Hate Me, Witch!-Chapter 33: The Swordbearer

Fresta Empire, Deep Blue Territory, Gray-White Hills.

Inspector Fioren stood on the desolate hillside, her metallic mask gleaming with a cold light, strands of her red hair swaying slightly in the wind that swept across the barren wilderness.

Before her, beneath the slopes of the hill, within a stretch of ruins, dozens of uniformed figures moved back and forth, searching the area. Compared to ordinary imperial soldiers, these individuals bore a black eagle emblem embroidered in silver thread on their left shoulders, their entire presence exuding sharp discipline and an aura of lethal efficiency.

Black Eagle Guards—

One of the most elite secret forces in the entire Fresta Empire. The mere requirement to join the Black Eagle Guards was reaching the Third-Ring tier. As for those qualified to command an entire Black Eagle squad, every one of them was a Fourth-Ring Master-Tier Beastmaster.

At their current deployment in the Gray-White Hills, this Black Eagle Guard unit alone had enough firepower to launch a siege on a small city—

Yet at this moment, they were merely combing through these seemingly unremarkable ruins in silence.

"The age of the soil layers has been roughly determined—it indeed dates back approximately five hundred years."

"By further analyzing the architectural style within the ruins, the residual written records, and other details…"

"This ruin should be the remnants of the ancient capital of the Cangting Ancient Kingdom."

The one speaking was an elderly man with a scholarly air, his hair and beard entirely white. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, exuding an aura of refinement and intellect.

Small silver-white summoned beasts hovered around him, distinctly different from typical beast pets. Their bodies bore visible joint seams and intricate miniature magitech formations.

These were artificial summoned beasts, creations of mechanists. Though they possessed little combat capability, they were invaluable for exploration and support.

"You’ve worked hard, Professor Adams."

Fioren's tone softened slightly toward the old man.

She was well aware of his significance—

The Dean of the History Department at Floren Academy, a scholar granted the title of "Sage" by the City of Knowledge, and the undisputed authority on lost history in the Western Continent.

If not for the fact that the Imperial Princess had once done him a great favor, even with her authority as an Imperial Inspector, it would have been near impossible to invite him here.

"It’s not hard work, not when it's for that young lady’s request."

Adams smiled warmly. Despite his advanced age, he still carried a dignified and erudite presence.

"Besides, even setting aside that debt of gratitude…"

"For me personally, participating in the exploration of the Cangting Ancient Kingdom’s ruins is already an invaluable opportunity."

"Between roughly four to six hundred years ago, the continent experienced a period of large-scale chaos and upheaval. Within academic circles, we refer to this era as ‘The Era of Cataclysm.’"

"During this period, countless wars broke out—between humans, between beasts, between gods and mortals alike. Saints fell, divine blood was spilled…"

"Most civilizations' legacies were completely severed by the catastrophe. The rare few that survived left only fragmented records."

"The discovery of the Cangting Ancient Kingdom’s ruins will greatly help fill the gaps in our understanding of that period."

"Moreover…"

Adams paused for a moment. "The Cangting Ancient Kingdom has barely been mentioned even within academic fields, with only the occasional scattered references."

"Who was it that pinpointed this ruin’s location and initiated its excavation?"

"To be able to find this place based on nothing more than a few trivial clues in ancient texts, this person must have an extraordinary level of expertise in history and archaeology. Perhaps even on par with me."

"Was it Fullon? Takelin? Or Vladimir?"

Adams listed several renowned historians, but Fioren shook her head at each name.

"His name is Xia Ya Egut."

"Xia Ya? I don’t recall hearing that name."

Adams frowned slightly, searching his memory, but before he could think further, Fioren added,

"He’s a student at Saint Roland Academy. Seventeen years old this year."

"Seventeen?"

Adams was momentarily taken aback, but then his eyes lit up with interest.

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"Would it be possible for you to introduce me to him?"

Fioren could already guess his thoughts.

"Xia Ya Egut’s talent in beast mastery likely surpasses even his aptitude in archaeology."

"Additionally, if my investigation is correct, he already has a mentor… Someone from the Dark Tower’s ‘Eight Pages.’"

"One of the ‘Eight Pages’ from the Dark Tower…?"

Adams' expression stiffened, and he quickly abandoned the idea of seeking a successor.

The supernatural forces of the Western Continent could generally be divided into three categories:

Empires, Alliances, and Theocracies—nations that ruled vast territories with millions of citizens.

Forbidden Organizations like the Ashen Order, which allied with lost beast kings and were labeled heretical threats by various nations.

Independent Transcendent Orders—powerful yet neutral organizations that maintained order without being actively opposed by the dominant factions.

The Shadow Council and the Three Towers (including the White Chalk Tower) fell into the third category.

However, unlike the White Tower and Red Tower, which had only existed for a few centuries—

The Dark Tower was an ancient and colossal entity that had endured for thousands of years without a single break in its lineage.

