Release That Witch - Chapter 459

Chapter 459: Snaketooth (Part I)

uring the Months of Demons, the streets and lanes in Stronghold were always desolate and the Rats here huddled themselves up, hiding in their respective evil territories. They were sharing the food that had been stored in the fall and waiting until a new prey emerged when it would warm up again.

This is the way it should’ve been.

“Shit, why do I have to struggle through the snowstorm to listen to some damned policy-preaching?” Snaketooth bitterly spat on the ground, “I don’t give a damn what the lords will do.”

“Put your collar up,” he said to Joe, a small boy shivering next to him. “You’ll die if you catch the cold-plague.”

“He shouldn’t have followed us out,” Sunflower said, frowning. “Is it really necessary to send all the four of us just to get some information? Kanas must have it in for us.”

“Save it, please. Even if he does, what can we do?” Tigerclaw, a strapping boy, said with disapproval. “He’s our source for food.” Though he sounded unconcerned, he still quickened his pace to walk in front of the other three kids. From then on, Snaketooth felt that the cold wind was diminishing considerably.

“Th-thanks,” Joe whispered.

When it came to Kanas, every one of them was reluctant to say anything.

Rats had social ranks too. Kings were at the top and tails at the bottom. Different ranks had different places to stay. As for Kanas, he was neither a king nor a tail. He was the ruler of the Endless Lane in the Western Zone of the outer city. If he must be called something, he should be a waist or a belly. No matter what he was, Snaketooth and his friends had to respectfully call him boss whenever they met him.

There were six rulers like him in the Western Zone, but their boss, namely the king of the Western Zone, still remained unknown to Snaketooth.

Kanas had several teams of Rats and they were one of them. The only way to win more favor from the ruler was to show stronger competency than the other teams. Unfortunately, as street kids in the lane, they were obviously at a disadvantage in both number and strength. But Tigerclaw was different一it was incredible for him, who ate only half a piece of brown bread every day, to be so well-built.

The reason the brown-haired girl, Sunflower, thought that Kanas was aiming at them was because of their prior mishap. They didn’t take the witch that appeared in the lane to Kanas because Snaketooth wanted to use her ability to make some money first. Not long after they went out, they unexpectedly met the big shot from the Honeysuckle Family and lost the witch before they made enough money.

Because of this incident, Kanas was extremely angry with them. He thought if they had given the witch to him earlier, he would have made a lot more by selling her to the nobility or the church.

“It’s easy to say,” Snaketooth said with contempt. “Selling her to the church for 25 gold royals? Where can he find those priests? The church is in ruins. The nobility won’t honestly give gold royals to a Rat, either. He’ll get killed instead of getting paid.”

“Snaketooth is, is right.” Joe agreed, still shivering. “If he re-really thought we made him lose 25 gold royals, he would have thrown us into the Redwater River.”

“Kanas could only give the witch to the king of the Western Zone. He also needs to protect himself from her magic power and doesn’t have any God’s Stones of Retaliation.” Snaketooth continued, “He’s just disgusted with us.”

“Stop saying ‘selling’. She’s Paper and one of us!” Sunflower gave Snaketooth a painful pinch. “You talk about her like she’s cargo!” She suddenly paused a little here and asked, “Hey, did you sell her back then?”

“No, I didn’t!” He exclaimed. “I tried my best to save her, but that person is the lord of the city.”

“Is she alright in Border Town?” Tigerclaw sighed.

“How can she be alright?” Sunflower snorted. “What’s the difference between being played by the prince and being played by the other noblemen?”

“Really… you say that now, but when you actually see the nobles’ lifestyle, you’ll desperately want to be played by them,” Snaketooth said and twitched his lips.

When they arrived at the square of Stronghold, they were taken by surprise. Several hundred people there surrounded a wooden stage and there was a bonfire. It was such a rare scene on a snowy day.

“Someone will actually come here to preach,” Tigerclaw rasped. “What kind of tricks does the nobles want to play?”

“It can’t be good news.” Snaketooth shrugged. “I suppose it’s about tax collection or grabbing some able-bodied guys for military service. They’ve just fought a battle, right?”

“Whatever, it’s none of our business.” Sunflower said, “Let’s finish this quickly and get home early. Joe, go over to the bonfire and warm yourself.”

“Ye-yeah.”

Snaketooth walked around the crowd to the edge of the stage. The man on it wore a thick, cotton-padded jacket, a wool hood, and a pair of deer-leather gloves. Snaketooth felt warm simply by looking at him. This was so much better than him and his dirty, old clothes. He thought of how great it would be if he had a chance to steal them, but also knew that was just in his imagination. The Elk Family label on the man’s cloak indicated his identity.

A Rat could never afford to offend an attendant of the four families.

“Go with Joe to warm yourselves, I can take care of this here,” Snaketooth said to the other two kids.

“Really?” Tigerclaw asked and raised his eyebrow a little.

“Of course, I’ve got a good memory.” Snaketooth pointed at his head. “I remember everything—the words, the people, and the bitter hatred.”

“Pfft,” Sunflower scoffed. “Listen to you. Since you say so, I’ll go. And thanks… Let’s go, Tigerclaw.”

“But you’ll have to give me more at dinner tonight.”

“We’ll see. I don’t know if there’s any food tonight!” she said, throwing her hands up.

After they left, Snaketooth patted his cold face to draw his attention back to the wooden stage. The information was useless for a Rat tail like himself, but it might mean profitable opportunities for Rat bellies and kings. Unfortunately, even if they did make some profits, the tails at the bottom would still get almost nothing.

“My fellow citizens, here’s a joint declaration by the lord of the Western Region, Prince Roland Wimbledon; Earl of the Honeysuckle Family, Shalafi Hull; and the lord of Longsong Stronghold, Petrov Hull.” The man took a sip of his hot ale and continued to read a piece of parchment in his hand. “The City Hall of Longsong Stronghold now opens the grain market to the public. Any citizen who has extra grain at home can sell them in the market freely now. But pay attention please, starting next month, any unauthorized sale of grain will be considered a felony, and only the City Hall has the right to purchase and sell grain! Once someone is arrested for the unauthorized sale of grain, he’ll be severely punished! The City Hall also welcomes public tip-offs about this kind of offense, and will reward anyone who offers correct information 25 silver royals!”

Snaketooth opened his mouth with surprise, for he never expected that he would hear such incredible news!

The nobility wants to forbid the private trade of grain!

