Chapter 222: Moonlit Consciousness, Despairing Tia - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

As Lynn's calm words slowly fell, the Creation Devil's venomous and sinister expression froze on its face in an instant. Not only did this affect the demon, but the boy's words also seemed to carry some immense magic. The previously rampant and chaotic black tide suddenly stilled, as if a deity had pressed the button on its pocket watch, freezing time at this moment. But of course, this wasn't the power of a deity. Ever since the witch stopped responding to his prayers, Lynn, as the godforsaken, was destined to receive no divine response. Ultimately, the current situation was simply caused by his three sentences. These three wishes were like a spell capable of sealing a demon, locking away the last hope and dependence of the Creation Devil. At this moment, the devil finally reacted, realizing its petrified body could no longer move. A faint hint of panic and despair appeared in its eyes, along with a change when it looked at Lynn—a look that signaled retreat and supplication. Clearly, the moment Lynn declared his three wishes, Yuvilia, who had long fused with the core characteristics of the Wishing Jar, instantly understood his intent. However, once the wishing started, this process could no longer be interrupted. Especially now, she had already lost all her power, reduced to a mere thread of consciousness with no autonomy. Thus, even if she understood his intentions, there was nothing she could do about it. In fact, before encountering the Wishing Jar, Lynn had come across a sealing artifact quite similar to it. That's right... This was back when he first met Iviste, and she was deeply troubled by the Greed Demon Box. Of course, compared to the Wishing Jar, back then the Greed Demon Box was only a Level 1 sealing artifact, much less dangerous and was eventually set free by Lynn after a deal was made. As of now, no one knew where it was. Yet, the two shared a common trait—equally deceptive rules. When it came down to it, the sole purpose of creating this type of sealing artifact was to mock life, collecting human fear and despair to serve as spiritual sustenance for indescribable existences. Because no matter what wish was made, it would ultimately manifest in the worst possible manner. Since the beginning, when he entered this mental world, Lynn never intended to have any wishes granted by the core characteristics. His sole goal was to borrow power from it. If cooperation wasn't forthcoming, then there was no choice but to employ some extraordinary measures. For the Wishing Jar, the strategy Lynn employed did not differ much from when he dealt with the Greed Demon Box. The core characteristic was heavily sealed by the witch, weakened significantly. As such, even an ordinary person without extraordinary abilities could easily subdue it by knowing how to do so. That's right, with a paradox. For a sealing artifact that executes rules with a priority higher than its own consciousness, only a paradox can easily dismantle it. Think about it. The three wishes Lynn made didn't follow any deep-seated desires within his heart, nor were they self-directed. Unforeseen consequences were naturally excluded from the merciless mockery of the Wishing Jar. The wishes he made were very simple, yet intricately interconnected, like a precise and concise program, cutting off all escape routes for the core characteristics and sending its limited intelligence into an infinite loop of a crash. Firstly, there was no priority distinction between his three wishes. This meant that the first and second wishes were inherently contradictory. It was impossible to accomplish both “opposite realization” and “non-realization.” If the first wish was fulfilled, it would inevitably violate the second wish. If the second wish was fulfilled, it signified that the first wish was not realized. Aside from this, the third wish introduced another extremely cunning paradoxical point. And once the third wish was realized, causing the core characteristic to forget all previously made wishes, this would directly conflict with the core rule of the Wishing Jar. If the core characteristic opted to forget, it would inherently violate Lynn's second wish—not to realize the third wish. This composition of three mutually exclusive points was inescapable. Therefore, at the moment Lynn made the three wishes, the Wishing Jar's core characteristics—the powerful Level 0 sealing artifact, fused with Yuvilia, the Creation Devil—inevitably fell into a deadlock. However, unlike the Greed Demon Box, it did not possess an option to reset to factory settings. After all, when