Chapter 29: In Short Order
"Well, I won't tease you if you already know about it yourself." Nightingale chuckled. "But just know that I'm still doubting you okay?"
Roland simply nodded.
"Well, thank you for the meal, Your Highness," Nightingale said as she stretched her body, unintentionally making a show that the maid dress she got from Anna only accentuated her figure.
"Don't be too hasty." Seeing she was about to enter the mist, Roland decisively stopped appreciating the beauty and called out to her. He hesitated a bit before processed to the question. "Say, do you know about Airy and Abby?"
"Airy and Abby, those twins?" Nightingale stilled, recalling the two sisters. They were those that she personally went to recruit, similar to Anna and Nana. Except they compiled and followed her.
A pair of twin born to an affluent family of Fallen Dragon Ridge, they had abandoned their rich and healthy life to join the camp. She was just wondering why the prince would suddenly mention them and remembered this crow's mouth of his, she hastily asked. "What about them?"
Roland sensed a foreboding mood from Nightingale and decided to circle the issue first. "They are witches in your camp right?"
"Indeed." Nightingale's tension didn't ease much, but she had learned how to play along with him.
"About them," asked Roland, "Do you know their abilities?"
"Their abilities..." Nightingale frowned, to be honest, she didn't really know how to put it into words. Theirs were unusual, no less than the fact that they were witch twins.
She began to describe what she knew. "I'm not too clear about Airy, but it should involve manipulating wind? It's not as direct as Wendy's though. As for Abby, she could set off a fire with water. However, I don't know the specific besides the flame was not hot."
It took a couple of seconds for Roland to digest what he heard.
"I see, that's probably why..." Roland sighed.
Manipulation of wind was already Wendy forte, and she probably could perform better and would definitely sideline Airy. As for Abby weird ability, he was interested in it and depending on the temperature of the flame, he had plenty of use for the flame on water. Although with only fragmented information he couldn't really see the full application of their abilities, since it was already cold outside, they probably didn't have much reason to use them.
Thinking about what's going to happen to them, he decided to ask her. But perhaps it wouldn't be so easy to solve the issue.
Roland didn't want to move things too fast, but some matters required immediate attention. He could always bury these hidden in his heart, but he felt it wasn't appropriate. Since he decided to save the witches from Cara madness, why excluded the twins?
They might only appear in a mere few paragraphs that he read, but he remembered those few well.
He didn't want them to be thrown away characters.
"I wish I could say feel free to stay and make up your mind later..." Roland gave a bitter smile. "But I want you to help Airy and Abby too."
"What do you mean by that!?" Nightingale jolted from her daydreaming. "Would something really happen to them?"
Roland closed his eyes and sighed. "You know the culprit very well, it's the demonic torture.
"Then I need to tell them hastily!" Nightingale stood, she was about to open the mist and ran out of the room.
"Stop." Roland interrupted, he warned sternly. "Have you prepare what you want to say to them, or more importantly, to Cara if you suddenly asked them to practice to the point they would be able to properly resisting demonic torture? I was the one pushing you, so it might not my place to say this... But please at least make some basic preparation first."
"... I understand." Nightingale replied and sat back. She didn't forget to quip. "You said please pretty easily aren't you, Your Highness?"
"Unfortunately it's raining. But it's not like nothing can't be done." Roland stood up, ignoring Nightingale's remark as he walked to his wardrobe. "Let me help to pick some things for your preparation."
Roland originally had some requests for Nightingale, but thinking about it Carter and his knights should be able to handle the targets on their own. While giving an explanation might be difficult, it wasn't as if people like Nightingale that able to easily pick up lies were common. There were other ways to interrogate and forced out the truth.
He opened his wardrobe, picked and spread a couple of fur coats to the bed. These clothes were among the thickest in his belonging.
"Pick any." Roland was generous with his offer.
"Really?" Nightingale was surprised and turned around to find more surprise. "Or rather, your wardrobe is rather spacious, Your Highness."
Roland coughed but didn't dwell in it. He thought she was already snooping around his inventory, but evidently not. "Don't just pick outerwear. Since it was cold outside, bundling more are just appropriate."
"Then I won't be polite." Nightingale let out a chuckle and as she said, picking some. She even directly tried out the coats.
Nightingale was taller than Anna, but she still fell short compared to Roland. Added that she was slim and more slender than him, the articles he had was basically all a size bigger than her. But she didn't plan to wear a maid uniform when coming back, the bulky robe she originally wore should be enough to make their size barely fit.
