Chapter 198 Goodbye Miss Witch - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Lynn despised nothing more than unexpected situations. As someone who always planned everything to perfection, he preferred the feeling of having things under control. In a sense, wasn’t this the arrogance of a transmigrator? For instance, when he was released from the Executioners’ Prison, Evester’s stubbornness provoked rebellion and anger within him. Therefore, the originally planned investigation through official means led Lynn to take a daring risk instead. It was a gamble, and a punishment for Evester disrupting his plan. And now, once again, something unforeseen had occurred. According to his original plan, he should have returned to the Bartlerion Manor upon waking. Even in the worst-case scenario, if he hadn’t returned to the manor, he was mentally prepared for a second imprisonment. But reality was different. Lynn was startled to find himself in an unfamiliar environment, neither the manor nor the prison, and the woman lying beside him was not Evester as he had imagined. None of his expectations had come to pass. So when a cold voice tinged with embarrassment and annoyance suddenly sounded in his ear, every muscle in his body tensed. Fortunately, in the next moment, Lynn recognized the voice. "Weia?" Lynn lifted his head slightly from her chest and asked in a muffled voice. Feeling the heat of a male breath on her chest, Tia shivered as goosebumps rose across her skin. Instinctively, she wanted to push Lynn away, but the thought of him struggling back from the brink of death held her hand back. In that moment, Tia found herself unable to advance or retreat. The room's dimness was a blessing, sparing her the embarrassment of revealing her flushed cheeks. It wasn’t really due to shyness. Well, perhaps a little, but it was mostly from physical discomfort. The discomfort made her momentarily forget to object to the “Weia” address. "It’s me... Now, get up." "I, I can't move," he said, sincerely. "..." After a moment, Lynn suddenly felt a pair of trembling small hands embracing his back. Then, with a slight adjustment, she propped him up in a half-kneeling posture, an intimate and ambiguous position that helped him rise. At this precise juncture, Tia felt a warm breath brush lightly over her slender neck, causing her body to shiver reflexively, nearly causing her to let go. A bit sensitive. A bothersome fellow. After a brief flurry of movement, Lynn, with Tia’s assistance, returned to his original reclining position. Tia silently got out of bed, securing the moonlight staff leaning against the wall in her grasp. A silence enveloped the room. Evidently, both were at a loss for how to proceed. After a moment of hesitation, Lynn finally pulled himself back from the lingering fragrance around his nose and began examining his surroundings carefully. This seemed like a hotel room. The furnishings were extremely sparse, the kind that people of their esteemed status would never normally contemplate staying in. Apart from transient laborers and mercenaries, the majority would find such an environment unacceptable. The poor soundproofing in the room meant that they could faintly hear noises from upstairs. Mercenaries who resided here long-term were venting their desires on cheap courtesans. Normally, it would have been perfectly ordinary. Yet now, it was exceptionally awkward. By the faint moonlight, Lynn noticed Tia, sitting by the bed, had angled her head slightly away, her pointy elf ears hidden beneath her smooth chestnut hair tinged with a subtle and lovely hint of pink. He couldn’t help but take a deep breath. Calm down. It’s time to sort out the situation. According to the original course of events, after resolving Kuxiusitan's descent incident at the old factory, he would have been picked up by the tardy Evester. Given Her Royal Highness’s personality, after such an incident, she would have stayed by his side without a moment’s reprieve. She considered it merciful not to recreate his previous imprisonment in Olne City. Thus, the current situation shouldn’t be like this. In other words, things began to go wrong right from the “tardy Evester picking him up” incident. There was a strong chance that he hadn’t seen Her Royal Highness after losing consciousness, and had instead been captured by someone else. And the fact that the person who captured him was completely unexpected. It was Tia. This definitely wasn’t under orders from the Church of Silence; it likely resulted from her own decision. So, had he gone too far? Reflecting on what might have led to this turn of events, Lynn sighed quietly, understanding now the cause and effect. He watched Tia’s back with a complex expression, opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He had been wrong. After all, even though this world was created by a story, the characters within weren’t NPCs. Each one was a real, conscious being with flesh and blood. From the start, he hadn’t treated her like a person, but as an NPC to be manipulated as per the task’s needs. He had analyzed all available information and executed actions that could disturb her heart. Judging by the results, these actions had been quite effective. Yet, he had forgotten one crucial thing. Tia wasn’t a side heroine in a galgame; picking all the right options didn’t mean the game was over. Even in a galgame, after successfully wooing a female character, there would still be something like an epilogue. Thus, everything could only be blamed on himself. Lynn hadn’t considered whether Tia’s character, after experiencing strange emotions towards a stranger who had selflessly sacrificed for her multiple times, might subconsciously act out of character due to sustained emotional and personality suppression. For instance, not hesitating to oppose the authorities to remove him from harm's way, just to protect his life. At this point, Lynn sighed almost