Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

Within the underground ruins.

With the tremors of space and the surging airflow, the already precarious mountain began to collapse.

Crimson light radiated from Yveste’s ten fingers, mesmerizing and sharp like blood-soaked claws. They pierced fiercely into the surface of the Wishing Jar.

At the same time, the devouring power within her surged at full force, stealing the traits and laws of this formidable Level 0 Sealed Artifact moment by moment.

However, as the devouring process continued, Yveste's complexion grew increasingly pale. The searing pain from the artifact's traits engulfed her entire body, making her tremble uncontrollably.

This object... was the most troublesome Sealed Artifact she had ever encountered.

Even absorbing a small fraction of its power was enough to make her feel like she was on the verge of passing out.

Yet, relying on sheer brute force, she inflicted visible damage on the artifact—something that was supposed to be indestructible.

With a fine cracking sound, tiny fractures spread in all directions.

Yveste bit her silver teeth, suppressing the groans threatening to escape from deep in her throat. Her body swayed, almost unable to maintain her levitation in midair.

Below, the platform once submerged in black sludge now seemed to boil and quake under the clash of these two immense forces.

"Crack!"

A crisp sound followed as a visible crack split across the surface of the Wishing Jar.

Perhaps in just a few more seconds, the vessel of the Sealed Artifact would face catastrophic destruction!

Almost there. Almost there.

Despite her extreme weakness, Yveste poured all her strength into controlling the artifact, trying to minimize the spread of its tainted and cursed power beyond the underground ruins.

Although the pain was excruciating, for some reason, Yveste endured, driven by a lingering obsession in her heart.

I’ve never succeeded at anything my whole life...

Yet here she was, fighting tooth and nail for the lives of others and for something seemingly insignificant.

This really isn’t like me.

When... did I start to change?

At the same time, the cracks on the Wishing Jar expanded further. Thin streaks of black light, mixed with incomprehensible abstract symbols, began emanating from the fissures.

"Cough, cough..."

Yveste suddenly coughed up a mouthful of black blood. The cursed sigil on her face seemed to come alive, spreading across her once-pristine neck and chest.

This curse was corroding her reason and vitality, constantly tempting her to fall into a pit of darkness.

Almost there. It’s... almost over.

Though she could still sense the destructive power within the Level 0 Sealed Artifact, Yveste convinced herself otherwise.

In that instant, a familiar voice echoed in her ears.

"Do you want to die?"

It was the voice of the entity housed within the artifact speaking to her.

The next second, the boiling black sludge beneath her began to twist and tremble.

Rising from the center of the mire, a face identical to the one on the surface of the Wishing Jar emerged—a female visage.

It—or rather, She—was the goddess worshiped by the Creationist Sect: the Goddess of Creation.

But according to High Priest Askin, her true identity was that of a demon.

The Demon of Creation.

The enormous female face emerging from the black sludge seemed large enough to fill the entire underground ruins.

"Do you want to die?"

Gazing at Yveste hovering in the air, Her voice was filled with confusion as She repeated the question.

"Swish!"

A flash of crimson light streaked through the air as a massive blade, forged from the river of the dead flowing behind a gate of blood, appeared to cleave space itself. It struck the Demon of Creation's face, splitting it cleanly in two.

Yet, this was merely a manifestation formed from the sludge, an illusory body.

Moments later, black mud hovered midair, coalescing into the graceful figure of a woman.

Looking down from above at the pained expression on Yveste’s face, She spoke:

"You are strong. If we were to engage in a life-or-death battle, given my current state, I would likely lose."

"Yet you have chosen the most foolish method—to attempt to devour the Level 0 Sealed Artifact that houses me."

"Is this to prevent me from bringing disaster to this nation?"

Yveste still didn’t answer. Her face was pale, blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, and the cold composure she typically displayed was gone.

Even so, her hands never stopped their motion.

"I see." The Demon of Creation’s lips curled into a mocking smile as She seemed to read a sliver of Yveste’s thoughts. "Such immense power, yet you willingly reduce yourself to a mere 'tool'."

"Your foolish ideals suit the suffering you’ve endured along the way."

"You should be consumed by hate. And yet, why do I sense no bloodlust to destroy everything from you?"

"Let me guess... is it because of some inexplicable hope that suddenly arose in your heart?"

"Is it... a man?"

"Swish!"

The massive crimson blade once again slashed through space, slicing through the mountainside and leveling several distant peaks.

But soon enough, the Demon of Creation reformed Her blackened body.

All of Her power was still contained within the Wishing Jar, locked in a struggle with Yveste.

Yet because of Yveste’s reckless strategy—trying to consume Her whole—the battle had tipped in the demon’s favor.

"Ah, women..." She sneered venomously. "The least trustworthy thing in this world is filthy men."

A trace of hatred flickered across Her face as She continued, "In the end, no power you rely on will ever surpass the strength you cultivate within yourself."

"This is, after all, a world where the strong devour the weak."

The Demon of Creation looked at the gravely weakened Yveste and was tempted to kill her.

After all, I haven’t yet devoured the 300,000 human sacrifices necessary to restore my power. Instead, that fool Askin woke me prematurely. Everything—everything—is now in its worst state.

At present, the first priority was to deal with this foolish yet powerful woman.

And demons—true to their nature—excelled at using sinister and deceitful means to tempt humans into corruption.

"Let’s make a deal."

With a surge of unseen power, the alluring voice of the graceful female demon echoed.

That voice seemed to stir the deepest desires within one’s heart, shattering the remnants of rationality.

"You are strong. In my view, you are destined to claim a place among the gods of the future," she said, walking through the air as she circled Yveste, who was still locked in a stalemate with the Wishing Jar.

"I, too, was once a higher-dimensional demon, but I was hunted down and thus reduced to this state."

