Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Chapter 141: That’s Something!

“Your Highness, this is where we part ways,” Lynn said quietly, looking down at his hand, still firmly held by Yveste.

“No.” Yveste frowned, her tone brooking no argument. “You’re coming with me to the celebration banquet. After all, the honor being celebrated belongs to you.”

“With me there, no one will dare say a word against you.”

After the incident involving the Level 0 Sealed Artifact’s rampage, the Empire had collectively erased Lynn’s contributions from the record, almost as if trying to sever any chance of the Bartleon family reclaiming their former glory.

Everyone assumed he had died, leaving this banquet completely unrelated to him.

It was unjust, to say the least.

But Lynn merely sighed.

If he were dragged to the celebration banquet, and Yveste publicly declared him her “future consort” again, it would be like walking into a blazing inferno.

He’d been away from the capital for over a year. In that time, the Bartleon family had suffered greatly. His elder brother had died in battle, his sister-in-law had vanished, and his younger sister Eleanor was struggling to keep the family afloat alone.

As the last man of the Bartleon line, he needed to return and show those who underestimated them that he was still alive.

“Your Highness, we agreed on this before,” Lynn said as he crouched down to meet Yveste’s gaze. “You don’t need to worry about me—just enjoy the banquet. I have my own responsibilities.”

“Fine, but leave these people with you.” Yveste reached out and patted his head gently. “If anything happens, have them inform me.”

“As you command.”

Lynn watched silently as the group departed.

Truthfully, this wasn’t a permanent farewell. It wouldn’t be long before they met again.

But who knew what chaos would unfold when that time came?

“Xiya, are you alright?”

Tiya steadied Xiya’s battered body, enduring the waves of dizziness and rejection wracking her own frame.

Blood dripped from Xiya’s clenched fists, where his nails had pierced his palms. Unprecedented frustration and humiliation weighed heavily on him.

“I’m fine. Thank you, Tiya.”

He forced a faint smile after a deep breath, trying to ease her worries.

Tiya relaxed slightly and released his arm. “I’m sorry...”

Her pale complexion and unsteady posture betrayed her fragile condition, but Xiya was too absorbed in his dark thoughts to notice. His gaze fixed on Yveste and her entourage as they walked past.

And then he saw it.

That black-haired, blue-eyed boy—the one who had humiliated him earlier—had moved to the back of the group.

Lynn stopped directly in front of him.

Still kneeling, Xiya was trying to calm the chaotic energy within him caused by Yveste’s suppression. He watched as Lynn bent slightly, extending a hand as if offering reconciliation.

“Get lost. I don’t need—”

Before Xiya could finish, Lynn’s hand veered slightly to the side, reaching toward Tiya instead.

That smug smile tugging at Lynn’s lips made Xiya’s irritation spike.

What’s he planning now?

Tiya frowned, her mind flashing back to how Lynn had humiliated Xiya just moments before. Without a word, her staff lit up with a soft moon-white glow, her posture signaling a readiness to attack.

Go away!

Though she didn’t voice the sentiment, her emotionless, doll-like eyes made her feelings clear.

Yet, as Lynn gazed at her, a flicker of joy danced in his blue eyes—a joy as if he’d found something precious he thought he’d lost.

“Sorry, did I scare you?” Lynn’s tone was earnest and sincere. “I was just trying to say... it’s been a long time, Veia.”

Veia?

Who’s that?

Xiya sneered internally. This clown didn’t even know Tiya’s name yet had the audacity to approach her. What a joke!

As if Tiya would have feelings for anyone other than him.

Feeling triumphant, Xiya began to stand, ready to help Tiya. But as he turned toward her, his confidence shattered.

The light from Tiya’s staff had faded.

She sat frozen on the ground, her emerald-green eyes wide with shock, as though she’d just heard something utterly unbelievable.

“How... do you know that name?”

Her voice, laced with wariness, broke the silence.

Lynn sighed internally.

The Witch had contacted him last night, using her parchment in a rare show of urgency. Though her words remained cool and regal, Lynn sensed an unusual haste.

For the first time, she’d insisted he act quickly, demanding that within a week, he at least alter one person’s destiny.

