In the office, she encountered Roland Wimbledon once more, engrossed in writing—likely on official business. The sun had set, casting a golden glow across the sky. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sunset light cast long shadows across her desk.
Not until Prince put down the quill did Ash finally speak: 'I won.' 'Indeed, you did,' the other simply nodded.
Her delight at his candid response surprised her. She had expected Roland to argue his case, but to her surprise, he too accepted the outcome.
"But I acknowledge your ability to counter the God Punishment Army," she said. "They're not impervious to blades. Their strength and physique are comparable to mine, yet they lack divine will and reasoning—this is why I can handle three at once. If Knight's opponent were the God Punishment Army in previous trials, they'd likely charge head-on. Unlike the Inquisition Army that can deploy independently, the Church needs a dedicated commander to lead them." "Thank you," Roland smiled. "This intelligence is crucial." "What's Knight's new weapon?" "A repeating rifle," he replied. "My soldiers will use this weapon from now on. Even an unarmed farmer can defeat a well-trained Inquisition Army member with a rifle." Ash hesitated briefly. "Can you give me one?" "Unless you join the Witch Alliance," Roland shrugged. "This weapon is still extremely rare." The refusal was expected. She exhaled. "I must reconcile with Tilly as soon as possible. I'll leave Border Town early tomorrow. If you can't endure it, you may seek refuge in the fjords." He nodded. "You should too. Don't forget to tell me this, dear sister. There's another place in the western borderlands of Graycastle where witches can hide." "..." Ashes paused for a moment. "I'll think about it." Just as she was about to leave the office, Prince called her back. "Wait, I have a gift for you—it's right behind the door." A gift?
She paused, turned around, and saw a massive long sword lying by the door—hidden by the door panel, she hadn't noticed it when she entered.
"Your longsword is no longer functional. I had Anna forge a new one for you—not a crude iron blade, but a pure steel creation." Indeed, its surface was smooth and even, reflecting an orange-red metallic sheen under the setting sun. As she approached, a gentle touch revealed the blade's uniform thickness and the marks of quenching on one side, unmistakably a weapon of exceptional quality. The only enigma for Ash was its design: unlike standard double-edged swords, this single-edged blade had a thumb-width gap on the uncut side, a trapezoidal head, and a peculiar talismanic mark carved into its front. Most strikingly, the uncut side featured a circular protrusion painted gold, a striking feature.
Although she did not want to admit her preference, she could not resist the impulse and reached out to pick it up.
"Why is it so... peculiar in appearance?" "Because this isn't an ordinary weapon," Roland chuckled. "It's called the Ash Messenger. Compared to your previous Whiteboard Great Sword, it's already a legendary artifact." "..." Ash decided not to dwell on the enigmatic term, "If that's the case, I accept it. As a token of appreciation, I'll give you a gift." "Oh? What is it?" Prince asked curiously.
She left the room without answering.
...
Early the next morning, Roland pushed open the door and found Nightingale sitting at his desk, holding a piece of dried fish in her beak.
"They left." "Both of them?" "Yes," she replied indifferently, "we set off at dawn, and Wendy even saw her off." Roland couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow—Wendy had always cared for every sister, especially this Witch who had saved her from harm and indirectly helped her escape the convent. He had expected Wendy to follow Ash, but to his surprise, she was the first to decline the invitation.
In the end, the Witch Alliance remained twelve members, which filled Roland with boundless energy.
"Do you think they'd actually pass on the news from here to the Witch across the sea?" "Maybe, maybe not," he said, leaning back in his chair and letting out a long sigh. "But when they face insurmountable challenges, they always think of Border Town." Closing his eyes, Roland mentally replayed the memories of the Fourth Prince.
Tilly kept her distance from him, or rather, she maintained a certain distance from everyone, even King Wimbledon III included. Apart from her striking beauty and the exceptional intelligence she had displayed since childhood, she retained little information about him in her mind.
Roland had no idea when the Fifth Princess first began secretly shielding the Witch or when she started planning her venture in the fjords. But in any case, she was a natural ally worth courting—after all, opposing the Church was their shared objective at this stage.
Sending Tasha to spread rumors isn't entirely futile. Witch awakening is inherently random, and Tilly can't possibly take all the witches with her. After the evacuation, newly awakened witches will be even more desperate to find a safe haven.
Now that he had obtained intelligence about God's punishment of the army, his next move would undoubtedly be to scale up the production of dual acids.
The development of more efficient gunpowder and explosives relies on nitric acid and sulfuric acid. After the First Army's transition to rotating-barrel rifles, the combination of rifled barrels and standard ammunition significantly improved shooting accuracy. This made training crucial—back in the days before bullet-screening technology, a skilled veteran could hold his own against ten inexperienced rookies. The resulting bullet consumption would undoubtedly be staggering.
Black powder residue in the barrel can clog the rifling, significantly reducing its service life. This issue can only be resolved by using smokeless powder. Early smokeless powder was essentially nitrocellulose, while later versions were mixtures of nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose. Even the nitric acid used for soaking sealing gunpowder now appears insufficient, let alone replacing all propellant with gunpowder.
Laboratory-based methods ultimately only allow for small-scale production. To meet the demands of an entire military force, industrial-scale production is essential. Unfortunately, when confronted with the entirely unfamiliar chemical industry, Roland was unable to devise any viable solutions at the time.
Beyond this, education must not be neglected. While universalizing basic literacy is essential, ideological transformation demands urgent implementation. The indigenous people, having endured the trials of the Evil Moon and reinforced by the First Army's propaganda, have developed a higher acceptance of the Witch community. Yet outsiders still cling to the doctrines instilled by the Church. With the Border Town now witnessing a surge in migrant populations—particularly serfs who currently reside in wooden huts along the Chishui River, effectively forming the town's 'outskirts' —once they attain freedom, they will inevitably migrate into the city. By then, any attempt to rectify these beliefs would be too late.
We must find a way to reform the system, which is not only subtle and imperceptible, but also easy to be accepted by the masses.
...
Lost in these random thoughts for a while, he opened his eyes and suddenly noticed the Nightingale watching him intently. The moment their eyes met, she instinctively turned her head away.
"Oh... right, I forgot to tell you something," Witch said, looking out the window as if nothing was wrong. "Wendy asked me to pass you a message." "What?" Roland asked.
She said, "Thank you."