landbeastnovel Chapter 118 The Witches
Chapter 118 The Witches
Chapter 117 The Witches
The story begins in the afternoon after Lorraine dispatched miners to excavate deep coal mines.
Lorraine sat in a high-backed chair in the study, her fingertips lightly tapping the table.
The Witch's Codex slowly opened in the void, and that page recorded the current data of the Frostwolf Territory.
Population, food reserves, fortifications, and — the number of witches.
"Anna, come in."
Lorraine snapped out of her thoughts and called softly to the closed door.
Anna, who was guarding the door, immediately straightened her back and quickly walked to the table.
She was still wearing that well-tailored but understated maid outfit, but her fiery red hair and the faint magical aura emanating from her body reminded everyone that she was the city's top fourth-tier entropy witch.
This maid outfit was specially made for Lorraine by Olivia.
Although Anna has advanced to the fourth-order Entropy Witch, possessing destructive power capable of instantly turning a small city into dust, in front of Lorraine, she is still like the little maid she first met at the White Wolf Outpost.
"Sir, you wanted to see me?"
Anna stopped, clasped her hands in front of her, and bowed slightly.
Lorraine pointed to the chair opposite her.
"Sit down and try the black tea that Olivia just brewed."
Anna sat down as instructed, her movements somewhat hurried.
She picked up the porcelain cup and took a sip. The warm liquid slid down her throat, carrying a faint fruity and honeyy flavor.
"The situation inside the city is gradually stabilizing."
Lorraine crossed his arms and looked at her gently.
"Although the central bank governor, Pim, is greedy, he is indeed quite efficient. Under Victor's leadership, the security team has also cleaned up those unruly insects."
Anna nodded, her eyes filled with genuine admiration.
"This is all thanks to your kindness and majesty, sir. The people now say that you are the only savior of the North."
Lorraine smiled, not taking credit for anything.
He then changed the subject.
"As the territory expands, rules must naturally be established."
"The Tower of Babel today is no longer the makeshift operation with just a few people."
"So, Anna, it's time to bestow upon you an official title."
Anna was about to put down her cup when her hand suddenly trembled, and a few drops of tea splashed onto her skirt.
She didn't bother wiping herself, and suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with shock.
"Official position?"
"My lord—you must be joking, right?"
Anna hurriedly waved her hand, raising her voice several decibels.
"I—I'm just a maid. I can barely read or write. What kind of official position could I possibly hold?"
"I can't, sir."
"If I were to handle those complicated matters, I would definitely mess them up and only cause you trouble."
She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, and even tried to stand up and refuse outright.
Lorraine gestured for her to calm down.
"I will not only arrange an official position for you, but also a high-ranking one."
"Besides, this is a position that even someone as illiterate as you can do very well, and perhaps only you can do it well."
Anna froze, staring blankly at Lorraine.
What kind of high-ranking official can someone be? Even an illiterate person can become one.
Her mind was a jumbled mess; she even wondered if Lorraine was going to make her some kind of "chief maid."
Lorraine stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the towering Witch's Tower in the distance.
"This official title is called the leader of the Witch Guild."
"You have only one responsibility: to cultivate, train, and select new witches within your territory."
He turned around, his expression turning serious.
"Anna, you must understand that the witch is the true core of our territory."
"As the territory expands, more and more people with the potential to awaken as witches will appear. They need guidance, discipline, and, more importantly, an absolutely loyal leader."
Anna opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word for a long time.
"But—doesn't Miss Catherine know more about these things than I do?"
"She's a fourth-tier Storm Witch, and a former high-ranking official of the Prince. She's smarter and more knowledgeable than me—"
Lorraine shook her head.
"Catherine is indeed very strong and experienced. But she is, after all, a newcomer."
He walked over to Anna and gently patted her shoulder.
"If those girls in the Witch Guild were handed over to her, she probably wouldn't be able to win their hearts. Just having rich experience and a high rank isn't enough to win everyone's loyalty."
He walked over to Anna and gently patted her shoulder.
"But you are different."
"You are the first witch to follow me, Anna."
"Your loyalty is the foundation upon which I stand in the North."
Lorraine's voice was deep and full of trust: "I will handle the command myself; I will also provide the specific training plan."
"All you need to do is sit in that position, use your rank and seniority to control the newcomers, and teach them how to be loyal to me."
"And this position, besides yours, no other witch would be satisfied with sitting in it."
Anna felt the warmth from her shoulder, and her eyes reddened slightly.
The first witch to follow an adult —
So much time has passed. It turns out that my unwavering resolve has been firmly remembered by the lord.
After returning to his desk, Lorraine took out a parchment list from the drawer.
"These are the talents with witch potential that I have recently selected within the city."
