Chapter 157 Sorry, Brother Sia - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Words that echoed through the council hall sounded like demands straight out of a coup. A few among those present who understood the underlying meaning behind Lynn's words felt cold sweat trickle down their foreheads. Let me stay far away! Don't let me get caught in the crossfire! They thought nervously. However, at that very moment, Lynn, the breaker of tense atmospheres, remained in place, locking eyes with Saint Laurent VI. There aren't many who could withstand the piercing gaze of an emperor. Being a transmigrator, he happened to be one of those select few. Meanwhile, Connor, the cardinal, watched Lynn silently, as if weighing his options. He hadn't expected the young man to be so astute, biting back before he could launch an attack. Yet, for him, this wasn’t an insurmountable problem. Because, when it came down to it, these accusations were unfounded, mere tricks meant to muddy the waters. The Church of Natural Order, having established deep roots in the Saint Laurent Empire over the years, certainly wouldn't suffer serious harm from a baseless accusation. But at this moment, he had no choice but to temporarily bear the blame. All because these decisions were made by Saint Laurent VI. Although the Church of Natural Order was not directly governed by the empire, it still adhered to certain old laws, with the emperor as its supreme figure. Thus, when faced with Lynn’s accusations, he did not panic but chose silence in response. As one of the culprits responsible for the downfall of the Boutellien family, he naturally couldn't just stand by and watch his enemy leave unscathed. To Lynn, it felt as if he were dancing on the edge of a ten-thousand-meter precipice. Any misstep would send him plummeting into an endless abyss. And to push him off, the task appeared simple enough. Connor's face remained composed as he surveyed Lynn, who seemed sure of himself. The more fearless Lynn appeared, the more it confirmed Connor's suspicions. Why had Lynn suddenly lodged accusations against the Church of Natural Order? Everyone knows, when a hot topic arises in society, it often distracts from another headline. In other words, he did this merely to divert attention away from the questions Connor had raised. This further demonstrated that Lynn couldn't explain how he had survived encounters with the two demons. Seizing on this point would allow them to easily erase all the power he had built up today. Naïve little fellow. Connor chuckled, then slowly began, "Your Majesty—" But Saint Laurent VI suddenly interrupted him. On the high platform, the emperor projected an aura of authority, looking down at the calm young man below. "Gutsy," Saint Laurent VI said coldly. "It seems the Boutellien family has produced quite a remarkable successor." "Your Majesty flatters me." Lynn slightly bowed, yet his face showed no hint of humility. "Hmph," Saint Laurent VI snorted, surveying the room before softening his expression slightly. "As you've seen, today's award ceremony hasn't gone as smoothly as expected. I decree we convene at a later date." "Now, everyone must leave immediately." His commanding voice echoed through the council hall. The attending nobles sighed in relief, unaware their backs had been drenched with sweat, their hearts pounding uncontrollably. After praising the great emperor, they all left, maintaining composure as much as possible, and streamed towards the exits in a swarm. As for Marquis Mosgra, who was trembling with the corpse of his granddaughter, he was escorted out. As he left, his bloodshot eyes were filled with vengeance and envy, glaring at the young man's back, as if he had made a certain determination. Witnessing this, Silina and others, unwilling to wade further into troubled waters, prepared to leave as well. Unexpectedly, Saint Laurent VI called after them. "All royal family members present, gather at the Elrohet Palace." "As for you, Lynn Boutellien, you come as well." "I believe there are matters I should discuss with you face to face." With that, Saint Laurent VI swiftly departed the council hall, flanked by members of the knights. Among the royal family present, besides the third princess Evester, the first princess, the second prince, the fourth prince, and the ninth princess were in attendance at the banquet, and now were being called to the palace by their father. For a moment, everyone exchanged looks. The most shocked, of course, was Cardinal Connor. He could never have anticipated that Saint Laurent VI would make such a decision. Clearly, the Church of Natural Order had just been dealt a blow. Yet, for some reason, not only didn't he seize the opportunity to oppress this insolent lad, he even acted as if to clear his name. As if... not wanting the Church of Natural Order to press for the outcome of that matter in this setting. Connor took a deep breath. When he reopened his eyes, his expression had reverted to its usual gentleness. Though he couldn't ascertain the reason, it was clear that now wasn't the time to deliver a fatal blow to Lynn. No matter. He was the master of patience. As long as Lynn remained in Glosteen, he would eventually stir up another earth-shattering incident. When that moment comes, he would find the chance to wield this "knife" in one deadly strike. Late at night, inside Elrohet Palace. "Young Boutellien, do you think you were impressive tonight?" The emblem of the Golden Tree was emblazoned on the wall above the throne where