Besides, both the grain purchasing and selling prices offered by the City Hall are extremely low. Who’ll sell grain to them at this low price? The grain price in Stronghold has already increased threefold because of the early arrival of this year’s Months of Demons and it’s impossible to drop before the snow ends. If the City Hall sells grain now, no matter how much, the nobility and merchants will buy it all. Did the prince and the city lord never think of this issue?

“Wait… if they really do forbid private trade in grain, what will happen to us?” Snaketooth suddenly shuddered at this thought. Most of the citizens bought most of their grain from Rats. Once the policy was carried out and all the grain in the market was bought by the nobility and merchants, it would be a disaster for almost everyone!

Chapter 460: Snaketooth (Part II)

naketooth never expected that much more unbelievable things were yet to come—the speaker’s next announcement rendered him motionless.

“In five days, which is the second week of the first month of spring, the City Hall will distribute rations at the square! Everyone can come here to collect two bowls of steaming hot oatmeal, one for lunch and one for dinner. Citizens, let’s all thank the prince for his generosity!”

At this, the crowd began to stir.

“My god, Gayle was right—this was really in the notice!”

“Yes, I came just to confirm that.”

“Do my ears deceive me? Free oatmeal every day?”

“Are you coming, too? Don’t you have plenty of oats and dried meat at home?”

“It’s still two free meals! My lord didn’t forbid me from coming. Didn’t you hear that he said ‘everyone’?”

“My Lord!” Someone suddenly shouted. “Is the oatmeal really free? How long will this continue?”

This was the question on everyone’s mind. The crowd quieted and turned to look at the attendant in unison.

The attendant waited for the good news to sink in, and then announced calmly, “That’s right! The oatmeal really is free, and the distribution will continue until the end of the Months of Demons! Tell all your neighbors and friends about this news, because His Highness will always stay true to his promises!”

Hundreds of people instantly became excited, but Snaketooth still couldn’t believe his ears.

“Free food? What does this mean? It means that they can temporarily avoid being threatened by Kanas and starving in the snow—No, not just them, but all Rats will be able to easily obtain food. Now, they’ll be even more difficult to control!

Kanas won’t just sit by and let this happen, so what will he do? Send someone to disperse the crowd, disrupt the distribution… or bribe City Hall officials to dump all the oatmeal into the Redwater River?”

However, Snaketooth also noticed that the announcer kept mentioning “His Highness”, which meant it was the legendary Prince Roland that gave orders to distribute rations, not the Duke or the Five Families. “Will he let these Rats roam shamelessly, or will he really be different from the other noblemen?”

He didn’t trust any of the nobility, and the day Paper was taken away was still fresh in his mind.

However, a small voice in his head kept asking him, “What if it was true, what if… it was true?”

Luckily, his doubts didn’t last long because the Elk attendant on the stage began to read another notice—he used to think that these orders were simply the nobles’ tricks to mess with the citizens and had nothing to do with orphans like him, but even more surprising than the last two notices was the third one, which directly applied to the Rats.

“Citizens, listen up! There are brighter days to come!” The announcer shouted something to calm the rowdy crowd and then said, “In five days, or when the oatmeal distribution starts, His Highness will begin cracking down on crime in Longsong Stronghold, including Black Street organizations, theft, and any behavior that threatens the safety and belongings of the citizens! When the time comes, please don’t hang around Black Street or visit pubs, casinos, and other unsafe areas to prevent unnecessary harm!”

“Order in Stronghold needs to be maintained by all citizens, and the City Hall is currently recruiting public safety officers and police personnel. Next, I’ll explain the requirements!”

Snaketooth didn’t feel like listening anymore, so he made his way out of the crowd and ran next to the bonfire. “Hurry, let’s go back!”

“Are you done listening?” Sunflower rubbed her hands and asked reluctantly, “You should get warm before you leave.”

“No, we have to go now!” he said urgently.

“What happened?” Joe could sense that something was off.

“I’ll explain to you on the road.” Snaketooth stomped his foot. “We need to go back right now, otherwise Kanas will hear about this through someone else and we’ll be done for!”

…

The gathering spot for Rats in the Western Zone was a two-story house buried deep in the Endless Lane.

Kanas was an intimidating one-eyed man, and his temper and methods were just as cruel as his appearance. Snaketooth personally saw him nail someone who was messed up to a wall and then whipped him to death. At the same time, he controlled the food supply of several Rat organizations in the area, so no one dared to disrespect him.

Snaketooth felt the same way, so he knelt carefully in front of Kanas and told him about the notices.

“Is the lord of the city targeting us?” Kanas asked with a frown, “What kind of nonsense is that?”

“…It’s not the lord of the city,” reminded Snaketooth carefully. “The announcer was talking about the prince.”

“What the hell do you know?” Kanas spat. “No noble, no matter how important, can do anything in someone else’s territory. This’s Longsong Stronghold, not Border Town or King’s City, and the lords of the Honeysuckles or Elks are here, so there’s nothing he can do. So what if he’s the so-called protector of the Western Region? Just look at who’s sitting in the castle. The king still rules Graycastle in name, but who cares about his orders?”

“You’re right,” a girl next to Kanas said softly. “Not to mention, even if power changes hands, it has nothing to do with us. Nobles are Nobles, and Rats are Rats. Just because the two groups live in the same city, it doesn’t mean that they are anything alike.”

“Rats are Rats? That’s what I love to hear.” Kanas grabbed the girl’s behind. “However, the second notice is quite strange. Usually, if the nobles want to improve their reputation by distributing food, they would let us know beforehand. Also, they usually restrict the amount they distribute, but how come it sounds like they’re trying to feed the entire city this time?”

No one could answer his question, but Snaketooth knew that everyone was thinking about those two free bowls of oatmeal.

“Maybe… the noblemen want to get on good terms with Sir Bloodyhand?” The girl chuckled.

“Who knows.” Kanas shrugged. “I’ll go ask the boss later. Only he knows and understands these issues related to the nobility.”

The so-called “Bloodyhand” was the king of the Western Zone Rats, and it was rumored that he was very close with the lower-level nobles. In a sense, he was no longer a regular Rat, but a title-less “underground nobleman”—in fact, all Rat kings had similar social connections.

At this thought, Snaketooth breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that Kanas’ lover was right. “Both the nobility and Rats have existed for hundreds of years, so no matter how the upper level changes, the underground world will always maintain its own rules… His Highness is also a member of the nobility, so what can he do?”

