Release That Witch

Chapter 325: The Arrow of Light

olding the Stone of Flight, Tilly injected it with magic power and then ascended into the air to overlook the entire deck.

After the initial shock, the experienced seaman of the Charming Beauty picked up their weapons to resist the demonic beasts while trying to sail towards the poop deck. Though it was impossible for them to defeat so many enemies alone, the witches on board, were their greatest hopes.

The situation instantly reversed as Ashes joined the battle.

She struck the enemies like a gust of wind, leaving the monsters screaming and wailing behind her. Any monster that dared to face her great sword would ultimately be cut in half. Soon, the deck was littered with body parts.

Andrea, unwilling to fall behind, raised her Magical Longbow. It was able to use anything as arrows, shooting them accurately at an astounding speed. That was why she rarely prepared regular arrows but instead a bag of glassbead. The demonic beasts within 20 steps were falling under her shooting without even a chance to scream. The beads were hard and strong enough to slam into the beasts’ heads and smash their brains.

With the invisible barrier protecting them from the demonic beasts, Breeze and Shavi were going back and forth on the deck, rescuing the injured seamen.

Although Tilly saw that all the demonic beasts would soon be killed, she did not let her guard down.

She noticed that the boat was shaking violently. It seemed more like the result of an enormous monster thrusting the boat from underneath the water than from the fish-shaped monsters ramming into them. Without Molly’s Magic Servant defending them, a few more impacts would be enough to destroy the boat. In this case, the witches would barely be able to protect themselves, while the seamen would most probably be doomed to feed the fish.

Just as she had expected, when Ashes smashed the last demonic beasts with her big sword, a giant shadow was spotted in the water ahead of the boat. There was absolutely no way for a fish to have such a huge figure. Within a short period of time, the shadow neared the surface and was about to bump into the Charming Beauty.

“Watch out!” Tilly shouted.

The giant shadow brushed under the bottom of the boat before the shouting died down. The sailing ship shook fiercely again causing two masts to swing with horrifying a sound. It was as if they would fall at any time. Fortunately, the shadow suspended the attack after its strike and disappeared rapidly into the deep water. It seemed that the monster had intended to knock over the boat with its back before feasting on the seamen and witches.

Tilly landed on the deck and then briefed the other members of the situation.

“We must force the damn monster to surface or it’ll sink us sooner or later.” Ashes frowned.

“Let me have a try,” Shavi said, “I can block the impact with a barrier whenever it gets close.”

“Sea God be good.” The old Jack prayed and wiped away the sweat from his forehead. “If it’s as giant as Lady Tilly described, a regular strike won’t be able to work on it. Even if we can make it surface, how can we kill it?”

“Leave it to me,” Andrea said as she pulled her drooping hair back to her ear and smiled confidently, “No enemy is strong enough to take my all-out strike within 10 steps.”

Soon, the shadow reappeared. This time it attempted to strike from another direction, the tail of the Charming Beauty.

When Tilly who was watching in the mid-air signaled the alert, Shavi ran and jumped out of the edge of the boat with a rope tightly wrapped around her waist. Ashes held the other end of the rope to steadily control Shavi’s descending height.

With the strike impending, Shavi instantly weaved the barrier and it started to spread along an abruptly-emerged crack in the gray water, as if the water was cut by something invisible.

The dash against the barrier was so hard that the giant body stopped dead. Shavi gave a grunt with her hand dropping down weakly, as if most of her strength had been sucked away. She saw the size of the shadow beneath her was expanding in her view quickly and that the water was abruptly rising.

“Pull her up!” Tilly shouted as she swooped down.

With one tug, Ashes pulled Shavi back on deck. That was when the giant sea monster roared out of the water, waving the boat fiercely. At first glance, it looked like a mixture between a tooth shark and an octopus with several tentacles sticking out of its triangular head. The tentacles stuck straight to the deck.

The bizarre impact had significantly riled the monster. The witches could sense its rage simply from its roaring. The tentacles which were as thick as an adult’s thigh, swept over the deck causing the poles to scatter all around, but yet the attack was still blocked by the barrier, which almost depleted Shavi’s magic power.

“Andrea!” Ashes bent down and folded her fingers to form the shape of a bowl with her hands.

“I’m coming,” Andrea stepped on Ashes’ palm and said, “Leave it to me!”

Ashes launched Andrea into the sky in an extraordinary fashion. Andrea arced in the air and had reached above the head of the monster in a blink of an eye.

She summoned the magical bow and drew the string. Suddenly, a dazzling light burst out from the bow. The light was like the sun shining through thick clouds, dying the water golden.

“Go!”

With a flash of light, the arrow that was made of pure magic power, pierced into the monster like a lightning accompanied by the sound of thunder. The dust-colored monster suddenly inflated and soon golden cracks crawled all over its body. Finally, the light shone through the cracks and ripped apart the monster.

The titanic explosion rippled the water. Meanwhile, the splashing dark black blood dyed the water while body parts began raining down from the sky. The monster whose head was blown open, sank to the bottom of the sea, and its tentacles that had bound the boat, slowly loosened and began withdrawing.

Andrea fell into the water with a splash.

“Ah… Help, help! I can’t swim! Who… give me a hand?”

Ashes glanced at the tired Shavi and sighed with resignation. “An idiot that likes to play cool.” She untied the big sword on her back and jumped into the water, swimming towards Andrea.

Tilly was relieved that the boat was no longer at risk of sinking. At least they did not need to worry about swimming to Border Town.

Suddenly, she felt a cool breeze on her nose. She looked up and could not help being stunned.

At some point, snow began falling from the gray sky, like the elves dancing in their visual field.

“This, this is snow?” Breeze stared at the ice crystals melting on her palm and asked, “Does it snow in the autumn in Graycastle?”

“Ha, I said it was getting colder as we moved west,” One-eyed Jack said as he pulled out his pipe and lit it, “and it seems that you really live in a tough place.”

Tilly was quiet and solemn. The snow seemed rare even in winter for Breeze who came from the Kingdom of Dawn that had spring all the year round and the old Jack who was a resident of the Fjords. But the snow signified something special in the Western Region of the Kingdom of Graycastle.

The court mentor had told her that the endless snow signified the invasion horn of demons. It symbolized the beginning of the Months of Demons. It would not subside until the Months of Demons came to the end.

Although the Months of Demons had never ended at a regular date, it always began in winter. Could it be that demonic beasts were invading Border Town now? What was worse, the water spirits that used to haunt the east of Searing Flame Island could now also be spotted at Southernmost Cape. No one knew if those monsters would attack merchant ships that traveled between different lands.

Tilly became increasingly worried.

After two day’s navigation in heavy snow, they finally caught the sight of the hazy coastline.

Chapter 326: The Contact

quot;Is this where you docked last time?” Tilly asked as she looked at the lofty cliff.

The Charming Beauty had been sailing west along the coast ever since they saw the coastline. Ashes did not shout for the sail to be stopped until they saw the beachhead.

“Yes. Look.” She pointed at the peak of the mountain.

Following the direction that Ashes was pointing at, Tilly noticed two orange flags flying in the wind.

