Hate me, Miss Witch!

Empire Capital, Upper City District.

Within a mansion so vast it resembled a palace more than a building, in a courtyard bathed in glorious sunshine.

Emerald green plants stood tall and proud in the courtyard, blossoming with flowers of various colors and wafting waves of rich fragrance; the air was so filled with a mix of Magic Power and vitality that it almost seemed to solidify.

If a Beastmaster specializing in Plant-based Pet Beasts were present, they would be utterly astonished.

For in this courtyard, the plants were, without exception, rare Pet Beast species of Sovereign Rank and above.

Plant-based Pet Beasts are scarce and difficult to nurture. Any single Sovereign Rank Plant-based Pet Beast requires decades, or even centuries, of cultivation. Harvesting just one could give birth to a powerful Master Rank Beastmaster specializing in Plant-based Pet Beasts.

Yet at this moment, in the courtyard, these treasured plant Sovereigns appeared merely as potted plants for ornamentation in the eyes of outsiders.

An elderly man with a serene expression was holding gardening shears, meticulously pruning the branches of the plants, without any aura of grandeur about him, as if he were truly an ordinary gardener.

"The Thorns of Sin have been destroyed."

"Viscount Lori lost the wager, his Spiritual Demon got out of control, and he chose suicide."

"The family's watchers in the area are dead as well; and the things below, unless something unexpected occurs, have also been fully exposed."

Suddenly, an extremely respectful voice rang out from the shadows of the wall surrounding the courtyard.

The elderly man continued his task until he clipped off an excess twig and then ceased his movements.

He tossed the clippings into a wooden bucket beside him. "Clean it up."

"It's already underway. The Thorns of Sin and the family's connection have been completely severed, and there will be no loose ends left."

The highly respectful voice responded promptly.

"Additionally, according to the information from the scene, the leader of the group that destroyed the Thorns of Sin exhibited a shield emblem."

"If the eyewitness account is accurate... then that emblem of the World Tree and Silver Sword should indeed be the Swordbearer's shield emblem."

The man, who looked like a gardener, ran his hand over the pruned branches before finally placing his gardening shears into the toolbox.

A moment later, he turned around.

The simple aura of a gardener vanished, replaced by an air of ancient majesty. "Isadella is active again, is she?" he mused. "Does she believe she's learned enough from her last failure... accumulated enough power in these four years? Who is the Swordbearer she has chosen this time? That young woman from the White Tower, named Fioran?"

The respectful voice from the shadows hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "It's not Southern Inspector Fioran, Your Excellency."

"According to the family's intelligence, the leader doesn't seem to be a 4-Ring yet..."

"Based on the recorded physical characteristics and voice comparison... with high probability, it is that St. Roland Academy third-year student, Shiayar Egutt, who previously thwarted the Ashes Cult's schemes in the Empire Capital."

The elder's voice paused for a moment. "Him?"

"That's correct. The Second Princess and Shiayar Egutt likely formed their connection during the Ashes Cult's attack."

"Additionally, there is evidence suggesting he's from Ceylon, and 'Shiayar Egutt' might merely be an alias."

"When one considers that the Winter Flower's Chess Piece of Oaths is still missing, perhaps..."

The respectful voice from within the shadows paused briefly. "This time, he also stands in the same camp as the Second Princess."

"Should we, as with the previous Swordbearers, join forces with the other families and move directly against the Swordbearer leader..."

"No need."

The suggestion from the shadows had barely been voiced before it was interrupted by the elder.

The elderly man sat down on a chair in the courtyard; while it was just an ordinary wooden chair, it suddenly seemed laden with somber majesty as he sat.

"The Royal Family is, after all, the Royal Family. Even though their control over the Empire has weakened year by year, their lingering influence ought not to be underestimated."

"Isadella's talents and temperament are indeed excellent. Over the years, her excellence has led many to renew their faith in the Royal Family."

"As long as she exists, the Swordbearers will exist. In such circumstances, the kind of forceful suppression practiced in the past would only backfire, inciting their spirit of resistance."

The elderly man's speech paused slightly. "So instead, we might consider a different approach."

"The rose and the rapier are the family's crest."

"Seductive allure and decisive, powerful methods—that is the way of the Borgia."

"Your subordinate understands."

The shadowy figure quietly retreated.

Meanwhile, the elder settled in his wooden chair. After a moment, a pale blue Magic Power screen silently emerged.

"Histanlia, his records should have arrived by now, haven't they?"

"What do you think about the earlier proposal?"

The sound of papers being flipped came from the Magic Power screen.

"Seventeen years old and nearly at 4-Ring. His talent is quite acceptable."

After a while, a crisp yet extraordinarily cold voice spoke out.

The pleasant-sounding female voice paused, seemingly perusing the Image Capture Crystal's footage, and then spoke up again a moment later.

"As for looks, he's certainly much better than those so-called descendants of the Sacred Hall in the theocratic kingdom. Easy on the eyes."

"If it's for the family, then I have no objections."

...

「In a gloomy underground chamber.」

Shiayar reached out, touching a part of the unexcavated secret room's depths, where a small area of time was twisted.