Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Chapter 180: Yveste, You’ve Disappointed Me Greatly (Part Two)

When Lynn suddenly saw a group of people standing at his cell door, he was genuinely dumbfounded.

In his mind, today’s public interrogation should have been a more solemn affair. He hadn’t expected Councilman Blake to charge straight to his cell with an entourage.

The scene Lynn had created—with blood-soaked carnage and an air of menace—was meant as a warning to those scheming against him. He hadn’t intended for it to escalate so publicly.

While the unintended result seemed even more effective, Lynn had no desire to expose his more violent side to certain individuals.

For instance, Eleanor, who was already sobbing quietly, relieved that her brother was unharmed but still deeply shaken.

Or Tiya, at the back of the group, her face pale with tension. When their eyes met, she seemed startled, though a flicker of relief briefly crossed her gaze before she deliberately looked away, trying to appear indifferent.

Yveste, on the other hand, let out a long breath of relief.

Not only that, but when she saw Lynn, bloodied and with his lean, well-defined muscles on display, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

To think her adorable and obedient “puppy” had such a wild side.

He’s grown up... in more ways than one.

Her tongue lightly brushed her lips as a glint of heat flickered in her eyes.

Meanwhile, others—such as Princess Shirina and Councilman Blake—were utterly dumbfounded.

Fourth Prince Joshua, in particular, looked as though he’d swallowed a fly. The smug ease he carried earlier had completely evaporated.

It was as though he’d witnessed something impossible.

In a world where physical strength was often disregarded in favor of extraordinary abilities and divine factors, few bothered to hone their physical prowess.

Even those enhanced by the evolution of their life essence gained only limited physical power. Without extraordinary abilities, even a Fifth-Rank Legendary would struggle against an organized military assault.

Two fists couldn’t beat four hands, after all—a universally accepted truth.

Yet here was Lynn, standing victorious over thirty men in a place that suppressed extraordinary abilities.

The blood-soaked reality was undeniable.

The corpses surrounding him weren’t ordinary inmates—they were hulking brutes, each of whom could have easily overpowered someone with Lynn’s build.

How did this seemingly unassuming young man manage to defeat them all? What terrifying strength lay hidden in his lean frame?

And where did he learn to fight like this?

The room fell into a stunned silence.

Seeing everyone’s shocked expressions, Lynn shook his head.

He exchanged a brief glance with Yveste to reassure her, then cast a comforting look toward Eleanor, Afia, and Tiya at the back of the group. Finally, he leaped down from the mound of corpses.

The moment he landed, four Enforcers moved into position at the door, their wariness palpable as they regarded him like a dangerous predator.

Lynn rolled his eyes at their reaction.

“Relax,” he said, spreading his hands in exasperation. “None of this was my choice. Someone tried to kill me.”

“Also, before the councilman begins his interrogation, could I at least take a shower? I’m covered in blood, and it’s really uncomfortable.”

In a clean interrogation room, Tiya stood in the most inconspicuous corner, looking utterly dazed.

Her pale face betrayed the shock of a world-shattering revelation.

Minutes earlier, when the prison door had opened, and she saw Lynn unharmed, she hadn’t even realized how deeply relieved she felt.

But then she had glanced at Xiya, who stood nearby.

At that moment, everyone’s defenses were down, and Xiya, unaware that Tiya had hypnotized Lynn and learned some truths, let his true emotions show.

On his face was an expression of regret and disappointment—as though lamenting that Lynn hadn’t died in the prison riot.

Tiya’s heart froze.

No matter how much she had tried to justify Xiya’s actions before, this undeniable truth was now laid bare.

The only possible explanation was that Lynn had been telling the truth under hypnosis.

Deep down, she had always known this was likely the case but had refused to face it.

Now, the reality was unavoidable.

The Xiya she idolized—the radiant and righteous hero who had once saved her from despair—was, in truth, someone capable of hiring assassins in the shadows.

And his target was Lynn, the person she now felt overwhelmingly indebted to.

Tiya’s face turned ashen, and her slender fingers clenched tightly under her sleeves. Her wrists trembled, betraying her inner turmoil.

Why? Xiya... why does it have to be you?

Hidden in the corner, Tiya closed her eyes in anguish.

Then another realization struck her.