“It was just a beach the last time we came, but the two flags show we’re heading in the right direction.”

“I remember it too,” old Jack said with a pipe in his mouth, “but last time they relied on a giant balloon to carry them over the cliff. How will you go over it this time?”

“A giant balloon?” Tilly questioned curiously.

“Yes. A balloon that flies as long as it’s filled with hot gas.” Ashes nodded. “I’ve heard that it’s Prince Roland’s invention. The hot gas in the balloon rises, lifting the balloon and people on it.”

Princess Tilly looked conflicted as she heard her answer. “The court mentors didn’t teach us these things.” She exhaled a white breath and then said, “I’ll find out the answer soon since I’ll see him anyway. Let’s go ashore.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay on the boat and wait for him to pick you up?” the captain said when he shook off the cigarette ash, “how can we go over the cliff?”

“Shavi will handle it.” Tilly smiled.

Since they were unclear about the depths of the naturally-formed seabed, they anchored the boat at a discreet distance and released the landing boats to move the people to Shallow Beach.

After they landed on the thick snow, Tilly turned to the one-eyed Jack. “Captain, I’ll be troubling you to stay here for three to four days. I need you to send Lotus and the other witches back to Sleeping Island.”

“Sure,” the captain said, “I dare not to sail back without you on board. God knows if those mutant sea ghosts will come back again.”

Tilly walked towards the foot of the cliff and flew to the top with the help of the Magic Stone. She observed her surroundings. The landscape behind the cliff was almost as high as the peak of the cliff. This meant they did not have to climb down once they reached the top. Lifting things with barrier would cost them considerable magic power, but the cliff, about 50 steps, was not at all high for Shavi. Tilly landed slowly near the other four girls. “Shavi, I’ll leave the other three to you.”

“Yes, Lady Tilly.” Shavi laughed while patting her chest. She then summoned the invisible barrier. After two days of rest, she had recovered from the violent attack from the giant sea monster. Waiting until all of them stepped inside the transparent barrier, she drove her magic power to slowly raise it. Before long, they had crossed the cliff.

Under Ashes’ guidance, it took them half a day to finally arrive at Border Town.

A uniquely-designed iron bridge was the first that came into Tilly’s sight. Supported by only two piers, the bridge crossed over the broad river. There were no extra decorations, except for well-lining iron beams and pillars. The contrast of the white snow on the black bridge cast an inexpressible momentum at the first sight.

“It’s… so huge,” Breeze said in amazement, “how many iron ingots do they need to forge such a grand bridge?”

“What a waste. A simple floating bridge is enough for transportation. Why did they build such a high bridge?” Ashes commented disapprovingly. “Since Border Town is the last stop for merchant ships, I doubt there’re any ships that will head to the source of the river to trade.”

“You’re shortsighted,” Andrea said, shaking her forefinger gracefully, “even if I’m not from the Kingdom of Graycastle, I can understand the value of this west woodland. And I believe it’s just a matter of time for a town to be built. Marching towards no man’s land is a wise choice for someone who intends to expand his land. By then, the seemingly simple and low-cost floating bridge will significantly hinder transportation. Looks like Lady Tilly’s brother is much more farsighted than you.”

Ashes raised her eyebrows. “You’ve nicknamed him as a vulgar nobleman who likes cooking in a barbarous way. Now you call him Lady Tilly’s brother?”

“It was you who added the word of a vulgar nobleman,” the blonde haired witch said, looking away dismissively, “and the saying that he likes cooking in a barbarous way doesn’t contradict the fact that he has a long-term view. Stop yourself from gossiping in front of Lady Tilly.”

However, Tilly paid little attention to their bickering. She turned her gaze towards the opposite of the river.

She noticed something incredible.

The flurries of snow in the sky lowered the temperature similar to that of a chilly winter. The civilians should be staying home, gathered around the stoves or cocooned in quilts. Few people could be seen in the streets even in the king’s city. Since the cold accelerated the burning of their energy, people had to eat more to keep warm. There was also the danger of catching a cold outside their door. Hence, most people would reduce their outside activities to subsistence purposes.

But that was not the case in Border Town. The town was bustling with people and activities. Some were pushing carts and some were carrying big bags. It seemed that all of them were in a hurry and engaged in all kinds of work. Tilly did not find any supervisors holding whips, so it meant they were working on their own account.

How… is this possible?

As they crossed the bridge, two guards equipped with peculiar-looking spears walked up to them. They wore uniforms and looked to be in high spirits, a stark contrast from the patrol teams in other big cities. “Stop. Why are you coming from the south?” One of the guards looked at them carefully for a moment. “Wait, are you… witches?”

The question gave Tilly a slight shock. She was already aware that witches were openly accepted in this town, but when she heard ordinary people asking such a question in such a calm tone, billows emerged in her heart and stirred her. “Yes, we’re witches,” she answered.

“You must be here to join the Witch Cooperation Association.” The guard laughed. “Please wait for a while. I’ll report at once.”

“Wait? No, this is…”

“Great. We’ll wait here.” Tilly interrupted Ashes. “By the way, may I ask what’re those people doing?”

“Ah. They’re busy repairing the shipyard. The snow caught them off guard and messed up many things. But I don’t exactly know what they’re doing.”

After the guard returned to his duty, Ashes asked in incredulity. “Why didn’t you tell them who you are?”

“Aren’t you curious about how he’ll receive a witch from another city?” Tilly winked playfully.

It was not long before a tall, white-clad woman arrived. She had curly blonde hair and impeccable looks. Even though Tilly could not see her magic power, she can feel the piercing momentum radiating from her, just like a sharp blade.

There was no doubt that she was a combat-type witch with extremely strong power.

“I thought there really are new witches here for us. Hadn’t you returned to Sleeping Island?” she said, glancing at Ashes before sweeping her gaze past the rest of them. The sight of Tilly unexpectedly shocked her. Her sharpness dulled, replaced with a water-like warmth.

“Hello. I’m Nightingale.” She nodded in greeting to Tilly. “You must be Tilly Wimbledon, the younger sister of Prince Roland.”

Chapter 327: The Reason

quot;Lady Tilly!”

Following Nightingale into the Lord’s Castle, Princess Tilly had never expected Sylvie to be the first person to greet her. Sylvie ran happily to her, half bowing. She eagerly rose to hug her as she said, “You’re here so early. It’s still autumn.”

“There’s not much difference from winter.” Tilly laughed. “Where are your other sisters?”

“Lotus is building houses for the refugees. Evelyn and Candle should still be in the industrial zone at this hour. Honey is training the carrier pigeons in the back garden.” Sylvie ticked off the whereabouts of the witches on her fingers. “His Highness has sent someone to notify them.”

“Don’t worry. I think you’ll see them soon.” Tilly heard a somewhat familiar yet unacquainted voice from behind Sylvie.

Tilly raised her head and saw a gray-haired man smiling at her. His appearance had not changed much from that in her memory. However, his smile and manners gave her totally different feelings.

“Welcome to Border Town, my dear sister.”

…

Tilly’s mind was stormed by various thoughts. She had so many doubts that she wanted to speak out. However, she remained calm as she followed Roland Wimbledon into a room that looked to be a study room.