“By the way, I know exactly what you all are thinking right now.” Kanas chuckled. “You want to try the City Hall’s oatmeal? On the day of distribution, everyone must remain in this room, and no one can leave. Understood? If anyone goes behind my back to eat it, I’ll make sure he never eats another thing in his life!”

Chapter 461: Respective Beliefs

t was the strangest group of people Rene Medde had ever seen.

A detailed map of Longsong Stronghold was spread open on the square table in the lobby on the castle’s first floor.

Six people surrounded the table, including, Commander of the First Army, Iron Axe; Police Chief of Border Town, Vader; the current leader of Ragingfire, Crack; head of Security Bureau, Nightingale; dark-haired witch, Ashes; and himself, Earl of the Elk Family.

Rene never expected that he would need the help of Rats one day, let alone cooperate with witches.

“My lords, there’re about seven or eight different gangs in Stronghold,” Crack said, bowing and smiling ingratiatingly. “Sickle Gang, situated in the northern outer city, is the largest group with 500 to 600 members, but Knell Gang, in the inner city, is the most powerful. Knell consists mostly of escaped convicts and mercenaries and rarely accepts commoners as its members, and they have more than enough swords and armor, which is why they control the most lucrative area.”

“The eastern city belongs to Dead Flesh Eaters and Vulture Gang, who sell slaves and Dreamland Water through the harbor area through extremely cruel means. It’s rumored that these two Rat organizations are backed by the Wolf and Maple Leaf families, but when our Ragingfire totally defeated them a couple years ago, no great nobles stepped up to help them.” He said with a tinge of pride.

“As for the western city, the gangs are much more complicated… Since they are all small gangs, I’ve only interacted with their leaders. They are…”

“Information about gangs isn’t important, so you don’t have to go into details.” The tall Mojin man interrupted. “I only want to know if you can take us into the lairs of these underground Rats?”

“Ahem, my lord…” Crack nodded towards him. “A common saying goes, ‘The lairs of Rats are riddled with caves and holes’. I know the main gathering points of all the gangs, but I don’t know every single one of their shelters, especially the hiding places in dried wells and basements, so I can only rely on leaders and cronies to find the specific spots.”

“He’s right about that.” Rene sighed. “If we went face to face with the Rats, they wouldn’t stand a chance, but it’ll be much more difficult to clear them all out.”

“We might have a chance of success if we launch a surprise attack, but now that the notice has been announced, the leaders will all hide away by the time we act.”

“Hide?” The dark-haired witch laughed. “Unless they hide in Redwater City, if they’ll have to stay in Stronghold, there’s no way we won’t find them here.”

“Yes, you’re right.” Crack wiped the sweat off his forehead and didn’t argue further.

The witch named Ashes gave off a terrifying feeling of pressure. Rene had been in battle and fought demonic beasts in Hermes, so he knew what a true warrior should be like… But even soldiers in the Judgement Army, who had faced hundreds of battles, would falter in front of her. She didn’t need to make some scary expression because even when she was simply standing, no one could dare to look into her eyes.

There was no doubt that she had not only seen blood and slain enemies but also hovered between life and death. That was why she had such a menacing aura.

“His Highness has given us three days to prepare. When the first batch of rations is distributed, the army will begin from the western city gate and clean up the Rat gangs in all the areas.” Iron Axe said quietly, “This mission is targeting only the organizers so that we can take down the Black Street as quickly as possible.”

“But… will this really work?” Rene couldn’t help asking as Iron Axe walked towards the entrance of the lobby. “No city has been able to get rid of the Rats. As long as the citizens exist, so will they.”

Iron Axe turned around and glanced at him. “Is that so? Border Town doesn’t have any Rats.”

…

Everyone left, and only Vader was left.

“Earl, has anyone applied to be a policeman yet?”

“Not yet… but I heard from Petrov that dozens of people in the Second Army have signed up for it.” Rene sat down slowly next to the table with Iron Axe’s words still ringing in his ears. After a while, he whispered, “Are there really no Rats in the town?”

“If you mean the conventional Black Street organizations, then there aren’t any.” Vader shrugged. “No man or woman has to worry about food or shelter, and everyone can find a suitable job. Even the salary from doing odd jobs is enough to feed themselves. Honestly, before I went to Border Town, I didn’t believe that a place like that could exist in the Kingdom of Graycastle either.”

“Why?” Rene couldn’t help asking.

“I don’t know, my lord…” Vader splayed his hands. “His Highness Roland is capable of things that are far beyond any other noblemen I have known.”

“No need to call me lord.” Rene waved his hand. “His Highness wants us to work together, so we can put our titles aside for now.”

Vader nodded and didn’t protest. Rene admired Vader’s frankness. “Do you think the prince can really eliminate all the Rats in Stronghold and purify the entire Western Region?”

“I’m not sure either.” Vader’s answer surprised him. “After all, I used to be a Patrol Leader and interacted with Rats for many years. Their existence was like the shadows under the sun, so blunt force might not be that effective. His Highness once said that if he was dealing with a large city with millions of people, he might not be able to take care of everything. But if there were only ten thousand people, he might be able to get rid of these bottom-feeding scums. Basically, he plans to make people realize that it’s too risky to become a Rat and there’re many other better options.”

“Too… risky?” Rene ignored the statement about millions of people because even a city with ten thousand people was already unbelievable. “This will take a pretty long time to achieve.”

“That’s right, targeting Rats or crime can’t be done in one day,” Vader said and nodded. “That’s why His Highness Roland established the police force. I told you before that this organization is completely different from a patrol team.”

It was really different. They reported to the City Hall rather than the noble and maintained order in an area rather than conspire with criminals.

“And most importantly, His Highness told me one more thing.”

“What did he tell you?”

“I actually had the same concerns as you do now,” Vader said with a smile, “but His Highness asked, ‘So you won’t try because it’s hard?’”

Rene Medde felt a sense of realization rush into his heart. If he did not try because it was hard, he would not have been relentlessly pursuing his knighthood. Although he inherited the title of Earl and felt like he was straying from his desired life, as long as he could continue to fight for the people, he would be still following the path in his heart. Now, this path was becoming even wider.

“Now… I understand.” He took a deep breath.

“I was just as shocked as you.” Vader recalled. “But I don’t understand what His Highness said next.”

“Did he say anything else?” Rene asked excitedly.

“Uh-huh,” Vader said, stroking his chin. “he said ‘you’ll feel incredibly fulfilled after drinking this bowl of chicken broth.’ But… what does it have to do with chicken broth?”

