Stop hypnotizing me, villain princess!

Chapter 256 The Mausoleum Adventure with Sylrina (1.4 words)

At this very moment, Hillina is studying a new intelligence report about the Mausoleum of Heremus.

This intelligence was hard-won; it was brought back by several gravedigger teams that entered the tomb at the cost of dozens of lives.

The intelligence mainly concerns "empty shell syndrome," where some of the people who survived the mausoleum seemed to have their spirit and consciousness stripped from their bodies, leaving only a walking corpse-like shell.

Hilina's subordinates have now made some progress in their research on this issue, and items made from specific sealed materials may be able to effectively solve it.

However, these are far from enough to conquer and completely subdue the Mausoleum of Heremus and unravel its mysterious rules.

Thinking of this, Hilina frowned.

"Your Highness, there are two letters."

Just then, a maid quickly entered the room carrying two letters and placed them in front of Hillina, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards one of them.

Because this letter didn't have an envelope, you could see the contents directly inside.

The letter was written by the hero Shia, and it invited Hillina to a dinner party tonight at the home of a certain important person.

The banquet was hosted by Duke Lorenzo von Kleist.

As one of the seven electors, Duke Clyster is hosting this banquet to celebrate his eldest son's appointment as Vice Commander of the Royal Knights. More than half of the nobles in the capital will be present, including several powerful ministers that Hillina has been trying to win over.

As for the other letter, because it was enclosed in an envelope and sealed tightly with dark silver sealing wax, its contents remained unknown.

Hilina's fingertips gently traced the envelope, a playful smile appearing on her lips.

The moment she saw the envelope, she knew who had written it.

As she unfolded the letter and her gaze swept over the unfamiliar handwriting, the smile on her face suddenly froze.

After a moment of silence, she slammed the letter shut and stood up. Her wide sleeves created a gust of wind that made the candlelight flicker violently.

Then, to the maid's astonishment, her figure quickly disappeared into the shadows of the corridor, leaving only the two letters lying forlornly on the table.

Watching the eldest princess's hurried departure, several maids who occasionally gossiped in private immediately gathered together.

“I’ll bet a month’s salary,” the red-haired maid said in a low voice. “His Highness will definitely attend that banquet tonight in his finest attire, after all… it’s an invitation from Lord Sia.”

“Who says otherwise? His Highness and Lord Sia’s relationship has been heating up recently.” The older maid winked knowingly. “I’ve seen them strolling hand in hand along the tree-lined paths of the manor several times. They’ll probably be getting married soon.”

"That's right. Besides, this banquet was hosted by the Duke of Clyde. He is one of the seven electors. Several princes and princesses want to win him over and gain his support, but this shrewd old man hasn't made any clear statement even now."

The maid who delivered the letter to Hillina said in a low voice. She was probably one of Hillina's closest maids, so she knew more than others.

"It seems that Lord Sia has successfully made contact with Duke Crest. His Highness will definitely attend this banquet. If His Highness can gain Duke Crest's support, he will have a greater advantage when facing the Second Prince, Frederick, and his chances of ascending the throne in the future will be higher."

Although none of them saw the contents of the other letter, they were still certain of one thing.

That is, no matter how important the other letter is, Her Highness Hilina will accompany Sia to the banquet hosted by Duke Kleist tonight.

But this time, they were overthinking it.

Because, at the end of another letter, the signatory was Lynn Bartley.

……

Meanwhile, almost at the same time, everyone at the Bartleyon Manor also received a letter.

Along with this came the news that Lynn had disappeared again.

The crowd gathered together, their expressions tense as they read the contents of the envelope.

"What exactly does this guy mean?" Afia stomped her foot angrily after reading it. "His Highness is already in such a state, yet he still has the mind to go to the Hermuse Mausoleum with Hillina."

“I just went to see Her Highness, and her condition is very bad. The black magic runes have completely spread.”

Milani said with a sob in her voice that she had read countless ancient books these past few days, trying to find a way to awaken Ivy, but all her efforts had failed.

“Although I trust Lynn’s character, he’s gotten involved with Hillina at this critical juncture, and he probably won’t be back anytime soon. Isn’t he worried that something might happen to His Highness?”

Morris frowned.

"Well, you're right. If something really goes wrong, we'd be completely at a loss as to what to do. We can't exactly ask His Majesty for help then, can we?"

Greya shrugged, his face full of helplessness.

At this moment, unexpectedly, it was Rhine who seemed more composed: "Let's all say less. I think Lynn really has no other choice. Everyone has seen these past few days how Lynn has tried countless methods to awaken His Highness. Since that's the case, staying in the manor is nothing more than waiting to die."

After speaking, Rhine raised her head again and scanned everyone's eyes: "Therefore, I personally prefer that Lynn and Hillina join forces to go to the Hermes Mausoleum in order to find a way to awaken His Highness."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell into a brief silence, seemingly agreeing with Rhine's assessment.

Eleanor, in particular, as Lynn's younger sister, trusted her brother implicitly and believed that he would never abandon them.

