That's not how you use a witch!

Chapter 33 The Duke's Decision

After the guests left, the dejected duke grabbed a bottle of new wine and drank it all by himself.

"Damn it, how did the Western Regions become such a mess?"

Henry cursed the lords who were not putting in any effort, while lamenting that he himself was no better, that a duke had actually resorted to drinking to drown his sorrows.

If it weren't for the urgent situation and the lack of a suitable successor, he would have really quit! Everyone says that working for someone else is hard, but how easy is it for him as a leader?

He wasn't sure if he was hallucinating from the alcohol, but he saw a familiar figure turn back from outside the door—it was Ronan.

"Your Excellency the Duke"

"Why are you back? Did you come here just to laugh at me?"

"I wouldn't dare; I only returned on important business."

"Hehe, who cares about that? Since you're here, have a couple of drinks with me first!"

With no one else around, Henry no longer maintained his ducal airs. He handed Ronan a bottle of wine, took out a new one for himself, and simply bit off the cork with his teeth.

Ronan, not wanting to spoil the fun, also bit open the bottle cork.

Amidst the mess of cups and plates, the two clinked bottles together and drank the wine to the last drop.

"What do you think of the rebels' next move? There's no one else here, so just say what you want to say."

Henry was clearly not drunk; his scrutinizing gaze suggested he was actually quite sober.

"Then I'll be frank: I think the situation is more dangerous than it appears on the surface."

Ronan presented his predictions about the rebels' movements to the Duke—of course, he omitted the part related to the Witch's Eye.

He then stated that although the mobilization efforts across the entire western region were not ideal, they could combine existing intelligence to deploy targeted defenses in key areas and along major routes.

This way, even if battle breaks out, we won't be completely on the defensive and suffer a crushing defeat. Once those stubborn lords have been badly beaten, they will naturally respond to the call to prepare for war.

Henry nodded, agreeing with the young man's analysis.

"So, in your view, Thorn Territory is bound to clash with the main rebel force?"

"Exactly. Looking across the entire Western Territory, the easiest target to bully on the surface is my Thorn Territory."

"Hehe, 'on the surface' is a very intriguing word. Young man, you might as well put it more clearly."

"Your Grace is truly insightful; nothing can be hidden from you. In fact, this is also related to my request, and I hope Your Grace can lend me a hand."

"Go ahead and say it; I know what I'm doing."

"May I let my witch in?"

After Ronan finished speaking, he turned his gaze outside—Meidel, dressed in a black robe, stood quietly at the doorway, her long, flowing purple hair swaying in the wind.

Henry looked the girl over, glanced at Ronan with some surprise, and nodded slightly.

So Madonna went to Ronan's side and bowed to Henry.

"Her name is Medal, from the North. She's a wandering witch I met by chance, and we've now formed a pact. Her magic can transform her into indestructible steel. The reason Thornlands was able to gain a foothold under the evil beasts and quell that band of fleeing soldiers was because of her assistance..."

Ronan introduced Maddale to Henry, but did not mention that she had originally served the lords of the North and had been sentenced to death.

At the same time, he made no mention of using Madell to forge iron, only emphasizing that she was a powerful combatant who played an indispensable role in fighting against evil beasts and subduing defeated soldiers.

Henry listened with a complicated expression, tapping his index finger lightly on the table.

After Ronan finished speaking, he remained silent for a moment, his complex expression turning into a subtle smile.

"No wonder they were able to accomplish the feat of quelling the fleeing soldiers; the small Thorn Territory is truly a place where hidden talents abound."

"Your Grace is too kind."

"These are just my honest thoughts. I've never liked beating around the bush. Many lords have more and stronger witches, but they lack your sense of responsibility and awareness. You've completely disgraced the people of the Western Territory."

Henry stood up again and said, "But you've taken in wandering witches without permission, which won't stand up to the Church. If they investigate, you'll inevitably be condemned or fined, and might even be exiled by the Knights of the Inquisition. Your witches could very well be confiscated as a result."

"Exactly. That's why I hope His Excellency the Duke can lend a hand and help Maddale gain a foothold in the church."

"Understood, I will inform the Western Archbishop. Tomorrow morning, just go directly to the cathedral in Frost Territory to complete the witch registration process; they won't give you any trouble."