Chapter 462: The Determination

oe fell ill.

He was the second weakest in the group before Paper was kidnapped, and since then he had become the weakest. Joe was fine the night he came back from the square. But the next day, Snaketooth found him lying motionless on the hay, moaning vaguely and with bright red cheeks.

“He was infected by the cold plague,” Sunflower said while touching Joe’s head, “and his head is burning hot.”

“Will I… die?”

Joe, squinting his eyes, asked softly.

No one answered.

The cold plague was an extremely stubborn disease, and once contracted, you can only rely on the body to resist the infection. However, people who were physically fit seldom suffered from the cold—those who were infected were generally weak, so very few patients could survive it. It was essentially a death sentence for Rats.

“I’ll go and look for Kanas,” said Snaketooth, breaking the silence.

“What do you want him for?”

“To beg him to give Joe more food.” He stood up. “I’ve heard that the chance of survival is greater if the patient is kept warm and adequately fed.”

“He won’t give you any food,” Tigerclaw shook his head and said. “We all know what kind of person he is.”

“Exactly, you may even get beaten up by him,” Sunflower said while gathering hay. “Rats never feed any useless person.”

“Joe isn’t useless.” Snaketooth retorted. “He can read!”

“Just a few words, and of what use is that to Kanas? He wants people who can steal and rob others.”

“…” Snaketooth clenched his teeth, turned around and walked towards the manager’s room in the Endless Lane. He had to try even if he would be beaten up by Kanas with a stick.

Surprisingly, Kanas was not back yet.

“You’re lucky.” When he brought the message back to his companions, Tigerclaw grinned. “Or we may have to take care of another one.”

Sunflower sighed. “Each of us will give a portion of our bread to Joe later when it’s time for the bread distribution so that he can eat more.”

However, Snaketooth did not feel lucky at all. He could feel something was not right.

“It’d only take half an hour to send the message to Bloodyhand. It’s understandable that Bloodyhand didn’t come back last night due to the discussion of countermeasures—but it’s already noon, the discussion should have been finished by now.” Furthermore, when his men opened the door, he took a peek and realized Kanas and his lover were both missing.

The gang started to distribute food not long after, and Snaketooth realized that it was distributed by Kanas’ confidant.

What he received was nothing but half a slice of brown bread.

…

After four days, Joe’s condition was still deteriorating.

He was yelling that he felt cold yesterday, but he couldn’t speak a word today. His once pink cheeks started to turn pale and his breathing was getting weaker.

“We’ve tried our best,” Sunflower said languidly with her hand on her stomach.

They had given half of their food to Joe in the past few days. If it was not for them, he might not have lived this long. Tigerclaw, who used to be very energetic, was starting to look feeble as well.

Kanas had not shown up these past few days.

More than a hundred Rats gathered in the room and started to discuss this matter. But it was just a discussion—after all, they were still getting food as usual. However, it was especially noisy today.

It was the day of free food distribution, as announced.

“I’ll go to the square,” after a long contemplation, Snaketooth clenched his teeth and said. “We need to eat more than just bread. Joe might be able to last if I could get a bowl of hot oatmeal for him.”

“Are you crazy?” Sunflower stared at him and said, “Don’t forget how Kanas warned us. Do you really want to get stitches on your lips?”

“That’s if he knows I snuck out. We don’t even know where Kanas is now. What if the lord of the city is really going to attack them?”

“But his men are still here. Do you think they’ll let you off if they find out?” Sunflower looked at Tigerclaw. “Don’t just stand there. Help me to talk him out of this.”

“I’ll go with you,” the latter said suddenly.

“Both of you…”

“This food distribution may have already been ruined. Or perhaps there’s no food at all, and it’s simply the noble’s act of disguising it. I suppose it shouldn’t be considered disobeying Kanas’ warnings in this case?” Tigerclaw twitched his lips and said, “I’m strong—I can run there and back while carrying Joe on my back, and it won’t take us too long. Kanas isn’t around now and his confidants are hiding in his room roasting themselves in front of the fire. No one will notice us.”

“Um…” Sunflower hesitated.

“You just stay here,” Snaketooth said, “so you can cover for us in case anyone asks. Just say we have diarrhea and had to go to find a sheltered place to relieve ourselves. No worries. We won’t need long to rush back from there.”

“Well, then,” she looked around and said, “hurry up!”

…

Snaketooth and Tigerclaw snuck out of the log cabin, running all the way down the alley. The elevated snow under their feet drenched their trousers. Even though the cold wind that blew into their face felt as sharp as a knife, it couldn’t stop them. Panting while arriving at the square, they found that there were almost a thousand people surrounding the podium.

Oatmeal really was being distributed!

Both of them ran over quickly, but were stopped by two guards in brown uniforms. “Walk slowly, no pushing, and no cutting in line—otherwise you’ll be prohibited from receiving any free food.”

Snaketooth noticed that there was a wooden fence set up around the center of the podium. The crowd was moving along the fence in a line like a folded dragon. Guards armed with strange iron bars could be seen at every short interval. They looked like the defenders of order, because people were expelled from the line from time to time.

“My friend is sick… Can you help us, please? I’m begging you!” Snaketooth knelt down on the snowy ground.

“He’s been starving for days. He’s in need of food urgently!” Tigerclaw knelt down beside him.

“What kind of illness?”

“It’s… the cold plague.”

One of them reached out to Joe who was unconscious and said, “Leave him with me. Both of you get in line.”

“Erm…”

“He knows the way back, doesn’t he?” the other guard said, “Even if he doesn’t know, you can always come back here to look for him.”

While saying this, the guard walked away with Joe on his shoulders.

“What should we do?” Both of them stared at each other. No one expected it to turn out like this—according to their plans, the other party would either be totally indifferent or let them bypass the fence to get the oatmeal in advance.

“Let’s go back first.” Snaketooth decided after some short contemplation.

“What… Go back?” Tigerclaw asked with surprise, “No oatmeal?”

“It’ll take us at least half an hour to get there with this line. There might be trouble if we take too long,” he nodded and said. “We can sneak out again in the evening to bring Joe back.”

Tigerclaw looked at the oatmeal on the wooden table and said reluctantly, “Okay… then.”

There was something that Snaketooth kept to himself—since the announcement of the free food distribution had come true, did it mean that the other two rumors would eventually pan out as well?

He vaguely felt that an upheaval might be coming towards the Black Street.

Back at the Endless Lane, both of them tiptoed into the house but were caught by surprise.

