The incident that day left Roland too preoccupied to assemble the steam boring machine. For dinner, he had the chef prepare an extravagant spread—black pepper steak and fried eggs served to their heart's content, leaving Anna and Lightning Belly visibly stuffed. Nana Wa maintained her etiquette with great effort, though her lips still glistened with grease from chewing. Beyond the restaurant's offerings, Roland also had the Maid prepare insulated porcelain bowls filled with tender stewed meat strips and warm wheat porridge, delivered to Nightingale's room. This way, they could enjoy the warm meal whenever they woke up.
After dinner, we proceeded to arrange the rooms. Fortunately, the newly appointed Lord of Border Town was particular about grandeur. This mining and early-warning town still maintained a castle built to mid-sized town standards. In Roland's familiar terms, it was a three-story detached villa with a mezzanine, spanning 900 square meters, featuring watchtowers and arrow towers at each corner, along with a front courtyard and a rear garden.
Roland had assigned Lightning's room opposite Anna's, while the adjacent room was reserved for Wendy after her recovery. Watching Nana Wa stick to Anna like a glue stick as they walked into the room, he couldn't help but shake his head with a chuckle.
Back in the office, Roland poured himself a glass of wheat beer. Plans often fall short of reality. He had hoped Nightingale would help him recruit a large number of Witches to unlock all branches of the tech tree—chemical, agricultural, biological, and more. But to his surprise, the leader of the Cooperative Society harbored intense hostility toward the Noble class. Neutral factions like Nightingale and Lightning were few and far between. As for Wendy... Lightning claimed she hadn't left voluntarily, but had been forced to stay after being attacked by the Serpent Demon Hara to save Nightingale.
Two's better than nothing—he drank the whole cup in one go.
During the meal, he briefly inquired about her and Wendy's abilities from Lightning. He learned that the girl could fly freely like a bird, while Wendy could harness the power of wind. Though these abilities were of limited use to Pan Technology, they could still prove valuable if properly utilized in the impending war.
He also casually inquired about the abilities of other witches in the camp and found their skills varied wildly, showing no discernible pattern. Some effects could be explained by scientific theories, while others defied all logic.
For instance, the founder of the Co-Operation Society, the Serpent Demon Hara, can condense Magic Power into serpent forms—these venomous snakes are not illusions; they can be touched and used to attack enemies. Different serpentine patterns represent distinct toxins. Based on the lightning currently observed, there are at least two effects: paralysis and lethality.
Roland observed that the Witch's Magic Power—whether from Anna or Hakkara—primarily functions within close range. For instance, Anna's Green Fire vanishes abruptly beyond five meters, while Hakkara's venomous snake remains confined to the body. Nightingale and Lightning's abilities have even more limited ranges, requiring physical contact to affect external objects.
Confronted with the Church army armed with bows and God's Stone, they had no choice but to scatter in panic.
As he worked late into the night, the fire in the fireplace began to dim. Roland sneezed and decided to go back to his room to sleep.
As he pushed open the bedroom door, he sensed something amiss—the scene before him was eerily familiar. A woman sat by his bedside, her silhouette half-occluded by darkness, the flickering light of a lamp casting her back onto the wall like a mural. Yet there were striking differences: she wasn't wearing that same weathered robe but had changed into casual clothes. Her features were no longer the unfamiliar strangers she had seen at first, but had become so familiar that her identity was instantly recognizable.
nightingale .
Roland suddenly felt a surge of nervousness. Could this be... a sign that his good fortune was about to come?
The Nightingale noticed Prince too and rose to approach him. After just half a day's rest, her complexion had markedly improved from her initial appearance—her cheeks were rosy instead of pale, and her hair no longer looked dull. It was undeniable that the Witch's self-recovery ability was truly remarkable.
"You've worked hard," Roland said, coughing to break the silence. "Why don't you rest a bit? Lightning has already told me everything." Nightingale shook her head.
Roland sensed something was amiss. Her God-like demeanor was solemn, her eyes holding an indescribable determination. She had made up her mind, and Roland realized that even in a man, such resolute Godliness was rare. This made him suppress other emotions, focusing intently on the words to come.
Yet the Nightingale remained silent. She drew a deep breath, then knelt on one knee, raising her hands to the short sword with her head slightly bowed—a standard knightly gesture, one nobles often used when swearing allegiance to their superiors.
"Roland Wimbledon, Your Highness," she declared with unflinching resolve, "I swear by the nightingale and Veronica that I shall obey you without question—whether it means holding the evil demon's shield or cleaving through the night's darkness, I shall do so fearlessly until my last breath." Roland realized the Brotherhood's actions had left him utterly disillusioned, and thus he pinned his hopes on himself to guide the Witch forward. For the time-traveler, such a role was unworthy; he preferred to collaborate with others, and those who shared his ideals and ambitions were comrades-in-arms.
Yet he knew that overemphasizing equality and freedom was futile—without fertile ground, even sown seeds would rot. As Prince, he could never abandon his class until unifying the entire kingdom.
Roland paused for a moment, then, following courtly protocol, took the short sword and lightly brushed its hilt against her shoulder three times. 'I accept your allegiance,' he said. Nightingale's shoulders trembled slightly, as if finally at ease.
Then he extended his right hand and handed it to the other person.
The Nightingale took the finger and gently kissed it on the back of her hand. With this, the entire ritual was concluded.
Though it was highly inappropriate for Witch to perform the Oath of Loyalty, the fact that she completed the ritual at least proved the Nightingale wasn't of common origin. As for Veronica she'd mentioned earlier... 'Is that your real name? No surname?' Roland asked, pulling her to her feet.
"Yes, Your Highness. I have no intention of concealing from you that five years ago, I severed ties with the Gran family—the surname no longer holds any relevance to me," Nightingale stated with composure. She finally opened up to Roland, sharing her past in a straightforward manner.
She was born in Silverlight City, a city named after its abundant silver mines. Her father was a viscount, and her mother a commoner. Though such a marriage was rare, the couple lived in perfect harmony. Nightingale also had a younger brother named Hyde. She spent her childhood in Silverlight City, which was also the happiest period of her life.