Saint Laurent VI sat, observing the young man below. His eyes shimmered faintly with a golden hue, his emperor’s aura as daunting as a thunderstorm. Faced with anyone else, they would have long since crumbled in fear. Yet, Lynn's expression remained unchanged. Compared to the presence of the two demons, this old man was hardly worth mentioning. Moreover, this wasn't even his true form, merely a puppet at best. Lynn remained silent, offering no response to Calderon's question. Seeing this, a chilly gleam flickered in Saint Laurent VI's eyes. "Do you think that by holding some leverage against me, you can wield it for threats?" "Evester has been utterly foolish; being part of the royal family, yet engaging in such antics with you in public." "Do you know the true reason why I didn’t punish you tonight?!" Upon hearing this, Lynn finally looked up. "Well then, Your Majesty, do you know why Her Highness safely returned to the capital, and why she didn't turn into some fearsome entity?" At this moment, his gaze was piercing, hoping to detect a trace of paternal concern in Saint Laurent VI's expression. Yet the man merely frowned, retorting coldly, "Right now, I'm the one asking you." It was as if the Evester he spoke of was merely an unrelated stranger. Hearing this, Lynn dismissed his final glimmer of hope. He shook his head, signaling his ignorance. "When the incident occurred, I was otherwise engaged," Saint Laurent VI said indifferently. "By the time I had the leisure to attend to state affairs, the Boutellien family had undergone such drastic changes in mere months." "That was my oversight." Mentioning his former subordinates, he softened his tone slightly. Considering the present circumstances, with the Boutellien Earl incapacitated, Lynn was de facto family head, entitled to inheriting the title by law. Upon Saint Laurent VI’s words, Lynn's deceiver showed no response. This indicated that what he said was truthful. Yet in Lynn’s heart, there was no sense of being flattered, and he even felt a stir of amusement. If this old fool truly cared so much for this so-called subordinate, then why was there no action against the Mosgra family? Not even the slightest act of revenge. He could actually understand Saint Laurent VI’s reasoning. It was akin to what Lynn had said to Duke Tearius after gunning down Darlion. What's done is done. In order to prevent further losses, this “wise” emperor allowed Illina to transplant his divine-given genes, enabling her to become the empire’s rising star, while ignoring the Boutellien family's trials over the past year and more. Did the Fourth Prince truly not know about the extraction of Eleanor's blood? Unlikely. Perhaps a subordinate who lost their usefulness was simply no longer worth his support. Lynn understood his perspective. But understanding did not mean he agreed. After all, people are inherently hypocritical beings. And right now, Lynn didn't even want to engage in conversation with him. Sensing the inattentiveness, Saint Laurent VI frowned slightly. "Moreover... regarding the incident with the seal in Orne City, you were positioned too low to grasp the full picture and couldn't comprehend the reasons behind senior decisions." "Thus, it's understandable to harbor anger and resentment." "But that doesn’t excuse your disruption in the council hall." "Consider today's events as compensation to the Boutellien family on my part, or as an indirect reward for your actions in Orne City." "After you leave the palace, I won’t pursue accountability for your past actions." "As for your grudges against the Mosgra family and the Church of Natural Order, I will not favor any side, leaving this arena for you to navigate." "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." Lynn offered a shallow bow. Seeing this, Saint Laurent VI appraised him with an unreadable expression and then nodded, "I hope you'll maintain some peace in Glosteen for a while... soon, it will be time for the autumn hunt." "Go now. And on your way out, send Silina in." After receiving permission to disengage from the night's events without incident, Lynn rose and walked calmly toward the palace exit. As Lynn's tall silhouette receded, a faint, imperceptible glint appeared in Saint Laurent VI's eyes. "Yuvillia." Abruptly, Saint Laurent VI called out to Lynn's retreating back. However, he didn’t react immediately, not even instinctively pausing. It wasn't until he took two or three more steps that Lynn turned around, surprised. "Your Majesty, who did you call?" "...Never mind, go on." Saint Laurent VI waved dismissively, masking his bewilderment. Had he misjudged? If not, then where exactly had the core of Level 0's sealing artifact and the Creation Demon residing within gone? Deep in thought, the emperor pondered on his throne. "What did the old man discuss with you?" Guided by the court attendants, Lynn encountered Evester in the courtyard after leaving the emperor's palace, alongside the First Princess Silina and four other royal offspring. Even Sia and the Silent Saintess, Tia, had inexplicably appeared, observing him with aloof eyes. However, Lynn had little time to concern himself with their matters at present. Feeling Evester’s cold hand clasp his, Lynn offered a faint smile. "No need to worry, His Majesty pardoned my offenses tonight." He omitted detailing the last little twist, considering it unwise to inform Evester too early. A hint of surprise flickered in her crimson eyes. Apparently, she hadn’t anticipated the old man being so agreeable