Chapter 1291: Reunion

Roland met Wendy and Tilly in the parlor and gave them the front in brief — the situation, the timeline, the thing he could no longer avoid saying. “We probably can’t wait anymore.”

“The First Army needs the witches.” Wendy’s voice had gone dark, the way voices do when people have been holding something steady for a long time. “I’ll let everyone know. They’ve been waiting for this day. I believe they’re ready.”

“Finally.” Tilly’s lips twitched at the corners. “I still have a few chapters left in the Flight Manual. I’ve been longing for a real battle at the front.” She looked at him directly. “And where’s my fighter? You gave me your word, brother.”

Roland opened his mouth. Then his voice simply left him.

“Your Majesty?” Wendy had noticed — she always noticed. “Are you all right?”

He gathered himself and nodded, slowly. “You know the Bloody Moon has appeared. This is the final battle of the human race, and no one knows how long it will last. Perhaps a year. Perhaps ten. You probably won’t come back until it ends. If—”

He couldn’t continue.

Nobody could foresee the result of the Battle of Divine Will. Last time, Ashes had given herself on the Fertile Plains. This time — how many? Most of these witches were barely in their twenties. In another world they would have had lectures to attend, exams to dread, ordinary mornings to waste. Instead they had this. The war concerned every human life; everyone had to fight. Witches were human too. He knew that perfectly. But he had built something with these girls across years and distance, and issuing this order felt like dropping a stone into water he couldn’t reach the bottom of. Once they left for battle, he might never see some of them again.

“If someone else saw you right now, they’d laugh,” Tilly said, grinning. “You still haven’t learned to be a king after all this time?” She paused, something softening in her face. “Actually — I rather like you this way.”

Wendy rose without asking. Before Roland registered the movement she had crossed the room and put her arms around him.

“Better?” she said gently. “We all know what you’ve done for us. Even without a word from you, every one of them would step forward to protect you. You taught us to fight for what we want. Winning the Battle of Divine Will is the same thing as protecting the Holy Mountain. I trust the other witches feel the same.”

The warmth reached somewhere the words alone couldn’t. Wendy was right. This day had always been coming; there was no point flinching now. Every witch here had already made her choice, long before today — and anything he said like stay behind if you want would only cheapen what they’d already decided.

The only thing left was to do it.

“Thank you.”

Wendy smiled and returned to her seat.

Roland took a breath and looked at both of them. “The Witch Union and the Aerial Knights — prepare for war.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

“Leave it to me, brother.”

The news spread through the whole Castle District inside half an hour. Lightning had her bags packed before most people heard. A backpack of ammunition and sigils, a waist bag of spices and salt, Maggie roosting on her head like a very opinionated hat. They were always first to leave — scout and guide for whatever army followed. It had always been this way.

But when Lightning went to bid Wendy farewell, Wendy stopped her.

“No need to rush.” She lifted Maggie off Lightning’s head with practiced ease. “Someone asked to see you before you go. He’s waiting in the yard.”

“Me?” A small frown. “Who? Auntie Margaret?”

Wendy hesitated, hand covering her mouth. “You’ll see.”

“He’s here already?” Lightning shrugged. “All right.”

“Coo — coo!” Maggie tried to follow. Wendy held the pigeon back and watched Lightning disappear through the doorway.

“Sorry — you’ll have to stay with me a little while,” she told Maggie, stroking the small gray head. “I think she’s better left alone for this.”

Lightning cut through the corridor and out into the yard. A flamboyant figure stood with his back to her, and her first thought was flat: Sander Flyingbird. What does he want.

But when he turned around, she stopped as though the ground had shifted.

Same gaudy clothes. Completely different presence. And despite the years — more years than she’d let herself count — she knew exactly what she was looking at.

“Father?”

“I’m sorry I avoided you.” Thunder’s smile was bitter at the edges. “I didn’t want my daughter living the way her mother did. I decided not to come to you—”

“When did you know I was here?”

“Not long after you arrived at Border Town.”

“Did Auntie Margaret tell you?”

He nodded.

“So. You’re accomplices. Her and you and His Majesty.”

“Don’t blame them. I asked them to keep the secret—”

She was already crossing the yard. Thunder closed his eyes and waited for the blow.

It didn’t come.

