Chapter 10: Nightingale
Nightingale once again sat down on Roland's bed with crossed legs, observing Roland with a curious look in her eyes.
"I believe your legs must be feeling sore by now, how about we continue our conversation once you make yourself comfortable, Your Highness?" Nightingale said, patting the spot on the bed right next to her.
'...I think I can trust her words of only wanting to talk but I still have no idea why she was observing me for a few days before revealing herself. Maybe she just wanted to gauge what kind of person I am...perhaps that's also the reason why she is so at ease despite me discovering she is a witch.' Roland thought before he went to sit down on the bed but much farther from her than she intended.
"As I thought...there is no fear in your eyes even though I have never denied being a witch" Nightingale brought her face closer to Roland to have a better look at him but he quickly stopped her before anything else could happen.
"Please...no physical contact." Roland said and Nightingale could see distrust in his eyes.
"Why? Because I am a witch? You didn't have the same problem when it came to Anna, Your Highness." Nightingale asked with a teasing smile.
"It has nothing to do with you being a witch. As for Anna, I always trusted myself when it came to judging people, Anna strikes me as an honest lovely girl that was abandoned by everyone. She deserves happiness, everything was taken away from her because she awakened as a witch. Your actions have consequences but Anna did nothing to deserve it. I know better than anyone else how she feels..." Roland frowned and replied in a serious tone, facing Nightingale straight on with their faces being apart only by a few inches.
The tension between them remained only for a few seconds before Nightingale regained her distance, no longer teasing Roland as she noticed how serious he was regarding Anna.
' "I know better than anyone else how she feels" How could have that been the truth?' Nightingale thought, thinking hard how a prince can possibly feel the same pain as Anna.
"Well...as I was saying before, I can't see any fear in your eyes, I can even feel certain confidence from you. Say, Your Highness, it is clear as day that you don't see us as spawns of the devil but what truly interests me is...whether you are confident even fighting me. I have been watching you for a few days already and I know that you are training regularly when no one is watching but...is that truly the reason for that confidence I am feeling from you?" Nightingale asked with a curious smile, leaning closer to Roland.
"I see you like playing mysterious, Nightingale. Then let me first ask you a few questions before answering that of yours but I doubt at that time you would still need me to say it in words. Since you have said you were watching me past few days, it is safe for me to assume that your power is making yourself invisible, however, that alone is not enough, you probably can also walk through walls since I have never seen any doors opening without anyone standing near them."
"Oh?" Nightingale seemed genuinely surprised how well Roland guessed her power but she could still accept it.
"But there is more...I have no idea if a witch can possess more powers at one time but I am pretty sure you can tell whether I am being honest or not."
"?! How?" Nightingale raised to her feet before questioning Roland who was now showing a similar playful smile she had when she was acting all mysterious.
"The way you were asking questions and looking at me made me feel an uncomfortable similar feeling so I decided to tell you something slightly unbelievable what would anyone question or at least show a reaction in their face." Roland said and Nightingale sat back down on the bed with a thoughtful look on face while looking straight in front of her.
"I know better than anyone else how she feels...That's what made you think that way?" She asked as if she finally realized it.
"Correct, Nightingale. You haven't questioned my words, you haven't raised your eyebrow, instead, you looked slightly surprised. A royal prince knowing how a daughter of the miner must feel after being abandoned, tell me who wouldn't show a dubious reaction to those words." Roland said with a faint smile.
"...You are truly nothing like the rumors say, Your Highness. But since you already discovered my branch ability, can you please explain why I didn't detect you lying?"
[+ 50 Gold for gaining a portion of Nightingale's respect]
"...Because I didn't lie. I don't want to talk about it any further at least not until I fully trust you but I still don't even know why you are here. I think we have wasted more than enough time talking about nonsense." Roland replied while looking at his feet.
"Your Highness is right. I am from the Witch Cooperation Association and I would like to express everyone's gratitude for taking care of Anna and Nana but the real reason I came here is to take them away...to the Witch Cooperation Association where they won't have to live in hiding any longer." Nightingale went straight to the point but when she finished, she felt a sudden urge to grip her dagger. She looked at Roland's reaction and after seeing his peaceful smile with closed eyes, she understood why she felt so uneasy.