Sunflower was hung in front of the entrance with both her hands tied behind her back, standing on a shaky wooden bench. Bruises could be seen on her face. All the while, Kanas’ men were standing by her side, sneering at both of them.

“You, finally back with a well-fed stomach?”

Chapter 463: The Elimination of Bloodyhand Gang

Snaketooth’s heart sank rapidly.

“Let…go…” Fear seized his throat. He opened his mouth but could only rasp in a dull voice.

“You mean ‘let go of her’? Alright.” The man kicked the stool below Sunflower’s feet, her body stiffened instantly. The rope dug into Sunflower’s neck. She kicked her feet in panic, clenched and released her tied hands, but none of these helped.

Tigerclaw rushed forward to help, but his head was struck from behind with a stick and he fell to the floor.

“If we hadn’t been waiting for you, I’d have killed her earlier.” One of Kanas’ henchmen sneered. “What a good excuse, diarrhea! You probably don’t know, but we’ve had people watching you. He knows that mutts aren’t disciplined. We knew we’d have to teach you a lesson to ensure you abide by the rules of the Bloodyhand Gang.”

“It’s my fault.” Snaketooth knelt down. “Please let her go! She never even stepped out of this room!”

“This little b*tch lied to me,” the henchman shrugged. “She swore you were just looking for shelter from the wind. Even with her two teeth knocked out, she wouldn’t change her story. Why would I want her alive? So she can get back at me?”

“They want to kill us.” Snaketooth came to the sudden realization. He struggled to raise his head, seeing that Sunflower’s struggle was getting weaker and her body had begun to stiffen. He forced himself not to look at her, but instead paying attention to the dagger hanging at the waist of the man. He was only six steps away. If Snaketooth could rush up and get that dagger…

Suddenly, the rope broke.

Sunflower fell to the floor silently.

“What the hell…” The henchman frowned, but before he could finish his words, a line of blood spouted from his neck, spraying the face of the closest Rat.

Snaketooth stared at the scene in front of him.

Meanwhile, sounds of a fight came from the outer room.

“Stop! This is the Bloodyhand Gang’s territory!”

“Some… somebody broke in!”

“Oh… my hand!”

“Damn it. Come out and kill her!”

“Mon… monster! Help…”

Kanas’ followers looked at each other and pulled out their weapons. Before they could escape, an apparition flew in and overthrew the two front men.

Snaketooth then saw the attacker—a striking woman with black hair casually tied into a ponytail at the back of her head. She was wearing a long black gown and her eyes were golden. Snaketooth felt his blood freeze when she cast a glance at him.

“Drop your weapon, put your hands over your head and kneel down. If you want to live.” The woman stuck out three fingers. “I will count to three. Anyone who doesn’t follow my instruction will die.”

“Three.”

There were only a few seconds of silence before someone shouted, “God, such skills… she must be worth 100 gold royals!”

“Everybody, let’s move!”

“Catch her and boss will definitely reward us well!”

“Catch her alive!”

“Never mind. You’d be better dead.” She held up a giant, oddly-shaped ornate sword and charged into the crowd. Snaketooth couldn’t believe his eyes. The sword was made of cast iron, and whatever it touched shattered instantly. She moved at such a fast speed that her enemies’ lime powder and crossbows were barely useful. The once effective hidden weapons couldn’t hit the target now. The crowd could not escape from her, let alone fight back.

“Protect your friend, child,” a voice came but the source of the voice was nowhere to be seen.

He swallowed his saliva and crawled to Sunflower’s side in panic. He put his hand to her nostrils to feel her breath.

She faintly exhaled warm air… she was still alive!

Snaketooth felt like crying, the happiness of having survived overwhelmed him.

What was written on the announcement was real. These people had been sent by the prince to eliminate organizers of the gang! Now they had hope!

Bending over Sunflower, he burst into tears.

…

As more soldiers in brown uniforms rushed into the room, the fight ended quickly.

All the conscious Rats were told to stand in a line and walkout of the room one by one.

“My head aches,” Tigerclaw complained with one hand rubbing his head. “The bump is so big.”

“Be grateful you weren’t beaten to death.” Snaketooth glared at him with tears in his eyes.

“What happened?” Sunflower massaged her neck on which appeared a black line from the rope. “I thought I was dead for sure.”

“I’ll tell you after we get out of here,” Snaketooth shook his head. He was afraid if he spoke too much, he would burst into tears again.

“Your turn.” The guard at the door twisted Snaketooth’s arms to his back.

Snaketooth didn’t resist, and he followed the guard outside. A woman in a white gown was standing in the yard, a paradox to the lethal goddess in black. Her face was covered by a hood, with only strands of curly blonde hair showing.

“You may leave after answering the Lord’s questions.”

“Yes,” Snaketooth faithfully replied, he was in awe of this army’s capabilities.

“Have you committed murder?” Her voice was brisk and pleasing as if it was from another world. “How about rape? Robbery?”

Suddenly something struck his mind—she was the one who had warned him without showing herself.

“None of those.”

“Alright.” She nodded. “Wait at the square for your dinner from His Highness.”

Snaketooth stopped after two steps. It took courage to ask, “Are you a witch?”

“That’s right.” Snaketooth hadn’t expected an answer, but to his surprise, the witch gave an upfront reply.

“These are Kanas’s followers,” Snaketooth continued to speak, biting his lip. “He hasn’t been here for four days. He must be hiding somewhere with Bloodyhand! Bloodyhand is the real head of the gang! Never let him go!”

“Don’t worry. They can’t escape.” The woman smiled and said this with a tone of unquestionable confidence.

…

“Do you mean… His Highness sent witches to hunt for the head of Rats?” Tigerclaw’s eyes were wide in disbelief.

“Not only witches but also many common men,” Snaketooth told the bizarre story he had just witnessed. “What I’ve guessed is right—witches are accepted in His Highness’ territory. They can appear in public without worries, and even fight with others.” He paused, and then continued to speak with excitement, “If Paper really was sent there, she must be living a fairly decent life.”

“Sounds like you want to go there and meet her,” Sunflower said, twitching her mouth. “Witches are talented and it’s difficult to see them. You might embarrass her if you go to see her.”

“Oh…” Snaketooth was stunned for a moment. He knew what Sunflower said was true. He was only a Rat, even if he could survive the winter, his identity would remain the same. Paper must be living a whole different life now, totally out of his league.

“Don’t overthink it.” Tigerclaw patted him on the shoulder. “Look, it’s time to eat.”

