Hate me, Miss Witch!

The Gray-Silver Witch's lips were soft, yet ice-cold.

A faint, ethereal fragrance spread through Shiayar's nostrils, involuntarily reminding him of the fragrant telosma that bloomed at dawn and dusk.

Meanwhile, her slender fingers were still writing in the palm of Shiayar's hand.

"Brother Shiayar, I've taken your first... This is the compensation I want."

The tickling sensation in his palm paused for a moment before moving again.

"There are too many people here. Let's find a less crowded place."

The next moment, the flowing twilight that enveloped the hall gently shrouded the figures of Shiayar and Silvia.

Then, under the twilight's veil, their forms rapidly faded and then vanished.

After a short while, the frozen amber glow around them quietly shattered.

"What happened? Did I fall for an Illusion Technique? Did I lose consciousness for a while?"

"No." A Titled Rank Beastmaster, invited as a guest, looked shocked and shook his head. "Rather than being affected by an Illusion Technique... it's more like time in this world was frozen by some tremendous mystery just now."

"But to freeze time, including that of so many Titled Rank Beastmasters, is an absurd feat. Not even a Legendary could accomplish it, right?"

"Could it be that a Demigod descended here just now?"

"Right, where is the Rose Emperor? And Shiayar Egutt?" someone asked, looking around in bewilderment.

In their memory, Guderian had just completely lost his temper. He had revealed his Rose Emperor, which had advanced to the Mythical Rank, and vowed to utterly obliterate Shiayar.

But at this moment, not only had the figure of that Rose Emperor disappeared, but Shiayar's form was equally elusive.

Only the center of the hall remained, where a golden-haired girl stood, her icy blue eyes looking as if she could kill at any second.

Enola had detected no hostility from Silvia, which is why she had stepped aside.

Unexpectedly, this unfamiliar female Legendary Beastmaster was indeed not Shiayar's enemy.

Yet, she was clearly Enola's own foe.

Enola's eyes were ice-cold, as if flames could erupt from them at any moment.

That boy belonged only to her!

Especially his first kiss.

It was a treasure Enola herself had cherished for a long time. Whenever Shiayar fell asleep, she would sit by the bed, watching his childlike sleeping face. She always suppressed her impulse, reluctant to claim it.

She wanted to wait until they were both adults, ready to take that step, and then savor it painstakingly.

Enola was, of course, aware that with Shiayar's "pretty-boy" allure, some would inevitably covet her treasure. So she had always been extremely cautious, treading on thin ice... carefully keeping those wolves who eyed her little white rabbit at bay. She had successfully warded off the Dawn Saintess from the Sacred Court and obstructed President Dyres. She had even preemptively strengthened her guard against the Second Princess and the Queen of the Night, who were showing subtle signs of interest. Yet, she never expected that despite all her vigilance, a single moment of carelessness would allow someone to pluck her peach away.

Now that both Shiayar and she had just come of age, they were on the verge of progressing to the next step!

And what infuriated Enola most was that she didn't even recognize the silver-haired witch. Initially, she thought the witch was from the Black Tower, someone Shiayar's teacher had sent to the rescue. Enola had no idea how Shiayar had hooked up with her.

At this moment, Enola's blue eyes paused slightly.

She saw a note quietly emerge at the spot where Shiayar and Silvia had disappeared.

Enola's eyes flashed with confusion as she stepped forward and took the note in her hand.

Delicate golden handwriting was slowly appearing on the white paper.

"Miss Enola Ingritt, or... Ennie?

"I can call you that, right? Because that's what I see Brother Shiayar calling you.

"I witnessed the earlier banquet, and I know he's very important to you. You must be quite anxious about his sudden disappearance... so I thought I should let you know.

"Brother Shiayar has been taken by me for now.

"But Enola, you can rest assured, I will return Brother Shiayar to your home unscathed.

"Silvia Brunestadt"

Only then did Enola learn the true identity of this unfamiliar female Legendary Beastmaster.

The founder of the White Tower, the "Gray-Silver Witch" Silvia.

She had become a Legendary five hundred years ago, and it seemed that today, she had advanced even further.

If an ordinary person received a note from such an esteemed White Tower Master, they would probably be overwhelmed with flattery.

But at this moment, Enola felt no joy at all.

The words "unscathed" and "Brother Shiayar" on the white note were so glaring that Enola couldn't help but clench her silver teeth.

It's well known that all third-party interlopers throughout history start by playing the role of the affectionate 'little sister,' claiming they'll 'only ever dote on Brother.'

Moreover, how could a five-hundred-year-old Legendary powerful pro have the audacity to assume the role of a little sister?

SHLICK—

The note was sliced by the Sharpness of her spear's aura, creating many tiny cuts.

...

With his eyes closed, Shiayar only felt the world spinning around him.