"Nightingale, after our previous conversation, I can tell you that I sort of like you. So I assume you didn't mean that you would take them by force but it could have still caused misunderstanding." Roland said, still smiling with slightly open eyes.
"Of course I wouldn't force them to leave." Nightingale said with a slightly raised voice as if she was offended.
"Good, I think Anna should be still awake, reading a book. I will call for her to come here and you can ask her." Roland called for a maid and told her to call Anna to his room.
"Isn't Anna essential to your plans?" Nightingale asked with a surprised tone after seeing how well he was taking it.
"I am not going to keep her by force either plus it's not like it is completely impossible to defend this town without Anna. Not to mention, even if I were to decline you, you would have sneaked into her room and tell her everything so why not maintain a good relationship between us. But you must realize that your group has no definitive lodging, your group is wandering the mountains and the winter is about to arrive, they will be in far more danger with you than here." Roland said with a calm expression while they were waiting for Anna to arrive.
"I am aware of that...still, I am glad I haven't misjudged you. Although you look like a manipulative person, you are kind, Your Highness" She said with a faint smile.
"...Don't call me kind. Tell me instead why would you be wandering the mountains at this season...is this about that Holy Mountain I have heard about? Why not just wait until the months of the demon end to ask Anna and Nana to leave with you?" Roland said, still tied to his past life where he was being called by people worse things than even witches here but in his case, they at least had a good reason for that.
"...There is also another reason why I came and why it can't wait until the end of the months of the demon. Anna is about to come of age, which means that she will suffer the torture of the devil devouring her body during the months of the demon. The pain is unimaginable-" Nightingale started explaining what will happen to Anna during this winter and also why she knows that there isn't much time left.
At a time when Nightingale was finished, Anna arrived and Roland explained everything to her while thinking of what Nightingale just told him.
'Holy Mountain...that sounds more like a riddle to me. There is no way there exists a single material place on this earth where witches won't suffer such a fate. Nightingale also said that the witches that are not hiding have a higher chance of survival but that doesn't make any sense since not hiding means using your powers without worry. Therefore it must have something to do with the mana inside their bodies. I think it's safe to exclude excessive usage of their abilities that causes such a drawback and if it's not excessive usage then it must be insufficient usage. By spending and recovering their mana on daily basis, they are probably expanding their reserves. How Nightingale described the pain as if something wants to break out of the body...it must be mana, an excessive amount of mana that body is not capable of withstanding.'
'It's just like in a game, if your mana reserves were to be exceeded, it would be called a bug but if it was programmed as an intended feature, it would have slowly killed you unless you would use that spare mana in a hurry. It's a plausible theory but...this is not a game and Anna's life is at stake.'
"?! No! I am not going anywhere." Anna cried out with an almost panicked expression while looking at Roland who was slightly surprised as he has never seen her like that, not even when he came to the prison and she was still at the cell with the threat of hanging being still around the corner.
Nightingale tried her best to persuade Anna but it was all for naught.
"*sigh* I understand but...Your Highness, can I have a word with Anna in private?" Nightingale asked once she saw that Anna decided to stay.
"...Feel free to talk if Anna is willing, however...please remember our earlier discussion." Roland nodded his head and wished Anna good night before she left together with Nightingale.
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.
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"What did His Highness meant by "our earlier discussion"? Did something happen?" Anna asked Nightingale once they arrived at Anna's room.
"Well, there was a little misunderstanding between us. In short, something about forcing you to leave which resulted in...Well, let's just say that even His Highness can look pretty dangerous. It's clear that he cares about you a lot..." Nightingale said with a slightly sad smile but her words caused Anna to smile so much that she had to push her face against the pillow to hide her reaction.
"...I am going back to His Highness to discuss a few more things. Good night, Anna" It seemed as if Nightingale wanted to say more, try to convince Anna but after seeing her reaction, she couldn't bring herself to speak and instead decided to go back.
"Good night, Nightingale" Anna nodded her head.
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