Roland returned to the castle late, and the snow outside was getting heavier.

He entered the bedroom, took off his coat, shook off the snow from his collar, and hung it on the rack by the fireplace.

"Your Highness, don't you think this is too hasty?"

Nightingale appeared before the prince.

"Nannawa?" Roland poured himself and her a glass of wine. Although this ale was much more bitter than the beer of later generations, he had gradually become accustomed to the taste.

Nightingale took the glass, held it in her hands but did not drink—she was waiting for the prince's answer.

"There's no better time than now," Roland finished his wine in one gulp and refilled his glass. "To unleash Nannawa's abilities during the Months of Demons, it's impossible to hide the witch's identity any longer. Instantaneously healing fatal injuries is something that ordinary herbs or bloodletting cannot achieve. Everyone can see that."

"Fortunately, this small town lies outside the Western Region border and is quite insignificant. The influence of the church here is very limited—if I were them, I wouldn't want to waste gold dragons on a place that can be abandoned at any time," Roland continued. "There isn't even a small church in town, and the missionaries returned to Longsong Stronghold with the nobles long ago. What do you think Border Town is like now? An isolated island cut off from the outside world."

"...Was this your plan all along?" Nightingale asked.

Roland nodded. "Heavy snow will bury the roads to Longsong Stronghold, and I control the shipping at the docks. We have at least three months to reverse the idea that 'witches are evil.' If it's just propaganda, the effect is extremely limited. We need close contact to quickly eliminate this misunderstanding."

That's why he wanted to keep Nannawa at all costs. He wanted to create a different-world version of Florence Nightingale.

This legendary nurse was hailed as the Lady with the Lamp by the soldiers because she diligently cared for the wounded, reducing the mortality rate of the wounded from 42% to 2%, thereby raising the reputation of the entire nursing profession to worship.

And Nannawa's ability was even more miraculous, using magic to heal wounds. As long as they weren't killed on the spot, she could save their lives. This would probably boost the morale of the militia more effectively than any weapon.

At the same time, thanks to her father being a fallen noble, he often dealt with hunters and farmers, and his attitude towards civilians was very peaceful. He even allowed Nannawa to study at the academy run by Teacher Karl. Other nobles, even the lowest-ranking baron, would not want their daughters to get involved with these people—in their eyes, they were all so-called commoners.

"Can this... really be done?" Even Nightingale seemed particularly helpless in the face of such a behemoth as the church.

"If we don't take this step, we'll never know the answer."

Roland didn't expect everyone in the town to change their minds because of this, but at least he had to firmly grasp the new team he had formed, and then rely on these seeds from within the people to spread his ideas.

Three months was enough to change a lot of things.

Nightingale was silent for a moment before whispering, "Why would you go to such lengths for the witches?"

To liberate the forces of production, to gain a stronger power, and to have a place in the future Battle of the Kings—of course, these answers were not suitable to say at this time. Although Roland was a mechanical dog, he had played a lot of Galgames and could be regarded as a veteran who had seen a lot. More than twenty years of experience in two lifetimes were reminding him that he was now facing a critical question.

He carefully considered his words and slowly said, "Didn't I tell you long ago that Border Town doesn't care about background? I hope that one day, even witches can live like free people in my territory."

This time Nightingale was silent for a long time, and only the crackling of burning charcoal remained in the room. Her profile was illuminated by the flickering fire, like a beautiful painting.

When she spoke again, Roland had the illusion that time had resumed flowing. "Actually, you don't have to do this," her voice was distant and soft. "Please forgive me for lying to you before... The sisters of the Cooperative Association have been displaced for too long. They don't have too many extravagant hopes. They only ask for a place to settle down, even if it's in this castle."

"Then what's the difference between that and a cage?" Roland shook his head, then suddenly seemed to understand and stared at Nightingale. "Wait... are you saying that you are willing to bring them here?"

Nightingale sighed and avoided the prince's gaze. "In that case, you will become enemies with the church."

"Their hands have reached too far," Roland said nonchalantly. "Once the slogan of divine right of kings comes out, conflicts between the church and various countries on the mainland are inevitable. As for Border Town, as long as we get through these three months smoothly, there's not much they can do. This place is thousands of miles away from the church's lair. Will the bishop lead a large army of inquisitors across the entire Graycastle to crusade against me? My father will definitely not allow such a thing to happen. This is a serious provocation to the royal authority."

"..."

After Nightingale bowed and left, Roland lay down on the bed and breathed a sigh of relief.

He hadn't said everything. The church was thousands of miles away, and according to the speed of news spreading in this world, they probably wouldn't react until late spring. Plus, given the long journey and his status as a prince, the most likely thing they would do was send a delegation to investigate the situation.

It would probably take half a year for such a round trip. By then, he should have the strength to break with them.

Therefore, the biggest hidden danger was not the church, but the witches themselves.

Only Roland could see this.

Although the witches were at a disadvantage now, this situation would not last forever. Witches did not depend on bloodline inheritance, but rather on random awakenings that could not be traced. This meant that witches could not be exterminated, and they would only become more and more numerous.

The church could still maintain its advantage over the witches by relying on the God's Stone of Retribution, but this advantage could only be used to neutralize magic. As it stood, the awakening of witches not only gave them a variety of abilities, but even their physical fitness, thinking speed, and even appearance had exceeded that of ordinary people.

In essence, they could be considered "new humans."

The more cruel the oppression, the more intense the resistance. When a riot led purely by witches was unleashed, how much damage would it cause to Graycastle? The hatred bred by the church, once it could not be controlled, would likely turn into indiscriminate hatred for all the kingdom's people.

Roland did not want to see that happen.

Therefore, he needed to start with Border Town and build a structure that could accommodate both, and then promote it to the entire Graycastle, and even the mainland kingdoms.

A world where witches and ordinary people could coexist peacefully.