Release that Witch

Based on the description of the lord of Silver City, the fallen Gilen Family should not have the financial capacity to support peasants. In other words, Viscount Somi was the real philanthropist who had not only helped with the extensions of the house but had also supplied warm porridge to the poor.

Nightingale didn’t understand why they had chosen to take Hyde in rather than offer him aid and assistance in the revival of House Gilen as what nobles were normally encouraged to do. Nevertheless, Viscount Somi did not seem like a bad man, she thought. A person who was willing to provide food to people in destitution should be, overall, generous and kind in nature. Further, Hyde, in a way, had also benefited from such a benevolent act.

Even if Hyde was currently in a desperate situation, she would not interfere.

She just wanted to visit her old home and... indulge herself a little bit in nostalgia.

When Nightingale was about to depart for other places, a strange feeling suddenly struck her.

She came to a halt. ”Hang on... what’s exactly wrong here?”

She surveyed the yard and frowned at the ragged peasants, the servants maintaining orders, the mansion guards, and the noble hosting the event...

Hyde was not wearing a God’s Stone of Retaliation, not even the kind of the worst quality.

Through the Mist, she could clearly see Hyde’s physical appearance and his clothing. When she rested her eyes on the guard at the entrance, however, she could only spy the scabbard at his heel, since a big black hole in front of his chest blocked her vision.

Now Nightingale perceived the aberrancy: it was absolutely abnormal for an heir of a viscount not to wear any God’s Stones of Retaliation.

Even the guards were wearing one!

She wondered whether it was because Hyde now held an impartial and unprejudiced view of witches, but she soon denied such a possibility. She still remembered the abhorrence with which his brother had said over a decade ago, ”I’d rather not have you as my sister. All witches should go to hell and be in company with demons.” Even though she could not tell truth from lies with her ability back then, she knew Hyde had meant it. His eyes had betrayed everything.

Nightingale then assumed that Hyde probably could not afford a God’s stone. It might happen to a fallen noble, but since Hyde had joined the Somi Family, he should be able to purchase one.

After a moment of hesitation, Nightingale turned around and walked toward the yard.

The moment she passed the mansion gate, she overheard two guards’ conversation. Both of them were speaking in a suppressed voice.

”Nobles are so horrific creatures. He’s no better than us but just a pup used to please his lordship. Who would know he would turn into a completely different person once splendidly dressed? Is it what his lordship usually refers to as the bearing of aristocracies?”

”Stop the nonsense,” the other guard hooted. ”His lordship is in the house right now. If somebody overhears us and tells him what you just said, you’ll lose your salary this month.”

The previous person shrugged. ”No need to worry. I have good ears. I’ll know when somebody approaches. Plus, I didn’t lie. He’s truly a pup. Everybody, both downstairs and upstairs, has heard his lordship bellow at him in a hot red rage.”

”You know his lordship is somewhat faulty in regard to temper, and you still try to irritate him.” The other guard grunted. ”No matter how ill-tempered his lordship is, he’s still a noble. What about you? Are you related to anyone who bears a relatively prominent family name? Even the foreman in the neighboring village is more distinguished than you. If your uncle didn’t ask me to look after you, I wouldn’t have given a damn about what you say.”

”OK, OK. I’ll shut up... What the heck?” The first guard suddenly stiffened.

”What’s the matter?”

”I somehow feel someone just passed us...” He looked around and then murmured. ”Probably I’m just being paranoid.”

...

Ignoring the guards, Nightingale directly walked through the wall and soon located the viscount’s room based on the domain of God’s Stone. Normally, the higher one’s status was, the better quality one’s God’s Stone would be. Nightingale had often used this method to locate her target when she had been employed as an assassin, and her method had rarely failed.

When she learned that Dott Somi was in here, she was dimly aware that the food distribution in the yard might not be as simple as it appeared to be.

Apart from the viscount and a fully-armed knight posed as his guard, there was an old man in a robe standing in front of the desk. He looked like a scholar from the old king’s city.

”Lord Dott, you shouldn’t have yelled at Lord Hyde yesterday. He did submit to you, but your occasional generosity and kindness will help him play his role better.”

Dott Somi, who sat in a high backed armchair, whacked the desk in vexation. ”I know, but I can’t control myself! It took me decades to get what I have. I was only this close to obtaining the two lands in the east, but a random order from Roland Wimbledon just shattered everything! Did you hear what that old fool said? He’s willing to hand over his feudal rights and fully support His Majesty’s new policy! Has it never occurred to him that other people may need those rights that he doesn’t think he needs? That really pissed me off!”

”Smile, Your Lordship... smile. You vented last night already.” The scholar stroked his beards. ”Since you’re so reluctant to implement the new policy, why don’t you refuse to hand over your feudal rights on the spot?”

”Um...” Dott was at a loss for words for a second. He then replied resentfully, ”Do you think I’m in a position to defy the king? Even Timothy’s royal knightage was defeated by Roland. Do you want me to die on the spot?”

”Therefore, your complaints don’t help with anything but only worsen the matter. Such being the case, do you still want to continue with this meaningless grumble?”

”... damn!” The viscount cursed under his breath after a long silence.

”As His Majesty has forfeited nothing but feudal rights, you can follow the example of Earl William. As long as you properly manage your current domain, you won’t suffer great losses.”

”But without the executive power over the jurisdiction, those greedy patrol team will sooner or later come here. How am I supposed to stop them by then?” Dott shook his head vigorously. ”You know what I sell. Once they find out, no doubt I’ll be sent to the gallows.”

”Then abandon that business,” the scholar answered immediately. ”I’ve told you this isn’t going to last long. Since you’ve already raised enough capitals and that the church no longer imposes any restrictions on you, you can now turn to some regular businesses. Why did you put so many efforts in gaining control of the Gilen Family in the first place? Didn’t you want to expand your territory and your authority to be in a more secure position?”

The viscount was apparently having some difficulties in washing his hands of the whole matter. After hesitating for around seven or eight minutes, he finally gave a nod with a flash of heroism. ”I see. This will be the last food distribution. After Hyde is done, I’ll talk to him personally.”

”Don’t just suspend the business all of a sudden, as that’ll raise unwelcome suspicions. You can still do it for a short while but just tell them not to come pick up orders again.”

”Alright. I’ll do what you said.” After resolving to leave what the scholar called a ”shady business”, Dott was completely alleviated. He leaned backward in the armchair and laughed aloud. ”The two Gilens must have no idea what they’ve missed. Since they don’t know about anything, I obviously become the perfect person to take care of the Gilen Family. I bet Hyde still thinks his parents died in that refugee riot, doesn’t he? Hahaha...”

The words enraged Nightingale so much that her pupils suddenly contracted in anger.