Release That With

Chapter Three: The Witch Named Anna (Part II)

Chapter 3: The Witch Named Anna (Part II)

Translator: TransN  Editor: Meh

After Roland ate the last piece of fried egg from his breakfast, he took a napkin and wiped his mouth before saying, "So, are you saying that you’re worried that the Witch Cooperation Association will try to rescue the witch when they hear the news that she did not die?"

"It’s as Your Highness says." Barov stamped his feet and exclaimed. "I hear that they’re in a hurry and probably on their way to somewhere. Had that prisoner died, and then it can’t be helped, but she’s still alive! If those witches are crazy enough to steal babies, I’m afraid that they won’t forsake a degenerated companion."

Roland was somewhat confused, and he could not help but feel that there was something amiss about the situation. Why is it that my Assistant Minister and Chief Knight speak of witches as if they’re a forthcoming and formidable enemy?

The woman who’s to be executed is a witch, right? She’s so thin that even the wind seems like it can blow her off her feet. If she truly possessed frightening power, why would she be standing there and awaiting her death? No, she wouldn’t even be caught. According to the Church’s explanation, she’s a Devil incarnate, and therefore the Punishment Army and other military troops would suffer losses if they fought her. Yet, she was caught by the normal citizens of Border Town, and was tortured by every means possible up until she was led to the gallow, but there was still no sign of her frightening power.

"How did she get caught?" Roland queried.

"I heard that when the North Slope Mine Area collapsed, she revealed her identity in order to escape, and was then captured by angry villagers," Barov answered.

"I’ve a certain impression of this matter, and it happened right on the day before I travelled through time," Roland thought.

"How did she reveal herself?" The prince asked aloud.

"I, well… I’m not sure." the Assistant Minister shook his head and said, "The situation was very chaotic, and it could be that someone saw her using witchcraft."

Roland frowned as he asked, "Aren’t you able to investigate the situation properly?"

"Your Highness, our priority is to restore the production of the mining area." the Assistant Minister retorted. "Half of our revenue is derived from the iron mine, and what’s more, the guards have confirmed that someone at the scene was killed by witchcraft."

"What kind of witchcraft?" Roland asked, becoming more interested than before.

"The head and a large part of the body were spread out on the ground, as if they were melted. They reminded people of burnt-out black candles." Barov's face was filled with disgust. "Your Highness, you wouldn’t want to see such a scene."

Roland played with his silver fork as he pondered over the issue. Historically speaking, most of the victims who were hunted by the Witch Cooperation Association were innocent people, and thus, the witches bore the brunt of the Church’s and the ignorant people’s anger. In truth, a small percentage of witches had sought their own deaths. This group of witches dressed bizarrely, and spent their days mixing all kinds of materials in large pots, claiming that they could predict the future and knew the conclusion of life and death. They based their legitimacy around a few tricks, for example, making use of a natural flame reaction to ‘prove’ that they had obtained the power of God.

To a modern person, these were nothing but some simple chemistry tricks, but in medieval times, it was easy to mistake them as godly phenomenon.

As for melting people, the first thing that Roland thought of was a chromic acid solution. However, the preparation for this was tedious and the process itself required the entire human body to be immersed in the chromic acid. Furthermore, the melting effect was definitely not as strong as the melting of candle wax. And chromic acid was the strongest of the known acids.