“Please sit down.” Roland poured her a cup of warm black tea and handed it to her. “It’s been a whole year since we parted. I know you have a lot to say to me, and so do I… but take your time.” He turned to look at the snow outside the window. “It’ll be a long winter this year.”

She did not reply. She just held the cup and sat beside the mahogany desk, quietly looking up and down Prince Roland.

The opening remarks alone were something she could not imagine the brother in her memory saying, Tilly thought. He was cowardly and timid, but always pretended to be strong in front of others. The most important thing was that he used to be evasive, never thinking of a positive response when he met any difficulties. However, this Roland Wimbledon sitting in front of her was utterly different. He was trying to take initiative in beginning a conversation. He showed the manners of a man in power, though he spoke in a gentle and soft tone.

“Nightingale.” Roland turned slightly to his side.

“But Your Highness…” The voice of the witch who led her into the castle came from somewhere in the room.

“It’s alright. She’s my little sister.”

“Alright.” Nightingale was silent for a moment. She then emerged from the Mist and left the room, looking displeased.

“There’s only you and me left in this room.” He smiled and returned to the square desk.

Tilly was silent for a moment. “Who on earth… are you?”

She thought he might hesitate or lie to hide his identity. She had never expected him to answer so promptly. “I’m your brother, Roland Wimbledon, the Prince of Graycastle.” He then laughed. “I know I’ve changed a lot, but I’d like to explain it to you in detail.”

Tilly suddenly recalled what he wrote in his letter: “As for what prompted me to make this decision and what made me no longer indifferent to everything, as I had in the past, was something trivial that I’ll explain in detail to you later.” That sentence was probably what incited her to determine to come to this desolate town.

She could not help smiling. “I’ll listen to you carefully.”

The whole story was not complicated, but very exciting. After hearing Roland’s experience since arriving in Border Town, Tilly found her teacup already empty. She took a long breath and recalled his story. In short, he was touched by a witch named Anna. From the witch he had rescued, he learned the evil actions of the church and its deceits against the people. Subsequently, Garcia’s assassination made him experience the darkness of royal power. Even if he hid in a corner of the kingdom, he would still not escape their malice that followed him like a shadow. Finally, he decided to change everything.

It sounded somewhat dramatic, but it barely could be counted as an explanation. The problem lay in the weird and strange knowledge in his brain, whether it was a steam engine or flintlock. It was not something that could be acquired because of a moment’s inspiration.

“So, the ultimate reason for all this is the additional memories that suddenly appeared in your head?” Tilly asked.

“Indeed,” said Roland earnestly, “I know this is unbelievable, but it’s the truth… I was lucky enough to escape Garcia’s assassination and wake up with this piece of memory. If meeting Anna was the immediate cause, then the knowledge in the memory was the driving force behind my desire to change the status quo.”

Tilly wondered if it was the result of a witch’s magic power. It was unlikely that he had been substituted or manipulated, as Sylvie had confirmed this. The abilities of the witches from the Witch Cooperation Association were not a mystery. They had special exercises every day and Sylvie has found no ability even close to substitution or manipulation.

The only possibility was the occupation of his body. She could not exclude the possibility that a witch might have the ability to occupy a man’s body and acquire his memory. But this speculation was also impossible. Roland Wimbledon, though not his father’s favorite son, was undoubtedly one of the Princes of the Kingdom of Graycastle. The God’s Stone of Retaliation was not unusual for him and he was always protected by knights and guards. It was impossible for a witch without a concealing ability to approach him easily.

Besides, even if such a witch existed, how could she know so many extraordinary things? When Tilly was a child, she searched through the palace’s library and received education from several well-educated and white-haired court mentors. But even they had never talked about using steam and snow powder to replace animal labor and swords.

Looking at it this way, it seemed that Roland’s bizarre knowledge was indeed somewhat related to his bizarre encounter.

“How can you prove that you’re Roland Wimbledon but not someone with the additional memory?”

Tilly knew this question was quite rude. If he were the previous Prince Roland, he would have flown into a rage, kicked over the desk angrily, and stamped out of the room.

“Because I still remember what happened on the court,” he still spoke in a calm tone, “and I think distinguishing the essence of a person lies in his unique memory. If a witch transforms herself into your appearance yet has a different memory, she’s still another person in essence. I have many strange memories, but I don’t remember where they came from. But the scene where you wept because I threw you on the broken glass is still vivid in my memory. So that’s the proof.” He paused. “Of course… I have yet to apologize to you for that. I hope I’m not too late.”

Tilly remained silent. Roland sat in front of her, with clean clothes and earnest eyes, as if he was telling an undisputable fact. Obviously, by any standards, he was much better than the former dandy prince she knew. But there were still doubts in her mind.

“It’s really… unbelievable.”

“That’s normal.” Roland seemed to have seen through her thoughts. “Many things are also incredible to me before I experienced them myself. I’ve never expected that my sister would actually awaken as a witch and hide it from everyone in the palace. But… as I’ve said in the beginning, it’s a long winter. We can get to know each other slowly.”

This was probably the best solution at present, so Tilly nodded. “Then for the next few months… I hope I won’t trouble you too much.”

“Trust me, you’ll come to love this place.”

…

Chapter 328: The Formal Talks

fter Tilly left the office, Roland let out a long sigh.

Obviously, talking nonsense in a serious way in front of a smart person was a very stressful thing, especially when he had to maintain an earnest and sincere expression throughout. Fortunately, Nightingale’s report gave him a timely respite—Sleeping Island witches had returned to the castle, and Roland used it as an excuse to end the conversation that just past.

“How was talking to your witch younger sister? Was there a special feeling?” Nightingale turned and sat on to the table, from where she looked down on the prince.

The latter replied sulkily with a contemptuous look in his eyes. “Is feeling heavily pressured considered a special feeling?”

“I’d thought it would be an emotional reunion.” She curled her lips.

“I don’t have a good relationship with her.” Roland sighed. “In the palace, I used to bully her often. After growing up, we became like strangers. It’s an unexpected delight to me that she even came.”

“Oh?” She gave him a meaningful look. “You wouldn’t talk alone to witches you aren’t familiar with. I can see that you trust her a fair bit.”

“That’s because I don’t want you to see me lying.” Without replying, Roland refilled his teacup and took a sip as he leaned back on his chair.

“Anyhow… you’ll understand next time.”

Nightingale reached out her hand and touched his lips. “You’ll tell me everything, right?”

“… Yeah.”

“I’ll remember this promise.” She laughed softly and then vanished right in front of Roland.

While leaning back on his chair, Roland recalled the entire conversation and searched for possible slips. He had given the “most suitable” explanation he could think of. From his many years of work experience, he knew that the more lies he fabricated, the more his words would not stand up to close scrutiny. Therefore, explanations such as deliberately hiding his good side during childhood, accidentally discovering ancient books of wisdom, or receiving guidance from a secret teacher would be difficult to justify upon further questioning. Apart from being his younger sister, Tilly was also the leader of a witches’ organization. Before a stable alliance was forged between them, any debunked lie would have severely compromised the mutual trust.

