Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Chapter 19: The Coin Toss Game

Blood from the executed prisoners pooled on the grass, a sharp contrast of red and green.

Evester was reminded of that night she’d arrived at Brin Village in northern Orne City, where the entire village had been sacrificed by the Creationist Sect.

Religion, she thought, was the world’s greatest scam.

Watching the despair on the prisoners’ faces filled her with a dark satisfaction. Every time she saw these vile criminals lose hope and tremble before a stronger, more ruthless force, she felt utterly at ease. Whether this feeling was due to some deep-seated issue or just a peculiarity of hers, she didn’t care.

The remaining five cult members shook with fear, now realizing they had no choice but to play along with the “coin toss game” she’d set up. One wrong guess, and they’d become food for the blood-red rose growing atop the thorns.

Silence fell as each prisoner lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

Then, suddenly, a loud clapping interrupted the quiet, startling everyone.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Evester frowned, turning to see Lynn, who had straightened up and was clapping with enthusiasm, his palms already red from the force.

“What is it?” Her voice was as cold as ever, carrying a note of irritation.

“Your Highness, you are truly remarkable,” Lynn stopped clapping, his eyes filled with admiration. “To be honest, as a noble, I once thought killing was crude and barbaric, disrespectful to life.”

“But today, Your Highness has shown me that killing and executions can also be an art form. That balance between life and death, that exhilarating beauty—it’s a raw, primal elegance. You, Your Highness, are undoubtedly the greatest artist in the world!”

At this point, Lynn seemed like Evester’s biggest fan, practically ready to charge into battle for her.

Hearing this, Evester sighed and rubbed her forehead, feeling as though he’d once again exceeded her expectations in shamelessness.

Finally, she turned her head slowly and said, “Silence.”

Lynn instantly stopped speaking. Still, as he noticed her ankle subtly swaying, he figured his elaborate flattery had at least softened her mood.

In truth, the sight of blood made him queasy, but he pretended to be deeply impressed to win her trust. Lynn’s sole objective was to maintain the illusion of loyalty so she’d see him as an ally, not an adversary. After all, everyone believed he’d been hypnotized and was now fully under her control, bound to obey without resistance.

But his goal hadn’t changed: escape, survive, and avoid any entanglement with the villainous princess. The last thing he wanted was to end up as collateral damage when the protagonists inevitably turned against her and her allies.

Nearby, the coin toss game continued.

“Next,” Evester’s icy voice rang out like a death sentence.

“H-Heads…”

Squelch!

“Next.”

“T-Tails?”

Squelch!

Evester seemed to speed up the game after Lynn’s arrival. With each toss of the ancient coin, another terrified cultist met a gruesome end. Perhaps they’d known that sacrificing innocent civilians would one day bring such consequences, yet the reality was merciless. ȐＡΝ𝔬ʙΕ𝘴

The blood-red rose in the center of the thorned vines continued to bloom, fed by each new soul.

In the end, all eight prisoners had perished, kneeling even in their last moments, as though repenting for their sins against the innocent.

Evester, unfazed, lifted her porcelain teacup and took another sip.

“Next.”

“?”

Lynn glanced around, realizing there were no prisoners left alive.

A sinking feeling crept over him as he noticed the elderly maid holding the coin again, her expression calm.

In this place, there were only three people left. If it wasn’t the maid or Evester, who else would be next?

All that flattery for nothing!

Seeing his expression, Evester chuckled, a hint of amusement lighting her eyes. “As I thought, I do enjoy watching you look scared. How adorable.”

“…”

Internally, Lynn cursed her in every language he knew, his desire to escape only growing stronger.

“But I am curious,” she continued, narrowing her eyes, “if you had been one of the prisoners, what would you have chosen?”

“Uh… pick a side and hope for the best?”

Evester shook her head, seeing through his hesitation. “I know you’re still planning to escape.”

“Your Highness, I—”

She cut him off. “After all, I’ve forced you into everything without considering your wishes,” she said, unexpectedly reflective. “On second thought, that wasn’t right.”

“Here’s the deal: since you clearly dislike me, I’ll give you a chance.”

“If you win in a coin toss against me, I’ll let you leave Augusta Manor. No one will stop you.”

Lynn looked up, taken aback.

Thanks to Lie Eater, he could tell she was telling the truth.

But why the sudden generosity?

Suspicious, he studied her expression, and she met his gaze without flinching. “Don’t look at me like that. Even I wouldn’t want a reluctant subordinate among my ranks. It’d be like keeping a time bomb.”

Lynn chuckled nervously.

The next second, Evester flipped her hand to reveal a beautifully engraved collar, inscribed with mysterious runes.

“Of course, every game should have both rewards and penalties,” she said with a subtle smile. “Winning lets you leave. But if you lose,” she continued, “you’ll wear this collar.”

“Three chances. Guess wrong each time, and you’ll wear it from today onward.”

Just as he’d suspected—this was her real aim all along!

Lynn’s face turned serious.

“So? Will you play?”

“I… I’ll play.”