Hate Me, Witch!-Chapter 94: The Banquet

The young man standing before her was tall and slender, clad in an elegant and meticulously tailored outfit.

Beneath his tousled black hair, his face was softer than the sharply defined features of most, bearing an almost elven-like beauty.

He stood beneath the dark night sky, with the grand and bustling hall behind him—the very heart of the Imperial Capital’s revelry.

Ailora lightly placed her hand into Xia Ya’s palm, stepping down from the carriage in her high heels.

A white-clad attendant pushed open the grand doors.

Then, the two of them entered the dazzling world of gold and splendor.

—

"Not just the Church, even the Noble Alliance and the City of Knowledge have sent their envoys… The Borgia Family is certainly making waves this time."

"Who wouldn’t say so? But if you ask me, the Church is the one making the biggest move—they actually sent a bishop to attend the ceremony."

"That’s only natural. After all, this concerns a God’s Chosen… or rather, the lifelong commitment of a future Saint. Even for the Church, a Saint is a genuine strategic asset."

Inside the Hall of Oaths, nobles in exquisite attire gathered in small groups, chatting away.

Glasses clinked in toasts, and the atmosphere was lively.

For the faction of old nobles who sided with the Borgia Family, tonight was undoubtedly a triumphant moment.

Your Imperial Family—no, your Second Imperial Princess—might have secured victory at the border and reinstated the Order of the Swordbearers.

But in the blink of an eye, the leader of that very order had been lured away by our banner-holder, the Borgia Family. How infuriating must that be?

For those more aligned with the Second Imperial Princess’s faction, it was hard to stomach.

What the Borgia Family had done was no different from cuckolding them right in their faces.

Yet, those who received invitations to this banquet—regardless of their political stance—were all powerful figures in the Imperial Capital, well-versed in the games of social maneuvering.

No matter how much they wished they could tear apart the people before them, their outward expressions remained friendly, their faces adorned with warm smiles.

—

At the highest level of the Hall of Oaths, within a room that was neither extravagant nor gaudy but exuded a quiet dignity.

A small table. Two teacups.

An elderly man, white-haired like a gardener, raised a teapot and brewed two cups of tea with the grace of a phoenix nodding thrice.

"This new trend that started in Black Lily District… it rather suits my taste," he mused.

"Without the extravagance and intensity of liquor, it carries a richness and depth that starts bitter but finishes sweet."

"The one who created this drink certainly has fine taste."

Across the wooden table, Isadella lifted her teacup and took a light sip. "Sir Guderian has a sharp eye. If he weren’t so exceptional, I wouldn’t have chosen him as my Swordbearer."

Tonight, the Second Imperial Princess was not dressed in her usual Black Eagle military uniform but in a flowing palace gown.

Yet, even so, her presence remained as sharp and commanding as ever—like a sheathed silver sword, cold and imposing.

"Indeed. If he weren’t so exceptional, I wouldn’t have agreed to marry Hystalia to him. The Borgia Family holds high standards for a son-in-law."

Guderian Borgia smiled. "I trust Your Highness won’t hold it against my daughter for stealing his heart."

"Bringing a wolf into the house, Borgia… Are you not afraid of being devoured?"

"It’s of no concern… He’s a smart man. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t have been able to climb this high on his own. And a smart man knows what choices he must make."

"Sir Guderian, you’re too hasty… Nothing has been settled yet."

"I admit, I am a little impatient. After all, the Empire is teetering on the brink—how can I not be anxious as a member of the Oathbound Family?"

"Should we just stand by and watch as the greatest nation in Western Continent history weakens, until it becomes nothing more than an obscure little country? Or worse, buried beneath the dust of history, like the recently unearthed ruins of the Cangting Ancient Kingdom?"

Guderian placed his teacup down and gazed at the grand hall below, where nobles were busy exchanging toasts and pleasantries.

"Perhaps Your Highness disagrees, but everything I do… is for the Empire."

