Release That Witch

After visiting the steam engine, Roland and Margaret returned to the office in the castle and continued to discuss the details of the business contract. If such a discussion involved bargaining, it could commonly take one or two days. To save effort, the lord would usually entrust its treasurer to do the negotiation, while revealing the number and bottom line to him. But this time Margaret insisted that the price was non-negotiable, which saved Roland a lot of effort.     

"I guess I'll be here again after one month, with three sloops full of saltpeter," the businesswoman said as she hastily took notes on a parchment, "Calculated by 90% of the market price, it is worth about 315 gold royals."     

"By then the little town would have manufactured two steam engines." Roland lowered the number deliberately. "They're worth 1000 gold royals. You can pay the price difference with gold royals or with other goods."     

"What kind of goods?"     

"Iron, copper, lead, green alum," Roland said, "Nothing but common minerals. But for the first three items, what I need are not ores, but metal ingots. In addition, I also need 10 sets of crystal glass vessels. As to whether I need them with or without carvings, be them kettle or wine glass, it doesn't matter to me, as long as they're the finest products from the alchemical workshop of the king's city. If they're worth more than two steam engines, I can pay you in gold royals or you can deduct the price difference from the next month's two steam engines."     

"You seem to take me as your exclusive businesswoman," Margaret said with a smirk. "Although I'm not involved in mine management, I do know a few peers who're in this line of business. What surprises me is there are so many opportunities in this barren isolated area. Not many nobles are living here and yet your saltpeter consumption is enormous. The town was established because of North Slope Mine but yet it needs to outsource ores. All that's happening here really contradicts my common knowledge. Your Highness, your domain is remarkable."     

A major feature of industrial production is that it takes in massive raw materials and gives out end products. Roland laid out his hands and said, "This town will need more raw materials in the future. I think we can reach a long-term—"     

At that moment, Margaret was suddenly surprised looking behind Roland with her eyes wide open. Roland was startled and then turned around subconsciously. He then saw Lightning, who was soaked to the skin, standing next to the French window. Her hands were clinging to the glass, and her face pale, on her forehead were fringes of hair with water flowing by—she looked like just being salvaged from a pond.     

Roland hurriedly stood up and opened the window. Lightning flew in and threw herself into Roland's arms. At that point, her nerves were able to loosen up, and she totally rested her body on Roland and then passed out.     

"Nightingale, go get Nana," Roland said anxiously.     

"Yes sir." A reply came from his side without anybody shown.     

"What happened? Since she could fly, she shouldn't have encountered demonic beasts or demons. Or they could fly too?" Roland roughly checked Lightning's physical condition and found no obvious injury. He was slightly relieved.     

"Your Highness, is she... the Lightning whom you mentioned?" Putting one hand on her mouth, Margaret slowly walked to the prince and carefully examined the little girl in his arms.     

Roland was startled. "Damn it! How could I forget about her." He shouted toward the door, "Sean!"     

The guard then walked into the office.     

"I'm sorry, Miss Margaret. I have no choice but keep you here for some time." Holding Lightning in his arms, Roland stood up and said to the guard, "Take this businesswoman from the king's city to the guestroom on the first floor. Keep a close eye on her. Don't let her out without my order."     

"Yes sir!"     

"What? No, Your Highness... wait a moment." Margaret suddenly realized something. "I hold no grudge toward witches. Besides, she's the daughter of Thunder. I won't tell the church..."     

"Just in case." Roland interrupted her. "I'll come back to you for verification later."     

…     

"Your Highness, she woke up," Nightingale opened the door and said.     

Roland nodded. Following Nightingale, he walked into the bedroom. The water bucket at the bedside was giving off steam with Lightning's wet clothes randomly hung on. A group of witches surrounded the bed. Wendy sat on the head of the bed combing Lightning's hair. Her hair was still wet, but yet her face was not that pale anymore. Lightning leaned at the bedside with two pillows on her back. The quilt was pulled so high that only the upper half of her face was shown. She stared at Roland motionlessly.     

"How is it going now?"     

"No injury. It was a trauma caused by the exhaustion of her magical power," Nightingale replied, "After Wendy helped her with cleaning, she soon woke up in bed."     

Roland walked to the bedside and said with a smile, "What happened? Why did you fly back in such a hurry in the rain?"     

"I've found the ruin," Lightning murmured, "but demons are inside."     

The crowd was startled upon hearing this.     

"You went in?" Scroll asked.     

"No." Lightning shook her head, and then began to tell the whole story. "A Demon was guarding the gate. I heard someone inside calling for help, but I was so scared that I had no way to save her but to escape by myself." She slightly shrunk her head in the quilt. "Am I no longer being qualified to be an explorer?"     

"No, you've done well." Roland consoled her. "An excellent explorer understands to act according to the situation, while not putting him or herself in danger. When you couldn't save her, escaping was your best choice."     

"Is she a witch in the stone tower?" Wendy asked, "Because except for witches, no one else could reach so deep into Misty Forest."     

"Witches won't go there either." Scroll shook her head. "It's a ruin from 450 years ago that we're talking about. Without the guidance of a map, to locate the stone tower among the countless trees is as difficult as climbing up to heaven. Unless..."     

"Unless what?" Roland asked.     

"Unless they have been living there all along," Scroll slowly replied.     

"Do you mean they didn't go there from the kingdom but had been living there since 450 years ago? They had lived in isolation, generation after generation?" Although not saying so, the prince had deep down denied this speculation. "What would it mean by living in a primitive forest! It's full of elusive beasts, horrible insects and toxic animals, no stable source of food... and even Bear Grylls couldn't live in such a place for long. Not to mention in this world there're months of long snowy winter, and demonic beasts and demons running wildly. Settling down in Misty Forest basically means committing suicide." Roland looked at Lightning. "Was there any trace of people living near the ruins?"     

"No," the little girl said while shaking her head.     

"Perhaps there's more than one map," Soraya said, "Perhaps there're other people searching for the whereabouts of Taquila just like us."     

"No matter what, we can't help them." Leaf sighed. "Except Lightning, no one can reach the stone tower quickly."     

"I'm afraid we won't know the actual situation until we get there." Roland stroked his chin. "Anyway, it's cheering that you returned safe and sound. Tonight's class will be dismissed. Everybody get a good rest. The truth will be revealed when the time is ripe."     

After leaving Lightning's bedroom, Roland said to Nightingale, "We've yet another problem to deal with."     

"As long as she's removed of the God's Stone of Retaliation," Nightingale said with a smile, "I'll do the rest."