Release That Witch

Early morning, Roland was already in his office arranging various kinds of test tools on the floor.     

There were all kinds of things—from solids to liquids, minerals to metals, inorganics to organics.     

"You look quite happy." Nightingale bent down, picked a dumpling from a plate, and gobbled it.     

"That's of course. We have a new witch in town, and her abilities are incredible." Roland raised his eyebrows. "Also, don't think I didn't see that you just ate one of my test items."     

"There're enough left." She wiped her mouth. "How useful are Lucia's abilities?"     

"Very. Her assembling and disassembling abilities will improve our smelting and manufacturing by leaps and bounds," Roland replied excitedly, "Together with Anna, she can improve the strength of our machinery by severalfold. Even if she's unable to mass produce, and instead can only handmake a few machines, the quality of our production will be upgraded significantly."     

At present, the machine tools used in Graycastle's factories had already been improved by Anna. Though they were extremely precise even before that, they gradually wore down due to imperfections in the materials used during the production processes. The problem of deformation became increasingly evident over time, and it was common for the tools to break or splinter. Had Anna not improved and maintained their components, they could only last for up to two years.     

Lucia's abilities would make it possible to precisely control the composition of the materials used. Machine tools made of high-strength cast iron, rolled steel, or even alloy would not only last longer but would have a higher level of processing efficiency and quality. For example, revolver, which only Anna could produce at present, would become possible to batch produce.     

"Is it?" Nightingale leaped back on to the table. "But she doesn't seem to think so herself."     

"That's because she hasn't recognized the value of her own abilities, just like Mystery Moon."     

"..." Nightingale silently stuffed her mouth with two pieces of dried fish.     

When Lucia had finished her breakfast and came into the office, the ability test officially began.     

Roland watched in anticipation as she transformed each test item into a pile or a few small piles of substances—the iron ingots and ores turned into silvery white granules, and on close observation, there was some variegated powder on the side. There were no changes to the grapes and steak, while the dumplings turned into water, minced meat and flour.     

Halfway through the test, she suddenly stopped and said a little embarrassedly, "I feel like... my magic power is used up."     

Roland glanced towards Nightingale, who nodded and said, "The amount of magic power in her body is very small. It looks like a drifting cloud of smog. However, this is the first time I've seen this type of color."     

"What color is it?"     

"... Gray," she replied.     

Roland returned to his desk and beckoned to Lucia. "A witch's magic power will increase with age and practice. What you've done isn't bad for a child." When the young girl walked to the side of his desk, he placed the parchment he had long prepared in front of her. "Since you've decided to remain in Border Town, please sign this agreement."     

Lucia lowered her head, read through the agreement, and gulped a mouthful of cold air. "One gold royal per month? Your Highness... but, I haven't completed the test?"     

"This isn't based on your capability at all." Roland laughed while shaking his head. "As long as you're a member of the Witch Union, this agreement will be effective."     

"Even if a witch's abilities are useless?" she queried in disbelief.     

"You may put it that way." The prince shrugged his shoulders. "But I believe that every witch's ability has its unique uses. It's only a matter of finding them. So, you don't have to worry that you won't be of use." He paused before continuing. "Also, you should have heard from the other witches the real reason why magic power tortures the body. To ensure that you get through the Day of Awakening safely, you'll have to practice your abilities every day. After dinner, Teacher Scroll will be teaching witches in the parlor. You'll have to go and listen—although you've already mastered reading and writing, there're still primary mathematics and natural foundation lessons to be learnt."     

"Yes, Your Highness." Lucia forcibly nodded.     

"You have a younger sister, right?" Roland smiled. "Please bring her along for lessons. She has also reached the age to start education."     

Lucia was slightly surprised. She raised her head to make sure that he was not joking before she bowed and replied happily, "I obey."     

After the young girl made her leave, Roland kept the signed agreement in his drawer and stared, deep in thought, at the test items on the floor.     

"How's the result?" Nightingale asked.     

"Amazing." He raised up the plate that was filled with dumplings, and touched the broken bits of meat and flour. "Look at this... when dough is kneaded, its gluten forms a reticular structure which enables the dough to become stretchable. After boiling it, the high temperature causes the protein-formed gluten to denature. Even if it's grounded into flour again, it's impossible to get back the fine and smooth appearance. The change is usually irreversible, but..." Roland took some flour and laid it on his palm. It felt soft and smooth as if it was freshly-grounded flour. "She's made the flour return to how it was at first."     

"Eh, I don't quite understand." Nightingale curled her lips. "If that's the case, can her ability be seen as reverting things to their original form?"     

"Not quite." Roland pointed at the iron ingots. "If it's only to revert, the iron ingots should have become iron ores. Instead, they've been disassembled into iron powder and other impurities."     

"Then what exactly is her ability?" Nightingale asked confusedly.     

"I'm still not sure at the moment, but I guess that her ability could have two different kinds of effect, and which of these is seen depends on her knowledge."     

"Know-knowledge?"     

Essentially speaking, steak isn't that different from iron ores. They're both composed of many particles. However, Lucia's ability can only disassemble iron ores, and not steak. I think that this may be because she doesn't understand organic compounds... or should I say, the makeup of living things," Roland explained. Though he was uncertain about this conjecture, he had no doubt that Lucia was the witch who most needed to improve her knowledge as quickly as possible.     

***************     

Three days later, when the second fleet of ships carrying Eastern Region refugees arrived in Border Town, it was discovered that there had been a similar epidemic onboard, and it was more serious than the first fleet's. Nearly half of the people onboard were infected. After asking, Roland found out that some of those infected had shown black spots as symptoms on the first day of boarding. This meant that they had been parasitized by insects beforehand, and thus the latent period correspondingly shortened.     

Meanwhile, Roland also received a letter sent from the king's city. The sealing wax was stamped with the mark of Margaret's Chamber of Commerce.     

After reading the contents of the letter, he began to frown.     

Currently, the demonic plague was spreading wantonly throughout the king's city. The church thereby claimed that this was a plot by witches, and informed the masses that it had holy medicine which could cure this plague. There were also a large number of infected people outside the city. Due to safety considerations, Theo decided that the transport of refugees would be temporarily halted.     

If Roland estimated the time correctly, the first fleet should arrive back in the king's city in four days. It would bring news that Border Town could cure the demonic plague. Unfortunately, the people who were already infected were unlikely to be able to pull through for the one week's journey. Furthermore, the church's announcement caused him to smell a conspiracy.     

After thinking it over, he decided to dispatch a team to escort Lily to the king's city. Or else, the people of the king's city and the Eastern Region refugees would lose half of their populations over the course of this man-made catastrophe, while the survivors would all become devout followers of the church.     

Roland had to do all he could to prevent this situation from happening.