He opened his eyes. Her palm rested against his forehead — not a punch, a pat — and she was smiling.

“So you know everything about my explorations in the Western Region.”

“Er—”

“I found the Holy City of Taquila,” she said, stepping back, voice perfectly level. “A four-hundred-year-old witch. The ruins of the underground civilization. I repelled the demons’ advance unit.” She tilted her head. “Well? Am I as good as you?”

Thunder stood there a beat. Then he laughed — the full kind, the helpless kind, that arrives when you’ve been outmaneuvered by something you raised yourself. “You’re absolutely my daughter. But I feel both sorry and happy, and I’m not sure in what proportion.”

“I understand the happy. Why sorry?”

“Because you’ve grown so fast.” He exhaled. “I thought you’d hate me. Cry in my arms. I worried for nothing.”

She had worried for nothing too — once, she might have done exactly that. But Taquila had taken something from her and replaced it with something else, something steadier. She had promised Ashes she wouldn’t cry until the war was over. She intended to keep it. “So you were afraid I’d hate you, and that’s why you stayed away. Why reveal yourself now?”

“Because I’ve decided to come north and fight the Battle of Divine Will.” He said it slowly, each word set down like a deliberate footstep. “You’d have found out eventually. Better you hear it from me.”

“Really?”

“I’ll fight over the sea and at the ports. I’ve already discussed it with His Majesty.”

“Good.” She took his hand. “Then come — let me introduce you to my team. You’ll be fighting alongside them as well.”

“You’ve made good friends, it seems.”

“Of course. Though they all seem to involve animals somehow. Was I not good with people when I was small?”

Thunder smiled. “Like that pigeon, Maggie?”

“Well — yes. Except Maggie is a witch.”

“Ahem. From what I know, a person loved by animals is also loved by people. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Good to know.”

And so the father and the daughter walked back into the castle together, talking like people who had never been apart.

