Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Chapter 90: Ways to Please Her

Lynn, back in the underground cellar, found himself once again captivated by his surroundings.

As he walked, his gaze swept over the containment rooms lining the corridor. Turning to Milanie, who led the way, he asked curiously, “I’ve always wondered about something.”

“What is it?”

“These sealed artifacts—how are they going to be transported back to the Imperial Capital?”

Lynn’s question reflected his curiosity. This place appeared to be some sort of stronghold, but from what he knew, the Augusta Estate had only recently pledged allegiance to Yveste upon her arrival in Orne City.

How had they managed to construct such a facility in such a short time?

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Milanie replied with a soft chuckle. “Because this ‘cellar’ itself is a sealed artifact.”

“You’ll see for yourself in a few days when we return to the capital,” she added, leaving the answer tantalizingly vague.

The sound startled Lynn, and he instinctively glanced at Milanie. To his surprise, she remained perfectly composed.

“That’s Sealed Artifact ‘3-0098,’ known as the Chair of Torment,” Milanie explained without breaking stride. “It’s usually used for interrogating prisoners. Anyone who sits on it experiences endless pain and torment.”

“Most people lose their minds within two or three seconds.”

“If you don’t behave, Her Highness might let you try it out someday,” she added meaningfully.

Haha. Very funny.

Lynn forced a dry laugh but couldn’t help his thoughts wandering for a moment. The Chair of Torment would probably complement his Thorned Crown quite well. Combining the two... Wait, what was he thinking? He wasn’t a masochist!

Mentally scolding himself, Lynn pinched his arm to snap out of it.

As a staunch egoist, he would never willingly subject himself to the Crown’s torment for anyone else’s sake. The pain was far too real.

With a sigh, he quickened his pace to catch up with Milanie.

But before he could leave the area, a burst of maniacal laughter erupted from the containment room housing the Chair of Torment.

“You fools! You have angered the Great Creation Goddess and provoked Her wrath! Ignorant humans, Her boundless malice will descend upon this world soon. Then, both this city and the entire Saint Roland Empire will face Her fury! Everything will be swallowed by the quagmire of death, filled with desperate, helpless screams! Hahaha!”

The crazed voice barely finished its tirade before being cut off by another soul-rending scream.

What a lunatic.

Shaking his head, Lynn moved on.

Before long, Milanie stopped in front of a small containment room.

“We’re here,” she said, opening the door for him.

Lynn felt a flicker of excitement.

A Level 1 sealed artifact! According to Milanie, even Yveste only possessed this single one.

Artifacts ranked Level 1 were already terrifyingly potent, but the ones above—Level 0—were in a league of their own. They were strategic artifacts capable of devastating nations, wreaking havoc on a massive scale, and reshaping history.

Left unchecked, such artifacts could plunge entire worlds into chaos, their characteristics and rules dragging everything into their horrific domain.

Even deities wouldn’t take Level 0 artifacts lightly, as many were said to have been created by gods themselves and gifted to their followers.

Peering into the slightly dusty containment room, Lynn noticed a small, pristine card displayed on a pedestal.

It was palm-sized, resembling a playing card but devoid of numbers or suits.

At that moment, Milanie began to explain.

“Sealed Artifact ‘1-0106,’ known as Piennes’ Card,” she said, gesturing for Lynn to enter. “Strictly speaking, it’s just one card from a deck.”

“Even so, it fully earns its Level 1 classification.”

“Just one card is this powerful? If someone collected all 54 cards, wouldn’t that qualify as a Level 0 sealed artifact?” Lynn asked, surprised.

Milanie nodded.

“You’re absolutely correct. According to legend, this deck contains a path to divinity,” she said.

“Anyone who manages to gather all the cards can ascend to godhood.”

“Of course, it’s just a legend. No one has ever been able to confirm its truth,” Milanie added with a faint smile.

“This artifact has been circulating for over a thousand years, yet no one has managed to complete even a single suit.”

"Of course, even without the mystical legends surrounding it, the cards themselves are incredibly powerful sealed artifacts," Milanie explained. "A full deck consists of 54 cards, each with unique effects."

"Some can transform into formidable Extraordinary weapons. Others grant terrifying abilities. Some even allow effortless communication with deities, making you their emissary."

"However," she added, "which suit you draw ultimately depends on luck."

"Luck?" Lynn asked, puzzled.

"Yes—or more precisely, your compatibility with the card," Milanie clarified with a nod. "In general, the higher the value of the card you draw, the greater the enhancement it grants."

"You can pick up that blank card and establish a connection using the Divine Factor within you. Once you do, the card's suit and number will appear."

