Witch Cooperation Association 3

"Do you really think anyone would be willing to come with you after that wishful talk?" Cara asked with a mocking smile and folded arms.

"Would you be willing to take us with you?" However, the twins crashed Cara's expectations.

"What?! Have you forgotten how the nobles treated you? He is just lying to lead you to the trap. Airy and Abby, weren't we the ones who rescued you from the Fallen Dragon Mountain." Cara shouted at the twins and her words made them shrink away from the idea.

"You are the twins that are going to have their day of adulthood in a few days, right? You don't have to come with me to survive, you just need to do as I told you before." Roland said, seeing how firm Cara's rule was within the group. His goal anyway was to give them a choice and to talk with Nightingale's friend about the church.

Hearing his words, the twins looked at Cara, most likely thinking that Cara wouldn't let them do as he told them to avoid the pain during the demonic torture.

"I also came here for one more reason, I want you to share any kind of information you have on the Church. Any dirty things they do, be it some human trafficking or other bad things, I want to know as much as possible." Roland said with a serious expression, leaning against the wall of the cave with folded arms. Even a tense air between witches and Roland finally seemed to slowly withdraw.

"Why do you want to know that?" Wendy asked with a curious expression.

"Why? To expose their crimes and make other people believe that the church are the ones who are evil and not the witches. And who else knows their crimes better than those that had direct contact with them and are being hunted by them. I believe there is no reason for you to not cooperate with me as that information would be completely useless for me even if I were your enemy, don't you think so?"

Wendy looked at her sisters and none of them seemed to disagree so she looked at Nightingale who nodded her head with a faint smile.

*Sigh* "We will cooperate, I was most likely the one who had the closest contact with the church and managed to survive." Wendy replied before telling Roland of her time being raised by the Church since young until she turned 15 when everything changed. She tried to avoid some needless details and some other witches added a few more of the stories they have heard or even experienced themselves.

"..." When they finished, they couldn't see Roland's expression due to darkness and him keeping his head low.

"*Are you alright?*" Nightingale asked in a whisper but she decided against touching him since she noticed his fists trembling.

'I know that this era is different, I know that the value of life is extremely low when it comes to commoners, I know that nobody cares when somebody dies in a war, however...raising small girls and then raping them...that's too much even for me. I always had one rule and that was no sexual abuse. In my eyes, sexual abuse was far worse than simple murder.'

"I see, thank you for sharing those painful memories with me. I promise you that I will destroy the church in the future. Anyway, that should be all, please, those who want to tag along, decide quickly or we will leave alone, and then I can only wish you luck in finding that holy mountain of yours." Roland calmed down his emotions and said.

Cara didn't really want them to leave but at this point, she was completely powerless as none of the witches viewed them as enemies. Perhaps they didn't fully trust Roland but they definitely didn't think he is a threat.

"Wait, do you have some information about Church you can share with us too?" Scroll asked.

"Not yet, however, I suspect them of hiding and raising witches of their own. Miss Wendy's story only made my suspicion stronger. It is quite easy to brainwash anyone you are raising, I think you should be careful since I doubt mortals are the only ones after you."

His words caused quite an uproar among the witches.

"But why would they hunt their own kin?"

To Wendy's words, Roland only shrugged his shoulders and said that he has no idea and they can do whatever they want with that information.

"Alright, I guess we will be leaving you right now. I still need to quickly get back to the Border Town which is still secretly governed by Anna in my absence. Please those who want to leave, come to our side." Roland said casually, however his words once again shocked Wendy and Scroll. They never thought that he would let a witch govern his town.

The twins Airy and Abby quickly ran to his side as if they were running away from something. The stares of their sisters made them shrink.

"Hey, don't look at them like they betrayed you. All they want to do is live a different life. Plus I believe some of you would like to come too but are afraid that I am lying, at least they are brave enough to risk it." Roland stepped in front of the twins as if to hide them from the stares.

Airy and Abby looked at his back and then at each other before a faint smile appeared on their faces.

"Do you have more of those things in Border Town? If yes, I will come along and I don't even require a pay." A young girl with short blonde hair asked with a raised hand.

"Do you mean the things you don't understand? Yes, there is a lot and will be plenty more of them." Roland raised his revolver and replied.

"Then I am tagging along, my name is Lightning by the way!" She flew to the group and introduced herself while floating in front of Roland's face with a cheerful smile.

"...You already seem like a trouble but I guess I have to keep my word" Roland said, scratching the back of his head with a troubled face.

"W-What?!" Lightning exclaimed upon receiving such a cold welcome, however, the twins behind Roland seemed to find it amusing.

"So...no more?" Roland asked, looking around. He saw a few hesitant faces and a few resolute ones which meant only a few were still thinking of leaving.

"Wendy..." Nightingale called out to her friend who looked a bit conflicted. In the end, the witch named Wendy took several steps forward, arriving in front of Roland before she started intensively staring at him. This caused a lot of witches to whisper that even an old member like Wendy would think of leaving.

"...Can you please not stare at me so hard? It feels like you want to undress me with those eyes..." Roland said with an uncomfortable expression while staring back into her eyes.

"Wendy, he is not like those disgusting nobles." Nightingale said.

"Hm? Oh...Now I see what that comment 'disgusting nobles' means" Roland lowered his sight a bit and saw Wendy's large chest, finally gaining an understanding of Wendy's actions.

"You didn't notice before?" Nightingale asked with a suspicious look on her face.

"To be honest, having to be wary of tens of witches possibly attacking me with all kinds of powers took some of my attention." Roland turned to Nightingale and replied with an irritated smile.

"Sisters...I will be going with Nightingale, there must be someone to look after Airy, Abby, and Lightning." Wendy turned to her sisters and announced with a resolute expression before joining Roland's side but keeping some distance from him unlike Lightning, Airy, and Abby.

Seeing this, Roland smiled at her.

"What is it?" She asked with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

"I feel more comfortable with someone like you joining since you don't seem to trust me as Lightning who honestly makes me feel a bit uneasy. Just so we are on the same page, even though you are Nightingale's friend, it doesn't mean I trust you, therefore the feeling is mutual. But let's not judge anyone before we get to know each other." Roland said, wanting to let the others know that he doesn't trust them either. Hearing his words oddly comforted Wendy who nodded her head.

"Wendy...Anyone who goes together with him will end up in a sorry state. Even if you somehow manage to escape later, I warn everyone that we won't accept anyone who wants to return later. Those who leave will no longer be welcomed here." Cara said with narrowed eyes, warning the other witches who were considering tagging along due to Wendy's presence.

"Mentor..." Wendy muttered with a disbelieving expression but she remained at Roland's side.

"*This is for the better, even though I am ashamed to admit it, I wouldn't be able to take more than 10 witches at once. It's not the problem of lodgings but people need more time to get used to the witches. If a large group were to appear in the town, they could panic a bit. You must be quite respected among your sisters because your move inspired a lot of your sisters to think about joining...Even though demonic beasts are raging outside, they can protect themselves from them. You can always return and inform them in the future in case you will think Border Town is a good home for witches.*" Roland whispered to Wendy with a slightly disappointed look on his face.

Wendy looked at him and judged that his expression was an honest one, making her believe even further that Roland wasn't lying at all. To be honest, Wendy already believed Roland's words but she just couldn't risk convincing the others. She wanted to scout Border Town and then inform the others of the situation. In her eyes, if at this point Roland was truly just lying, he would be the most manipulative noble she ever came into contact with because each of his words was only strengthening her trust in him.

[+1 CHA for making several witches believe your words despite having deep hatred and distrust for the nobles]

[+ 100 Gold Coins]

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