"If you let me consume enough human souls, I can return to my peak in no time."

"So, let’s join forces."

"Don’t you wish to become the Empress of this nation? Once we have the power to destroy all order, that wish will be easily within reach."

"You’ll be free to kill whoever you want, change whatever you desire, with no one daring to defy you. I promise you this."

As she spoke, the demon floated gracefully in midair, her expression tender as she pulled Yveste into an embrace.

It might have been a picturesque moment of intimate camaraderie.

But in the next instant, a crimson blade of light silently decapitated the Demon of Creation.

Moments later, the demon’s graceful figure reappeared.

This time, however, her face was twisted with seething rage.

"You fool!"

The Demon of Creation’s features contorted, her voice teetering on hysteria.

"Even now, you refuse to abandon that ridiculous hope?!"

"That person is already aboard the train bound for the capital! You know full well no one will come to save you... So why?!"

"Why would you destroy your own body, risk everything, to stop all this like some lunatic?!"

Her shrill voice reverberated through the vast underground ruins.

But this time—

The ever-silent Yveste finally spoke.

Her complexion was deathly pale, and her body swayed unsteadily, yet a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Those things you said... I... have known them for a long time."

Day after day of despair.

Tormented by countless nightmares while trapped in an unending abyss of darkness.

No one ever came to pull her out of it.

No one ever would.

These truths, Yveste had known since long ago.

Even now, she harbored no illusions or foolish fantasies about rescue.

The faint, unyielding hope she clung to wasn’t for the present.

It was for the future.

Yveste knew very well that she would suffer unprecedented damage this time. Perhaps for a year or two, she wouldn’t awaken. During her slumber, the traits of the Level 0 Sealed Artifact would continuously torment her, pushing her closer and closer to collapse.

But when she opened her eyes again, that person—the one who always managed to create miracles—might be there beside her, showing off the monumental events they caused during her absence like an excited child.

And she would genuinely be at a loss for words, utterly stunned.

Just thinking about this possibility, Yveste, for some reason, began to feel a flicker of anticipation for what should have been an endlessly dark future.

Perhaps, amidst the endless torment and pain, as long as there was a hope worth holding onto, even one as fragile as a flickering candle flame, it would be enough to keep her sane.

Humans are such contradictory and peculiar creatures.

Not long ago, she had loathed her role as a mere tool.

Yet now, Yveste found herself wishing for the slumber to come faster, to leap forward a year or two, just to see what kind of world awaited her upon awakening.

Of course, there were other possibilities.

For instance, that person might return to the capital only to pledge allegiance to another prince.

The thought would undoubtedly anger her, but the more she considered it, the more amusing the scenario seemed.

Then, they could once again act out a game of cat and mouse. She could imagine that infuriating yet endearing figure kneeling on the ground, crying and begging, "Master, please spare me!"

In the end, reality was harsh, but the future held promise.

"Click, click, click..."

The next second, dazzling crimson light ignited once again on Yveste’s body. She seemed to be enveloped in a blooming rose, radiant and formidable.

The Wishing Jar in her palm, after resisting for so long, could no longer withstand her overwhelming strength.

"Crack!!"

With a shockwave laced with black light, the face on the jar let out an anguished screech.

And then... it shattered with a deafening crash!

Blinding black light erupted like a tidal wave, exploding outward as if to consume everything in its path.

At the epicenter of this immense power, a core of infinite abstract symbols—the true essence of the Wishing Jar and the Demon of Creation fused as one—was finally exposed to the air!

This was the ultimate power of the artifact.

It was also the sole objective of Yveste’s perilous venture.

She intended to... devour it!

In an instant, the Demon of Creation’s power surged dramatically, diving straight into the core’s essence.

At the same time, a voice laced with boundless malice and hatred rang out again.

"You want to devour? Then I’ll make sure you devour it all!"

"But when that time comes... will you still be yourself?! Hahaha!!!"

The Level 0 Sealed Artifact was already immensely powerful.

And if it also contained a former higher-dimensional demon?

If this foolish woman truly intended to devour the core trait into her body, it might not even be the worst outcome.

Her body was an excellent vessel, exuding a powerful and ancient aura, though its origins remained unclear.

After being consumed, it might take a long time, but given the Demon of Creation’s previous standing, eroding this woman’s consciousness entirely was not beyond possibility.

When that time came... She would descend upon the world once more, wearing Yveste’s face and name!

As the core trait streaked through the air like a shooting star, Yveste’s pale face suddenly showed an expression of resolute determination.

"I will always be myself." She extended her arm toward the falling star.

"Yveste Roland Alexini... Third Princess of the Saint Roland Empire!"

With the core trait hurtling closer, and her body and will on the brink of collapse, Yveste felt a rare calm settle over her.

Was it an illusion?

At that moment, her gaze seemed to pierce through the barriers of endless time, catching a glimpse of a corner of her destined fate.

A grand hall, the seals of the gods, a white-haired woman shackled in chains, her gaze serene and composed, and... a solitary and tragic ending.

So, this is my destiny?

Yet, strangely, Yveste didn’t feel despair.

If this is my fate, then I accept it.

"Goodnight."

Her crimson lips moved slightly, though it wasn’t clear whom she was speaking to.

She slowly closed her eyes, calmly embracing whatever was to come.

"Goodnight, Your Highness."

The familiar voice rang out in her ears, like thunder splitting through the darkness of her despair.

Yveste instinctively opened her eyes, her heart seeming to stop in that instant.

The figure that was supposed to have boarded the train back to the capital now stood before her as if in a dream, unwavering and resolute.

"And, this is not your fate," the youth said in a calm voice.

"It’s... mine."

Before the words fully fell, he thrust his arm forward, gripping the core trait of the artifact—a fragment of malice and despair—firmly in his hand!

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!