Chapter 179 A bloody scene that shocked everyone - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

"Your Highness, we've arrived." As the carriage gradually came to a halt by the roadside, the stewardess Kasha gently informed Evester in the compartment. The Crown Princess seemed momentarily absent-minded, taking several seconds to come back to her senses. "Alright, I know." She seemed lost in thought, appearing somewhat distracted. It wasn't until she gazed out the window at the emblem of the clenched thunderbolt that she realized her party had arrived at the headquarters of the Executors. With this in mind, she slowly stood up, glanced at the others sitting in the compartment, and offered a slight smile: "We're about to see him, why the long faces?" Inside the carriage, Greya and Morris were hesitant to speak. Elina, on the other hand, was dressed in a beautiful little dress today, delighted at her brother’s impending release. Affia, who sat beside her, licked her fur worriedly, glanced at her princess, and finally just uttered a soft "meow", saying nothing as well. Soon enough, the group alighted from the carriage and ascended the steps to the grand entrance of the Executors' Tower. After verifying their identities, Evester led them into the headquarters. Today was the second day of Lynn's imprisonment. In those two days of absence, everyone had been working tirelessly outside the prison for him. Sadly, this time they were up against the Imperial Council, meaning they were combating the entire empire along with the ancient nobles deeply rooted within it. The resistance was far beyond their expectations. Even Evester felt a sense of helplessness, finding no leverage against the issue. Since Lynn had been found at the crime scene, no matter which law was followed, the treatment he received was procedurally perfect, leaving no room for complaint. Even the continuous harassment over the past few days adhered to the same legality. This left Evester, who preferred resolving problems through strength, feeling frazzled. Fortunately, everything was about to culminate. She thought of this and took a deep breath, her eyes filled with a composed coldness. She then noticed another group waiting for them at the end of the corridor. Surrounded by several exceptional officers, leading the group was a neatly dressed middle-aged man wearing a monocle, whispering to the Fourth Prince Joshua beside him. It wasn't just the Fourth Prince Joshua; even the First Princess Silina was present. They were all waiting for the verdict concerning Lynn Bartleon. Upon witnessing Evester and the others arrive, the man with the monocle displayed a courteous yet calm demeanor. "Third Princess, you’ve arrived." Yet, from his eyes, there was not the slightest hint of respect, even a trace of distance and disdain. After all, in Glossington, no nobles or commoners harbored goodwill towards this princess standing before them. Moreover, there seemed to be some deep-seated old grievances between their factions. Seeing this, Evester cast a cold glance, ignoring his words. Blake Cortes. As the Eighth Seat in the Imperial Council, his and his family's move against Lynn had already revealed numerous issues. Even across the Holy Solstice Empire, the Cortes family controlled enormous economic power, with assets spanning various sectors, including coal, healthcare, railroads, and education. Thinking back, Lynn had caused quite a stir twice during his time at the border. One occasion involved extracting a hefty sum of two million gold coins from local churches and nobles to fund Duke Tyrus' military. On another occasion, through public opinion and rumors, he stirred the greed of countless merchants and nobles, driving them to Orne City to profit from disaster, ultimately sparking a city-wide riot and leaving all investors with devastating losses. Perhaps, the enmity with the Cortes family arose around that time. Blake and his family's extensive ties with the multitude of merchants and nobles at the borders, and maybe even the embezzled tax behind which they had a share, were deeply rooted. Otherwise, the local churches and nobles wouldn't have acted so arrogantly. Lynn’s actions undoubtedly dealt them a substantial financial blow. This is why the retaliation came so swiftly. Seeing Evester remain silent, Councillor Blake wasn't angered, merely stating blandly, "Since everyone is here, I kindly ask you all to proceed with me to visit Lynn Bartleon's cell." "Executors, please lead the way." "Tia, what's on your mind?" In the dim, damp underground cell, after noticing Tia lagging behind the others, Sia slowed his pace and softly inquired at her side. It was obvious that he had detected the troubled state of his young female friend. Not just today, ever since being turned away at her door the night before last, they hadn't really had any time alone together. It felt as though she was deliberately avoiding him. Hearing Sia’s inquiry, Tia was startled back to reality, her body slightly trembling. She then averted her gaze, instinctively gripping the edge of her robe. If Lynn, well-versed in psychology, were present, he could easily surmise that this was the manifestation of a woman's guilty conscience. "Oh, Sia, it's nothing..." "No, there is something." Sia frowned, staring at her. "Since that evening, you've been acting peculiarly." "Is there something on your mind?" He wanted to ask if it was about Lynn, but feared hearing a terrifying answer. Of