Hate Me, Witch!-Chapter 179: Let Shī-chan Take a Dose of Harsh Reality

“Perhaps it merely inherited part of the authority and divinity from that divine bloodbath…”

“And this true Sun God…”

“And the World Tree that appeared with the Glorious Era, became the foundation of existence, yet withered alongside the Cataclysm…”

A glimmer flashed in Xia Ya’s eyes, but because his gaze was lowered, Hathaway beside him didn’t notice.

That veil called Eternal Night nearly blocked all external detection of the Lost Isle.

Whether it was long-range observational skills or predictions and divinations via spiritual intuition, none could glimpse the truth within.

But from certain indirect details, Xia Ya still formed some speculations.

Truths that felt suffocating.

Xia Ya paused slightly, his gaze swept across the Golden Elf beside him, whose face was lit with joy and excitement, and a slight heaviness settled in his heart.

Whether it was the so-called seven True Gods of the Church of Dawn, or those raving Evil Gods from the Abyssal side.

One thing was certain: deities who had attained the Divine Throne were all exalted beings, whose divine essence far surpassed mortal emotions...

Not just their godhood—even the essence of their life had transformed, evolved into an entirely new mythical species.

Though their appearance might still resemble their pre-deification race, in truth, they had become entirely different beings.

Their differing attitudes toward their followers were, at their core, merely different methods and choices for gathering faith.

Perhaps there were exceptions—like the ancient Dragon King who chose to protect his child even if it meant being torn apart by his own kin.

But that was never the norm.

So—

That exalted Elven King who looked down upon all living beings.

When the Cataclysm erupted and even he couldn’t protect himself, would he truly risk his life to protect those so-called kin in the Elven Royal Court, whose races had long diverged from his own?

There had to be some specific intent hidden in that Eternal Night Veil.

Only, such intent might not be what the elves believed it to be.

Of course, if it were only that, it might just be Xia Ya projecting his own cynicism onto others.

Even if their life essence was no longer the same species, that Elven King had truly been the ruler of the royal court, having protected the Elven Royal Court for countless years.

To develop feelings for his kin and choose to protect them even at the cost of his own life—this wasn’t entirely impossible to believe.

What truly alerted Xia Ya wasn’t these speculations.

But a cold, stark truth—

According to the intelligence Xia Ya had obtained from the Historical Echoes of Aisgania.

Not just in the Fourth Era.

Even in the Third Era, or as far back as the Second Era, there had never been any rumors of High Elves aside from Hathaway.

Even after several eras had passed, and the effects of the Fallen Sun had long since faded, and the Eternal Night Veil should have already shattered—

The High Elves had seemingly vanished along with that Lost Isle.

Gone forever, from the annals of history.

……

“Xia Ya…”

“Xia Ya?”

“Could it be that you got too tired from studying Arcana earlier and are now falling asleep standing up?”

Noticing Xia Ya’s absent-mindedness, Hathaway raised her fair hand and waved it in front of his eyes.

When she saw he still didn’t respond, a hint of mischief suddenly lit up the Golden Elf girl’s pretty face.

She took two small steps back, lifted her white skirt, and a playful curve appeared on her lips.

“Xia Ya… Teacher.”

That sweet, girlish voice startled Xia Ya out of his deep thoughts, and he snapped to attention.

“What did you just call me?”

“Hm? Did I say something just now?”

The Golden Elf placed a pale finger to her lips, speaking with slight confusion.

“No matter what you just said, do me a favor and say it again.”

“No.”

She smiled and spun in a circle, lifting the white skirt again.

“But—”

The Golden Elf blinked, one eye closing into a wink while the mischief in the other grew stronger.

“If Xia Ya, you’re willing to come with me back to the Lost Isle, I’ll call you that every single day.”

Phew—

Xia Ya let out a long breath.

No doubt about it—when the childlike Shī-chan acts cute, it’s honestly a terrifying test of self-restraint.

If it were anyone else, maybe he could manage.

But Xia Ya had seen Hathaway since childhood as the future sovereign seated upon her throne—majestic, solemn, mysterious, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Such a drastic contrast between the past and present felt like a targeted double-critted attack just for Xia Ya.

It was like the aesthetic of a purple-haired old lady piercing a certain cheerful lamp-post king.

Well, it made sense.

According to the Serpent of Mercury, transcendent species from the Glorious Era had incredibly long lifespans.

A pure-blooded Golden Elf could live for thousands of years.

Meaning, by pre-contamination High Elf standards, Hathaway was indeed just barely into adulthood.

And since she fell into the Lost Isle shortly after being born, spending her years in that silent royal court researching mana and the Starrealm… it was no surprise she lacked worldly experience.

Although her current rank and status had already placed her at the pinnacle of the Lost Isle, every now and then, she still revealed a hint of a young girl’s heart.

At the very least, he couldn’t imagine the Shī-chan of the Fourth Era ever saying something like this to him.

Xia Ya calmed the waves stirred up in his heart by the girl before him and looked once more at the Golden Elf in front of him.

No longer with a playful or teasing expression, but with a serious face, speaking each word with gravity.

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.

“Hathaway.”

“If I said I wanted to take you away from the Lost Isle, away from your kin.”

“To cross the Endless Sea and return to the Western Continent…”

“Would you come with me?”

Sensing the seriousness in Xia Ya’s voice,

the Golden Elf girl also withdrew the faint smile on her pretty face.

She blinked her pale golden eyes, the brief flicker of hesitation and conflict vanishing almost instantly.

