It took Heidi a while to figure out what was going on.
She first touched her thigh, which had recovered, and then looked at Nightingale beside her. Finally, she looked at Roland and asked, "Did you cure me?"
"Otherwise, Nightfall would have been dragged down by you." Roland found a chair and sat in front of the cage. He leaned over and asked, "Tell me, where are all the witches you rejected?"
"Did... Iffy tell you about this?"
"That's right, that witch named Annie is her friend."
Heidi gritted her teeth and did not answer, but Roland saw a strong hatred in her eyes.
"You could have taken them in. Archduke Island is the territory of Archduke Morgan, and you're his successor. It's impossible that you can't support more than ten assistant witches." He said bluntly, "Even if they're useless, they only need to provide two portions of gruel a day. Moreover, assistant witches are much more useful than you think. The gun that Andrea used to injure you with is a weapon made by witches and ordinary people. It doesn't require many people to use it. Even a farmer who works with the soil all day long can easily kill an experienced knight with it. "
Heidi's expression changed and she suddenly raised her head. "What did you say? Ordinary people can use it? "
"Do you think I conquered King's City and became the King of Graycastle by relying on witches?" Roland straightened up and leaned against the back of the chair. "If they could do that, they wouldn't be suppressed by the church and secular forces."
"That gun... how did you make it?"
He looked at Heidi coldly until she realized her slip of the tongue. He then said sarcastically, "What, do you think this is a banquet in the palace?"
She swallowed her saliva unwillingly and asked, "This is..."
"Nightingale is my woman, and it has nothing to do with Tilly," Roland said in a low voice. "I'll ask you again, where are all the witches you rejected?"
"I let them go and let them find other witch organizations. I don't know their exact whereabouts. Maybe … some went back to the nearby towns, and some went to the Kingdom of Dawn —"
"You're lying," Nightingale interrupted her before she could finish. "None of your words are true."
"No, Your Majesty, she doesn't know anything …"
"There's nothing to defend." Roland shook his head and said, "Nightingale can detect lies, and anything that goes against one's heart can't escape her scrutiny. Now do you know why Tilly shipped you across the Fjords and sent you to the Western Region for trial? If you don't want to suffer, then tell me everything you've done. My patience is limited. "
Under the dim light of the fire, Heidi's expression was uncertain. It was obvious that she did not expect the other party to have such an ability. After a short silence, she suddenly grasped the iron railing and said loudly, "Your Majesty Wimbledon, the Kingdom of Wolfheart has been annexed by the church, and the King of Wolfheart is missing. I'm the last bloodline of the Morgan royal family. As long as you help me take back the Kingdom of Wolfheart, I can bring you countless benefits! The Golden Dragon, jewelry... Yes, and witches! The Bloodfang Association will follow your orders! "
"Is this the last thing you want to say?"
"I can even give you half of the Kingdom of Wolfheart! With Blackstone Cliff as the boundary, all the land in the west will belong to you! "
"Enough," Roland said with a sneer. "I just want to know the whereabouts of those witches!"
"What?" Heidi said in disbelief. "My kingdom can't compare to those witches?"
"Didn't you hear me?" Roland was a little annoyed. "The Kingdom of Wolfheart is not your kingdom, and I'm not interested in the land thousands of miles away. I'm just asking you out of the most basic etiquette between nobles. I have many ways to make you talk. You should know better than me about torture. It won't do you any good except suffering. Now, while I'm still here, tell me everything you've done, and I'll spare your life. "
Roland's last sentence was like a life-saving straw for her. "Will you... really let me go?"
"I always do what I say."
Heidi lowered her head and hesitated for a long time before saying, "I gave them to the nobles."
Roland's heart sank. Nightingale's hint also proved that she was telling the truth this time. "You didn't sell them to them?"
"No, this is a deal in itself." She took a deep breath and said, "Relying on the witches awakened on the Archduke Island, I can't gather enough witches in my lifetime. I have to spread the reputation of the Bloodfang Association to all parts of the Kingdom of Wolfheart so that more witches can join us."
Roland had done this before, although Tilly had taken the initiative, which resulted in little success. "Then I only need to hire Rats to spread the news. What does it have to do with the nobles?"
"The Rats are controlled by the nobles. Once the news is noticed by the church, Archduke Island will be in big trouble."
"The witches are a reward for the nobles?"
"It's also a guarantee to win them over. After the nobles hide witches, they'll consciously pay attention to the church, control the spread of the Rats, and even take the initiative to divert the attention of the Holy City." Heidi said in a low voice, "I'll only spread the news to the nobles who are willing to accept witches. This way, I can minimize the risk."
Roland could imagine what would happen next even without asking. These non-combat witches would be locked in a dark room where they could not see the light of day. Few of them could survive the magic bite. Even if some were lucky enough to survive until adulthood, when the nobles got tired of them or when the church exerted more pressure on them, they would be thrown out of the room as a tool to divert the pressure. They would only end up dead.
Heidi, who was in the cage, also noticed Nightingale's rising anger. She could not help but take two steps back. "Your Majesty, you promised me!"
Roland reached out to stop Nightingale. "Who carried out these things? Iffy said you didn't see Annie. "
"Skyflare... She's been killed by Ashes."
"No one else?" Roland asked. "Don't the witches in the Bloodfang Association know about this?"
Heidi nodded.
"Tell me!"
"... Yes."
Roland secretly let out a sigh of relief. "One last question. Why did you recruit combat witches everywhere and establish the Bloodfang Association?"
After a moment of silence, Heidi said, "At first, I just wanted to help my father ascend to the throne that should have belonged to him."
She did not continue, but Roland already knew the result. After Grand Duke Morgan died, the Bloodfang Association became a tool for her to realize her desire for power.
Walking out of the dungeon, Nightingale could not help but hold his hand. "Do you really want to spare the murderer's life?"
"Heidi Morgan is a witch from Sleeping Island. It's not appropriate for me to deal with her. Tilly brought her to the Western Region just to ask me to help her find out the truth."
"You mean..." Nightingale's eyes sparkled.
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