Chapter 78

Chapter 78

#78. The Divine Power of the North (1)

Isabel’s story slowly got underway and before we knew it, had reached its final stop.

“Barely surviving… the fifty witches, including myself, wandered around the continent like lost dogs.”

The old witch never let her pipe leave her mouth, puffing away like a chain-smoker.

“And then, by chance, we heard a rumor. That in the northern part of the continent, the influence of the Order and the Mage Tower hadn’t yet reached.”

The room was filled with smoke from the mana cigarettes, making it look like a misty morning.

“At that time, the northerners desperately needed magic or divine power. But neither the mages from the Mage Tower nor the priests from the Order showed any interest in the barren north.”

The old witch who had lived through many long years gazed up at the ceiling of the hall.

There, faintly depicted, was a mural showcasing the achievements of Rune Lenslet.

“So, I led the witches endlessly northward, always northward. Sometimes on our brooms, sometimes trudging along on foot…”

Puffing intermittently on her mana cigarette, Isabel’s eyes were glazed over as if she were under the influence of some drug.

“There were also rumors that black wizards, who suffered similar persecution as us, were active there… At least they wouldn’t chase us away… With this sliver of hope…”

Regret, sorrow, and longing turned into tears streaming down the old woman’s face.

“That’s how we finally arrived at the Roof of the Continent, the northern part of the Empire. And there, we met Rune Lenslet, your ancestress. I was twenty-five years old then. Two years before the Northern Duchy of Lenslet was established.”

And so ended the grandmother’s tale.

“This is the story of how I and the witches came to the north.”

Gradually, the misty eyes of the old witch refocused on reality.

“Mana potion… Any more?”

Her first words upon returning to reality were a request for more mana potion.

“Looks like your mana is running low. I kept a little in reserve just in case.”

Arad injected the remaining mana potion into Isabel’s arm.

“Haaaaa…”

With a moan akin to a drug addict, the old woman regained some vitality.

“Hmm… My chest feels so much lighter.”

Recharged with mana, she looked relieved.

“It’s like all the knots in my chest have finally unraveled after all these years. Since I never took on apprentices, I never had the chance to talk about this.”

While other witches took on disciples in the north, Isabel hadn’t taken one in over two hundred years.

Probably due to the trauma caused by her mentor Haran.

“Grandma, are you alright?”

A bit late to the game, Ariana checked Isabel’s complexion, expressing concern.

“Of course, my lady. Arad sir is truly… a savior not only for you and the north but also for me and the witches.”

Isabel’s gaze towards Arad was filled with unprecedented goodwill.

“By the way, isn’t there anyone else besides me in a similar state?”

“Daily life should be possible now. While mana potions are difficult to produce, mana cigarettes are relatively easy.”

“That’s good. Lucky us.”

“So, shall we continue? You’ve rested enough.”

Arad said this while filling Isabel’s pipe with more mana cigarettes and packing it tightly.

“The identity of that thing, right? Yes.”

Isabel answered before the question was even fully out.

“What’s the deal with the witch ringing bells spotted all over the north?”

“Yes… The remains of my mentor. A soulless undead, brimming with nothing but hatred and resentment from her lifetime. It pairs wonderfully with the curse that gnaws at us.”

Huuu-! Isabel exhaled a thick cloud of smoke as she continued.

“Black wizards from the Demon Den seem to have maximized this effect.”

“But if the Theocratic Church had it, why does the Imperial Order have it now?”

“Because the first Archbishop of the Imperial Order was originally Helena.”

“Ah…”

I didn’t know the first Archbishop of the Imperial Order had another name. Given how closed-off both the Theocratic Church and the Imperial Order were, even someone steeped in ancient knowledge like me didn’t know much.

“Well, unexpected. I thought the Order would just burn it immediately.”

“Both the Imperial Order and the Theocratic Church have notorious Inquisition offices. In some ways, far crueler than the Demon Den. If they had the body of the Great Witch? Obvious, isn’t it?”

