When Shiayar's consciousness revived once more, the first thing he sensed was the icy metal floor beneath him.
Had he failed to enter the Echo of History and was still trapped inside that secret chamber's ruins?
This speculation was quickly dismissed by Shiayar himself, as he heard urgent footsteps behind him.
"Shiayar, it's almost time. Aren't we leaving?"
He did not recognize the voice, so he presumably did not know the speaker. But obviously, the speaker knew him.
"Sorry, I was just lost in thought for a moment. My apologies."
Shiayar turned around smoothly, a look of apology spreading across his face.
In those few breaths just now, he had already sensed the Soul Pact links with Shiny and Silver.
As a Beastmaster, even in an extremely unfamiliar environment, as long as his Pet Beasts were with him, Shiayar felt emboldened to face all unknowns.
"The family's coming-of-age ceremony is just about to start, and it's a major event that will determine our future standing in the family. You can't keep being so unfocused like this."
The other person seemed to be around the same age as Shiayar, about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a family crest on his chest carved with a silver-white longsword.
"Elder Norton is already gathering us. If we're late... the consequences..."
As he spoke, a barely concealable fear flashed in his eyes.
It seemed this Elder Norton was quite formidable, having left such a deep psychological shadow on him.
Shiayar's thoughts whirled, but he showed nothing on his face. He was well aware that he was, to some extent, an imposter here. The best course of action was to listen more and speak less. So, he simply repeated the other person's words.
"Then let's hurry. If we really anger Elder Norton, the consequences would be unthinkable."
The other person wiped the sweat from his brow and hurriedly nodded. "Right, right."
「In the Duke's Manor, within a rather inconspicuous hall.」
Shiayar casually chose a corner to sit in, surveying the seven or eight other seated figures. Their ages weren't much different from his.
Their attire was neither shabby nor luxurious. Aside from their age, the most significant thing they had in common was the identical silver-white longsword family crest pinned to their chests.
This family crest... it must be the symbol of Grand Duke Brunestadt's family, the rulers of the Azure Garden Dukedom.
I didn't expect that the 'Echo of History' could actually achieve an effect similar to time travel.
Every person I encounter here feels like a real, living being, not merely an illusion or a projection.
Shiayar made this judgment internally.
He had assumed that the 'Echo of History' might be just a replay, a reenactment of past historical imprints. He thought that if he actually entered it, he might be a mere observer, able to watch but not interfere with any historical process—otherwise, the grandfather paradox would be inexplicable. But now it seemed the Echo of History of the Azure Garden Dukedom wasn't as simple as he had imagined. Perhaps this place was formed due to the lingering obsessions of some supremely powerful being, strong enough to create a colossal illusory realm so real it was indistinguishable from truth... or maybe, this truly was a segment of history that had been excised...
Involving the Space-time Law, Shiayar had no way of guessing. But regardless of the principle behind it, he was now, it seemed, truly in the Azure Garden Dukedom before its fall.
Of course, this was undoubtedly good news for Shiayar. If it were merely a form of travel where he could only look but not touch, then his mission to earn goodwill would be impossible to begin.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness, I made it."
A relieved voice came from behind Shiayar.
"Leonard, relax. Mind your image. Be careful not to lose your composure in front of Elder Norton," Shiayar reminded him, frowning slightly.
Through some guiding conversation and indirect inquiries on the way here, Shiayar had already gathered enough information to have a rough understanding of his current situation:
As a dukedom, the supreme ruler of the Azure Garden Dukedom was Grand Duke Brunestadt.
However, the Azure Garden Dukedom's borders were plagued by beast tides, so Grand Duke Brunestadt spent long periods leading his army, stationed at the border defenses. Consequently, most affairs of the Brunestadt family back in the Royal City were decided by several family elders.
Among these elders, the most powerful was the Grand Duke's own younger brother, Elder Norton, who was currently the acting Family Head.
Shiayar and this young man named Leonard, along with everyone else present, were orphans Elder Norton had taken in from past battlefields. Although considered members of the Brunestadt family, they were not of the direct bloodline.
Naturally, this gathering had also been convened by Elder Norton.
"Yes, Shiayar! Thanks for the reminder. Otherwise, I really would have made a fool of myself in front of Elder Norton," Leonard nodded hurriedly.
"Good that you know," Shiayar said lightly. He had long noticed Leonard was deathly afraid of Elder Norton, and mentioning the Elder now was a way to take control of the conversation.
Having laid the groundwork, he casually brought up the question that concerned him most.
"By the way, how has Silvia been lately?"
Shiayar knew little about the Grand Duke's daughter, his mission target. He wasn't even sure if she was currently in the Duke's Manor. Thus, his question was deliberately vague, giving Leonard an out even if he didn't recognize the name.
However, much to Shiayar's surprise, upon hearing his question, Leonard's face immediately twisted into an expression of undisguised disgust.
"Her? How else could she be? Still as detestable as ever."
A flash of hatred crossed Leonard's eyes. "If it weren't for her, perhaps the disaster sixteen years ago would never have happened, and we wouldn't have become orphans."
The disaster sixteen years ago?
Shiayar sensed there was a big story here.
Unless there were some significant hidden circumstances, an adopted member from outside the family like Leonard would hardly dare to openly criticize Silvia, the Grand Duke's own daughter.
However, before Shiayar could voice his questions,
A synchronized chorus of "Greetings, Elder!" suddenly rang out from a distance.
Shiayar stood up with Leonard to offer his greeting, his gaze sweeping over the elder who was slowly approaching amidst the awed stares of the crowd. The man was dressed in rich, elegant robes.
His presence was heavy, carrying a powerful aura that clearly surpassed that of a High Order Beastmaster, indicating he had truly stepped into the realm of a Master-level Beastmaster.
Yet, what concerned Shiayar more than the elder's strength as a Master-level Beastmaster was the faint, almost imperceptible scent of decay clinging to this powerful figure.
To an ordinary person, this subtle scent would likely be completely unnoticeable.
But Shiayar, who had been in close proximity to an Evil God's Relic, could assert with certainty: the two auras weren't just somewhat similar—they were identical.
And recalling the historical records stating that the Azure Garden Dukedom was destroyed by a "twilight catastrophe"...
Good heavens. I've landed right in the den of a heretical cult.