Hate me, Miss Witch!

Not until he stepped outside the bounds of the Dark Night Garden did Shiayar realize that Enola's intuition, which had been on edge like a panicked cat, was slowly calming down.

The two shared one umbrella, walking shoulder to shoulder.

Around them, the rain-draped streets of the Empire Capital were indistinct, colorful, dazzling, and hazy.

"She's powerful."

After walking side by side for a while, the blonde girl next to Shiayar spoke up in a cool voice.

"Indeed, she's powerful. Just now, it was merely her avatar woven from shadows, but it already felt no less intimidating than a 6-Ring."

"If I'm not mistaken, she must be the master of the Dark Shadow Council, 'Queen of the Night' Augutina."

"It is said that she holds part of the authority over night and secrets. Whether that's true or not is unclear."

Shiayar nodded.

Aside from his teacher, this was his first time facing a Legendary figure so closely.

Even though it was just an avatar, the pressure it placed on Shiayar was significant.

"There's more—" Enola spoke again, "The way she looked at you, it was off."

"I felt the same way," Shiayar agreed. "It's like she wanted to sell me off to slave traders for money."

That's why he preferred to mortgage his extra items to get cash and make a quick exit.

Otherwise, given Shiayar's current level of poverty, he wouldn't have minded working for a week to earn money.

The price she offered was indeed very tempting, even making him consider it.

"It's quite rare to see a Legendary figure who still cares so much about Gold Coins."

Don't tell me the grand 'Queen of the Night' is also racking her brains over not having enough money to buy Extraordinary material, just like me?

In that moment, Shiayar, also impoverished, felt a sense of empathy for her.

Misery loves company, so why ponder on past acquaintances?

Meanwhile, beside Shiayar, Enola merely tilted her head.

Then, in her heart, she quietly raised the caution level for the 'Queen of the Night' even higher than President Dyres, reaching a level equal to that of the Empire's Second Princess Isadella, whom Enola had never met.

These were, in Enola's eyes, opponents who were worthy of threatening her.

And don't ask why Enola became wary of the 'Queen of the Night' after Shiayar had met her only once.

It's just the uniquely female Intuition EX.

Based on Enola's understanding of Shiayar, her childhood friend was, by nature, a 'handsome youth irresistible to women,' possessing an innate quality that made women flock around him wherever he went.

Of course, Enola could completely understand this, as no one knew better than she how outstanding Shiayar was.

But, if someone were to step on her toes, getting ahead of her in tasting the forbidden fruit—

That was something Enola could never tolerate.

「Golden Plains, White Chalk Tower.」

In the White Tower Great Library, myriad giant bookshelves made of goldthread wood stretched out, appearing grand and magnificent.

Countless volumes were quietly and orderly arrayed on these grand wooden shelves, exuding an air of time-worn tranquility.

Fioran stood at the entrance of the library, turning back to look at the serene expanse of the Great Library.

"Are you leaving?"

A woman clad in a white robe with a plain and graceful face spoke from behind Fioran.

The voice of 'Silent Singer' Isveytan was calm. "You could return to the White Tower; there's no need to constantly fight and kill outside."

"No need... The White Tower is like your title."

"This place is too tranquil, too peaceful. It's only suitable for dedicated seekers to study and research the Arcane Arts and knowledge."

Fioran glanced at Isveytan through her metal mask. "Of course, teaching and educating people isn't so bad for you all either."

"But as for me, the cold and harsh battlefield is where I feel much more open and free."

"I promised Her Highness that this return was solely to repay the White Tower for its nurturing grace."

Isveytan hesitated, then spoke again, "So, inside the Eternal Slumber Plane..."

"It's a world enshrouded in twilight. Without the power of a 6-Ring peak, there's no thinking about reaching deep into the palace."

"Frankly, I'm still somewhat fearful."

At this, a hint of residual fear flickered in Fioran's eyes.

With her strength, she had only just arrived at the throne room for a few seconds, not even having enough time to clearly see the figure on the Throne before she was forcibly exiled from the plane.

The frozen majesty had even caused some trauma to her Soul, requiring her to recuperate in the White Tower for a few more days to recover.

"That Tower Master, she..."

"It's unclear, but that frozen might indeed originates from the Throne."

"The Gray-Silver Witch must still be sleeping on the Throne, and her strength seems to be growing with her slumber, far surpassing that of ordinary Legendary figures."

"I'm not sure if she heard me."

"In any case, I've repaid my debt of nurture, and now it's time for me to leave."