She couldn't say much under the circumstances, but when Rhine spoke, her face flushed slightly, and she became somewhat excited.

"Hey guys, I know this is sudden, like a cowardly runaway. But please believe in our friendship."

"I am leaving here because I want to save Yvesce and reverse everyone's future."

At the end of the letter, Lynn said this.

It looked like a word of comfort, and a promise that was hard to tell whether it was a joke or a commitment.

"Save Yvesce and reverse everyone's future."

The crowd muttered these words, their faces appearing calm and composed, but their hearts were already churning with turmoil.

They were all Yves's confidants, and they knew a great deal about everything.

The difficulty of simply saving Yvesce is unimaginable, let alone reversing everyone's future.

In their view, it was no different from a fairy tale.

At this point, there was nothing they could do but trust Lynn.

……

The carriage bumped along the rugged mountain road, but fortunately the leather seats inside were very soft and comfortable, which somewhat alleviated the bumps.

Furthermore, a faint cedar scent permeates the air.

The main scent of this aromatherapy product is woody, similar to the freshness of freshly cut wood or pencil shavings, solid and calming, giving people a sense of security and stability.

In addition, the cedar scent is also mixed with a faint body fragrance of Hilina.

It's alluring and seductive; at least Lynn finds it pleasant to smell and it can help her sleep.

At this moment, Hilina was not wearing fancy clothes, but rather light adventure attire, and sat quietly to the side.

Meanwhile, she gazed at Lynn, who was resting against the window on the other side of the carriage, and became somewhat mesmerized.

Lynn wore a dark gray adventure cloak, the hood pulled back to reveal his sharp jawline.

He was probably really tired, after all, he had hardly slept a single day since the trial of the Sacred Tree.

His eyes were closed, and the bumps of the carriage rolling over the gravel road didn't make him frown at all. His breathing was quite even, clearly indicating that he was sleeping very soundly.

"He really has a big heart."

"That's what I was thinking," Hilina thought to herself.

However, she could probably guess that Lynn must have been very worried about Ivy Stone these days, after all, Lynn's condition when she first saw him today really startled her.

It had only been a few days since we last met, but Lynn seemed to have lost a lot of weight and looked quite tired.

"But this guy is really good-looking. Even in such a haggard state, his temperament is unique and has a special charm."

Hilina hadn't expected to be so mesmerized by Lynn's face; when she came to her senses, her face was slightly flushed.

At the same time, her fingertips unconsciously traced the buckle of the sword at her waist, the cool metallic touch unable to suppress the burning sensation on her cheeks.

Why was I staring at Lynn so intently?

This man, who always lies and acts mysteriously, is clearly the one she should be most wary of.

"absurd!"

She muttered a self-reproach under her breath, then suddenly came to her senses, feeling guilty for her infidelity and realizing that she had stood up Cia, who had invited her to the dinner party. Subconsciously, she touched the ring Cia had given her.

This is a symbol of their love.

Tonight should have been her time to dress up and attend the Duke of Crest's dinner party, but instead she chose to embark on this dangerous journey with this mysterious man.

Thinking about this, Hilina felt increasingly panicked, as if she had betrayed Shia.

To conceal her sudden panic, she cleared her throat, trying to make her tone sound calm: "Why did you suddenly change your mind? As far as I know, Ivy is still unconscious, and I heard her condition is very bad. Are you really willing to leave her behind and come with me to the Heremus Mausoleum?"

Upon hearing this, Lynn didn't even open his eyes, but merely adjusted his leaning posture slightly: "Just fulfilling a promise."

His voice was low and weary, as if each word had taken a great deal of effort.

This wasn't an act; he hadn't slept for five days. He wanted to take advantage of the time he was on the road to rest and get back into shape.

After all, the Tomb of Heremus was a tough battle.

Even as a time traveler, he couldn't be 100% certain that he could completely conquer the Heremus Mausoleum and leave unharmed.

However, that reason is definitely false.

The only reason he came here was that the "Prisoner of Fate" had given him a similar revelation when he was unconscious.

The images he had seen in the Pantheon kept flashing before his eyes—shattered stars, fallen gods, and the pool of blood left behind by the Witch of the End.

Is it a future event that has already occurred, or some kind of omen of death?

What troubled him even more was where Tia, the Moon Goddess, who was supposed to appear with the Witch of the End, 100,000 years later.

However, for him at present, everything remains unknown.

Therefore, in order to increase the plot deviation that had been reduced again, and in order to change the tragic future of everyone in his memory, he chose to join forces with Sylrina to explore the Tomb of Heremus.

This instance is crucial, being the core event leading to the "Ragnarok" ending 100,000 years later.

If he does nothing, the future is destined to remain unchanged.

He would rather make a mistake than do nothing.

Perhaps it's all a trap, perhaps his efforts will only become a footnote in the script of fate, but so what?

It's better than watching you all disappear one by one.

Lynn embarked on this adventure with a "nothing to lose" attitude.

