Chapter 35: In Front of the Checkpoint
The interview took a greater part of the day. The sun had long set before Roland was finally free and could take dinner with Anna in his chamber.
An elderly maid that temporarily taking over Tyre's duty respectfully bowed after delivering their meals, which she then gently closed the door and made the room whole.
"It's pretty tiring." Roland laughed as he chewed his grilled steak covered with creamy melted cheese and spices.
"You could leave the selection to the knights," Anna said gently and munched on her fried bread.
"That's good and all, but I also want to make noted down their identity and create some statistic... but yes I shouldn't do it this early." Roland gave a sigh. "It's better to wait for Nightingale first."
Anna blinked her eyes when Nightingale suddenly brought up. Roland also noted his words can be interpreted in a bad way and hurriedly explained.
"Nightingale could tell apart lie and truth, I didn't mean I prefer her than you." Roland gave a mouthful but felt depressed right after because it also didn't sound right.
His Secretary let out a chuckle after seeing his face that looked like an abandoned puppy. Anna didn't mind, especially after knowing her ability.
"I see," Anna nodded after a sudden enlightenment. "It explains why you suddenly revealing things and how Nightingale quickly trusts you."
Roland gave a bitter smile. "True, though I feel bad since it seems I exploit her trait."
"Don't blame yourself like that. I think Nightingale knows that herself, yet you can see she still gives you her trust." Anna consoled. "Your sincerity is more important because if you want to not tell a lie, it was easier to avoid the truth."
Roland didn't answer but merely nodded solemnly. He actually disagreed that it would be easier to convince Nightingale that way, but no matter what, a form of guilt already formed in his heart that he doubted would go away anytime soon. At least not until he talked to Nightingale again and asked for her forgiveness.
"Speaking of which, did the girls from back then caught your fancy?" Anna had learned from Roland to quietly shift the topic.
She didn't say that just for the sake of it. While Roland asked a lot of interviewees whether they were afraid of witches because of the Church, the question aimed at the girls called Jeanne and Catherine was slightly different.
What would they do if their elder or younger sister turned into a witch? It looked like a simple variety question for their thoughts about the witch, but coming from Roland that had shown his knowledge, it looked like he had his implication.
"Nah, they wouldn't turn into witches if that what you were thinking." Roland let out a chuckle. "I don't know everything, I only know what I know. Actually, my such knowledge is limited to about halfway in the months of the demons later, so I can't exactly deny the possibility if they truly become witches in the future."
"Then, are they to your liking?" Anna said as she recalled the sisters.
The older sister had a gentle yet lively appearance. With shoulder-length blackish brown hair that neatly tied to braids, she indeed looked pleasant. Her younger sister seemed quiet, yet the fact she sported a short hair when it was not common made it looked like she won't actually lose when it came to be lively. Not to mention, both of them had bountiful assets.
"Can you stop teasing me." Roland shook his head in a helpless manner. "It's just because their names reminded me of a story."
"Ooh, Jeanne and Catherine?" Anna asked.
Roland nodded. "It's about a valiant young girl that fought for her country yet burned at a stake in the end because she was accused as a witch."
Anna pondered for a moment. "Is it Jeanne?"
"Yes." Roland gave an applause.
He didn't know whether it was a guess, she deduced something from his actions, or maybe it was because Catherine already reached twenty. Either way, it was an excellent deduction.
Jeanne was the central heroine, and Catherine got barely even mentioned. But it was due to Catherine name that Roland even thought in that direction. After all, Jeanne alone was not a strange name to have. Only by that coincidence that he took more notes on them.
"But it's not exactly a pleasing story," Roland said as he sipped at the ale while recalling more of the story, in the end, a sneer unconsciously leaked out from his mouth. "The church members that burned her only got reprimanded and the big shots had the cheek to make her a saint later because everyone inspired by her would turn hostile otherwise."
Anna nodded and asked. "Is she really a witch in the end?"
"I don't know." Roland shook his head before adding. "Probably no one knows, it was something from long ago, like centuries ago. But then again, I'm not actually that familiar with the story."
