Chapter 46

“Chapter 46: Sorceress of the End”

The next morning.

After waking from his dreams, Lynn followed the maid, Nina, to the library of Augusta Manor.

Since obtaining the relic from Ivyst the night before, Lynn had been busy practicing the prayer ritual from the original text, hoping to catch the attention of the Sorceress of the End from ten thousand years ago.

But he sadly realized the truth well past midnight.

Many of the settings in the original text were unreasonable and glossed over.

With little knowledge of the mysticism in this world, it was tough for Lynn to replicate the protagonist’s maneuvers.

Much of the detail, the Magical Guiding Matrix, and even the materials were missing.

Fortunately, he still remembered the crucial parts, and the prayer was etched in his mind.

So he just needed to acquire the relevant ritual knowledge to fill in the gaps.

According to the original text, though the steps were tedious and complicated, nothing was beyond comprehension.

As long as one understood the principles and possessed the key items, others could succeed too, albeit the protagonist had that special glowing aura, so he got it right on the first try.

In order to comprehend the principles and components of the ritual, Lynn had to visit the library, preparing to consult some related information.

Along the way, he encountered quite a few familiar faces from breakfast yesterday.

Upon seeing him, many instinctively stepped aside and nodded in greeting.

Not sure if it was because he perfectly handled the problem with the Creational School’s followers.

But Lynn couldn’t be bothered with them, heading straight for the library.

Augusta Manor was massive, with the library resembling a small library itself, rows of books neatly arranged on ancient wooden shelves.

Each book was orderly and well-preserved.

Thanks to the index, Lynn quickly found a row of shelves and discovered a hard currency.

“An Analysis and Practical Uses of Ritual Magic.”

This book was even mentioned in the original text, authored by a well-known scholar of the continent—though, of course, the mention was simply because she was a woman, and quite a pretty one at that.

So, you know what I mean.

Mavis Gorlanst.

Looking at the signature, Lynn shook his head.

Wonder when he’d ever have the chance to meet these women who had more significant roles in the original text.

Their plot levels wouldn’t be low, and they were potential mining points for Lynn.

With that thought, Lynn prepared to take the book to the nearby reading area for a bit.

But he was suddenly stunned upon seeing someone sitting in the distance.

Afia, for some reason today, appeared in her human guise, sitting at a wooden table, looking distressed over several books.

Perhaps since she didn’t have a mission today, she had swapped her black leather outfit from that night for a delicate princess dress.

She looked even cuter and more adorable now.

Lynn cleared his throat, getting ready to greet her.

“Good morning, beautiful lady.”

As he walked toward her, he whistled.

Upon realizing who was approaching, a hint of joy appeared in Afia’s eyes.

But then, for some reason, she suddenly looked a bit anxious.

The two slender legs that had been under the table drew back slightly.

Lynn glanced down and saw that the princess shoes he had gifted her were currently encasing those delicate, dainty white silk-clad little feet.

He suddenly got it, and his gaze at Afia was filled with deeper meaning.

Seeing this, her cute little face instantly turned red, and she stammered, “I-I just wore them by mistake this morning, I-I’ll change back later!”

Before she could finish, Lynn suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Hey, what brings you here?”

Turning around, he found Morris standing beside him with a few books in his arms.

“Just bored, thought I’d borrow a book or two,” Lynn replied.

Morris nodded, then looked at Afia slumped over the table.

Seeing her deflated state, he couldn’t resist teasing, “Why aren’t you showing off those shoes today? Seriously, you ran over to show them off yesterday, even to the prince, it was the first time I saw you so attached to something. Wonder who gifted them to you?”

Damn. Lynn sucked in a cold breath.

He hadn’t planned to say much, just aiming to change the subject and let the matter pass.

But Morris suddenly came over, yanking the last layer of modesty from the poor girl and stepping on it a few times on the floor.

Was this guy trying to make her flee off the planet!? Sure enough.

The next second, Afia looked tearful, on the brink of crying.