This is the only opportunity that can drastically change the future, and Lynn will definitely not let it slip by.

At that moment, the wheels suddenly jolted violently, and Lynn finally opened his eyes, meeting Hilina's gaze before she could look away.

A flicker of panic crossed her bright eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

Soon, silence fell over the carriage again, with only the creaking of the turning axles echoing in the air.

As Hilina gazed at the desolate landscape rushing past the window, she kept replaying Lynn's perfunctory words, "Keep your promise."

The Lynn she knew didn't seem like the kind of person who would be bound by promises. How could someone like that come along to wade into the murky waters of the Heremus Mausoleum just because of a casual favor?

But she couldn't think of any other reasonable explanation at the moment.

After two days and two nights of arduous travel, as dusk approached and the sun was about to set, the group finally drew near to their destination.

"We're almost there."

Hilina looked away, adjusting her light adventure attire. She felt no excitement, but rather a solemn and serious mood.

Finally, the carriage stopped in front of a secluded campsite, where six gray-green tents were arranged in a circle, a campfire was lit in the center, and seven or eight figures were busy at work.

This is a camp where Sylrina's subordinates were stationed near the Mausoleum of Heremus. At its peak, it had nearly a hundred men, but the vast majority of them have perished in the mausoleum.

The remaining members are a small elite group, some of whom have entered and exited the Heremus Mausoleum several times and emerged unharmed, unaffected by the "empty shell syndrome".

Upon seeing the carriage arrive, a burly man with a scar on his face strode forward to greet it, and immediately bowed to Hillina as she stepped out of the carriage.

"This is Dewey Gustav, the captain of the gravedigger squad."

Hilina introduced Lynn to each of them, but mainly introduced the seven members of the gravedigger team who would be accompanying them into the Tomb of Heremus.

In addition, some people are stationed at the camp to deal with emergencies.

"This is Lord Lynn, our newest member."

Finally, Hilina gave a brief introduction to everyone, then asked, "Dewey, how's the preparation going?"

Dewey touched the scar on his face and replied, "Your Highness, as per your instructions, all the equipment is ready, however..."

He then lowered his voice and continued, "Ross and Kate went to scout ahead yesterday, and they haven't returned yet."

Upon hearing this, Hilina frowned, her mood becoming somewhat heavy. Ross and Kate were very experienced gravediggers who had followed her for many years and had explored many ancient tombs in the past.

They were very familiar with the Tomb of Heremus, and their advance scouting trip was also to prepare for their main group's upcoming mission.

It seems highly likely that something went wrong and he died inside the mausoleum.

"Your Highness, based on speculation, there have been some unusual events at the Heremus Mausoleum recently."

Dewey moved closer, deliberately avoiding Lynn, and spoke in a voice only Hilina could hear.

Clearly, such words, which are easily swayed, are not suitable to be said in front of a crowd.

"Okay, I understand."

Hilina nodded.

She then turned around and met Lynn's gaze, finding his expression utterly calm.

It should be noted that even Hilina herself had no confidence in this operation and was unsure whether she would return alive.

But Lynn seemed fearless.

"That's true, this guy isn't even afraid of the cruel king Kushstein."

Hillina suddenly remembered that during the Sacred Tree Trial, she saw Lynn dare to bargain with the King of Cruelty, a being comparable to a god.

The owner of the Heremus Mausoleum was most likely a seventh-rank saint or higher during his lifetime, and Hillina even felt that his strength might not have been comparable to that of the Cruel King.

Thinking about it that way, Hillina felt that it made sense.

And the tension and solemnity she felt at the time had subsided considerably without her even realizing it.

If she had to choose someone to explore the Tomb of Heremus with, it wouldn't be her fiancé, Shia, but Lynn.

"We'll rest for one night and set off at dawn tomorrow."

Hilina gave orders to everyone.

That night, the logistics team prepared a whole table of delicious food and even brought out their treasured wines.

Even in the capital, a single bottle of this could sell for hundreds of gold coins, as it has been treasured for decades and was personally crafted by the empire's most renowned wine master.

Everyone knew perfectly well that tomorrow might be a one-way trip, so they ate and drank to their hearts' content.

Even when Hilina stood up from her seat during the final segment, the entire audience fell silent instantly.

The bright moonlight shone on her, as if gilding her with a dreamlike silver glow.

Her slender fingers gently held the crystal glass, "A toast to every warrior here!"

Her voice was not loud, but it carried the unique majesty and gentleness of royalty: "Without your courage, loyalty, and dedication, we could not have come this far. We will surely return victorious from tomorrow's operation!"

"Long live the Princess!"

Dewey, this towering man, had tears in his eyes. He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, oblivious to the drops of liquor dripping down his beard.

"For Your Highness, I would go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Lia, the only woman in the gravedigger squad, held a wine glass in both hands, her eyes shining with an almost pious light.

Even Yorick, who was usually taciturn, stood up, his sleeves still dripping with the undried medicine from the experiment.

“Your Highness,” the alchemist’s voice trembled unusually, “it was you who made me believe that there truly exists a power in this world stronger than the extraordinary.”

