Chapter 54: How About a Bet?
As Lynn had predicted, Yveste, a woman of unparalleled strength and pride, had never bowed her head to any man in her life.
And certainly not to an ordinary person like him, someone devoid of Extraordinary powers.
To demand such a thing was either the act of a fool or a lunatic.
It was clear which category Lynn fell into at this moment.
Yveste laughed in exasperation, her icy tone cutting through the air.
“When did you get the absurd idea that I would throw away my dignity for a dog I raised?” she sneered, her gaze cold and dismissive.
“If you’re so eager to die, be my guest.”
Turning away, she returned to her velvet chair by the window, gracefully lifting her glass of wine.
For a woman whose hands were stained with countless lives, another death was nothing.Her earlier hesitation was only because she didn’t want to waste a valuable subordinate. If Lynn insisted on throwing his life away, it was no concern of hers.
Sipping her wine, Yveste’s expression remained indifferent.
Seeing her calm demeanor, Lynn shook his head.
Not enough.
This level of interaction wasn’t nearly enough to create a significant plot deviation—certainly not one that would ripple through time to reach the Witch of the End.
And if he missed this chance, who knew when another opportunity would arise?
I don’t have time to wait, Lynn thought grimly.
He needed to become Extraordinary as soon as possible to protect himself.
“How about a bet?”
His voice, weak but steady, broke the silence.
Yveste paused, her hand holding the glass halting mid-air.
Though her outward demeanor remained cold, her reaction betrayed a flicker of interest.
If she truly didn’t care, she would have already frozen him solid and discarded his body like trash.
“I bet you won’t stay indifferent,” Lynn continued, his lips tinged purple from the cold, his body paralyzed by the Lie Eater's false reality.
“If you take the antidote and give it to me… I win.”
“Dream on,” Yveste said dismissively, sipping her wine.
Lynn raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
Her lips curled into a cold smile.
As the Third Princess of the Saint Roland Empire, her patience had been exceptionally generous tonight.
Anyone else who dared to provoke her this much would have been dismembered, their remains scattered without a second thought.
But it ended here.
There was no chance she would lower herself to do what he asked.
None.
At least, that’s what she told herself—until she caught sight of Lynn’s next move.
He mustered the last of his strength, raising the vial of antidote high into the air.
Their gazes met as he grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth.
Then, with a sharp motion, he hurled the vial toward the ground.
“Whoosh—”
The sound of shattering glass never came.
The vial hovered mere millimeters above the floor, encased in a delicate weave of crimson Thorns that had surged forward just in time.
Lynn burst into laughter.
“I win!”
“Wow, who would’ve thought you cared so much about whether I live or die?” Lynn jeered. “Or maybe… you’re just scared.
“Scared that without me, your precious sister Shirina will crush you and leave you groveling in the dirt.”
Lynn’s taunts came to an abrupt halt as a flash of red streaked across his vision.
A powerful blow struck him, sending him crumpling to the floor in unconsciousness.
Yveste stood where she had been sitting moments before, her icy gaze locked on Lynn’s limp form.
She flexed her fingers, staring at her hands as if they belonged to someone else.
Why did I move?
She couldn’t understand why she had instinctively acted to save the vial.
Someone as proud and commanding as she was had no reason to be swayed by the antics of a defiant subordinate.
Frowning, Yveste retrieved the antidote and fed its contents to Lynn.
The blue liquid trickled down his throat, neutralizing the false toxin.
Her task complete, she cast him aside without a second glance.
But in the silence that followed, his earlier question lingered in her mind.
Why did I save him?
She glanced at the ring on her finger, deep in thought. After a moment, she muttered aloud, “I’m in love with Lynn Bartleon.”
The ring glowed red instantly.
A lie.
Scoffing, Yveste dismissed the result.
She had never experienced love and doubted its existence. The notion was meaningless to her.
But then, she continued speaking.
“I don’t want him to die… only because I need his help to win the Succession Ceremony.”
This time, the ring stayed dim, unreactive.
As expected, Yveste thought, feeling vindicated.
But just as the thought crossed her mind, the ring flickered faintly.
Her composure wavered.
What?
Her expression turned pensive as she tried again.
“I don’t want him to die because he’s my loyal dog.”
The ring flickered faintly once more.
Her silence deepened, a rare crack in her icy facade.
For a long time, she sat motionless, her thoughts a whirlwind.
Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke once more.
“I don’t want him to die… because he was the first person to tell me I was beautiful.
“And so… he matters more than anyone else.”
The ring, which had been an unerring judge of truth and lies, remained completely dark.
No reaction.
Yveste stared at it in disbelief, her emotions a mix of shock and indignation.
“What kind of nonsense is this?!”
Ripping the ring off her finger, she hurled it into the corner of the room.
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