This time, Ivyst didn't start with Lie Swallowing, but Lynn was prepared and launched it half a second earlier.
Lynn maintained his sluggish hypnosis state while subtly observing Ivyst, who was sitting by the window.
Then he suddenly noticed a crumpled letter lying quietly on the windowsill to her right.
The wax seal bore the emblem of the World Tree, signifying that the letter was sent by the Royal Family.
Could this be the reason for her recent gloominess?
However, there was one thing Lynn couldn't figure out.
On the street earlier, this woman had agreed to tell him the truth, so why did she end up hypnotizing him instantaneously in the end?
Generally, Ivyst would only resort to this when she didn't want him to remember specific details.
Lynn fell into deep thought.
Just then, Ivyst's light voice came through, "Drink the wine on the table."
He instinctively looked up and noticed that there was indeed half a glass of red wine placed on the desk to his right, its crimson hue reflecting in the moonlight.
Was she not satisfied with drinking alone and wanted to find a drinking buddy?
Even though he was full of confusion, under the pretense of hypnosis, Lynn obediently followed her instruction.
Soon, the slightly bitter high-quality red wine was downed by him.
Only after watching Lynn finish the entire glass of wine did Ivyst gently withdraw her gaze.
It was a night filled with strangeness.
Could she have drugged the wine, planning to pounce on him once it took effect, desiring one last romp before embarking on her mission?
Lynn wildly speculated.
But Ivyst remained silent for a long time.
The moonlight fell on her, giving her an added touch of a cool aura.
But to Lynn, the Princess now seemed to shed her usual indifference and commanding presence, and there was an air about her that was either tender or peaceful.
"Felit... he was right," Ivyst finally spoke, "To my father, to the Royal Family, even to the entire Empire, I am just a 'tool'."
She began without preamble, not discussing the cause, simply letting her emotions speak.
Because the main focus of the original work centered on the male lead and a bunch of female characters surrounding him.
So in the early to middle part of the story, during the King's election battle, there wasn't much written about the Third Imperial Princess Ivyst, and she mostly remained under the radar.
It wasn't until the latter half of the story, during the War of the Gods chapter, that she truly emerged as the ultimate villain.
And the book hardly mentioned anything about Ivyst's past.
So at this moment, Lynn was also groping his way forward, unclear about many things.
Hearing Ivyst suddenly speak out emotionally caught Lynn off-guard.
Although he didn't know the extent of her current power, it was certainly no less than Sixth Rank.
Even if she couldn't confront deities, within this country, apart from some major churches, certain age-old noble families, and a few Zero-Level Sealed Objects, there really wasn't anyone who could restrain her.
If it wasn't for the struggle for the throne, even if Ivyst fled the country, she could subvert a regime anywhere at any time, except in the Five Great Empires.
Therefore, Lynn was very puzzled.
With such immense power, why was she still treated like a tool?
However, Ivyst was unaware of his internal thoughts at the moment.
She looked out at the moon and spoke to herself, "As a foreboding existence abandoned by the gods, I really shouldn't have been born into this world."
"Back then... the calls to hang me on the gallows among the common folk were not few, but still, my father, despite tremendous pressure, kept me alive."
"Though my childhood was filled with bullying and discrimination, I grew up to this point with the dignity of a Princess."
"I used to be truly grateful to him, thankful for all that he did for me."
"I even had moments when I truly believed in the existence of unprovoked kindness and love in this world."
With that, Ivyst's lips curved into a bitter smile, and she tipped her head back to drink down the rest of the wine in her glass.
Perhaps because she was slightly drunk, a few drops of wine trickled down and fell into her deep cleavage.
"I vaguely remember that day was my seventh birthday," Ivyst put down the glass, curled her legs up, and gently wrapped her arms around her knees, "Aside from the nuns sent by the major churches for my routine physical examination, no one attended my birthday banquet."
"At the time, I still retained some childishness, feeling angry about such matters and prone to tantrums."
"Now that I think about it, it was only to elicit someone's attention."
"So when the nuns were examining me, I suddenly felt my emotions and power becoming uncontrollable. In anger, I grabbed the Sealed Object they were using, wanting them to stop treating me like an item being measured."
