With such immense power, why would one still be regarded as a tool?
Yet, Yvette had no knowledge of his thoughts at that moment.
She gazed at the moon outside the window and spoke to herself, "As a cursed being forsaken by the gods, I was never meant to be born into this world."
"There was no small outcry back then, demanding my execution on the gallows. However, my father bore immense pressure to protect me."
"Although my childhood was full of bullying and discrimination, at least I was able to grow up with the dignity of an imperial princess."
"For a time, I was genuinely grateful to him for everything he had done for me."
"There were even moments when I truly believed in the existence of unconditional kindness and love in this world."
"Until... that day."
A bitter smile appeared on Yvette's lips as she tilted her head back, downing the red wine in her glass in one go.
Perhaps slightly tipsy, a few drops of wine trickled down her chin, disappearing into the deep curve of her neckline.
"I vaguely remember... it was my seventh birthday," Yvette set down her glass, pulled her knees to her chest, and hugged them lightly. "No one attended my birthday banquet that evening, except for a few nuns sent by the major churches to conduct routine physical examinations on me."
"As a child, I still had traces of childish temper, feeling angry and throwing tantrums over such things."
"Looking back now, it was just an attempt to gain attention."
"So, during the nuns' examination, I suddenly felt my emotions and powers spiraling out of control. In a burst of anger, I grabbed the sealing artifact they were using, trying to make them stop treating me like merchandise."
"That artifact was a level-four sealing item, theoretically indestructible to a certain extent."
"But when I came to my senses, I realized the artifact had turned to dust, scattering from my hands."
"This action shocked everyone present, and later that night, it caused a massive uproar across every church in the Imperial Capital."
"As for me, the instigator, I developed a fever," Yvette paused briefly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "That fever lasted for a whole week. It felt like my consciousness was submerged in an endless ocean, enduring the constant agony of drowning."
"Thankfully, I pulled through in the end."
"The first thing I saw when I woke up was my father, Saint Roland VI."
"I thought he stayed by my bedside out of concern for my safety. But to my surprise—"
"To my surprise, the moment he saw me, a trace of disgust flickered in his eyes, and his voice carried an unprecedented coldness and detachment."
"He said to me...
'Yvette Roland Alexine, the Empire has tolerated your existence in this world for seven years. From this day forth, it is time for you to repay the Empire and fulfill your duty as a "tool."'"
At this point, Yvette suddenly chuckled softly.
"Are you curious about what this so-called 'tool' entails? Or where my powers come from?"
Of course, he was curious.
By now, Lynn was fully immersed in her story.
"I don't know either," Yvette murmured. "All I know is that from the day I was born, I would dream every night of a white-haired woman who resembled me."
"Whenever we met, she would say something, but her words were always indistinct."
"Only when the dream was about to end would she leave me with tiny, scattered fragments."
"These fragments are the source of my power."
"So, even without any faith to accept me, I can endlessly enhance my strength."
A faint red glow appeared in Yvette's pale palm before she gently dispersed it.
A white-haired woman?
Hearing this, Lynn froze for a moment.
Could it be the End Witch of the future attempting to form some kind of temporal loop?
But that doesn't make sense.
If the future version of her could infinitely aid her past self in growing stronger, wouldn't history be effortlessly altered?
Why would he then need to increase the deviation in the storyline?
Moreover, Lynn vaguely recalled that Yvette's true source of power seemed to be linked to some ancient entity from the Age of Chaos.
So, that white-haired woman probably wasn't the End Witch.
Yet Yvette didn't pause for his thoughts, continuing her story as if lost in her own world.
"With the increase in power, I began to gradually grasp certain formidable abilities."
"Among them, I named two of the abilities [Devour] and [Annihilate]."
"And this marked the beginning of my role as a 'tool.'"
"As you might have guessed, the incident on my seventh birthday was actually a manifestation of these two abilities."
"Each sealing artifact has unique properties and rules. To contain them, one must consider various negative effects and develop corresponding measures."
"Lower-grade sealing items are relatively easy to contain."
"But as the sequence rises, items of grades 2, 1, or even the legendary grade 0, have containment conditions that can only be described as harsh."
"Any mistake can cause terrifying chain reactions and uncontrollable disasters."
"For those sealing items that are more harmful than beneficial, every nation—including Saint Roland's Empire—prioritizes their destruction."
"Yet, the higher the grade, the stronger their indestructibility and rules become, beyond the reach of human power."
"Hence, my abilities of [Devour] and [Annihilate] became the perfect execution of this principle."
Yvette was smiling, but the words she spoke sent chills down one's spine.
Could it be...
A suffocating realization dawned.
In the next moment, Yvette's words confirmed his grim suspicion.
"With [Devour], I kill the consciousness of a sealing item, integrating its properties and rules into my body. Then, using [Annihilate], I gradually disassemble it," Yvette said calmly. "That is the duty I must fulfill as a 'tool.'"
?!
In an instant, a bone-chilling sensation surged through his entire body.
Lynn's spirit wavered, on the verge of being forcibly ejected from the devourer's state, overwhelmed by an unprecedented shock.
So that's how it is?
He stared blankly at Yvette by the window, a whirlpool of emotions churning within him.
Critical plot point! Don't stop reading now!