course, there was. Tia responded in her mind. She was fretting about that guy. Ever since leaving the interrogation room, every time she lay in bed trying to sleep, she would unwittingly visualize the scene of that guy resting weakly in her arms. An unexplainable guilt would then well up within her. This feeling had left her tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She couldn't understand what had gotten into her. Normally, thoughts of Sia should take precedence at such a time. It was all that guy’s fault! Had he not continually uttered such inexplicably strange words, she wouldn't be in such a pitiable state now! Sia was beginning to grow suspicious! Thinking of this, Tia hurriedly composed herself, gently tucking her hair behind her ear, and forced a smile. "I'm really okay." Seeing Tia still unwilling to open up, Sia, though growing slightly irritable, couldn't show it. So he nodded, "Whenever there's something troubling you, talk to me; I will always be behind you." "Thank you, Sia, that makes me happy." Despite saying this, Tia's heart remained unruffled. Not only that. As she neared the entrance to the cell, a pang of nervousness surfaced in her. The words spoken by that guy yesterday lingered in her ears. Was Sia really that kind of person? Her mind was muddled as she inadvertently glanced at Sia. Coincidentally, he was gazing back at her. Their eyes met in mid-air. Sensing the concern in Sia's eyes and his straightforward expression, Tia felt significantly reassured. At the same time, a slight sense of gratitude welled up within her. No matter how many women flocked around him, he never neglected her. Surely, That guy had to be lying. How could someone as proud and upright as Sia be involved in the kind of sinister dealings his accuser had claimed? With this thought, Tia's lingering unease and tension dissipated. She instinctively reached out, intending to lightly touch Sia's hand, but an unexpected aversion washed over her like a cold bucket of water. She almost forgot. She couldn't physically interact with any man besides that guy. What's wrong with me? Was I subconsciously seeing Sia as a stand-in for that guy? Suddenly, Tia's heart raced wildly, her face paling. Unfortunately, Sia was oblivious to her internal struggle. Observing her subtle gesture led him to believe she was attempting to overcome the curse's rejection to hold hands with him but failed. He felt deeply moved by her effort. "It's alright, Tia," Sia said with a warm smile. "Don't think of me as some lecherous demon. Just being able to talk like this with you, shoulder to shoulder, makes me very happy." He spoke magnanimously. However, these words sounded even harsher to Tia. The true situation wasn't like that at all. Tia clenched the hem of her robe tightly, her pace unconsciously slowing down a little. In any case. Everything had started to go awry since she met that person. So, as long as she could repay the guilt she felt, she could finally sever ties completely. With this thought, she took a deep breath, suppressing the chaotic emotions within her heart. Just then, the elderly executor who had guided them yesterday approached. With so many important figures gathered here, he dared not slack off. "Open the door," Blake Cortes ordered casually. "Yes." The elderly executor replied and then slowly pulled out a key. At the same time, a sinister expression flickered in his eyes. He anticipated the reaction they would have upon seeing the situation inside once the door was opened, especially those who were close to that boy. With this thought, he quickened his hands. Over the years, his personality had become quite twisted and extreme, having been shaped by witnessing numerous interrogation scenes in the executor's prison and being tainted by the prisoners' malice and murderous intent. Just then, the First Princess Silina seemed to catch a whiff of his malice and frowned, "Were you thinking of something malicious just now?" The elderly executor's movements came to a halt. At the same moment, Evester also sensed something amiss. "This is... the communal cell for thirty people?" Her expression turned icy as she stepped forward, an almost tangible killing intent enveloping the room. "Even if captured, he should not be held here when his charges aren't confirmed." "What have you done?!" Even though supernatural phenomena were prohibited in the underground prison, Evester’s power as a Sixth Order demigod erupted momentarily, projecting a powerful and terrifying aura. For a moment, most people on-site felt suffocated, their faces ashen. The elderly executor, in particular, began bleeding from his nose and mouth, collapsing to the ground. Damn it. Was this the terrifying Princess from the capital that was the talk of the town? With his strength nearing Fifth Order and the prison's unique nature, he couldn't even withstand a shred of her aura?! The once sinister glint in the elderly executor's eyes vanished, replaced by a twinge of fear. Simultaneously, the crowd finally noticed something was amiss. Ordinarily, prisoners confined in such a place would be restless and clamoring, their pent-up energy unable to be expressed. This was a communal cell, and such commotion should be expected. Yet, despite being so close, there wasn’t a sound from within. It was eerily silent except for their conversation, as if a pin could drop. That wasn’t a good sign. Elina, walking behind Evester, grew pale. "Will my brother be alright?" The