Wendy opened her eyes, and an unfamiliar ceiling came into view. Wooden beams hung with cobwebs, a gray brick ceiling, and a ring-shaped chandelier that had never been lit. The scene went from blurry to clear until every detail was revealed.

Not a cold rock slab or a narrow tent, she thought. That's right, she had left the Mutual Aid Society for more than half a month. She wondered if the Mentor had led the sisters to successfully find the Holy Mountain?

She took a deep breath. Although it wasn't as fresh and cold as in the cave, the stuffy and warm atmosphere in the room made her feel comfortable. Her body was wrapped in a soft velvet quilt, and there were several layers of cotton blankets underneath, which would sink slightly when she lay down. Even if she stretched her body completely straight, her toes would not come out of the quilt.

The feeling of wanting to stay in bed made her feel a little guilty. She had only been here for half a month, but she felt a long-lost sense of peace.

In the castle, no one would bother her no matter how late she got up. For example, now, Wendy turned her head to look out the window, and the gray and white sky was even a little dazzling. It was probably past the Fox Hour (10 o'clock). In the past few years of wandering, she rarely had the opportunity to sleep peacefully. The slightest noise would wake her from her dreams, and she had to start preparing today's food before dawn. When going out, she was always worried about being discovered by the church, and no one could guarantee surviving the next demonic backlash.

Even if she hid in the Impassable Mountain Range, she should have been immersed in busy chores long ago, or helping to dry food and herbs, drying the sisters' clothes that had been wet by the snow, or cleaning the camp, and so on...

It wasn't that Wendy was unwilling to do these things. Seeing everyone's smiles, she would also feel extremely happy. But she found that she couldn't resist such a lazy life, and instead felt a little immersed in it.

No, she couldn't continue to be so lazy. She patted her cheeks and mustered her strength to get out of bed. After all, the Mother Superior often warned her at the monastery that lazy people would not be blessed by God.

She would go to the back garden to practice wind control later, and clean up the snow. Thinking of His Highness the Prince's requirements for practice, Wendy couldn't help but want to laugh. What strange requirements were those—for example, after watching the ability demonstration, he hoped that she could blow the wind to a distance of ten steps above her head. However, no witch had ever been able to extend her magic so far. When she was told that she couldn't do it, he not only didn't get angry, but came up with a strange idea: to let her stand on a stool to blow strong winds up and down at the same time. Wendy tried it and found that it was a feasible way. The test results made His Highness the Prince very satisfied. In addition to asking her to practice more in this way, he also asked her if she had a fear of heights.

Just as Nightingale said, Roland Wimbledon was an elusive person, but he was also a prince who cared for witches very much.

Thinking of this, Wendy sighed softly.

A prince who doesn't hate witches really exists. Mentor, you were wrong.

Putting on her brand-new clothes, she felt a slight tightness in her chest—Wendy was used to this. Just as she was about to find a needle and thread to alter them, there was a knock on the door outside.

"Come in."

Nightingale pushed the door open and entered. Wendy was slightly stunned, then smiled, "Hasn't His Highness gotten up yet? You actually have time to come here."

"What are you talking about? I don't have time to follow him around all day." Nightingale held up the basket in her hand. "I brought you breakfast."

Breakfast was usually delivered to the room by a maid. Apart from Nightingale often coming to chat with her after His Highness the Prince went to bed, it was difficult to see her at other times. Wendy smiled inwardly. She must have sneaked in to see her several times after she just woke up.

"Speak, what's the matter?" She took the basket and took out a piece of bread with cheese in it, putting it into her mouth.

"Um..." Nightingale walked to the bed and sat down. "Nana waited today to get through... that day."

Wendy was silent. Although it was said to be the first magic backlash, it would not be as violent and lasting as the Coming-of-Age Day, but it still couldn't be said to be absolutely safe. The younger the age, the lower the tolerance for pain. She put the basket on the bedside table, walked up to Nightingale, and patted her on the shoulder, "Didn't His Highness say that as long as you keep releasing magic every day, you can minimize the torture?"

"But that's just speculation."

"At least it sounds reasonable," Wendy comforted. "Isn't that how Anna got through it? Even on the most difficult Coming-of-Age Day, she didn't suffer any harm. You saw it with your own eyes." She paused and asked, "Where is Nana waited?"

"She's in the medical center now." Speaking of this, Nightingale couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth. "I heard that her father, Baron Payne, bought a large group of wild rabbits from hunters and sent them to the medical center. He said that she would practice until tomorrow."

"It's so good to have such a father," Wendy sighed. "I don't remember what happened when I was a child... It's strange, it's like there's a blank space in my memory. No father, no mother, since I knew anything, I've been staying in the monastery."

"Looks like I'm a little luckier than you."

"Yeah, a lot luckier." Wendy leaned closer to her and sat down. "Are you nervous?"

"..." Nightingale was silent for a moment and nodded lightly.

Of course, Wendy knew what the other party was nervous about. Today was not only an important day for Nana waited, but also a key turning point in reversing the fate of witches. If Nana waited could safely get through this backlash, it would mean that witches could completely get rid of the shadow of demonic claws, and Border Town would become a veritable "Holy Mountain"—one day, all the witches would gather here and live a life that was no different from ordinary people, never having to wander around and avoid the church's hunt.

"No matter how worried we are, it's useless. Let's just be lazy for a day and accompany Nana waited."

"Be... lazy?" Nightingale stared at Wendy with wide eyes.

"Yeah, it's all your fault for telling me the news so early, making me nervous too," Wendy said bluntly. "Since I'm not in the mood to practice, I'll just go visit Nana waited. Isn't it written in the contract? This is called paid leave."

...

After dinner, Nana waited's room was already crowded with people—Anna, Lightning, Nightingale, Wendy, Tigu, and Roland. Seeing this situation, the little girl's face was full of tangled emotions, "Uh... am I going to die?"

"Of course not!" Everyone shook their heads together.

"It's just the first time, the backlash power won't be very strong," Wendy held Nana waited's right hand and said, "Concentrate your mind, you can definitely get through it."

"If it hurts, pinch Dad's hand," Tigu shook his daughter's left hand and said, "You've become very strong in the medical center. Dad is proud of you."

The little girl nodded, her eyes passed over everyone, and finally looked at Anna.

Anna stepped forward and kissed her forehead, "Survive, okay?"

"... Yeah."