"If we continue along my chosen path, the great destiny of the Empire will be restored—just as under the previous emperor."

"And tell me, Princess Isadella… are you not in a hurry yourself?"

A deeper meaning flashed in his aged eyes. "Your Highness, you initiated your Seventh Soul Pact two years ago."

"If all you wanted was the feedback from forming the Seventh Pact to ascend as a Legendary Beastmaster, you could have done so at any time."

"As I understand, the Imperial Breeding Institute holds an Imperial-tier Black-Scaled Wyvern with blood purity close to that of a pureblood black dragon—likely prepared by His Majesty for you."

"Yet, you have not taken this final step. And for the past two years, aside from the occasional appearance in the Imperial Capital or the border battlefields, you’ve rarely been seen in combat… even though for a high-tier Beastmaster, battle is the fastest way to improve."

Isadella continued sipping her tea with impeccable grace. "Father is unwell. As an Imperial Princess, I have devoted much of my energy to state affairs. Naturally, my Beastmaster training has slowed."

Guderian’s gaze lingered on the few floating green tea leaves at the bottom of his cup.

"In the first year of the Sacred Calendar, the ‘Golden King’ Rhine established the Church of Dawn, marking a new era named after the morning light."

"The following year, in the chaos between the old and new eras, the ‘Knight King’—a name as renowned as the Golden King—founded the Fresta Empire."

"Several of the beasts under the First Emperor’s command, such as the ‘Black King,’ remained as guardian deities of the Empire even after his passing."

"However, two sacred relics were missing."

"They were legendary weapons, born from the world and the stars—a Holy Sword and a Holy Spear—revealed during the final calamity of the old era, symbols of the Knight King himself."

"The Holy Spear, it is said, was granted by the First Emperor to a certain knight. After that knight’s retirement, it vanished without a trace, and in nearly a thousand years, it has never been found."

"But the Star-Forged Holy Sword was passed down within the Imperial Family, safeguarded for generations…"

"And yet, in nearly a millennium, not a single royal has been recognized by it. It remains sealed away, reduced to legend."

Guderian’s eyes gleamed. "Yet, over the past two years, subtle traces of its divine power have been emanating from the palace."

"Your Highness, could it be that you refuse to step into the realm of Legends because you seek the Holy Sword’s recognition? That you hope to bypass the decades—or even centuries—of accumulation required for an ordinary Legend, and step directly into the Throne’s domain?"

"Every member of the Imperial Family dreams of being chosen by the Lake’s Sword. I am no exception."

Meeting Guderian’s deep gaze, Isadella merely shook her head with indifference.

Her crimson eyes turned toward the sky outside the window, lost in thought.

"It seems… Your Highness has not yet taken the final step."

The light in Guderian’s eyes faded, and once more, he became the warm old man, smiling gently like a gardener.

"Augustina has arrived. Was it by Your Highness’s invitation?"

"No."

"I have sensed certain prying eyes, though their presence is faint… Does Your Highness know anything about it?"

"No."

Isadella’s short and steady answer left Guderian with a subtle sense of unease.

Just as Guderian was about to probe further, the loud conversations in the grand hall below suddenly quieted before vanishing altogether.

"Miss Hystalia has arrived."

A cascading staircase of pure white unfurled from above.

At the top of the pristine steps stood a breathtaking young woman.

She was dressed in an immaculate white gown, her features flawless beyond compare.

But what captivated the onlookers most was the ethereal aura she exuded. A faint morning glow shimmered within her gaze, so divine that none could even entertain thoughts of desecration.

All that remained was pure admiration.

Hystalia Borgia.

The eldest daughter of the Borgia Family.

The God’s Chosen of the Church of Dawn, already designated by the Theocracy as the next Saint.

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Marrying her meant grasping all the power, prestige, and wealth the world had to offer.

In these times, there were already plenty of people willing to cry out "Mommy, I'm starving!" just to skip decades of struggle and secure a privileged life.