There are probably five.
He pushed the list in front of Anna.
"Most of them are orphans from the slums, or poor people who have suffered greatly."
"These people are most likely to be awakened through suffering, and are also most likely to develop loyalty."
"Your task is to recruit them all into the Witch Corps, and you will personally lead the team."
Anna took the list with trembling hands.
Five names were written on it: Amy, Sophie, Lilith —
Behind each name are notes detailing their personality traits and potential areas of awakening.
"Sir—I can't understand the words on this."
Anna lowered her head, her voice barely audible, and she seemed somewhat ashamed.
Lorraine burst into laughter.
"So I've already found you a tutor."
"Starting tomorrow, that teacher will teach you and Leila to read."
"Anna, you can no longer be content with just being a berserker wielding flames."
"You are now a high-ranking member of the Tower of Babel, and you will be given more and better work in the future."
"Learning to recognize characters is your first step."
He paused for a moment, looking intently at Anna.
"You are very important to me. I look forward to your growth even more than the expansion of my territory."
Anna was completely stunned.
Tears welled up in his eyes, finally sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto the parchment list in his hand.
She suddenly knelt down on one knee.
"My lord—Anna will certainly not let you down!"
"Even if it means death, I will protect the Witch Clan for you!"
Her voice was hoarse yet firm, carrying an almost fanatical devotion.
The news spread very quickly.
When Anna walked out of the lord's office with that heavy list in her hand, the entire upper echelon of Babel was alarmed.
In the castle’s courtyard, several witches were gathered together.
"Congratulations, Commander!"
A voice, tinged with amusement, rang out.
Catherine leaned against a stone pillar, her long silver hair fluttering in the breeze.
She bowed slightly to Anna, performing a standard aristocratic curtsy, but her eyes revealed a rare sense of approval.
"If someone else were to be the leader, I might question the lord's judgment."
"But if it's you, Anna—I don't think anyone would dare to object."
Catherine knew very well that while strength was important in this territory, one's relationship with the lord was the key to determining one's status.
Anna's journey from the White Wolf outpost was a true rise from humble beginnings.
Catherine knew she couldn't match her loyalty to Lorraine.
"Sister Anna is going to be an official!"
Leila came skipping over, still clutching half a loaf of bread in her hand.
Her golden eyes sparkled with joy.
"Should I listen to Anna from now on?"
Anna blushed and hurriedly helped Leila up.
"Laila, don't talk nonsense, I just—I just help the adults with some chores."
"No, Anna."
Olivia also came over, holding a stack of logistics reports in her hand, with a gentle smile on her face.
"You deserve it."
"When it comes to understanding adults, and when it comes to seniority in the Tower of Babel, no one is more suitable than you."
"You are the first witch to awaken, and the first follower of the master."
"You are the flag of the Tower of Babel."
Olivia's words contained no jealousy, only heartfelt satisfaction.
As the finance minister, she was well aware of the deeper meaning behind Lorraine's decision.
This is establishing the core hierarchy of the Tower of Babel.
Anna's rise to power meant that the "veterans" who had followed Lorraine the longest received their due reward, which greatly stabilized morale within the army.
"I—I will definitely try my best."
Anna clutched the list tightly, her gaze sweeping over each of her companions present.
She felt a heavy burden on her shoulders, but her heart was filled with unprecedented strength.
"I will teach those newcomers well."
"I will show them what the gifts of adults are and what the rules of the Tower of Babel are."
late at night.
Lorraine sat at her desk, and the Witch's Codex projected a pale blue light screen in mid-air.
Generating a Witch Clan Training Guide —
Target: Amy (Potential Awakening: Shadow), Personality: Resolute, Silent.
Promotion Ritual Recommendation: Abyssal Gaze. Required Materials: Shadow Ore, Tears of Pain —
Target: Sophie (Potential Awakening: Thunder type), Personality: Temperamental, Brave.
Recommended Promotion Ceremony: Thunderous Baptism. Required Materials: Remnants of Thunderous Ruins, Pure Magic Crystal —
Lorraine wrote with lightning speed, meticulously recording everything on the parchment.
He not only tailored promotion paths for these five people, but also took into account their psychological counseling and personality guidance after their awakening.
This is not just a list; it is a blueprint for a witch army.
"Tailoring instruction to individual needs is the key to maximizing combat effectiveness."
Lorraine put down her pen and rubbed her slightly sore temples.
He turned to look out the window.
Under the dark sky, the outline of Frostwolf City resembled a lurking behemoth.
The fourth-tier metal city wall, several meters high, gleamed coldly in the moonlight.
"The Lord of Winter————"
Lorraine murmured softly.
"Twelve days left."
"I hope my witch troupe will give you a surprise then."