“So, you knew about it and didn’t prepare?”

“This is a curse we couldn’t avoid knowing about it.”

Responding to Arad’s statement, Isabel defended herself.

“Of course… We never imagined it’d be used this way. Who would’ve thought the Order, not the Royal Family or the Mage Tower, would team up with the Demon Den?”

Her eyes betrayed confusion and bewilderment even as she defended herself.

“Is there any way to counter it? To stop the bell-ringing witch and the plague?”

Arad respectfully referred to the undead Haran as the “bell-ringing witch.”

“The bell-ringing witch is beyond our reach because of the curse.”

Isabel seemed pleased with Arad’s phrasing and adopted it immediately.

“The bell-ringing witch and the black wizards? Don’t worry. Me and the knights of the north will handle them.”

At that moment, Ariana interjected.

“No, my lady.”

Ariana was met with a sharp, cold stare from Isabel.

“How dare you!”

“That’s right, Your Highness. You haven’t fully recovered your strength, have you? Absolutely not.”

Valkyrie, standing nearby, also chimed in agreement.

“…Understood.”

In the end, Ariana had no choice but to agree.

Was it because of what happened in the depths of the Magic Realm? She wasn’t stepping forward recklessly like she used to.

“The knights taking on the black wizards and the bell-ringing witch… That could be dangerous, right?”

Leaving the deflated Ariana behind, Arad spoke.

“Of course it’s dangerous. But it’s not our first fight with them, so we’ll be fine.”

“I’ll create a few magical tools that might help when I face the wizards.”

“If you do that, I’d appreciate it.”

Arad shifted his gaze back to Isabel after speaking with Valkyrie.

“And, Lady Isabel.”

“Yes, Sir Arad?”

“The current state of the witches. If they smoke mana cigarettes, they should at least be able to cast a spell or two, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“This black magic plague thing. From what I’ve gathered, it’s just regular plague with added black magic.”

“You’re asking the witches and me to take care of the black magic plague?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise anything. Both me and the witches are pretty depleted on mana right now.”

“I and my company will assist. You witches handle the black magic part. I’ll deal with the plague.”

“How exactly do you plan to do that? No matter how skilled Sir Arad’s healing arts are, treating thousands of patients and stopping the spread of the disease is impossible.”

“Not impossible. Just costly.”

Saying that, Arad pulled something out of his Spatial Case.

“This is called the ‘Arad Medikit.’ I made it as soon as I heard about the pandemic.”

Out of the bag came a box the size of a notebook, about finger-thick.

“It contains remedies, ointments, and disinfectants that I personally designed.”

“Medicine! You managed to make medicine?”

“Not exactly medicine. Once you filter out the black magic, this plague is just a common cold.”

“Still impressive. The rumor of the plague hasn’t been around for a week yet.”

“Are you selling these boxes? They’d make great military supplies.”

Receiving expectant gazes, Arad explained the Medikit.

“Inside this box, you’ll find not just this flu medicine but also simple diagrams explaining how to prevent diseases and treat injuries effectively. There are two versions planned for mass production: one for home use and another for professional healers.”

“In times of crisis lies opportunity… If we handle this well, fewer people in the north will die from diseases or injuries.”

“The population of the north will surely grow. Dramatically!”

Isabel and Valkyrie watched the Medikit with sparkling eyes.

“Ah! This Medikit could have a different name too. Mary’s Care or Lenslet’s Blessing sound pretty good, don’t they?”

“!!”

“There’s no need for just witches to handle the treatment. With this Medikit, even the Lenslet Order without divine power can play an active role.”

Realizing something from his words, Ariana opened her eyes wide and spoke.

“That’s right! I’ll tell the Lenslet Order right away.”

She decided to use this opportunity to firmly establish the presence of the Lenslet Order among the northerners.

* * *

When a terrible plague spreads, people naturally turn to faith.

On the other hand, those opposing faith often face persecution.

The witch hunts are a prime example.

