Release that Witch

”All clear?”

While looking at Zooey, who was walking down the deck, Elena asked.

”Yes, it took some time.” Zooey wiped the fresh blood on her face. ”Luckily it’s all cleared now.”

”What are we going to do next?” Betty asked, shrugging, ”Write a report to His Majesty, Roland?”

”Leave it to Elena. I’m not good at summarizing. After all, His Majesty didn’t take it very seriously. He only told us to maintain the stability of the situation with whatever necessary means. Just write Appen as a man who resisted change and was full of evil intentions. Such a person is better off dead.”

”That’s the truth,” Betty said as if she thought this over already. ”If he had no evil intentions, why would he choose a border town nearest to the Kingdom of Dawn?”

”His Majesty may not take it seriously, but we can’t do the same.” Elena cleared her throat. ”I’ll lay out all the details about the cause and effect, and the analysis basis, including what you just said—just like a record of a meeting in the City Hall.”

”I bet you just want to get His Majesty’s compliment to win a few more visits to his Dream World.” Zooey rolled her eyes and said.

”Wha-what did you say!”

”Really? Why didn’t I think of that...” Betty looked at Elena with excitement. ”Can you teach me how to write an official report?”

”Um... let’s see.” Elena coughed drily. ”Let’s get the work done first.”

”Right.” Zooey put away her mocking look. ”But don’t put what we’ve just said in your report.”

”I know.” Elena looked at the other end of the deck and waved at a few men in black robes. ”Come here.”

The lead man, supported by another two men by their hands, walked to the witches and bowed. ”Lady Oracle, what can I do for you?”

”Since you were willing to follow me here, it means you’re fully prepared, right?” Elena asked seriously.

The old man was none other than the founder of ”Black Money,” the legendary merchant of City of Glow, Banach Lothar. Although the God’s Punishment Witches were incomparable in terms of combat capacity, they still needed the assistance of common people in such a matter as intercepting Appen on the sea and making sure his death could not be traced back to Graycastle.

To a common person, regicide was an unimaginable crime, especially when it was to terminate the whole royal bloodline. Ridiculous as it was, even wealth, no matter how enormous it was, was no match for such worship of descent, which was shown from Banach’s shivering shoulders. Nevertheless, he still managed to make a move, indicating his ambition abundantly clear.

”Yes... I’m willing to serve you.”

”Take it easy.” Elena patted his shoulder with satisfaction. ”In the deities’ eyes, the identities of common people are meaningless. What’s the big deal about a king? It’s nothing but a title. Tell me, what do you plan to do next?”

Banach eased up a bit. ”Among the three plans, I’m in favor of the first. I think to disguise it as a shipwreck is the safest method. Each year, along this route, dozens of ships sink for various reasons like a rainstorm, tsunami, stranding, etc. What’s more, on the sea along the borderline, there’ll be a rainstorm two days later. We only need to drive the ship further into the sea and dig a hole in its bottom. Nobody will know what exactly happened.”

He gasped and added, ”As for disguising it as a pirate robbery or noble’s revenge, I think they aren’t unreasonable. Although we could divert people’s suspicion to certain targets, false facts won’t hold under intense investigation after all. Even if people fail to find any trace, those nobles could just produce some flaws by themselves.”

”So for the shipwreck, you can make all the clues vanish?” Zooey asked coldly.

”Yes, my Lady,” Banach said with a determination. ”Even the sailors I brought with me will disappear with the ship. They are the silent warriors raised by Black Money to clean things up. There is no way the information will leak out.”

”Silent warriors?” Elena looked at the two servants beside him. ”Are those two among them?”

”Yes. They can’t hear, nor speak, and need to be given specific gestures to be commanded. That’s why they’re called silent warriors.”

”They must have paid a hell of a price...” Elena knew how troublesome it was to train a deaf-mute into a warrior. At best, the success rate was only one out of ten, given that the trainees were actually in fairly good conditions. But how did an underground Chamber of Commerce find so many well-conditioned deaf-mutes? They probably chose well-conditioned men then turned them into deaf-mutes with medicine.

Of course, she did not care how common people treated other common people. Even in the era of the Union, they had never stopped bullying people weaker than them.

”This time I took 50 silent warriors with me, who take orders from nobody but me. They’re more than enough to take care of those sailors. So this plan is perfectly safe.” Banach said while bowing.

”Alright, just do it.” Elena looked at Zooey and Betty. ”But I have one more thing for you to do.”

The old businessman swallowed his own saliva. ”As long as it’s in my ability, I’ll spare no effort.”

If it were only to create an ”accident”, she did not have to conceal it from His Majesty Roland, but the following order was not from Roland but Pasha.

”It’s simple. ’Black Money’ has made contact with the new King of the Kingdom of Dawn, Horford Quinn. On the one hand, the Chamber of Commerce will continue to appear supporting him, on the other hand, you need to input as many as informants as you can into his new regime to observe the Quinn Family’s acts and moves. Do you understand?”

”But... isn’t he the puppet supported by you?” Banach asked confusedly.

”Just in case. After all, common people have a short and fragile determination. When the real challenge comes, who can guarantee the puppet will behave as loyal as he should?” Elena paused. ”Besides, it’s not reliable to rely on one family to manage the Kingdom of Dawn. I hope your ’Black Money’ can be a part of it.”

If a person had always yearned for power, he would be extremely exhilarated at such a hint, yet Banach did not show much of joy. He asked worriedly, ”This is a long-term plan and I’m able to do this, but, as you know, my physical condition...”

Elena took out two bottles from behind her and handed them over to the old man. ”Take them. Drink them when you don’t feel well. But remember, don’t drink them within the month of each other. With another six bottles of this, your body will meet the basic criteria for modification.”

Excitement filled with Banach’s eyes. He anxiously took over the bottles and put them into his pockets carefully. Deeply bowing, he said in excitement, ”I guarantee the success of the mission!”

”Work hard. When it’s done, we’ll turn you into an immortal.” Elena said softly.