Chapter 158 Provoking the Witch! - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

As the last princess to be summoned, Evester was gently led into the Elohet Palace by the court maids. In that moment, Saint Roland VI sat upon his throne, his expression calm. Upon sensing Evester's presence, he withdrew from his wandering thoughts, and his initially contemplative gaze regained its sharpness. Father and daughter exchanged looks, assessing each other in mid-air. Evester let out a cold snort, turning her gaze away with evident disdain. It was clear that this interaction was far from a typical father-daughter relationship. Yet Saint Roland VI's demeanor remained unchanged. After a lengthy silence, he spoke slowly: "How have you been lately?" Clearly, he was inquiring about Evester's current physical condition. Upon hearing these seemingly caring words, Evester felt not an ounce of emotion. Instead, she scoffed at the notion. "Don't be so hypocritical, old man." She lowered her head, inspecting her slender, attractive fingers. "The relationship between you and me doesn't allow for calm, peaceful conversation." "If you want to play out a scene of fatherly affection and filial piety, you might as well find Aymest." Her voice was soft, but the aversion and contempt within her words were undisguised. Since the Orne City incident, the relationship between the two had completely fractured. Evester knew exactly why she had been sent on that mission, and Saint Roland VI was aware that his schemes had been seen through. Upon hearing these words, Saint Roland VI's previously softened expression immediately turned cold and stern: "You're right; we're not the kind of father and daughter who can communicate normally." "Evester, it seems you've undergone significant change after the Orne City affair." "Is it because of Lynn Bartleon?" Upon hearing this, Evester's brows softened for a brief moment. But realizing the current situation, she immediately returned to her sharp demeanor. Saint Roland VI caught her fleeting change in expression, a hint of what might have been a sneer appearing on his face. "In that case, let's discuss him." "Do you like him?" He asked directly. Do I like him? With Saint Roland VI's straightforward question, this thought entered Evester's mind for the first time. To be honest, she had never considered it. Her previous contemplation at the dragon field was simply to have Lynn overcome the ten-thousand-year gap between herself and the Armageddon Witch and irrationally fall for her, with all her flaws. As for her own feelings toward him... Evester had never contemplated them. Perhaps she liked him very much. Otherwise, why did she have the immediate urge to bite him at the mere sight of him, wanting to hold him tightly, meld him into her very being? Yet, a confusion lingered in Evester's heart. Was this affection akin to what one feels for a pet, or something else altogether? Having never experienced such feelings, Evester couldn't discern. However, she had promised Lynn back in Orne City that she would try to see him as a man in the future. And during their time together on the train, despite her outward composure, deep down, there were turbulent emotions. Especially, she could still feel the warmth from Lynn at that time, the sticky sensation lingering on her feet even now. Every time she thought of it, her heart raced. Nevertheless, the pride of being a master made her subconsciously suppress these thoughts. After all, making Lynn fall for her was the most important goal for her at present. Seeing Evester stay silent, Saint Roland VI assumed he had hit a nerve. He sneered, "How amusing." "Even that cold, unfeeling 'tool' would one day show such an expression. As a father, it’s gratifying." Despite his words, his face revealed no signs of gratification. "Sadly, even though you’ve changed for him and consider him important, he doesn’t seem to reciprocate those feelings from where I stand." "Evester, remember this: a 'tool' will always be a 'tool', even if passed from one person to another. What others value is just your monstrous strength." "This is nothing more than exploitation, and you need to be clear about that." Saint Roland VI raised his voice slightly, seemingly implying. Was it an attempt to sow discord? No. In a way, he wasn't wrong. To the currently amnesiac Lynn, the wretch of the future was his loyalty and admiration. Right now, she was just an illusion of that being. Her dear little puppy's affection largely stemmed from her resemblance to the future Armageddon Witch. Though Evester felt intense anger, this was something she was well aware of. And it was precisely because of this that she tirelessly tried to make Lynn fall for her. So, Saint Roland VI’s words were not entirely inaccurate. Between them, it was mostly leveraging one another, and Evester could feel that. To put it bluntly, it was exploitation. Even brief heart flutterings were merely because of her physical self. It didn't truly count. But... so what? "The future is long, and what happens later is anyone’s guess." A slight smile crept to Evester’s lips. "For now, he hasn’t connected with Silina or anyone else. Even if it's exploitation, these feelings are solely directed at me." "Knowing that is enough." The usual venomous and resentful expression was no longer visible in Evester. This result even surprised Saint Roland VI. His expression briefly froze before turning contemplative, his gaze deepening. "Very well." Saint Roland VI tapped his finger on the armrest. "As a father, knowing that both my daughter's mind and body are thriving is satisfying." "Moreover, you are right; the future is uncertain." "The current election for the throne has just begun, and it's still unclear who will emerge victorious." "Even if no one ever believed in you, with his help, you might still have a chance to rise against the odds." "You..." "You summoned me here today, not for these pointless pleasantries, surely?" Evester finally couldn't hold back, frowning as she interrupted Saint Roland VI. She couldn't tell if it was due to the unexpectedly perfect completion of her recent mission or if her changes had surprised him. She just felt the old man's attitude had shifted, for no apparent reason. "Nothing much." Saint Roland VI slowly withdrew his gaze. "I was just reminded of your mother." The word "mother" triggered an unparalleled icy killing intent that swept through the entire palace. "Don’t mention