Chapter 99: The Night Chat
Translator:Transn
Editor:Meh
The witches were still awake. After having suffered for so long, they still couldn't believe that they were being accommodated by the prince and that there were neither shackles nor guards. The prince even allowed everyone to enter the castle and live in such spacious and comfortable rooms.
Wendy probably guessed the anxiety of the sisters. Together with Nightingale, she called everyone to gather in her room and sit around the bed in a circle. They would have a chat to calm down their emotions.
"This is the style of a leader," Leaf thought. If it was Cara, she would never be so attentive to the needs of the sisters. Even if she had noticed, she would never have bothered to comfort them.
"Sister Wendy, what will His Royal Highness... ask us to do?" Hummingbird timidly asked, "Our abilities are far worse than you and sister Nightingale."
This struck a chord with the other sisters, and they all nodded in support.
Wendy began to laugh. "Let me think about it, uh... the first thing you have to do is to practice your abilities."
"Practice our abilities?" Soraya asked hesitantly, "Will His Royal Highness ask me to draw paintings all day long?"
"It's quite possible." Wendy patted Mystery Moon on the head. "Although Cara forbids you to use your abilities in the camp, His Highness won't. On the contrary, he'll encourage you to practice and master your abilities."
"My ability will only bring troubles to my sisters," said Mystery Moon.
"Even so, you must still practice," said Wendy, "and it's a matter of life and death."
"Life and death?" Leaf could not help but ask.
"Yes, His Highness discovered the way for witches to safely get through the day of Awakening," said Nightingale, who continued after Wendy. "From now on, we can say goodbye to the pain of the demonic bite and all sisters can live to adulthood."
All the witches were now staring at Nightingale. At that moment they couldn't believe their ears. Scroll asked in surprise, "Are you speaking about what happened to Miss Anna? But last time, you told us that you did not know the specific reason."
"Yes, at that time it was only the speculation of His Highness, but Nana's Awakening Day verified this. She also didn't suffer any harm."
"So the method is..." Scroll could not help but hold her breath.
"You just need to expend your magic power every day," Nightingale said slowly word by word, "I can see the changes of the magic power in the Mist. Regular use of it will increase the total capacity of the body. At the same time, the suffering during the demonic bites will also be reduced. As it draws close to the Day of Awakening, as long as the magic power is exhausted, it'll almost cause no harm to the body."
"I think everyone can sense it faintly as well," Wendy added, "During the days when we were hunted by the church, we would carefully hide in the corners of town and did not dare to use our abilities. Therefore, we lost many sisters every winter. But this year, while living in the camps in the Impassable Mountain Range, besides for Airy and Abby, everyone else was able to survive the Months of the Demons."
"So that's the reason." Thinking about this, Leaf took a deep breath. When she had encountered the Demonic Bite while traveling through Barbarian Land, its duration was exceptionally short. "In other words, Holy Mountain isn't in that barren land…"
"That's right, the Holy Mountain isn't a specific place." Wendy nodded. "Any place where people can accept us, without seeing the witches as the devil or limiting the sisters practicing their abilities, will be Holy Mountain."
"Wendy had even asked His Highness if she could go to the camp when the Months of the Demons had ended to tell you the news." Nightingale glanced at Wendy and said gently, "In this case, even if you hadn't found Holy Mountain, you could still live well in the mountains."
"Since everyone has come back, there's no need to mention this." Wendy smiled and shook her head. "Regardless of whether you're needed by His Highness or not, you should still practice every day for safety."
"If this is the key to resolve the bite of magic power, shouldn't there be other witches who would have been aware of this?" Scroll thought for a moment and said, "We're not the first witch organization. There are other witch organizations in Kingdom of Dawn and the Kingdom of Wolfheart. I have sent them letters to invite them to find Holy Mountain together. However, we have never received a reply.
Leaf sighed gently, and she knew Scroll held back on what she wanted to say. Ever since Cara found the ancient book in the ruins at the forest at the eastern border, she firmly believed in Holy Mountain and took everyone on her endeavor. At this point, the Witch Cooperation Association started their long journey of exile, almost across the entire Kingdom of Graycastle. During the journey, they met many new sisters but also lost many of them. If from the beginning they had decided to hide in the ruins, would they have discovered this key?
"We can try to contact the hidden witches in other cities," said Nightingale, "and it's part of His Highness's plan. He also wants to let the witches notice this remote town by spreading the rumors. If we become the middle person, it would no doubt greatly reduce their suspicion."
"However, I still don't understand why His Highness wants to accommodate us?" asked Echo, looking confused. The witch from the southernmost region had suffered more than most of the other witches. First, she was sold by the people of Sand Nation to a businessman from Port of Clearwater, who then took her all the way to sell her again in King's City. She was forced to learn dancing, royal etiquettes, and even the skills to please a man. If she wasn't coincidentally rescued by the Witch Cooperation Association, she would probably have been sold for an exorbitantly high price to a duke or minister. Until now, she still had her foreign accent when speaking.
"Maybe just like those who wanted to buy you." Lily sneered. "Man..."
"Don't speak nonsense, Lily," said Nightingale in a stern voice. "His Highness is clearly different from all those people that you talked about. As long as you stay here for a while, you'll understand."
"It's true, I have experienced it deeply," Wendy said while wearing her kind smile, "It's already late, so everyone should go back to their rooms and try to get some sleep. Don't worry even if your ability isn't useful to His Highness. He said that he wants all of you to be able to live a normal life in Border Town. If you want to know what His Highness will ask you tomorrow." She deliberately paused for a moment. "I guess, it'll start from the signing of a contract."
After Leaf and Scroll returned to their room and closed their door, the latter said, "We should sleep as well."
When His Highness had asked about her ability earlier, he arranged for her to stay in the same room as Scroll. He also mentioned that this was only a temporary arrangement, and in the future, she could have a brand new room for herself. But in her view, the bed was already spacious enough for three people.
She took off her coat and got under the quilt. It was hard to describe the softness and comfort that wrapped around her body. Leaf could not help but moan gently with her head buried in the pillow. After a long time, she softly asked, "Do you blame Cara?"
"..." Scroll sighed. "No one can predict the future, no matter what she did at the end, at least in the beginning she was really genuine in wanting to find a home for the witches to live in peace. Now there's no point mentioning this. Sleep well, my girl."
She closed her eyes. "Good night."