Three days later, in the Castle Garden.
"Anna, sister..." Nana tugged at Anna's sleeve.
"Hmm?" The latter turned his head.
"Have you noticed, Sister Nightingale... she seems rather peculiar?" "Peculiar?" Anna paused. "You mean her attire?" Nightingale stood beside Roland, no longer wearing that peculiarly patterned robe she never saw washed, but instead donning the bizarre garments invented by Your Royal Highness. Though Anna was reluctant to admit it, the tall figure accentuated the garment's merits—symmetrical legs, a slender waist, and long curly hair. With the cloak and pointed hat, her presence would inevitably draw the first gaze.
"That's not about clothes," Nana muttered. "Don't you think her tone when speaking to Your Royal Highness and the way she looks at Your Royal Highness have changed?" "What do you mean?" "..." Nana pouted. "Alright, Anna, don't blame me for not warning you then." Confused, Anna shook her head and ignored her, instead turning her attention to the other two new witches.
The one named Lightning was about the same size as Nana Wa, but her attire was strikingly different. Anna counted roughly that her tattered coat had at least twelve pockets sewn into it.
As for the other witch, Wendy, she wasn't wearing the same patterned robe as the Nightingale when they first met, but rather plain women's clothing. What particularly caught Anna's attention, however, was the sheer magnificence of the other's chest...
"Since you've all agreed to sign the contract, let's begin the first training session," Roland said with practiced ease, having trained the first two witches. "Lightning, you go first." "Oh!" Lightning raised his hand and stepped out of the shed.
A light snow was falling outside, with no wind. The little girl floated effortlessly into the air, waiting for Roland's next command.
"Try your fastest speed first!" Roland shouted, lifting his head.
"Hey, watch me!" She gave a thumbs-up, mimicking a starting position, then spun around Castle with lightning speed.
Roland estimated the speed at around 60 to 80 km/h, based on his years of highway trips back to his hometown. While this speed isn't particularly fast for flight, comparable to that of ordinary pigeons, it's quite remarkable that she could carry Nightingale and Wendy along during the return journey.
What does it mean to take off with a 100-kilogram payload? Roland pictured a piston aircraft carrying a 100-kilogram aerial bomb...
But the subsequent trial shattered his beautiful fantasy.
When the load exceeds fifty kilograms (approximately 110 pounds), the lightning's flight altitude drops sharply from over a hundred meters to around ten meters. With a load approaching one hundred kilograms, it can only fly at a low altitude of two meters near the ground.
In other words, if she were to transform Lightning into a bomber, even a few kilograms of explosives would be within the enemy's powerful cannon range due to the altitude.
Yet Roland soon saw a new use for the young girl—she was the perfect candidate for reconnaissance or school artillery practice. The encirclement plan that had long troubled him now seemed to be taking shape.
As Prince tested Lightning's abilities, Wendy quietly observed him from the side.
After leaving the monastery, she spent fifteen years wandering through life, encountering countless people—commoners, farmers, craftsmen, soldiers, and Nobles. They all seemed to be cut from the same cloth, showing longing and admiration when unaware of her witchhood. Yet the moment they discovered her true identity, their feelings instantly turned to fear and hatred, accompanied by an evil desire that nearly made Wendy vomit.
She had always believed her life would be spent with the Witch, never again approaching any man. This was why she refused the Nightingale—not out of distrust, but from a deep-seated fear within her.
But Roland Wimbledon changed her mind.
He found his gaze utterly ordinary—just as he had witnessed countless times before, when he first met Roland in Nightingale's room, she had assumed he was well concealed, aided by Nightingale's presence. Yet in the days that followed, his God-like aura remained unchanged.
Could it be that Your Royal Highness's discernment surpasses that of ordinary nobles?
As for that contract, Wendy had initially assumed it was merely a formality. Yet upon opening it, she found it densely packed with clauses, outlining not only her obligations but also the rights she was entitled to.
This is utterly unbelievable! To incorporate Witch into one's domain without depriving them of freedom would be considered lenient enough, yet they still explicitly state their rights in the contract?
For instance, Article 2.1 (Wendy's first encounter with this writing style) grants her paid leave, which, as the term implies, means she can take paid leave without working. The subsequent clause states that the Witch must complete experimental projects assigned by the employer, but may request modifications or refuse to proceed if certain tasks prove too challenging or cause discomfort. The final provision ensures the employer provides and safeguards the Witch's safety, accommodation, food, and remuneration. Should any of these conditions fail to be met, the Witch may unilaterally terminate the contract.
Though the clauses may sound convoluted, they convey a clear message: the Witch, as a signatory, is not Prince's personal possession but holds equal rights and responsibilities. The contract reveals the other party's sincerity—such meticulous detail need not exist if it were merely formalistic.
At this thought, Wendy instinctively turned to the Nightingale. She knew the girl's background intimately and understood the deep-seated resentment she harbored toward Noble. Now, as the Nightingale conversed with Roland, her tone and manner had taken on a new emotional undertone—a subtle shift she might not even be aware of.
After just two months apart from the main group and traveling alone to Border Town, Nightingale had developed complete trust in this man through their shared time together.
Her choice to sever ties with the Guild of the Common and return to Border Town reveals her conviction that Roland WimbledonYour Highness would offer the Witch a more viable path to true belonging. The mentor's actions were equally heartbreaking—the founder of the Guild seemed to have forgotten how arduous it was for any surviving sister to endure.
Wendy knew she couldn't go back. Since fate had brought her here, why not trust Nightingale's choice once more? Just as she had trusted her countless times before— "Wendy?" "Ah..." Wendy turned around and found her lightning ability had been tested, with everyone watching her.
She walked out the door with a smile of apology.
If you've made up your mind, you can't afford to fall behind your juniors, right?
Just then, the west echoed with the wailing of horns, their sound reverberating through the mountains and shattering the town's quiet.