imperceptibly. Calm down; it’s just a mission. If not for these people, the future of the witch wouldn’t have been so tragic. It was crucial to clearly distinguish friend from foe. Lynn attempted to harden his resolve. From beginning to end, it was all to gain Tia’s trust, to have her open her heart to him, and then use the Moment of Corruption to transform her into a puppet that followed his every command. To free the witch from the chains of order, all the while taking revenge and venting his anger. Yet, a vague unease persistently clung to his chest. What was it? He didn’t know. For once, the usually decisive Lynn found himself caught in a tangled web of reflection and self-examination. Unbeknownst to Tia, Lynn's mind was a sea of complex thoughts. Why wasn’t he saying anything? In their previous meetings, he had seemed like he had endless words, always hovering around her. Now, his silence rendered Tia at a loss. It had been exactly two days since the Kuxiusitan descent incident. For those two days, Tia had been evading the pursuit and assassinations from various factions in the lower town, all while keeping an unconscious Lynn safe. The entire city was under lockdown, making it nearly impossible to leave Glosten. Even Tia was bewildered about how to proceed, taking things one step at a time. Thankfully, Glosten’s size was beyond imagination. If she truly intended to hide her tracks, even the Church wouldn’t track her down. After all, Lynn had indeed killed a prince. His wanted posters now littered every street corner, and even her likeness appeared on the illustrations. Additionally, judging by the pursuers she eliminated in the past two days, the upper echelons of Glosten had split into three factions. The first, headed by Saint Roland VI, aimed to capture him alive. The second faction, the nobility, wanted to erase Lynn’s achievements and execute him on murder charges. The third faction, those who found excitement in chaos or perhaps plotted in the shadows, simply wanted to muddy the waters without any firm stance. Things were becoming complicated. Even Tia hadn't anticipated that her impulsive decision would lead to such a cascade of consequences. Yet surprisingly, during these sporadic moments of quiet, while looking at his unconscious form, she felt no regret. Occasionally, her thoughts would drift to Sia, her brother, but soon she'd be pulled back as Lynn mumbled and sweated through his nightmares, prompting her to gently wipe his forehead with a handkerchief. Fate is indeed strange. Even now, she hadn't fully grasped why she acted so rashly at the time. Was it guilt and a sense of obligation? Could such feelings alone suffice to disregard her own safety and reputation to save a self-proclaimed royal slayer and wander off with him? It seemed something had gone awry. Yet the relentless fleeing left her with no time to contemplate their situation or their relationship. By now, Tia was utterly exhausted. That was why she unconsciously lay beside him earlier. Unexpectedly, even in dreams, it was his figure she saw. And now, upon Lynn's awakening, Tia felt at a loss. From his expression, he didn't seem as happy as she thought he'd be. Had she overstepped? Her face paled slightly at the thought. Thankfully, he sighed a moment later: “Have you considered what you’ll do next after something like this?” “In the end, someone like me isn’t worth your effort.” Lynn seemed alluding to something. However, Tia didn’t catch the implications of his words. Is he thinking about me? At this thought, the tension that had just surfaced in Tia’s heart vanished. As if her efforts over the past days had finally been acknowledged. Yet, even so, their relationship was not friendly. Thus, she spoke in a deliberately cool tone, “I did it for my own peace of mind, not for you. Don’t overthink it.” “Even so, I’m still moved.” "..." Hearing that, Tia tightened her grip on the Moonlight Staff, the pointed ears under her long hair trembling Slightly. Fortunately, the darkness concealed her momentary slip. After a long silence, she stood, heading for the door without looking back: “I’m going out to have a look.” Just as soon, she felt the statement sounded stiff, as if she didn’t want to talk to him, making the atmosphere a bit cold. Besides, he was still a patient. Whenever she fell ill, she would become somewhat insecure. After putting herself in his place, Tia softened her tone slightly, adding: “... I'll be back soon.” “Okay.” Watching her departing silhouette, Lynn laid quietly on the bed, the delicate scent of a maiden lingering around his nose. Moments later, he began attempting to connect with the Divine Selection Mark in his mind. His recent communications with the witch were limited to parchment. Their last meeting in the Pantheon had been right after the chaos of the Wishing Jar incident. Though less than a month had passed, it felt like a long time. Late at night, within the Church of Heaven. At the majestic and grand hall’s center, Cardinal Conner stood amidst the vast metal casting of the star tracks, calmly observing the rise and fall of stars, the flow of sun and moon. Behind him, the statue representing the Lord of Myriad Stars glimmered with brilliant, mysterious starlight. It was unclear how long passed before unexpected footsteps disrupted the celestial mechanics, pulling Conner from his meditation. Despite his subordinate’s hurried arrival, Conner wore an indifferent expression, “What is it?” “Your Eminence, we still have no trace of Lynn Bartlerion.” The subordinate bowed his head deferentially, “Additionally, it seems the Imperial Council has noticed something; they've ordered us to dispatch more extraordinaries for the search.” Given Glosten's immense size, even its most insignificant lower town was as large as four Olne Cities combined. Deploying all of the Church's extraordinaries without using special means would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Hearing