Thus, he decided to tell the truth regarding the details which were likely to be debunked. He then attributed his new knowledge to a memory that came from nowhere. Although this sounded very unbelievable, it was still more plausible than time travel. It also did not have too many negative effects, and was impossible to falsify. It would most certainly be harder for her to accept a completely unknown visitor from a different age.

As long as he continued to maintain his identity as Prince Roland of the Kingdom of Graycastle, nobody could disclaim who he was. Furthermore, all that Tilly wanted could have been to hear him personally explain his changes. Roland knew that an excellent leader would not keep holding on to the past, and would instead focus on working together to make progress. In the coming winter, he would be able to show her the Western Region’s vast prospects. Even if his sincerity to cooperate was only shown in one successful meeting, there would be a huge amount of time in the future to repair their mutual relationship.

At night, a grand banquet was held in the castle hall.

Aside from the common dishes such as pepper steak, fried eggs and white bread, there were also white liquor of all types, pan-fried bird beak mushrooms, small dumplings, ice-cream and many more on offer. The taste of these cuisines was brought to an entirely new level. Every dish also incorporated the concept of fancy platter. For example, on a large porcelain plate would be placed a small main course covered in sauce. This had an excellent visual effect which made the dish highly tempting to anyone who saw it.

After a flurry of toasts was exchanged, the banquet ended in a harmonious yet lively atmosphere.

The formal talks were next to take place.

The fireplace blazed in the parlor. Roland sat together with the members of the Witch Union on one side of the long table, while Tilly and the Sleeping Island witches sat opposite them. As Maggie’s identity was sensitive, she morphed into a pigeon and perched on the chandelier hanging overhead.

Tilly was the first to speak. “I came this time not only because I hope to help Border Town defend against the invasion of demonic beasts, but also because I intend to bring back with me the five witches I’d earlier sent.” She explained the recent situation on Sleeping Island. “In the coming spring, Moon Bay will be moving a batch of commoners inland. The additional home rental and food costs will need to be settled by Lotus and Honey.”

Roland momentarily felt his head begin to hurt. He knew that the First Army would be able to defend against the demonic beasts on their own. Unless there were demonic hybrids, which were both agile and fast, he virtually did not need to send out witches. However, on the construction front, the witches’ functions were irreplaceable. At present, the ridges near the harbor had yet to be opened, only half of the shipyard had been repaired, and there were a few more batches of cave dwellings he intended to build. “Will it be okay for them to stay for another half a month?”

“I wish to agree, but the situation has had some changes.” Tilly shook her head helplessly. “Mutated sea ghosts have appeared in the southern waters. You can see them as a type of demonic fish. I suspect that all of this has something to do with the Months of Demons. It’s rumored that the longest these Months are, the more ferocious the demonic beasts will be. That’s why it’s safer if our witches made the journey back earlier.”

“They aren’t suitable for combat.”

“I know. That’s also why Breeze shall be escorting them on the ship. Her abilities are highly effective against low-intelligence enemies. Also, we don’t intend to return by the same route we came, and instead, we’ll first head north along the coastline until we reach Port of Clearwater, where we’ll then follow the usual trading route towards Sleeping Island. According to the information delivered by the messenger birds, there has been no appearance of demonic beasts on the route between the Fjords and the kingdom.”

Roland was forced to make a last-ditch attempt. “Uh… apart from Lotus and Honey, may the other three remain? Their primary education is still ongoing, and if they leave now, they’ll have to give it up halfway…”

Tilly could not help laughing. “Seem like they’ve caught your fancy.”

“…” He did not know how to respond to these words for a while.

“May I ask, how do you make use of Candle’s and Evelyn’s abilities?”

“For welding metal parts and making wine. The former serves to greatly increase the efficiency of mechanical operations, while the latter…” Roland paused to frame his words better. “Wine is a fabulous thing. Aside from drinking, it also has many other uses.”

“When on Sleeping Island, they’re always worried that their abilities are useless, and would often…” Tilly did not finish her sentence, but Roland could guess that it had to do with being discriminated against, just like Mystery Moon’s experience in the Witch Cooperation Association. “I’m glad that you’re willing to let them stay. I truly believe that every witch has her unique uses and that there’re no useless abilities.” She glanced towards Evelyn and the others. “What do you all think?”

“I wish to follow you, Lady Tilly.” Sylvie was first to reply.

“I…” Candle touched her own head. “I’m fine with anywhere.”

“Lady Tilly, I’ll return to Sleeping Island if you need me,” Evelyn answered after pondering for a moment, “otherwise, I wish to remain in Border Town. I… have a lot more to learn from Teacher Scroll.”

“Don’t be nervous. This isn’t a question of staying or leaving.” Tilly shook her head and laughed. “All I wanted to know was your living situation in Border Town. All of you may return to Sleeping Island at any time. It’s also not as if Lotus and Honey won’t have a chance to come back. I’m even thinking about inviting the Border Town witches to visit Sleeping Island. I hope that through our hard work, witches may one day freely live either in the Northern Region or the Southern Territory. Am I right, brother?”

Roland was slightly surprised. This was the first time she had openly addressed him as such. Even from the former Prince Roland’s memory, the last time was more than 10 years ago. He elicited a smile and nodded. “Yes, that day will come.”

Chapter 329: Sounding of the Horn

hen this matter was closed, Roland cleared his throat and spoke in a more serious tone. “Next, I need to talk about the news regarding the demons and the monuments.”

He recounted to Tilly the recent discoveries that were made in Misty Forest and behind the snow mountains. “I had intended to send witches and First Army soldiers to bring the person trapped in the monuments back to Border Town, but heavy snow arrived more than one month before schedule and disrupted these plans.”

“The legendary Army of Demons is close by. To think that there’s still a person in a more than 400-year-old monuments…” Tilly gaped in astonishment. “I’m starting to believe what you told me..”

Anna turned her head to look at Roland. The latter coughed twice and continued, “Based on the observed scene and the enemy’s response, the demons should have inhabited the back of the snow mountains for many years now. My guess is that they’re restricted by the effective range of the Red Mist, and thus can’t advance closer to the continent of our kingdom. They shouldn’t be a threat to Border Town for the time being. In the next two years, I’ll set up guard posts along the coast to monitor their movements.” He paused before continuing. “The person sealed in the monuments could possess the truth about Holy City of Taquila and the church’s defeat.”

“I feel so too.” Tilly closed her eyes and ruminated. “Is there a way to get there not by land but by sky? Ashes says that you have a flying device which can transport people once it’s filled with hot air.”

“You want to bring the person out of the monuments during the Months of Demons?” Roland furrowed his brows. “My hot air balloon, the Cloud Gazer, can fetch up to 10 people, or perhaps be expanded to fetch 15 people. Nonetheless, it won’t ever be able to carry the First Army soldiers. If demons are encountered along the way, the witches may get injured or be killed. Not to mention that demonic beasts are everywhere… this is far too dangerous.”