today. Even so, she let out a quiet sigh of relief internally. Truth be told, even for Evester, who had weathered many storms, tonight's events were quite a rush. So intense... she nearly couldn’t resist pressing her cherished young pup firmly onto the bed. But Evester had already sworn to herself that she wouldn’t take Lynn to bed until she fully captured his heart. Otherwise, wouldn’t she lose to that wretched woman in the future? Besides, she had sensed something was amiss during the banquet. With these thoughts, Evester cast her gaze toward the Silent Saintess who had inexplicably followed them. After a brief exchange of glances, the latter seemed uninterested, like a doll, and averted her eyes. Intuition told her that the relationship between Lynn and the saintess was not as it appeared. Yet, given the current circumstances, Evester planned to wait until later to use hypnosis and the pleasure switch on Lynn’s tongue to thoroughly "interrogate" him. Watching Silina’s composed entry into the palace, Evester mused silently. "You've got some luck." At that moment, the Fourth Prince Joshua commented out of the blue. His eyes were filled with confusion and surprise, as though he couldn't fathom why Lynn emerged unscathed from Elrohet Palace. Seeing this, Lynn chuckled softly, fixing his left glove. The other had been picked up by Eunice, leaving him with just one. But the ancient dueling rituals imposed no specific design requirements for gloves. Noticing his menacing demeanor, the Fourth Prince’s expression shifted, finally realizing this man was a madman capable of murder in public. Yet surely he wouldn't dare act against a legitimate prince in such a place. But... what if? He was indeed a true madman! A madman, by definition, is someone who does the unthinkable. As a prince of the empire, his life held great value; why risk it over something trivial like this? The Saint Laurent Institute and its endearing test subjects awaited him! Besides, that guy seemed to possess some mystical prowess. Otherwise, Eunice wouldn’t have inexplicably picked up the glove, accepting his challenge so rashly. Bearing this in mind, a cold gleam flickered in the Fourth Prince’s eyes as he silently harbored a grudge. Contrarily, the Second Prince Felite showed considerable interest: "Joshua, I never imagined you'd ever lower that inexplicable proud head of yours. Quite fascinating." His demeanor was relaxed, uncharacteristically lacking its usual chill. "Annoying." Joshua scowled, ceasing his speech thereafter. But while he bore grudges against Lynn, Lynn had not forgotten him either. You’re next, little princeling. He thought silently. In the interim waiting for Silina's audience with Saint Laurent VI, an eerie silence cloaked the courtyard. The Second Prince, Felite, occasionally glanced over, seemingly re-evaluating Lynn. The Ninth Princess, Amesda, watched curiously, yet each time Lynn noticed, she would let out a soft huff, revealing a small tiger tooth as she turned away. As for Sia and the Silent Saintess, they stood closely, engaged in seemingly intimate conversation, though with no physical contact, their closeness was evident to any observer. Observing this, Lynn sighed, discreetly averting his eyes. However, Silent Saintess Tia, conversing softly with Sia, scrunched her brow slightly. Moments later, Silina returned to the courtyard with a calm demeanor, announcing that it was Felite's turn to see the emperor. Following him were the Fourth Prince and the Ninth Princess. Minutes melded into hours until, finally, Saint Laurent VI seemed to remember Evester and summoned her. Even the princess herself seemed unsurprised, as though accustomed to such treatment, with no objection. The other royal siblings shared this same understanding. Only Lynn took a deep breath, feeling a sudden surge of frustration for no apparent reason. Initially intending to accompany Evester, he was impeded by an elderly maid who stepped in. "His Majesty requested only to see the Third Princess." The servant expressed matter-of-factly. After a brief exchange of glances, Lynn remained in place as Evester, uttering a soft "wait for me," vanished down the corridor in her wheelchair. Thus, leaving Lynn alone in the courtyard, left with several unfamiliar faces. Despite recognizing them from the original narrative, the abrupt encounter left Lynn somewhat unsettled. Incidentally, among the three women present—Silina, Tia, and the Ninth Princess Amesda—all were destined to be part of Sia's harem in the future. However, Amesda's storyline in the original material was rather modest, rated merely A-level, and she was portrayed as more of a pursuing character without much prominence. This was why Lynn hadn't paid much attention to her. Sensing the atmosphere growing quiet, an unexpected figure broke the silence first. Click, clack, click, clack. The sound of crisp footsteps approached, as a tall and graceful woman walked toward him. Catching Silina approaching that guy he disliked, Sia instinctively paused his conversation with Tia and turned his gaze toward his superior. Accompanied by a faint yet mesmerizing fragrance, Lynn suddenly noticed a delicate white hand extended in front of him. It held a gilded, luxurious invitation card. "Tomorrow, if you have time, you can have little Evester bring you over to visit," Silina suggested warmly, seeming to have forgotten Lynn's previous harsh remarks about her appearance. "It's at my residence. Unlike tonight, it will be a private gathering with friends