"Please don't act impulsively, Your Highness. I mean no harm to you—I'm here only to speak with you." Damn, is this really the way to detain someone? Roland swallowed hard, then slowly turned around. With the dagger's threat, he had no choice but to comply with the other's demands.
Under the dim candlelight, Roland saw the figure—she was sitting by his bedside, her entire body hidden beneath a robe, a hood covering her head, obscuring her true form. The candlelight cast her silhouette onto the wall behind her, occupying most of the wall surface.
"Who are you?" "I have no name. My sisters call me 'The Nightingale'," she said, rising to her feet, lifting the hem of her robe, and squatting with a noble bearing. "First, I thank you, Your Highness Roland Wimbledon." Thank you? Roland noticed the unique glint of the robe's patterns under the firelight—three parallel triangular designs resembling eyes... It seemed familiar.
"The coin's emblem... bears the Seal of the Holy Mountain and the Evil Eye, the official insignia of the Witches Association." A thought suddenly struck him: "You... are a Witch!?" "Haha," she chuckled, "Your Highness's knowledge is truly remarkable." Hearing his identity confirmed, Roland breathed a sigh of relief. "You're not an assassin sent by those siblings, are you? You came to this remote town for the Witch of the North Slope Mines? Though I don't know where you got that information, it's too late now. If I were to hang her, she'd have died ages ago." "I know. And if you really do this, I won't just want to talk with you..." Nightingale sat back on the bed. "The Guild doesn't like meddling in secular affairs, especially matters involving royal power. But I never really cared for their words. Killing a Prince for a Witch might be too much, but I can still make a strong impression." A blunt threat. Roland felt relieved. "She's alive and well." "I know. There's another girl named Nana Wa," she nodded. "I arrived here a week ago, though I haven't met you yet." "I've seen everything you've done, though I can't quite understand why you show no ordinary malice toward the Witches. Regardless, I'd like to thank you on behalf of the Witches Association." "A week ago..." Roland wiped his forehead, still wondering, "Did you witness everything?" Could this guy have been following me all along without my noticing? "Well, you want to talk to me. Surely you're not just here to thank me?" "Doesn't it tire you to stand talking to me?" She said, taking off her hood. "Please come over here. I'm not unattractive at all—I won't frighten Your Highness." Not just unattractive, but strikingly beautiful. As her hood fell, the nightingale's golden curls cascaded like a waterfall, their golden glow spreading under the candlelight. Her high nose bridge and radiant eyes, unlike Anna and Nana's slightly childish features, exuded a mature charm. Though the dim light couldn't reveal every detail, the well-proportioned facial shadows were enough to attest to her beauty.
Roland walked over slowly and sat down beside the bed. He wasn't putting the danger out of his mind because he was drawn to the other person's appearance, but simply because he felt the other person had no ill intent.
"You're free to speak now." "You're not afraid of me," the woman's voice sounded delightfully surprised. "You're unlike anyone I've ever met... They hate us because they fear us. I see fear in their eyes, but you..." She couldn't resist reaching out to gently stroke Roland's cheek. "Only curiosity." Roland cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his head away. "Hey, hey, the mood shouldn' t shift so abruptly. We were just talking about Assassin's Creed—how did it suddenly become a CEO drama?"
Fortunately, the other party quickly composed himself. "I came here to tell you that I will take Anna and Nana away." "No!" Roland was startled and blurted out. Then, worried that a blunt refusal might anger the other party, he added, "They're doing well here. No one can harm them. Besides, where do you think you want to take them? There's no safer place than this." "Take them to the Guild of Mutual Aid. That's where they belong," Nightingale said calmly without angering him. "The Guild's members are their companions—no discrimination, no persecution... They don't have to pretend anymore." "Where is the Guild of Mutual Aid? You don't have a fixed base, do you? A month ago, my guards found your camp in the Forest of Hide-and-Seek. The footprints show you moved north... But what's there in the north? Only endless mountains!" "You're right. The Guild is somewhere in the Desolate Mountains. For the Witches, that's absolutely safe." "Living like savages in the mountains—where's the safety? Clean water? Plenty of food? A warm shelter? And the Moon of Demons is approaching. The entire northwest will become dangerous. What are you even thinking—" Roland suddenly stopped. Wait, did Balov say something? "Witches can only find true peace by going to the Holy Mountain. The Guild of Mutual Aid was established to gather Witches and help them find the Holy Mountain together." Damn it, are you... 'You're planning to search for the Holy Mountain in the Desolate Mountains? '' I'm afraid I have nothing to say,' Nightingale said with a bitter smile, though her divine aura unmistakably told Roland she'd guessed right.
"Under no circumstances would I agree to this," Roland shot back. "In two months, the entire Outland will be overrun by evil beasts. Even if you can avoid humans in the mountains, you won't escape their clutches. Here's a better plan: You can always find the Holy Mountain later. Why don't you all come to Border Town for the winter? We can always return after the season ends." This time, Nightingale was stunned. "The Guild will relocate here? You... are truly an intriguing person," she mused before shaking her head. "Your Highness, even if you fear the Witches, your people do. And once we're exposed to public scrutiny, the Church's henchmen will soon come knocking." If we can survive the Demon's Month with the Witches 'help, my people will realize they're not evil. But before Roland could finish, she interrupted. "There's another reason I want to take them. Anna is about to reach adulthood." "Adult?" "Exactly," Nightingale explained calmly, sensing Roland's confusion. "Reaching adulthood is the first hurdle every Witch must overcome. The earlier you become a Witch, the harder it gets. Your Highness, do you know why we're seen as embodiments of the Devil?"