Chapter 220: Demon, I Want to Make a Wish - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

"I want to awaken the demon within me." As the youth's somewhat mad words fell, the room instantly plunged into silence. In that moment, Shirina seemed to remember something, her expression suddenly changing. "You mean—" "Exactly." Lynn nodded. It wasn't as if the two were speaking in riddles. Rather, the information contained was so shocking that even Shirina found it hard to believe. Lynn wasn't speaking in metaphors, nor was he referencing literary portrayals of human dark desires. The demon he referred to was none other than the creation demon—Yuvilia, which had once resided within him during the incident of the Wishing Jar. That battle involved a confrontation between the King of Malevolence and the creation demon, with Lynn's meddling eventually leading to a mutually destructive outcome. This was a truth that Iviste had desperately concealed in the interrogation records sent to Glostin. To this day, the influential figures in the imperial capital remained clueless about the true events that transpired at the Solon Mountains. All they knew was that a youth named Lynn Bartleon had resolved everything, ultimately surviving the hands of two formidable demons. It seemed, however, that St. Lorant VI might have had some inkling about what truly happened. Unfortunately, he was still quite a distance from uncovering the complete truth. Only now, with Lynn's words reaching Shirina's ears, did she truly understand everything. If the person before her wasn't joking, then everyone's presumptions, including hers, were entirely mistaken. Never mind the King of Malevolence for now. As for the creation demon, it was neither killed nor disappeared during the border battle. Whether described as residing or slumbering, the high-dimensional demon likely still existed within Lynn Bartleon. Though unclear on how exactly he managed this feat, if the truth was as such, then many things finally made sense. Yet, how could he have sealed an entity of such magnitude within him when he was just stripped of his divine endowment recently? Unless behind him— In an instant, Shirina seemed to see through many things, feeling a chill run down her spine. Matters involving deities required the utmost caution, no matter what. A hint of regret began to surface within her mind at that moment. Though this was merely an overthinking on her part. The power and consciousness of Yuvilia that resided within him had long been eradicated by the Witch. As the most ancient and mystically powerful entity from the River of Time, if she said she took care of it, then there wouldn't be any mishaps. To Lynn's mind, the difference between the creation demon and the Witch was far greater than the disparity between him and the creation demon. He may have seemed like an insignificant ant in Yuvilia's eyes, but in the eyes of the Witch, wasn't Yuvilia much the same? So, strictly speaking, Lynn's previous words contained some elements of alarmism. And this was something he had intentionally orchestrated. Noticing Shirina's silence, as if reconsidering their previous transaction, Lynn no longer hesitated and slowly spoke. "Actually, it's not as dangerous as you might imagine, let me explain why—" He then began to recount. Lynn carefully recounted the events at the Solon Mountains in chronological order, explaining all actions and consequences. Key points from acquiring the "Blood of High-Dimensional Demons" from the Box of Greed, he pieced together the event's truth. Of course, significant details involving the Witch were glossed over, redirecting discrepancies to Her Highness the Princess. At the end of it all, with the creation demon's consciousness and power obliterated, the only thing left in Lynn was the core feature of the Wishing Jar. If one were to liken it to humans, then the core feature of a seal was akin to a soul in a body. Back at the Solon Mountains, due to prolonged exposure and the creation demon's attempt to usurp his body, this core feature had fused with Lynn's soul to some degree. This fusion seemed irreversible; even the Witch did not dare to tamper recklessly. She could only seal it within him, leaving it dormant for several years. After departing the Pantheon, that core feature seemingly vanished into thin air. It was imperceptible and untraceable. Yet it truly existed. Despite being an unpredictable bomb ready to explode at any moment, his body and it had achieved an unusual equilibrium, forming a "live and let live" scenario. This was Lynn's ultimate goal. He speculated that although the creation demon's essence had been vanquished by the Witch, years of parasitic existence had likely rendered it part of the Wishing Jar, acting like a living feature. In other words, much like an AI executing inherent programs. Thus, Lynn's task now was to awaken this program and attempt to harness this power. It sounded like a wild fantasy, but for Lynn, it was his last resort. "—In short, that's what happened back then." As the story concluded, silence fell once again between the two of them. Moments later, Shirina's expression slightly softened, though her brows remained slightly furrowed. "So...the presence within you is merely a core feature, not the demon's real form?" "Exactly." Lynn nodded, noticing her hesitation. As a renowned writer once said. The St. Loratian temperament tends to favor compromise. Had Lynn initially proposed using the Princess's seal to activate his core feature, she would've undoubtedly refused. However, by starting with "awakening a demon within," she would find a mere core feature somewhat more palatable. After some time passed, with a soft sigh, Shirina seemed to reach a decision. In essence, the card up her sleeve wasn't merely the 0-level seal item on her wrist. The fact that Iviste held so much hatred for her over the years yet was unable to do anything proved her depths were profound. As long as she was only dealing with a core feature, things remained within her control. Yet what transformation this would bring about in his body after, Shirina couldn't predict. Was this worth it? For a brief moment, words almost escaped her lips. But as their relationship hadn't progressed to that stage, she ultimately remained silent. What a pity. She shook her head internally. "Since that's the case, let's finish this quickly." Shirina's words were laden with implications; however, she appeared oblivious to them as she rose from her seat and approached Lynn. Initially thinking of untying his hands and uncovering the blindfold over his eyes, she glanced at her attire—an almost sheer, white, home-style dress—and dismissed the notion. Though not revealing, she was acutely aware of how her appearance and figure affected men. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she opted for a swift resolution. Seeing the youth seated with his hands bound behind him, Shirina hesitated for a couple of seconds before smoothing the fabric of her skirt and crouching to meet his gaze. Upon closer inspection, she noticed just how remarkably attractive this young fellow was; his features were striking, his skin fair and smooth, bursting with youthful vitality. His face had a uniqueness that surpassed any young elites she had seen before, easily memorable with just one glance. Interestingly, there was something odd. From him, Shirina simultaneously perceived a sense of humility and pride—two seemingly contradictory traits. A truly unforgettable little fellow. Realizing she'd lost her composure, Shirina shook her head slightly before parting her ruby lips. "What kind of assistance do you need from me?" Upon hearing this, Lynn grinned. "You just need to ring that bell next to my ear, activating its power just a little." As both were Level 0 Sealed Objects, they would resonate or repel each other. At such a level, they essentially have characteristics of being 'alive.' Lynn's request was to use Shirina's Sealed Object bell to awaken the dormant core feature of the Wishing Jar within him. It sounded simple, yet in practice, it involved treating his body like an object, the inherent danger of which spoke for itself. He didn't hesitate at all. For reasons unknown, Shirina felt a faint admiration for him. It had been a long time since she'd seen such decisive and daring youth. Graceful white wrist raised slowly, Shirina extended her right index finger, gently touching the ancient, slightly rusted bell on her wrist. "Are you ready?" "I'm ready." "Then I'll... begin." When Lynn opened his eyes again, he found himself seemingly absent from Shirina's chambers. Or perhaps, his body remained while only his consciousness had arrived in this bizarre space within the mental realm. As the bell sounded, Lynn was hit by a vicious vertigo, as if the world turned upside down. Countless colored dots and bubbles appeared before him, as if he'd undergone a brief yet lengthy interstellar journey. It was similar to the feeling of traversing to the Pantheon, yet subtly different. Lowering his head, Lynn tried moving his limbs and found nothing amiss. With this confirmed, he cast his gaze around him. At that moment, he stood on a seemingly endless black lake, smooth as marble, faintly reflecting his silhouette. Around him, a deep and mysterious gray mist filled the air, akin to a lost wanderer trapped in a swampy forest, caught in this enigmatic and deathly silent space, never to escape. He tapped the black reflective surface lightly with his foot; a sensation, both hard and smooth, reached him, followed by ripples spreading outward. This action seemed to activate the supposedly still black lake beneath him. In the next instant, ripples interlaced and collided. "Whoosh—" The tranquil surface seemed to come alive, with ripples clashing and crashing, the waves soon swelling, akin to a stirring symphony echoing thunderously in all directions! Standing in the midst of the tempestuous waves, Lynn remained unmoved, his expression calm. Moments later, a graceful form made of black sludge rose from the waves. The woman's features were exquisite, almost seductive, yet upon seeing Lynn, her eyes filled with loathing and malice so intense it was almost tangible. As if the person before her was someone she was destined to vanquish. Yet, seeing her features, Lynn expressed no surprise. Instead, he calmly addressed her. "Yuvilia?" He called upon the name of the creation demon. "Speak... your wish." Though seemingly sentient, the words that left its lips were cold and mechanical. Having coexisted with the Wishing Jar for so long, the core feature's manifest form had been influenced, morphing into the likeness of the creation demon. However, the power and consciousness that belonged to the creation demon had long been erased by the Witch. Thus, the graceful woman formed from the black sludge was merely a façade, mechanically executing the core feature's inherent laws. Or perhaps, from the bitterness in her expression, it seemed a sliver of consciousness still clung on, unable to defy the Witch's seal. The presence unique to a Level 0 Sealed Object carried a massive wave of blackness, sweeping over. Lynn, like a small boat in a storm, teetered precariously, on the brink of being consumed by the vast catastrophe! "Speak... your wish." Unexpectedly, the sludge woman with Yuvilia's form spoke again, catching Lynn's attention. Ah yes. This was one of the revealed rules of the Wishing Jar from the original text. Once awakened, it would persistently question the wisher, asking thrice. If the respondent refused to answer or if their wish was deemed unacceptable by the jar, it counted as a forfeit. After the fourth time, some indescribable event would occur. Ultimately, this object from the First Era was just one of those whimsical, chaotic items created by ancient eldritch gods to sow havoc among mortals. Even if a wish could be realized, the result would undoubtedly be the worst conceivable. Such an event had occurred back at the Solon Mountains. Fortunately, thus far, everything remained within Lynn's planning. In the end, meeting Yuvilia now wasn't about seeking reconciliation. It was simply to harness the Wishing Jar's fundamental power to confront the Moon Goddess. "Speak... your wish." With the third inquiry, the surrounding black waves seemed like a beast unleashed, raging and roaring! Sensing the encroaching waves and the venomous glare of the sludge woman, Lynn remained calm. Even if a sliver of merged consciousness lingered, it still sought to use the core feature against him. In that case, let it be as it wishes. "Demon, my first wish is..."