“It’s definitely dangerous if we solely depend on the Witch Cooperation Association.” Tilly nodded in agreement. “However, we now have Shavi and Ashes, who’ll significantly reduce the risks. As you explained earlier, the demons’ main forms of offense are long-range spears, as well as melee combat using their superhuman strengths. Shavi’s invisible barrier can deflect the spears, while Ashes is able to suppress the enemies at close range. As the Months of Demons have just started, the demonic beasts aren’t at their strongest yet. This is the best time to go to the monuments.”

Roland felt slightly hesitant to agree. He had suffered losses owing to the disadvantages of aerial combat during the previous battle with the demons. He was thus uncertain of flying across once again. However, Tilly’s words sounded reasonable. Sylvie’s Eye of Magic would ensure that they spotted the enemy before they were spotted back. By maintaining the hot air balloon at a height of 10 to 15 meters, which meant keeping close to the canopy, they could ensure that they landed before the enemies approached. After that, Nightingale’s and Ashes’ powerful offensive abilities would easily crush small groups of demons. Even if one or two demons managed to slip through, Shavi and Anna’s shields would ensure the safety of the party.

He meditated in silence briefly, and then asked, “Are you sure you want to go?”

“I feel that this is an opportunity to solve the mystery,” Tilly replied frankly. “The early arrival of the Months of Demons and the appearance of demonic beasts in the southern seas give me a bad feeling.”

Roland sensed a slight chill in his heart. He had a similar feeling; it was unlikely that the Months of Demons was brought about by climatic changes, and he also vaguely suspected that it had something to do with the demons and the church.

“Who’ll be in the party?”

“I’m not sure about the Border Town witches. What’s certain is that I’ll personally be going,” Tilly replied without a second thought.

…

Snowflakes danced in the grayish sky. Mayne and Tayfun ascended slowly up the city wall of Hermes, where a huge battle had just taken place.

Dark and warm blood flowed beneath their feet and blended together with the white snow. The good thing was that these blood were spilled from the bodies of their enemies. Hundreds of God’s Punishment Army soldiers stood erect on top of the city wall, waiting for the demonic beasts to carry out their next wave of attack.

“Your Eminence!” The Judgement Army warriors, who were assisting the God’s Punishment Army in battle, hurriedly made a fist salute. There was a look of tenderness on most of their faces, and their eyes seemed to be mingled with fear and excitement.

“They’re still teenagers.” Tayfun walked to an open space, from where he observed the wilderness in the distance and sighed. “When I was at their age, I was still in the mill, grinding flour for the noble lords.”

“The God’s Punishment Army has to prioritize guarding New Holy City. I can only hand the task of eliminating the remaining defendants of Wolfheart City to the experienced Judgement Army. These soldiers here are believers who were promoted recently. They’ve never properly been on a battlefield,” Mayne explained with a sense of frustration. “This snow has come too early.”

Tayfun hesitated and then said, “This type of situation isn’t recorded in the Holy Book.”

“The Holy Book was also written by a pope. There’re bound to be omissions.” The archbishop held on to a battlement and observed the cliff below, where there was a huge pile of corpses. Most demonic beasts would certainly not be able to climb up such a high city wall—the only ones which could threaten Holy City were the hybrids. “It’s fine as it is, as long as its general direction is right. Based on the Wilderness Beasts which appeared last year, I can infer that we have about 10 years left.”

“We’ll use two years to unify the four kingdoms, and another eight years to build up the God’s Punishment Army. By then, the church shall possess a military force of more than 10,000 men.” After a short pause, he continued, “By making use of Hermes’ sturdy city walls and advantageous geography, we’ll hold our ground on this plateau until our strength exceeds our enemies’.”

“I’m already old. I’m afraid I won’t be able to see that moment.”

“Nothing to do with age, Archbishop Tayfun.” Mayne solaced. “Many people won’t be able to see that moment. Allen, Stone, Liji, etc.”

“And Heather,” Tayfun added.

“Yes, Heather as well.” He nodded. “But no matter what, there’ll always be successors to continue our mission and keep going.”

“Let’s not talk about disheartening things.” The elder shook his head and laughed. “By the way, how’s the effect of the snow powder formula which Zero obtained? Have tests been carried out in the Pivotal Secret Area?”

“Toys used to deal with common people won’t be of much use to the church,” Mayne replied scornfully, “Perhaps it can also be used to eliminate hordes of demonic beasts, but our real enemy is the Devil of the Abyss. The lethality of the powder is greatly reduced in an open area, and thus we’ll require a huge volume of it to damage the heavily-armored devil. Apart from the God’s Punishment Army, no one else will be able to hurl a bag of snow powder that’s about half the size of their own bodies.”

“Aww… that’s a real pity.”

“There aren’t any tricks that’ll help us to defeat the demons.” Mayne emphasized every one of his words. “The only way for us to survive is to defeat them head-on.”

Just then, a long horn sound was heard from the observation tower on one side of the city wall.

“Woo…”

Such a long sound signaled that demonic beasts were incoming.

“Let’s return to the cathedral. There’ll soon be a battle here.”

“Yes.” Tayfun nodded. As he turned his body, the horn began to sound once again.

“Woo, woo…”

Two long sounds meant that there were numerous hybrids among the demonic beasts. Mayne’s heart began to quiver. There was no question that the God’s Punishment Army was going to face an arduous battle.

“But… why is it so soon? This is only the first Month of Demons,” thought Mayne.

Before the echo of the second sounding had fully dissipated, the horn sounded for the third time. The dull and continuous sounds seemed like claps of thunder that rolled across the sky above Hermes, and did not subside for a long time.

“Woo, woo, woo…”

Mayne almost could not believe his own ears. He glanced at Tayfun, who stared back at him with a look of shock. Three long sounds were only played when the situation was extremely critical, and implied New Holy City was on the verge of destruction! Even when the demonic beasts managed to intrude into the perimeter of the cathedral the previous time, this signal was not sounded.

What exactly had the observator spotted?

Mayne quickly knew the answer.

Among the hordes of demonic beasts which swarmed towards the city wall like a black tide, there were two enormous monsters. They each had four stout fangs, four legs and two arms. Their bodies were covered with pitch-black fur, and every one of their legs was as thick as the torso of a wolf-figure hybrid. From this distance, the monsters each resembled a fortress that could move. Every step they took would leave a deep imprint on the permanently-frozen plains. Any accompanying demonic beast which did not evade their legs in time could be plunged into the ground and be turned into a pool of blood and flesh.

This type of monster had many records in the Holy Book. It was referred to as the “Death Messenger”, “Fearful Beast of Hell”, “Fangs of Demons”, etc. However, what Mayne was terrified of was not its menacing appearance, but rather what it represented.

“Why?” His mind was completely seized by a dreadful thought. “Why would this horrible monster, which the Holy Book prophesized would only appear five years before a catastrophe, suddenly appear in Hermes?”

Chapter 330: Farewell

he next day, Roland was in the castle backyard to see off Lotus and Honey.

Although he quietly wished that they would not leave so soon, upon hearing the news that Charming Beauty was still waiting at the shoal, he decided not to delay it further – at least this way, it would seem magnanimous of him and would not put Lady Tilly in a difficult position. Placing himself in her shoes, he thought that Lady Tilly had shown utmost sincerity in sending her important witches to Border Town at a time when Sleeping Island was in need of large-scale construction. It would not be right for him to make further demands of her.