The target?

The future Moon Goddess, Tiya Yuhesti—the elven girl now kneeling before him.

Her fate was linked to the Chains of Order on the Witch’s wrist.

To Lynn, this was the perfect opportunity.

Yveste’s plot deviation had already reached 12.07%, causing significant disruptions in the original storyline.

For instance, Xiya—the protagonist destined to return to the capital as a triumphant hero—had instead faced humiliation right after stepping out of the teleportation array.

This divergence stemmed from Yveste, who, in the original story, was supposed to remain dormant but had prematurely entered the stage.

The resulting power imbalance left the "original male lead" utterly defeated.

For Lynn, this was an ideal scenario to fulfill the Witch’s trial.

After all, what could be more intolerable to a dragon-slaying, wish-fulfilling protagonist than seeing a woman meant to be "his" getting closer to an enemy?

“Answer my question!”

Tiya’s icy voice cut through Lynn’s thoughts as she raised her staff again, her expression now frosty with suspicion.

Under Tiya’s piercing gaze, a flicker of sorrow and despair appeared in Lynn’s luminous blue eyes.

“Veia, do you really not remember me?”

“I’ve never met you,” Tiya replied coldly, her expression detached and unyielding.

I’m sorry, Lynn thought to himself. Though we’ve truly never met, I’ll have to wrong you temporarily—for the sake of avenging the Witch who despises the hero and for pushing the plot deviation to unlock her shackles.

With this in mind, Lynn’s gaze softened as he looked at the elven girl in front of him.

His voice carried a trace of melancholy. “Your true name is Veia, given to you by your sister Viola before you left your tribe, following the ancient prophecy. As the Saintess of the Elven Royal Court, you grew up among the branches of the World Tree.”

“You used to sneak off to play in the Elven Spring, even though your sister would always catch you and scold you in the end.”

“As a devout follower of the Moon Goddess, your preferences lean more toward the abundance of nature. You love wearing green dresses and rarely wear makeup, but you enjoy bathing in petal-infused water because you adore the fragrance.”

“Your favorite things are desserts, especially freshly baked financier cakes. You like wearing white stockings and painting your toenails a pale cherry blossom pink. Everything about your life... I know it all.”

Lynn spoke with precision and familiarity, as if reciting precious memories.

Each sentence he uttered darkened Xiya’s expression further.

Because he knew... none of this.

This has to be nonsense! Xiya thought, his gaze flickering toward Tiya for reassurance.

But what he saw made his heart drop.

For some reason, her expression had turned pale and uneasy.

“Have you been stalking me?” Tiya’s icy tone trembled as she clutched her staff tightly, her body rigid.

Seeing her reaction, Xiya’s chest tightened painfully.

Could this... be true?!

How is this possible?!

Xiya’s mind was thrown into chaos.

Tiya seemed flustered for the first time, her usual cold, doll-like composure cracking. “Xiya... don’t listen to his nonsense! I’ve never met him before!”

Her voice betrayed an unusual sense of urgency.

Xiya took a deep breath, forcing a reassuring smile onto his face. “Of course, I don’t believe him.”

Relieved, Tiya shifted her attention back to Lynn, her emerald eyes now filled with ice. “What are you after?”

“What am I after?” Lynn shook his head slightly. “I just want you to remember me.”

Noticing that the plot deviation meter hadn’t budged, Lynn decided to push further.

“If you don’t believe me, then let me tell you something only someone close to you could know.”

Lynn’s gaze turned dark and intent, making Tiya’s unease deepen.

A sinking feeling rose in her heart.

“On your left hip and under your arm, you have small birthmarks.”

Xiya had been about to tell Lynn off for spouting nonsense when his peripheral vision caught sight of Tiya.

She was frozen, her complexion drained of color. Her once-composed face was now blank with shock and confusion.

Seeing her reaction, Xiya’s mind went blank, his thoughts exploding like a thunderclap.

At the same time, a familiar system notification chimed in Lynn’s ear:

[The plot deviation of S-tier character “Tiya Yuhesti” has increased to 0.50%.]