your age." She exuded the air of a gentle older sister. Normally, any red-blooded man would be tempted by such a beautiful woman's proactive invitation. However, Lynn was not a normal person. Without hesitation, he shook his head. "Sorry, Her Highness doesn't allow me to talk to strange women outside." Lynn acted like an obedient child. It wasn’t a mere act for effect; it was because Evester had genuinely given such a warning. If she found out later that he had accepted an invitation from her enemy without permission, Lynn didn’t even want to imagine the consequences. Moreover, why was this woman offering an invitation out of the blue? Unusual circumstances always had something fishy. Lynn, having just returned to the capital, didn't want to get entangled with these factions. The struggles with the Mosgra family and the Church of the Natural Order were already enough on his plate. Hearing his refusal, Silina hesitated for a moment but quickly composed herself. Gently brushing back her platinum hair, her eyes sparkled with allure. "No problem, just pass it on to her for me." With a charming smile, Silina turned and left. After quietly exchanging a few words with Sia, who glanced his way without any overt sign, they left Elrohet Palace, disappearing into the night. Watching that graceful, captivating figure fade away, Lynn took a deep, calming breath. To be honest, the woman was stunningly beautiful. If he hadn't experienced the soul-stirring presence of the witch free of curses, he might have gotten lost in her tranquil smile. The capital's most beautiful woman possessed not only physical beauty but also an alluring charm akin to an enchantment. Just then, the sound of a wheelchair moving reached Lynn’s ears. Evester had returned. "Why did Her Highness invite that guy?" In the returning carriage, Sia asked the question that puzzled him. Silina rested her cheek on her hand, gazing nonchalantly out of the window. When she finally addressed her subordinate's query, a touch of helplessness crossed her eyes. This was a task entrusted to her by her father, Calderon. After seeing Saint Laurent VI, he blatantly requested she attempt to get close to Lynn, in hopes of uncovering some secret he harbored. Although Silina remained unaware of the specifics, it was, after all, an imperial decree. Moreover, he promised her a handsome reward in king selection points. Despite her initial unfavorable impression of the young man, Silina opted to accept the mission. Yet now, in front of her trusted subordinate, she inexplicably refrained from speaking. Perhaps she feared Sia would overthink, leading to unnecessary misunderstandings. Upon sensing Silina’s silent contemplation, Sia refrained from further inquiry. When the carriage reached its destination, he disembarked for the military department. "Good night, Your Highness." Waving goodbye with a warm voice, Sia took his leave. Silina responded with a bright smile. "Good night to you too." Once Sia was safely returned to the military department, Silina ordered her driver to depart. With only her in the carriage, silence enveloped her. As for Tia, upon leaving Elrohet Palace, she had been escorted back by a sister from the church. After all, as the Silent Saintess, she held a high status within the church hierarchy. The street scenery zipped by outside her window. After some time, the carriage stopped at her estate’s gates. Just as Silina prepared to retreat and relax in her spa, hoping to wash away the day's fatigue, she noticed a slender figure in a moon-white robe standing poised at her gate. "Tia? What brings you here?" Spotting the familiar figure, Silina, though puzzled, approached the elf girl. In a sense, they were rivals, so their relationship could only be described as tepid. Receiving Silina’s inquiry, Tia, typically icy and emotionless, showed a rare hint of hesitation in her eyes. She paused before quietly speaking up, "Could you spare me two invitations?" Silina was surprised: "You wish to attend the banquet? But I hadn’t heard—" "It's Brother Sia. He expressed interest in attending on our way out." Tia rose on her toes slightly, attempting to maintain her usual calm demeanor. So it was to accompany him? Silina did not doubt her, having not thought Tia capable of deceit. Over time, she had become accustomed to her aloof persona, making it hard to associate her with lying. Holding the two additional invitations, Tia inhaled deeply. "Would you care to step inside for a bit?" "No." Declining Silina's invitation, Tia left with her mind preoccupied. Walking along the empty streets, she exhaled a long breath after a while. The truth was, she had deceived Silina moments ago. Sia had no knowledge of the banquet. Furthermore, Tia had no intention of informing him and planned to infiltrate the event in disguise. The reason was simple. This might be one of her few chances to have close contact with that detestable guy. It wasn’t an obsession with him but a deep desire to reclaim the twelve missing years from her memory. She wanted to uncover her forgotten past through that contemptible man, even considering some forceful means. Yet... this was still a private encounter with another man. In the perspectives of the Silent Church and societal norms, it was deemed impure. Though her enmity for the man ran deep, it was inappropriate. Thus, she resolved to keep it a secret. Just a small hidden secret buried within her heart. "Sorry, Brother Sia." Under the moonlight, the girl whispered to herself, weighed down by her thoughts.