Chapter 413: The Incident
Spear Passi was quiet for a moment. “Is this a threat or an invitation?”
“An invitation,” Nightingale said. “His Highness doesn’t believe in coercing witches. Neither do I.”
“Then I refuse.” No hesitation. “If he truly needs my help, he can bring his witches to Fallen Dragon Ridge. We can perform the ritual properly, according to the customs of the nobility. There’s no need to send someone sneaking through my walls.” A pause. “Of course, if arriving openly would draw the church’s attention, I can’t guarantee anyone’s safety.”
Exactly what Nightingale had expected.
There were two ways to move someone: coercion or inducement. She didn’t want either. Marquess Passi was lord of this city, and would be guardian of the realm if she were ever elevated further—but Roland had no plans to flatter the nobility into compliance. The opposite, in fact: centralization of authority meant stripping away precisely what made a noble feel noble. Pledging herself to his service, on those terms, would look like surrender to anyone watching. And a single testimony from a stranger wasn’t going to change that.
“I understand.” Nightingale kept her tone mild. “Then I’ll leave.”
“Hold on.” A flicker of genuine surprise broke through Spear’s composure. “That’s it?”
“My job was to deliver the message and receive your answer. Both are done.” She smiled. “Did you expect me to tie you up?”
The Marquess studied her. “How did you know about my ability to channel magic? Did you speak with the witches who were heading to the Fjord Islands?”
“Yes. The group’s leader is Lady Tilly Wimbledon. She’s currently in Border Town, fighting demons alongside her brother.” Nightingale lifted a shoulder. “His Highness heard about you through her.”
“They didn’t go to the Fjords?”
“They didn’t know His Highness had established a real foothold in the Western Region. Contact came later, after they’d already settled on Sleeping Island.” She gave the short version: both alliances, the shape of the war, what Tilly had found in Border Town. “She was invited by His Highness, same as you.”
“Prince Roland actually built a working system—witches and ordinary people, together?” The frown returned, but the skepticism underneath it had shifted slightly. “I find that very hard to believe.”
“He also expelled the church from his territory.” Nightingale let that land. “There are more than ten witches living openly in Border Town. The locals are used to them. I’m not inventing this.”
The Marquess stood, poured a second cup of tea, and set it across the desk. “Tell me more. How did he manage it?”
Nightingale sat. It might change nothing—but deepening Spear’s understanding cost nothing, and if Roland did eventually unify Graycastle, having the Marquess understand what was coming would make everything smoother. She laid it out: the Witch Union, the war with Duke Ryan, the recovery of Longsong Stronghold, what they’d learned about the church’s origins.
The knock, when it came, was frantic.
Spear looked up. “What is that—”
“Danger, coo!” Maggie was outside the window, feathers ruffled, dancing from foot to foot. “Lightning spotted trouble, coo! A troop of Judgement Warriors heading for the castle—at least twenty, coo!”
“The church?” Nightingale turned to the Marquess. “Did you summon them?”
“I had no appointment with the priest today.” Spear looked genuinely confused. “Could your presence have been noticed?”
“Impossible.” She shook her head. “Not unless the church is watching every bird in the sky.”
“If they were coming for me,” Spear murmured, “they wouldn’t need this many. That’s nearly their entire force.”
The window burst open. Lightning landed light as falling paper beside Nightingale. “They’re almost at the entrance.”
“Leave, or get your guards to stop them outside while we find out what they want,” Nightingale said quickly. “Either way—”
“This is my castle.” Spear’s voice was cold and flat. “I don’t hide in it. And these men cannot enter without my permission. That’s always been enough to protect—”
She didn’t finish. Below them, the sound of fighting erupted—swords, armor, a dozen voices at once, the clatter bouncing off the mountain stone and rising into the room.
“Who let them in?!” Spear called names toward the door. Nothing answered.
The footsteps were close now.
“There’s still time,” Nightingale said, moving toward Lightning and gesturing for the girl to go. “We can protect you.”
“I’m not leaving. This is my territory—”
The door came down.
A column of Judgement Warriors pushed into the room with swords raised and shields locked together, filling the space until there was none left. The Lord of Fallen Dragon Ridge stood encircled.
Nightingale stepped back into the Mist without a word, finding a corner with a clear view and an exit at her back. Neither Lightning nor Maggie had left—Lightning was perched at the top of a window frame, head tilted with professional interest; Maggie crouched on a roof beam, settling her wings.
These two. I’ll have Roland speak to them when we’re home.
She watched the Judgement Warriors. Every one of them wore a God’s Stone of Retaliation—the dark holes overlapping, obscuring Spear in a dense web of suppression. Nightingale could hear the Marquess but not see her.
“Redwyne.” Spear’s voice was icy. “You let them into my castle without permission?”
“Of course not, wise sister.” A man’s voice, somewhere inside the crowd. Smug, and barely restraining it. “Father was wrong to give the title to one of the Devil’s minions. I’m only correcting his mistake.”
Chapter 413: The Incident
Translator: TransN Editor: TransN
Spear Passi was silent for a while before saying, “Are you threatening or inviting me?”
“I’m inviting you, of course,” Nightingale said. “His Highness doesn’t believe in coercing witches. In fact, I don’t either.”
