Hate Me, Witch!-Chapter 83: A World Where Xia Ya Exists

Staring at the witch shrouded in twilight’s radiance, and at the metallic disc in her hand, Fioren’s expression froze—just like Iswida’s.

Why?

If it were just a teleportation array, there would be nothing unusual about it.

After all, magitech constructs involving spatial technology had always held immense strategic value, and they were never exclusive to the Fresta Empire. Nearly every transcendent force in existence conducted similar research in secret.

Given the Argent Witch’s strength and status, combined with the White Tower’s deep foundations, it wouldn’t be surprising at all for her to have access to such magitech.

However—

The magitech array in her hand was unmistakably an Imperial standard-issue, single-user, bidirectional teleportation array—a mass-produced model.

Of course, even though the Empire maintained strict secrecy over this technology, a legendary figure could easily obtain one without anyone noticing. That alone wasn’t shocking.

But—

The teleportation disc in the Argent Witch’s hand was in a disturbingly strange state.

It was rusted, its magitech sigils had dulled, and it had long since lost its function.

As if—

As if it had truly endured the erosion of centuries.

And yet, as far as Fioren knew, this type of single-user bidirectional teleportation array had only been widely implemented in the military about a decade ago. Even the earliest prototype phases hadn’t existed for more than a hundred years.

And when she recalled her experiences in the Plane of Eternal Slumber—

The Argent Witch before her should have been asleep upon that solitary throne for five hundred years…

The implications were terrifying.

So terrifying that Fioren began to wonder if she had stumbled upon some forbidden secret—one that might get her killed just for knowing.

If this legendary figure before her truly decided to act—

Fioren doubted she would have even a sliver of a chance to resist.

…

Thankfully, the frozen twilight did not descend upon her.

The Argent Witch merely glanced at Fioren, who was growing uneasy, before shifting her gaze away.

The mountain-like pressure vanished from Fioren’s body.

"I understand now."

Faint golden letters appeared in the empty air.

With just a glance, the Argent Witch had already drawn the answers she needed from Fioren’s shaken expression.

Fioren exhaled deeply, only then realizing that her back was drenched in cold sweat.

When she looked again, she saw that the witch was now standing by the window.

Her graceful figure was bathed in the twilight glow, silently gazing at the object in her palm.

It was a crystal hairpin.

Its platinum body was of an old-fashioned design, yet the amethyst embedded within remained pristine and radiant.

Bathed in the slanted evening light, it refracted dazzling hues like stained glass.

It was clear that this hairpin had been meticulously cared for—so much so that even after centuries, it still appeared as good as new.

The Argent Witch, Sylvia, gazed at the hairpin for a long time.

Then, with great care, she pinned it back into her silver-white hair.

In the next moment—

A thick, unadorned book silently appeared in her hands.

She had made no extra movements, yet the book’s heavy pages flipped open on their own, the sound crisp and clear, accompanied by the soft rustling of dust falling away.

Then, the flipping ceased—settling on a page filled with handwritten words.

"The teleportation disc that sent me out of Cangting Royal Capital…"

"That night, it was the last remnant of Cangting Principality left by my side."

"At first, I believed that the Branstat Family truly possessed such advanced magitech. That, to stop Norton’s ambitions, the elders of my family would do anything—even sacrifice themselves—to ensure I could escape through the teleportation array."

"But later, when I ascended to the level of a Legend and opened my Ocean of Consciousness, gazing upon my own soul from a higher dimension—only then did I discover the traces of altered memories, the blank spaces that had been erased."

"And yet, even after searching the entire Western Continent and its adjacent planes, I never found a single trace of Brother Xia Ya."

"The teleportation disc was the only clue he left behind."

"I sought out the most esteemed authorities in the field of spatial magitech, visited classified research facilities in the Magitech Academy…

"But all records indicated that at that time, even large-scale long-distance bidirectional teleportation arrays were still purely theoretical."

"The only prototype ever built occupied an area spanning multiple buildings and could only transport objects the size of a bottle cap. Even that was considered an unprecedented breakthrough in the field."

"Let alone a device that had been miniaturized and integrated to such an extreme degree—a single-user portable teleportation array, no larger than a disc…"

"Even if the Branstat Family had conducted their research in absolute secrecy, they could never have surpassed the top magitech institutions of the great nations by multiple technological generations."

"That lone teleportation disc… did not belong to this era. It seemed as if it came from a distant future."

"Just like… Brother Xia Ya—who once appeared in my life without warning, only to vanish like the wind."

—Excerpt from The Argent Witch’s Diary, Page 701, Sacred Calendar Year 360, Month of Blossoms, Day 7.

Not long after writing this diary entry, the Argent Witch founded the White Tower upon the Golden Plains.

