Chapter 162: Love Saint Lynn's Turn - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Lynn's eyes were fixed on the magical stone powders slowly slipping from Evester's palm, leaving him speechless for a long time. Sensing his inner turmoil and hesitation, Evester's gaze was distant and unfocused. She resisted the deep urge to just grab his chin and kiss him right there. In the past, with her old tactics, she might have hurriedly tried to use such footage to slander that vile woman. However, Evester had gained enlightenment in the dragon's den, her strategies had soared to a new level, and she naturally looked down on such inferior actions. The highest tier of strategy always relied on maintaining a sense of distance. Only by playing hard to get, enticing yet pulling back, could she consistently keep a man intrigued. After all, with Lynn's intelligence, he couldn't possibly miss the problems inherent in the provenance of this magic-storing stone. Though the content captured was genuine, it had been selectively edited. So it was better to voluntarily take a step back and deceive him into thinking it was fake. And with the aid of the Deceitful Whisperer's assistance, for the first time, Lynn began to harbor doubts about the witch he had once loyally admired. That was enough. As the carriage door slowly swung open, Evester swayed her slender waist as she gracefully stepped down from it. The banquet was about to begin. She remained somewhat wary of that woman, Silina. Late at night, at the Mosgra Manor. Having witnessed her daughter Eunice's hasty burial, with barely any mourners present, the veiled noblewoman was overwhelmed with grief and anger. Her resentment was not only directed towards Lynn, the ultimate culprit of all this, but also towards those cold-hearted members of the family. Thus, after lingering alone in the graveyard for a long time following the funeral, she slowly left. Instead of returning directly to Mosgra Manor, she headed to a private residence in the lower district of Grolstein. Being the largest area in the entire capital, the lower district primarily housed a varied mix of middle-class citizens, ordinary people, and countless factions of all kinds. Although it appeared far more polished than the slums, it nevertheless stood apart from the clearly delineated noble-inhabited upper district. Under normal circumstances, the noblewoman, born into high status, would never have set foot in such a place, viewing the air there as tainted by the filth of lesser beings. Yet, driven by her quest for vengeance for her daughter, she had to muster the courage to take that step. Upon returning to the residence, the veiled noblewoman headed straight to her room. After instructing the servants not to disturb her, she locked the door, approached the window, drew the heavy curtains, and extinguished all the light sources within the room. Instantly, the room became shrouded in darkness. Yet soon after, several eerie green flames flickered to life on the floor like the ethereal glow of spirits. These were spiritual candlesticks, arranged in an intricate configuration on the wooden floor, representing something bizarre and indescribable. Around the candlesticks, grotesque red lines like fresh blood spread outwards, converging on a central offering. From above, they formed a terrifying, angry face, its gaping mouth seemingly ready to devour everything. As she looked at the scene before her and recalled the grisly sight of her daughter Eunice's death, a trace of venomous emotion surfaced in her eyes, dispersing the last vestiges of unease in her heart. After a moment, a strange, arcane chant filled the room, sounding like the roar of a beast or the incoherent groaning of a madman. If any scholars of the occult or linguists familiar with this field were present, they would easily discern that the woman was chanting in the ancient language of the demon race. Furthermore, the blood-red matrix entwining the floor also pointed to a fearsome entity. She did not know its name, only that among the demons, it was revered as the "King of Malevolence." Of course, given her standing and being human, direct communication with such an entity—and expecting a response—was beyond her reach. Moreover, for a prayer addressed to a deity-level entity, the ceremony would certainly seem simplistic. Yet what she sought was not divine power. To kill that wretched spawn of the Bartleon family, praying to a lesser malevolent apostle would suffice. After all, the demonic powers, warped and impure, differed from those of the exalted church practitioners, best suited for stealthy assassination from the shadows. As far as she knew, a high-profile serial murder case had recently been making waves in the Grolstein capital. Its perpetrator was a