It was said that at its peak, every seat among the ‘Eight Pages’ was filled by a Legendary-tier powerhouse or beyond, each capable of rivaling an entire theocratic nation.

Even during the Era of Cataclysm, the Dark Tower’s ‘Eight Pages’ suffered heavy losses, yet the organization remained one of the Western Continent’s supreme forces.

"Then forget it… I wouldn’t dare try to steal a student from one of the ‘Eight Pages.’"

Adams let out a self-deprecating chuckle. Though he held a revered position in academia, he was ultimately just a Fourth-Ring scholar and knew his own limitations.

"But simply meeting him should be fine." He retrieved a name card, adorned with intricate golden rose engravings.

"Please pass this to Xia Ya Egut. Let him know that if he ever visits the City of Knowledge, I would be delighted to invite him to the Floren History Department as a guest."

"I am very much interested in meeting a young man who has caught the attention of both the Dark Tower’s ‘Eight Pages’ and the Imperial Princess."

This time, Fioren did not refuse. She accepted the name card and placed it away carefully.

"I will deliver it to him."

Her gaze swept across the ruins below before she spoke again.

"Two weeks ago, this area experienced fluctuations of a ‘Historical Echo.’"

"But within mere hours, the fluctuations vanished completely. By the time our people arrived, there was nothing left—no trace, no way to re-enter."

"A ‘Historical Echo’ occurred here?"

Adams was surprised, but quickly understood.

If not for such an event, these ruins would not have warranted the attention of an Imperial Inspector of Fioren’s rank.

He pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Based on my experience, most Historical Echoes are simply preserved remnants of the past—containing rare transcendent materials or trial mechanisms, but nothing inherently abnormal."

"However, the way you describe it, this case is extremely rare. Or rather… it suggests that the first person to trigger the Historical Echo is highly unusual."

Adams’ expression turned contemplative.

"To be precise… this Historical Echo was activated specifically for him."

"If not for his presence, this Echo might have remained dormant for centuries or even millennia, fading away in obscurity."

"Is he the descendant of the one who created the Historical Echo? A chosen heir?"

"Or perhaps… he might simply be an ancient soul revived."

Adams proposed several hypotheses but hesitated to draw any conclusions. Even with his extensive knowledge, cases like this were exceedingly rare.

Fioren nodded slightly, just about to say something when she felt a faint vibration in her pocket.

Her expression became more serious. With a slight wave of her hand, a massive black dragon roared downward, carrying her high into the sky, away from the crowd.

Only after ensuring privacy did Fioren reach into her pocket and retrieve a pale blue crystal, lightly tapping it.

The next moment, the crystal emitted a brilliant azure glow, which quickly coalesced into two indistinct humanoid figures.

This was the Fresta Empire’s astral communication network, a system constructed within the Starrealm, using Starrealm Spirits as a medium for direct communication across the astral plane.

By utilizing the unique properties of the Starrealm, this system achieved true zero-latency real-time transmission—or in simpler terms, the astral version of the World Wide Web, or perhaps even a private chat group.

Of course, due to the rarity of Starrealm Spirits and the enormous amount of transcendent resources required to cultivate them, only a select few individuals were granted access to astral communication. Even Fioren herself seldom used it.

As she focused her mental energy into the connection, she realized the astral communication had already been active for some time—she had joined mid-conversation.

—

"Xia Ya Egut… His background is highly mysterious and nearly impossible to trace."

"When he was twelve, he briefly appeared in the Arcane City of Lokiah, where he was taken as a disciple by Hathaway Altiano, one of the Eight Pages of the Dark Tower, also known as ‘The Eternal Page.’"

"This was also the only recorded time the Golden Elf Legend ever took in a student, according to the imperial intelligence archives."

"At fourteen, he and Ailora arrived in the Imperial Capital. Using two hundred Rhine Gold Coins confiscated from a criminal gang in the lower districts as their starting capital, they rapidly accumulated their initial wealth."

"Popular fiction, luxury goods, ornamental summoned beasts… He has his hands in nearly every major commercial market currently thriving in the capital. In fact, some of these emerging industries were entirely pioneered by him."

"Later, for unknown reasons, he shifted his focus to archaeology—investing large sums of money and frequently traveling between various imperial cities, completing a massive number of bounty missions for the Order Bureau in the process."

"Despite splitting his attention, his progress in beast mastery has not slowed in the slightest."

"Based on the latest intelligence, his summoned beasts include a Snow Ferret adept at mental illusions and a Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey with spatial teleportation abilities…"

"Both he and Ailora are either on the verge of breaking through the Second-Ring threshold or have already done so. Once their breakthroughs are confirmed, their combat ratings will be reassessed to near-Fourth-Ring levels."

"From my personal assessment, an ordinary newly-advanced Fourth-Ring Master-Tier Beastmaster would have less than a 50% chance of defeating either of them in single combat."

