Chapter 112 The Witch’s Evil Plan - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

"The reason for sealing a part of your memories is connected to this trial." The Witch Lady looked calmly at Lynn, her voice soft. "So, what kind of trial is it?" Sensing a slight shift to a more solemn atmosphere, Lynn's expression turned serious. To be honest, he had found the previous trials assigned by the Witch Lady somewhat trivial. Whether it was destroying the Church of Providence's faith, hunting extraordinary beings, or pleasing the princess to escape her side—none posed a significant challenge to him. Of course, this is compared against his own standards. For an ordinary extraordinary being, these trials would undoubtedly rival the difficulty of second and higher ranks. Now, with the Witch Lady unusually proactive about arranging another trial for him, it made him ponder. Perhaps the real difficulty was approaching. Feeling Lynn's gaze, the Witch Lady didn't immediately address his inquiry. Instead, she lowered her head, looking at the few chains still binding her. Although most of the chains that had restrained her were shattered, a few remained intact. They showed no cracks from the inertia of fate that Lynn had stirred. These chains seemed to possess a divinity and strength far surpassing those of the other gods in the Pantheon. Lynn seemed to notice this. By substituting for the princess in absorbing the core traits of the Wish Jar, ten thousand years ago, the Witch Lady didn't have to sleep, nor was she hindered by the characteristics of the created demon and sealing implements. Her own growth sped at what he could only consider a 'cheat-like' rate. Perhaps the original plot's insistence on her slumber was the world's way of adjusting the narrative pace. As Evester grew too fast, Sia, the hero, would struggle to keep up. Thus, the world's will placed Evester in a destiny-bound to sleep, allowing the protagonist group time to develop. Yet now, this balance was disrupted. It meant that Evester would soon be far stronger than her original storyline counterpart at the same point. Even though ten thousand years is an incredibly long time, this deviation could be gradually corrected but not entirely erased. For the Witch Lady, trapped here and locked in stalemate against the gods' power, even the slightest increase in strength could shatter this balance. After all, the gods were not extraordinarily formidable later on; otherwise, they wouldn't have banded together. Therefore, Lynn could now see that most of the chains on the Witch Lady had disappeared. However, she had a long way to go before being completely free. The entire Pantheon was a massive seal, and these orderly chains were merely one of many layers. Yet, the immediate concern was the remaining chains on her. Lynn had some vague guesses. The Witch Lady raised her hand, gliding her fingers over the chains, as if feeling their temperature. Then, she rested her hand on her delicate, fair neck. A chain marred the beauty there. As he watched, her slender fingers tightened, trying to crush the chain. But it was unyielding, immovable. The air grew colder, unnoticed by him. Instinctively, Lynn wrapped himself tighter with his cloak, meeting the gaze of crimson eyes. "This chain—it's from my sister, Sylrina. She's the future Mother of All Life, the ruler of the universe's feminine power." She spoke with a calmness unlike Evester's chilling resentment. It was overly calm. It felt like she was merely introducing, pausing, and then lightly gripping her right wrist. There too lay a chain. "This chain is from Tia, the second-generation Moon Goddess." Then, she lifted a slender foot from beneath her tattered black skirt, revealing an anklet chain to Lynn. Food for thought, Lynn intended to joke, but the situation was too solemn for levity. "The chain on my ankle is from Lilith, the queen of anomalies." "And this one..." Methodically, the Witch Lady displayed every remaining chain to Lynn. As if she were but an outsider. Yet somehow, Lynn sensed a heavy, suppressed emotion beneath her gaze. Besides, these names sounded all too familiar. Were these not the most vividly depicted heroines from the original work? A realization dawned on Lynn. "As you can see," the Witch Lady smoothed the creases on her dress after showcasing the chains' origins, "these are the final shackles binding my freedom." "What you must do is help me break each of these chains." Upon hearing this, Lynn took a deep breath, "So, what exactly do I need to do?" In that moment, a fleeting but overwhelming killing intent washed over him, leaving his back drenched in sweat, as if suddenly thrust into an infernal scene of mountains of corpses and oceans of blood. The Witch Lady gazed at him. Her crimson eyes shone with an everlasting flame. That flame was named hatred. Though she