Chapter 13 (2/2)
Roland’s heart stopped for a beat. How was that possible? He just wanted to hire a craftsman, but who could know that the craftsman was also the witch’s neighbour? He could tell, that the other was absolutely familiar with Anna, if not, it would have be impossible to recognize her immediately. He looked at Carter. The chief knight got the hint, he immediately pulled the latch, blocking the only exit.
“Venerable… Teacher?”
Anna’s reaction let Roland’s spirit circle for a while before he came back to complete consciousness, what, teacher?
“It’s really you, Anna, I … I …” Karl only felt his eye socket warming up, and then there was something flowing down. He knelt powerlessly on the ground, constantly repeating, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry …… very good, too …… well ……”
After Karl van Bart was able to calm his mood, he slowly stood up and then bent over once more to pay tribute to Roland again, “I’m very sorry, your Highness, I forgot my manners.”
“This, in the end what is going on? Aren’t you a mason?”
“I used to be,” when Karl had regained a calm mood, his speech became very fluent. His Highness had not killed Anna! The one who was hanged on the execution ground was substitute – being aware of this point, he already knew how to progress further. Although it was unclear why the other party rescued a witch; but regardless, even if his Highness wanted to take her as his concubine even that would be much better than being crucified. This showed that the prince wasn’t afraid that the witches were the evil incarnation described in the rumours.
He described his experiences of living in this Border Town, since the time he fled out of Graycastle. Including, that he had opened a college here, and that he had found out that Nana Paien, one of his students, had also become a witch. Finally, he pleaded to his Royal Highness, that he would also take Nana into his palace, so that she would be safe from exposure.
Anna, who stood at the side had a caring expression on her face, while listening to the plea for Nana, but from the beginning to the end she never said a word.
Yet another new witch! This truly was important, and good news, but he seemed to remember the name Paien. When Roland quietly asked the assistant minister, he got to know that this was in fact, a small aristocratic family of Border Town.
“You can take her to see me, if she is a witch, I will make sure, that she doesn’t get hurt,” Roland promised, “But I cannot take her away from the Paien family, especially when she had not suffered any threat from her material family. Also, me rescuing Anna is not what you think … “He considered, telling the truth would be better,” I need her help. The idea that they are the Devil’s force is absolutely nonsense. I believe that the power of the witch, regardless if it is good or evil, can be controlled. So Anna, Nana or any other witch, as long as they do not break any other law, I won’t condemn them to death. “
“Next, we will turn to the town business, you participated in the construction of the Graycastle city walls?” The prince quickly changed the topic back to the construction matters.
“Yes!” Karl nodded. Although, his Highness the fourth prince did not resemble his prior knowledge of the prince; he did not expect that the prince would need a witches’ assistance, however, his wish to protect Nana was accepted, that was enough.
“Well, I’m going to build a wall from the Chishui River to the foot of the northern slope. The goal is to ward off the demon beast invasion. From now on this project is your responsibility.”