Recruitment

[+ 100 Gold Coins for getting rid of an assassin planted by your sibling]

[Current money: 1250 Gold Coins]

'It's time for me to start spending those coins, having them stay on display won't give me anything.'

"Thank you for your assistance, I truly mean it." Roland turned to Nightingale and said with a friendly smile.

"No problem, you can also do something for me one day if you will feel like it, by the way, should I get rid of her body? She has a wound on her body so we can't make it look like an accident." Nightingale replied with a wink before looking at Tyre's lifeless body.

'She still wants to help? What a strange woman...I think if Nana was here, she would be capable of closing the wound to make it look like an accident. Well, she would probably start panicking why there is a dead woman in my room.'

"Please" Roland nodded his head and Nightingale took petite Tyre's body under her arm before disappearing once again.

Roland crouched down and started getting rid of the remaining blood on the floor. When he was done, he leaned against the wall and waited for her to come back.

"All done, nobody should suspect her being killed here as long as you clean off the blood which as I can see, you have already done..." Nightingale appeared out of thin air and started speaking before looking at the floor where a small pond of blood previously was located with a surprised expression.

"What? I killed her so I am going to clean the mess. You didn't expect me to ask you to take care of that too, right?" Roland asked with a surprised tone while leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

"Well, I am just having a hard time getting accustomed to Your Highness's behavior, it seems as if all those days I spent observing you were completely wasted."

"Anyway, you still haven't asked Nana whether she wants to leave but...I am pretty sure she is going to refuse your offer too. If that will be the case, what are you going to do?" Roland asked in a slightly saddened tone.

Although he didn't like how she has been watching him thus interfering with his plans, her naughty-like behavior and occasional teasing grew on him. He didn't really care much about her powers even though having a lie detector would be a great help, as a fellow assassin he took a liking to her presence. And even though Roland didn't know it, Nightingale was subconsciously feeling the same way. She would never trust somebody, especially nobility so quickly but she started slightly trusting Roland despite him striking her as simply too mysterious with many secrets.

"...I guess she wouldn't want to leave without Anna. I will remain here until Anna's coming of age, I want to provide her all help I can once it will begin." Nightingale replied in low voice before taking a short glance at Roland, obviously being aware of his odd tone.

"You know...Why not just invite your sisters here? I can arrange the lodging for you and also a place where you will be free to use your abilities. At least until the end of the months of the demon. It's simply too dangerous for your group to be roaming the mountains and the town would also get a much higher chance of survival"

"I thought you said that you would be capable of defending this town even without Anna's help, Your Highness?" Nightingale asked in a teasing tone.

"Alright, the casualties would be minimal with your sisters here." Roland rolled his eyes which earned a light giggle from Nightingale

"...I know but it's simply impossible. The church is after us and after the rumors of us being here would spread out, even you would be in danger. Plus I doubt if my sisters would believe your words even if I were to testify them. Also...just because you don't fear us doesn't mean the other people think the same way." Nightingale explained and Roland couldn't help but nod as the risks were simply too much. Even his own plan of making witches acceptable in this town could be in danger if too many witches were in one place. The people might slowly accept Nana and Anna but if more than 20 witches were to appear, it would cause trouble.

'Not to mention I have no idea if all of them would be interested in helping, some could even mean harm. My perception of witches is being pretty biased due to meeting only Anna, Nana, and Nightingale.'

"Alright, I will prepare a room for you and tell everybody not to barge inside, not even maids. But can I ask you for something?"

"How generous of you, Your Highness, however, asking already another favor? Aren't you a little bit greedy prince?" Nightingale said with a smile but motioned with her hand for him to continue.

"Well, can you please give me some privacy or at least announce when you are inside the same room as me?" Roland asked and sat down on the bed with a tired expression.

"Why? Do you have some secrets you want to keep away from me?" Nightingale sat down right next to him with crossed legs and asked with a seductive smile while using her hand to support her chin.

"Yeah, after the incident with Tyre, I decided to give more attention to my harem as to prevent another Tyre from happening again." Roland said shamelessly.

"I don't believe you, did you perhaps forget about my ability, Your Highness?" Nightingale said bringing her hand close to his cheek, after seeing that Roland just moved his head slightly back instead of pushing her away like before, she slid from up to his chin with her index finger before retracting her hand.

"Does that mean you finally trust me?" She asked with a knowing smile.

"A little bit and pushing you away after the help you gave me would be rude of me. Plus I knew you wouldn't do anything serious so all good."

They talked for a little longer before Nightingale left so Roland could get some sleep.

The next day Carter came to Roland's office with the results of the recruitment and investigation of all guards.

"Why are there so few recruits?" Roland asked after seeing a short list handed to him by Carter.

"Well, the thing is that people are afraid why are you so suddenly recruiting new people into the army. There are already rumors that you are trying to defend this town and pretty much everyone is afraid of demonic beasts, Your Highness." Carter said in an apologetic tone.

"Really? Looks like I will need to have a small talk at the town square. As for...Hills Medde? He was a minor noble and now he is working in the patrol squad? Are you sure that he has a noble relative in Longsong Stronghold?" Roland asked when something caught his attention.

"Yes, it's well-known fact and due to this he also got a relatively high position." Carter replied as if it was normal

"Tch! Send someone to spy on him both during the day and night. Also, make sure that the trusted patrol men born here in Border Town get to know everyone who was not born here and be on the lookout for them...You know what? Ignore the last order and only send someone to watch Hills Medde and make sure to choose a suitable person, we can't have him figuring out that he is being watched." Roland said while holding his head as if he was having a headache.

"Understood but may I ask why, Your Highness?" Carter asked, wanting to know Roland's plans as his chief knight.

"Once I convince most of the people that we can survive this winter here, locals will definitely appreciate it as they have no good experience with Longsong Stronghold. Locals want this town to flourish but people not born here might rather go to Longsong Stronghold, not to mention when this Hills Medde is here, he can promise everyone warm lodging and food for free just to join his side." Roland said, resting his chin on his hands with narrowed eyes.

"If that's the case, why won't we just kick them out. Also, how would they force everyone to go to Longsong Stronghold?" Carter frowned and asked.

"We can't just kick everyone not born here out, we would practically be judging them for the crimes they never did. As for your second question...I ask you, what did we buy from Willow Town?" Roland asked and Carter immediately widened his eyes in realization.

"Duke Ryan was ripping this town off without any regard for the locals, he was letting them die of starvation just because of his greed. It's easy to tell what kind of person he is. Of course, he will try something after we have so blatantly refused him and went to Willow Town. We have changed long tradition, a greedy person like him won't like it. But at least he has some use for me..." Roland explained before saying at the end with a cold smile.

Carter looked a bit curious to find out how Roland was intending to make use of Duke Ryan and Roland obviously saw his curiosity.

"I will make a villain out of him to unite people of Border Town. I will make use of his greed for ripping people off and tell everyone that I will protect them from that wannabe noble. And after the months of the demon are over...he will be the next along with Longsong Stronghold." Roland said with a clenched fist and his words obviously shocked Carter especially about the part of the duke being his next target.

'His Highness is acting as if we have already won over the demonic beasts. I like his new confidence but I just hope it won't be his downfall.' Carter thought that Roland's confidence was a bit too much, yes, they almost had a complete wall but a wall without trained guards is good as a little obstacle. Of course, he couldn't have known of Roland's secret preparations. Thanks to the Gold Coins, he could buy a lot more materials for making the gun powder but he also had to be careful since Barov is aware of their financial situation.