After a tender moment, Ash noticed a pile of gemstone-like trinkets in front of her and asked curiously, "What are these?" "Come," Tilly patted her side, "I'll show you something interesting." Ash sat cross-legged beside her and saw her put on a white silk glove, with a sparkling ruby embedded on the back of her hand.
"Is this... the tracking stone?" Tiri didn't answer. With a smile, she reached for the open ground. A bolt of lightning shot from her fingertips, striking the earth with a crackling sound. A wisp of blue smoke rose from the ground, leaving a palm-sized blackened mark where it had landed.
Ash couldn't believe her eyes for a moment. "You... have a new ability?" Tilly Wimberton was a Superhuman. The Magic Power acting upon her manifested as extraordinary intelligence, which couldn't be unleashed like an ordinary Witch. The flash of lightning just now indicated she possessed a completely new ability—something a Witch couldn't have two primary abilities at once, a common knowledge among sisters.
Tilly removed her gloves and handed them to Ash. "It's not me who gained new abilities, but this stone," she said with a smirk. "It altered how Magic Power functions, giving it entirely different effects." Ash ran her fingers over the gemstone at the center of the glove, stunned. She knew Tilly wouldn't lie—this meant non-combat witches could now wield combat abilities, vastly enhancing the group's resistance against enemies. "How many of these stones?" "Only one," Tilly guessed Ash's thoughts. "And it's not easy to use. Try this: visualize Magic Power as a tangible force, fill the stone with it, then release it." Ash pondered for a long time, but no spark appeared.
"Got it?" she chuckled. "We're the Extraordinary Ones, naturally attuned to Magic Power. For other Witches, it's far more challenging—requiring exhaustive imagination and comprehension. In fact, I've tested countless people, and only two or three in a hundred can swiftly grasp and unleash lightning." "Are you mocking my stupidity?" Ash removed her gloves.
"Pretty much," Tilly raised her eyebrows. "I only used—ah—" Ash kissed her lips, forcing her to stammer a faint moan... After parting, the latter let out a long sigh. "Well, not too stupid." "What about the other stones?" Ash licked her lips, still lingering with unfinished words. Only before the Fifth Princess did she fully relax. "Do they all have different abilities?" "Different manifestations," Tilly corrected, her cheeks still flushed. "It doesn't grant ordinary people witch-like powers—only Magic Power can activate it." She paused. "That raises a question." "What question?" "What exactly is Magic Power?" Tilly composed herself, explaining slowly. "For ages, witches' abilities have varied wildly, showing extreme unpredictability and differing even to the senses of the extraordinary. But these strange stones unify Magic Power completely. Any witch passing through them releases identical abilities. So I must've been wrong—Magic Power itself might be an omnipotent force, and witches merely manifest one form of it." "What about these magic stones?" Ash asked.
"They can only be released but not gathered. It remains unclear whether they're man-made or naturally formed," Tilly said regretfully. "Legend has it they were all excavated from ruins, and most have now ended up in private collections. That's all I've managed to gather..." She paused, her voice breaking. Ash sighed helplessly. "I wish I could visit that ancient ruin in the eastern forests of Sea Breeze County myself. Maybe I could uncover more secrets about Magic Power and historical rifts." Ash's words seemed to ring hollow. "Who cares what happened over four centuries ago, as long as we survive? Better not. Sea Breeze County is probably one of Graycastle's most dangerous places right now." "Why?" "Before setting sail from Emerald Harbor, sailors mentioned that Giasia Wemberton's Black Sail Fleet had already set out, apparently targeting Sea Breeze County—Tifeco's territory. She probably wants to use the navy's agility and stealth to strike directly at his rear camps," Ash added. "I won't be able to leave until martial law is lifted. If their reports are accurate, Sea Breeze County might already be engulfed in flames." "Are they still fighting among themselves?" Tilly's voice turned anxious. "This will only give the Church a chance to exploit the chaos. If we don't unite, Graycastle will end up like Eternal Winter—completely swallowed by the Church." The words left Ash speechless. The Fifth Princess quickly noticed her unusual demeanor. "What's wrong?" "Nothing," she blinked, "you looked a bit like Roland Wimbledon earlier—he said the same thing to me." "Oh? You actually saw him?" Tilly's curiosity piqued. "By the way, you haven't told me anything about your western journey. Tell me!" "I heard about the Guild's news and headed to Border Town. You should have told me about that, Shadow," Ash pulled her into his arms. "But when I got there, I discovered the so-called Holy Mountain was a hoax set up by Roland. He took control of the Guild and secretly recruited Witches..." She briefly recounted her week-long observations. "In the end, he told me we had to unite to resist the Church's attack. If we couldn't stay in the fjords, he'd welcome us to Border Town anytime." "Hmm..." Tilly paused before speaking. "This isn't Roland Wimbledon—he's been replaced." "What?" "You said he had a bunch of Witches around him. I guess they either controlled him or transformed into his appearance." Tilly cut straight to the chase, "I grew up with Roland, and I know better than anyone that compared to my two elder brothers and Third Sister, he's the worst at hiding his true colors. His lies are full of inconsistencies, and he can't even pretend to be someone else. As for the weapon you mentioned that could counter God's Punishment Army... that only proves how he's not the real deal. You can hide your personality, but you can't fake your knowledge. The court tutors never taught us that. How did he even know?" Tilly pressed on, "No one is born knowing everything. So he can't possibly be my stupid, annoying brother." "So... that's it?" Ash frowned.
"Still, I must reach out to them," Tilly sighed. "Roland Wimbledon is my brother after all. Though uneducated, he's not beyond redemption. Compared to the others, he's the least dangerous. I hope the witches of the Guild haven't buried him yet." "I don't think they would," Ash thought of Wendy. "Plus, I left Maxie there. By month's end, she'll bring us more news from the town." "That's the only option. Our focus isn't here right now," the Fifth Princess stood from her lap, walking to the garden and spreading her arms. "Now that you're back, the cleanup can begin. I'll erase all traces of the Church from the fjord. Eventually, the islands will become witches 'homes." Sunlight bathed Tilly's back, gilding her silhouette. Her gray hair traced delicate golden strands across her cheeks, her expression brimming with confidence, as if no challenge could ever break her.
"May I serve you, Your Majesty the Queen," the Ash said with a smile.