Release that Witch

After Kajen withdrew, Barov immediately rounded on Roland and said anxiously, ”Your Majesty, why did you decline his request? He’s an iconic figure of the play industry in Graycastle, and every troupe is eager to have him! I’m not saying the Star Flower Troupe isn’t good, but Ms. May is, after all, not as influential as Kajen Fels. If Kajen joins our troupe, Star Flower would veritably become the most eminent troupe throughout the whole kingdom. With Kajen in the troupe, a great number of actors and actresses would come and join us. Then we wouldn’t need to worry about being short staffed.”

Roland cast him a sideways glance and said, ”Haven’t you heard of the saying that people usually don’t care much about things they obtained very easily?”

”Um...” The governor was taken aback for a fraction of a second before he replied, ”Forgive my ignorance, but who said that, or rather, in which book did you see it?”

”I said it,” Roland said unblushingly. ”This is common sense. He has been attracted to the Magic Movie, so he would definitely stay in Neverwinter for a while. Compared to a straight ’yes’, a challenging task would motivate him to work harder. Perhaps, he would even thank me for giving him this opportunity. If I let him in right away, he would take it for granted, and that’s the difference between a yes and no.”

Roland stopped for a second and then continued, ”Plus, May is Kajen’s student. If Kajen joins the Star Flower Troupe, what would Star Flower Troupe become of? I don’t mind him participating in filming, but I don’t want him to act in a play. His presence, however, would pressure young actors to further improve their skills.”

”Well... you’re right,” Barov said hesitantly. ”But you allowed him to go to the Kingdom of Wolfheart...”

”That’s nothing,” Roland cut in, ”It’s his own choice. I’m also curious about what play Kajen is going to make at this stage. As far as I know, he’s already reached the pinnacle of his career. By the way, how’s your statistic report going? If you have time to pry into other people’s business, why not get your own work done?”

”Yes, Your Majesty... Please excuse me!” said Barov quickly, who bowed at once and retired from the parlor.

”You’re acting more and more like a king, Your Majesty,” Nightingale said as she revealed herself from behind and squinted at him.

”Haha... I’m flattered.” It had been a while since Nightingale had addressed him in such a formal manner, and somehow Roland did not really like it. He said, ”You don’t need to talk to me with such formality, you know?”

”But I feel it isn’t a very good idea to be too intimate,” Nightingale instantly shot back while folding her arms. ”’People usually don’t care much about things they obtained very easily’. I didn’t know you thought this way. I should be more careful in the future and set a boundary between us. Also, I’ll certainly remind Anna to prevent someone from getting too full of himself. ”

Roland could feel his forehead dampened with cold sweat. He said vaguely, ”Well... um... um... anyway, people and the Magic Movie are two different things! Plus, I’m not the first person saying that...”

”But you agree with it,” Nightingale grunted. ”My magic power in my chest tells me that you accept at least 55% of the theory.”

Roland mopped his forehead, wondering if Nightingale could now detect lies with such accuracy, and then he suddenly remembered the word ”chest” she had mentioned. Agatha told him that witches’ magic power was in a shape of a cyclone, but it was not a physical entity. In reality, magic power spread all over one’s body rather than clustering around a certain area.

”Did you really use your ability?” Roland questioned.

”Haha.” Nightingale could not resist laughing. ”You found out, but you did say that. If the other witches know what you’re really thinking, what will they think of you? Will they start to think that you ’take them for granted’ ?”

”Five Chaos Drinks,” Roland blurted out, starting to bribe Nightingale.

”Ten, with different flavors,” Nightingale negotiated as she licked her lips.

”It would raise suspicions if I give you too many...”

”Suspicious of what?”

”Well... someone will think it’s unfair.”

”Don’t worry. I’ll hide them well. Nobody will find them.”

”How about eight? If you get them too easily, you’ll...”

”Will what?”

”No, nothing. I have to think about it...”

...

In the end, Roland signed an ”unequal treaty” at the cost of ten Chaos Drinks.

Watching Nightingale snacking on dried fish triumphantly, Roland shook his head in amusement.

By nightfall, Barov handed in the list of family visitors. He reported over the phone, ”Ms. Scroll and I reviewed the family records and the copies of Power of Attorney. We’ve selected around 1,600 people for the first round of family visits to the Fertile Plains. Priority is given to family members. We’re currently in the process of drafting a detailed proposal. If everything goes well, they’ll be taking off in two days.”

”Very well. Go ahead with your plan,” Roland said approvingly, feeling very pleased with the high work efficiency of the Administrative Office. He was proud of how well his prime minister was trained.

”As you command! But Your Majesty, one worker’s family member is a witch.”

”A witch?” Roland echoed, his brows going up.

”Yes, this worker is called Snaketooth, from the Longsong District. He used to be a Rat at Black Street, and the witch is Miss Paper.”

”Paper?” Roland suddenly remembered that Paper had involved herself in a small dispute when Petrov had brought her here. Was that Snaketooth her friend?

”Do you want me to cross him out?” Barov pursued as Roland lapsed into a long silence. ”After all, Miss Paper has completely cut off from her past now.”

”Of course not,” said Roland, coming out of his reverie, ”She severed her relationship with her past job as a Rat, but not with her friend. Don’t forget that the key to eliminating Rats is to educate and transform them. They shouldn’t be treated any differently just because of their previous occupation.”

”A worker who used to be a Rat at Black Street...” Roland’s lips curled up into a smile as he sank into his thought. If he remembered correctly, Paper and that worker had not seen each other for nearly two years. Perhaps they had forgotten what the other looked like. Yet Snaketooth still put her name on the Power of Attorney. It sounded like a fascinating story.

”I’ll let Paper know,” Roland said in the end. ”You take care of the rest.”

”As you wish, Your Majesty.”

At a clearing to the southwest of Tower Station No. 1, the First Army was holding a memorial service.

Nearly 300 serried snow-white tombstones stood solemnly on a meadow. Although nobody was buried underneath, everyone rose to pay their respects, a sober and stern expression on their faces, as if their companions had been standing right in front of them, alive and well.

”Here lie the valiant soldiers who sacrificed themselves to defend Tower Station No.1.”

”They did not retreat but fought fiercely against the ferocious enemies.”

”Because they knew that Graycastle had got their back.”

”They were the swords of His Majesty, the towering wall protecting the civilians.”

”Their names will be engraved in our memories.”

”Their dreams will be fulfilled by us.”

”To the King of Graycastle, to the Kingdom of Graycastle.”

”Salute!”

Iron Axe performed a military salute, and all the others followed.

Lightning landed quietly on a barrack.

She spied a familiar figure at the front.

That was the conductor of the ”Blackriver”.