With the strength Lynn had displayed, even without extraordinary abilities, could Xiya truly stand as his equal in a fair fight?

No.

Even if Xiya managed to defeat him, it wouldn’t be an easy victory. It would more likely end in mutual destruction.

This meant that the horrific scene in the cell yesterday wasn’t a reflection of Xiya’s overwhelming power over a weaker opponent. Instead, it was the opposite.

Lynn, equal in strength, had chosen to endure the beating without fighting back.

Why?

The answer was simple.

It was because of her.

Tiya’s heart was thrown into chaos. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

“Tiya, are you okay?”

Xiya noticed her distress and instinctively reached out to steady her.

But Tiya recoiled as if burned, her expression a mix of anger and despair. “Don’t touch me!”

Her sharp outburst startled Xiya.

Realizing what she had done, Tiya’s face crumpled. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...”

This is terrible.

To raise her voice against Xiya—her supposed savior—was unthinkable.

But it wasn’t overreaction.

The events of the past day had shattered her worldview, destroying the ideals and dreams she had clung to for so long.

For Tiya, whose memories of the past twelve years had been wiped, Xiya was the sole anchor of her heart.

She viewed him as her guiding star, the image of the hero filling her entire world.

But now, everything felt like an illusion shattered by cruel reality.

No.

This place is no longer suitable for me to stay.

Feeling the varied gazes cast her way, Tiya—despite being on the verge of collapse—understood her duty as the Silent Saintess to maintain the Church’s dignity.

“Councilman Blake, Your Highnesses... I suddenly feel unwell and must return to the Church for some rest,” she said, bowing stiffly before hurriedly leaving the underground prison.

With Lynn still showering, she decided it was best to leave while she could. Staying any longer might result in more turmoil to her already chaotic emotions.

As her figure disappeared, Xiya appeared uneasy, his expression flickering between shame and frustration.

What’s going on? Why has Tiya, who used to revolve around me, become so distant?

Sensing her subordinate’s unrest, Princess Shirina approached Xiya, speaking to him softly in reassurance.

Yveste, meanwhile, narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched Tiya leave, as though piecing together a thought.

Ten minutes later, Lynn, now cleaned up and dressed in fresh clothes, emerged. Surprisingly, he had also recovered his confiscated belongings from the Enforcers, including the Trickster’s Coin and Piennes’ Card.

Does this mean I’m officially cleared?

Lynn’s expression turned contemplative. By this point, the direction of events was becoming clear.

Based on what Tiya had told him yesterday, Councilman Blake was supposed to subject him to two forms of “tests.” While she had withheld details about the second, if it was merely solving a case within a limited time, Lynn believed it was manageable despite potential obstacles.

With this in mind, he walked into the interrogation room under the watchful eyes of the Enforcers.

“Take a seat,” Blake said unexpectedly, his demeanor amicable.

Lynn, however, remained guarded. He knew the irreconcilable nature of the factions involved and couldn’t trust Blake’s behavior at face value.

Glancing at Yveste and the others, he noted her calm expression, even her playful wink in response. Yet behind her, Afia and Greya looked uneasy, as if guilty of something.

Lynn frowned but turned his attention back to Blake, who rapped on the table to begin.

“Since everyone is here, let’s get started. Lynn Bartleon, I’m here on behalf of the Imperial Council to deliver the verdict regarding the Grafting Butcher case.”

Lynn leaned back, his expression neutral. “Go on.”

Blake nodded. “First, the Enforcers’ investigation has preliminarily ruled out your involvement in the crimes committed by the Grafting Butcher.”

As expected, this wasn’t the whole story. Lynn waited silently.

“However, it’s only a preliminary conclusion,” Blake continued, coughing lightly. “Your status as a suspect remains unresolved. Upon leaving the Enforcers’ prison, you’re prohibited from leaving Glostein without special permission. Your activities are restricted to the Upper City’s West District, and you must report to the Enforcers’ Headquarters every Sunday evening.”

This condition was excessive but within Lynn’s tolerance. He suspected the bigger blow was still to come.

Blake flipped a few pages in his notebook before proceeding.

“Second, upon returning to the capital, His Majesty placed the Night Sentinels under the management of the Third Princess. You should already be aware of this.”