fourth-tier demon disguised as a human, undergoing a promotion trial. However, she had little confidence in successfully summoning it. After all, this was a method she had acquired from the occult black market that had never been tested. As the arcane, ancient demon chant concluded, the green flames flickered softly, and the room remained undisturbed throughout. During this time, the veiled noblewoman vaguely sensed an evil gaze briefly sweeping over her, but it soon vanished. Her heart sank with tension. Had she failed? Was her offering insufficient to sway it? A deep sense of sorrow welled up within her. But she couldn't abandon the ritual midway. As per the instructions of the masked person at the occult black market, once initiated, the ceremony had to be completed, lest certain indescribable consequences occur later. With this in mind, she slowly declared the final step of the ritual—her wish. "Please help me kill a human named Lynn Bartleon." As her voice faded, a cold, evil power abruptly descended, causing the green flames on the floor to surge, casting the entire room in a ghostly light. The veiled noblewoman stared in terror at the sight before her, not knowing what was happening. In the next instant, a bat-like shadow silently descended behind her. Its mouth dripped with foul saliva as it attempted to mimic human speech, albeit clumsily. Nonetheless, the veiled noblewoman discerned the underlying hatred and murderous intent in its words. "Tell me where he is." Compared to the solemnity of the award banquet in the council chamber, Silina's mansion at that moment was devoid of seriousness and coldness. Instead, it brimmed with a lively atmosphere, filled with joyous laughter and chatter. This was a private masquerade ball, and most of the attendees were young ladies from various noble families in Grolstein, mostly women. Of course, not all attendees were female. To enliven the event and provide the young girls, who seldom ventured beyond their homes, with new experiences, Silina had invited several popular writers, musicians, and painters from high society to share stories and creative insights with them. Occasional exclamations of amazement would erupt from somewhere in the crowd. Overall, the atmosphere was cheerful. Yet, the host of the evening remained understated, standing among the crowd with an angel mask adorned with white feathers. Silina silently observed the scene before her, her thoughts unknown. However, from the glances she occasionally cast toward the entrance, it was evident that she was likely anticipating someone's arrival. "Your Highness, are you sure Tia will be coming too?" Sia's voice came from beside her. Hearing this, Silina snapped back to reality and looked at him, slightly surprised. "Didn't she inform you?" "No," Sia shook his head. The girls with swirling skirts wore various masks, making it hard to identify their true appearances. Tia's physique was distinct from Silina's voluptuous figure, but still not easily recognizable. Sia, feeling a bit frustrated, lowered his head to drink, declining several invitations from unfamiliar women. He thought his relationship with Tia was supposed to be the kind of intimate connection without secrets. Yet, recently, he felt that she seemed to be hiding something from him. Like tonight's banquet. If Silina hadn't casually mentioned it, he wouldn't even have known it was happening. In order to uncover the truth, Sia decided to attend the event alone. He wanted to observe discreetly and discover what Tia was up to. Blessed by the Moon Goddess, Tia shouldn't be able to get close to any male. Given her character, she should ideally be quietly residing in the church, devoutly serving the goddess. While Sia was lost in thought, he noticed Silina's eyes light up beside him. Following her gaze towards the door, he immediately identified two familiar figures. One of which stirred a strong sense of aversion within him. This allowed Sia to instantly recognize who the two were. Had the Princess actually invited them as well? Sia felt a pang of discomfort and instinctively glanced at Silina, the Grand Princess beside him. Sensing his gaze, Silina felt a twinge of guilt. However, she had to follow the task given by Saint Roland VI, which concerned a portion of her candidacy evaluation. To close the gap between herself and the Second Prince Ferit, she needed to seize every opportunity. Yet, in her heart, Silina harbored a fondness for Sia. After all, it was thanks to him risking his life to rescue her from danger, leaving a scar on his back, that she had not become prey to the demons. Reflecting on this, she took the unprecedented step of gently pinching Sia's fingertips. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Even with the mask hiding her face, after speaking, Silina turned her head, as if trying to mask her current emotional lapse. Despite usually maintaining the dignity of a princess, she had never shown such affection to a man before. Watching Silina's slightly reddened earlobe, Sia felt his heartbeat quicken. His instinct was to take her hand, but she moved away first, walking towards the entrance. As she moved, her gaze unintentionally lingered on one of the young men present. Everyone assumed she had sent the invitation for Evester. However, the truth was different. Her real aim was to uncover the secrets hidden within the boy consistently by Evester’s side, based on Saint Roland VI’s instructions. Sia, unfortunately, knew nothing of this. Seeing Silina’s graceful silhouette departing, a hint of regret emerged in Sia's heart, though it was largely sweet. Maybe soon, his relationship with the Princess might evolve further. Thinking of this, a slight smile rose on Sia's lips. Why, why is Brother Sia here?! In the crowd, Tia, keeping to herself in a corner, felt a rush of panic. She had assumed with the rare opportunity for leave, Brother Sia would be catching up with his teammates, and certainly not present at such an occasion. Thus, upon unexpectedly seeing Sia, a sense of uneasiness washed over her. Fortunately, Tia was disguised at the moment, appearing as a petite girl with short brown hair, a full-face fox mask, and a lavish dress she had never worn before. Now looking bright and lively compared to her once tranquil maiden persona, Tia seemed a completely different person. Once she calmed her nerves, she noticed Silina’s blushing and the way she took Sia’s hand. Though the touch was brief, Sia was visibly momentarily dazed, with a fleeting look of admiration in his eyes. Even though Tia had anticipated their relationship might develop further, witnessing it first-hand still stirred a pang of jealousy in her heart. If only Brother Sia could belong to me alone. This newfound emotion, an unprecedented yearning, surfaced in the usually impassive girl's heart. But with Silina moving away, Tia snapped back to reality. She instinctively looked towards the entrance. Upon recognizing the familiar figure, her gaze turned cold. Now that Brother Sia was in the company of that woman, he could temporarily do without her. For now, more pressing matters demanded her attention. Lynn Bartleon! Hiss. As Lynn walked, he suddenly felt a chill, shuddering involuntarily, as if several women were targeting him simultaneously. Yet, aside from the Princess and the witch, who else would do such a thing? Lynn instinctively glanced at Evester, only to find her gaze as serene and indifferent as before. Seeing this, Lynn couldn’t help but sigh. Just as the master and servant entered the venue, Silina, flanked by several young noblewomen, began to approach them from a distance. "Long time no see, Little Evie." Silina, her white-feathered mask on, casually brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she continued, "And you as well, Mr. Future Prince Consort." Lynn's face darkened. It was evident Silina was teasing them about the conflict that had occurred upon their first meeting. However, Evester's expression remained indifferent. "Let's not joke around." Silina looked curiously at Evester. As her elder sister, she knew Evester's body language and could tell she should have been in a good mood, but her demeanor remained distant and cold. Could it be that the two of them had argued? Building a rapport with Lynn was crucial for completing the task Saint Roland VI assigned her. Observing their apparent discord, an idea flashed in Silina’s mind. “Move aside.” Before Silina could respond, Evester spoke first, her words charged with hostility. Silina naturally wouldn’t take offense at such a trivial matter and smiled gently. "Of course, but first, you must complete a little game to liven things up." "Boring," Evester replied coolly, crossing her arms and standing aside. She neither agreed nor explicitly declined. Seeing this, Silina's mouth curled into a slight smile. "Now you have two choices," she said, glancing first at Evester, then Lynn, "truth or dare?" "I choose dare," Lynn jumped in before Silina could continue, catching the rough end of the stick on himself. As expected. Silina knew instinctively, then turned to Evester, "Since Lynn chose dare, according to rules, you must pick a truth." “Question: It seems Little Evie is in a bad mood. What’s she really thinking right now?” “Thinking about how to kill you,” Evester replied to Silina without a hint of hesitation. For the mastermind behind her mother's death, she intended to settle the score someday. But today would not be that day. Evester attended this masquerade for two reasons: one, because she had just returned to the capital