48 - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

### Chapter 48: Is This... the Final Ending? Upon completing the ritual, as described in the original novel, the male protagonist receives a response from the ancient deity. Although the deity cannot directly use its power to forcibly extricate him from his predicament, it leaves him with hidden information that could potentially turn the tide in his favor. This is also the only time throughout the entire narrative that a deity demonstrates the ability to transcend time. Yet, alas, it still fails to exert a significant impact on reality. Such a feat is possible only because the deity possesses exceptional power and status; otherwise, even stronger deities would be powerless. After all, when normal people pray, they typically do so to the deities of their current timeline. Therefore, in Lin En's understanding, entities from either the past or the future are unable to truly interfere with the present. Otherwise, the world would descend into chaos. However, he seemed to have misunderstood something. Inability to interfere with the timeline ≠ Inability to influence an individual. At this very moment, having just experienced a miraculous journey akin to interstellar travel, how could Lin En not fathom what had transpired? It was not the future affecting the past, but rather the present reaching into the future. This place likely no longer belonged to Augusta Manor. It wasn't even on the same temporal axis. His soul and consciousness were probably guided by the Eternal Witch to a different point in time. Possibly... this is ten thousand years later? Lin En speculated in his heart. Only Ivette, who had become the Eternal Witch, could create such a miracle unattainable by any deity. She... no, It, had transported a soul from the past into this far-off future! If this were true, then his objective might already be half-accomplished. Next, all he needed was to meet Ivette, now the Eternal Witch, and become Its follower. If memories served correctly, at this temporal point in the original work, the Eternal Witch was at Its peak, relentlessly pursuing the protagonist and their companions. The enemy is weak, and we are strong—the perfect opportunity to become a follower. Gazing upon the unfamiliar scenery before him, Lin En's heart quickened slightly. At this moment, he appeared to be in a palace. Massive stone pillars sculpted with reliefs lined the path leading inside, though the interior scene remained indistinct. Without hesitation, Lin En walked quickly inward. About five minutes later, a new scene gradually unfolded before him. This was indeed a palace, so it should have felt natural to find rows of heavily armored guards and a high throne. But what he saw was not such a scene. His first sight was a colossal statue, ancient and imposing, as if a reflection of the infinite starry sky rested within its voluminous robe, appearing both mysterious and profound. For some reason, Lin En felt as if he were in a sacred domain, with layers of praises and chants echoing around him. This was the statue of the Lord of a Billion Stars. As a former follower of the Celestial Church, this thought instinctively surfaced in his mind. Of course, this was not the only statue in the palace. Lin En looked up. Within the boundless majesty of the palace, several levels were discernible. On each level stood several similar enormous statues, differing in form and divine aura. There were gentle and nurturing goddesses, wise old men in white robes, proud warriors on chariots, demons with fiendish faces and fangs... and even exotic beings like ancient dragons and titanic giants with mysterious vertical pupils. They were so lifelike that Lin En felt as if their gazes converged on him. An unparalleled sense of oppression came from all directions, compelling a worshipful awe. This was a pantheon! Lin En's eyes were filled with awe. He silently surveyed the surroundings and made a new discovery. Among the thirty to forty statues within the pantheon, each had a crystal-clear, flawless chain of order extending from its palm, shimmering with a faint glow as they hung from above like threads. They stretched in from all directions, ultimately converging at a certain point. Following the direction of the chains, Lin En suddenly froze. Honestly speaking. In such a pantheon, nothing should surprise Lin En. But, it should not have been a woman. A woman ensnared by countless chains of order. Adorned in a tattered black gauze dress, her white hair cascading down her waist like a waterfall, with bare, alabaster feet, her aura was both cold and noble. Yet, for such an exquisite beauty, she was ensnared by the chains of order, binding most of her movable joints: neck, wrists, ankles, waist... Stripped of freedom, she could only sit quietly on the edge of the central dais in the hall, calmly flipping through the book in her hands. At first glance at her appearance, Lin En's breath caught. Even without the impression of luxurious dresses, even though her black hair had turned white for unknown reasons, and even though the sigil on her face had vanished, Lin En immediately recognized her as Ivette Rolland Alechthea, the third imperial princess of the Sorrent Empire. Realizing this, he felt a deep confusion. What was the situation now? According to his memories, the Eternal Witch, meant to dominate the world ten thousand years hence, was why was she trapped here like a prisoner? Lin En was utterly perplexed. Moreover, he couldn't reconcile the stunning white-haired woman before him with the image of the imperial princess. The mischievous smile, the disdainful gaze, the commanding and arrogant aura, the domineering manner—all seemed to have vanished. Instead, she now exuded the dead silence and cold aloofness of a millennia-old glacier. Lin En instinctively walked toward the woman. Hearing faint footsteps, the exquisite woman finally lifted her eyes from her book and slowly raised her head. Their gazes met in mid-air. Lin En wanted to say something but found himself unable to utter a word. After a moment, the woman spoke first. "I felt your call, so I brought you here." Ivette... or rather, the Eternal Witch parted her pale lips, speaking in a voice as cool as ice. Staring at that emotionless, beautiful face, Lin En forced a smile: "Your Highness, it's been a while... Can I ask, where is this place?" The Eternal Witch glanced at him, then gently closed the book. "As you mentioned in your prayer, this is the end, also the conclusion," she responded softly, adding, "Although... it has been a long time since anyone called me by that title." The latter half she murmured to herself, inaudible to others. Yet Lin En couldn't focus on that aspect. Just hearing the first half of her words made him freeze for a good ten seconds. This is the end, also the conclusion. Whose end? Whose conclusion? It was clear that it belonged to the woman before him. Suddenly, Lin En felt a chill. He realized he had been thoroughly mistaken from the outset. This wasn't ten thousand years later, nor was it the peak period of the Eternal Witch—it was an unimaginable future for him. In that future, Ivette had reached the end of her existence. With that realization, the answer became evident. The current point in time... was ten thousand years after the completion of the Royal Selection, the finale of the original novel! The cornered Eternal Witch Ivette had been sealed by the gods, trapped in the Pantheon, awaiting the descent of the Sword of Damocles, facing her tragic and pitiful denouement. Yet the terrifying discovery for Lin En hadn't ended yet. Seeing him stand frozen, the white-haired witch's expression remained placid: "What is your name?" Lin En instinctively clenched his fists: "My name is Lin En... Lin En Bartleon." His eyes locked onto hers, trying to discern any hint of wavering. But this hope was dashed. "Never heard of it." The Eternal Witch replied indifferently. Lin En's heartbeat skipped a beat. Unwilling to concede, he accessed the system, attempting to check her information. And then, he was completely stunned. From the towering S-grade level and the name, it was clear the woman before him was undoubtedly the imperial princess he was familiar with. But... why? Staring at the final line where the figure was displayed, Lin En suddenly felt a sense of absurdity. **[Plot Deviation: 0.00%]** _[In reading mode, the next page cannot load automatically. Please exit reading mode and click the next page to continue reading.]_