A life of peace and tranquility.
It seems that was simply not meant for Ronald...
On what started off as a normal day, Ronald had just picked up the book Mou Li brought for him and was about to start reading it.
But at that moment, someone knocked on his door.
Following that, the urgent-sounding voice of the High Witch, more rapid than usual, rang out from outside:
"Ronald, I need to go out for a bit."
Placing the book back into the cabinet, Ronald immediately stood up and replied:
As soon as his words ended, the footsteps of the High Witch heading toward the stairs could be heard from outside the door.
Hearing this commotion, Ronald’s eyebrows furrowed.
Ever since he arrived in Springs, apart from when she initially registered her identity, the High Witch had almost always stayed at home, never indulging in such outings.
And her behavior today was out of the ordinary.
Her tone and movements were also so rushed?
She must have sensed something!
Realizing this, Ronald took two strides across the living room, grabbed his coat from the rack, and walked out.
As he followed her down the stairs.
Ronald straightened his coat and put it on while calling down to the High Witch:
"Lady Teresa, why are you in such a hurry today?"
"Has something happened?"
The High Witch was, after all, an elderly lady.
Despite her hurried pace, Ronald quickly caught up to her.
She then nodded slightly towards Ronald and whispered an explanation:
"It seems something has happened in the city, and we should go have a look."
Hearing the implication in the High Witch’s words, Ronald emphasized his pronunciation and confirmed:
"Do you mean ’we’ as in... people like us?"
The High Witch immediately nodded:
Without further ado, the two of them descended the stairs, crossed the courtyard, and left the apartment building, heading straight to the streets of the Riverbank district.
At this moment, it was still morning.
Besides Ronald and the other, there weren’t many pedestrians on the street.
Within such a setting, a middle-aged man in a brown overcoat approached them.
Looking up at the High Witch and Ronald, he promptly began to speak:
"Mr. Ronald, you are..."
However, before he could finish, the High Witch cut the man’s words short:
"Listen, prepare a carriage right now."
"We have an urgent matter to attend to!"
Looking at the investigator in front of her, the High Witch spoke with a tone that was far from polite, nearly indistinguishable from a direct command.
And facing the attitude of this keeper of the original texts.
The investigator who had come to inquire also immediately showed his position.
With a resolute expression, standing firm, even in the presence of a leader of the "Twelve Witches", he unshakingly replied:
"I’m sorry, Lady Teresa."
"If you require a carriage, then please state your reason."
"We will, of course, hold the due respect for you, but that does not mean we will fulfill any of your demands unconditionally. After all, ’Power Company’ is responsible for the safety of the entire city."
Although they usually tried their best to satisfy the demands of the grand witch.
At the end of the day, that was all a policy adopted to keep the grand witch from causing trouble, when it really came down to the other party wanting to move about the city freely, the stance of the investigator was still very firm.
Even under the oppressive aura of the grand witch, a figure long accustomed to being in power.
This investigator, facing her, was unshaken in both his movements and expression.
At times , there was no choice but to step in and smooth things over.
Standing aside, Ronald almost imperceptibly sighed.
As a buffer between the Investigation Bureau and the grand witch, it was now naturally his turn to speak.
However, the grand witch moved faster than Ronald had anticipated.
Upon having her request denied, the grand witch merely hesitated for a breath before nodding slightly towards the investigator:
"Sir, I hope you don’t misunderstand my intention."
"I just sensed some individuals fighting within the city, and after all, it is the purpose of my visit to Springs. You wouldn’t obstruct me, would you?"
Was this the grand witch conceding?
Standing to one side, Ronald, who was just about to speak, felt somewhat conflicted.
He had anticipated a confrontation and even the escalation of hostility, yet, to his surprise, it was the grand witch who chose to concede first. For someone of her stature to explain herself was tantamount to admitting her withdrawal.
Such a decisive and swift choice.
Should he admire her resolution or be astonished by her retreat?
Of course, Ronald’s thoughts did not affect the two conversing individuals.
After the grand witch took the initiative to step back, the middle-aged investigator didn’t continue to cause trouble. After all, the grand witch had entered Springs through proper procedures, and he had no reason to block her any further.
Pleased, the investigator nodded and then stepped back two paces before making a hand gesture toward the side of the street.
A carriage, already prepared at the corner of the street, immediately approached them.
He tipped his hand towards the carriage.
Speaking again, the middle-aged investigator’s tone had softened considerably:
"This is our Power Company’s carriage, and you may use it at your discretion."
"Of course, please try not to damage it."
The grand witch immediately nodded in response and then walked towards the carriage:
After exchanging a glance with the middle-aged investigator.
Ronald quickly followed the grand witch.
Under the investigator’s watchful eye, the two of them took seats in the carriage.
After they respectively settled into their seats, the grand witch spoke without hesitation to the driver:
"Sir, take us to the beach in the Whitesand District, keep heading outside the city."
"I’ll tell you when we are close."
The grand witch gave her destination with decisive clarity, her eyes showing not the slightest hint of hesitation.
Faced with such decisiveness, Ronald quickly thought of the grand witch’s spells.
Judging by her ability to manipulate wind, or rather, air currents.
Might the owner of this grimoire have an especially far-reaching scouting ability?
While Ronald pondered this, the driver of the carriage let out a shout, and the carriage began to move forward.
As the middle-aged investigator had described, this driver hired by the Investigation Bureau was very familiar with the rules of the mystical side, and would not ask any questions about the passengers’ requests.
In his view, the sole objective was to transport the occupants of the carriage to their destination.
It was then that Ronald, sitting next to the grand witch, initiated a conversation:
"Lady Theresa, just what has happened that you came out in such a rush, even taking actions contrary to your usual habits?"
"Ronald..." Upon hearing Ronald’s query, the grand witch shook her head gravely and, while watching the scenery slide past outside the carriage, she simultaneously explained, "They’ve gone to war."
"It’s happening over by the beach, a not insignificant battle is underway."
"And we, must go as well!"