Chapter 159

Chapter 159: Provoking the Witch! (Two-in-One)

As the last princess to be summoned, Ivyst slowly entered Erohet Palace under the guidance of the palace maid.

At this moment, Sixth Saint Roland sat quietly on the throne, his expression calm.

Upon sensing Ivyst’s presence, he retracted his wandering thoughts, and his previously deep gaze sharpened once more.

The eyes of father and daughter met in mid-air, taking each other in with a glance.

Ivyst huffed, clearly annoyed, and looked away.

It was evident that their interaction was not like that of a typical father and daughter.

Interestingly, Sixth Saint Roland remained unfazed.

After a long silence, he gradually spoke, “So, how’s it been lately?”

Clearly, he was inquiring about Ivyst’s current health.

However, upon hearing this seemingly caring question, Ivyst showed no sign of being moved; instead, she scoffed.

“Don’t be so hypocritical, old man.” She lowered her head and scrutinized her delicate fingers. “We aren’t exactly on comfortable terms to sit down and chat peacefully.”

“If you want to play the role of a loving father, you’d be better off looking for Aimestad.”

Though her voice was soft, the rejection and disgust in her words were unmistakable.

After the Orlen City incident, the rift between this father and daughter had been completely exposed.

Ivyst knew why he had dispatched her for that task, and Sixth Saint Roland was fully aware that she saw through his intentions.

At her words, the somewhat softened expression on Sixth Saint Roland’s face instantly turned cold and serious: “You’re right; we aren’t exactly the kind who can have normal conversations.”

“Ivyst, it seems this trip to Orlen City has changed you quite a bit.”

“Is it because of that Lynn Bartleon?”

Upon hearing this, Ivyst’s expression softened for a brief moment.

But as she realized the situation, her demeanor sharpened again.

Sixth Saint Roland caught that fleeting change in her emotions and wore a smirk that hinted at either mockery or something else.

“Since that’s the case, let’s talk about him.”

“You like him?”

He got straight to the point.

I like him?

This question floated into Ivyst’s mind for the first time under Sixth Saint Roland’s probing stare.

Honestly, she had never considered it.

Previously, her enlightenment at the Dragon Arena had purely aimed to make Lynn cross the vast chasm between her and the Sorceress of the End and to love this flawed version of her unreasonably.

As for her feelings toward him… Ivyst had never thought too deeply about that.

Like may very well be akin to really liking.

Otherwise, where would her impulse to bite him the moment they met or to hold him tightly and fuse him into her very being come from?

Yet a hint of confusion welled up within Ivyst.

Was this like a fondness for a pet, or something else entirely?

Being new to such feelings, Ivyst couldn’t quite grasp it.

However, she had already promised Lynn back in Orlen City that she would try to view him as a man.

And during that ride on the train, she had not been as composed as she appeared on the outside.

Deep down, she was conflicted.

Especially the heat of Lynn still lingered on her soles, that sticky, slippery feeling was still there.

Every time she thought of that moment, Ivyst’s heart raced.

But her pride as a master subconsciously pushed these thoughts deep down.

After all, the most important thing for her right now was to make Lynn fall in love with her, his master.

Seeing Ivyst fall silent, Sixth Saint Roland thought he had guessed something.

So, he let out a cold laugh: “How interesting.”

“That cold, unfeeling ‘tool’ suddenly shows such expressions. As a father, I’m quite pleased.”

Yet his face showed no signs of genuine pleasure.

“Unfortunately, while you see him as important because of the changes he’s brought about in you, he doesn’t seem to reciprocate.”

“Ivyst, ‘tools’ are always ‘tools’, even if they pass from one hand to another, what the other party values is merely your monstrous power.”

“It’s all just a form of use; you need to understand that.”

Sixth Saint Roland slightly raised his voice, hinting at something deeper.

Is he trying to sow discord?

No.

In a way, he was right.

To the Lynn who had lost his memory, that ‘bitch’ in the future would be the one he pledged loyalty to and admired.

Right now, she was merely a shadow of that future.

