"How's it going?" Roland put down his pen and looked up at the nightingale that had quietly entered the office.
"She's asleep, just had a bowl of oatmeal, and her appetite's still decent," she said, walking to the table and sitting back in her usual spot. "Now it's Sylvie's watch over her." "Well, that's fine." "Do you believe what she says?" Nightingale asked.
"Since God's Stone has been removed, you can verify her claims tomorrow when you ask. But..." Roland paused. "I think most of what she said is true." "Why?" she asked curiously.
"Have you noticed that a person from four hundred years ago uses the same script and language as us?" Prince said, chin resting on his hand. "Logically, it's almost impossible for two regions separated by a vast mountain range to share the same culture—unless they're genetically related and have maintained close ties." "But she calls the Four Great Kingdoms 'barbarian lands'." "That's the crux... I don't know what this place looked like four hundred years ago. Perhaps it was just scattered villages and exiles from the Witch World. Historical records show major cities here were established between two to three centuries ago, and astrologers emerged during that era," he said with fascination. "I've always wondered how astrologers, who generally achieved little and produced no research, could be called' sages 'alongside alchemists. Now I understand—The Federation led survivors to this frontier, bringing their language and civilization. They blended with the locals, helping them establish governments, fortresses, and cities." "You're describing it as if you saw it with your own eyes," Nightingale said, shaking her head with a smile.
"That's the only way to explain why we share the same language," Roland said earnestly. "We're genetically related. And for four hundred years, our civilization has been rebuilding itself—no real progress." "Fine," she shrugged. "We'll find out tomorrow. If you're wrong... you'll get an extra' luxury lunch '." The so-called' luxury lunch' was actually a combination of corn soup, roasted chicken legs, and ice cream bread, served only once a week in the kitchen.
"You're mistaken?" "You can have anything you desire," the Nightingale murmured with a tilt of her head and half-closed eyes. Her cheeks and smooth neck formed a flawless curve, exuding irresistible charm. A flawless face would tempt anyone with any pose—Roland had now validated this truth.
"I remember." He coughed twice and refocused on the paper.
Since Agatha had just regained consciousness, Roland couldn't force her to answer every question precisely. He simply followed her train of thought, asking questions as they came to mind, which resulted in a jumble of information. His current task was to reorganize the clues from Agatha's words and identify the key points that needed further clarification.
Undoubtedly, the most pressing issue is Devil.
The origins of the war with Devil and the reasons for their current ceasefire are crucial intelligence for Border Town. No war is ever without cause, and Devil's actions do not appear to be driven by resource or expansionist motives: they neither occupied uncharted territories nor plundered humans, but rather seemed to be a purely bloodthirsty campaign.
Roland also noticed the other party mentioning the term 'God's War of Intentions. 'Could it be that both sides were waging a life-or-death conflict under God's explicit command? Yet at that time, the Church didn't even exist, so there was naturally no such thing as the one God they claimed to have. This unresolved issue kept him from finding peace of mind.
Meanwhile, he must urgently determine the daily necessities of the Holy City civilization—specifically, their economic foundation. These details will help him gauge the civilization's development level and indirectly assess Devil's strength.
As for the Federation, Roland wasn't particularly concerned. The Witch's limited numbers and inconsistent capabilities meant their combat effectiveness was inherently constrained. Historical lessons have consistently shown that before a generational gap emerges, total war hinges on attrition, and even the scarcity of advanced weaponry can't reverse an overall disadvantage.
The second is the magic stone.
According to Tilly's theory, the God-like quality of this stone can effectively compensate for the instability of abilities, allowing the Witch to unleash powers beyond her own control and even enabling a Support Witch to join the battlefield. However, Roland sees this as a complete reversal of priorities—he would rather transform all Battle Witches into Support Witches and force them into endless production work.
Yet paradoxically, the Federation of Witches, despite possessing numerous witches, chose to create God's Punishment Army rather than combat the Devil through this method—a decision that defies logic. Could it be that the Demon Stone harbors some hidden flaw, or is its production exceptionally challenging?
Fortunately, Agatha was a member of the Exploration Society, an organization akin to the modern Alchemy Workshop that gathered exceptionally gifted witches dedicated to researching magic stones and Magic Power. Roland sensed a vast potential waiting to be unlocked within this group.
The final question concerns the Church.
He circled this section, as the establishment and evolution of this organization could clearly not be answered by Agatha. From scattered fragments, we can infer that the Church was founded only after the Witch's defeat. They obtained the federation's secrets, concealed all information about the Witch, and portrayed them as embodiments of the Devil. If the people of the four kingdoms are considered descendants of the natives, then the Church is undoubtedly an outsider. Given that the natives themselves lacked civilization, it's no wonder they were deceived by fabricated history and God's decrees.
Could it be that the refugees who escaped from the Witch class's past oppression of ordinary people now regard the witches as enemies, leading them to hunt witches across the continent? Roland frowned. The explanation seemed plausible, yet... something felt off.
The Federation boasts numerous Holy Shielded Warriors and the Supernatural, even those beyond the Supernatural... Even with the God's Stone, they can't possibly defeat such formidable foes, can they?
To completely eradicate a force far more powerful than oneself, mere hatred is insufficient. The intelligence clearly lacks a crucial piece of information.
"That witch doesn't seem to like you very much," Nightingale suddenly said.
"After all, we live in a world where witches are considered above all others," Roland chuckled. "To her, I'm probably no different from a roadside weed." "Don't you despise her?" "Why should I? She's just a pitiful soul cast aside by the times," he shook his head. "Having slept in an ice coffin for over four hundred years, she must have woken to find the world utterly transformed. The fear of this unfamiliarity will surely build a mental wall around her. Once she accepts this reality, her perspective will gradually shift." "That's exactly how you answered," the Nightingale said with a smile. "Rest assured, I won't let her offend you in the slightest."