Chapter 1291 - Reunion

Translator: Transn Editor: Transn Roland met Wendy and Tilly in the parlor. He briefly related the situation at the front and said, “This is pretty much it. We probably can’t wait anymore.” “The First Army needs the witches’ help,” Wendy said darkly. “I’ll let everyone know. They’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, and I believe that they’re now ready.” “Finally,” Tilly said while twitching her lips. “I still have a few chapters to go for the Flight Manual. I’ve been longing to fight a real battle at the front. Also, where’s my fighter? You gave me your word, brother.” Roland did not tacitly switched the subject as usual because his voice suddenly abandoned him. “Your Majesty?” Wendy, who noticed something wrong, asked. “Are you OK?” Roland managed to calm himself down and nodded slowly. He said, “You know that the Bloody Moon has appeared. This is the final battle of the human race, but no one knows how long this battle will last. Perhaps, it’s going to be a year or even 10 years. You probably won’t come back until the battle ends. If…” He could not continue anymore. Nobody could foresee the result of the Battle of Divine Will. Last time, Ashes had sacrificed herself on the Fertile Plains. This time, how many people would survive? Many witches were only in their 20s. They should have enjoyed their university life in the other world. However, they had to fight for their fate here. This war concerned the entire human race, so everyone must do their best to win. Witches, being also human, were indeed no different than ordinary people. Roland knew that perfectly well, but he had already established an attachment to these girls. He had been living with them for years since the Witch Union had been founded. It was thus hard for him to issue the order because once they were off for the battle, it was probably the last time he would see them. “If somebody else sees you act like this, they’ll laugh about you,” Tilly said, grinning. “You still haven’t got used to being a king after so many years? Well… I actually like the way you are now.” “Excuse me, Your Majesty,” Wendy said while rising to her feet. Before Roland could realize it, she had approached him and given him a hug. “Do you feel better now?” Wendy said gently, “We all know what you’ve done for us. Even if you don’t say a word, everyone will be willing to come forward and protect you. You taught us to fight for things we want. Winning the Battle of Divine Will is essentially the same as protecting the Holy Mountain. I trust that the other witches all agree on that.” The warmth soothed Roland a great deal. Wendy was right. Everyone knew that this day would eventually come. There was no point in hesitating now. Since all the witches were here to fight, they had made up their mind a long time ago. If he said something like “I don’t want you to go to war” or “you can stay behind if you want”, that would sound pretty lame. The only thing they needed to do is to try their best. “Thank you.” Wendy smiled and returned to her seat. “Well then,” Roland said after taking a deep breath and stared at the two people. “The Witch Union and the Aerial Knights, prepare for the war.” “As you command, Your Majesty.” “Leave it to me, brother.” … The news that the witches would go to war in the Kingdom of Wolfheart was immediately spread throughout the whole Castle District. Within half an hour, Lightning had packed up. Her luggage included a backpack that contained ammunition and sigils, a waist bag full of spices and salt, as well as Maggie perched on her head. As usual, they were normally the first ones to set off. They would be the scouts and guides for the army coming after. However, this time, when Lightning went to bid farewell to Wendy, Wendy stopped her. “You don’t have to be in such a rush,” Wendy said as she took over Maggie. “In fact, someone told me that he wanted to see you before you go.” “Me?” A little surprised, Lightning asked, “Who’s that? Auntie Margaret?” “Well…” Wendy hesitated while covering her mouth. “You’ll see. By the way, he’s waiting for you in the yard.” “He’s already here?” Lightning said while shrugging. “Alright.” “Coo — coo!” Maggie followed but Wendy held her back. She thus watched Lightning disappear from the doorstep. “Sorry, you’ll have to stay with me for a while,” Wendy said smilingly while stroking the pigeon’s head. “I think it’d be better to leave her alone at this moment.” … Lightning walked out of the castle and off to the yard after passing the corridor. She immediately saw a flowery figure standing there. “I see… You’re Mr. Sander Flyingbird,” Lightning grumbled. “What can I do for you?” However, when Sander turned around, Lightning was rooted to the ground. Although he was still wearing the same flamboyant clothes, he had a completely different vibe. Despite that they had not seen each other for years, Lightning still remembered what her father looked like. “Father?” Lightning asked in disbelief. “Sorry, I’ve been avoiding you,” Thunder said with a bitter smile. “I don’t want my daughter to live like her mother, so I decided not to see you…” “When did you know that I was here?” Lightning interrupted. “Not long after you arrived at Border Town.” “Did Auntie Margaret tell you that?” Thunder nodded. “So, you’re accomplices, and so is His Majesty…” “Don’t blame them. I asked them to keep the secret for me — ” No sooner had Thunder finished than Lightning hurried to him and raised her arm. Thunder closed his eyes and waited for the punch. But the pain did not come as expected. A moment later, Thunder opened his eyes in surprise and saw his daughter pat his forehead gently, with a smile lingering upon her lips. “In other words, you know everything about my exploration in the Western Region of Graycastle?” “Er…” “I found the Holy City of Taquila, a 400-year-old witch, and the ruins of the underground civilization, and I also repelled the demons’ advance unit…” Lightning said while disengaging herself. “What about it? I’m as good as you, right?” Thunder was stunned for a moment before he burst into a laugh. “You’re indeed my daughter, but I somehow feel both sorry and happy for this reunion.” “I understand that you’re glad. But why do you feel sorry?” “Because you grow so fast,” Thunder said airily. “I thought you would hate me and cry in my arms. It appears that I worried too much…” Had she not experienced the battle at Taquila, she would have probably cried out. However, she had now grown up. She would not shed a single tear before she ended this war as Ashes had asked her to. “So, you’ve been worried that I’ll hate you. That’s why you didn’t tell me? Then why do you reveal your identity now?” “Because I decided to come with you to the north and fight the Battle of Divine Will,” Thunder pronounced slowly. “You’ll know it eventually, so it’d be better that I tell you now.” “Really?” “Yes. I’ll fight over the sea and at the ports. I’ve discussed this with His Majesty.” “That’s great,” Lightning said while grasping Thunder’s hand. “Since we still have time now, let me introduce you to the team members of my exploration team. You’ll fight together with them as well!” “It appears that you’ve made some good friends…” “Of course. But they’re all somehow related to animals. Was I not very good at dealing with people when I was little?” “Like the pigeon called Maggie?” “Yes… er, no, Maggie is a witch.” “Ahem, as far as I know, a person loved by animals is also loved by people. Don’t worry about that.” “That’s good to know.” The father and the daughter thus headed together toward the castle. They chatted merrily as though they had never separated.