn thought for a moment, then shrugged apologetically: "Sorry, got carried away... Next." His tone showed no trace of remorse. The relentless gunfire felt like a death knell, weighing heavily on the hearts of the bound servants. Finally, someone couldn’t hold it in any longer. To avoid becoming the next victim, he screamed in anguish even before being pushed forward: "Miss Eunice!" "It was Miss Eunice Mosgra who placed us in your estate to secretly monitor Lady Eleanor and Marquis Batlion’s every move!" He cried and pleaded, hoping for Lynn’s mercy. "Nonsense!" Lynn suddenly raised his voice, "The Mosgra family has always been upright, with impeccable conduct. How could they meddle in other families' affairs?!" "Bang!" Indeed. He fired once more. By now, the spectators were numb. Staring at the blood-soaked floor, they silently watched the young man, uncertain of his aims. Whether they spoke or not, death awaited them. Clearly, he had no intention of leaving these people alive. "Next." Lynn muttered. His voice seemed like Death’s summons. The earlier gunshots further crushed the final defenses in the hearts of the captive servants. Confronted with death, their loyalty to the Mosgra family dissipated entirely. "Spare me, Master Lynn! I'll testify too! It was Miss Eunice who ordered us!" "It was she who forced us to surveil Lady Eleanor and secretly manipulate everything within the Batlion family!" "Yes, yes, it's true! By the Bounty Goddess, I swear it!" "Please, spare me! Have mercy!!!" Suddenly, amidst their collapse into despair, the captive servants sobbed and spoke in overlap, unraveling the truth of the situation. "Shut up! You debased scoundrels, you all deserve to die!" Eunice shouted, near hysterical with rage. She glared at Lynn, but surprisingly, he merely wore a composed expression, allowing such revelations to spread through the hall. The students looked at one another, expressions varied and conflicted. Clearly, such shady dealings weren't uncommon. They had long suspected such things happened but maintained a nobleman's silence. But the Mosgra family being exposed so openly was unprecedented. "That's enough." Finally, the Fourth Prince, who had been observing coldly, spoke up. Hearing this, Lynn sighed, "Oh, Your Highness, how should I even begin to critique you?" "If it were Prince Ferit, he'd either have stopped me with lightning speed or stayed indifferent, keeping clear entirely." "This kind of self-defeating behavior is something new." "But... since it's Your Highness's suggestion, I might just consider it." "After all, you do have a good father, don't you?" A flicker of darkness crossed the Fourth Prince's eyes. Lynn had precisely struck a sensitive chord—Second Prince Ferit. This pain point lay deeply buried within him. Just as the Fourth Prince instinctively wanted to defend himself, he heard Lynn casually wave a hand and say, "Kill them all." In the next second, the border guards simultaneously drew their guns, aiming at the temple of each servant. Then— "Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang—" The gunshots reverberated throughout the hall, echoing like a massacre! Bodies, still warm, collapsed to the ground, with blood flowing like rivers, gathering and then streaming toward a trembling Eunice and the Fourth Prince Joshua. A river of blood! Indeed, a river of blood! Witnessing the horrifying spectacle, all present were struck dumb. No one had anticipated that this disowned young man, upon returning to the capital, would cause such a cataclysmic scene. For a time, the atmosphere became steeped in a long silence. Lynn retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket, placidly wiping his blood-splattered wrist, maintaining his silence. Simply standing there, he exerted an overwhelming psychological pressure upon everyone present. A demon. Indeed, this man was a true demon! This thought appeared in everyone's mind. Nearby, Eunice watched in horror as the river of blood crept toward her feet. Through the blood, she glimpsed her pale face and trembling legs reflected back at her. Am I... afraid? No, no way! Eunice inhaled deeply, trying to appear aloof and cold. Yet, at that moment, it was evident to all that Lynn was the one in control, while she was merely a facade of bravado. Finally, after a lingering silence, the Fourth Prince spoke again. "The policy chamber is hosting a commendation ceremony for the victorious warriors." He adjusted his glasses, "I'm quite curious about how you plan to justify yourself to my father later." Clearly, as a subordinate of the third princess, tonight’s events had surely