“In this case, I refuse,” Spear answered without hesitation. “If he really needs my help, he can bring the witches to the Fallen Dragon Ridge to visit me for the ritual of the nobility. No need to send someone sneaking in my castle. Of course, if a witch attracts the church’s attention I can’t ensure her safety.”
The answer was just as Nightingale had expected. It was difficult to get a stranger to agree to such a difficult request. Generally, there were two means of handling the situation—coercion and inducement, but she didn’t want to perform either option. Marquess Passi was the Lord of the city and would be the guardian of the realm once promoted. However, His Highness did not plan to flatter her in any way. Instead, he would withdraw power from the nobles. According to His highness, this was called the centralization of authority. In this instance, she would be degrading herself in the eyes of nobility if she was at His Highness’ service.
In regards to following Roland, to create a brand new world and defend in the Battle of Divine Will, she would not believe it from word alone.
“I understand.” Nightingale pouted. “In this case, I shall leave.”
“Hold on…” Spear looked surprised. “That’s all?”
“I’m responsible for bringing His Highness’ messages to you. Now that the message has been delivered and you’ve given me your answer, my task is complete.” She grinned. “Were you expecting me to tie you up and bring you back with me?”
“How did you know about my ability to channel magic?” Marquess hesitated. “Did you talk to the witches who planned to go to the Fjord Islands?”
“Yes. The leader of the witches is Lady Tilly Wimbledon. She’s currently in Border Town, fighting the Demons with her brother.” Nightingale shrugged. “His Highness heard about you from her.”
“They didn’t go to the Fjords?”
“No, they didn’t know His Highness had gained such a firm foothold in the Western Region. They only got in touch after settling down on Sleeping Island.” She gave a brief outline of the alliances on both sides. “Just like you, Lady Tilly was invited to the Western Region by His Highness.”
“Prince Roland really established a system of coexistence for witches and ordinary people in his territory?” Spear frowned and asked. She was having a hard time believing it.
“Not only that, he also evicted the church from his territory.” Nightingale smiled. “Currently there are more than 10 witches living in Border Town. The locals are accustomed to their existence. I’m not lying about this.”
Marquis stood up and poured her a cup of tea. “Can you tell me more about it? How did he do it?”
“If you want to know.” Nightingale turned and sat at the table. It might not change her decision but it was never a bad thing to deepen her understanding. Nightingale decided to tell her about the Witch Union His Highness had built, the war with Duke Ryan and the political run after the recovery of Longsong Stronghold. If Spear could understand the witches’ situation, hopefully she would not resist too much when His Highness eventually unified the Kingdom of Graycastle.
A sudden rush of percussion was heard.
“This is…” Spear looked at Nightingale in shock.
Nightingale opened the window. It was Maggie squatting outside. “Danger, coo! Lightning discovered an accident, coo!”
“What happened?”
“A troop of Judgement Army soldiers is rushing towards the castle, coo!” The pigeon patted its wings and said, “There are at least 20 people, coo!”
“The Judgement Army from the church?” Nightingale turned around and frowned. “Did you summon them?”
“No… I didn’t have an appointment with the church Priest today,” Marquis looked particularly puzzled, “could it be your whereabouts have been exposed?”
“That’s impossible.” She shook her head. “Unless the church has the ability to monitor every bird in the sky.”
“That’s weird…” Spear murmured, “if they were coming for me, they wouldn’t need so many Judgement Warriors. It’s almost the entire force!”
“What are you waiting for? They’re almost at the entrance!” A golden figure darted through the window and landed lightly beside Nightingale. It was Lightning.
“I’m not sure about the situation, I suggest that you avoid it,” Nightingale said, “or get the guards to stop them outside the castle and find out why they’re here before proceeding.”
“This is my castle. Where would I hide? Don’t worry, these people can’t enter without my permission. Otherwise, I would not have been able to protect the witches.” Spear sighed. “However, this meeting may have to end here… If you’re not in a rush, I think…”
Before she could finish her sentence, a series of chaotic footsteps were heard just below the castle. The sound of swords fighting could be heard clearly in the castle, echoing in the mountains. Marquis expression changed. “Who let them in?! Guards!”
Spear called a few names but no one responded from outside. The footsteps were approaching closer and closer.
“It looks like they’re here for you.” Nightingale made a gesture towards Lightning, indicating she should leave first, “You still have time to leave, we can protect you.”
“No, I’m not going anywhere! This is my territory; how could they be so presumptuous… ”
She hardly finished speaking when the door was broken down by a group of heavily armed Judgement Warriors. The Lord was fully surrounded by warriors holding up their swords and shields.
Nightingale hid in the Mist, taking a step back into the corner where it was both convenient to escape and suitable for observation. She noticed that neither Lightning nor Maggie left. The former was peeking her head out from the top of a window, the latter was simply squatting on a beam, arranging her wings.
“These two brats are totally reckless. I’ll get His Highness to discipline them well when we’re back…” She shook her head helplessly and shifted her eyes to the Judgement Warriors. Every one of them was wearing the God’s Stone of Retaliation. The dark holes were intertwined and totally obscured Spear. She could only hear the Marquess’ angry rebuke. “Redwyne, are you crazy? You let them into my castle without permission?”
“Of course not, wise sister.” A man’s voice raised within the crowd. “Father was wrong to give the title to one of the Devil’s minions. I’m simply correcting his mistake.”