"Rather than calling them ‘legendary seeds,’ I’d say becoming legends is practically guaranteed for them, unless they die prematurely."

A refined female voice spoke through the astral communication channel.

Noticing Fioren’s arrival, the speaker paused briefly, then lifted her gown slightly, executing a flawless noblewoman’s curtsy.

"Lady Fioren."

"You are… the one from the Abyss Plane?" Fioren immediately recognized the voice and was slightly surprised. "I didn't expect even you to be involved this time."

"Well, it happened right beside me," the woman replied gracefully. "Besides, before Her Highness Isadella, my past identity need not be mentioned."

After a brief exchange, Fioren quickly began her own report.

She concisely relayed all the findings from the Cangting Ruins, including Adams' conjectures.

At the end of her report, Fioren hesitated briefly before speaking again.

"Your Highness, I would like to temporarily step down from my duties as Inspector and return to the White Chalk Tower."

"Before the Tower Master sealed himself into self-imposed slumber, he left behind a few cryptic words. Given the appearance of this Historical Echo, I believe this could have a profound impact on the entire White Chalk Tower."

—

"Granted."

"After all, this was the promise I made to you when you first swore your allegiance to me."

For the first time, the third party in the astral channel spoke.

Through the hazy projection, Fioren could make out the silhouette of a silver-haired girl, clad in a black-and-red military uniform.

Yet, far more striking than her appearance was her sheer presence—a noble and commanding aura that naturally demanded respect, making it easy to forget her youth.

She was Isadella von Fresberg, the Second Imperial Princess of Fresta.

For years, the current emperor had been gravely ill, and with the empire burdened by countless historical issues, various noble factions and hidden forces had begun stirring in the shadows—

Infiltrations, internal sabotage, riots among the commoners… The empire was teetering on the brink.

And yet, despite this crisis, the colossal nation still held firm, neither collapsing nor showing signs of decline.

It was no exaggeration to say that more than half of the empire’s stability rested on the shoulders of this Second Princess.

Isadella’s gaze shifted away from Fioren and returned to the previous speaker.

"Then… what of his life before age eleven?"

"The specific details are unverifiable. Xia Ya and Ailora only entered official records after arriving in the Imperial Capital."

"However, we have credible evidence suggesting that both of them hail from Silan."

"Silan?"

There was a slight spark of interest in the silver-haired princess’s tone.

"You're referring to the northern city that was destroyed eight years ago?"

"Yes. The world believes that a rogue Titled Beastmaster, who was on the run from the Theocracy, was responsible for the massacre."

"But—if there hadn’t been a leak, how could he have attacked the city at the exact moment it had just repelled a Northland Beast Tide, when all its strongest warriors were critically wounded? That level of precision suggests a deliberate act."

The princess paused briefly, her tone slightly colder.

"If I recall correctly, one of the Eight Oathbound Families of the Empire, ‘The Winter Blossom,’ was wiped out in Silan’s destruction."

"Correct."

"Given Xia Ya Egut’s extraordinary talent as a Beastmaster, his exceptional business acumen, and his remarkable adaptability in social dealings…"

"Many informed factions suspect that he may actually be the sole surviving heir of the late Winter Count, the last remaining member of the ‘Winter Blossom’ family."

"A survivor of Silan… the last heir of the Winter Blossom family… how intriguing."

A subtle gleam appeared in Isadella’s icy gaze.

She took a few steps forward, the sharp clicks of her high-heeled boots echoing crisply.

In the background of the astral projection, the distant rumble of magitech artillery could be heard—she was currently on a battlefield.

After a long pause, Isadella spoke again.

"From your personal perspective… what do you make of Xia Ya Egut?"

"How should I put it…"

"I know both you, Lady Fioren, and Her Highness have speculated whether he is a revived ancient soul or a reincarnated powerhouse."

"But from my impression—he doesn’t carry the aura of an old schemer full of hidden plots and deep calculations."

The refined female voice hesitated briefly, as if lost in thought.

"He’s greedy, cunning, silver-tongued, and a complete theatrical show-off."

"He never does anything without a profit motive."

"He always trusts his own judgment and remains entirely unaffected by public opinion."

"But—"

"If he sets his mind on doing something, he has never once failed."

"If Your Highness is looking for a loyal, obedient subordinate, then Xia Ya Egut is absolutely the wrong choice."

"But given the empire’s current crisis… he might just be able to accomplish things that those ‘loyal’ yet mediocre subjects never could."

"Simply put—he is worthy of becoming an ally of the empire. He is worthy of being a ‘Swordbearer.’"

"Excellent."

In the astral projection, the silver-haired princess shifted slightly.

Her overwhelming presence flared, drawing the instinctive attention of the surrounding soldiers.

"Then—once the border war is settled—"

"I will personally oversee Xia Ya Egut’s Swordbearer Trial."