“The healing and spells of the northern witches are quite impressive.”

“So far, many black wizards have tried their schemes in the north, but most failed thanks to the witches.”

Isabel and the witches rooted in the north gave their all.

For nearly two hundred years, they fought against black wizards in the unseen history of the north.

“According to rumors, Frosthaven was created by witches, right?”

“It’s not a rumor; it’s fact. The Grand Witch of Spring has ruled Frosthaven for over a hundred years, and key positions are held by witches.”

Though outwardly they seemed to be doing strange experiments or playing around with spirits while farming, the witches lived fiercely beneath the surface.

“We must eliminate the witches. We must separate the witches from the northerners.”

“The northerners must see the Lenslet Church as incompetent and distrust the witches.”

“Even the great sorcerer Arad Jin of the north can do nothing without the witches.”

This was the backdrop for the current operation.

An unprecedented collaboration between the Imperial Royal Family, the Imperial Order, and the black wizards of the Demon Den.

They spread the black magic plague.

And even brought out Haran’s corpse to ensure the witches couldn’t resist.

But contrary to the Imperial Royal Family,

“O Lord, forgive our decision and the sins that come with it!”

The Imperial Order had never intended to use this method from the start.

“Was giving the coffin of Haran to the Demon Den the right move? I’m still unsure.”

“That coffin was originally cursed and never meant to be opened.”

The Order had possessed the source of the curse—Haran’s corpse—but chose not to use it until now.

“The witches were somewhat useful… They’ve kept the balance in the north, managing the black wizards and the barbarian druids reasonably well.”

“And not just that. They’ve also helped curb the royal family’s influence.”

Though moral reasons played a part, the real reason was political gain.

It benefited the Order to let the witches be.

“The witches, with clear weaknesses, are better off in Lenslet. That’s why the first Archbishop saved Isabel and the forty-nine witches.”

“If the witches ever went extinct and the Northern Duchy started employing black wizards instead, that’d bring its own headaches.”

“With Haran’s corpse, only high-level black wizards from the Demon Den could properly utilize it.”

“That’s why it remained unused until now…”

But now, with the rapid growth of the north,

* * *

Archbishop Theresa of the Imperial Order glared irritably towards the north.

“All things created by God have their uses, but who would’ve thought this northern land would become so significant?”

When the north was merely an appendage of the empire, the Order paid it little attention.

No priest from the Imperial Order wanted to go to the wild, barbaric north.

Thus, though the Order verbally condemned the witches, they never acted decisively.

Now, looking back, this was a grave mistake.

“Damn northerners, they really get under my skin.”

The northerners were proud and rebellious by nature.

They knew full well how the Imperial Order had ignored them all these years.

Therefore, the northerners rejected the Imperial Order.

They silently worshipped their ancestral gods, who offered no divine power, and embraced the witches.

Recently, they even went as far as establishing the ridiculous cult-like Lenslet Order.

This crossed all lines.

Ka-drrrkkk

Thinking about the north, Theresa unconsciously gritted her teeth.

Puuuuuuu-

Right then,

Theresa heard the powerful sound of a horn.

“Finally moving the army, huh? Quite prompt, aren’t they?”

Her gaze shifted from the north to the palace where the horn sounded.

“Khanbraman thinks too much. He’s secretly quite scared, isn’t he? Not in a position to call his son Julian weak.”

“Archbishop! There are many ears listening.”

Interrupting her ongoing monologue, a cardinal finally spoke up.

“We should go greet them. Our Order has stakes in this northern expedition.”

With the cardinal’s concern, Theresa smirked and headed towards the palace.

“Let’s go. To the square where the northern relief force is gathering.”

“Yes, Archbishop.”

“Oh! Before that, let’s visit the spring palace where our ever-cautious Emperor works.”

Archbishop Theresa confidently led her pristine entourage forward.

“Let’s go. To the plaza where the northern relief force has assembled.”

“Yes, Archbishop.”