He stood up, walked to the bookshelf, and took out a thick general language dictionary.
That was a gift he had prepared for Anna and Lyra.
In an era when knowledge was monopolized by the church and the nobility, literacy itself was a privilege that transcended class.
What he wanted to give Anna was not just status, but also the ability to see the world clearly.
Early the next morning.
A middle-aged man dressed in a simple robe and wearing gold-rimmed glasses was led into the castle.
He was recruited by Pym from within the city. He was once a down-on-his-luck minor nobleman who taught between various noble families because of his poverty.
After all, he was a nobleman, and it was extremely respectable for him to educate the children of nobles.
"Greetings, Lord."
The middle-aged man knelt on the ground, trembling with fear.
Lorraine sat in the main seat, her expression calm.
"Your name?"
"My name is Gray."
"Very good, Gray."
Lorraine pointed to Anna and Lyra sitting to the side.
"From today onwards, you will be in charge of teaching them to read."
"Two hours a day, with teaching materials provided by me."
"If they learn slowly, that's your responsibility."
"If they learn quickly, I will reward you with a generous amount of Babel coins."
Gray looked up and glanced at Anna.
He could sense the suffocating magical energy emanating from the young woman; it was the oppressive aura of a fourth-tier powerhouse.
To send a minor nobleman like myself to teach a terrifying witch to read?
Gray swallowed hard, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.
"This humble person—this humble person will certainly do their utmost!"
The next day, in the classroom.
Anna sat in the chair, holding a brand-new quill pen in her hand, looking somewhat clumsy.
Leila curiously flipped through the universal language dictionary, occasionally letting out a gasp of surprise.
"Sister Anna, look at this character, doesn't it look like a tree?"
Lyra pointed to a letter and asked.
Anna leaned over to take a look, then shook her head blankly.
"I don't know, but I'll remember it."
She raised her head and looked at Lorraine, who was sitting at the head of the table, her eyes filled with determination.
"The adults said that if I could read, I could do more work for them."
"Then I'm going to devour all this scribbling nonsense into my brain!"
Lorraine leaned back in her chair, watching this scene with a slight smile on her lips.
This is the first school in Frostwolf City.
Although there are only two students and one teacher.
But this is the spark of civilization.
In this northern land filled with monsters and bitter cold, besides force and slaughter, he also needs to establish his own civilization.
Anna was the first spark he chose.
In the following days.
The people of Frostwolf City noticed that the Flame Witch, who used to be by the Lord's side, had become even more reclusive.
However, five young new witches can often be seen in the castle's training grounds.
They were dressed in matching leather armor, their youthful faces filled with trepidation and excitement.
Anna stood before them, holding the guide Lorraine had given her.
"From today onwards, you are the prospective members of the Babel Tower Witches' Guild."
Anna's voice was clear and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority.
Although she was still learning to read, she already possessed the demeanor of someone in a superior position when facing these newcomers.
"The adults gave you the chance to live, and the chance to become stronger."
"Here, there are no commoners or slaves, only witches."
"All you need to do is obey the orders of the adults and protect the glory of the Tower of Babel."
Anna stretched out her hand, and a cluster of crimson entropy fire suddenly burst forth in her palm.
The flames did not emit high temperatures; instead, they carried a sense of desolation that slightly distorted the space itself.
The five girls gasped in unison, their eyes filled with awe.
"This is the power of the fourth-order entropy witch."
Anna looked around at everyone.
"As long as you work hard, you too can possess similar power in the future."
"Now, let's begin the first exercise: meditation."
Standing on the high terrace, Lorraine looked at the scene in the training ground and squinted his eyes in satisfaction.
Compared to the witches under his command before, who advanced by inscribing rituals and consuming large amounts of materials, this was different.
But for these five newly born witches, he planned to conserve materials and at most help them find the most suitable path to advancement and cultivation method, nothing more.
Unless it's a critical juncture or they make outstanding contributions, I won't expend a lot of materials to help these witches advance.
After all, even if these witches were willing to expend materials, they would never be able to advance to the level where they could deal with the Winter Lord in a short period of time.
Catherine appeared behind him without him noticing.
"Anna is very talented; she learns very quickly."
"It's not just about literacy, but also about the art of managing people."
Lorraine smiled.
"She just really wanted to help me."
"This desire will transform into the most powerful motivation."
He turned to look at Catherine.
"How's the weather controller debugging process going?"
Catherine's expression turned serious.
"It's basically finished."
"As soon as the Winter Lord steps into the territory of Frostwolf Territory, I can instantly change the situation."
"But I suggest that it should be used in conjunction with the Witch's Tower in the battle of the city walls."
Lorraine nodded.
"That's what I think too."
>