and did not want to appear inferior to Silina, and second because she had some questions for her. Hearing her sister's cold, ruthless response, Silina sighed slightly inside. Perceiving the changed expressions of the surrounding noble girls, she decided not to dwell further on the topic and shifted her gaze to the young boy beside her. "Next comes the dare, doesn’t it?" Silina said with a smile to Lynn. For the person who had demeaned her completely upon their initial meeting, Silina held some resentment. Yet now, she had no choice but to engage with him. She had suggested the game to deepen the divide between him and Evester, fostering a sense of separation. "Please, passionately compliment someone present, regarding their temperament, looks, physique, and the like," Silina instructed with a gentle demeanor, "The premise is you must know them. Except Little Evie, of course." Lynn was about to say it was simple, but the last part stopped him short. Excluding Evester changed the whole dynamic entirely. Who said this dare was easy? It was outrageously difficult! Lynn had not anticipated Silina would start with such an explosive trap, the king of all bombs. The conditions felt as if they had "Praise me already" written all over them. After all, aside from Silina and Evester, he knew no one else at this banquet. Yet, the mere thought of praising Silina in front of Evester, even just a single sentence, made him shudder with the certainty of impending doom. So, this was essentially a death sentence. Sensing the tension in the air, Evester remained remarkably calm. "Don't mind me. Just do what you really want to do." Look at that! How confident! How gallant! Yeah, right. With women, especially someone like Evester, you always had to read between the lines. The calmer she appeared, the less she wanted to be seen as less than Silina. Reflecting on this, Lynn took a deep breath. "Let me confirm," he glanced at Silina, "Anyone present, correct?" "Of course," Silina nodded. "But remember, it must be someone you know." "In that case, I'm ready." Lynn glanced at her again, and Evester, standing beside him, unintentionally met his gaze. Though she looked calm outwardly, internally, she was nearly frantic. If her beloved "puppy" really were to betray her, she would be heartbroken. Even the villainess of the future would not tolerate such action. Thus, if Lynn praised Silina publicly, Evester might find herself temporarily siding with her arch-enemy, the End Witch. Greedy little puppies who eyed the pot while eating from the bowl had to be punished. With these thoughts, Evester watched Lynn intently without uttering a word. "The person I want to praise is myself." Lynn spoke slowly. Silina was momentarily taken aback, then shook her head. "That's cheating." "Silina, Your Highness, you did not specify that it couldn't be oneself," Lynn quickly countered. Hearing this, Silina chuckled softly, "Indeed, I didn’t. Well, never mind." The crowd found Lynn's way of dodging the punishment quite novel. Evester, on the other hand, breathed a slight sigh of relief. His answer was average, neither giving Silina what she wanted nor inciting her wrath. However, compared to how Lynn usually handled things, which often pleasantly surprised her, Evester felt a trace of disappointment with this approach. But one couldn't have it all, and she understood that. At least he didn't make her lose face in front of Silina and everyone else. As this thought flitted through her mind, she heard Lynn speak again. "Wait, don't leave yet." "Don't you want to hear what I intend to praise about myself?" As he spoke, Silina paused in her steps. For reasons unknown, an uneasy feeling crept into her heart. "As you all can see, I have a pair of very beautiful eyes," Lynn said with a light smile, looking around at everyone. "Their color resembles the tranquil blue sea, their shape akin to meticulously carved gems. If you look closely, you might see reflections of mountains, birds, the sun, and the moon." Hearing this, the crowd couldn't help but break into smiles and laughter. They hadn't expected Lynn to be so entertaining, able to lavish such lengthy self-praise. Only Silina's expression turned serious. Her intuition told her that this boy’s actions wouldn’t end simply like this. And indeed. In the next moment, amid everyone's gaze, Lynn turned around, lowering his head to look into Evester's eyes. "Yet none of this is the main point," his voice softened. "In my view, they are beautiful for one reason only." "Because I see you in them, my dear princess." Suddenly, an inexplicable pang of jealousy welled inside Silina’s heart. I knew it!!! Silina mused, feeling thoroughly vexed by the show-stopping master-servant duo in front of her. A request for monthly votes was made.