To save the witches the trouble of a long journey through snow on foot, he asked Anna and Wendy to send them using the Cloud Gazer, which would take only an hour to reach the shore.

“We are grateful for Your Highness’ care over these few months,” the two witches bowed in front of Roland and said.

“No, I should thank you,” said Roland, laughing. “You two have contributed greatly to the construction of Border Town, and for that, I have two gifts for you.”

“G… gifts?” Lotus looked slightly surprised and her cheeks turned a bright red.

Honey touched herself on her bosom, casting a quick glance at Lotus’, and asked eagerly, “Can we also have a gift?”

Taking two parcels from Nightingale and handing them over to the two witches, Roland said, “Yes, go ahead and open it.”

Honey unwrapped her gift almost immediately and pulled out a long strap of cloth, saying, “What’s this? Isn’t it a corset?”

“Close, but it is actually a scarf,” Roland walked up to Honey and tucked the fabric made of pure cotton around her neck. “With this, you will never need to fear the cold wind or snowflakes entering your neck. If you twine it a little more, you can also protect the ears.”

“Ooh, it feels really warm,” Honey exclaimed with an expression of satisfaction.

Sensing something, Lotus flushed more deeply.

“There is one more thing inside,” Honey said after playing with the scarf, and pulled a square object out of the parcel. “Your Highness, is this also a gift?”

“Yes, open and see what it is.”

“Wow, it’s shiny!” Honey raised up the metal box and said excitedly, “Look, Lotus, my reflection is so clear in this!”

It was a small mirror embedded in a wooden box – actually a common item sold in the Convenience Market. As Roland’s life experience had taught him, women were irresistibly fond of shiny objects.

Honey’s shrieking caught the attention of other witches, and soon the Sleeping Island witches had gathered in the backyard, using the shiny mirrors to check out their own appearances. Adoration and envy were in the air – hand coated by Soraya, these crystal mirrors were vastly superior to silver mirrors in reflectiveness and accuracy. Indeed, they turned out to be a great gift idea by Roland.

Soon after the gift-giving session, Cloud Gazer was adequately inflated and ready to depart. Lotus and Honey stepped inside the basket and waved goodbye to Roland and the onlooking witches. They were evidently reluctant to be departing from Border Town.

“I have to say, this has been a truly good place to live,” Tilly walked to one side of Roland and said softly to him. “There’s already a convenient water supply and comfortable housing. It’s unimaginable that you’ve transformed this poverty-stricken land into what it is now in only a year.”

“Do you regret it?”

“You mean, sending the witches here?” Tilly laughed, “Why, they have a better life here. Don’t forget that I am also a witch.”

In the spotlessly white garden, Tilly’s smile gleamed as white as a snowflake, beautiful and colorless. Roland thought that if he had a younger sister like Tilly, it would be impossible to bring her out on the streets without attracting admiring glances from everyone. Of course, he was aware that her relationship with him was more akin to a collaborator and a natural ally rather than a sister. As was evident from her decision the day before, she was willing to put herself at personal risk in order to deal with any possible threat.

“Are you certain about going to such a dangerous place?” Roland queried, “You may be an Extraordinary, but perhaps your abilities aren’t suited for combat?”

“Rest assured, I am not without any ability to protect myself.” Tilly held up her hands to display the ornaments she was wearing – on the ring finger of her left hand she wore a ring made of blue crystal, and on her right hand she wore a white silk glove that was embedded with red gems on its back. Frankly speaking, the mismatch of accessories appeared exceptionally odd, as if inspired by the mix-and-match style of catwalks of a later generation. Roland had been curious about the ornaments since the day before but did not ask Tilly about it in order to not be disrespectful.

“This is a Magic Stone that was discovered in ancient ruins,” Tilly explained. “Imbuing it with magic power allows me to use several abilities. This ring grants me the ability to fly freely, just like Lightning does.”

As she spoke, as if to prove her own words, her feet gradually lifted off the ground and her body suspended in the air as though it was weightless. The scene startled Roland.

“Can a stone really alter one’s abilities?” He wondered.

He quickly realized the significance of this.

If abilities could be mass customized, the witches’ work efficiency would be greatly enhanced – supposing every witch in the Union could possess a stone that allows them to acquire Lotus’ abilities, it would require only one day to complete the construction of the temporary residential area.

As Tilly landed on the ground, she pointed her right hand at an open space on the ground, and a bright flash of lightning spurted from her fingertips, creating a hole in the ankle-deep snow to reveal the black soil lying beneath.

“Are you able to possess two abilities at the same time?” Roland asked, a look of surprise on his face.

“No,” Tilly shook her head and said. “In most cases, the Magic Stone only allows one ability at a time, but if I try to imbue two stones with magic power simultaneously, there will be no effect.” Then she smiled and said, “I wanted to keep this a secret from you at first, but after last night’s discussion, I realized that I might have misunderstood you before… when you told me the truth regarding the ancient ruins, I felt delighted… and also a little sorry.”

“No problem. I understand.”

“By the way, there’s something I noticed – what was the corset that Honey mentioned earlier?”

Roland nearly choked on his saliva. “Um, I am not too sure about it myself… you might want to ask Silvio or Evelyn.”

“Well,” Tilly shrugged, “it seems that you still keep some things from me.”

For a moment, the prince did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“Let’s change the subject,” Tilly said, blinking a few times at Roland. “I was thinking about a question last night. If these ruins belong to the Church, why would they discard all of the Magic Stones? According to Ashes’ experiences, it is highly likely that the Church is grooming its own witches, and therefore these Magic Stones could be highly useful to them. Even if they fled a losing battle against the demons and concealed the outcome of the battle, there would be no problem for them to continue using these stones – it just doesn’t make any sense.”

“Do these stones really not matter to the Church?” Roland pondered, but quickly shot down his own opinion. “That’s not right. It is more likely that they were unable to mass produce the stones, or else the stones would have been used for hunting down members of the Witch Cooperation Association. If the Church’s witches were able to fly, not many people would be able to escape from them.”

“Indeed, I just recalled something strange about the palace library’s books concerning the Church and its God… not only do the historical records go no further than four hundred years back, but also the origin of God is unclear and there isn’t a prominent name or an epic legend for God. Apart from propagating the idea that God is omnipotent and omniscient, there are few other details. At least, compared to the Three Gods of antiquity, it appears to be much more abstruse and illusionary. Putting the two aspects together, one cannot help but feel strange.

“What do you mean?” Roland exclaimed, feeling shocked.

“The Church seems like it emerged out of nowhere.”

Chapter 331: The Key of Art

quot;The Church seems to have emerged out of nowhere.”

Until Roland returned to his office, these words continued to reverberate in his mind.

He closed his eyes and flipped through his memory carefully, but could not think of anything related. His understanding of the Church was mediocre among the nobility – while living in the palace, he had spent little time and effort acquiring knowledge, therefore, things like occultism were largely lost on him. But, if what Tilly said was right, the Church’s propaganda strategy actually wouldn’t make sense.