"Thank you, Your Grace! Thorn Territory will spare no effort to defend its territory and prepare for war, safeguarding the peace of the Western Frontier!"

After seeing Ronan off, the Duke summoned Chief Knight Houston and whispered something to him.

"Isn't this inappropriate?"

Houston frowned slightly. "That witch's background is unknown. If she has some shameful past, it won't be easy for us to explain to the church."

"I don't care about her past, I only care about her contribution. She now serves the Thornlands, and she has killed the evil beasts and subdued the fleeing soldiers. The Westerlands need her, and that's enough for us to say."

"But you are the Duke who rules the Western Territory. It might be beneath your dignity to personally meet with the bishop for such a matter..."

"If I want to continue as the Duke ruling the West, I also need to keep those covetous rebels at bay. The same goes for Aurelius, who wants to continue as the Archbishop of the West."

Henry's words finally left Houston speechless.

He then made further arrangements: to ensure the church's endorsement and to package Maddale's experiences before entering the West as perfectly as possible, minimizing the risk of the church's opposition.

At the same time, all church members who escaped from the North were strictly detained and screened, and if anyone knew anything they shouldn't know, they were made to shut up forever.

If the church investigates later, just say these people were rebel spies; they won't be able to refute it anyway.

As for Ronan's predictions regarding the rebels' movements...

"My lord, I actually think the Thorn Lord is exaggerating. The rebels have just conquered the northern border, and it would be a very risky decision to march directly into the western border."

Houston pondered for a moment, then said, "If it were me, I would first consolidate the gains in the North, establish a firm foothold, and then make further plans. Doesn't the fact that the rebels haven't shown up yet prove that?"

"Your speculation is reasonable, but the other side is, after all, a rebel army, and it is entirely possible that they would take risky moves."

Henry pondered for a moment.

"Following the advice of the Thorn Lord, we should increase vigilance and strengthen surveillance of key routes, especially those bordering the North. We must remind them to prepare for war. At the same time, we should grant Thorn and Mountain Territories appropriate autonomy. Whatever their plans are, as long as they are not too outrageous, they should be allowed as much autonomy as possible. If the rebels do attack, the defense of the eastern part of the West Territories will likely depend on them."

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The next morning, Ronan led Madonna into the central cathedral of Frostshire.

For witches, the church is undoubtedly the place that holds the most painful memories, and Madale is no exception.

The moment she stepped through the gate, she followed closely behind Ronan, as if afraid of being taken away at any moment.

Sensing the girl's emotions, Ronan deliberately slowed down his pace to give her as much security as possible.

Fortunately, the registration process went very smoothly—Ronan had initially worried that Maddale's status as a death row inmate would cause trouble, but he was not questioned about it at all. He subtly inquired and learned that the church organization in the North had long been paralyzed by the rebellion, and very few high-ranking members had escaped. From this perspective, the rebels had actually helped them.

The monk in charge of registration glanced at the pudding on Ronan's clothes, then at Madale's smooth neck, and kindly gave Ronan a Divine Punishment Stone, reminding him that some money couldn't be saved.

Ronan offered his sincere thanks to the gods and then carefully considered which caravan would be the best match to sell the rather decent Stone of Divine Punishment to...

Half an hour later, the two left the church with the completed formalities.

With this, Madale completely shed her controversial identity and became a legally recognized witch certified by the church, only needing to pay a contract tax regularly each month.

This is certainly a considerable expense, but for Madara, who can farm iron in the void, it's just a matter of farming for two more minutes.

"Ronan, I heard that you register your marriage in a church."

On the way back to Thornholde, Meidel stroked the registration document and suddenly said...

Why did you suddenly think of that?

Ronan was surprised by the girl's bizarre thought process and couldn't help but laugh.

Maidal didn't answer, but blinked and continued, "Ronan, will you get married too?"

"I doubt it. The rebels could attack at any time. They won't have time for romance."

"Not now, but later."

The girl's persistent questioning voice came from behind, "It's when all wars end, when there are no more wars on this land, and you don't have to work so hard anymore."

"That will probably be a long time from now. Let's wait until we realize that vision first. If it can be achieved, it's not impossible to consider it."

Before transmigrating, I was single, so finding someone after transmigrating isn't too much to ask, right...? Ronan thought to himself, unaware of the girl's sparkling eyes behind him.

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