Hilina raised the corners of her lips, revealing a smile that could outshine all the flowers.

She gently swirled the wine glass in her hand, the moonlight casting shimmering shadows on her perfect profile.

“No!” She shook her head, her beautiful hair flowing like a waterfall. “You are the ones who made me believe that a leader’s true power comes from those who are willing to follow her.”

Almost in unison, everyone shouted, "For Princess Sylrina!"

The sound was so loud that it frightened the nearby wolves into retreating.

Cheers erupted from a makeshift table in the wilderness. Everyone knew that stepping into the depths of the mausoleum tomorrow might mean death. But at this moment, gazing at that dazzling figure bathed in moonlight, everyone was willing to die for her—not only because she was the Empress's eldest daughter, but also because she deserved it.

Seeing this scene, Lynn couldn't help but feel that Hilina's personal charm was indeed unparalleled. No wonder she was the number one female protagonist in the original work, and all her subordinates were willing to risk their lives for her.

Compared to Hilina, Yves is at a disadvantage in this regard.

Because Yves is better at doing than saying.

With just a few words, Hilina stirred up everyone's emotions, and their expressions became extremely excited.

"If this were on the battlefield, a few words from Hilina could excite the soldiers, completely unleash their fighting spirit, and their combat effectiveness would skyrocket."

Upon arriving at the camp, Lynn sat quietly in a corner, observing the scene. Hilina seemed to sense his gaze and turned to meet his eyes.

The next moment, Hilina refilled her glass with red wine and raised it to Lynn.

Although she had doubts about Lynn's promise to "keep his word," she was about to enter the mausoleum tomorrow, and her fate was uncertain.

This glass of wine is a toast to Lynn, who will soon become my comrade-in-arms.

Lynn was not one to disregard etiquette, and he also filled his glass with red wine.

However, he did not offer a toast to Hilina alone.

It is to honor everyone.

"Come back alive!"

Lynn's voice wasn't loud, but it struck everyone like a heavy blow. He raised his glass, his gaze sweeping over each unfamiliar face.

"When we return to the capital, I'll treat you to the finest wines of the Saint Laurent Empire!"

This is Lynn's promise.

He had his own purpose in entering the tomb of Heremus, and it would have been difficult for him to succeed on his own.

So to some extent, Lynn does need the help of Hillina and the gravedigger squad.

The next day, while it was still barely dawn, the pre-dawn fog, like a layer of gray gauze, enveloped the entire wilderness. The group packed up and set off.

Not far away, the Great Rift Valley, like a hideous wound cleaved open by a god's sword, stretches across the gray sky.

The cliffs on both sides are an unnatural dark red, as if they were soaked in the blood of ancient demons and gods.

In that bottomless darkness, a faint light could be seen flickering at the cave entrance—that was the main gate of the Heremus Mausoleum.

As the first rays of sunlight finally pierced through the clouds, Lynn and his companions had already set foot on the narrow stone path leading to the rift valley.

Against the backdrop of the vast rift valley, their figures appeared as insignificant as ants.

After descending into the rift valley, the group saw the entrance to the cave. Although Lynn had never been here before, he had seen a detailed description of it in the original work.

However, to his surprise, the entrance to the cave was even more cramped than he had imagined, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

But someone as large and imposing as Dewey could only fit one person.

Along the way, Dewey, as the leader of the gravedigger team, told Lynn some of the information they knew about the Tomb of Heremus.

Because of Hilina's detailed introduction of Lynn yesterday, and the two sentences Lynn said during his final toast at dinner, the members of the Grave Digger team have accepted Lynn as a member of their team.

“I have entered the Tomb of Heremus three times, and I saw a broken stone tablet inside. This is part of the information I have made a rubbing of.”

Dewey handed a piece of parchment to Lynn as he explained.

"Based on our exploration, this mausoleum is most likely the resting place of a deity, and its history is very ancient, possibly dating back hundreds of thousands of years."

Through Dewey's explanation, Lynn gradually began to match the tomb of the gods with certain specific details in the original novel.

The fragmented inscription rubbings on the parchment show three unpronounceable cuneiform symbols. When Lynn touched them, he felt a burning pain in his fingertips, while others did not react.

Lynn did not make a fuss about this, but silently returned the parchment to Dewey.

"Is this a special feeling bestowed upon me by the prisoner of fate?"

Lynn guessed.

Soon, after passing through the narrow and cramped passage, the group finally arrived at the entrance to the Mausoleum of Heremus.

The cave entrance is a perfect circle with smooth, mirror-like edges, which could not have been carved by human hands.

The stone wall was inlaid with countless fist-sized dark purple crystals, and under the light of their torches, one could vaguely see something inside the crystals.

Lynn stepped forward and discovered that the crystal was not pure and transparent inside, but filled with turbid flocculent matter that slowly writhed with the changes in light, like the dormant embryo of some kind of organism.