siblings had just been reunited, and now he was imprisoned, his life uncertain. This left her feeling utterly helpless. Affia, perched on her shoulder, also showed worry, licking the side of Elina's face. Greya stepped forward, offering comfort, "Don't worry. Your brother is a strange one; if anyone will be okay, it's him." Hearing this, the Fourth Prince Joshua, walking beside Blake, suddenly chuckled, "That may not be the case." Elina glared at him with teary eyes. Her feelings towards him were a mix of fear and hate. Was he trying to curse her brother? Noticing her thoughts, Joshua shook his head with a faint smile, "It seems you don't understand the nature of this place." After this enigmatic statement, he fell silent. Instead, the First Princess Silina hesitated but then spoke, "The Executor's Prison is a very unique place. It can be viewed as a high-sequence sealed item." "In this prison, unless one's rank exceeds its threshold, all extraordinary abilities are nullified." In other words, if it weren't for Evester’s brute force method, even a Fifth Order legend would be reduced to a mere mortal here. If so for a Fifth Order legend, then how about Lynn? Therefore, if something unspeakable had happened within, Lynn, stripped of his extraordinary prowess, would have to rely on sheer physical strength. Everyone knew that Lynn had taken the "Saint Cognition" path as an extraordinary being, much like Milanie, an academic transcendent. At lower levels, this path enhanced thought and memory but seemingly didn't boost physical abilities. Moreover, all of Lynn’s extraordinary items and seals were confiscated upon entering prison. Therefore, things seemed quite bleak. In light of the situation, a flicker of excitement gleamed in the eyes of Fourth Prince Joshua. Though he didn't know who orchestrated this, it undeniably rid him of a considerable threat. Every night since that day, Joshua had nightmares of that boy defying royal authority and killing Eunice in public, waking up in cold sweats. The whole ordeal became a haunting nightmare he couldn't shake. The prospect of seeing Lynn perish in prison brought Joshua a thrill. As for the notion of defeating thirty people barehanded, it was far-fetched and unrealistic. Not just him, but others shared this pessimism. If one could use extraordinary power to enhance the body, there might be a possibility. But not here in the Executor’s Prison. Aside from hoping nothing had happened inside, nobody knew what else they could do. Elina, on the verge of tears, subtly tugged on Evester's sleeve. Behind her, Greya and the others were on high alert, clearly tense. Tia, standing at the back of the crowd, instinctively stood on her toes, her slender hands wringing together tightly, eager to see what lay beyond the door as it opened. At this moment, all eyes focused on the elderly executor. He lay trembling on the ground, biting his lip, unwilling to utter a word. Seeing this, a hint of madness and chill appeared in Evester’s gaze. A faint red light began to glow in her palm. "Please, Your Highness, stay calm." Suddenly, Blake Cortes, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. Instantly, Evester turned towards him like a protective lioness, eyes fierce and ruthless. "By stepping forward now, should I understand this as the Cortes Family aligning themselves with the masterminds behind this incident?" She questioned coldly, as if ready to strike at a single affirmation. Blake maintained his composure, "The Cortes family, if seeking revenge, would not resort to such lowly methods." "Moreover, whatever has transpired throughout the night has already happened." "Since that's the case, why not let him open the door first?" "After which, whether his actions were proper and whether the Executors have been bribed, these matters will be thoroughly investigated to ensure fairness." "…" Evester took a deep breath to suppress her agitation and murderous intent. She couldn’t begin to fathom what she would become if something truly happened to Lynn. It was all her fault. Why did she bow to his request and let the Executors take him away? If she had been more adamant, would such events have been avoided? For a moment, the atmosphere turned cold and silent. Under everyone's watchful gaze, the elderly executor shakily got to his feet, dripping with sweat as he fumbled for the key. With a "click," the heavy locks were undone, and the prison door creaked open. The first thing that hit them was a stench of blood so intense it was almost tangible. "?!" Everyone's hearts lurched with shock. What kind of brutal event could have produced such a potent smell of blood?! Tears immediately began to fall from Elina's eyes. But in the next moment, a truly startling scene unfolded before them. At that moment, the walls and floor of the entire cell were smeared with blood, much of which was dried with the passage of time. However, this was not the most striking aspect. Where they could see, countless bodies, distorted and gruesome, lay discarded on the ground like trash, forming a small mountain. At the top of this blood-soaked heap, a shirtless boy sat against the wall, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Only when he heard the commotion at the door did he come back to reality. Upon realizing when a massive crowd had assembled, staring at him with a mix of shock and bewilderment, he was momentarily stunned, then instinctively raised his hand in a casual greeting. "Morning."