emphasized differentiating between her past and present selves, Lynn felt the Witch Lady's silhouette overlap with the image of the villainous princess in his memory. A person's memory can be updated, but their essence is hard to change. Even after ten thousand years of refinement, her aloofness, devoid of her extreme and manic side of yore, remained. Ultimately, she was still Evester. The Witch Lady harbored an undying flame of vengeance, one that over time would engulf her and the world. Lynn's heartbeat quickened. It was finally happening. Ever since being brought under Evester’s wing, he had anticipated such a confrontation. As the foremost lackey of the villain's camp, he would inevitably clash with Sia Arsolant, the original male lead, and the prominent heroines. It was the confrontation he least desired. But things rarely followed his plans. He now found himself deeply entwined with Evester and the Witch Lady. Feeling the foreboding emotion hidden beneath the Witch Lady's gaze made Lynn shiver uneasily. In Evester's mind, emotions toward Sylrina were likely mere jealousy and animosity, thanks to her mere twenty-three years of life experiences. Yet for the Witch Lady, alongside Evester's slight hatred, all future suffering and despair had fermented over ten thousand years. Imagine that. Just being pinned by a holy sword in the Dreadwater prison walls for centuries harbors a grudge unforgettable for eternity. If it were Lynn, he would seek to flay his enemies alive, drinking their blood and eating their flesh, even if it killed him. Such profound hatred has occurred more than once over these ten thousand years. Blood feud doesn't suffices to describe the Witch Lady's extremity. She hates. She desires revenge. Imprisoned in the Pantheon for millennia, she endured relentless agony and torment. And now, she saw a glimmer of hope. The Witch Lady's expression of emotions remained reserved and suppressed, unlike Evester's extreme and brutish nature. Gripping her slender, pale fingers, she gradually quelled the surge of hostility. She returned to her serene, noble self, the Witch Lady. "I'm sorry," she said softly, "I frightened you earlier." Lynn shook his head, indicating his understanding. He then spoke again, "Witch Lady, does breaking these shackles mean that I need to affect them at certain points in reality?" "Exactly." The Witch Lady descended the steps slowly, standing before Lynn. "You are an 'impurity' at odds with the world." "And through these recent attempts, I've confirmed something important." "Not just for me, but for Sylrina and the others as well: as an 'impurity,' you have the power to change anyone's fate in this world." "You are at a timeline's node where the royal election battle has just begun, a good ten thousand years from now." "At that time, Sylrina and the rest, even the hero Sia, are still quite weak," Lynn continued, "compared to ten thousand years later when their destinies are still unformed and easier to alter?" In other words, it would be easier to increase the deviation from the original storyline. Perhaps he realized something. Perhaps only altering Evester's fate trajectory was the wrong choice. Even if her deviation rate was maximized, the Witch Lady's situation only improved by 10%. The remaining 90% deviation likely hinges on those main characters deeply intertwined with the original story. After all, there are certainly more S-class characters than just the princess in this world. "Do I need to kill them?" Knowing full well it was impossible, Lynn asked feigning confusion. Because the Witch Lady's answer would determine his future path. With the world's will at play, Lynn had no doubt if he really took up a weapon against the weak original heroines, even just the thought could trigger corrective forces. Then, incomprehensible incidents would likely occur, such as a Legendary or Demigod at fifth or sixth tier descending to kill him indiscriminately. Even with Evester's protection, Lynn doubted his survival. Moreover, the phenomenon of godly descents existed. If things escalated beyond control, any deity could easily crush him with a single blow. Thus, killing those main characters from the original was an impossible course of action. If the Witch Lady insisted, she would be blinded by hatred, forcing him onto a doomed path. Fortunately, it seemed the Witch Lady had never considered such reckless plans. "Destiny isn't so easily altered," the Witch Lady gave him a calm glance, "and I mentioned earlier, I won't allow you to engage in such dangerous acts in the future." "Your life now belongs not only to you but also to me." Lynn exhaled a slight sigh of relief, "Then what should I do?" The Witch Lady didn't immediately reply. She slowly raised her wrist, and a familiar spatial ripple accompanied a cone-shaped spike emitting a faint dark glow as it floated