Ash sits atop the castle, awaiting the day of the duel.
Her efforts to persuade them had been in vain these past few days. The Witch of the Common Aid Society's stubbornness far exceeded her expectations. Both the elderly scholar and the underage Lily declined her invitation, though their refusal methods differed only slightly.
Some chose to stay because of Roland, while others remained bound to the Sisterhood, leaving the ten witches as one solid block. As for Anna and Nana Wa, who were originally from Border Town, she didn't even feel like trying. Especially for the former, when Ash stood before her, the Magic Power she sensed was entirely different from that of ordinary witches—Anna's Magic Power felt like hardened steel, smooth and dense, as if an iron wall stood between them.
Among the many witches summoned by Tilly, none had ever given her such a sensation. When she inquired of other witches, Anna's ability was merely the ordinary control of flames. Yet why did the invisible flames on Magic Power make her feel as if they were tangible barriers? Ash was utterly perplexed.
This town is strikingly different from any other town or village I've ever seen. If I had to describe it, it's brimming with energy—people seem to have endless things to do every day.
From the castle's summit, she could take in the town's panoramic view. The bustling town center was undergoing construction, with new houses being built on the meticulously planned site into compact residential blocks, each featuring nearly identical designs. Carriages hauling bricks from the north moved ceaselessly. The stonemasons first dug over ten uniformly shaped pits in one go, then began stacking bricks at an astonishing pace. Within a single day, they erected a half-human-tall fence.
Looking northeast, thick smoke billowed up into the sky—not from a forest fire, but from brick kilns in operation. Several particularly massive brick towers were being erected, resembling red giant logs that had been felled.
Every day, several sailboats arrive at the riverside wharf in Border Town. The flags hanging from their masts indicate most come from the fortress of Changge. The cargo unloaded from these vessels nearly fills the storage yard, where a squad of guards armed with wooden spears patrols the perimeter. Unlike most city guards who might stroll lazily or even take a nap, these men maintain a constant line between the wharf and the yard, occasionally offering to help unload. In the ashes' memory, this scene remains entirely unfamiliar.
What is Roland Wimbledon's Magic Power that could ignite such fervor among these settlers to build a remote and barren town?
Just then, a gurgling bird's call came from above. Ash lifted her head and saw a huge, plump pigeon swoop down from the sky and land on her shoulder.
"Finally found you, huh?" the pigeon said, rubbing against her cheek.
"Tilly sent you?" Ash pulled a handful of wheat from his pocket and tossed it onto the roof.
The pigeon flapped its wings and darted forward, then suddenly seemed to grasp something. "I'm not a bird!" "Then become a human and speak to me." "Alright, go on." As soon as the words were spoken, the pigeon's feathers abruptly swelled, and a pale glow seeped through the gaps. Then a head emerged, and the swollen feathers quickly contracted, transforming into a long strand of white hair.
No matter how many times he saw it, Ash would marvel at the marvel. Maxie, a Witch who could transform into various birds, was remarkably lifelike except for her larger size. Sometimes she even envied the other's abilities. Compared to the extraordinary Magic Power that defied God's Stone, she longed to travel between places swiftly, so she could set out anytime to meet Tilly.
"Even with the tracking talisman, pinpointing your location is no easy feat," Maixi shook off the fluff clinging to her body. "The distance is too great—my magic stone statue barely senses the talisman's vibrations. Thankfully, the Shadow knows your general whereabouts. I've been flying over Zhulong Ridge, and only then did the statue start to react." Her most striking feature, aside from that signature white hair, was her petite stature. Though an adult, she still looked like a young girl, her appearance resembling that of a little girl. If she untied her white hair, it would almost completely envelop her entire body.
"Has Tilly made it safely to the fjord?" Ash said, sitting down and patting the tiles beside him. The other side came over obediently like a bird.
"The Queen she was aboard arrived safely, but the second vessel, the North Wind Point, ran aground on a reef during docking. Fortunately, Witch survived, while the third and fourth ships remain at sea. I even flew overhead when I came to see you." "Very well," Ash said with relief. Though Your Royal Highness's demeanor was unappealing, one thing was certain: the voyage from Graycastle to the fjord was fraught with peril. The sea's weather changes far more abruptly and violently than on land. A clear, sunny day could turn into a raging storm in the blink of an eye, and even the mightiest forces would seem insignificant under the overwhelming force of the waves.
"Your explanations are all the same," Maxie shrugged. "Yoshin said you couldn't return with us because you wanted to recruit more Witches in Border Town, not because of any mishap. Lady Tilly's first words were 'That's fine. '" She paused, scanning the room. "Where are the companions? Where are they?" "They don't want to leave," Ash sighed, recounting the events briefly. "They trust the Lord here more than I do—Tilly's brother." "Lady Tilly wants us, and her brother wants us... well, that's not a bad thing, huh?" She tilted her head. "If that's the case, you should've left for the fjord earlier. Without your help, Lady Tilly couldn't have launched the purge." Ash shook his head. "I'll wait until after the duel." "But you said even if you win, they won't drive the Witches out themselves," Maxie muttered. "So you still want to complete the duel?" "I'd try if there's even a chance," Ash said calmly. "The purge won't affect the next few nights, but bringing back one more Witch would significantly boost Tilly's power." "Alright," Maxie nodded. "I'll wait here for you. But here's the thing—when we passed through Dragonfall Ridge, I saw a group of about ten people waving the Church's flag." "The delegation is small... Raise the flag—it must be the Church's envoy," Ash snorted coldly. "Apart from Border Town, I doubt any nearby place needs the Church to send envoys. Their noses are as sharp as a dog's. Fine, I'll wait until I've cleanly defeated his Knight before informing him of the Church's arrival. Then Roland Wimbledon'll see how badly he's mistaken."