Even her adorable little dog might be attracted to her because he could sense similarities with the future Sorceress of the End.

Though Ivyst was furious, she was already aware of this fact.

This was precisely why she had been tirelessly trying to make Lynn love her.

So, what Sixth Saint Roland said wasn’t entirely wrong.

What lay between them was more about leveraging, and Ivyst was not oblivious to that.

To put it bluntly, it was a form of manipulation.

Even if there was a moment of affection, it was only regarding her body.

Not worth much.

But… so what?

“The future is long, and no one knows what will happen next,” Ivyst said with a faint smile, “For now, he hasn’t interacted with Cyrilina or anyone else. Even if it is for use, his feelings are directed solely at me.”

“As long as I know that, it’s enough.”

The usual resentful and envious look had vanished from Ivyst’s face.

This even surprised Sixth Saint Roland.

His expression momentarily froze before deepening with a hint of nuanced significance.

“Very well,” Sixth Saint Roland lightly tapped his finger on the armrest, “As a father, it’s enough to know my daughter is growing physically and mentally.”

“Moreover, you’re right; no one knows what will happen in the future.”

“The selection of the king has only just begun; who will ultimately laugh last remains uncertain.”

“Even if you’ve never been deemed worthy by anyone, with his help, there may be a chance for you to rise against all odds.”

“You—”

“You didn’t come to see me just for these pointless pleasantries, did you?”

Ivyst couldn’t hold back anymore and frowned, interrupting Sixth Saint Roland’s words.

Was it because the mission had gone too smoothly or her changes exceeded his expectations?

She felt the old man’s attitude had shifted.

It felt oddly mysterious.

“Nothing,” Sixth Saint Roland slowly withdrew his gaze. “I just suddenly remembered your mother.”

As soon as he uttered the word “mother,” a chilling aura swept across the entire palace.

“Don’t ever mention her in front of me.” Ivyst’s voice was cold and terrifying. “You’re not worthy.”

With that, she seemed to lose the patience for further pretense, maneuvering her wheelchair to turn and leave. One could only wonder what had happened in the past that would incite such a violent reaction from Ivyst.

Watching her slowly depart, Sixth Saint Roland’s face remained calm: “Fine, since you don’t want to bring up those old stories, I won’t.”

“In that case, why not discuss something you might actually be interested in.”

“Like that ‘maleficent’ curse mark on your face.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ivyst’s wheelchair came to an abrupt halt.

After a pause, she turned back, looking at Sixth Saint Roland with a cold expression, as if waiting for him to continue.

The inexplicable curse mark on her face had accompanied her for over twenty years; it was the root cause of her isolation and the disdain of the world.

However, for her now, it was no longer a significant issue.

Having spent so much time with Lynn, she had developed the habit of ignoring her internal struggles.

Nevertheless, every time she confronted her future self, seeing the mark on her face would inevitably stir feelings of inferiority.

Thus, deep down, she truly yearned to restore her true appearance.

And now, it seemed a glimmer of hope had emerged.

Observing Ivyst’s icy demeanor, Sixth Saint Roland slowly said, “Not long ago, an ancient tomb was discovered in a certain ruin in the north of the empire.”

“Your Highness?”

Looking at the quietly silent Ivyst after leaving Erohet Palace, Lynn softly called her name.

Ivyst blinked, her crimson eyes sparkling back to life: “What is it?”

What could it be? Looking at the carriage before them and Ivyst’s tightly clenched grip on the wheelchair handle, Lynn wore a puzzled expression.

In the past, she would probably have opened her arms, asking him to carry her into the carriage.

But for some reason, Ivyst now seemed deeply pensive.

“What did His Majesty say to you just now?”

Lynn picked her up in a princess carry and climbed into the carriage.

Eleanor and the servants from Augusta Manor had already left at Ivyst’s request.

Since the housekeeper Kesha and the others had returned to the Imperial Capital earlier, they had already prepared accommodations for them.

Right now, apart from a few accompanying maids, there was no one else around.

At Lynn’s words, a flicker of gloom crossed Ivyst’s eyes, but she quickly put on a light smile, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck: “You guessed it.”