Lynn nodded.

“The Council was notified that Her Highness has delegated all management of the Night Sentinels to you, effectively making you the acting leader of the organization.”

Lynn already knew this wasn’t Yveste’s fault—she hadn’t anticipated the Council would exploit it as leverage.

“As leader, you were aware of the Grafting Butcher case but failed to mobilize the Night Sentinels to investigate promptly. Worse, you attended Princess Shirina’s banquet and allowed the 36th victim to perish, causing widespread public outrage.”

“This constitutes gross negligence.”

“To address this, the Council has decided to impose minor punishments as an example for others.”

“First, a fine of 50,000 gold coins, to be distributed to the families of the Grafting Butcher’s victims. Second, three weeks of mandatory community service...”

As Blake listed the penalties, Lynn’s frown deepened.

It wasn’t that the punishments were particularly harsh—it was that they felt entirely out of place.

None of them targeted anything crucial, leaving him confused.

Does the Imperial Council seriously think these trivial penalties will faze me?

This doesn’t make sense.

After Blake finished listing the relatively mild consequences, he concluded, “These are the Council’s disciplinary actions for your negligence. We hope you’ll take charge of the Night Sentinels, resolve the case swiftly, and fulfill the expectations of His Majesty and the people.”

The room fell silent.

After a moment, Lynn slowly raised his head. “And that’s it? No additional demands from the Council?”

He had expected the scenario Tiya had described—a direct order to solve the case within three days. Yet, Blake hadn’t mentioned it at all.

Now, Lynn’s expression turned icy.

What happened here?

Glancing at Yveste for answers, he found her merely smiling nonchalantly, as if entirely unbothered.

Seeing her reaction, Lynn clenched his fists, his eyes darkening.

Meanwhile, Blake spoke again. “Do you find the Council’s leniency surprising? You’re correct.

“But it isn’t because of your actions in Orne City. Rather, someone has paid the price on your behalf.

“That price includes your violent actions in the Council Hall against the Mosgra family that night.”

“Lynn Bartleon, this is Glostein, not the frontier. Sometimes, you must learn humility.”

Blake’s smile widened, revealing the Cortes family and the Imperial Council’s fangs for the first time.

Lynn said nothing, his head lowered in thought.

Yveste, sensing his inner turmoil, opened her mouth to speak but froze under his chilling glare.

Suppressing his anger, Lynn asked, “What was the price?”

“A commission.”

“A commission involving Heraemius’s Tomb.”

“The tomb’s unique properties have led some scholars to suggest treating it as a high-tier Sealed Artifact. The Imperial Council has unanimously decided to assign this task to Princess Yveste, who agreed to it yesterday.”

As Blake’s calm words sank in, the name “Heraemius’s Tomb” echoed in Lynn’s mind. His blood ran cold.

At the same time, a faint electronic voice chimed in his ear:

[S-tier storyline character ‘Yveste Roland Alexini’ plot deviation reduced to 10.07%.]

With the interrogation concluded, everyone began to disperse.

Unexpectedly, Lynn was the first to leave the interrogation room. Walking ahead of everyone, he kept his head low, deep in thought.

Behind him, Eleanor, visibly worried, instinctively tried to call out to him.

But her attempt was stopped by Yveste, who shook her head before quickening her pace to catch up with Lynn.

Reaching his side, she gently took his warm hand in hers.

“Today’s your release day. Cheer up,” she said softly, her pinky brushing lightly against his palm—a rare act of comfort coming from her.

Typically, it was Lynn who coaxed her.

Yveste knew her actions might have upset him, but she didn’t expect her attempt at reassurance to have the opposite effect.

Instead of calming him, her words ignited the simmering fury within him.

The next moment, ignoring the gazes of those around them, Lynn tightened his grip on her delicate, pale hand and strode quickly toward a nearby corridor.

“Slow down… you’re hurting me!”

Yveste frowned, raising her voice slightly, but Lynn paid her no mind.

Finally, after reaching a secluded area, he could no longer suppress the torrent of emotions churning inside him. Turning abruptly, he pressed the hand still holding Yveste’s firmly against the wall.

His eyes, dark and filled with unbridled anger, bore into hers.

“Yveste… I’m very disappointed in you.”