Discussing Countermeasures

Translator: Cinder Translations

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TL Note: The term 'butler' and 'steward' maybe used interchangeably.

Upon returning to Alden Town, Paul immediately summoned his most trusted confidants.

These individuals included: Chancellor Wackley Ford of the Council, Minister of Intelligence Cecil, Chief of Staff Owen Schroder, Captain Bryce Alder of the First Army Battalion, Logistics Minister Ron, Equipment Minister Kelly, and the old Butler Philip from the castle.

Ford, Cecil, and Bryce were all old men left behind by the late Grayman, loyal to the Grayman family.

Schroder was rigidly upright, adhering strictly to the ways of chivalry, swearing loyalty to him with honor.

Ron and Kelly had served generations in the Grayman family since their ancestors, and Paul knew they would charge into hell without hesitation if he asked.

As for Philip, it went without saying—he had watched Paul grow up since childhood and was already considered a member of the Grayman family.

Moreover, the old butler had mentioned to Paul once that a wizard had saved his life when he was young, although Paul hadn't quite believed it then.

He called these people to his office and had the guards secure the door tightly.

Of course, the female advisor Ladia was also in the office.

Paul detailed to them what had happened on the way to Frand Port, directly stating that the person who attacked him was a wizard. He had witnessed the opponent's incredible abilities and mentioned the force behind this wizard—the Arcane Order.

Before Paul returned to Alden Town, everyone had already learned from urgent dispatches that the Earl had encountered assassins on the way, but the message only mentioned the assailant's formidable martial skills and the sacrifice of a dozen guards, without mentioning the wizard.

Chancellor Ford had also sent people to block the streets when Paul returned, to avoid him seeing the families of the fallen soldiers and feeling embarrassed.

Now, hearing about legendary things from Paul's mouth brought them into reality, and each of them sat there with mouths agape in shock.

Schroder and Bryce, the two soldiers, were the first to regain their composure. "So, these guys can still be shot dead by a musket."

Chancellor Ford asked, "You just said another wizard saved you, so where is he? Has he left?"

Paul said solemnly, "No, the wizard hasn't left. So, what I'm about to tell you must be kept strictly confidential!"

He gave a meaningful look to the quietly sitting female advisor.

The female advisor stood up slowly. "Gentlemen, I am the witch mentioned by Earl Paul."

The room fell into silence...

After nearly a minute of silence, someone finally spoke.

"No... No way?"

Bryce's eyes widened even larger than a cow's eyes, every muscle on his face expressing his inner disbelief.

"Shouldn't legendary witches be old and ugly? With more wrinkles on their faces than an elephant's hide..."

The old knight recovered from his stunned state and immediately tugged at Bryce's sleeve, speaking in front of a lady was too rude, even if she was a legendary witch.

"Incredible... A living witch is actually standing before us!"

Cecil, Ron, and Kelly cast astonished gazes over Ladia, seemingly searching for something different from ordinary people on her.

The calmest were Chancellor Ford and Butler Philip.

The butler, due to his childhood experiences, had always firmly believed in the existence of wizards, so upon hearing Ladia reveal her hidden identity, he was only slightly surprised.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Ford remained unruffled, displaying the calm demeanor befitting the second most important figure in the domain, the de facto head of the Council. He had developed a strong mental fortitude over the years, as the saying goes: "Mount Tai may collapse, but my expression remains unchanged."

The old chancellor calmly remarked, "At the very least, this shows that wizards aren't all as evil as the legends say."

He stood up and nodded to the female advisor, saying, "Miss Ladia, thank you for saving the Earl and the soldiers' lives."

Ladia quickly waved her hand and replied, "Chancellor, you're too kind. If it weren't for Earl Grayman and the soldiers with their muskets, I wouldn't have been able to confront that warlock in my state at the time."

Paul breathed a sigh of relief internally; everyone's reactions were still within the realm of normalcy.

"The reason I only called you few here is because you're the people I trust the most. I hope you won't reveal Miss Ladia's identity as a witch, especially to the Church, for reasons you all know."

Schroder solemnly raised his right hand, with his index and middle fingers together, and intoned, "In the presence of God, I swear by my honor as a knight! Unless under direct orders from Earl Grayman himself, I will never reveal Miss Ladia's identity to outsiders."

Swearing by the honor of a knight was a weighty oath indeed.

The others also followed suit, each swearing by their most precious possessions.

Paul inwardly chuckled; why did it suddenly become so serious? He had just emphasized that he trusted these people a lot.

"Alright, let's get to the point. How do we deal with this 'Arcane Order'? According to Miss Ladia's speculation, they're likely plotting something in the Northwest Bay."

Minister Cecil said, "My lord, I'll have my subordinates keep an eye out for any signs in this regard, but can Advisor Miss Ladia provide us with assistance?"

The female advisor immediately responded, "Of course, I'm still the Earl's and the Council's advisor. You can consult me anytime."

"Then we'll rely on Advisor Miss Ladia in the future."

Schroder asked the female advisor, "Besides muskets, are weapons like swords unable to harm you? Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to target Miss Ladia."

Ladia nodded understandingly and replied to the Chief of Staff's query, "That's not a characteristic of wizards themselves, but rather the effects of the magic they cast. The effectiveness depends on the caster's mastery of the magic."

"The wizard we encountered this time used a defensive spell called 'Stone Skin,' which, as the name suggests, strengthens the skin to be as hard as stone. But to wield 'Stone Skin' to such a degree, rendering the wizard nearly impervious to swords and spears, is quite rare."

Schroder breathed a sigh of relief; so even without relying on muskets, most wizards could still be killed if approached closely.

Bryce suggested, "Earl Grayman, it seems we need to increase the production of muskets. It's best if over half of the soldiers in each battalion are equipped with muskets. Better safe than sorry; if a large group of these 'rare' wizards that Miss Ladia mentioned shows up, we'll suffer heavy losses."

Cecil added, "Combining the medicines captured from the pirates by the navy with Miss Ladia's descriptions, they might have found ways to use certain drugs to achieve effects similar to magic. The pirates' drugs were manageable, but if the makers continue to improve them to achieve the combined effects of 'Stone Skin' and 'Giant Strength,' it will be greatly disadvantageous for us. Is this possible, Miss Ladia?"

The female advisor nodded, "Yes."

"Yes!" Paul agreed with their suggestions. "I also agree to increase the number of muskets. Chancellor Ford, what do you think?"

The steward stood up and said, "This is indeed a very important matter, and I agree. The Council will allocate funds for the expansion of the arsenal. Additionally, the internal guard units will also be equipped with muskets on an equal footing. After all, wizards may be among ordinary people, and ensuring your and the residents' safety is paramount."

"Very well, let's proceed with that."

(End of the Chapter)