"The Church's elite warriors are their secret weapon against the extraordinary Witches," Ash said. "They possess strength and speed matching mine, and..." She paused. "They seem to lack divine will. During combat, I severed a God Punishment soldier's right hand, yet he unhesitatingly clawed my eye with his left. Even when I turned to flee, his movements remained unaffected—this isn't about willpower. Even the strongest warriors can maintain combat readiness after losing an arm, but the loss of balance from an arm can't be quickly compensated." "I've only heard of the Church's Inquisition Army," Wendy murmured. "If they have such powerful warriors, why haven't they appeared in previous witch hunts?" "I don't know," Ash said slowly. "Even the name God Punishment came to me only after returning to the Old Holy City." "You... have returned?" Wendy exclaimed in surprise.
"Well, how could I possibly let those scum off the hook so easily," she stood up and walked to the window. "I later attacked several small chapels and a The Inquisition Army base. There happened to be a presiding judge stationed there—I thought they were truly fearless." When faced with death and torment, the enemy showed no better behavior than civilians, displaying the same terrified God-like demeanor and begging for mercy. "From him, I learned the name of God's Punishment Army. They are The Inquisition Army transformed through rituals, with only the most elite warriors earning this honor. The transformation must be voluntary, and its success seems closely tied to one's resolve. In other words, God's Punishment Army differs from witches—they're not naturally formed or gifted, but artificially created." "..." Wendy was left speechless by this revelation.
"I suspect they couldn't deploy God's Punishment Army in combat like the Inquisition Army did, likely due to the side effects of transformation. Warriors who've lost their God's Will are, in a way, no different from monsters," Ash sighed. "During that period, I hid in sewers or deep wells by day, attacking Church followers at night. It wasn't until the Church launched a citywide search that we were forced to evacuate the Old Holy City. On the day we left, the blood on my body stuck to my clothes and skin, making me look grotesque—probably just another beast without God's Will in outsiders 'eyes." She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. "It's fine now. You can live here like any ordinary person. Your Royal Highness treats the sisters well. After surviving the Demon's Moon and the Duke of the Fortress's attacks, most townspeople have accepted witches. This town is the Holy Mountain we were searching for." Ash gazed at the woman leaning against the window with her. In her memory, children living in the monastery were all thin and frail, their eyes dull and devoid of God's Will. Wendy's current appearance was hard to imagine from her childhood—both her physique and features were worlds apart from those of that era. The natural gentleness in her tone also brought her a sense of peace and tranquility.
Yet there were words she had to utter. "I won't stay here. I didn't come for this," she paused. "I want to take you all away—to a truly safe place. Border Town isn't a place to linger." "You won't stay here..." Wendy froze for a moment. "Why?" "As long as you dwell on this continent, you'll always be under the Church's threat. Tilly has gathered most of the Witches from the Kingdom of Graycastle and is heading to the Fjords to build a nation for the Witches." "But doesn't the Church exist in the Fjords too?" "Because of the archipelago's unique geography, the islands are isolated. Their influence can only be confined to a small area. And..." Ash curled her lips. "There's no God's punitive army on these islands." It's time to let them experience the Witches' thunderous fury. One island after another, uprooting the Church's power just as they eradicated the Witches.
"You and your sisters must leave, Wendy," she continued to persuade, "spreading rumors to recruit allies is a grave mistake. I can hear these whispers, and the Church can hear them too. They will never allow a Witch organization to expand unchecked. Before long, the Church's armies will cross Graycastle to wipe you out. Facing the invincible God's punitive forces, do you think the Fourth Prince will still protect you? No secular lord would choose to live with the Witch. He may be kind to you now, but in times of crisis, he will abandon you without hesitation." Wendy fell silent before speaking: "I don't know what the other sisters will think, but I won't leave Border Town." "This is the edge of a cliff," Ash frowned. "Every day you stay here increases your danger." "If you abandon Your Royal Highness to flee the impending peril, how is that any different from him abandoning us? I refuse to be such a person, and..." She took a deep breath. "I don't believe Your Highness will yield to the Church's pressure as you claim." The Nightingale had once posed the same question, and Your Highness's reply was: "Let every Witch in his realm live as a normal person, even at the cost of opposing the Church." "..." Ash remained silent. She was at a loss for words. She had seen too many broken promises, and even if someone were willing to protect the Witches forever, what would it matter? In the face of overwhelming power, such efforts would only be sacrifices.
By this point, she had pieced together the truth about the Gongzhu Society. After the death of the Serpent Demon Hara, most of the society's remaining members had been absorbed by the Lord of Border Town. Tasa, who had gone to Silverlight City to spread the news, was likely not some ordinary civilian who happened to rescue the witches, but rather the Lord's personal guard. Though it remained unclear what cunning tactics he had used to earn the witches' trust, the threat of his great sword would soon shatter the carefully constructed facade he had built.
"I wish to speak with your Lord Roland Wimbledon," the Ashes concluded in a solemn tone.
...
I met Your Royal Highness the next morning.
Ashes were brought into the office by the Nightingale, and she saw the abhorrent man again.
Though reluctant to admit it, he shared the same bloodline as Tilly. His long gray hair, simply tied back with a ribbon, shimmered with silver streaks in the morning light—a symbol of the Graycastle royal family. Though his features bore some resemblance to Tilly's, the closer the resemblance, the more repulsive it became to her. Unlike his usual courtly appearance, he wore an unusually clean outfit, with only a fitted garment and no accessories—no earrings, necklace, rings, or bracelets. He sat simply on a chair, yet his presence felt like a looming presence.
The temperament of the superior.
The thought came to her mind.
Well, judging by its appearance alone, it's clearly improved. Ash said coldly to himself,' I wonder how long you can keep up this act.'
"Welcome. I heard your name is Ash," the man said. "You're my sister's envoy, right?" "No, I came to Border Town of my own accord." "But you're still an envoy, aren't you?" "..." Ash frowned, trying to clarify the envoy's role. She didn't want to dwell on trivialities. "Fine." "Well then, Ash the Envoy," he said with a cryptic smile. "I heard you want to take my Witch?"