"This crystal must not be touched. One of the first gravediggers to discover the tomb of Heremus was so fearless that he wanted to carve out a piece of crystal as a souvenir."

Dewey quickly spoke up.

"As soon as the chisel touched the surface, the guy collapsed like an empty sack. In less than three seconds, only a layer of skin remained clinging to his skeleton."

Lynn was certainly not foolish enough to touch them directly. He simply observed them quietly and then calmly said, "These are 'Soul Prisms.' Anyone who touches them will have their soul forcibly extracted and imprisoned inside the prism."

The owner of this mausoleum was of astonishingly high status, far surpassing even a demon like the cruel King Kushstein. "So that's how it is."

Upon hearing Lynn's explanation, Dewey was also alarmed, and at the same time, his regard for Lynn increased even more.

Come to think of it, this young man is so young. If he didn't have something special about him, why would Her Highness the Princess bring him along on such an important mission?
And after a brief encounter, Dewey could also sense that the princess valued Lynn exceptionally much.

"If we continue forward, we will have officially entered the Mausoleum of Heremus."

At this moment, Hilina spoke up.

"It's hard to imagine what kind of extraordinary being the owner of this mausoleum must have been in life. Even after countless years, the divinity and rules remaining in the mausoleum still limit outside exploration."

Hilina sighed sincerely, her gaze meeting Lynn's, as if trying to gauge how much Lynn knew about the mausoleum, since this directly affected the success or failure of the operation.

"A supreme deity who transcends the river of time, whose true name has long been erased by the years, only his immortal majesty lingers between this world."

Lynn said calmly.

This is the description from the original work.

"This is a shielding helmet made by Yorick. When worn, it can withstand the divine tides within the mausoleum."

Then, Dewey handed each person a rather strange-looking helmet, except for Hilina.

Because she has too many powerful sealing artifacts on her body.

Lynn felt she probably didn't need such a thing, but for safety reasons, she wore it anyway.

Afterwards, the group officially entered the mausoleum area.

It was at this moment of entry that Lynn felt a terrifying tide of divine power sweeping over him.

However, he felt that even without the shielding helmet made by Yorick, he could probably withstand it.

"You're a genius. You even managed to research and develop this kind of tool. Otherwise, this level alone would be very difficult to pass."

Dewey patted Yorick on the shoulder and gave him an approving look.

"Thanks to Your Highness's wholehearted support in the area of ​​sealed artifacts, otherwise I would never have been able to research it."

Yorick stated matter-of-factly.

The moment anyone steps into the mausoleum, they are engulfed by the overwhelming tide of divine power, their spirit and will are stripped away, and they suffer from the "empty shell syndrome" that Hillina mentioned earlier, becoming a walking corpse, an incurable existence.

This is only the first test before entering the mausoleum.

Fortunately, Hilina's group was no pushovers. Although the test was extremely difficult to pass, with the First Princess's full support in terms of sealing artifacts, they were able to create an item that could resist the "stripping" rule for a short period of time.

"Let's hurry up and get out of here. This item's duration is very short, and we must leave this place as soon as possible."

Yorick urged.

Therefore, without lingering, the group continued deeper into the mausoleum.

Because Dewey had entered and exited the mausoleum three times, but had not been able to reach the deepest part, the first part of the journey went quite smoothly with Dewey leading the way.

They stopped when they came to a circular stone chamber.

This passage is wider than the previous one, with a high dome that seems to have been hollowed out by some immense force.

The ancient reliefs on the stone wall have weathered and peeled away, leaving only blurry outlines, from which one can vaguely discern a scene of kneeling worship.

In the center of the stone chamber stands a broken stone tablet. It should have been three meters tall, but now only half of it remains, with jagged breaks, as if it had been torn apart by some terrifying force.

The surface of the stone tablet is covered with obscure runes, some of which have been eroded by time, leaving only fragmented parts of the text.

“My parchment was made from this stone tablet.” Dewey turned to Lynn beside him. “At the same time, this is the deepest part of the mausoleum we have explored so far, because we can’t find the way forward. It seems that we have reached the end here.”

Hilina had never been here before. She looked around the stone chamber. Behind the stone tablet was a complete stone wall, without any trace of passage or mechanism.

She received a report from the gravedigger team that they had tried various methods, even using sealed artifacts to probe, but all to no avail.

Lynn's gaze slowly swept across the stone wall, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.

This place is mentioned in the original work.

Moreover, the scene is exactly the same as the description in the original work—the “false end” of the Heremus’ tomb, where countless gravediggers and explorers have fallen victim to this deceptive wall.

He slowly walked towards the broken stone tablet, ran his fingertip along the broken stone, and blood immediately seeped out and dripped onto the surface of the tablet.

Then, something strange happened: the drop of blood transformed into a thin red thread, as fine as a hair, slowly flowing along the strange patterns on the stone tablet, as if filling some ancient ritual.

Lynn's fingers traced the lines along the fracture, and the seemingly chaotic grooves gradually formed the outline of a star map in his eyes.

"Look at the dome!"