the ancient god first created it, they set a rule of "whatever is wished must be realized." As time ticked by, Yuvilia and the surrounding black waves began to disintegrate and dissipate like sand blown away by an unseen breeze. Until the very last second, her eyes held traces of disbelief, alongside unprecedented pleading and regret. Although these three wishes, until the point of demise, enabled her to retain the last shred of consciousness, once her sole reliance entered a state of endless death spiral, she no longer had any means to resist Lynn. Not only she, but even the core characteristic would become a toy in Lynn's hands—of course, provided that he could afford the price of using it. But now wasn't the time for such considerations. "I gave you a chance," Lynn shrugged, gazing at the alluring black swamp woman not far away, "It's a pity you chose not to cherish it." As he spoke, a mass of swirling abstract symbols materialized before him as a black sphere. This was the entity Lynn had intercepted in front of Iviste within the subterranean ruins of the Solon Mountains. Now, as if completely silent, it floated quietly nearby. Without hesitation, the boy approached swiftly, scrutinizing it for a moment. Then, without a second thought, he clasped it firmly into his palm. "Where do you think you're going?" As soon as Sister Gretel's cold voice resonated in her ears, a chilling sensation coursed through Tia's entire body. Preparing to escape through the secret passage of the Silent Church, Tia paused, then quickly spun around to face the source of the voice. One by one, magical candle flames ignited, illuminating the dark night with bright clarity. Facing the church members who had mysteriously appeared around her, their familiar yet unfamiliar faces displayed coldness and solemnity. The usually kind sisters now seemed utterly alien to her. At the forefront was Sister Gretel, who, under the candlelight, had a shadowed expression devoid of emotion, creating an unprecedented psychological pressure. Tia clenched her small hand around the Moonlight Staff, instinctively taking two steps back before forcing a somewhat strained smile: "S-Sister, I was just about to head to the Sanctuary Hall to practice the ritual content of the Moonlight Canon. But what about you, why aren’t you asleep yet?" If they discovered her true intentions, she would be done for! Thus, she tried to make the atmosphere appear lighter while subtly observing those around her, seeking an opportunity to flee. Even now, she hadn't given up her intent to leave the church and find Lynn. Because if even she abandoned hope, who else in the world would go to save him? Fueled by such thoughts, Tia maintained her composure and stood her ground. Noticing this, a strange glint appear in Sister Gretel's eyes, yet her expression remained severe. Under normal circumstances, perhaps she would have sincerely admitted her mistake and prayed to the Moon Goddess. "I'm very disappointed in you," Sister Gretel finally stepped forward slowly, looking down coldly at the girl before her, "Lying is not a good habit, and the church never taught you such behavior." "Lady Saint, it seems indeed a lot has changed about you during those days of absence," the middle-aged nun raised her hand and pinched Tia's chin, lifting it forcefully. Feeling the chilling gaze upon her, the girl's heart pounded rapidly. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Sister," "Still lying!!!" Sister Gretel, who rarely showed emotion, suddenly cried out shrilly. In an instant, her expression shifted, with her facial wrinkles contorting in rage. "You’re clearly intending to find that vile, ungrateful renegade!!!" In a flash, a purple sigil appeared at Sister Gretel's fingertips. Accompanied by its radiant glow, an invisible whip of mental energy lashed mercilessly at Tia's consciousness. "Aaaaah!!!" The girl let out a pained moan as her staff fell to the ground. Her already pale face lost its remaining color, and her body wavered before collapsing. However, at Sister Gretel's command, two sisters who were once familiar to her, now with cold expressions, quickly stepped forward to support her on either side. Though they were "supporting" her, their posture resembled restraining a prisoner. "Be gentle," Sister Gretel's demeanor shifted rapidly, angrily admonishing them, "Do not harm this body!" "Yes." The two nuns relaxed their grip somewhat, seemingly intimidated. It was peculiar. Sister Gretel's actions seemed self-contradictory to the extreme. Just moments ago, she had employed a mental scourge on Tia, yet now, she seemed desperately concerned about not injuring her body. It was almost