Taking the religious lore of the old world as an example, it was common knowledge that the deity originated at the beginning of the world, and instead it was recognised that it was more important to spread the idea that the deity created the world. For example, the Seven Days of Creation, karmic reincarnation, etc., every religion has its own set of lore that describes the powers of its deities.

In comparison to other religions, the Church seems rather… insubstantial.

However, Roland did not have any more clues for him to investigate further, and so, shaking his head, he decided to put these thoughts to the back of his mind.

Perhaps, after the exploration of the ancient ruins of the Mist Forest, there’ll be answers to all of these questions.

Roland walked up to the window and looked out towards the huge coating that laid flat in the middle of the garden – amidst the vast expanse of white snow, its green surface was particularly eye-catching.

Soraya was presently preparing a larger airbag, which would allow the new hot air balloon to have a larger capacity and therefore accommodate more people. This was in consideration of the possibility that during the exploration of the ruins, should it be impossible to free the entrapped lady, it would be easier for Anna to shatter the Frozen Coffin and transport the lady together with a portion of the transparent crystal back to Border Town.

The time of departure was set for two days later.

Personnel arrangements were already made. Participating witches from Sleeping Island would include Tilly, Silvio, Shavi, Ashes and Anderlia. The Witch Union would send Anna, Wendy, Nightingale, Nana, Lightning and Maggie. This lineup could be said to be unprecedentedly strong, whether it be in offense, defense or situational awareness. As long as the demons did not use the God’s Stone of Retaliation, it would be difficult for them to even get near to the witches.

“Your Highness, Chief Alchemist Kyle Sichi would like to meet you,” a guard said from outside Roland’s office.

“Let him in.”

On this visit, instead of coming alone, Kyle brought a companion in Chavez. “Your Highness, we’re closing in on a method to mass produce nitric acid, as you requested.”

“Is that true?” Roland replied. He seemed to be dazed for a brief moment, before bursting into joy. This was perhaps the best piece of news he had heard in recent days. He leapt off his seat and poured two cups of tea for the chemists, before saying, “Tell me more about your method.”

“This was entirely Chavez’s work,” Kyle said, stroking his beard. “Let him explain it to you.”

“Your Highness,” the young man said with some restraint, and bowed before he continued speaking. “Your alchemy workshop… no, I mean chemistry lab… produces nitric acid by using distilled saltpeter to obtain dilute nitric acid before purifying it with concentrated sulfuric acid. Hence I tried combining the two processes by directly placing saltpeter in concentrated sulfuric acid and heating them. I successfully obtained a nitric acid solution, of which the purity was very high. I could even observe the smoking phenomenon recorded in “Elementary Chemistry”.

“Heated together? But the two are not the same.” Roland said, questioningly. “The temperature of distillation is much higher than that of heating them together, and furthermore, the gas obtained from distillation should be nitrogen oxide, which then forms nitric acid when added to water. The purification of concentrated sulfuric acid simply makes use of the principles of high boiling point and strong water absorption to reduce the water content of nitric acid, and does not involve any chemical reaction.”

“I’m not sure how I managed to do it either, but Mr. Shichel conducted a few experiments later, and reckoned that my discovery was a coincidence.”

“Coincidence?” Roland looked at the Chief Alchemist.

“Indeed.” Kyle confirmed. “Although the process is different, the result is the same.” Deducing from a chemical formula, I guess certain components of the saltpetre reacted with the sulfuric acid to form nitric acid, which then turned into vapor when heat was added. And according to inverse deduction, it appears to be a sort of… nitrate.”

In his mind, Roland suddenly remembered that a chemistry textbook did mention that prior to the invention of synthetic ammonia, people reacted sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate with concentrated sulfuric acid to produce nitric acid. This was the oldest industrial method used. As the main components of saltpetre were the two aforementioned nitrates, it was convenient and easy to obtain, and extraction was relatively easy, therefore, as long as the temperature was properly controlled, a steady flow of evaporated nitric acid could be gathered.

However, because this production method expended too much sulfuric acid, and the necessary equipment was prone to corrosion, it was later quickly phased out by more advanced techniques.

These two problems did not concern Roland greatly; there wasn’t a chemical fertilizer or pesticide industry within his territory, and hence all produced sulfuric acid were intended solely to purify nitric acid. As for the nitric acid vapor’s tendency to cause corrosion, he could hand it to Soraya to enhance the equipment with her coating ability.

“Not bad.” Roland happily patted Chavez on the shoulder. “You actually managed to come up with this method with a bit of luck.”

“Your Highness, you may not have heard, but Chavez had already displayed his excellent luck while working in an alchemy workshop in Redwater City.” Kyle said, raising his eyebrows. “He did not have an education in chemistry, and alchemy itself has always been a form of exploration which requires luck. Yet, this fella, while only in his early twenties, was able to discover a method for producing dioic acid, and also became the workshop’s youngest alchemist, which made a group of apprentices in their thirties and forties all jealous. You should know that most of them will probably end up remaining apprentices for life.”

“No matter how you put it, this is good news for the entire town.” Roland said in compliment. “Try to produce a set of production equipment for now, and I will get some witches to aid you. And if possible, try to further expand the scale of production.”

“As you wish.”

“By the way, I have another task for you,” Roland’s facial expression and tone of voice turned solemn. “Now that there’s a reliable source of nitric acid, I’ll need you to try producing a similarly dangerous chemical – nitroglycerol.”

“How dangerous is it?” Kyle asked.

“Its materials are very simple, which is reacting concentrated nitric acid with glycerol, using concentrated sulfuric acid as a catalyst. However, during the reaction process, the temperature must be strictly controlled, and ventilation must be maintained. As the nitrification will produce a large amount of heat, you can place the container in ice water during the experiment. But remember, temperature fluctuation, vibration, impact and friction may all cause it to explode.” Roland was not sure if his layman knowledge was reliable, but the components were unquestioningly correct. Despite the risks involved, it was necessary to give it a try. “And, use only a small amount of acid during the experiment. This way, even if there’s an accident, Miss Nana will still be able to rescue you.”

“This…” Chavez opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Kyle interrupted. “I understand it now, but how does its power compare with that of snow powder?”

“They are heaven and hell apart.”

“Sounds like an interesting experiment.” The Chief Alchemist chuckled.

“It is indeed true to say that nine out of ten chemists has a hidden artistic affection for explosions…” Roland silently thought to himself.

Nitroglycerol is highly unstable; Nobel’s dynamites were made by adding diatomite to cause ester inactivation, which although increased its safety, reduced its explosive power. Naturally, Roland would not choose to use such an obsolete method. He intended to add nitrocellulose or nitrostarch to the nitroglycerol, as these two compounds not only had stabilizing effects but also further increased the explosive power. The former was an excellent smokeless propellant, while the latter would make a powerful high explosive. As can be told from their names, the key for Blackfire explosive to evolve into a chemical explosive was a large amount of nitric acid.

And now, Roland possessed this key.