Lynn nodded and walked toward the card under Milanie's watchful gaze.

At that moment, he was still wearing Milanie’s luck-enhancing necklace.

Here’s hoping I draw something big, Lynn thought as he took a deep breath and lifted the thin card from the pedestal.

The instant he touched it, the card felt silky smooth, indistinguishable from a regular playing card.

Just as he prepared to activate his Divine Factor, he heard a faint voice near his ear.

“Master… Is it you?”

What?

Lynn hesitated, thinking he must be hearing things.

But the voice came again a second later.

“I can sense a trace of the ‘Prisoner of Fate’ on you… I...”

“I’m sorry... I’m in a weakened state and may soon fall into slumber. Please, activate this card quickly…”

“This is the last assistance I can offer you...”

The card is speaking to me?!

Lynn’s mind was racing. He turned to glance at Milanie but found her expression calm, showing no sign of hearing the voice.

Based on her earlier explanation, it seemed other cardholders likely didn’t experience anything like this.

And... "Prisoner of Fate"?

This was the third time Lynn had heard this term during his month in Orne City.

The first instance was when he used the Lie Eater for the first time, encountering that eerie, distorted being.

The second was when the Deadly Marionette addressed him.

And now, this.

It seemed he was somehow deeply entangled with this deity that hadn’t even been mentioned in the original story.

And that was not good news.

Lynn’s expression turned grim, but after a brief hesitation, he decided to proceed.

Carefully, he activated the Divine Factor within him, ensuring the red glow at his fingertips wasn’t visible to Milanie.

A faint ripple of Extraordinary energy flowed into the card, and slowly, numbers and patterns began to materialize on its once-blank surface.

Lynn stared at the card and fell silent.

“So, what suit and number did you draw?” Milanie asked, curious, as she tiptoed to get a look at the card in his hand.

Without a word, Lynn turned the card around to show her.

Milanie froze for a few seconds, then sighed in disappointment.

“A two of spades? What a shame. That’s the lowest value card,” she lamented, shaking her head as if mourning his missed opportunity.

You see a two of spades?

Lynn blinked, utterly taken aback by her words.

He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the card again.

The image staring back at him was still the crying jester—a joker.

But I’m clearly holding a joker card!

Lynn’s confusion deepened. For a moment, he considered bringing up the discrepancy.

After some thought, though, he chose to stay silent.

If this really was a joker card, as Milanie had described earlier, it was undoubtedly an immensely powerful weapon. Keeping its true nature hidden would yield far greater advantages than revealing it.

After all, Lynn had long decided to master the art of subtlety and survival.

The more hidden cards he had, the higher his chances of escaping Yveste’s side and exacting revenge in the future.

Resolving to keep this ace up his sleeve, Lynn swallowed his words.

“Why not give it a try?” Milanie suggested, mistaking his silence for disappointment. “See what kind of weapon it manifests into, or what sort of Extraordinary ability it grants you.”

Lynn nodded, feigning a somber demeanor.

A minute later, Lynn’s expression stiffened awkwardly.

“Not enough Divine Factor to activate it...” he muttered.

“Uh-huh...”

...

After bidding Milanie farewell, Lynn left the cellar.

He walked through the Augusta Estate deep in thought, ignoring the maids who curtsied and greeted him along the way.

Earlier, he had tried to activate the joker card, only to receive no response.

His Divine Factor had already reached the limit of the first rank. In both quantity and quality, Lynn doubted anyone—except the overpowered male lead from the original story—could match him at this stage.

So, was it necessary to advance to the second or even third rank to use it?

Lynn sighed.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on such matters.

A more pressing issue demanded his attention: completing the Witch of the End’s trial and winning over Yveste at this crucial moment in time.

This trial came with significant urgency.

According to the witch, Lynn had to leave Yveste with a cherished memory before she departed for her temporary mission.

Only by doing so could he spark her one and only moment of softness, allowing her to arrange his early return to the Imperial Capital.

In other words, he had only one day left.

This might be his closest chance to freedom.

Once back in the capital, he could exploit the window while Yveste was occupied with her missions. During that time, he could work on removing the thorned brand she had imprinted on his chest and use his foreknowledge of the plot to secure alliances with powerful figures.

As for how to please her...

Recalling his first encounter with the witch—sitting quietly on the steps with a book in her hands—Lynn shook his head.

Telling him to figure it out on his own? She had clearly dropped hints in advance.

The witch was such a tsundere.

With that thought, Lynn arrived at the door to Her Highness’s study.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open with determination.

“Please go on a date with me, Miss Yveste!”

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