Release that Witch

There must be someone lying, the church or the nuns.

Isabella could not think of any reasons for the nuns to make up an order, since they were abandoned and discarded. Judging from their pale, emaciated look, she estimated that probably one more fortnight of starvation would kill them all.

But if the church was lying, what were they going to do by recalling all the formal members to Hermes and leaving the Cloud Ladder and the Old Holy City unguarded?

Trying to set aside her speculation, Isabella looked at the leading nun and asked, ”What should I call you?”

”I am called Qiu, Your Holiness.”

”Haven’t you you ever thought of getting out of here?”

”What, why?” The nun seemed surprised.

”Granted that the walls are high and the gate is thick, they’re not impassable. Six weeks should have been long enough for all of you to make a wooden ladder or stack the firewood at the bottom of the gate to burn the planks and melt the chain. You’re free to do anything that could get yourself out of here,” Isabella said confused whilst trying to ascertain the validity of the situation. ”Since you could send a representative to report to Hermes, why didn’t you get out of here together? With the food supplies severed, you’re facing a certain death even without the army of the Kingdom of Dawn’s invasion.”

It took Qiu a long moment to come back from silence. She muttered, ”Where... Where could we possibly go if we leave here?”

All the residents of the cloister lowered their heads at the question.

”I’ve never left the cloister...”

”Nor have I.”

”Although there’s not much, at least we have something to eat. I don’t think the outside world would be better.” Some orphans joined in.

”If we start to beg for food, then our lives will revert back to the one we used to have.”

”The book told us that we shouldn’t take begging for granted.”

”I don’t... want to live like that anymore.”

Looking at their bewildered looks, Isabella finally realized that it was not the church’s order that bound them. They knew nothing else but their sheltered life. The situation seemed neither good nor bad. It would be easy to cope with the nuns. Just kill the ones who were still loyal to the Holy City and be done with it. But if all the orphans here had become obstinately loyal, that would become a thorn to His Majesty.

”I have one more question.” Isabella drew a deep breath and asked in a low voice, ”Why do you address me as the Supreme Pontiff?”

”Well...” Qiu looked intimidated. She hesitated for a while before saying, ”Pope Mayne was dead, and so were the three archbishops. There’s no new nomination declared in Hermes, so according to the institution. We have to promote all the subordinates to fill in the gaps, you’re the one closest to the holy temple.”

”Pope Isabella! Please help us!”

”Please don’t leave us behind. We’ll bear whatever punishment you’ll give us!”

”Please take us back to Hermes!”

Again, the nuns started to plead.

”It appears that they did not call me Her Holiness for anything particular, but for the chance to regain the church’s attention,” Isabella thought. The institution was not suitable for the top-level executives in the church as they were already at the top. However the ones who were drowning at the bottom of the hierarchy could not care less. They would clutch anything that could save their lives as tight as they could, even it was a fragile straw.

As Isabella thought of this, she weaved an idea in her head. ”I’m here to tell you an important thing. Listen carefully!”

All of them held their breaths.

”The church has changed,” Isabella said loudly. ”Mayne was no real pope. He not only betrayed Lord O’Brien but also stole the throne! In fact, there was another successor to whom Lord O’Brien meant to pass his power.”

The words were like a stone that created numerous ripples as it was tossed into the water. The listeners burst into an uproar.

”The successor was his first Pure Witch, Zero,” Isabella said. She did not know what His Majesty would think of those words, but since she started off, she would do her best. ”Graycastle isn’t our enemy. Instead, in order to defend the real enemy, Lord O’Brien even hope to ally the church with Graycastle.”

”Do you mean... the demonic beasts?” Someone could not help asking.

”They’re more fearful than the demonic beasts.” Isabella shook her head and said, ”They’re recorded in canon within the church that only a very few people could see. Mayne was averse to let the Pure Witch seize the power, so he secretly revolted and framed Zero who was about to leave for Graycastle as a messenger. That’s the cause for the battle of Coldwind Ridge.” Fortunately, Mayne’s trick didn’t work out. I survived that battle, yet the initiators of the rebellion died within more than a month. There was no doubt that they were punished by the deities.”

”There’s no so-called last battle, and you don’t need to hold the cloister alone to the last moment, either,” she paused. ”You’re safe now.”

Both the nuns and the orphans looked as though they could not believe their ears.

”What about... our punishment... for killing the priests?”

”They had dishonored their names and therefore disqualified for what they had done, so I decided spare all of you.”

There was a moment of silence. Then they started to cheer wildly. ”Thank you! Your Merciful Holiness!”

”Long live Pope Isabella!”

”Long live Your Holiness”

Isabella pressed her palms downward to make them calm down before she continued, ”Just as I said, I’m no pope. The rules don’t really make me attain the that role. I’m just the executor of Supreme Pontiff, as I was before.”

”But you still represent the Church of Hermes!” Qiu said, thrilled.

”I have a mission for you,” Isabella said clearly and with certainty. ”Of course, that’s after all of you eat your fill.”

The nuns and the orphans knelt again after hobbling back to their feet. They said as one, ”At your service.”

Isabella knew very well that those people did not side with her because they were convinced by her. They had been forsaken and should have been done for. Now that they were given the hope to return to the church, they naturally would devote anything, even if the ”church” they would know now was not real.

Supposing that the real Church of Hermes was still standing, they might mull over whether they had made the right choice after they removed themselves from the plight and cooled down. But that was impossible now. By the time the First Army arrived, what she had said would definitely come true.

Only by breaking their old beliefs of the church and instilling a half-true story she had made up as the new ”truth”. King Roland would now be able to control this land veritably.

”It’s very simple. I want you to restore order in the Old Holy City,” Isabella said methodically. ”Qiu, first gather the residents of the two other cloisters and retell them my words. You must also see to it that every child gets their portion of food before nightfall. The First Army of Graycastle will answer your call and help you. Since they had known that it was Mayne and other men who betrayed, they wouldn’t make things difficult for you. After that, all of you must walk out and inform every household of the news and note the names of whom have left and stayed respectively. If you run into the treasonous priests or the believers, report to me immediately.”

As the orders were given, the nuns went into action right after they answered the ”yes”. The situation they were in did not magically improve but a new outlook and hope dwindles in their eyes.

Soon, they ripped down the gate. When a nun was about to take the girls out of the cloister in order, one girl suddenly bowed low to Isabella.

”Thank you, Lady Isabella.”

The other girls followed her behavior one after another.

”You’re so nice, My Lady.”

”I’ll remember you forever.”

Every girl in the line echoed these kinds of words.

”Thanking me...” Isabella slightly closed her eyes, lost in thought. She had received much hatred and many curses since the day she became a Pure Witch, yet this was the first time she was being thanked.

But what she had done was not for gaining gratitude, but for her goal. She would also put those people to death without the slightest hesitation if that was needed to achieve her goal. So... this kind of gratitude seemed unwanted to her.

Although that was she had been thinking, Isabella felt like something unknown emerged in her heart, a feeling she had never had before. She could feel a soft distension occurring in her heart and warmth like a fire. Isabella thought she would resist the feeling, but... it was not as annoying as she had expected.

Was this King Roland’s intention?

Isabella slightly lets out a breath and then slowly followed the end of the line to the camp.