Hate Me, Witch!-Chapter 176: A New Pet Every Season, But the Childhood Friend Never Fades

Inside the streamlined vessel, Yui’s projected figure floated beside the console, fluttering her ethereal fairy wings as she reported sweetly to Xia Ya.

Xia Ya glanced at Yui’s projection. “Why are you using Suren’s voice this time?”

“Well, we’ve been diving in the Starrealm for a whole month. I was worried Master would get lonely and forget about Mommy.”

Yui flapped her wings, speaking with a mischievous smile.

This submarine-like vehicle made of Undying Metal, stealth-diving deep in the Starrealm, was Xia Ya’s mode of transport this past month—“Dimensional Submersible Type III.”

A vehicle specialized for stealth movement in the Starrealm and sub-dimensions. Xia Ya had named it the Nautilus.

By using his Metal Genesis and Megastructure Armament skills—similar to how he created the Black Knight mecha—he had forged a large amount of Undying Metal into the Nautilus, and Yui, who embodied its system, naturally became its ship girl.

As for where this Starrealm submarine was heading—

It was, of course, to the coordinates provided by the Golden Dragon: the last known sanctuary of the High Elves, the Lost Isle.

“Rawrrr——”

A young dragon’s roar echoed by his ear.

Xia Ya turned around and saw Ye floating behind him, flapping her slender dragon wings in protest.

Faint wisps of shadow oozed from around her body, forming a shadowy hand that tugged at the hem of his clothes.

“I know, I know.”

“Shouldn’t have gotten distracted talking to Yui while grilling your fish.”

Xia Ya extinguished the black flames of Amaterasu, flipped the fish over,

sprinkled some seasoning, then handed it to the shadow that was clearly itching to eat.

The little Dragon of the Night grabbed the grilled fish using her shadows, took a small bite, and instantly widened her crimson-gold eyes.

She flapped her wings, landed on Xia Ya’s shoulder, and started munching away joyfully.

“Now this is what you call a grilled fish master!”

Watching Ye’s satisfied face, Xia Ya held back the urge to dramatically throw up his hands.

As a man who could host banquets and cook like a pro, grilled fish was his ultimate signature dish.

Back in the Historical Echo of the Ancient Kingdom of Cangting, he once used a single grilled fish to win the favorability of the young Sylvianna.

And now, even a Mythical Species like an Ancient Dragon couldn't resist his grilled fish.

Not too different from that red-haired high schooler who captured countless hearts just by jumping high.

He reached out and patted the little black dragon’s head on his shoulder.

The elegant dragonling didn’t resist—she even squinted her eyes, clearly enjoying it.

After all, what Xia Ya had formed with Ye wasn’t a Master-Servant Contract, but a Pact of Equals—

With low intimacy, it could result in her ignoring orders during battle, or even defecting at a critical moment.

So for the past month, Xia Ya had been working hard to win her over with all sorts of delicious food,

aiming for a relationship that, even if not a Master-Servant bond, would function just like one.

And judging by how Ye was acting now, all that effort hadn’t gone to waste. She already trusted him quite a bit.

His dream of becoming a Dragon Knight was a step closer.

Still, compared to his other summoned beasts, Xia Ya noticed that Ye had an unusually strong sense of possessiveness.

Just like how gold coins were useless to dragons, yet they still obsessively hoarded them and wouldn’t give up a single one—

The little Dragon of the Night treated Xia Ya the same way, unwilling to share him even a little with the others.

Just now, when Xia Ya had spoken a few words to Yui while grilling, Ye had immediately expressed her displeasure through shadows.

At night, she liked to curl up in Xia Ya’s arms to sleep,

and even used her shadow manipulation powers to set up a personal auto-defense ward around them, keeping other summoned beasts away.

That left poor Chihong, who was used to being cuddled by Xia Ya at bedtime, feeling aggrieved—her normally glowing red Star-Spirit Body had dimmed a bit.

She had to settle for sleeping on Xia Ya’s head instead.

……

Nearby, on the couch inside the Nautilus.

The little Snow Ferret lazily lying there grooming her fur let out a big yawn as she watched the scene unfold.

Oh great, it’s that classic newbie-pet-entry honeymoon phase again.

As Xia Ya’s very first summoned beast, Yin had long gone from rejecting these newbie perks,

to envy, to jealousy, and now to just plain ignoring them.

You could say… she was used to it.

Besides, the dominance of Little Ai’s stock during those ten years in Eden also proved one thing—

That “newcomer glow” only lasts for so long before it fades.

Sure, right now you’re the latest addition, basking in the spotlight and everyone’s affection.

But with Master growing so fast, there’ll always be newer, rarer, more genetically gifted pets joining the party,

eventually taking your “favored newbie” title for themselves.

Only she, the childhood friend, had the one status that could never be taken away.

Blame it on not being born in the snowfields of Ceylan, I guess.

Yin flicked her tail, buried her little head in her fluffy white fur.

Go on, fight, compete, sulk, be jealous all you want.

Time flows, waves crash and fade…

Only this Snow Ferret is the one true answer to the pillow-spot by Master’s side.

……

Boom——

With the activation of the Alchemical Formation, Yui’s projection on the control panel also began to glow brightly.

The Nautilus began to gradually decelerate in its Starrealm voyage.

Until eventually, it came to a complete stop.

“Master, we’ve reached the coordinate anchor point as relayed by the World Tree.”

“Our current Starrealm position aligns with the outer edge of the Lost Isle in the Material Plane’s Endless Sea.”

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

“Mhm.”

Xia Ya nodded.

“Begin the dimensional jump back to the Material Plane.”

As Xia Ya gave the order, countless intricate formation lines all over the Nautilus lit up in dazzling brilliance.

And in that clear radiance, the dim void of the Starrealm was suddenly filled with countless phantom cracks.

Beyond those cracks, a hazy silhouette of another world emerged.

A vast and silent ocean, stretching endlessly.

And at its very center—

An ancient tree, rooted atop a massive island.

A curtain of Eternal Night spread from the tree’s canopy, covering the entire island.

“The Lost Isle where the High Elves dwell.”

Gazing at the massive island shrouded in Eternal Night, Xia Ya murmured softly.

“I just wonder——”

“What will Teacher be like now?”

No sooner had he spoken than the Nautilus accelerated once again.

Transforming into a streak of light, it vanished into the illusory spatial fissure.