Release that Witch

After nightfall, Roland told Anna about what had happened in the meeting.

”... We still need to adjust the stability and strength of the God’s Stone bullet so that we could suit its power to practical applications. I think you would be the only person who could do this. Make this project your top priority for now. I’ll ask Andrea and Agatha to assist you.”

”I feel like my work never ends,” Anna said as she rested her beautiful head on Roland’s shoulder. ”I have to make the machine tool that is used to process plane parts, improve the internal combustion engine, and work on the railway at the front, as well as many projects on the book... I envy Pasha and Celine. Although Blackfire helps me a lot, it isn’t as flexible as tentacles. I can’t work on so many things simultaneously.”

”Oh, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I don’t want to cuddle a giant blob. You’re not only the Minister of Engineering but also the queen of Graycastle. You’re a public figure,” Roland said smilingly. He knew Anna was simply sharing her happiness rather than complaining. Ever since she had assumed the office of the Minister of Engineering, she no longer looked sulky and expressionless. The more she worked, the more cheerful she became. Roland said, ”Of course, I’m also looking for someone to help you. If everything goes well, there will soon be more people in the Ministry of Engineering.”

Roland gathered that Rex from the Society of Wondrous Crafts should now be at the Fjords, though he was not sure if the latter had noticed the significance of his reward, A Comprehensive Study of the Law of Buoyancy. The marine craft he had drawn at the end of the book was based on the description in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. For a quasi-inventer like Rex, who had never read any science fiction, such a magnificent envisage of a future submarine would definitely fascinate him.

”Really?” Anna said as she stretched herself and wrapped her arms around Roland’s waist. ”I’ll wait for that day to come then, but now... I want something else as a reward.”

Roland smiled. It appeared more than one person needed a reward today. He then unconsciously raised his hand to Anna’s back.

...

Roland closed his eyes after Anna fell asleep.

When he woke up the next morning, the ceiling his apartment in the Dreamworld slid into his sight. A beam of sunlight slanted across the floor through the curtain.

Roland brushed his teeth, had breakfast, and then saw Zero off as usual. He leaned over the banister and peered down at the sea of heads down in the alley below. Students were hurrying to school with their backpacks; young professionals were scurrying to work; some old men were working out in the chill of the morning. Everything seemed to be chaotic but energetic.

Nothing had changed in this city, but Roland knew this world was gradually transforming in a subtle and imperceptible way, as though this Dreamland had its own consciousness.

The evidence of such a transformation was the memories that had never previously existed, the battered and frayed red book, and the note in it.

After he read the book Raison d’être, Roland started to look for the Rose Café. However, nothing came up on the internet, and the witches could not find such a place either. There were 46 coffee shops in the city, but none of them was called Rose Café.

There was a possibility that this was just one of the author’s bad jokes. However, as Roland learned more about this world, he was more convinced that the note was suggesting something to him.

The foreign race that had completely disappeared without leaving a trace.

The constant wars.

The inexorable awakenings and erosions.

All of these signs seemed to be mirroring the real world. This especially holds true with the discovery of the radiation people and tablet men on the battlefield, which made the narratives in the book even more compelling.

The question that puzzled him the most was why the book in the Dream World would, in a way, reflect the real world and also use the word ”Battle of Divine Will”. Garcia told him that, unfortunately, the author of the book had not left any hints. The only clue available was the note.

Roland had to put these questions aside as he searched for the Rose Café.

At around 8:00, he heard three rhythmic knocks on the living room door. They were one loud and two gentle knocks that indicated that nobody was in the hallway.

Roland immediately opened the door and let the visitors in.

”Good morning, Your Majesty,” three petite witches saluted. One of them was Dawnen, the first witch who had entered the ”Veil of Invisibility” in the Dream World.

”They do look like... high school students,” thought Roland as he clapped his hand to his forehead. Dawnen’s ability was erasing the traces of her companions. She had joined the Blessed Army the second year after her awakening and transferred her soul at the age of 28. She had extensive war experience. Her favorite weapons were a short sword and dagger. As witches usually aged much more slowly than common people, Dawnen looked extremely young in her dainty frame. To Roland, she looked no older than a teen.

So did the other two witches.

Roland now remembered his conversation with Celine.

”Go to school? I remember the God’s Punishment Witches were all in their 20s on average. They should have been college students, but they only have an education level of middle or high school. If they look significantly older than other students, people will be suspicious.”

”That won’t be a problem. Many of us look younger than they actually are.”

Celine was not exaggerating. The other two witches looked even younger than Dawnen.

Roland had to admit that after he asked Phyllis and Faldi to take care of the God’s Punishment Witches, he spent most of his time collecting and memorizing information. After all, it would be too much for him to show 300 witches around in the Dream World while studying and investigating at the same time.

Roland was very impressed and pleased with his self-discipline.

”My name is Saint Miran. My ability is imitation. I can impersonate anyone who is connected to me. This is my second time visiting the Dream World. Nice to meet you.”

”My name is Dido. My ability is the invisible pocket. In short, I can put objects into a magic, invisible bag. Well... it’s not a very useful ability, but I’ll do my best for Ms. Celine, on the honor of the Quest Society!”

The two witches introduced themselves.

Judging from their abilities, neither of them were combat witches. Since they could not join the Blessed Army, they had developed expertises in some other areas. Abilities shaped personalities. This theory had been well verified by the notorious poker trio.

Roland gathered that Dawnen was here to protect Saint Miran and Dido. The Dream World was not always safe after all. Particularly when there was an increasing number of Fallen Evils at the moment.

Roland nodded and looked at the three witches. He said, ”Celine has told you the mission. Watch for my signals before answering questions. Don’t talk too much.”

”Yes, Your Majesty.”

The next problem was how to successfully send these ”illegal immigrants” to school.

In fact, Roland had been thinking about how to hide the Taquila witches. So as to not expose them to the public, Roland had always chosen to fight Fallen Evils at night.

The warehouse which they paid frequent visits to would have raised suspicions among the residents a long time ago had the witches not used their abilities to erase their trace.

After thinking for a while, Roland could think of no one who could help him except Garcia.

He thus picked up the telephone and dialed her number.