“I’m sorry, Xia Ya.”

The Golden Elf spoke softly.

“I’m really grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, I’d probably already be just another corpse drifting through the Dimensional Void.”

“Spending time in this little house studying Arcana and magic with you has truly made me happy.”

“I really want to continue diving into the ocean of Arcana, to seek out the truths you spoke of—those hidden beyond the stars.”

“And I want to become a powerful wizard like you.”

“But—”

Her gaze shifted slightly.

Then paused beyond the window of ‘Xia Ya’s Flying House,’ staring into the pitch-black and silent depths of the Dimensional Void.

After completing the forbidden-level Arcane model and original spell of “Hathaway: Dimensional Anchor,” she was already capable of pinpointing coordinates in the vast void without any reference.

What Hathaway was looking at—was the direction of the Lost Isle.

“I can’t leave.”

She whispered, “That’s the burden once entrusted to me by the fallen Elders of the Council—something called the future of the Elven race.”

“Though this burden wasn’t what I wanted at the start, it was a mission forced upon me by the old Council Elders because of my exceptional talent… but now, I can no longer discard it.”

“After nearly a thousand years, it’s become an obsession.”

She didn’t look away, but used her pale golden, beautiful eyes to meet Xia Ya’s gaze directly: “After putting in so much effort, crossing endless subspace, and finally discovering the treasure called magic that can illuminate the future of the Elves—”

“If I were to abandon the entire Lost Isle, abandon my race just for a moment of selfishness—”

“If I truly did that, I honestly don’t know how I’d face the eyes of those elders who raised me in the Paradise of Sages after I die.”

“Of course—”

“All the Arcane knowledge I’ve learned was taught to me by you, Xia Ya.”

“If not for you, even if I had discovered mana in the depths of the Starrealm, I could never have learned to construct Arcane models or complete spellcasting so quickly.”

The Golden Elf looked calmly at Xia Ya, her gaze clear and pure.

“So, if you want to erase my memories of magic, or forcefully take me away, or even kill me here and now, I have no complaints.”

“I know you’re strong, even stronger than I imagined.”

“Even though you’ve been saying these past few days that I’ve caught up with you in Arcana and magic, I have a vague feeling that Arcana and magic aren’t everything you’re capable of.”

“The real you is far more powerful than the wizard you present.”

……

Tch—

Looking into the pure, unclouded beauty of the Golden Elf girl’s eyes, Xia Ya’s heart couldn’t help but sink.

Teacher, you’re calling my bluff here.

Xia Ya never considered himself that selfless. The matter of the Lost Isle wasn’t nearly as simple as it seemed.

The Elven King, the Sun God—the Creator of the Glorious Era, the World Tree… there was layer upon layer of fog and darkness wrapped up in all of it, tangled with too many variables.

To Xia Ya, who had no prior connection with these Elves—who might already be lost to history—it was naturally better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Even though he often joked about writing an Exotic Species Cultural Evaluation Guide, Xia Ya didn’t exactly extend his love to the entire Elven race.

Back on the Western Continent, the people Xia Ya truly cared about had always been just a handful.

And yet—

“Even if I tell Teacher about what’s happening on the Lost Isle now, she probably wouldn’t believe me…”

Xia Ya sighed softly in his heart.

But, well, this was exactly the kind of teacher he knew.

If the girl in front of him had actually agreed to his suggestion so easily, following him without hesitation, then Xia Ya would’ve started wondering if he had the wrong person.

“Alright then.”

He reached out and, to the Golden Elf’s slightly surprised gaze, gently patted her pale golden hair.

Hmm, the texture was somewhere between Xibao’s and Little Ai’s—in short, smooth and amazing.

“Headpat King” achievement progress +1.

“I’ll go back to the Lost Isle with you.”

Xia Ya smiled.

“After all, Hathaway, you’re my proudest—and also the one I worry about the most—chief disciple, aren’t you?”

Xia Ya had already made up his mind. This inverted mentor-disciple relationship? He was all in.

Even the gods couldn’t stop him—he said so himself.

“Really?”

The Golden Elf girl’s previously calm eyes suddenly sparkled, tinged with excitement.

For a moment, she didn’t even notice Xia Ya’s earlier intimate gesture. Instead, she joyfully lifted her skirt and twirled around the small house in light steps.

But soon, the Golden Elf looked at Xia Ya with some concern.

She wasn’t stupid. The reason Xia Ya had asked if she’d leave with him must have been due to some difficulty.

“Xia Ya, is it troublesome for you to enter the Lost Isle?”

“I heard that the Eternal Night Veil was built specifically for the Royal Court… non-elves who try to enter might be seriously affected.”

She spoke with a hint of regret: “If that’s the case, then I’ll just go back alone…”

“No need.”

Xia Ya cut her off with a calm smile: “It’s just that non-elves are heavily suppressed inside and can’t use mental energy. Once I leave, I’ll recover.”

“It’s nothing serious.”

“Really?”

Hathaway didn’t think much of it and simply nodded lightly.

Because of that, she didn’t see the deeper meaning flickering in Xia Ya’s eyes at that moment.

Though her current childlike form was undeniably adorable—

A teacher like this… could never become the future leader of the Black Tower’s Eight Pages—The Eternal Page.

Xia Ya’s gaze fell silent, fixed on the direction of the Lost Isle in the void.

The future wasn’t necessarily set in stone.

However—

Before then.

This still-young Golden Elf Shī-chan… might just need to experience the harshness of reality.