“That old man left the Night Executioners for me to manage, but I have to arrange the manpower myself, and I must also deal with the backlog of extraordinary cases as soon as possible.”

“This process might be quite troublesome. You need to help me out.”

With that, Ivyst suddenly raised her head, leaning in to lightly lick the corner of Lynn’s lips, a fleeting connection.

Though it was momentary, it left a trail of glistening moisture.

“This is an advance reward for you.”

She tossed her black hair over her ear, giving him a playful smile.

Here we go again. Lynn braced himself for his micro-managing.

Having spent time together, he had gotten used to Ivyst’s overly intimate gestures.

To put it euphemistically, it was to cultivate feelings with his little dog.

“You pressed against me.”

“Sorry.”

In just a few exchanges, Ivyst had deftly shifted Lynn’s earlier confusion to trivial matters.

She didn’t want Lynn to get involved in this.

Finally back at Bartleon Mansion, Lynn thought they could temporarily part ways, giving him a chance to contact Witch Miss via parchment and report on his progress with Tia.

Unexpectedly, Ivyst stuck close, letting him carry her back into the room.

The moment the door closed, that woman again initiated her manipulation, revealing the mark of the Eye of the Mind in her palm.

Here we go!

The Liars’ Devourer was activated in an instant.

Lynn felt as if his soul had left his body, moving sluggishly and slowly.

Yet his mind was unbelievably clear.

“Carry me to bed.”

Ivyst commanded him.

Hearing this, the feigning-hypnotized Lynn, unaware of her next antics, could only comply.

But just as he laid her on the bed, Ivyst suddenly pulled at him, flipping his body down beside hers.

Then, taking advantage of the lingering hypnosis, she straddled Lynn.

Her long black hair cascaded down, permeated with a fresh, delightful rose scent.

Her piercing crimson eyes were now fixed intensely on Lynn.

“What exactly is your relationship with that Silent Saint Tia?”

In that instant, Lynn nearly lost control over his shuddering mind, barely resisting breaking free from the Liars’ spell.

Damn it!

He’d been so cautious.

Yet, it was just a few accidental glances that alerted her to something!

Women’s intuition was terrifying, for real!

Lynn’s consciousness trembled anxiously.

At least she didn’t know this was fake hypnosis, so Lynn felt he could still manage a bit.

“Your future self told me…”

The way Lynn started elicited palpable displeasure from Ivyst.

But thankfully, he turned the conversation around in the next second.

“That woman, Tiya Youhest, will become the future Goddess of the Crescent Moon and pose a significant obstacle to you.”

“To prevent the tragedies you’ve experienced from repeating, I plan to try and kill her before the predetermined future arrives, in hopes of reversing everything.”

“Additionally, in the future, that woman Cyrilina—”

“Alright, stop right there.”

Ivyst suddenly lowered her head, kissing Lynn and stirring her tongue within for a moment.

At this moment, her face was flushed. It was unclear if it was from not having intimate contact with Lynn all day or from not wanting to discuss the future.

But knowing he acted for her sake was enough.

As for that so-called Silent Saint, Ivyst was confident her cute little dog wouldn’t fall for some random woman from the roadside under her guidance.

Damn it, damn it!

Lynn’s conscience screamed in frustration, but he couldn’t stop the rising tide of determined energy.

Seemingly sensing something amiss beneath her, Ivyst wore an enchanting smile: “Not yet.”

She looked into Lynn’s dazed eyes.

Because before that, there was still one thing to do.

“How do you usually communicate with that bitch?”

Feeling Ivyst’s challenging gaze mixed with excitement, Lynn suddenly had a bad premonition.

She gently stroked the side of Lynn’s face, her breathing quickening slightly.

“Exactly.”

“I have something to say to her.”

(P.S.: I had actually written this long ago, but the backend flagged parts of the content as hazardous. After spending several hours trying to rectify it, I had to remove large portions, sorry (；′⌒`))

Check out Brother Tui’s novel, it’s quite the gems!