Let alone when that woman was as stunning as Hystalia—she was the very embodiment of everything beautiful in this world.

For a moment, many young nobles in the hall had a flicker of longing in their eyes.

But just as quickly, those desires faded into resignation.

Because they were nobles, they understood the true power of the Borgia Family.

In the Imperial Capital, apart from the Imperial Family itself, the Borgias stood as the greatest force. Their families were mere vassals in comparison.

And so, everyone knew—this was not a union they had the right to covet.

"Young Master Xia Ya Ingurit has arrived."

Another announcement rang out.

The grand doors swung open.

Under the gaze of thousands, a black-haired, black-eyed young man stepped into the center of the hall, with Ailora—also dressed in pristine white—walking behind him.

"So that’s the last surviving heir of the Ingurit Family, Young Master Xia Ya?"

"Yeah… Who would’ve thought that someone from the ‘Winter Flower’ Family actually survived?"

"He certainly has the looks for it. No wonder the Borgias chose him as the future husband of their eldest daughter."

"You’re mistaken. Their engagement was arranged at birth—it’s a union between two Oathbound Families. The Borgias aren’t the type to simply choose based on convenience."

"And besides, Young Master Xia Ya is far more than just a handsome face… You might not know, but during the Ashen Order’s attack on Ceylan a few months ago, it was thanks to his efforts that an entire academy’s worth of students were saved."

"I also heard he’s close to breaking into the Fourth Ring. Though he’s still a bit behind Miss Hystalia, the God’s Chosen of Dawn, he’s already an exceptional talent in the Empire."

"When you put it that way, they truly are a perfect match—an ideal couple of strength and beauty."

"But… isn’t this an engagement ceremony? Why did Young Master Xia Ya bring a female companion?"

"Not sure. Maybe she’s just a maid or an attendant?"

Rumble—

The hall erupted into murmurs and discussions all at once.

However, rather than envy or jealousy, most of the gathered nobles responded with approval and well wishes.

On one hand, Xia Ya’s past achievements had been deliberately publicized by the Borgia Family, placing him under the spotlight and making his excellence undeniable.

On the other hand, most of the attendees were aligned with the Borgias. Naturally, they wouldn’t do anything to undermine the new son-in-law chosen by the Crimson Rose Family at an engagement banquet.

"Young Master Xia Ya, please follow me. The young lady has been waiting for you."

Lir appeared at Xia Ya’s side without a sound, guiding him through the crowd.

The nobles instinctively parted, creating a path.

Before long, Hystalia’s figure appeared before Xia Ya.

"So, you’re the Xia Ya my father spoke of?"

A voice as pleasant as it was cold rang in his ears.

Hystalia’s gaze briefly lingered on Ailora standing behind him.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly before she quickly looked away.

"A marriage arranged by our fathers in childhood… they never considered our feelings in the matter."

"However, since this engagement was made in the name of the Borgia Family, I will not break the oath."

Her cool eyes swept over Xia Ya’s face.

After a long moment, she nodded slightly, as if appraising him.

"My first impression of you is… not bad. As for love, we can develop it slowly after marriage."

"And if we don’t, it hardly matters. This is, after all, merely an exchange of benefits."

"But—"

"I don’t like my belongings being shared with others. Not even with servants."

Her gaze turned toward Ailora, scrutinizing her like an object.

"Once we are wed, have this maid dismissed."

"The Borgia Family will provide her with a severance payment, as well as a respectable position in a major city outside the Imperial Capital."

Hystalia lifted her swan-like neck, gazing down at Xia Ya from the top of the steps.

She opened her mouth to say more.

But then—

She suddenly saw Xia Ya smile.

And the next moment, a soft whisper echoed in her ear:

"Is that so?"

"Because my first impression of you… isn’t very good."

"Your so-called holiness and arrogance are too forced, too fake."

"You’re nothing more than a poor imitation of our true Saint of Dawn."

—