as if to her, the priority of this vessel far exceeded that of "Tia Jehusti." This unprecedented sense of dissonance, mingled with intense fear and shock, swept through Tia's mind. In her memories, though Sister Gretel always appeared stern, and her teaching methods inclined towards avoiding the outside world, such mental punishment was a first. A terrifying realization overcame her. While enduring the intense pain in her mind, Tia looked around the room. She saw many familiar faces, yet their expressions seemed utterly foreign to her. "You all..." Realizing something, Tia lifted her head in disbelief, "Where's Louise?!" Noticing her friend was absent at this scene, kind-hearted Tia instantly grew anxious. "Despite barely managing yourself, you're still concerned about that betrayer?" Sister Gretel said emotionlessly, "But since you wish to know, let me tell you." "The church has repeatedly issued private warnings forbidding any disclosure about the fugitive, Lynn Bartoleon." "Yet she ignored such warnings, indirectly causing you to make a mistaken choice tonight." "As a member of the Silent Church, she committed an unforgivable sin, hence she is now imprisoned in the Inquisition's underground cells, awaiting final judgment." "With the matter involving you, the Lady Saint, and the church's secrets, she might face the death penalty... at the very least, a lifetime of imprisonment." Sister Gretel's merciless words hung in the air. In that instant, an unprecedented lunar radiance emanated from Tia. Without hesitation, she chose to confront them. She found herself constrained, and now even Louise was ensnared because of her. Tia couldn't conceive of any path to resolution other than a forced escape. Yet facing former colleagues and the highly respected Sister Gretel, she couldn't bring herself to inflict harm. Thus, Tia's fate was all but sealed from the start. As the purple glow flashed, the spiritual lash returned, with much greater intensity, causing Tia's hard-won extraordinary power to dissolve instantly. Her body convulsed violently, whimpering under the indescribable agony. "Why... why?" With unfocused eyes, Tia lost the strength to resist, a faint dribble of saliva trickling down as even her speech became slurred. Still, her spirit was reluctant to relent completely. Sister Gretel looked down with a mix of pity and mockery. "Lady Saint... this will be my first and last time addressing you so." She gently raised Tia's chin, "Perhaps the illusion crafted by the church has led you to needless fantasies, but with the Moonlight Canon ceremony approaching, in your remaining time in this world, I want you to understand one thing." "Our everyday kindness and indulgence were never meant for 'Tia Jehusti' as an individual. In fact, everyone in the know within the church has long despised you, continually seeking ways to remove you." "Had it not been for your mistaken existence, our Goddess might have long completed her rebirth." "But it makes no difference to tell you this now." "Take her to the Rift of the Divine Moon. Be careful not to damage the vessel of the Goddess." "Also, make sure to maximize the effect of the Illusion of Suffering, to see if the 'error' within the vessel can be eradicated before the Moonlight Consciousness descends." Still not awake? In the room, looking at the slumbering boy in bed, Shirina's brows furrowed. At that moment, a whole night had passed since the boy fell unconscious after hearing the ringing. Shirina, with her official duties, had already dressed and was prepared to leave the estate. Given the arrangement between them, she didn't intend to expose Lynn's whereabouts for now, preferring to leave him in the room and decide the next steps upon her return. Incidentally, an invitation from the Silent Church had arrived inviting her to attend the Moonlight Canon's descent ceremony. The entire nobility of the Empire, those with power and influence, had received such invitations. It was merely one of the church’s methods to display its might to the outside world. So many troubles, indeed. With her thoughts trailing, Shirina sighed, then rang the bell on the table, summoning her most trusted head maid. "While I'm out, allow no one into my room," Shirina instructed quietly. "If the person inside wakes up, fulfill their requests as much as possible... essentially, try to keep them occupied." Listening, the head maid nodded but, glancing towards the room, a hint of doubt crossed her eyes. "But Your Highness... it seems no one is in your room?" Instinctively, Shirina turned to look, momentarily stunned. During their conversation, somewhere along the way, the boy had vanished from the bed.