Lia suddenly raised her hand and exclaimed in surprise, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Everyone looked up abruptly and saw that the stone chamber dome, which was originally covered with cracks, was now gradually becoming transparent.

Countless phantom images of stars emerged from the void, echoing the star map on the stone tablet that Lynn had seen.

He looked down at his still-bleeding fingertips, then looked up at the dazzling starry sky above.

Finally, among those vast star charts spanning the heavens and the earth, he found a star that didn't seem particularly conspicuous.

According to the original text, this star is the key to opening the passage to the mausoleum.

"He really is a guy who likes to make things mysterious."

Lynn muttered to himself, his fingertips finding the star in the star map outline on the monument that only he could see.

Then he gently tapped it.

The next moment, the star map on the dome suddenly began to slowly rotate, like a giant compass. And the stone wall behind the stele, under the reflection of the star map, gradually became transparent, revealing a bottomless passage behind it.

Deep within the passage, a faint golden light flowed, like a sleeping galaxy.

"Oh my God!"

The scene before them shocked everyone, including Hilina. Dewey looked at Lynn with eyes full of admiration and disbelief.

God knows how many attempts they made in that stone chamber, but they found nothing in the end. Yet Lynn simply opened the passage leading to the depths of the mausoleum.

"It's rare for this guy to gain His Highness's attention, so he must have real skills."

Dewey thought to himself.

This group of people hadn't been back to the capital for a long time, and their access to information was quite limited, so it was normal that they didn't know about Lynn's deeds.

Behind the stone chamber is a seemingly bottomless corridor, but it is actually only ninety-nine meters long.

As the leader of the gravedigger team, Dewey naturally took the lead, with the others following closely behind.

As Hillina's most loyal subordinates, they all adhered to the principle that they would rather sacrifice themselves than let Her Highness Hillina suffer any harm.

"If we go through this corridor, we should be able to reach the front hall."

Lynn pondered to himself.

Yorick, what are you doing?

Lia suddenly screamed.

Everyone turned around and saw Yorick staring blankly at the hole in the corridor wall, his eyes unfocused and a strange smile on his lips.

At the same time, the dagger at his waist had somehow been drawn and was slowly raised, its tip pointing at his throat.

"when!"

Lynn immediately made a move, drawing the sword from Hillina's waist and knocking Yorick's dagger away.

Hayden, another member of the gravedigger squad who was closest to Yorick, also quickly subdued him, fearing that Yorick might do something outrageous next.

"what happened?"

Dewey frowned, looking quite tense.

“He heard the ‘voice of temptation’!” Lynn said softly. “Ancient texts say that echo corridors amplify the desires in people’s hearts, and those with weak willpower will be tempted to self-destruction!”

What is the Echo Corridor?

"I don't understand," Lia said.

“I’ve seen related records in ancient books. This only existed in ancient times. I never expected to encounter it here.”

Hilina's expression was solemn. She had a premonition that the closer they got to the depths of the mausoleum, the more strange things would happen.

“No wonder. Although Yorick is a genius alchemist, he’s a bit mentally unstable. He did have suicidal thoughts before, and I even stopped him once. But recently his mental state has improved a lot, and he hasn’t done anything like that in a long time.”

Dewey said in a low voice.

According to Lynn, in the Echo Corridor, everyone's desires are amplified, and it all depends on how strong one's willpower is.

Yorick, having previously harbored suicidal thoughts, was immediately affected and raised his dagger to end his own life.

"Then why don't we just run faster and quickly get through this echo corridor?"

Dewey asked.

“It’s no use.” Lynn shook his head. “The faster you run, the more afraid you are of it, and the harder it is for your willpower to be firm.”

“Do you see that?” Lynn pressed down on Dewey’s trembling shoulder. “This corridor is swallowing up our emotional fluctuations. The more panicked you are, the more it will affect your mind.”

“Here, fear is the best bait.”

As soon as Lynn finished speaking, the Echo Corridor suddenly became eerily quiet, as if even breathing was being swallowed up by some invisible force.

"Haha, gold, so much gold!"

The next moment, the group continued to move forward steadily, but as they walked, Dewey, who was at the very front of the group, suddenly went berserk, roaring:
"His Highness promised me that if I could assist in conquering the Tomb of Heremus, he would give me immeasurable wealth and a fiefdom!"

"Then my mother will no longer have to suffer, she will become the mother of a viscount!"

Dewey's sudden outburst startled everyone. Hilina, who was closest to him, noticed that Dewey's pupils suddenly dilated into an eerie gold, his mouth stretched into an exaggerated arc, and saliva dripped down his chin.

And his thick arms, veins bulging, were frantically tearing at his leather armor, as if the fabric was preventing him from embracing the wealth he fantasized about.

Hilina looked at Lynn, seemingly hoping he could offer a solution.

But Lynn shook his head and sighed softly.

“I did it… Mother…” Dewey’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “No one will ever dare to insult you again…”

In just a few seconds, Dewey went from a normal person to a madman, and then exploded and died.

boom!
Blood and flesh splattered like raindrops on the ancient stone wall.

