A week later, the First Army Expeditionary Force and the witches finally arrived at Border Town. From the day of departure, this mission took almost half a month, five days later than expected.

The main reason was that when the fleet embarked on its return journey, Pero Helmon, the agent of the fortress, sent a messenger to report an unknown epidemic at Longsong Stronghold.

Since Roland had already given Pero a reminder, when the epidemic was discovered, he took isolation measures as much as possible, closing off the entire affected area and sending a message to Border Town as soon as possible.

After receiving the epidemic report, Roland had Maisie set off at full speed, traveling east along the Redwater River to find the fleet carrying the First Army soldiers, and had them change course at the Redwater River fork to go to Longsong Stronghold, extinguish the plague, and then return to the town.

Roland led the remaining members of the First Army and the families of the expeditionary force to welcome their successful return at the dock. Accompanied by the familiar army march, the soldiers excitedly saluted the prince, and many imitated the knightly salute, kneeling on one knee and shouting "Long live!" After getting off the dock, they hugged their loved ones tightly, and Echo sounded the salute in a timely manner. The atmosphere at the scene was extraordinarily lively, attracting the attention of many serfs and refugees.

Back at the castle, Iron Axe gave a complete report on the mission.

"You're saying that there were witches among the enemies who attacked the First Army?" Roland pondered for a moment, "It's unlikely that it was the Rats."

"Tassa also thinks so. He even believes that the Rats were assigned by other forces, otherwise these scum rarely leave their nests. The only ones in the royal capital who can drive the Rats and have witches are Tyfico and the Church," Iron Axe said. "Even those great nobles can't come up with the chips to make the largest black street organization in the area go all out."

"However, Tyfico himself is in the Eastern Territory, and considering that they dared to send witches out to fight alone, I think the Church is more likely," Roland thought of Wendy and Ashes's encounters and didn't find it strange that the Church had a group of secretly cultivated witches. "Are you sure she's dead?"

"Shot in the chest by Nightingale, her chest cavity was shattered," Iron Axe nodded. "We buried her in the wheat field, where we found the sentinel's body."

The team of three hundred encountered a large-scale Rat night attack on the last day, resulting in one death and four injuries. The only casualty was killed by the enemy witch. The four injured were shot by hand crossbows by enemies who managed to get close. The rapid-fire power of the revolving buqiang ended the battle before it reached the melee stage. The wounded were also properly bandaged, and after returning to Border Town, they immediately received Nana Weaver's treatment. Thanks to Lily's presence, the wounds were almost never infected. As long as the crossbow bolts did not hit vital organs, the wounded soldiers had an extremely high chance of survival after stopping the bleeding.

Overall, Roland was very satisfied with the First Army's first expedition. As for being infiltrated by the enemy, he didn't know much about it, only knowing that sentries should be set up in the open and hidden to monitor each other, but he would leave the specifics to Iron Axe to figure out.

"Good work. I'll hold a medal ceremony tomorrow in the central square of the town. Go and inform all the members of the First Army."

After Iron Axe excused himself, Roland let out a long sigh of relief.

"Well done," he took out a bag of charcoal-grilled dried fish from the drawer and placed it on the table. "If it weren't for you, they would have been in danger."

Nightingale appeared, smiling as she accepted the dried fish. "I said before we left, you can count on me."

"How strong was the opponent?"

"Agile, very decisive, should have undergone years of training. If I hadn't entered the Mist the moment she turned to resist, I might have been hit by the choking powder she threw." Nightingale shrugged, recounting the exchange in a light tone, but he knew it all happened in the blink of an eye. "I didn't want to kill her... but when I saw her gaze as she stabbed at Wendy, I knew that nothing but death could stop her."

"..." Roland was silent for a moment. "Do you remember what you said to me when you came back from the fortress after defeating Tyfico's militia?"

Nightingale thought for a moment. "It's not your fault?"

"That's right," he nodded. "If she was a witch raised by the Church from a young age, she would only see you as traitors, degenerates. Without years of getting along, it would be difficult to correct her fixed mindset... At least, you saved Wendy and the others."

Nightingale laughed. "Are you comforting me?"

"Uh..." Roland coughed twice, "I really think so."

"Don't worry, I won't feel sad for the enemy. Although she was a witch, the path she chose is completely different from the future I want to see. I understood this on the way back on the ship." Nightingale took out a piece of dried fish and put it in her mouth. "Defeating the enemy and protecting my sisters, I'm just doing my duty."

"It's good that you think so," Roland said with relief. It seemed that he had underestimated her. He thought she would feel lost and confused about killing a witch with her own hands, but he didn't expect her to adjust in such a short time. It seemed that Nightingale was approaching maturity in both mind and belief.

"But there's one thing I want to ask you," she hesitated for a moment after swallowing the fish.

"What?"

"Have you and Anna done anything these days?" Nightingale's voice was getting lower and lower, but her eyes were still fixed on the prince, "... You know what I mean."

Roland almost knocked over the cup in his hand. "Cough, why are you asking this... I've been busy settling the refugees these days, and I've had very few opportunities to be alone with her."

Her eyes lit up. "You're not lying."

"Of course not, I am..."

Before Roland could finish his sentence, Nightingale suddenly disappeared in front of him, and then he felt a pair of soft lips pressed against his, the touch fleeting, leaving only a salty taste of dried fish. It took him a long time to realize what she had done.

"Wait..."

He couldn't even say that, and two slender fingers sealed his lips. Although he couldn't see her, he knew Nightingale was by his side.

"I know what you want to say..." Her whisper came from his ear, "I'm not trying to change anything, and I don't plan to cut in front of Anna. I just hope to stay by your side, that's all. Please forgive me for not daring to show myself, because now I don't know what expression to face you with. Your Highness, you don't hate me, do you?"

"..." Roland opened his mouth. It was impossible to say that he hated Nightingale. The obstacle in his heart came from his cognition over the past twenty years, not just simple liking. He couldn't deceive himself on this point.

"If that's the case," she said softly, "then don't say anything. This isn't your fault, I just did what I wanted to do."