"It's pretty interesting." Anna smiled and said, "Let me hear the story of your world sometimes."
"Sure," Roland replied and a moment passed before he abruptly paused.
"Let's rest early, we will set off earlier that way," Carter said, he parked the carriage in a rather spacious space. He then processed to fasten the horses to the nearby trees and feed them some hay they brought.
"It's time to eat dinner!" Nana had been waiting for this.
"Sure, what do you want to eat?" Nightingale chuckled and took out a pouch. All the stock cubes were stored there.
"How about some fish taste?"
"Let's eat eggs!"
"Then should we do chicken flavor?"
Preparing lunch served as a good training. When it came to dinner, everyone managed to move faster despite the darkness. Before long five eggs were seen floating on the boiling soup, rolling and occasionally hitting each other from the waves. Tyre skillfully picked all with a pair of sticks Roland called chopsticks and peeled them in less than ten seconds each with two forks before returning them back to the pot.
Everyone was awed by the head maid's skill.
"His Highness should already trim down the candidates." Nightingale started a conversation while waiting for the soup to permeate the inside of the egg now that they lost their shells. The topic was naturally Roland since it had been known to them that it was among the easiest to begin.
"Not necessarily," Carter said as he took his share of egg to the cup and poured the broth some of the broth to it. It was something he learned from Roland recently, the egg won't float since the cup only held a small amount of soup compared to the one in the pot, and the result was that the egg won't have half of it less packed.
Nightingale cleverly noted and copied his action. Her face didn't show a bit of amazement and she casually replied to his statement. "Why?"
"Well, the prince said he would personally checking them and interview them." Tigui snatched the line from the side. He didn't get why they were in hurry scooping their egg but followed suit and added. "Even if it was simple interview per person, it would still take a lot of time."
"But the prince is in a hurry, so at the latest, the three hundred people candidates will be finalized by tomorrow," Carter said, he wasn't bothered by Tigui giving the answer in his stead and calmly looked on his egg that slowly darkening.
"Right, making a moat need a lot of work after all." Nightingale let out a chuckle.
"We will also arrive tomorrow." Tyre suddenly said.
Though the words seemed like it was not a big deal as it was obvious, the camp descended to silent.
"Not exactly arriving at the camp, just half the journey," Nightingale replied after a moment.
"You know what I mean." Tyre didn't beat around the bush, she looked straight to Nightingale and said.
Nightingale clamped her mouth, for she understood her words. The head maid was asking them to notwithstanding the problem in front of them by talking something unrelated to them at the moment.
"I think... I will go with sister Nightingale." Nana said with determination on her face.
"No, it's dangerous!" Tigui raised his voice to nearly a shout. At the moment he didn't care whether he would offend Nightingale as it was about his precious daughter.
Nana who sat next to him twitched from his loudness. Even then, it was clear she had been thinking it through as she turned around and looked at her father without moving away.
"Right..." Nightingale understood and let out a sigh. "If the scenario became like what the prince described, it would be a mess. It's indeed dangerous for you Nana."
They didn't come with just ample food preparation, but also by thinking up the possible situations they would face. Nightingale had come to Roland a few times to talk about this, and the safest plan of theirs was to left Nana and her guardians to standby at the entrance to the witch camp at the mountain feet.
It was also easier to explain to the witches they targeted, else why would Nana come with Nightingale to the camp if Border Town was actually safe? Not to mention Carter and others came due to this mainly, since they can't exactly come to the camp and met with the witches without being assaulted outright. But there was also a scenario where Nana was there, introducing herself with the intention to attract the majority of them and there Nightingale would bring her sisters.
But no matter which, it actually not what Roland or Nightingale truly hoped. His wish was to move all the witches from the camp to the Border Town, and hers was to make a safe home for her sisters even if their presences at the moment could only be limited to the castle ground. But it was clear that he determined Cara would stand on his way, and Cara in his eyes would rather harm the witches than let them go.
Nightingale had been thinking about it from after she decided to believe Roland and all the way during their journey, but she still didn't have a good answer. Yet time was ruthless and since they couldn't wait, they were already close to the destination.
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