Silence, dead silence.

However, the crowd did not panic excessively.

After all, they had seen this scene far too many times before.

But they were still extremely saddened, because Dewey truly held a special place in their team's heart.

"Why was it that after we stopped Yorick from committing suicide, everything was fine, but Dewey died immediately?"

"Liya asked in a low voice."

This time, it was Hilina who provided the answer: "His inner obsession and desires are too intense."

She knew about Dewey's background and understood why he had such a deep obsession.

"Dewey's birth was a wound that would never heal. His mother was a maid in the household of a wealthy man in Yorkshire. On a rainy night filled with the smell of alcohol, she was roughly pushed onto a haystack in the woodshed by her drunken master. Nine months later, this unwanted child was born amidst the contempt of the entire household."

“From a young age, Dewey lived under the shadow of malice. His brothers and sisters would deliberately dump spoiled food in front of him, and even the butler’s son would often mock him for being a bastard.”

"When he was seventeen, Dewey stood in the shadows all night, clutching a woodcutter's knife, while his mother was being whipped in the yard for breaking a vase. Finally, he let go, and the blade plunged deep into the mud—he realized that true revenge was not killing, but living a life more noble than those people."

"Although the profession of gravedigger is dirty and dangerous, with each ancient tomb he digs up, he gets one step closer to his dream. After he met me, I promised him that if he could help me conquer the Tomb of Heremus, I would grant him a fiefdom and reward him with countless amounts of gold. At that time, no one in the whole of Yorkshire would be able to look down on him."

"Of course, I also promised him that if he died in the mausoleum, I would take good care of his mother and let her live with dignity."

"And avenge him."

Hilina recounted calmly.

Admittedly, the death of Dewey was not exactly a source of sadness for her; at most, it was a matter of some regret.

But she is not a heartless person; she will still keep the promises she made to Dewey.

But the prerequisite is that she can get out of here alive this time.

"I never knew Mr. Dewey had such a past; I'd never heard him mention it before."

"Lia said sadly."

These people spend every day together and have genuine feelings for each other.

Moreover, as the captain of the gravedigger team, Dewey usually took good care of them and was always the first to rush to the front in any dangerous situation.

"..."

Lynn didn't say anything; sometimes he was powerless to help.

This long corridor is bringing their fears to life, and what's even more terrifying is that they don't even dare to think about what they might encounter next.

"Follow me closely and try not to overthink things."

Lynn gave her instructions.

Dewey is already dead, and Yorick is in a somewhat insane state, requiring Hayden to look after him constantly.

After passing through the Echo Corridor, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but their hearts remained tense. They all knew that the real test might have just begun.

Just as Lynn had predicted, after passing through the long corridor, the group entered a massive circular antechamber. The dome soared to the heavens, and twelve obsidian pillars encircled the interior, each carved with a different deity.

It was somewhat similar to what Lynn saw in the Pantheon, but there were also differences.

"Why do these gods seem more like guardians, not aloof figures? They actually seem down-to-earth?"

Lynn whispered to himself.

The entire hall was paved with bone-white tiles, each engraved with tiny runes, which shimmered with a faint blue light under the glow of the ever-burning torches.

In the very center is a dilapidated altar, upon which rests a scale chained with iron chains.

This scene looks very strange.

Why a balance scale?

Everyone was utterly confused.

"Don't go up there!"

Just as Lia was about to ascend the main hall, Lynn immediately shouted.

But it was too late. Lia had already stepped onto the stone pillars, and suddenly the divine reliefs on the twelve pillars came to life, with eerie green flames burning in their empty eye sockets.

The chains on the altar began to twist on their own, lunging at the crowd like giant snakes!
At this point, Hayden no longer cared about the mad Yorick and swung his greatsword at the chains.

But the chains instantly locked Hayden's greatsword, dragging him toward the altar.

Soon, Hayden knelt beneath the altar, looking utterly agonizing. "These chains are tearing my memories away..."

For a moment, everyone's pupils contracted.

A blurry image immediately appeared above the altar—young Hayden hiding behind a curtain, watching helplessly as his uncle poured poison down his father's throat, and then his mother was brutally violated. It was a scene he could never forget. Later, he became an exceptionally powerful superhuman, and at the age of twenty-five, he slaughtered his uncle's entire family—three generations, twenty-six people in total.

"You killed your grandfather's entire family of twenty-six people, including innocent babies and children. Do you feel any remorse?"

A strange sound exploded in everyone's ears.

Hayden, kneeling on the ground, was trembling uncontrollably. Images of his parents' tragic deaths during his childhood kept flashing through his mind, as well as the scene of wiping out his uncle's entire family that day.

He admitted that it felt great to kill his enemies, but sometimes when he thought about the women who knelt on the ground begging for mercy, he did feel uneasy.

But he has always told himself that he did nothing wrong. His uncle had wiped out his entire family, and he had escaped because he was hiding in a secret room. Taking revenge was only a matter of course.

