My decision

Next day

-Young Boy POV-

"It's been done. The 'witch' was hanged at noon," reported Barov.

"Good, could anyone tell?" Roland asked while writing, "All of the condemned wear hoods anyways."

In order to prevent trouble with the Holy Church and the Witch Cooperation Association, Roland ordered the prison warden to find a death row criminal with a similar figure and use her to replace Anna at the gallows. Besides the Chief Knight and Assistant Minister, everyone who was with him in the dungeon including me was given 20 gold royals of hush money, which was a huge amount for us.

Barov even suggested killing all of the witnesses to ensure total silence, but Roland rejected this. He knew he couldn't prevent this secret from spreading, but this didn't matter because he actually wanted someone to spread the word—just not now. He would clash with the Church sooner or later, since he couldn't tolerate those idiots who would waste such valuable resources! If other witches heard there was a town where they could live freely and even get special treatment, what would they think?

No matter the era, talent and human resources were the most important.

That was what he thought. And I knew that. That's why I want to be one of those important talent and human resources too.

"Hah…" A heavy breath escaped from my mouth.

Next, Roland started to act as a proper prince and good leader. He will ask Barov to gave him a summary of the past year's trade, taxes, and expenditures. And would also like him to record the numbers and sizes of steel, textile, and pottery workshops in the city.

But Barov need three days to prepare these records. And Barov himself still confused and doubt Roland because he didn't understand Roland's thought.

Barov undoubtedly had questions about what happened yesterday, since although a scoundrel would always be a scoundrel, having a bad character didn't also mean being brainless. In the eyes of the Assistant Minister, harboring a witch was akin to declaring war on the world.

And here Roland tested his lying skill and asked him,"Do you believe that this border town is a good place to live in?"

"Uh, this…" Barov didn't understand what this question had to do with the problem, but eventually answered truthfully, "Not really."

"It's awful. Compared to Valencia or the Port of Clearwater, what do you feel my chances are against my siblings of gaining the throne?"

"…" The Assistant Minister opened his mouth but didn't answer. "Almost zero. So, I can only choose another path." Roland watched expressionlessly as Barov walked into his trap. "A path that would even impress my father."

He did not argue that witches were not inherently evil, because it would be useless. Barov had been the Assistant Minister of Finance for twenty years and was a pretty competent politician. For politicians, personal gain was more important than moral law. Also, if Roland recalled the previous prince's actions correctly, using emotion wasn't typical of him because he wasn't considered as a righteous person. So, he chose to use the eternal conflict between religious and secular authority, as the expanding power of the Holy Church was a constant issue for Wimbledon III.

The Church claimed that the world worked under the will of God and that the Pope was the voice of God. If the people found what he said was full of lies, the dominance of the Holy Church would be greatly undermined.

It would be hard to convince the Assistant Minister by saying, "Witches are not evil, so I want to save them," but replaced with "witches are not evil, and I can use them to attack the church," Barov could easily be persuaded.

"No matter how the territories of my brothers and sisters flourish, everything will eventually be in the possession of the Church. They had already declared the divine right of kings, which states that rightful rulers must be blessed by the Pope, so are we even the real rulers of this land?" Roland paused and said, "My father will see a new hope in me: a leader who isn't suppressed by the Church and who holds all the exclusive rights of a royal king, and his choice will be very clear then."

Changing the "enemy of the entire world" into "enemy of only the Church" was easier to accept, especially since Barov himself stood on the side of the royal family.

Roland stared at the Assistant Minister as he said, "Don't doubt me, Barov. You've been an assistant minister for twenty years, right? If I can become Wimbledon IV, I could remove the assistant part, or even make you… Hand of the King?"

Watching Barov leave, Roland felt relieved. It was obvious that he didn't think much of this promise, which was normal, since even Roland himself did not believe that this hasty and bold plan could be achieved. However, it was more important to convince Barov of his seriousness. This simple plan thought up by a sheltered noble son reflected Prince Roland's hatred towards the Church and paved the way for attracting more witches.

As for his real thoughts? Even if Barov knew, he wouldn't be able to understand them.

(Well, but I understand you Roland. Even if you didn't know about that.)

Roland summoned the maid. "Tell Miss Anna to come to see me."

….

I close my eyes and throw myself on that big bed and start to think my next plan.

I didn't need to go to Roland's room to know what happened, because I already know it from the novel. He just finished his business and act in front Barov, so next he must be summoning his maid to see him.

I jumped suddenly from my soft bed and rush quickly to Roland's room before Anna!

Yes! I already made my decision. I will still tried my best to make him fall for me, even if the chance was a measly 0,00001%. I still need to try them! I will work really hard!

It doesn't matter if my rival is Anna or Nightingale or any other witches and women!

I don't care! I will still do what I want to do! God won't change someone's fate if that person didn't try to changed it!

So I will do it! I'll change my fate, my future and my life!

I know I'm an egoistic person, but everyone have their right! Especially Roland and Anna still have not develop those kinda feeling and still not in relationship! So you can't say I'm a 3rd person that robbed him from her. Because now, they're just in an ordinary relationship between employee and employer! No more!