Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

the next day.

The negotiations were not going well.

When Lance finished speaking, Shurasha was eating breakfast. She held a piece of dark bread in her hand, dipping it in broth, chewing it bite by bite. She listened to the whole thing without interrupting, without saying a word, and without even changing her expression.

She swallowed the last bite of bread, picked up the bowl, took a sip of soup, and wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

"Are you done talking?"

Lance stood in front of her, his hands still bound.

"That's all."

Xiulasa put down her bowl and looked him up and down.

"Stay here, work for me, give it your all. Stay in good accommodations, eat well, and you're in charge of what happens tonight."

She repeated those words, as if savoring their meaning. Then she laughed, not a mocking laugh, but a laugh that seemed to think the other person was naive.

"Young people," she said.

Do you know where I am?

Lance didn't say anything.

"This is a den of thieves," Shurasha said, her voice low but each word clearly enunciated. "Human traffickers, highway robbers, murderers—we have all sorts of scum. You're paladins, the Pope's men, wearing silver armor, adorned with holy symbols, reciting sacred texts. You expect me to treat you like human beings?"

She stood up, walked around the long table, and stood in front of Lance. She was half a head shorter than him, but when she looked up at him, she was just as imposing.

"What can you do? Pray? Chant scriptures? Or illuminate everyone with holy light?"

She reached out and patted Lance's face.

"I'm keeping you here because you can get work done. Not the kind where you're in charge, but the kind where I'm in charge. Understand?"

Xiulasa glanced at him, turned around and walked back to the table, sat down again, and picked up another piece of bread.

"but……"

She took a bite and chewed twice.

You're right about one thing.

Lance looked at her.

"What?"

"You really don't need to sell anymore."

Xiulasa put down the bread and picked up the soup bowl.

"I've changed my mind. We'll keep this batch of goods."

She took a sip of soup and looked down from above the rim of the bowl.

"But don't get me wrong. We're keeping you here not because you negotiated well. It's because these days, good quality goods like you are hard to find."

……

Meanwhile, in Frost Town.

The morning prayers had just ended, and the crowd had not yet dispersed.

The panel popped up.

[Kant Border - Morning Briefing]

[Follow-up to the negotiations: Shurasa rejected all of Lance's conditions. However, she confirmed one fact: the goods would not be sold; she would keep them for herself. The Seven Holy Knights were downgraded from "goods for sale" to "long-term assets." Their treatment and situation remained unchanged; the only difference was that they were no longer in a hurry to find buyers.]

[Note: That's right! Lance sold you out, but you successfully avoided being sold yourself. Shurasa did consider kidnapping you, but she thought it wasn't worth the trip for a "handsome priest."]

Unexpectedly, Lance shifted the blame to someone else.

Wayne closed his eyes.

Goddess above.

Who is testing whom here?

He thought about it and figured it was probably a test for Lance. As for himself, he was just a supporting character in this test, a "handsome priest" who was mentioned casually.

He stood up and straightened his clothes. Lisa walked over from the other end of the bench, still clutching a rag in her hand.

"Sir, you don't look well."

"fine."

"Didn't you sleep well last night?"

"good."

Just then, Lillian ran in through the side door.

She wore a red dress today, her hair tied in a ponytail that swayed as she ran. She was like a moving flame, burning from the doorway all the way to Wayne before stopping.

"Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne!"

Wayne was standing by the podium tidying up the scriptures when she was startled by her shout.

"What's wrong?"

Lillian's eyes shone like two stars.

"Have you heard? The mayor's son has run away from home!"

Her voice wasn't quiet, and the few people who hadn't finished walking through the church turned to look. Lisa stopped wiping the chair, draped the cloth over the back of the chair, and tilted her ear in this direction.

Wayne glanced at Lillian.

"Ace?"

"Yes, yes, yes! It's him!" Lillian took a half step forward, lowering her voice slightly, but her excitement was undiminished. "He left last night, riding out of the north gate, and hasn't returned this morning. The mayor sent men to chase him, but they haven't found a trace of him yet."

She paused, then added.

"I heard he left a letter with just one sentence: 'I'm going to find myself.' What do you mean by that? Isn't he himself? Where else would he need to look?"

Wayne didn't respond.

Lillian didn't seem to care and continued talking to herself.

"The rumors are going around town. Some say he had a falling out with his family, some say he ran away with gambling debts, and others say..."

She lowered her voice further, leaning close to Wayne's ear: "Some people say he ran away because he was caught liking men."

Wien closed the scroll and placed it beside the lectern.

"Where did you hear that from?"

“Dora said so.” Lillian straightened up, her tone carrying a “I have a witness” confidence. “Dora said her little bird heard it. A servant at the mayor’s mansion heard the mayor and Ace arguing in the corridor the night before last. They were arguing fiercely. They were saying things like ‘You like men’ and ‘You embarrass me.’”

After she finished speaking, she added another sentence.

"Of course, Dora's little bird sometimes misunderstands. Last time she thought the mayor was going to take a concubine, but it turned out the mayor's wife had just bought a new cat. But this time she should be right, because the little bird listened very carefully and when she came back and imitated Dora, she even mimicked her tone."

Wayne tucked the scroll under his arm and walked toward the side door.

Lillian followed behind him, her steps light and quick, like a little chick chasing after someone.

"Mr. Wayne, do you think Ace can find himself?"

"have no idea."

"Don't you care?"

"I don't care."

Why?

"Because he is not my believer."

Lillian paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Mr. Wayne, you have a very interesting story to tell."

Wayne didn't reply, but pushed open the side door and walked into the corridor.

Lillian followed behind, her skirt sweeping back and forth in the corridor like a red broom.

"Mr. Wayne, do you think the mayor might come to you for help finding someone? After all, you can even exorcise demons, finding someone shouldn't be difficult, right?"

"Won't."

Why?

"Because I am a priest, not a hunting dog."

Lillian was taken aback.

"That makes sense."

Wayne stopped and turned to look at her.

"Is there anything else?"

Lillian wiped away the tears of laughter and straightened up.

"have."

"What is it?"

"The church group is having lunch today, and the leader asked me to ask if you'd like to join us?"

Wayne looked at her.

"Why are you calling me?"

"Because..." Lillian thought for a moment, "because you healed Wendy and helped Dora and the others break their curse. The leader said you're now a friend of the Order. When friends get together, of course you have to invite them too."

She emphasized the word "friend" very heavily, as if she was stressing something.

Wayne was silent for a moment.

"I'm not free at noon."

"And what about tonight?"

"I don't have time either."

"What about tomorrow?"

Wayne looked at her.

Why do you insist that I go?

Lillian blinked.

"Because the boss said that if she can't invite you, she'll deduct my allowance for this month."

Wayne never expected that even someone as simple-minded as Lillian would receive a salary after joining the Order.

Lillian clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling.

"Mr. Wayne, please. I've been saving up my allowance for months, just to buy the new third volume of 'The Priest and the Magical Girl' that's been released in the capital. If it gets confiscated, I won't be able to buy it."

Wayne stared at Lillian's face, which was filled with "please" written all over it, and remained silent for a moment.

"Tomorrow at noon."

Lillian's eyes lit up immediately.

"real?"

"real."

"That's wonderful!" Lillian almost jumped up. "I'll go tell Big Sister right now! Mr. Wayne, you're so kind! You're the best priest in the world!"