Chapter 464: The Changes

any people came for the second meal. Luckily, the three of them had arrived early and were able to secure a position at the front.

When Snaketooth joined the queue, he realized why the fences were built around the wooden stage. There was a speaker chattering about the new policy. He would probably have to keep listening to him until he got his oatmeal.

The crowd moved forward slowly. After waiting for half an hour, he finally reached the back of the wooden stage.

“Give me your right hand.” A guard said.

Snaketooth followed the instruction, and the guard stamped the back of his hand.

“Next.”

The wooden fence extended on both sides to encircle a large area, but the queuing still continued. Everyone was guided by a guard to take a wooden bowl, receive the oatmeal, go eat on the side, and then return their bowl. It was hard to believe that ordinary civilians and Rats could be this orderly.

Snaketooth looked at the long queue behind him and felt that this whole thing was absurd. It was as if they were in a solemn ceremony instead of begging for charity.

“What did he stamp on our hands?” Tigerclaw stuck his head out from behind. “I can’t wipe it off.”

“It’s probably meant to prevent us from joining the queue again after we finish our oatmeal,” he said with a frown.

Tall tents were set at the perimeter of the empty space, and he could see through the shadows that there were many busy people inside. Heavy wooden barrels were being moved to the long wooden table beside the fence, and it was obvious that the food had just been cooked. As he watched the steaming porridge flow into his bowl, his hands could not help but tremble.

How long had it been since he had a hot meal?

The oatmeal was watery and did not come with vegetables or condiments, but just the golden porridge and its overflowing aroma was enough to make him salivate. Compared with black bread, which contained stones and husks, the food in his bowl made him feel warm again.

Tears were starting to collect in his eyes again.

Snaketooth finished the oatmeal quickly despite how hot it was and licked the bowl clean. Although he wished he could go back and beg for another bowl, he finally dispelled the idea after he saw the surveillance guards. He put the wooden bowl into the designated pot and followed the crowd to exit the fenced area.

There was another wooden stage at the exit, and the speaker was answering questions from the public enthusiastically.

After eating some warm food, the howling wind did not seem as cold as before, and the three of them slowly followed the crowd to the wooden stage.

“You asked why His Royal Highness distributed the oatmeal? That’s a good question!” the man said excitedly. “It’s because His Highness is determined to eliminate the Rats. Those who are menaced by Rats and those who are forced to comply with the Rats for food can be completely liberated and no longer subject to their threats! At the same time, he did this so that the families that don’t have enough food storage can survive the harsh times! This is His Highness’ benevolence!”

“You said earlier that the oatmeal would only be provided till the end of Months of Demons, so what happens after that?” someone asked loudly.

The scene suddenly quieted as the people eagerly awaited the answer. Snaketooth also listened attentively.

“It’s simple! You can support yourselves!” the speaker said with a smile.

“Support…ourselves?”

“But I don’t know how to farm.”

“Could you please explain, sir?”

“Don’t worry, let me explain to you slowly!” He waved his hand. “After the Months of Demons, Longsong Stronghold and Border Town will merge to form a new city, so the empty areas in between will require a lot of you to reclaim and reconstruct! Only hard work can create wealth, and only hard work can change destiny! You’ll have a stable salary, and the money you earn will support you and your family! At the same time, His Highness promised that those who officially have a job will be accepted as citizens of the new city.”

His words stirred a wave in the crowd, and Snaketooth felt his heartbeat speed up.

“Yes, I know what you are thinking,” said the speaker loudly. “Many of you are Rats, or citizens forced to become Rats. It doesn’t matter. You can work for a new life. You no longer have to live in the dark underground, and you don’t have to worry about being sent to the gallows. You can rely on your own hands to earn legitimate rewards, whether it’s food, clothing, or even shelter!”

“Sir… do we only need to be willing to work?”

He smiled and nodded. “In the future, His Highness will need more than 10,000 people, so… yes, as long as you are willing to work.”

Snaketooth suddenly understood something.

…

During the next few days, the three of them went to the Central Square for oatmeal at noon every day. More and more citizens heard the news and came to the distributions, until they occupied almost half of the square. Of course, some people didn’t go for the food. They just wanted to witness the end of the Black Street Rats.

It looked like there was a festival going on in Stronghold every day.

After the oatmeal was done being distributed at noon, there would be trials and executions on the other end of the square.

As the woman in the white robe had said, none of the Rats could escape their arrest. Snaketooth saw Kanas in one of the trials. His face was pale as he knelt and trembled on the scaffold, no longer domineering like before.

Then, as the iron pipe roared, his head was smashed into pieces.

Apart from Kanas, Snaketooth also heard the names of many other big figures among the Rats.

These included Bloodyhand, Ironcrow, Ripper… they had all been fierce kings in Black Street. Their appearances were not much better than Kanas. Every death of a Rat king was met with warm cheers and chants of “Long live His Highness”.

On the fourth day, Snaketooth saw Joe, looking completely recovered. The four of them hugged each other excitedly.

“Where have you been?”

“I don’t know,” Joe shook his head. “My mind was obscured at the time. When I woke up I was lying in a tent, and my head didn’t hurt anymore. I only ate and slept until the fever came down. There were quite a few patients like me in there, drinking oatmeal with dried meat. I ate so much the first time that I almost swallowed my tongue.”

“Is there such a good thing?” Tigerclaw stared and said, “Damn, I want to be infected with the cold plague!”

“Anyway, it’s good you survived,” Sunflower said gladly.

After everyone was done catching up, Snaketooth suddenly said, “I want to look for a job after the Months of Demons.”

“Perhaps those nobilities are just fooling us, and there’ll be additional requirements,” Tigerclaw said. “When they recruited the new Second Army and police members, they asked for a fixed address and a clean record, which means no stealing. So we aren’t even in their consideration.”

Snaketooth shook his head and did not answer. The things in the bulletin were gradually becoming a reality, and he realized that the “new city” was possibly beyond his imagination. In these few yet long days, he had already felt a change.

If the speaker was telling the truth, would he be able to stay in the new city? If he could get rid of his Rat identity, would Paper feel less embarrassed if he saw her again?

Chapter 465: Inner Peace and Disturbance

p>Wendy, Scroll, and Spear were sitting in the castle hall, enjoying the top-grade black tea that was imported from the City of Glow.

