Hate me, Miss Witch!

Since Shiayar had not heard of the Blood Tribe of Millennium Castle or the name of the Despicable King Vortigern in later generations, there was no doubt that they had all ended up as losers in the chaos of these troubled times.

Shiayar's thoughts stirred slightly. The next moment, rows of text appeared on the azure light screen in his mind.

[Echo of History — Escarnia]

[Task Objective 1: Leave an eternal bad name for oneself in this Echo of History. The higher the negative legendary fame gained at the end, the greater the task reward.]

[Task Objective 2: Gain the favor of an important figure in this Echo of History and convert it to hatred before the Echo of History settles. The greater the difference between the favor and hatred values, the greater the task reward.]

I knew it, this damn system is up to no good.

Shiayar's face darkened.

True to form for the Destined Great Villain System, it wants to make him infamously notorious for all eternity.

And then there's the matter of an important person's favor and hatred values...

Since it's an Echo of History from before the foundation of the Fresta Empire, the most important person in this Echo of History is undoubtedly the Knight King who established the Fresta Empire.

Lucky for him, he had specially prepared the alias Cain.

Otherwise, if the Echo of History came true, and news of him deceiving the first Emperor of the Empire leaked out... he and Ennie might have to pack their bags and flee the Empire Capital.

Come to think of it, if Shiayar remembers correctly, the Empire's first Emperor, bearing the title of Knight King, should be male...

And indeed, in history, this Knight King had truly passed away, unlike Silvia who was in a missing state.

Looking at it this way, he shouldn't have to worry about being chased through time and space by a vengeful partner with an axe, like last time.

But on second thought, why does it feel slightly regretful?

Shiayar's stream of consciousness shifted subtly. The next moment, his gaze lingered for a slight pause because he saw another new line of text.

"4th Soul Pact (Shiayar Egutt)"

"Soul Pact Information Unlock Condition: Experience one true death."

「Silent Forest.」

This was a forest seldom trodden by humans, inhabited by fairly High Order magical beasts.

Yet very few knew that the headquarters of the world-renowned Dark Shadow Council was located here.

In the depths of the Silent Forest, next to a lake, sat a dim garden.

Augutina, wearing a layered but not overly elaborate dark gown, suddenly lifted her eyes to look toward the south of the continent.

That was the location of the Empire Capital, the most prosperous realm of humans—the Fresta Empire.

Nobody knew the exact origins of the "Queen of the Night," the leader of the Dark Shadow Council.

Nor did anyone understand why such an ancient and mysterious legend would forsake the riches and glory readily within her reach. Instead, she chose to dwell in the shadows, collecting and peddling information day after day, year after year, accumulating Gold Coins.

But at that moment, bright light flowed in Augutina's dark eyes.

Her pale fingers held a small and exquisite wine glass, its content, the crimson wine, so red and delicate, reminiscent of scarlet plasma.

After a long while, Augutina finally let out a sigh.

The sigh carried a touch of languor and an indescribable melancholy.

"A thousand years later..."

"Will you still remember me..."

「Golden Plains, White Tower.」

The Deputy White Tower Master, "Silent Singer" Isveytan, regarded the witch before her and spoke calmly, "I know your resolve to leave is firm, Tower Master, and my words will not sway you.

"Whether you acknowledge it or not, in the hearts of all White Tower Members, White Tower belongs solely to you. I am merely a tomb keeper, managing it in your stead.

"Given this, allowing White Tower to engage with the world is also a good choice. The current situation in the Fresta Empire is relatively stable, with the Royal Family holding a definitive upper hand. By leveraging the prestige of your actions, White Tower can forge an alliance with them, thereby enhancing the renown of White Chalk Tower.

"It will also prevent us from being perceived as merely an academic organization—a group only capable of teaching and nurturing, powerless in combat—if we remain hidden for too long.

"In fact, within White Tower, there are factions—like Fioran—who have tired of a peaceful life and seek to improve themselves through battle. This is a good opportunity to establish a sub-tower in the Empire Capital and grant them some opportunities.

"Tower Master, are you listening?"

Isveytan extended her palm and waved in front of Silvia.

She waved for a long moment before the Silver-haired Witch, who had been staring blankly in the direction of the Empire Capital, finally snapped back to reality as if she'd just had an epiphany.

The Gray-Silver Witch's expression returned to the indifference she usually displayed when scorning the world, but a faint blush crept onto her pale face.

Faint golden text materialized in the Void: 「I am listening.」

Listening my ass.

Isveytan was speechless for a moment.

When the Gray-Silver Witch first awakened, Isveytan and Fioran were truly awestruck by the frozen twilight, feeling both fear and respect for the witch who had emerged from five hundred years prior. However, as they spent more days together, Isveytan discovered that the Gray-Silver Witch's impressive aura—the aura of one whose name shook the Western Continent and who had slain a Mythical Rank Rose Emperor with a single magic word—was slowly crumbling.

She would often daydream and zone out mid-conversation, spending most of her time looking in the direction of the Empire Capital.

Once, Isveytan even accidentally caught a glimpse of her White Tower Master using Twilight Divine Power to sketch a portrait of a certain black-haired youth. The Tower Master had hurriedly destroyed it when discovered and refused to acknowledge it when questioned.