But now that this memory has been brought up for trial, Hayden's psychological defenses collapsed instantly.

"Choose your course of action based on your own sins."

The voice rang out again.

The scales on the altar suddenly tilted downwards on one side.

The images of the women and children dying tragically kept replaying in Hayden's mind. Hayden suddenly felt that he was deeply sinful. He involuntarily raised his greatsword, as if to end his own life to atone for the crimes he had committed.

"Hayden, think of your dead father and your mother who died in humiliation!"

Lynn shouted.

In an instant, Hayden felt a jolt, and the longsword in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.

"You are indeed guilty, but not guilty of a crime punishable by death."

Lynn continued.

Upon hearing this, Hayden seemed to have figured something out. He raised his greatsword and chopped off one of his own arms.

The moment he severed his own arm, the tilted scales suddenly returned to balance, and the chains that had bound Hayden were suddenly released.

Taking advantage of the opening, Lynn immediately darted forward and quickly arrived in front of the altar.

At the same time, he kicked Hayden away, sending him flying right in front of Leah and the others.

Lia and the others understood immediately and bandaged Hayden's wounds. Hillina also generously took out a bottle of Moonlight Essence, a top-grade healing elixir.

"Come and judge me if you dare!"

Lynn looked at the altar, his eyes filled with calm.

To everyone's surprise, the chains did not bind Lynn as they had before.

But at the same time, some fragments of Lynn's memories also surfaced above the altar.

These were simply people who died directly or indirectly at his hands, starting from when he first killed a demon during his assessment at the Saint Laurent Royal Academy of Extraordinary Abilities, then going on to wreak havoc on the demon battlefield, then killing Eunice, and indirectly killing the fourth prince Joshua...

Every memory clearly shows that Lynn's every killing was not for personal gain.

His hands were stained with blood, yet he always upheld the purest of beliefs.

"That's all?" Lynn scoffed, reaching out to fiddle with the fragments of memory, which instantly vanished like bubbles. "Jud me."

The next moment, under everyone's gaze, he suddenly pressed his palm down on the center of the altar, and the entire front hall suddenly shook violently.

One end of the scale is tilted high, while the other end is completely empty, not even the weight of a speck of dust exists.

"You too?"

Before the words were finished, the altar suddenly burst forth with dazzling golden light, the iron chains instantly melted and evaporated, and the divine reliefs on the twelve stone pillars simultaneously emitted a buzzing sound.

Hilina unconsciously held her breath. In the dazzling golden light, Lynn's back stood tall and straight like a spear.

At this moment, she finally understood that this man's soul was terrifyingly pure—every choice he made could withstand the judgment of any god, and even the laws of this ancient mausoleum could not shake him in the slightest.

After what happened in the front hall, everyone's trust in Lynn was now at its maximum.

Throughout this process, Hilina's gaze would unconsciously follow Lynn's figure. Whenever that tall and upright figure stopped, she could foresee the gesture of him raising his hand to warn her the next second, and once again regret that he wasn't her subordinate.

But she also knew that Lynn would never betray Eviester and join her side, no matter what conditions she offered.

Lynn, however, didn't care about any of that; his brows were furrowed the entire time.

The reason is simple.

It went so smoothly.

From the moment you step into the mausoleum, the location of every mechanism and the way every trap is triggered are exactly as described in the original work.

It's like someone has meticulously crafted a script, and they are simply playing their predetermined roles step by step.

This is why the shadow in Lynn's heart could never be dispelled.

Finally, the group arrived at the core area of ​​the mausoleum. A towering black stone tablet stood in the center of the circular plaza, and above it, a ball of light as bright as the rising sun floated quietly, just as if the sun were shining on the earth.

"A divine spark... a complete divine spark!" Hillina exclaimed, her voice trembling. "Once it's sealed and contained, the entire mausoleum will be successfully conquered!"

These words elicited cheers from the team members, who all believed that the dawn of victory was just ahead.

"careful!"

However, the next second, accompanied by Lynn's shout, the long-dormant divine power tide suddenly engulfed everyone with a ferocity hundreds of times greater.

Leah still had a jubilant expression on her face, while Hayden tried to raise his greatsword with his remaining left arm to block it. Several other members of the gravedigger squad were stripped of their flesh and blood the moment they touched this power, turning into skeletons and dying on the spot.

"No!"

Hilina watched this scene unfold, her beautiful eyes reddening, and she screamed at the top of her lungs.

In the nick of time, she instinctively used her sealed artifact, the bell, which barely managed to protect Lynn.

Lynn's gaze swept over the bell on her wrist, which was flashing with a strange rune, seemingly reacting to some power within the mausoleum.

The next second, she and Lynn turned into specks of light, losing their physical forms. Then, as if drawn by an invisible hand, they were sucked into the towering stone tablet.

In the instant he completely lost his physical form, Lynn finally saw the truth within the ball of light—it wasn't a godhead at all, but a huge, dark eyeball that was peering at him through the cracks in space and time with a playful smile.

(End of this chapter)