Chapter 332: Experiences

n the days before the witches set off to explore the ruins, Tilly took the most pleasure out of strolling down the flat streets of Border Town, exploring the nooks and crannies of this remote territory, which had undergone extraordinary transformation in the hands of Lord Roland.

“This is a unique little town.” Tilly thought, and the more carefully she observed, the stronger this feeling grew. It was vastly different to anywhere she had ever been… and if there was one thing that impressed her most, it was the unparalleled vitality which the town radiated.

Even the newly developed Sleeping Island could not compare.

“Are these people not afraid of the cold?” Watching people on the street come and go, Anderlia asked curiously, “What’s it that your brother promised them, for them to be willing to work on this cold winter day?”

“It’s still mid-autumn,” Ashes shrugged her shoulders. “You can’t even tell the seasons apart?”

“There isn’t much difference from winter. I was merely using an analogy, which is a technique that is regularly used in the book “Her Dream, His Nation”.” Anderlia elegantly lifted up her long hair. “Of course, barbarians will never understand.”

“What’s that your dream my dream book…”

“Deary me, it’s simply difficult to talk to a barbarian who has never appreciated theatre. I’m sure Lady Tilly has watched this famous play which originated from the Kingdom of Dawn.”

“Quit bickering, you two.” Silvio let out a sigh. “I imagine that the reason is simple indeed. Most commoners refuse to work in winter because energy consumption is high, while they are short on food and susceptible to catch a cold. However, these problems don’t exist in Border Town. Over here, the price of food is inexpensive, there is more than sufficient firewood, and Miss Lily is able to treat chills and colds. Therefore, people are able to continue working hard despite the wind and snow – a day’s work for a day’s pay, after all.

“I can understand why firewood is sufficient; Mist Forest is just over to the west, and there are woods in the surrounding as well. But the low prices of food… how is that possible?” Anderlia asked questioningly, “My family was involved in the food business before, and whenever natural disasters or other factors caused poor harvests, the prices of food would go through the roof. When there is bad weather, don’t the nobles and merchants here raise prices?”

“Nobles? Merchants?” Silvio chuckled silently. “Over here, only one person controls the food business, and that’s none other than His Highness Roland.”

“Are the fields along the river all his?” Tilly frowned.

“No, those belong to the serfs.” Silvio gave an account of everything that she had seen and heard about the town, and described the scene during a bumper harvest. “Roland sets the buying and selling prices of food. These two prices are fixed, and the latter must always be higher than the former.”

“Isn’t this considered hard buying and selling?” Ashes said, looking unsurprised. “If he’s selling the food at a high price, why is he preventing other people from doing the same?”

“It’s not the same.” Tilly muttered. “After the wheat is collected, it requires threshing, grinding, and storing. These processes are costly and therefore it is perfectly normal for prices to be increased.”

“Lady Tilly’s right. I only understood after consulting Teacher Scroll.” Silvio laughed. “She said that after these extra expenses are collected, they can either be distributed as wages to the workers who process the wheat, be used to build a new granary or to expand the scale of production. These provide the town with new…” she paused and thought briefly, “jobs, yes, that’s what she told me. I heard that His Highness is very concerned about jobs.”

“But still, it IS hard buying and selling.” Ashes emphasized. “Shouldn’t trade be free?”

“Perhaps yes, but the prices which His Highness sets are largely affordable. If these prices never change, the people are able to feel at ease.

“Sometimes, freedom doesn’t represent the best state of affairs.” Tilly said with a sigh. She had made sense of the purpose behind Roland’s measures. “Prohibiting other people from selling food may seem dictatorial and unjust, but in practice, it eliminates hoarding and profiteering and therefore is effective in preventing prices from skyrocketing during a food shortage. Taking King’s City for example, if snow falls in autumn unexpectedly, the prices of food will inflate by a factor of five or six, and more than half of the commoners will starve. If this persists for a long period of time, the people may start to riot, and the only solution then would be either sending relief grain from the palace or mobilising the guards. In either case, it will come at a significant cost to the national treasury.”

“Although Roland’s policy looks impressive, it’s not implementable just anywhere. In most places, the people controlling the food business are the nobility and wealthy, who own many serfs and fields. Therefore, the royalty is unable to hard buy the food produced by these people, or prohibit them from hoarding the food. However, in Border Town, with the exception of Roland Wimbledon himself, there is no other noble family, and therefore he is able to have the final say on all matters.”

After Tilly provided her opinion, Ashes still had a few grievances. “What about the serfs? When prices of food increase, the serfs will probably be able to earn more income. The fixing of prices prevents them from doing that.”

“Pfft,” Anderlia sneered, “you speak as if in a city with free trade, these people aren’t exploited. When there’s a bumper harvest of wheat, they not only have to turn in a larger amount of wheat, but even the portion that they keep for themselves will drop to a very low price. And when there’s a poor harvest, after subtracting the portion that they turn in, the remainder that they have left is insufficient for them to tide over the famine. By comparison, having a fixed price is more reasonable. It’ll always be that the greater the production, the higher the earnings.”

“And over here, they can choose not to be a serf.” Silvio’s words captured the other three witches for a brief moment. “His Highness has said before that when production output reaches a certain target, serfs can be promoted to free citizens. Then, whether to continue working in the fields or choose to find a new job is entirely up to their wishes. However, as a free citizen, they’ll only need to hand in one-fifth the amount of food they usually do to earn a considerable income, if the buying prices of this year’s bumper harvest are anything to go by.”

“Pro… moted?”

“Yes, in fact, during a public speech, His Highness even spoke of his desire to make Border Town a place without serfs in two or three years’ time.”

“That explains it.” Tilly felt a sudden jolt in her heart. “This is the reason why the town is so full of vitality… When setting policies, Roland took into consideration the views of the citizens, and implemented an incentive system which encouraged the people to do more and better, which was completely different from how any other noble lord did. Incentive is given not only by way of speech but by practical means that allow the people to obtain benefits and rewards through hard work. The riches of the town are not just stashed away in the castle’s underground vaults.”

It was only at that time that she truly understood the meaning of the slogan on the riverside red banner.

“Yet, while in the palace, Roland Wimbledon wasn’t a generous person… therefore, could this also be a change brought about by ‘that’ portion of ‘Sudden Memory’?” Tilly was also fascinated by the lesson content of the night classes for elementary natural science and mathematics.

She had thought that after reading through the palace’s book collection, there would be little else that could arouse her curiosity and interest, but now, she realized that she still had so much more to learn.

A feeling suddenly swelled up in her heart. “Even if I do nothing but remain in the town castle, flipping through the books that recorded magic knowledge, and at the same time, observe the changes happening in the town, it will be immensely pleasurable.”

Suddenly, from the direction of the city wall, a bell started to chime. This was the warning for an attack by demonic beasts.

Tilly suppressed her ongoing thoughts. It was a pity that she was no longer the free-spirited Fifth Princess that she used to be, but was now the leader who was responsible for the fates of the witches of Sleeping Island, and therefore she could not simply do what she liked capriciously. “Let’s head to the city wall and have a look. We may need to give the guards a helping hand.”

“Certainly.” Anderlia smiled. “This is the real reason why we’re here. Let’s give them a good look at how witches fight.” <br/>