Hate Me, Miss Witch!

In the deep blue region of the Freesta Empire, in the gray-white hills, Inspector Feolun stood on a desolate hillside. Her metallic mask gleamed coldly in the wind, and her red hair fluttered slightly in the gusts sweeping through the wilderness.

Before her, at the foot of the earth slope, in the midst of a barren ruin, dozens of uniformed figures were carefully examining the area. Unlike ordinary Imperial soldiers, the black eagle insignia embroidered in silver thread on their left shoulders marked them as part of the Black Eagle Guards, an elite and secretive unit in the Empire, exuding an air of austerity and efficiency.

The Black Eagle Guards were one of the most elite and secretive units in the Freesta Empire. The entry threshold to join the Guards was a three-ring qualification. As for the leaders of the Black Eagle Guard squads, they were all Beastmasters of the fourth ring. With the current configuration of the Black Eagle Guards in the gray-white hills, they were more than capable of laying siege to a small city.

However, at this moment, they were only quietly searching this seemingly unremarkable ruin.

"The age of the soil has been roughly determined. It seems to be the remains from around five hundred years ago," said an elderly man with white hair, gold-rimmed glasses, and a scholarly air.

He was surrounded by several small silver-white mechanical pets. Unlike regular beast companions, these creatures had clear seams on their bodies and engraved miniature magical runes, showing that they were artificial pets created by a mechanic. While their combat abilities were minimal, they were highly useful for exploration and support.

"Thank you for your hard work, Professor Adams," Feolun's tone softened as she addressed him.

She knew well the weight of this elderly man. Adams was the head of the history department at Floren Academy and had been awarded the title of "Sage" by the Knowledge City, also recognized as the foremost authority on lost history in the Western Continent. If it weren't for the favor the princess had shown him in the past, even her status as an Inspector would not have been enough to invite him here.

"It's no trouble at all, especially since it was that young lady's request," Professor Adams said with a warm smile, despite his age. "And, even without that favor, being able to personally investigate the ruins of the Ancient Cangting Duchy is already worth the effort."

"Four to six hundred years ago, the continent experienced a great period of turmoil, which we call the 'Land of Calamity'," he continued. "During this time, wars broke out between humans, beasts, and gods, leading to the fall of saints and the bloodshed of deities. The legacies of most civilizations were severed during this disaster, and the few that survived left behind only vague traces."

"The discovery of the Cangting Duchy ruins is a huge help in filling in the blank history of that period."

Adams paused before continuing, "Moreover, the Cangting Duchy is rarely discussed in our academic circles, and only sporadic fragments of information remain."

"Do you know who discovered this ruin and brought it to light?" he asked, intrigued.

"Whoever was able to find this site based on such insignificant clues in ancient texts must have extraordinary skills in history and archaeology, perhaps even rivaling mine."

"Furen? Taklin? Or Vladimi?" Adams speculated, mentioning several prominent figures in the field, but Feolun shook her head.

"The person's name is Xaya Egut," she replied.

"Xaya? I don't believe I've heard of him," Adams frowned slightly, trying to recall, but Feolun continued, "He's a student at Saint Roland Academy, seventeen years old this year."

"Seventeen?" Adams was taken aback but quickly brightened. "Could you introduce me to him?"

Feolun could sense Adams's intent and replied, "Xaya Egut's talent in Beastmastery is likely even greater than his skills in archaeology. If I'm not mistaken, he already has a mentor, probably from the Extreme Black Tower's 'Eight Pages.'"

Adams's expression stiffened. "The 'Eight Pages' of the Extreme Black Tower..."

He quickly suppressed his own desire to find a suitable successor. The Extreme Black Tower was one of the most influential and ancient organizations in the Western Continent, and its 'Eight Pages' were powerful enough to challenge entire nations.

"It's fine," Adams smiled bitterly. "I wouldn't dare compete with an 'Eight Page' student. But at least, perhaps, I could meet him."

He then handed Feolun a business card with intricate golden roses on it. "Please give this to Xaya Egut. If he ever comes to the Knowledge City, I would be honored to have him visit the Floren Academy's History Department."

Feolun took the card. "I'll pass it on to him."

Her eyes shifted toward the ruins below, and she spoke again, "Two weeks ago, this area experienced a 'Historical Echo' event."

"But within hours, the disturbance was completely gone, and by the time our people arrived, there were no traces left. We couldn't access the site again."

Adams was surprised. "A Historical Echo here?" He quickly realized the significance. If that were the case, it would certainly have caught the attention of someone with Feolun's status.

"Based on my experience," he mused, "most Historical Echoes are simply remnants of ruined spaces, often containing rare materials or trials. But this situation is unusual. It seems that the person who triggered it was special—perhaps even the direct descendant of the powerful being who created the Echo."

Feolun nodded, about to speak when she felt a faint vibration from her pocket. Her expression grew more serious. She raised her hand, and a massive black dragon appeared, carrying her high into the air, away from the others.

Once she was alone, Feolun retrieved a light blue crystal from her pocket and touched it. The crystal emitted a soft blue light, forming two blurry human-shaped figures.

This was the Freesta Empire's "Astral Spirits" communication system, a real-time network built using astral creatures as intermediaries. This allowed for instant communication with zero delay, essentially the astral version of the internet or group chats.

Feolun's mental energy merged with the system, quickly realizing that the communication was already active. She had joined the conversation midway.

"Xaya Egut's background is shrouded in mystery, very difficult to trace."

"When he was twelve, he briefly appeared in the Arcane City of Lokiya and was taken as a disciple by one of the Eight Pages of the Black Tower, Hesterway Artiona," the voice in the communication continued. "This was the only time that legendary Elven mage ever took a student."

"At fourteen, he and Aurora came to the Imperial Capital, and after a raid on a criminal gang, they used the two hundred Rhine Gold coins they confiscated as capital to quickly establish themselves in various commercial sectors. He has since had a hand in many of the emerging markets in the city."

"Later, he seemed to shift his focus to archaeology, spending considerable amounts of money and traveling between the Empire's cities, completing numerous bounty missions. Yet, this did not affect his growth in Beastmastery."

"From the latest reports, his beasts include a Snowfield Ferret skilled in mental illusions and a Space Monkey with teleportation abilities."

"As of now, he and Aurpora are likely on the verge of breaking through to the second ring, with their power likely to be assessed as nearly on par with fourth-ring candidates."

"In my professional opinion, an ordinary Master at the start of the fourth ring would probably have less than a fifty percent chance of winning against either of them."

"They are not just potential legends; they are destined to become legends, barring any untimely demise."

A graceful voice continued, its tone cold yet carrying a hint of intrigue.

"Xaya Egut, despite his young age, may very well become an ally of the Empire. He has the potential to be a 'Sword Bearer.'"

"Very well," the voice of the silver-haired princess, Isabella von Frestburg, replied.

The atmosphere around her was filled with an imposing presence. Even the soldiers nearby couldn't help but look in her direction.

"Once the border conflicts are resolved," she said, "I will personally conduct the Sword Bearer assessment for Xaya Egut."

The chapter concludes with an overarching intrigue surrounding Xaya Egut's mysterious past, his burgeoning power, and the implications of his potential future in the Empire's politics and power struggles.