After completing all this, Shiayar finally turned his gaze back to the twisted shadow of light not far from the secret chamber.
The "Echo of History" was extremely rare. Even in the Empire Capital Grand Library, there were no detailed reports on the interior of an Echo of History.
If one wished to enter it, they naturally had to risk great danger.
However, having reached this point, Shiayar no longer had any avenue for retreat.
Shiayar took a deep breath and stepped into the light screen.
His figure disappeared abruptly. After Shiayar vanished, the twisted shadow of light gradually faded until it disappeared completely.
The entire site of the Ancient Dukedom Azure Garden returned to its original deathly silence, as if the previous momentous events had never occurred.
「...」
「Resa, Branch Jurisdictional Bureau.」
The middle-aged military officer took off his cloak and stood respectfully beside the desk.
On the desk that originally belonged to him, a slender figure now sat, dressed in a black uniform coat and wearing a metal mask.
"Three hours ago, my Eye of the Void reported a spatial fluctuation southeast of Resa City."
"Based on the preliminary assessment of the Eye of the Void, this level of spatial fluctuation is not something that common low-rank Pet Beasts could cause. Furthermore, the few Space-type beasts of Emperor Rank and above have been very quiet recently."
"Therefore, if all goes as expected, an 'Echo of History' must have appeared around Resa City."
The indifferent female voice carried an unquestionable authority.
The middle-aged officer cleared his throat, "Inspector Fioran..."
"No need for such formalities. Use official titles when we're working."
"Yes, Inspector Fioran," the middle-aged officer quickly corrected himself.
As the person in charge of the Resa Branch Jurisdictional Bureau, directly subordinate to the Empire Jurisdiction Bureau, he was certainly a distinguished imperial envoy.
Even in the presence of the Lord of Resa City, he had no need to be so cautious.
But he knew very well that the person before him was different.
Putting aside her status and power, which were far above his, the mere label of being the Second Princess's confidant was enough to make him breathless.
The current situation of the Fresta Empire was intricately complex. The middle-aged officer had a clear understanding of his own position—he owed his current status to the Second Princess, his greatest political backer.
"Based on my understanding of Resa, if an 'Echo of History' were to appear, the most likely location would be the Gray White Hills, two hundred miles southeast of Resa."
"There is a senior student from St. Roland Academy in the Empire Capital named Shiayar Egutt. More than two years ago, he obtained archaeological rights to the Gray White Hills from Resa in exchange for a political donation. He then hired an archaeological team to conduct explorations."
The middle-aged officer informed her of the situation in the most succinct terms.
The indifferent voice paused. "He hired an archaeological team? Which Great Noble family does this Shiayar Egutt belong to?"
"No, it seems there aren't any Great Nobles supporting him," replied the middle-aged officer, wiping sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. "Part of the money to hire the archaeological team even came from rewards he earned himself from the Jurisdiction Bureau."
"Interesting." The tone in that indifferent voice finally showed a hint of fluctuation. "Most 'Echoes of History' are discovered by chance. But this Shiayar Egutt acts with a very clear purpose. He must possess historical secrets not even known to the Empire. Did he stumble upon the clues by a lucky coincidence, or has someone guided him from behind? Or perhaps, he has accepted some ancient legacy... or even, could he himself be an ancient powerhouse resurrected from the annals of time?"
The middle-aged officer swallowed, feeling as though he had heard something he should not have.
If Inspector Fioran's latter two speculations were indeed correct, his earlier attempts to recruit Shiayar would undoubtedly be tantamount to seeking his own death.
"However, whatever secrets and opportunities he may possess, Her Royal Highness does not care."
"As long as he still considers himself a citizen of Fresta, the Empire has the capacity to accommodate all secrets." Her calm words somewhat reassured the middle-aged officer.
Yes, as the most powerful Human nation on the entire Western Continent today, the Fresta Empire naturally possessed corresponding magnanimity. His previous worries now seemed somewhat excessive.
Compared to the vast Empire, an "Echo of History," though rare, hardly counted as an earth-shattering event.
"But to be able to push through such a major plan single-handedly, without any external assistance..."
"Such ability, even setting aside his connection to the Echo of History, is remarkable in terms of execution alone."
The woman tapped the desk with her delicate fingers, drawing a conclusion. "He is indeed a promising talent. Your discovery of him also holds some merit."
More than the opportunity presented by the Echo of History, she cared more about the capabilities Shiayar had demonstrated. An unreplicable adventure, no matter how precious, meant little to the Empire. For her, and Her Royal Highness behind her, useful talent was always more important than so-called treasures or wealth.
"Your work ends here. You may leave."
"Yes."
A flicker of indiscernible excitement passed through the middle-aged officer's eyes.
Inspector Fioran herself had acknowledged his merit. This meant his efforts would come to the attention of the Second Princess. With this, his position, which had remained unchanged for over a decade, might finally have a chance to advance.
Of course, compared to himself, Shiayar Egutt was perhaps the luckiest of all.
He put on his cloak and was about to rise to take his leave when something suddenly occurred to him.
"If that's the case, the ruins of the Ancient Dukedom Azure Garden in the Gray White Hills... do we still need to arrange for our people to intervene...?"
BOOM!
The middle-aged officer's face turned deathly pale. His hands, veins bulging, clutched the desk tightly.
Behind him, three Pet Beast silhouettes—some imposing, some fierce—emerged.
However, even his Pet Beasts, cultivated to High-Level Commander and not far from Sovereign Rank, could only tremble with apprehension under the burst of formidable power.
So this is a 6-Ring Titled Rank Beastmaster, who has surpassed Master Rank Beastmasters and possesses a title unique to themselves... Far more astonishing than he had anticipated.
The slender figure stood up for the first time, looking down at the middle-aged officer, her crimson hair whipping about.
Under the metallic mask, her red-gold eyes seemed to flow with molten lava. "Repeat the name of that place you just mentioned."
The middle-aged officer barely suppressed his astonishment and replied, "It was mentioned in Shiayar Egutt's application for archaeological rights. The words were indeed 'Azure Garden.'"
As he answered, he rapidly pondered the reason. Due to the beast tide chaos and the natural disasters brought by the Twilight Evil God, the cultural heritage of the Western Continent was extremely fragmented, with significant gaps. This was why archaeology had emerged. And without a doubt, Inspector Fioran's reaction just now was sparked by the name "Ancient Dukedom Azure Garden." His thoughts raced, and he finally found a clue buried deep in his memory. Inspector Fioran, before following Her Royal Highness, seemed to have come from the White Chalk Tower. And the founder of the White Chalk Tower, the "Gray-Silver Witch," a Legendary figure from five hundred years ago, also seemed to hail from an ancient Dukedom called Azure Garden... Although the Gray-Silver Witch had vanished for centuries, her position as Tower Master of the White Chalk Tower was still preserved. Even though new Legendary Beastmasters had emerged in the White Chalk Tower over the years, no replacement had ever occurred.
The office fell into a protracted silence.
After a long while, the icy voice finally spoke again.
However, compared to her usual complete indifference, Inspector Fioran's words now carried an undeniable surge of emotion.
"Gather all information on Shiayar Egutt, down to every detail. I will report this matter personally to Her Royal Highness. Perhaps... I must return to the White Chalk Tower immediately."