Hate me, Miss Witch!

"The Sacred Sword and the Sacred Spear were both born bearing the will of the plane. They were forged by the planet itself as weapons, with the purpose of 'salvation' embedded in them from the moment of their creation."

"The last time the Sacred Sword and Sacred Spear appeared was nearly a thousand years ago, in the Ancient Era before the establishment of the Holy Calendar..."

"They have now recognized masters and returned to life. Does this signal that an era of chaos far greater than the Calamity Land period is upon us? An era that might compare to the turmoil at the end of that Ancient Era?"

A hint of coldness flickered in the Princess's crimson eyes.

"However, regardless of how ancient the past these resurrected ones hail from..."

"Since they have chosen to revive in this era, they must abide by the order of our time."

"Otherwise, if they have already passed away, they should remain gone forever."

...

Standing on the second floor of the mansion, watching the Black Vulture carriage slowly disappear down the street leading out of the city, Shiayar couldn't help but silently remark to himself. Her Royal Highness the Princess truly has great ambition. This is the grand spirit needed to pacify a chaotic era and subdue all potentially resurrected ancient legends. Still, it's to be expected—without such mettle, she probably wouldn't have been acknowledged by the Sacred Sword.

Silvia extended a small notebook towards Shiayar. A line of delicate, pale golden script was inscribed upon it: "Brother Shiayar, I'll be going now too."

In the final act of the Echo of History, Shiayar had already helped her mend the fragmented Twilight Authority and Divinity deep within her Soul.

Over five hundred years had passed. The present Silvia was now fully In Control of her own power and Authority, no longer fearing a repeat of her first encounter with the Twilight Divinity, where her mere words would transform into magic words that slaughtered the innocent.

Yet even so, she still preferred to communicate with others through writing. This was a technique Shiayar had taught her over five hundred years ago for self-restraint, and it had now become a habit.

Shiayar nodded. "Hmm, are you going to discuss opening a branch tower of the White Tower in the Empire Capital with Deputy Tower Master Isveytan and the others?"

Silvia's Cangyin eyes fluttered. She nodded, and pale golden script slowly emerged on the small notebook.

"Over five hundred years ago, after I achieved Legendary status, Golden Dawn once sent an envoy to contact me."

"From him, I sensed an aura similar to mine."

"Like me, he must have used some special method to contain fragmented Divinity or an Authority Fragment. However, his integration was far inferior to mine."

With Silvia's spiritual power, the soundproofing barrier Isadella had solidified on the ring naturally couldn't stop her; or rather, it was never intended to.

"However, although similar, that is not the path I seek..."

This short line of text in the small notebook held an incredibly heavy significance.

The Legendary Rank represents a leap in the essence of life, from human to something beyond.

Most Beastmasters are completely ignorant of the realms beyond Legendary. However, as a Throne Level Beastmaster, Silvia could see through a portion of the immense fog shrouding the path beyond the Legendary realm.

Broadly speaking, there are two paths beyond Legendary.

One path is to contain fragments of Divinity and Authority. This leads to becoming a Fabled Creature, then a Demigod, and can even extend to creating a Divine Kingdom, spreading faith, and eventually ascending the Divine Throne to become a True God. This path is also known as the 'Path to Godhood.'

It is the most traceable and methodical path.

The seven orthodox gods of the Dawn Church, as well as those false gods and Evil Gods from the Abyss worshipped by evil cults, are all without exception on this path. The only difference lies in how far they have traveled along it.

Silvia was born containing the entire Divinity and Authority of an Ancient God of Twilight's Half-Body. Theoretically, this made her the perfect candidate for the Path to Godhood. By fully embracing the Twilight Authority and Divinity, she could advance directly from Legendary to Demigod.

But Silvia chose not to do so.

She chose not to because she didn't want to forget the heart she held as a human. She feared becoming an exalted Fabled Creature, gazing down upon all living things from above and losing her humanity. Deities grow strong through faith, but faith also changes their self-perception. They eventually evolve into beings that match the forms imagined by most of their followers.

Or to put it more precisely, she was afraid that Shiayar would despise the person she would become upon their next meeting.

So, Silvia chose the other, far more difficult path. She rejected the temptation to merge with Divinity and Authority for a swift ascent. Instead, she treated the Twilight Authority merely as a pure force, continuing as a human on the path of the Legendary Beastmaster.

This was the harder path. Each Legendary's journey is unique. Even with precedents set by Throne Level Beastmasters, no one knows for sure if their own path can reach the other shore.

Fortunately, Silvia's gamble paid off. In the end, she transcended that boundary and achieved the Throne.

"At that time, I was busy searching for clues about you, Brother Shiayar, so I didn't pay attention to Golden Dawn's invitation."

"However, it is indeed a rather ancient and mysterious organization. Even a mere messenger is a Legendary on the Path to Godhood... If I'm not mistaken, there must be more than one Demigod within Golden Dawn."

Silvia's gaze dropped slightly, not wanting Shiayar to see the cold chill in those beautiful Cangyin eyes at this moment.

Strictly speaking in terms of rank, Demigods and Thrones are equivalent. However, there is a difference in their accumulated power and experience. For instance, a newly minted Throne like Silvia naturally paled in comparison to Demigods who had reigned for a thousand years.

But if *They* truly harbored designs on Brother Shiayar...

A moment later, when the silver-haired girl's pretty face lifted again, the icy chill had vanished.

"In any case, it's better for you to be a little more careful, Brother Shiayar."

A faint smile touched the corners of her lips.

"I'm also worried that, in my absence, Brother Shiayar will be targeted by those with ill intentions."

"So, I'll leave one of my own Pet Beasts at your house, Brother Shiayar."

"Then, see you later, Brother Shiayar."

Faint golden lettering quietly materialized in The Void.

The next moment, Silvia's graceful figure began to fade slowly.

Seconds later, she disappeared into the twilight's glow.

The vast mansion was left with only Shiayar and Enola, making it seem somewhat deserted for a moment.

"I'll do the dishes," Enola said.

The blonde girl finally rose from her chair, withdrawing the gaze that had been fixed on Shiayar.

This let Shiayar breathe a sigh of relief; Ennie's 'gaze of the rightful wife' was not something everyone could withstand.

Enola began clearing the dishes from the table. As she did, she suddenly asked softly, "Do you want a lap pillow tonight?"

With Silvia's arrival, the girl had finally felt an immense sense of crisis and was beginning to proactively offer Shiayar some perks.

Shiayar wiped some spilled wine from the table with a rag and helped pick up a stack of porcelain bowls. He casually embraced the girl, teasing, "How about one with an extra-short skirt and no stockings?"

CRACK—

A pair of wooden chopsticks snapped on the spot.

The base of her ears, beneath her golden hair, flushed crimson.

"I'll... think about it..."

She snatched the remaining dishes from Shiayar's hands and fled with her head lowered. Soon, the sound of rushing water came from the kitchen.

Hmph, now you know who's on top, eh?

Just as Shiayar was about to follow and press his advantage with more teasing, he suddenly remembered the last thing Silvia had written before she left.

Leave one of her own Pet Beasts in my house?

His gaze swept across the mansion.

Not far away on the couch, he saw a white cat with soft, silvery fur, napping with its eyes closed.

The white cat possessed an elegant demeanor, exuding an untouchable, noble aura.

The next moment, as if sensing Shiayar's gaze, the white cat opened its eyes, revealing Cangyin pupils.

It shifted towards Shiayar and then let out a lazy meow.

MEOW—