Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

To avoid worrying her master, Ella tugged at Wayne's sleeve and spoke up.

"Don't worry, Master, I won't cause you any trouble."

Alice smiled as she looked at the flustered Ella.

"Little Ella, you don't really think that a duke's son can do anything to you, do you?"

Emma blinked.

"Um...Is the Marquis of Angus's mansion actually quite powerful?"

Alice couldn't help but laugh at Emma's cautious demeanor. "Unfortunately, the Marquis of Angus's mansion isn't that impressive. Any earl's mansion in the capital with its own territory and subjects has more influence than ours. But..."

Alice paused slightly.

"Just because the Angus family isn't powerful doesn't mean my brother isn't powerful."

Emma's eyes lit up again, and she took half a step forward: "Is your master very powerful?"

“Of course.” Alice raised her chin. “My brother is a representative of the new faction of the Papacy, the head of the Black Order, and someone Her Majesty the Queen personally designated for important positions. The Crawford family, to put it bluntly, is nothing more than aristocratic families living off the remnants of the old order. Do they even deserve to put on airs in front of my brother?”

Wayne glanced at Ella at the opportune moment.

"Don't worry, if that kid dares to bully you again, just tell me and I'll teach him a lesson."

Hearing Wayne say this, Ella was visibly pleased, and the faint gloom between her brows vanished.

When they returned to the gate of the Marquis's mansion.

Wayne and Alice were both stunned.

The once spacious courtyard in front of the gate was now filled with carriages of all sizes. A rough count revealed no fewer than ten. The carriages were painted with various family crests, and some were quite ornately decorated, inlaid with gold and silver, clearly belonging to nobles who had traveled from afar.

The servants at the gate were carrying luggage, their faces covered in sweat. Noisy conversations could be heard from inside the courtyard, interspersed with occasional exaggerated laughter.

Wayne turned to look at Alice.

"Did you invite these people?"

Alice was even more bewildered than him: "I didn't even know anyone was coming today. I didn't invite any guests."

Just then, the panel popped up at the opportune moment.

[Explanation of the Current Abnormal Situation at the Marquis's Mansion]

[Planner: Lynch Angus]

[Specific Actions: Under the pretext of "celebrating the triumphant return of Angus's eldest son to the capital," he sent letters inviting distant relatives of the Angus family scattered throughout the kingdom, as well as several minor nobles with old ties to the family, to a banquet at the Marquis's manor. The core purpose was to use this opportunity to create momentum for you, and incidentally, to invite the daughter of the Grand Duke of the Northern Winters, intending to facilitate a marriage alliance between you and the Winters family.]

[Note: Lynch felt that although he and Her Majesty the Queen were distant cousins, this relationship was too weak. Only if he could establish a marriage alliance with the Grand Duke of Winterfell would the Angus family's foothold in the North be truly secure. To make this happen, he even sought advice from a mysterious "court mage."]

[Note 2: To ensure a smooth blind date today, Lynch specifically sought help from the sorcerer behind Angus. The sorcerer gave him a "lucky charm"—a piece of women's underwear. It is said that wearing this item near the chest can trigger some ancient, hidden rule, bringing good fortune.]

[Note: This magician is the same one who performed before the king and earned Lynch a reward.]

Wayne was speechless.

After finally having a couple of days of peace, this old father started coming up with new ideas again, and the marriage partner is none other than the daughter of the Grand Duke of Winter. This old father really dares to dream.

Grand Duke Eric of Winter knew.

He had heard this name back in the North. Winterfell was the most important hub in the northern part of the Kingdom of Wiggins, boasting five thousand Snow Wolf Guards, making it the undisputed uncrowned king of the entire North. Eric Winterfell himself was known for his strict military discipline and tough style; in the North, his word carried more weight than the laws of the capital.

How could the daughter of such a man come to the capital to attend a banquet hosted by a figurehead marquis like Lynch Angus?

Wayne sensed something was off.

But... what the hell is that magician? His cheapskate father wouldn't actually do it, would he?

Alice, seeing Wayne staring blankly, softly called out, "Brother, what's wrong?"

Wayne snapped out of his daze.

"It's nothing. Let's go inside."

The group walked through the porch toward the main house. On the way, they bumped into a figure who was hunched over and trying to slip away along the wall.

The old butler, his back hunched, clutched an account book in his hand, his steps hurried and light, as he tried to slip away through the side corridor amidst the chaos.

"stop."

Alice's voice came from behind the butler.

He turned around stiffly, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Miss...Young Master...you two are back..."

Alice didn't give him a chance to change the subject: "Tell me, what exactly happened? What's the deal with all these carriages and guests at your residence today?"

The old steward lowered his head, knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, and honestly confessed: "It was the master's arrangement. The master said that he would send letters to invite distant relatives of the Angus family scattered throughout the kingdom, as well as several minor nobles who had old ties with the family, under the pretext of 'celebrating the triumphant return of Angus's eldest son to the capital.'"

He paused, then lowered his voice slightly: "Moreover... the daughter of the Duke of Winter is also among the guests."

Upon hearing the last sentence, Alice instantly understood: "The daughter of the Grand Duke of Winter? Is Father going to sell my brother to the Angus family in exchange for a powerful backer in the North?"

The old butler lowered his head, not daring to respond.

Alice's every word was dripping with anger: "How many people did he invite? When did the banquet start? What do you mean he still held the banquet even though my brother and I weren't there?"

The old butler's head drooped lower and lower: "Uh... there are more than twenty guests in total, mainly from collateral branches of the family and some old acquaintances. There are also a few... whom the master has only recently met, and they are said to be quite influential. The banquet started an hour ago. The master said... as the head of the family, he would entertain them first, and they could formally take their seats after the young master and young lady returned."

Alice got even angrier, her chest heaving several times.

"He—! He did this while we were out? If we hadn't come back today, would he have arranged the marriage for you?"

Seeing her puffed-up face, Wayne laughed instead: "Alright, don't be so angry. Things are already like this, getting angry won't solve anything. Why don't we go in and see what they're up to, so we can have a better understanding of the situation?"

Alice wanted to say a few more words, but seeing Wayne's calm demeanor, her anger subsided somewhat.

"Alright, let's listen to our brother and go in to see what's going on."