reached the ears of Saint Roland VI. One could only imagine his coming fury. "Don't worry, Your Highness." Lynn looked at his gloves stained with blood and slowly pulled them off, "I have more pressing matters to handle right now." "Miss Mosgra, where do you think you're going?" Lynn suddenly addressed Eunice, who was preparing to leave. Her body tensed, and after taking a deep breath, she responded, "The banquet is over, and I may go wherever I wish." "Lynn Batlion, you do not have the authority to restrict my movements." Hearing this, Lynn patted the small hands clinging tightly to his waist. Eleanor raised her head. Seeing the gruesome scene of bodies strewn about, a flicker of reluctance crossed her eyes, yet there was also a hint of satisfaction. Simultaneously, she felt a growing anxiety for the storm her brother would soon face. She cast a timid glance at her brother's reassuring gaze. "Has she been bullying you at the academy?" Lynn gently caressed her head. Eleanor remained silent for a long time before gently shaking her head and instinctively hiding her hands in her sleeves. She didn't want to cause her brother any unnecessary trouble. Having their family reunited was already a great blessing. But Lynn was unwilling to let them off that easily. Noticing Eleanor’s reaction, he furrowed his brow, gently taking her slender wrist and rolling up her sleeve for a look. Seeing the dense pinpricks there, a slight but unmistakable malice flashed in Lynn’s eyes. He slowly raised his head, casting a grim gaze toward the Fourth Prince and Eunice. Very well. You’re impressive indeed. Sensing the storm about to break, Eunice instinctively stepped back, a half-step retreat; “Wh-what do you plan on doing?!” ". Lynn didn’t answer, instead casting something her way. It was a white glove he'd just removed from his hand. Looking at the fallen glove, an ominous feeling suddenly surged within Eunice. In the next moment, that ominous premonition came true. "I, Lynn Batlion, as the current head of the Batlion family, formally challenge Eunice Mosgra, heir of the Mosgra family, to a duel to the death." "To uphold family honor, you’ll certainly pick up the glove without hesitation, won’t you?" The Deception Wielder, activated. An unseen force of deception burst out, affecting Eunice's mind in an instant. Indeed. I am the heir of the Mosgra family! How could I possibly yield to a second son from a fallen family?! My sister, Irina, is the empire's youngest Valkyrie, and as her kin, there’s no way I can drag her down! Besides... this guy’s nothing but a cripple now! These thoughts flitted through her mind. In the next instant, under the Fourth Prince's astonished eyes, she bent down and picked up the glove. This was the empire's most traditional, and also the oldest, method of dueling. Yet it persists even today. For great nobles whose conflicts couldn’t be resolved through the high courts or officials, the elder generation often uphold family honor by fighting this type of duel, channeling all dispute into a life-and-death battle. Glostine even has specialized dueling grounds, allowing nobility to address their grievances. However, these require strict procedural reviews, and only then can a truly sacred, undisturbed duel be held. The conditions here were far too rudimentary, technically illegal. But the problem was... Eunice accepted it. In the following moment, as Eunice came to her senses, she realized the absurdity. Why, why did I agree to his duel?! This doesn’t make sense, what on earth was I thinking?! As she felt the admiring gazes from all around, Eunice suddenly found it difficult to keep her balance. She leaned against a table, inhaling deeply: "This isn’t legally binding, I can call off the duel anytime, you—" Just as Eunice was searching for lofty excuses for herself, a rush of footsteps once more echoed. Everyone instinctively looked up to see a contingent of armored knights barging into the hall with uncompromising force. Leading them was a tall and imposing figure, clad head-to-toe in gleaming silver armor. Lynn narrowed his eyes. The unexpected arrival threw a wrench into his plans. Under the astonished gazes of those present, the silver-armored man, seemingly the commander of the knights, strode forward purposefully. Facing the trio, he spoke calmly, "Lynn Batlion, Miss Eunice, and Your Highness the Fourth Prince, the policy chamber is aware of the situation here. His Majesty is furious and has specifically ordered me to stop this farce and escort you all to meet with him." "So, I'd appreciate it if the three of you would come with me," he requested firmly.