her in front of me," Evester's voice was cold and terrifying. "You’re unworthy." With that, she seemed disinclined to maintain any further pretense, maneuvering her wheelchair to depart. Whatever had occurred in the past to evoke such a violent reaction from Evester was unknown. As he watched her slowly leave, Saint Roland VI remained expressionless: "Fine, since you don't wish to revisit the past, I won’t." "In that case, why not talk about something you might find interesting?" "For example... the ‘Calamity’ curse mark on your face." As his words lingered, the wheelchair carrying Evester halted abruptly. Moments later, she turned back around, her expression icy as she looked at Saint Roland VI, as if awaiting more. The inexplicable curse mark on her face had been with her for over two decades, becoming the reason for her isolation and the disdain of others. But these things no longer mattered to her now. After spending so much time with Lynn, she had grown accustomed to ignoring the mental toll. Despite everything, every time Evester faced her future impeccable self and looked at the curse mark on her face, she couldn't help but feel a bit inferior. Deep down, she truly wished to restore her original appearance. Now, there seemed to be a glimpse of hope. Gazing at Evester’s icy expression, Saint Roland VI slowly spoke: "Recently, the Empire discovered a mysterious tomb within the ruins of an ancient city in the north." "Your Highness?" Lynn gently called out to Evester, who remained silent after leaving Elohet Palace. Evester blinked, her crimson eyes coming back to life: "What is it?" What's wrong indeed... Looking at the carriage and Evester gripping the wheelchair's armrest tightly, Lynn had a peculiar expression. Under normal circumstances, she would have already stretched her arms out, expecting him to carry her into the carriage. But for some reason, Evester appeared to be lost in thought. "What did His Majesty say to you earlier?" Lifting her into his arms in a princely embrace, Lynn carried her into the carriage. Elinor and the servants from the Augusta estate had departed earlier under Evester's orders. Since the housekeeper Keisha and others had returned to the capital before them, accommodations were arranged in advance. Now, aside from a few maids traveling with them, there was no one else around. Evester’s eyes darkened slightly at Lynn's question, but she quickly put on a light smile and tightly clung to his neck. "You guessed it right." "The old man indeed handed the administration of the Xingya Guild over to me, but I’ll need to recruit the personnel myself, and I'm also expected to promptly deal with all the pending extraordinary cases." "This process might be troublesome, so you will have to help me a lot." Then, Evester suddenly tilted her head slightly, extending her pink tongue to graze Lynn’s lips lightly. Though the contact was fleeting, it left a glistening, moist trace. "This is an advance reward for you." She flicked her black locks away from her ear, flashing a coquettish smile. Here we go again... Lynn forced himself to stay composed. After spending some time together, he had grown used to Evester's overly intimate behavior. She termed it as bonding time with her little puppy. "You're pressing against me, you know." "S-Sorry." With just a few words, Evester successfully diverted Lynn's previous concerns to trivial matters. She did not want Lynn to get involved. Finally returning to the Bartleon residence, Lynn thought he would have a chance for some alone time and could use the parchment to update the Witch about his progress with Tia. Unexpectedly, Evester clung to him, having him carry her back into the room. As soon as the door closed, Evester acted immediately, illuminating the palm of her hand with a mark known as the Eye of the Mind. Here it comes again! The Deceiver was instantly activated. Lynn’s body felt like it was experiencing an out-of-body sensation—slow and sluggish. But his mind remained exceptionally clear. "Carry me to bed." Evester ordered him. Pretending to be hypnotized, Lynn, albeit unsure of what mischief Evester was up to, had no choice but to comply. Who knew that the moment he placed her on the bed, Evester used both hands to pull his body down beside her. Seizing the opportunity while the hypnosis effect lingered, she straddled him. The black hair cascaded down, diffusing a subtle, pleasant rose fragrance. Those crimson eyes were fixed intently on Lynn. "What exactly is your relationship with that Silent Saintess, Tia Yuhesty?" For a moment, Lynn nearly lost control of his mental state, barely maintaining his calm under the Deceiver’s influence. Damn it! Even with how cautious he was... Just a couple of exchanged glances and she picked up on something unusual! Are women’s sixth senses truly this terrifying? For an instant, Lynn’s mind shivered. Yet fortunately, she did not realize the hypnosis was fake, so Lynn felt he could still handle the situation. "Your future self told me..." The opening of Lynn's statement already irked Evester considerably. But luckily, in the next second, he changed his tone. "Tia Yuhesty will become a future Moon Goddess who poses a great threat to you." "In order to prevent the tragedies that befell you from happening again, I wish to try and kill her before the destined future arrives, thus changing everything." "And also, about Silina..." "Enough, stop talking." Evester suddenly lowered her head, capturing Lynn’s lips, swirling her tongue around in an intricate dance. Now, her face was flushed, whether from missing the intimate moments with him all day or to avoid future-related topics. Yet knowing he acted for her sake was enough. As for this so-called Silent Saintess... Evester was confident that under her guidance, her beloved puppy would never fall for such a street-side woman of unknown origins. Dammit, dammit indeed! Lynn's mind cried out, helpless against the rising wave of determination beneath him. Sensing the change beneath her, Evester's face displayed an enchanting smile: "Not just yet." Her gaze returned to Lynn’s vacant eyes. Because before that, there was one thing she needed to do. "How do you usually communicate with that wretched woman?" Feeling Evester's mix of excitement and provocation in her eyes, Lynn suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. Gently caressing Lynn's cheek, her breath grew more rapid. "Precisely." "I have something to tell her."