Book 5: Chapter 9: Regarding the Silent Witch (1/2)

After Isabelle Norton has done her solo performance, Caroline Simmons and her two friends were taken by the teacher to another room. Cyril snorted as he watched them go.

It has not been officially decided yet, but Caroline, the perpetrator of the incident, will be forced to leave school, while her two friends were expected to leave voluntarily.

Until the very end, Miss Caroline refused to admit that she was at fault. On the contrary, she put the blame on Monica and tried to excuse herself.

How foolish.

Like the previous treasurer who was expelled a while ago, they don't understand that this place serves as an extension of their social circle. They think that if something happens, their parents will lay out their money to fix it.

If money could buy trust, there would be no hardship… how thoughtless of them to think of that.

Once Caroline had left the room and things had quieted down, Isabelle Norton straightened herself up and bowed to Felix and Cyril.

”Your Highness, I apologize for the disgraceful appearance in your presence.”

It was hard to believe that she had been doing that high-pitched laughter just now. Cyril thought, ”Women are terrifying.”

Felix, however, responded with a gentle smile.

”It was quite amusing. By the way, do you think your father will abandon Count Norn?”

In response to Felix's question, Isabelle shook her head without hesitation.

”No, my father is very sensible. He would never abandon another territory out of emotion.”

Count Norn's territory was one of the most important supply routes. Having the road closed after the damage caused by the dragon would prove to be quite inconvenient.

Well, this was the powerful Count Kerbeck after all. He will probably use this matter as a bargaining card with the Norn Count family.

Count Kelbeck was the most influential noble in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Ridill.

The eastern part of the Kingdom of Ridill has experienced many disasters caused by dragons, and since it was adjacent to several countries, including the empire, it will be the front line in case of emergency—therefore, the nobles in the eastern part of the kingdom have military power that rivals that of the royal capital.

This is why the eastern provinces were the most threatening if they started a rebellion.

Fearful of the eastern nobles rebelling and turning their troops against the center, the central nobles have been trying to control the size of the eastern nobles' army… that's what Cyril's adoptive father, Marquis Highon, once said.

However, the nobility in the east can't reduce their forces so easily. The eastern part of the country has always been beset with two treats: the neighboring country and the dragons.

That's why my adoptive father said he doesn't want Count Kerbeck to become his enemy…

In the struggle to determine the next king, Count Kerbeck held a neutral position. Forcing them to take sides would be difficult.

Therefore, keeping them from becoming enemies would be the safest thing to do.

As Cyril was pondering these things, Felix was speaking to Isabelle in a casual tone.

”Oh, speaking of Count Kerbeck's territory… That Black Dragon Wogan's incident must have been tough.”

”On that occasion, we would like to thank His Majesty for dispatching the dragon knights from the capital. I am grateful for his prompt and generous action.”

To Isabelle's auspicious attitude, Felix then said in a joking tone.

”Maybe the count's army alone could have managed without the arrival of the dragon knights?”

The count's soldiers were accustomed to killing dragons, so they often managed to kill them before the Dragon Knights arrived. That's why Felix said in a roundabout way that it might have been unnecessary to dispatch the dragon knights, but Isabelle was like, ”Of course not!” exclaimed.

”Our Count Kerbeck family has a history of fighting dragons for hundreds of years. Even with such a history, we have only faced a black dragon once before, two hundred years ago. The reason we were able to defeat the Black Dragon Wogan was thanks to the efforts of the dragon knights and… the Silent Witch who lend her power.”

The [Silent Witch] was a young genius who became one of the Seven Sages two years ago at the tender age of fifteen.

Cyril had never seen her before, but it was rumored that the [Silent Witch] always wore a robe over her head and kept her head down, even during ceremonies, and never showed her face.

A robe over her head?

Something stimulated Cyril's memory. A hooded robe was nothing unusual.

But a strange feeling rose in his heart… as he remembered the events of ”that night.”

While Cyril was quietly suppressing his agitation, Isabelle said in a slightly more excited tone.

”Although I didn't see it with my own eyes… I heard that [Silent Witch] shot down more than twenty wyverns that had been following the black dragon in an instant!”

”Well, I'm not much of a magician, but that sounds amazing.”

Felix gestured at her in a way that seemed to be impressed.

Shoot down over 20 moving targets in an instant? …such a thing is impossible.

Dragons have a weakness for cold, but their bodies were sturdy and highly resistant to magic, making them impervious to most spells.