You all chat, I’ll just die over here.

That’s what her eyes seemed to be saying.

Seeing this, Lynn didn’t have the heart to tease her further and decided to change the topic.

“By the way, why are you two here? Got something to do?”

He glanced at Morris and asked.

At this, Morris looked a bit gloomy, “We probably have to return to the Imperial Capital before the end of the year. The prince issued a final ultimatum, requiring us to pass the entrance exam for the Saint Roland Royal Academy, so we’ve been cramming knowledge lately.”

Lynn pondered.

Before the end of the year, that meant in about a month.

It looked like he’d soon be heading back to the Imperial Capital along with them, facing the storm that should have been Ivyst’s burden.

If he needed to escape, that might be a good time.

Or maybe he should go back and cling to the few hefty legs in the Imperial Capital, begging them to save him from this predicament? For a moment, Lynn was lost in thought.

“By the way, what do you know about the Four Great Eras?” Morris opened a book on the table, pointing at the dense Ancient Saint Roland script, “This stuff gives me a headache just looking at it.”

The continent’s ancient history was a required subject for the Royal Academy, and most people scored over 90.

To avoid falling behind, Morris and Afia had been hitting the books hard.

Four Great Eras?

Lynn glanced at the knowledge recorded in the book, feeling overwhelmed.

Restricted by the limitations of the era, the content was exceedingly convoluted, filled with plenty of irrelevant and even incorrect information.

Sensing this, Lynn pulled out a chair and sat opposite Afia.

“The Four Great Eras, as the name suggests, consists of four eras.”

“The First Era is the Chaos Era; it’s been tens of thousands of years since then, making it hard to verify.”

“The Second Era is the Era of the Gods.”

“After the Chaos Era ended, the Gods walked the land, founded divine realms, and demonstrated miracles, showing the ignorant tribes the path to faith and evolution.”

“The Third Era, known as the Holy War Era.”

“For some unknown reason, it seemed the gods triggered a vast and prolonged holy war; that conflict lasted for ages and possibly saw the fall of some deities, leading many beliefs to disappear.”

At this point, Lynn paused and glanced at the dazed-looking Afia and Morris.

“The Fourth Era is the Era of Kings we currently find ourselves in.”

“After the Holy War ended, the Gods went into hiding, and humanity fell into an unprecedented period of decline, with many powerful ancient demons awakening from their slumber, seizing the opportunity.”

“They were terrifying beings comparable to deities, bringing calamity upon humankind.”

“In this dire situation, many strong humans stood up, forming resistance camps with divine assistance, which gradually evolved into the Five Great Empires over time.”

“For example, we reside in the Saint Roland Empire, also known as the ‘Country of the Holy Tree,’ due to the great spectacle known as the ‘World Tree’ that stands in the center of the Imperial Capital.”

“Another example would be the nearby Northern Continental power, the ‘Dust and Sand Nation,’ Tutkamon; or the Southern Continental Serilent Republic; and…”

By the time Lynn returned to his room after his busy afternoon, it was already evening.

The dusk painted the manor’s lawn a dark golden hue, making it look beautiful yet desolate.

He had specifically chosen this time to return to his room in order to complete the ritual and beseech the Sorceress of the End for a fleeting glimpse from the river of history.

Because dusk was her exclusive moment, this timing matched her preferences better, and the chances of success would be significantly higher.

After reading the book about ritual magic, Lynn wasn’t a theoretical master yet, but he was definitely much better than before.

At the very least, he felt confidently prepared for this ritual.

As long as he successfully communicated with that existence and completed her trials, he would become a Transcendent once again—able to activate the divinely granted factors at will, soaring high like a bird in the sky.

Moreover, he would undeniably be one of the strongest among his peers.

With the strongest faith and the support of his system… hell, what could the world possibly throw at him?! In an instant, Lynn’s ambition ignited.

Then, the ritual began.

The new book ranking is at 11; let’s get some monthly tickets, folks! You’ve been amazing!