"That was a Fourth-Rank Sealed Object, which should have been indestructible to a certain extent,"
"Yet when I came back to my senses, I found that Sealed Object had turned into dust, slowly scattering on my hands."
"The action shocked everyone present, and as a result, it stirred up a huge commotion in all the churches of the Imperial Capital that very night."
"But as the instigator of it all, I fell ill with a fever," Ivyst paused for a moment, tucking her falling hair behind her ear, "That high fever lasted an entire week, and it felt like my consciousness had drowned in a boundless ocean, constantly suffering the torment of drowning."
"Fortunately, I ultimately pulled through."
"When I first woke up, I saw my father, Saint Laurent VI."
"I had thought he was worried about my safety, staying by my bedside day and night, but unexpectedly..."
"Unexpectedly, the moment he saw me, a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes, and his voice revealed an unprecedented distance and harshness."
"Ivyst Laurent Alexini, the Empire has tolerated your existence in this world for a full seven years, so from today onwards, it is time for you to repay the Empire and fulfill your duty as a 'tool'."
At this point, Ivyst suddenly let out a light laugh.
"Are you curious about what exactly this 'tool' refers to? And where exactly does my power come from?"
Of course, I was curious.
At this moment, Lynn's emotions were fully immersed in her story.
"I don't know either," Ivyst murmured, "I only know that since the day I was born, every night in my dreams, I see a white-haired woman... who looks very much like me."
"Every time we meet, that white-haired woman says something, but it's impossible to hear clearly."
"It's only when the dream is about to fade away that she gives me some bits and pieces."
"These bits and pieces are the sources of my power."
"So even if there are no beliefs in this world that will accept me, I can still elevate my power endlessly."
A faint red light emanated from Ivyst's pale palm, then she gently pinched it away.
Hearing her words, Lynn was startled for a moment.
Could it be the future Doomsday Witch, trying to form some kind of time loop?
But that's not right, is it?
If the future her could help the past her indefinitely to enhance her strength, couldn't history be changed at will?
Then what was the point of him working to increase the deviation in the plot?
Moreover, Lynn vaguely remembered that Ivyst's real power source seemed to be related to an ancient existence from the Chaotic Age.
So, the white-haired woman probably wasn't the Doomsday Witch.
However, Ivyst didn't pause for his contemplation but continued speaking on her own: "As my power grew, I gradually mastered some powerful abilities."
"I named these two abilities 'Devour' and 'Annihilation.'"
"And this was the beginning of my role as a 'tool'."
"Just as you thought, the incident on my seventh birthday was actually a display of these two abilities."
"Because every Sealed Object has different characteristics and laws, their containment often requires considering various negative effects and formulating different strategies."
"For lower-ranked Sealed Objects, the containment method is relatively simple."
"But as the rank increases, some Second-Rank, First-Rank, or even the legendary Zero-Rank Sealed Objects, their containment requirements could even be described as demanding."
"Any slight mistake could cause an extremely terrible chain reaction, leading to unstoppable disasters."
"For those uncontrollable Sealed Objects that are more harmful than beneficial, not just the Saint Laurent Empire, but the first principle of all countries is to destroy them."
"But the higher the rank of the Sealed Object, the stronger its indestructibility and laws are, and it's beyond human power to affect."
"So I, with the power of 'Devour' and 'Annihilation,' am the best practitioner of this principle."
Even though Ivyst was smiling, the words that came from her mouth sent chills down one's spine.
A most oppressive speculation came to mind.
The next second, the words from Ivyst's mouth confirmed his speculation.
"With the ability of 'Devour,' kill the consciousness of Sealed Objects, integrate their characteristics and laws into my body, then, with the power of 'Annihilation,' gradually disintegrate it," Ivyst said indifferently, "This is the duty I must fulfill as a 'tool'."
In an instant, a spine-chilling sensation spread through my entire body.
Lynn's spirit wavered, ready to break out of the state of Lie Swallowing any moment, as if hit by an unprecedented shock.
He stared blankly at Ivyst by the windowsill, his heart filled with mixed emotions.