this, Cardinal Conner smiled slightly, “Have those old foxes realized it?” “Yes, they seem to sense the Church’s negligence in pursuing Lynn Bartlerion.” The subordinate nodded, hesitating slightly. “Are you also curious why, despite the irreconcilable discord between Lynn and the Church, I’m indifferent to hunting him down?” “I am, Your Eminence.” Cardinal Conner descended the steps from the star tracks, “He is undoubtedly the Church’s enemy, growing far faster than anticipated. The sooner we root him out, the less harm he’ll cause in the future.” “It’s just that those old foxes in high places are too short-sighted, failing to understand one thing.” “What is it?” “Although the reason's unclear, His Majesty seems to want to keep him alive, meaning he won’t die—at least not because of this situation.” “Moreover, given Evester’s meddling, any recklessness could bring significant disaster to Glosten.” Upon hearing this, the subordinate’s face stiffened. Yet Conner promptly continued, “However, we can discern something from all this.” “That boy seems aware of His Majesty’s attitude towards him, thus he was audacious in executing heirs and injuring and killing imperial figures before.” “He's betting we’ll ultimately abide by His Majesty’s decision, rendering us powerless against him.” “But he forgets the old Roland Empire adage: ‘Three strikes and you’re out.’” “If it happens a fourth time, even His Majesty won't be able to save him.” After a pause, the subordinate asked, “So next, is the Church to wait for a fourth event?” “Not at all.” Cardinal Conner smiled and shook his head. Though he was smiling, his face was expressionless. In such instances, an intense, terrifying pressure emanated from him. “It’s best to create opportunities if there are none. I understand the danger of letting the tiger return to the mountain. If we can end him once and for all, it’d be much better.” “What should we do then?” “Are those extraordinaires who survived the Grave of the Still Alive still being treated?” “Yes, apart from the nuns from the Church of Silence, others are either scared witless by the limb reattacher or still critical due to serious injuries.” “So, only the Church of Silence has a version of what happened that night?” “Yes, Your Eminence.” Cardinal Conner narrowed his eyes in contemplation, then cryptically stated, “Eliminate them.” Clearly, he referred to those unconscious extraordinaries from various factions. With the injured concentrated for treatment, wiping them out was relatively simple—perhaps just a little fire could do it. But his subordinate was stunned by the command. Noticing his hesitation, Cardinal Conner maintained a calm exterior, “Just do it.” He offered no additional explanation, simply giving his order. “But among the survivors are also our Church’s extraordinaries.” “Hmm, I'm aware.” That simple response immediately clarified its meaning to the subordinate. He felt a chill run down his spine. As a subordinate, however, he lacked the authority to question Cardinal Conner and could only accept his orders. Watching his subordinate's retreating form, Cardinal Conner remained silent. He ordered the elimination of all surviving extraordinaries to erase every trace of that night’s events. As for the Church of Silence, their own saintess was currently missing and quite possibly implicated as an accomplice in this event, much less the testimonies of those few nuns? Legally speaking, their credibility would take a significant hit. Once there are no more eyewitnesses, the truth of the event would be determined by how they wish to present it. Not only him, but every faction in the imperial capital that opposed Evester would rally together to make this happen. If Lynn were allowed to return as a hero who thwarted a demon's descent, the third princess's prestige would soar unprecedentedly, possibly even elevating her standing in the royal selection. This was something they could not afford to see. Clearly, despite his recent rise, everyone had come to appreciate Lynn’s formidable abilities. He managed to elevate a long-shot princess to a level that now triggered their apprehension in an astonishingly short period. If he supported a more conventional candidate, would it already be— Therefore, not just the Church of Heaven, but for those nobles too, eliminating Lynn had become an urgent necessity. However, from Cardinal Conner’s perspective, his method was somewhat unconventional. The key to truly delivering a fatal blow had already been exposed. It was a scene from a few days ago, in the deliberation hall. Because the youth was too conspicuous, Cardinal Conner didn’t attack during his most brazen moments. Instead, he stepped back, bided his time, and waited for the opportune moment. Now, the opportunity had arrived. This weakness was actually quite simple. Ultimately, during the presentation at the awards banquet in the deliberation hall, Lynn chose to act most aggressively precisely to obscure a certain accusation. No matter what, he couldn’t explain how he survived against two grand demons in the Sauron Mountains. Especially since one of those demons happened to be the instigator of this event. The Tyrant of Evil, Kuxiusitan. The opponent was a high-dimensional demon on par with deities, yet the boy repeatedly escaped from him successfully. Perhaps that wasn't how it actually played out, but from any angle, Lynn Bartlerion appeared as the one truly in league with demons. And all Cardinal Conner needed was to seize upon this point to mount his attack. The border wars against the demon clan were about to reignite. Should someone pretending to be a hero be revealed as belonging to the side of evil, not even punitive measures would be required. The scorn of the public alone could thoroughly drown both him and Evester. Thinking of this, Cardinal Conner smiled faintly, waving his hand to restart the surrounding astral tracks.