Release That Witch

It was most likely a letter from his guard, Theo, for the letter was delivered by a carrier pigeon.     

After taking the note off the bird's paw, Roland walked to the window and started to peruse its content in the bright sunlight.     

"Your Highness, your plan was an astounding success."     

"As the access to the palace was soon blocked, I did not know how profound the impact of the bombing was until later. By the evening, almost every resident in the king's city has been talking about the incident. It's the only thing people are now discussing. Where there's a little knot of people, rumors follow, no matter it's a hotel, an inn or the square. Nothing has ever created such a great commotion, not even the death of the previous king. Because of your warning earlier, now many people are of opinion that Timothy died in the accident, and that you'll soon come to the king's city to ascend the throne, becoming the new sovereign of the Kingdom of Graycastle."     

Roland felt relieved as he read this paragraph. No news could be better than the success of the bombing operation and the safe return of the witches.     

He made himself some tea and returned to the mahogany desk to continue to read the letter.     

"Nonetheless, based on the information I've collected so far, the great nobles outside the king's city have yet to have any reaction to this matter. On the contrary, the palace soon came up with a countermeasure. Therefore, I conjecture that Timothy Wimbledon may still be alive."     

"Further, someone boasted that the attack was out of God's will, for some residents saw a pale, white object descend from the sky and plunge into the palace. In view of the above-noted, my preliminary plan is to proclaim the bombing as a God's Punishment for the atrocities the usurper committed. I believe many people will buy this explanation."     

"My employees are all excited about this operation. They've collected quite a bit information on some of the most obnoxious crimes Timothy committed. Combined with the recent incident, the argument will be convincing. I hold that within a month, the rumor about Timothy's wicked acts will be circulated all over the city and reach every citizen through Rats in the Black Street."     

"In addition, I'll continue to closely monitor the movement of the barrack at the eastern suburb. From the current situation, however, I assume Timothy will leave it as it's for the time being until he develops a strategy to defend the city."     

There was no signature at the end of the letter. Roland folded the encrypted letter and put it into the drawer after finishing reading it. He breathed out a long sigh.     

If the "Easterly Wind No.1" could prevent Timothy from sending out his troops, that would be perfect.     

It would be a huge waste of population to form a drugged army. The later Timothy commenced the war, the greater chance he would have to increase his manpower.     

Roland raised the teacup and sipped the scented black tea. The next thing he should do was to wait for the return of the witches.     

He had felt a little strange and uneasy with Anna's absence and the intact dried fish in the drawer in the past few days.     

Just then, Carter pushed the office door open.     

"Your Highness, two fleets arrived at the dock."     

Roland was a bit surprised. "That's the fleet of Margaret's Chamber of Commerce's, isn't it? She just missed a show... Hang on, there're two fleets you said?"     

"Yes," Carter replied with a smile, "some members of the emissary delegation you sent to the South Region for recruitment have just come back. The dock is now packed with the refugees they brought. The City Hall is currently busy in screening them according to your procedure. I mean the plan you implemented with Miss Lily..."     

"The quarantine protocol."     

"Yes, that's it. This is to eliminate the possible existence of the demonic plague..." The chief knight coughed in embarrassment. "There're around 400 to 500 people coming here."     

"Really?" Roland could not help smiling. He was satisfied to see some progress in his plan. It seemed that Lotus had to arrange accommodations for more people. "Let's go and take a look."     

***************     

Kyle Sichi put down the thin book. The sentence "I see" fell from his lips and gradually turned into a repetitive murmur.     

"Mentor?" Chavez asked with some concerns.     

Kyle had not been asleep for two days since he received "Intermediate Chemistry". He had been reading the ancient book almost day and night. Chavez had once stolen a glance at the contents, but they were too profound and difficult for him to comprehend.     

"I'm very well," the chief alchemist answered vigorously. His voice was the most passionate one without a hint of weariness. Although there was a thin layer of crust at the corner of Kyle's eyes, his pupils were glistening with excitement. The chief alchemist did not by any means look like a person in lack of sleep.     