As she stepped out of the Great Library, the scene before her eyes abruptly changed, transforming into the plaza of the White Tower.

The next moment, a massive Black Scales Drake was summoned onto the plaza, exuding a fearsome Dragon's Might.

Isveytan nodded quietly.

No matter what, knowing that the Tower Master is still alive is good news for the White Tower in itself.

A living legend; as long as this news persisted, the White Tower's status in the Western Continent would be unshakable.

She thought for a while and then spoke again, "Are you still planning to return through the Empire's teleportation array?"

"Yes, but first I need to go to the border—"

Fioran's words were not yet finished.

In the next instant, both she and Isveytan's expressions changed simultaneously.

'Military teleportation array?'

A line of pale gold text appeared out of nowhere, suddenly emerging in the void before the two of them.

Twelve streaks of light lit up.

Almost instinctively, Fioran and Isveytan summoned all their Pet Beasts at the same time.

The solemn Dragon's Might, the "Requiem" that could bring death to all listening beings... The peak Skills of more than a dozen Pet Beasts were about to erupt in this instant.

In the Great Library behind Isveytan, the wooden bookshelves holding thousands of books were creaking, on the verge of collapsing under the erupting Magic Power.

However, the next moment, a dim yellow light quietly emerged,

covering the entire sky.

Whether it was the Emperor Rank Black Scales Drake, the Crowned Griffon, or the Death Eulogizer... all the Pet Beasts' movements were frozen at this moment.

Along with them, the thousands of bookshelves in the Great Library that were about to shatter were also suspended in the frozen dusk.

Only then did Fioran and Isveytan see the slender figure emerging from the glow at their side.

She had silver hair and silver eyes, dressed in a slightly worn black tulle gown, with layers of dim yellow wings falling behind her, ethereal and hazy.

She stepped out from the frozen dusk.

Then, treading in somewhat old-fashioned red high heels, she came before Isveytan and Fioran.

"Silvia... Tower Master."

Isveytan's originally calm voice took on an undeniable quiver.

Unlike Fioran, who had left the White Tower, Isveytan was the hereditary custodian of the Great Library.

And one of her ancestors was among the original founders who had followed Silvia to establish the White Tower.

Therefore, unlike the newer generation of the White Tower, Isveytan had never forgotten the mission passed down by her family.

Their real duty was not to be a librarian of the Great Library, but rather, the tomb keeper for the Gray-Silver Witch.

As long as the person in Eternal Slumber within the tomb did not awaken, the tomb keeper's mission would continue from generation to generation, never ending.

And now—the person who should have lived in history had actually walked out of her own tomb.

Her appearance and attire were exactly the same as the portraits passed down through the generations in Isveytan's family.

The slender figure in the dusk turned her head and looked towards Isveytan, pale gold letters appearing in the void.

'I recognize the scent of your bloodline, the same origin as a little girl I saved when I established the White Tower.'

"Yes, that was my great-grandmother..."

"I..."

Isveytan's originally quiet and gentle face showed an uncontrollable stir of emotions.

She, known by the title "Silent Singer," was now so excited that she was somewhat at a loss for words.

This was the mission and longing passed down through her family's generations.

But now, it had abruptly intruded into reality.

However, the Gray-Silver Witch did not let her gaze linger on the excited Isveytan for long.

Her pure silver eyes swept over,

and then, they fixed upon Fioran's metallic mask.

'You are the little girl who came into the palace earlier, aren't you?'

'Did you say just now that you came here using the Empire's military teleportation array?'

Fioran nodded subconsciously.

Although she came from the White Tower, she did not have the same family obsession as Isveytan regarding the figure before them—the Gray-Silver Witch—so she wasn't as emotionally overwhelmed.

Fioran was just astonished that a figure from history had appeared before her own eyes.

And, she was in awe of that overwhelming presence.

Without making the slightest noise, she had frozen all the Pet Beasts of both her and Isveytan in the still dusk.

Of all the Legendary figures Fioran had ever seen, none had been capable of doing something like this.

If the gap between a Titled Rank and an ordinary Legendary figure could be so great that one could be instantly killed at will, then Titled Rank Beastmasters wouldn't be hailed as a pillar of a nation.

But then, Fioran's gaze became as stunned as Isveytan's.

She saw, in the hands of the Gray-Silver Witch,

an old and incomplete metal disc, as if it had corroded over a long passage of time, silently and unobtrusively appearing.

Fioran recognized that metal disc.

It was the Empire's standard-issue teleportation array, identical to the one she had used to come to the White Tower.