Release that Witch

When all of the freaks rushing out of the crowd had been shot dead, the unexpected change sank in and the refugees suffered a burst of panic. As tens of soldiers that carrying peculiar weapons began to gather around the refugees, fearful cries began to rang out and the situation was becoming harder to control by the second. At this moment, the loud voice of His Highness suddenly echoed above the crowd—

“Settle down, my citizens. I am your Feudal Lord, Roland Wimbledon. Please listen to what I am about to say.”

Although the voice was loud, it was not a hysterical shout. Rather, he spoke as equals, with a clear and calm manner. It was almost as if he was speaking close to his ears, Vader felt. His words carried unquestionable might and calmed the clamor and panic on the scene.

The crowd suddenly got quiet.

“Just as you heard when you arrived, Border Town will provide you with three things: somewhere to say which resists the cold wind and blocks the snow, ample food that will allow you to fill your belly, and even numerous, reasonably paid jobs. I am here to tell you all that these are real.”

“The house is made of thick clay, without the slightest crack for the wind to enter. A charcoal stove lies underneath the bed. When you sleep on it, it is as comfortable as lying on a meadow warmed by the summer sun. As long as the door and windows are closed, you won’t feel even the slightest bit of chill, even if you are wearing the thinnest clothes.”

“The food is wheat porridge, accompanied by meat jerky. When you scoop it up, you will be able to see the grains wheat falling downwards drop by drop. When you put them into your mouth, the rich viscosity will slow their descent into your stomach. Just one bowl alone will fill you to the brim.”

At this point, Vader suddenly began to feel his belly getting hungry. The things that His Royal Highness was speaking about were extremely novel. He was different from the majority of nobles, who repeatedly stressed their power and duty as leaders of the masses and proclaimed that everyone under their jurisdiction should comply with their wishes. Instead, he took the people’s point of view and described his promise through basic necessities. It was obvious, looking at the rapt expression on the refugees, that his words had moved their heart.

“My wish is for all the citizens under my rule to live out happy lives, lives where they do not have to worry about basic necessities. However, the enemies hidden in the shadows are not willing to see such a sight. Those beasts rushing out earlier were undoubtedly sent out by them. Their motive is very simple. They do not wish to see me alive; nor do they wish to let my citizens lead comfortable lives.”

“If I disappear, would another feudal lord provide you with warm housing and delicious food? I am sure everyone understands this point clearly. The answer is also clear from what you have experienced thus far. There is no one except myself who’s willing to do this .”

Vader realized that everyone’s panic had dissipated. When the refugees began to treat the supernatural monsters as a common enemy, their unease gradually turned to anger. —The villains trying to harm His Royal Highness are also scumbags trying to harm our beautiful lives! People like them must never be forgiven!

“In order to prevent such a surprise attack from happening again, we will have to conduct the inspection again. This time, my personal guard shall personally take charge of conducting the body check. We shall definitely not give the enemy any chance to destroy what we have here!”

Everyone complied with the order. The people who had already passed the checkpoints were once again taken to the wharf by the personal guards. No one expressed any dissatisfaction and the queue was even more orderly than earlier.

“As expected of His Royal Highness.” Vader couldn’t help but be deeply moved. Just a few sentences were able to eliminate the imminent chaos.

“From what I heard, you were the first person to discover the problem. Am I right?” Carter Lannis approached him and said, “Follow me, His Highness wishes to see you.”

He followed behind the Chief Knight and went before the young prince. Kneeling down on one knee, he said, “I pay my respects to the prince.”

“Tell me, how did you notice something fishy about him back then?” The prince asked.

Vader went over his observations once more.

“An acute sense of perception. Are you sure you were just an ordinary citizen before?”

“No, Your Highness. I used to be part of the patrol team in Valencia.” He replied candidly. “I worked for roughly six years, until a large group of pirates raided Valencia.”

“However, in your CV, it wasn’t clearly stated that you have any personal strength.” The prince said, “I checked with Carter. He said that you’re still staying in the temporary settlements. In other words, you concealed your experience when City Hall was initially trying to keep track of people entering Border Town, when there wasn’t any need for you to do so. Why?”

Even though he didn’t know what a CV was, it didn’t affect his ability to answer this question. He hesitated for a moment and explained about Kukasim to the prince. “I would not have made it to Border Town alive, if it hadn’t been for the convict. For that reason, it’s impossible for me to leave him alone in the western district.” 　　

“And thus you were willing to become a member of the patrol team. Are you thinking of giving him some extra benefits when you’re out on patrol in the future?”

“I…” Vader’s heart suddenly tightened. From the previous sentencing that he had suffered, he knew that His Highness was very particular about how nobody was above the system of laws he had set up. But his words earlier clearly carried a hint of crossing that boundary.

“Don’t worry. You haven’t done it yet. Just thinking about it won’t get you in trouble.” It seemed his mind had been read; the prince smiled and spoke.

However his words also left Vader with a hint of disappointment. It was beyond doubt that His Highness did not endorse his thoughts. Even if he successfully became a police officer, he would be required to settle disputes fairly and follow lead of the city clerks .

“Do you have a family?” The prince suddenly asked.

“…They lost their lives in the raid in Valencia.”

“How about Kukasim?”

“He probably doesn’t have any.” Even though he was unsure why His Royal Highness was asking that, Vader still truthfully replied, “If he had any, the street rats wouldn’t have chosen him as a scapegoat.”

“As long as one possess a special ability, they will all get priority for the right to a small residence. Furthermore, they will receive an identification certificate from the city hall and enjoy all of the rights of citizens. This offer naturally extends to their family members as well.” The prince smiled and said, “I believe you should be able to tell where I am going?”

Vader was startled, and was uncontrollably surprised. He said, “Do you agree to let me have Kukasim…”

“Bring the old man along to the city hall for registration. They will arrange everything for you.”

He endured the emotions stirring within him, got on his knees once again and said, “Thank you for your benevolence, Your Highness!”

“You still mustn’t let your guard down, though. You have to maintain vigilance as you have today.” The prince nodded his head and said. “Even if the two of you officially became relatives, you will still have to stay in the temporary settlements for the time being if you’re unable to pass the coming tests.　　

“Understood!”

The matter that had weighed down his heart had finally been answered and Vader began to feel a great tension leaving his entire body. Just when he was ready to leave, he suddenly recalled the written test he had taken. Hesitating for a moment, he couldn’t suppress his urge and asked, “Your Highness. During the first test, there were a lot of questions I did not know answers for and my answers were all confused. Why did you still pick me?”

“Because there were no correct answers to begin with.” The corners of the prince’s mouth curled upwards. “The answers themselves are different for every individual. What’s more, the key point of this test wasn’t in the answers. Instead, they were used to assess the candidates’ reading and writing abilities. As long as they understand the topic and articulate their ideas, they will pass the test.”