above her palm. The spike was about palm-sized with a handle on top. Although it looked like a weapon, it seemed to harbor a dizzying, sinister energy. "This sealing implement is called the Mark of Corruption." The Witch Lady tossed the spike into Lynn's hands, "Its only function is to engrave an indelible mark on others." "Those marked will unknowingly suffer mental corruption, gradually becoming puppets of the one in control." Feeling the cold and malevolent touch of the Mark of Corruption, Lynn sensed something amiss. Surely, she couldn't be intending— Noticing Lynn's expression, a glint of peculiar light flashed in the Witch Lady's eyes, "You guessed correctly." "This implement can only be used when the recipient opens their heart." "So when you return to the capital, I want you to try to get close to Sylrina and the others, gain their trust, until their guard is completely down." "And then..." At this moment, the Witch Lady's voice paused slightly, her eyes gleaming with determination, "Use the Mark of Corruption to transform them into slaves that follow your every command." She spoke each word deliberately. Though her voice was calm, Lynn still sensed her intense internal turmoil. He took a deep breath. Ten thousand years had not lessened the Witch Lady's twisted and extreme emotions. Those unresolved grievances had become deeply entrenched over time. "Is this your revenge on them?" Lynn asked softly. The Witch Lady slowly lifted her head, seemingly gazing towards the Pantheon's dome, or through the spacetime continuum towards some existence. "Revenge on them?" She said faintly, "Perhaps." "But for me, it's not my primary aim." The Witch Lady spoke gradually. Lynn gazed at her exquisite form, suddenly silenced. After a moment's silence, she spoke again, "Who do you think, after being locked here for millennia, I hate the most?" A name flashed in Lynn's mind immediately. It was the one repeatedly crushing her plans, defeating her countless times, imprisoning her here to feel the isolation and despair for millennia. Moreover, it was the male protagonist of the original work... "Sia Arsolant." "Indeed." The Witch Lady's features softened slightly. "Think about it—the future Mother of All Life, symbol of purity and beauty the Moon Goddess, when these illustrious beings serve as obedient slaves to another man, wouldn't that be the deepest and most perfect revenge on Sia, that powerful, radiant hero?" Lynn felt a profound and terrifying aura resonate from her. Despite its weightiness. At this moment, the Witch Lady's lips curled into a slight smile. "So, my sole devotee, this matter... I'm entrusting to you." Can I choose to refuse? Lynn broke out in a cold sweat. But he also understood clearly. If the princess's obsession was to win the royal election, then for the Witch Lady, revenge was her purpose of existence. It was even the sole purpose sustaining her for ten millennia; it wouldn't waver with anyone's influence. Therefore, he could do nothing but comply. Luckily, the current time node was at the early stages of the original plot, where Sia and these female characters had minimal entanglements, some even yet to meet. Therefore, the difficulty seemed significantly reduced. Even so, a slight doubt arose in Lynn's mind. "Witch Lady, I'm still puzzled." He looked at the woman in the dark dress who had regained her composure, "What's the link between this trial and sealing my memories?" The Witch Lady answered softly, "If you return just like that, you won't have a chance for free movement for the rest of your life." What?! Lynn was suddenly unnerved. However, recalling the hint of pleading he'd noticed in Evester's eyes before his fake death, he relaxed. With her obsessive and pathological possessiveness, having lost him once would drive her to extremes. If she now tasted the joy of regained ownership, how would things unfold? She'd perhaps leash her beloved pet with countless bonds, keeping it eternally within sight. This was entirely within that deranged woman's realm of possibilities. Unbelievable. My dashing good looks are my curse. Lynn thought through gritted teeth. But really. Would the sealing of his memories allow him more freedom from Evester? Lynn couldn't quite grasp why. To him, it seemed everything would inevitably spiral into chaos, even leading to tragedies. However, understanding the thoughts of these two women eluded him, and he hesitated to draw conclusions. After all, it was the Witch Lady's decision, and she undoubtedly knew herself better than he did. Perhaps sensing Lynn's confusion, the Witch Lady paused in silence before slowly explaining, "She needs a chance to reassess you." "Transforming from a 'pet' into a 'human' is an essential step in this process." Her voice was incredibly composed, as if she were talking about something entirely unrelated to herself.