And then—

She buried herself within it.

Sylvia’s gaze lingered on the diary page for a moment.

Then, the book flipped again—settling on a blank page.

In the next instant, delicate yet ancient golden letters began appearing across the empty parchment.

"Brother Xia Ya, the last words you left me were—"

'At the end of time, we shall meet again.'

"And now, five hundred years have passed."

"Is this… the future where you exist?"

"Back then, why did you alter my memories?"

"And in your heart… what was I to you?"

"A tool to be used and discarded?"

"Just an ordinary sibling bond?"

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"Or…"

The delicate golden strokes trembled slightly—

Yet, they never completed the thought.

Fioren and Iswida, watching from the side, couldn’t help but feel a surge of astonishment.

Because this woman—

This Argent Witch, who had carried an overwhelming and untouchable presence since her arrival, who had effortlessly seized control of the entire scene, who stood as the sovereign ruler of the White Tower—

Now, in this moment—

In her pure silver eyes, they caught a glimpse of something else.

A hint of unease.

A trace of fear.

A fleeting moment of hesitation and cowardice.

It was as if she were a traveler who had been away for too long—

And now, just as she was about to return home, she found herself paralyzed by the fear of the familiar.

But before long, that fleeting emotion disappeared from Sylvia’s gaze.

Faint golden letters appeared in the air once more.

"I will need a few days to adjust to the power that has grown during my slumber."

"Once I am fully recovered, I will make a trip to the Imperial Capital of the Fresta Empire."

Sylvia turned to look at the Silent Songstress, Iswida, a faint trace of apology flickering in those argent eyes.

"I spoke thoughtlessly back then. I never imagined your ancestors would take my words so seriously."

"This White Tower was nothing more than a tomb I built for myself, and with my strength, I never needed anyone to guard my grave."

"Now that I have awakened, you are all free to leave this place—a tower that is little more than a mausoleum."

"No."

Iswida shook her head. "Perhaps, to you, Tower Master, the White Tower was merely a structure you casually created."

"But in these past five hundred years, to me and to all the members of the White Tower, this place has become the very meaning of our existence."

"We choose to stay—not only because of you, but because…"

"The White Tower has also become a refuge for the lost, a sanctuary for the homeless. It is the ideal we long for, the harbor of our souls."

Sylvia’s gaze lingered on Iswida for a moment before she gave a slow nod.

She had never expected that an act made on a whim would one day turn this place into one of the three great towers alongside the Black Tower—a sacred haven in the hearts of countless seekers of knowledge.

Just like… how Brother Xia Ya once was to me.

Fioren then spoke up as well. "It is an honor for the Empire to receive the presence of the Argent Witch, Your Excellency."

"As the Empire’s Southern Inspector, I can serve as your guide."

"The Xia Ya Egut I mentioned earlier should be in the Imperial Capital as we speak."

Fioren carefully suppressed the deeply unsettling thoughts running through her mind, not letting a single trace show.

A legendary figure—especially one of such overwhelming power—visiting the Empire was no small matter.

Though Legends were not uncommon in the Empire, if one were to unleash their full strength within the Imperial Capital, even the mere aftershocks of their battle would be enough to reduce the entire city to ruins.

Of course, this was not necessarily a bad thing.

On the surface, both the White Tower and the Empire belonged to the Order Faction of the Western Continent, and thanks to Fioren’s efforts as an intermediary, relations between the two remained amicable.

With the Imperial Capital’s current state of unrest, the involvement of a legendary figure could trigger a chain reaction—one that might disrupt the established order and plunge everything into chaos.

And for Her Highness the Imperial Princess, who was now utterly isolated within the capital…

The greater the chaos, the better.

"Very well."

The faint golden letters once again appeared in the air.

The witch bathed in twilight slowly turned, her gaze settling upon the vast Grand Library behind her.

"During my recovery, I wish to understand…"

"This era in which he was born and raised."

In the next moment—

Within the Grand Library, still shrouded in frozen twilight—

Every single book on the wooden shelves suddenly lifted into the air.

Then, all at once, their pages flew open.

The Argent Witch took slow, measured steps, her slightly worn red high heels clicking softly against the floor.

Step by step—

She disappeared into the boundless sea of books.

Fioren and Iswida exchanged a glance, intending to slip away quietly.

But then—

They saw yet another line of golden text appear before them.

"I would like to taste the food of this era."

Neither of them had expected that a legendary being who had slumbered for five centuries would still possess such mundane human cravings.

Iswida hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "May I ask what the Tower Master wishes to eat?"

Hearing the question, the witch amidst the sea of books tilted her head slightly, strands of her long hair cascading over her ear.

A flicker of nostalgia passed through those pure silver eyes.

"Then…"

"Grilled fish."