As a common rule, a student was not allowed to interrupt his mentor while the latter was conducting research on alchemy. Therefore, Chavez did not speak until now. "I don't really get... this book. What's an atom, and what's an electron?"     

"You're now a qualified alchemist, and you don't need to regard yourself as a student any longer. We're currently what High Highness refers to as colleagues." Kyle paused for a second and then continued, "As to your question, I don't have an answer, either. In fact, His Highness also gave me this book when he handed 'Intermediate Chemistry' to me."     

Chavez looked at another book placed on the desk. The cover indicated the name of the book was Natural Science Theoretical Foundation.     

"Mr... Sichi." Apparently not accustomed to this way of addressing, Chavez stuttered. "It seems the book has nothing to do with alchemy... no, I mean with chemistry."     

"I thought so, too." Kyle stroked his beard. "However, after I skimmed through a few pages, I realized that I actually know nothing about the world."     

"What?" Chavez was stunned at Kyle's conclusion. The sole research subjects of alchemists were the constitution of objects and the nature of elements. If they were considered as ignorant, the rest of ordinary people would be no smarter than monkeys.     

"I mean ideas." The Chief Alchemist was exhilarated and... contented at the same time. "We don't really think out of the box but simply regard alchemy as an exploration of substances. We think it bears no relations with the rising and setting sun or the decline and flourish of a flower."     

"Isn't that so... The movements of the sun and stars are the research subjects of astrologers'. As to plants," Chavez commented somewhat contemptuously, "only farmers and pharmacists care about them."     

"That's why we're ignorant of the world." Kyle shook his head. "This book connects everything together from the beginning. Stones, flowers, grass, thunders and flames all consist of the same thing and follow a certain set of rules. These rules don't only apply to chemical reactions, but also apply to the rise and set of the sun, the bloom and fading of flowers. The rules are so accurate and consistent that as long as the conditions at the starting point are the same, the results will be identical. Chemistry, after all, only takes a very small part."     

"... How, how can it be possible?"     

"I also feel it incredible." Kyle spread out the periodic table of elements and explained, "Intermediate Chemistry asserts that each element has a specific shape, consisting of a big sphere and many small ones surrounding it. The big sphere determines an element, whereas the number and the layers of the small spheres determine the element's property. This table here organizes all the elements based on this rule. The tabular arrangement is as orderly as a line of soldiers. Even I haven't completely figured out what His Highness was actually trying to convey. The prince believes that one can know the property and the reaction mechanism of an element even without actually seeing or touching it. Its underlying reason is that the nature of a chemical reaction is the loss and gain of small balls. The reaction itself won't affect big balls. That's also why during a chemical reaction, elements won't disappear but will just transfer."     

Chavez contemplated for a while and asked, "Do you... believe it?"     

These theories were just so abstract as to be verified through experiments. Chavez wondered how the author of the book got to know all of these.     

Kyle smiled. "I don't know. That's why I couldn't answer your previous question. No matter you believe it or not, the point is, that the book has told us to view things from a perspective that we've never thought of... It shows me another realm beyond chemistry." Kyle paused for a moment and then said, "Unfortunately, His Highness did not write all the elements down. He probably doesn't understand what he has exactly missed."     

Chavez did not quite understand what Kyle had just said. He felt bewildered as if he had once again become that new apprentice who, for the first time of his life, had come across alchemy terminologies and overwhelmed by this foreign language.     

Yet he was not worried. As long as he followed the guidance of his mentor, he would eventually learn the so-called "connections between everything". He had much more time to study than the chief alchemist.     

After a while, Chavez broke the silence. "By the way, why are the books given by His Highness labeled with different colors?"     

The chief alchemist uttered an exclamation. "I, I didn't notice that. Did he just randomly label them?" However, he soon shook his head. "No, they can be random if they're only in black and red. These pigments are particularly hard to make, so it can't just be a coincidence. That means His Highness did it on purpose, didn't he?"     

Elementary Chemistry was in blue, Natural Science Theoretical Foundation blue, Elementary Mathematics green and Intermediate Chemistry (Remnant) purple. These colors did not pop up when being singled out. They became quite eye-catching, however, when being put together.     

"Perhaps for some aesthetic reasons?" Chavez presumed.