Wendy took the whistling kettle off the pot hook in the fireplace and poured the boiled well water into a tea cup. Watching the water surface gradually being dyed a transparent orange and sniffing the mellow aroma that came from the rising steam, she felt her whole body become lazy. After blowing on the cup to cool down the tea, she took a small sip. The initial taste was slightly bitter, but it slowly turned into a fresh and sweet taste that rejuvenated her lips and tongue. As the warm liquid flowed into her abdomen, she uncontrollably let out a satisfied groan.

On the other side of the hall, Paper was still fiddling with the Sigil of God’s Will. She had already mastered the skill of injecting magic power into the sigil, and was also able to accurately control the output of magic power. But no matter how she tried, she was only able to light up the first magic stone on the sigil.

“Whenever I see her, I’ll think of the days in the Witch Cooperation Association,” Scroll said emotionally. “At that time, nobody thought that we would all be able to live a life like what we have today.”

“If we were able to foresee the future, Cara wouldn’t have persisted so stubbornly.” Wendy placed her cup down. “It’s good that in the future, our awakened sisters won’t have to experience the same suffering as we did.” As she spoke, she started laughing. “We’re probably the last batch of witches who had to suffer.”

“Also the oldest batch, which means we’ll enjoy the least number of good days,” Scroll added while placing her hand on her forehead. “Sounds like we got the worst lot.”

“That’s why you came back early today just to enjoy a bit more leisure time?” Wendy joked.

“I left only after completing my duties.” The latter shrugged her shoulders. “His Highness Roland is away and thus the amount of work is much less than usual. I’m somewhat not used to it.”

“Is that so?” Wendy raised her eyebrows. “When His Highness returns, I’ll tell him what you said word-for-word.”

“Oh… then, for the next exam, I can’t promise that you’ll be able to understand every question.”

“You two have such a great relationship.” Spear giggled as she listened to the conversation. “Although I’m not young anymore, I’ve never enjoyed such a deep relationship with anyone. You two are among the most fortunate of the witches.”

“That goes without saying. Not every witch has a powerful father,” Scroll said, and drank a mouthful of tea before continuing, “and he would pass on everything he has to his daughter—even in the noble, such people are rare.”

“By the way, how’s it going in the City Hall?” Wendy looked towards Spear. “I’ve heard that you’ll go there whenever you’re free recently.”

“There’re many benefits of going.” Spear exhaled deeply. “This’s the first time I’ve gained insight into a departmental management style that’s so well-ordered and demarcated, yet allows the departments to work closely together. Instead of having the ministers of each department conduct their own employee recruitment and compensation, the City Hall takes care of it for them. This way, there’s less difficulty in replacing employees, and also allows capable citizens to enter the civil service without hindrance. I’ve no idea how His Highness conceived this idea.”

“She even had a very nice chat with Barov.” Scroll jested.

“Ahem, he was simply consulting me about a few questions related to the laws of the noble, which I happened to have a good understanding of,” Spear said, shaking her head. “Also, the new laws laid down by His Highness are very unique, and may even be implemented in the Fallen Dragon Ridge. I discussed this with Barov for a little longer.”

“Oh? How are they unique?”

“Such as the part regarding the definition of citizenship…”

“Sister Wendy, when will I be able to light up the second magic stone?” Paper had joined in unexpectedly and bawled as she held up the Sigil of God’s Will.

“When you’re a bit older.” Wendy reached her hand out to the young girl. “Come, let me give you a hug.”

Paper held on to Wendy’s outstretched hand and climbed into her embrace.

Wendy caressed Paper’s head as she watched the other two witches discuss the new laws, and felt a sense of calm.

It would be so good if this life could last forever.

At this moment, a guard entered the hall. He first glanced around the room before walking up to the four witches with a slight hesitation.

“Something happened?” Wendy recognized him—he was a personal guard of His Highness.

“Lady Wendy, someone has arrived from outside the castle, and she claims that her daughter has just been awakened as a witch…” The guard said while making a salute. “His Highness has specified that when he’s not around, you’ll be in charge of such issues.”

“What?” The three witches were shocked simultaneously. “A new awakened witch?”

“That’s what the person said.”

“Quick, take me to her,” Wendy immediately responded.

…

At the main gate of the castle, Wendy saw two citizens waiting in the cold wind. One of them seemed about 40 years old, her hair already turned half-white, and the wrinkles on her forehead were deep and long. She was wearing an old-fashioned coat and her stature was slightly hunched. The other person was much younger, about 17 or 18 years old, and she stood reservedly beside the elder woman.

“This is Lady Wendy of the Witch Union.” The guard introduced.

“Our greetings, Lady Wendy.” The two citizens bowed respectfully.

“They claim to be migrants from the Southern Territory and that they moved into an inner city residential district half a month ago. I’ve verified their identity cards and found no issue with the information they provided.”

“You’re the witch?” Wendy looked towards the young woman and spoke in the tenderest voice she could. “What’s your name?”

“Lady Wendy’s asking you a question.” The elder woman tugged on the younger one’s sleeve.

“Summer,” the latter murmured.

“You’re her… mother?”

“Yes, yes, indeed. Her father is still working at the Furnace Area, so I brought her over.” The elder woman nodded repeatedly. “Lady Wendy, may I ask if what His Highness stated on the bulletin is true… that witches are entitled to a wage of one gold royal every month?”

“It’s true indeed, but she has to be willing to join the Witch Union.”

“I…” Summer opened her mouth.

“She’s willing, she’s definitely willing to serve and dedicate everything to His Highness.” The mother interrupted her daughter. “Do we have to sign a contract? When will we receive the money?”

These words made Wendy frown uncontrollably. It was not hard to decipher from her tone that the mother not only treated her daughter as an object for sale, but also thought that the Witch Union was a place of pleasure for His Highness.

Wendy held back her unhappiness and replied placidly, “His Highness is currently handling some affairs in Longsong Stronghold, and I’m not sure when he’ll be back. Furthermore, there’ll be a few examinations and tests before she can join the Union. You may leave your daughter to our care in the castle, and when His Highness returns, we’ll arrange for you to sign the contract.”

No matter what, Summer was innocent, and thus Wendy did not want to impose her anger towards the ignorant mother on to her. Even though witches were already accepted by the majority of the town’s inhabitants, the refugees who recently arrived in the Western Region still possessed a gross misunderstanding of them.

“I’ll entrust her to you, Lady Wendy.” The mother made a deep bow and then patted her daughter’s head. “Behave well and don’t disappoint His Highness.”

“Mom, I…” Summer wanted to say something, but the elder woman had already turned and walked towards the exit ramp.

