Hate Me, Miss Witch!

Along the coastline of the Grant Sea, Xaya stretched lazily as he watched a group of tense figures escort Sylvia further and further away, back toward the Duke's estate.

In his mind, lines of blue text scrolled rapidly:

[Newbie Task Phase 3: Increase Duke's daughter Sylvia's favorability to 30 or more. Task objective achieved.]

[Current Favorability: 52/30 (Trust)]

[Task rewards calculated.]

[Based on overall performance, the following rewards have been issued: 100,500 free experience points, 3 Skill Seeds.]

"Well, at least that's done," Xaya murmured, stretching his arms with satisfaction. "All that effort and preparation for this stage paid off."

Rubbing his temples, he tossed two thick books—How to Interact with the Opposite Gender (Beginner) and Introduction to Psychology—into Shiny's spatial pocket. After all, whether in his past life or after transmigrating, Xaya had never actively pursued anyone. He was a classic introvert who preferred to wait for others to take the lead.

The idea of actively engaging with someone like Sylvia had been daunting, forcing him to rely on hastily learned tips and tricks. Fortunately, his improvised social skills held up, and his performance was flawless.

But his interactions weren't entirely a calculated act. Xaya's words to Sylvia were genuine, reflecting his 21st-century ideals. He despised witch hunts and other atrocities driven by fear and ignorance.

Glancing at the system notifications, Xaya assessed the rewards. Reaching 30 favorability—the "acquaintance" threshold—would have been easy: just a few more days of polite interactions at the Duke's estate. But such a low-effort approach would have resulted in minimal rewards.

Instead, Xaya had orchestrated their dramatic seaside encounter, risking direct exposure to Sylvia's dusk corruption. His gamble had paid off, boosting her favorability to the "Trust" level, something no amount of casual interaction could achieve.

If he could push her favorability into the "Confidant" range, he mused, perhaps she'd even consider requests of a more... intimate nature.

As for the rewards? They exceeded his expectations.

100,500 Free Experience Points: A vast amount, enough to elevate multiple advanced skills to "Perfect" proficiency with room to spare. He could now strengthen Shiny's secondary skills and prepare for his third soul pact.

3 Skill Seeds: Unlike standard experience boosts, Skill Seeds granted entirely new abilities. They could bypass species restrictions and even lay the foundation for entirely original techniques. Xaya had only ever obtained one before, using it to teach Shiny the foundational "Tsukuyomi" ability. Now, with three more seeds, the possibilities were endless.

"With three Skill Seeds, I can finally develop Silver's offensive capabilities," Xaya thought aloud. "Since we already have 'Tsukuyomi,' why not pair it with 'Amaterasu' for the aesthetic?"

He grinned at the idea, then added thoughtfully, "But Shiny's spatial abilities also have room to grow... Regardless, Silver and Shiny are support and control specialists. For my third soul pact, I need someone with serious frontline combat capabilities."

As these thoughts churned in his mind, a new system prompt caught his attention:

[Newbie Task Updated.]

[Phase 4 Objective: Complete the Duke's family coming-of-age ceremony and secure a position as a core family member to join Elder Norton's plans.]

[Historical Echo—'Cangting Duchy' First Node Reached.]

[Current Historical Node Locked. Choose to exit the Historical Echo or remain to complete objectives.]

"Just as I expected," Xaya murmured. "Norton must be growing uneasy with Sylvia's repeated episodes of instability."

The mention of the Historical Echo piqued his interest. Having spent days within it, Xaya had learned some crucial details. Contrary to his initial assumption that it was merely a holographic playback of past events, the Historical Echo felt startlingly real, with every character behaving as if they were actual living beings.

More than a mirage of the past, it felt like a fragment of history preserved in its entirety. But whether this was true remained to be confirmed.

Still, Xaya didn't hesitate. He chose to exit the Historical Echo. Shiny had already warned him via their soul link that the echo's space was beginning to reject their presence. Additionally, his monkey companion had sensed that the echo had marked them. Reentry, if needed, would be possible from anywhere—not just the ruins.

Xaya also had no intention of rushing into the fourth phase. He needed time to digest the rewards, plan, and strengthen himself. After all, in a world filled with the extraordinary, personal power was the only guarantee of survival.

As the sensation of spatial distortion subsided, Xaya found himself back in the ruins. A glance at the mechanical clock he'd placed nearby confirmed that only an hour had passed in the real world. The Historical Echo clearly operated independently of conventional time.

Without lingering, Xaya activated Shiny's teleportation ability, vanishing from the Pale Hills. He had no desire to encounter the Imperial specialists who were undoubtedly on their way to investigate the commotion caused by the echo's activation.

An hour later, seated comfortably on a steam train bound for the Empire's capital, Xaya gazed out the window. A massive black dragon streaked across the distant sky, its sleek form cutting through the clouds.

Standing atop the dragon's back was a slender figure.

"A black-scaled dragon exclusive to the Royal Breeding Facility… Judging by its size, it's surpassed the King tier." Xaya's eyes narrowed. "A titled Beastmaster from the Imperial Army?"

He smirked to himself.

"The Historical Echo of the Cangting Duchy..." he murmured. "Looks like it's caught the attention of some truly formidable players."

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