"This rain probably lasted for another day, you will stay here till then," Roland said as he turned around and looked out of the balcony. "Going now would be foolish, your body won't handle it."
Nightingale understood but showed a conflicted expression. This wasn't something that can be delayed. Just knowing the solution to demonic torture didn't mean she could simply say it a day before their date. In fact, the faster she spoke was the better, after all, even she who had used her ability all the time still feeling pain during hers.
"Even though some horses might be fine with going through rain, their legs might still trip." Roland seemed to know what she was thinking and issued another warning.
"I know," Nightingale replied weakly, a coat still hanging on her. While it made her looked bigger, she appeared as fragile as brittle glass. "I just hope they could go through it. As you said, willpower alone wouldn't be enough."
At this point, she had more or less conceded that Roland might be right. While willpower to live certainly an important factor to endure the pain, they clearly had overlooked the possibility of keep using their abilities to survive demonic torture that played a more important role.
What else she didn't realize that she already took his words seriously. Roland smiled but didn't bother to remind her. "I will also pack some food."
"Ooh, I want something like that stew again." Nightingale smiled mischievously.
Roland earnestly shook his head and explained, "It's not a good idea for rations. I will make your sandwiches, you know the bread you ate earlier?"
The idea to put things between two bread were honestly not new, but to elaborate it like what Roland did with pickled vegetables, melted cheese, and the broth-soaked beef was something she just encountered. The taste was good and she enjoyed it very much, naturally, she agreed.
"I will make a lot of it with different fillings. Chicken, beef, ham, fish..." Roland said a string of ingredients in a way that nearly made Nightingale drolled seeped out, but in a moment his expression turned serious. "I'm saying this seriously, don't go off on your own without warning, at least don't go without the food. I will make it this evening at the earliest."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Nightingale said, her face was earnest. "But seriously, why are you doing this?"
Roland suddenly found himself in another interrogation. He smiled wryly and answered about what's on his mind. "You witches already suffer enough, if it's possible to help, why shouldn't I help?"
"You're not..."
"Lying?" Roland smirked and shook his head, "I already know your ability, what's the use of me to lie?"
"That's true." Nightingale giggled.
In reality, Roland also hoped they could help him so he had more than one intention. Only by using many irregular abilities that he might be able to substitute the missing firepower he couldn't make otherwise.
"But the issue remains... how could you help them even if you get there early?" Roland wondered. He didn't directly propose his ideas and instead looked up to the witch from the camp. "What do you think?"
"I say, just tell them the truth would be alright." If there was a part where Nightingale still couldn't believe him, it was definitely about Cara. For so long she was a respected mentor for the sisters in the camp, as well as their leader. While she might be harsh with her words sometimes, the idea she would, in a cold blood manner assaulted her with an intent to kill if she brought something to disturb her rule was beyond her imagination.
"It's too risky for you." Roland frowned but didn't dismiss the idea. Or rather, he didn't want to believe Cara would attack Nightingale if she just said she had found the solution to demonic torture without mentioning him. No matter what, it would only strengthen their camp power after all.
"Without telling her about you?" Nightingale stilled, "Then would they still believe in me?"
"I don't know your reputation in the camp is that bad." Roland stifled a laugh. "You can simply say that you have enlightenment after thinking that your demonic torture wasn't so painful anymore since you often use your ability."
"I guess it could work." While it involved lying, Nightingale wasn't above it if she could save people.
"Actually, that way would be still a gamble," Roland muttered. "But perhaps you don't even need to face Cara. I remember that Mystery Moon is not allowed to use her ability in the camp right?"
"What?" Nightingale paused, "Now that you mention it."
Mystery Moon's ability can be said a nuisance to people in the camp, so Cara forbade her to use it. Yet she had survived the demonic torture, so clearly all hope was not lost.
As for Roland that would casually speak of her sisters' circumstances, Nightingale had become somewhat numb to it.
"I don't know about the twin's personality, but if you could make them exhausted from using their power till their days of awakening, it might just work." Roland thought the idea was quite good and low risk.
"That's true." Nightingale nodded, she also felt his simple idea was good.
"Well..." Roland still had one idea that won't involve bloody mess left. "there is also this idea."
"What's that?"
"Kidnap them and bring them here."
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