Chapter 466: Reappearance

p>”Summer, right? Don’t worry.” Wendy walked up to the young woman and held her hand. “The Witch Union isn’t what your family thinks, nor do you have to stay in the castle all the time.”

“Really?” Summer asked softly.

“Of course.” Wendy smiled. “We stay in the castle because we have nowhere else to go… before His Highness took us in, we lived vagrant lives. Our families were either broken or perceived us as strangers. You’re considered fortunate to have a family.” She paused briefly. “Let’s go inside, the wind is strong here.”

“… OK.” The young woman lowered her head and followed Wendy into the castle.

“This is the new awakened witch?” Scroll was already waiting at the door. “What’s her name?”

“Summer,” Wendy replied, and then look towards the guard. “Can you help me inform Lady Agatha to return to the castle? Tell her that there’s a new witch. She should be in the riverside chemical lab right now.”

“My pleasure to serve you, Lady Wendy.” The guard bowed before he turned and exited.

“Indeed, when Nightingale and Sylvie aren’t around, only Agatha is able to distinguish magic power by type and capacity.” Scroll nodded in agreement. “What’s her ability?”

“We don’t know yet.” Wendy then caressed the young girl’s head and asked, “How old are you?”

“18.” Summer became nervous again in front of so many strangers.

“18?” Spear seemed surprised. “Isn’t that the age of adulthood?”

“When did you realize that you were awakened as a witch?” Scroll asked. “Tell us your story in detail.”

“Just… three days ago, when I turned 18,” Summer replied meekly. “That day, my elder brother caught a fish for me as a gift, but it was taken away by my second sister, and only half of the tail was left for me in the end. At night, I hugged my quilt and cried. I then dreamt that the fish returned to my bowl. When I woke up, I discovered that the fish was indeed there, and I also had a new elder sister.”

“A new elder sister… what does that mean?” Wendy asked in astonishment.

“One was sitting at the table and eating fish, while the other one was paralyzed with fear on the floor. However, the former soon disappeared together with the fish…” Summer recalled what happened. “At that time, I could feel that… those things that appeared had something to do with me. However, when I told my family about it, I was beaten up by my father and told not to scare my second sister. I really didn’t scare her on purpose. Who would think that a dream could become real?”

“That wasn’t a dream.” Wendy confirmed what the girl said. “It was an awakening call.”

Magic power would gather inside a witch’s body on the aforementioned Day of Awakening. During this process, a witch would not only be able to feel the weird changes inside her body, but also, for a majority of witches, they would be unable to restrain the strange magic power, causing them to use their newly-gained ability involuntarily. Hence, apart from the extremely unbearable Day of Adulthood, the second highest cause of loss of witches was the Day of Awakening—the consequence of performing magical effects in front of normal people was obvious.

However, Wendy had never heard of a case whereby the Day of Adulthood and Day of Awakening fell on the same day. Albeit this was no doubt possible—the Day of Adulthood was just a more special Day of Awakening.

“After that, my second sister called me a witch and said that I had to leave home. My elder brother retorted that there was no issue with me being a witch as there were many witches in the town. My family quarreled over this…” Summer’s voice became even softer as she spoke. “In the end, they decided to send me here.”

It thus seemed that even people who had recently arrived from the Southern Territory were already being influenced by the town’s propaganda. Fortunately for Summer, she was not tied up and handed over to the church, like many witches were. The unfortunate thing was that her family was ultimately unable to accept a witch. However, Wendy was confident that this kind of situation would be improved over time… the original inhabitants of Border Town were a good example.

After Wendy enquired about a few more details from Summer, Agatha walked into the hall, looking worn out.

“Is this the newly discovered witch?”

Wendy nodded and recounted Summer’s identity and awakening experience. “How does the Union test a witch’s ability?”

Agatha took a magic stone out of her waist pocket after she was done listening. “It’s usually divided into two sections. One is to observe a thorough performance of the ability, and the other is to use the Stone of Measuring to measure the aggregate level of the magic power.” Then, she looked at Summer and instructed. “Close your eyes and feel the magic power revolve inside your body.”

“Does she need a partner to assist her?” Wendy appeared anxious. “She became a witch only three days ago. I’m afraid that she knows nothing about her magic power.”

“No need.” Agatha chuckled. “I’m only worried that she’s scared.”

As they spoke, the magic-filled stone emitted a ray of pale green light that enveloped Summer. A mist gradually appeared around her chest. Its center was pale yellow in color and it seemed like it could dissipate at any time.

“She wasn’t lying.” After observing briefly, Agatha stopped the operation of the Stone of Measuring. “It’s indeed a feature that only occurs when the Day of Awakening and the Day of Adulthood are on the same day. The type of ability is… the summoning type which you’re all familiar with. The level of magic power is… extremely low.”

“Extremely low?” Wendy winced. “Did such a coincidence also occur in Taquila?”

“The Union had witnessed the awakening of thousands of witches. Something like this was rather common.” Agatha replied proudly. “As for witches who awakened only near the end of adulthood, it was as if they never had a Day of Adulthood.”

“What?”

“Their magic powers were never able to develop and thus remained in the pre-adulthood form forever. Naturally, they didn’t have the derivative skills and steady growth that were unique to adulthood. I don’t know if such witches were able to have High Awakenings, but if they were unable to develop, the problems with their magic power would bug them for the rest of their lives. She paused briefly. “We should have a look at Summer’s ability first. After all, magic capacity is only one aspect. The ability itself is the best way to gauge a witch’s value.”

“Agatha!” Wendy exclaimed while frowning. Every witch should be treated as a fellow sister, instead of being valued based on her ability.

“This is how it’s done in the Holy City.” Agatha was unmoved. “Sure… I believe His Highness’ saying that every ability has its own special use, but they’re still distinguishable by their quality.”

“What are you… arguing about?” Summer opened her eyes, looking confused.

“Nothing much.” Wendy forcibly smiled and said in a comforting voice, “Try to demonstrate your ability to everyone.”

“Yes…” The young woman held her breath and slowly reached out her hands. Soon, the four people present were able to see the effects—they saw figures of themselves positioned on the other side of the hall. Two of them seemed to be discussing something, but not a sound was heard. Suddenly, Paper, who had left the hall a long while ago, reappeared beside Wendy and slowly crawled into Wendy’s arms, revealing a sweet smile on her face.

Wendy subconsciously reached out a hand to the figure of herself, but her fingertips passed through the figure as if there was nothing there.