Unfortunately, the good times were short-lived. In the winter of her fourteenth year, a refugee uprising erupted in Silverlight City, and her parents, who had been distributing food to the displaced, never returned. Nightingale and her younger brother were sent to another branch of the Gran family—the home of her father's kinsmen.
That very winter, the Nightingale awakened to become a Witch.
She carefully concealed her abilities, but Old Glen still discovered her. He snatched her brother from her side and used his life to blackmail Nightingale into serving him.
The Nightingale had no choice but to comply. She was subjected to intensive training by the members of the thieves 'guild recruited by Old Glen, then forced to perform various underhanded tasks for him—such as infiltrating rival merchants' homes to steal contracts and documents, eavesdropping on city council meetings, and eventually even poisoning the water jars or wine cups of potential competitors.
As the Grans 'business expanded, their treatment of Nightingale grew increasingly harsh. At the slightest provocation, he would lash out at her with fists and kicks. He confined her to a room with iron bars on the door, leaving her no room for personal matters. What pained Nightingale most was her brother Hyde's near-total absence. She began to suspect that Old Grans might have murdered her brother.
After her persistent pleading, the other party reluctantly brought her younger brother. Yet Heidi glared at Nightingale with disdain, muttering that she wished the witch had never existed—she'd have gone to hell to be with the Devil.
The Nightingale was utterly devastated, but the nightmare was far from over. Old Glen delivered the final blow—revealing the secret of her transformation into a Witch, which Heide had disclosed to her, all to drive the Witch away as far as possible.
After bidding farewell to Heidi, Old Glen coldly warned her that his brother would inherit his father's title upon coming of age, but if Nightingale did not obey his commands, he could have his brother killed without a word.
Thus, in despair and profound grief, the Nightingale became a puppet under the control of the Grann family. As Xueyue, nearing adulthood, was returning from her mission, she encountered Wendy—or rather, it was Wendy who found her.
When Nightingale learned of the existence of the Witches Association and the many sisters like her who had suffered misfortune yet refused to surrender, a spark suddenly rekindled in her shattered heart.
From confusion to determination, she did not spend much time. On her coming-of-age day a week later, she endured the torment with gritted teeth, and her strength underwent a dramatic transformation. The fog no longer merely concealed her form; she realized that those iron railings could no longer restrain her.
After the symptoms subsided on her coming-of-age day, she entered Old Glen's bedroom like a ghost one night and slit his throat with a dagger. Witnessing the gushing blood several feet high and the victim's gasping inhalation, she was unexpectedly found to be calmer than she had imagined.
Later, the Nightingale left the Grange family, and as for her younger brother Hyde, she no longer wished to concern herself with him.
And so, she and Wendy embarked on a journey to find the Mutual Aid Society.
After the Nightingale finished her tale, she paused briefly before noticing Prince remained lost in memories, so she left early. Roland took much longer to recover. It must be said, every Witch carries a long and bitter history, and those who survive to adulthood are the rarest among them.
To have crossed over and even become Prince is truly the luckiest thing imaginable.
Early the next morning, Roland went to visit Wendy in the Nightingale's room.
After a full night of recuperation, Wendy's complexion appeared markedly improved, and her reattached arm regained its blood color. Despite lingering physical weakness, she propped herself up and bowed to Prince in salute.
"I know what you're up to. Thank you for saving Nightingale's life," Roland said bluntly, pulling a parchment from his robe. "There's no doubt Hakkara won't accept your return to the Guild anymore. Why don't you stay in Border Town and serve me? Sign this contract if you agree. Your pay is the same as Anna's—one golden dragon per month." "Your Highness..." Nightingale blinked, hesitating before speaking.
Roland knew exactly what she meant. To the friend who had altered her life's course and saved her in the Desperate Mountains, Nightingale didn't want to force Wendy into a decision so hastily. She was convinced that if Wendy stayed in Border Town long enough, she would inevitably side with her.
"I wish we hadn't rushed into this discussion, but every day of delay only heightens the danger," Roland paused, while Wendy remained silent, waiting for the next words. "I think I've figured out how the Witches can safely survive the Awakening Day." "What?" The moment those words were spoken, both Witches turned pale and asked in unison.
"It's just speculation without concrete evidence," Roland waved his hand. "Witches would suffer less harm in the camp than during exile. The only difference is that while you hide your identities during exile to avoid detection, you must constantly use your abilities to maintain daily operations here." Wendy nodded. "You're right about that." "When Anna was in the castle, she trained her abilities daily. Before her coming-of-age day, she even depleted her Magic Power until she passed out. When she woke up, she had safely passed the most grueling witch trial without a scratch." "So this might be the key to solving the demon devourer problem. Witches are vessels of Magic Power. As they grow, their Magic Power accumulates. When it exceeds the body's tolerance, it harms them. The Demon Moon itself represents the peak of a witch's power." "If you can continuously release your Magic Power to maintain it at a safe level, the torment of the awakening day might be greatly reduced or even eliminated entirely." Roland paused before continuing. "As Lord of Border Town, I can provide a safe space for witches to unleash their power. No one will arrest, judge, or execute you for this. If my guess is correct, then Border Town is undoubtedly the holy mountain you've been seeking." From birth, witches are taught that this perilous power is a gift from the Devil. Even the most rational individuals would recognize that the force of self-retribution is inherently a curse—a vicious cycle where the less one uses it, the stronger it grows. Roland, however, as a time traveler, views this power differently. After examining the Fourth Prince's memories and ruling out the existence of the true God, he simply sees Magic Power as an energy—a supernatural ability that can be controlled by one's will.
After a long silence, Wendy finally asked, "If I sign the contract and pledge to serve you, what would I need to do first?" For centuries, some witches had been secretly imprisoned by a few ambitious individuals for their unique abilities, treated as expendable resources. Despite the Church's severe punishments for such acts, the practice persisted. They ruthlessly exploited witches, and once their usefulness was lost, their fate was utterly tragic.
Roland had certainly heard of it too, but what he valued was the long-term benefit—a sustainable development system that could benefit all parties. He smiled and replied, "Your first step is to practice your skills repeatedly until you fully master them—just like Anna did."