Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

The next day arrived.

Wayne met someone he never expected.

Lynch's butler.

Dirk, in his early fifties, was a burly man, followed by several equally robust followers.

Wayne hadn't seen him for almost five years. The last time he saw that face was the morning he left the Marquis's mansion to register for the seminary; Dirk was standing at the mansion gate, helping him carry his luggage.

Five years have passed. Dirk's wrinkles have deepened and his hair has turned a bit whiter, but his muscular physique hasn't shrunk much.

The moment Dirk saw Wayne emerge from the hotel, his eyes instantly welled up with tears. He rushed forward, opening his arms to embrace Wayne: "Young Master! I'm so glad to see you!"

Wayne stepped aside, avoiding the hug.

Dirk missed his target, but his excitement remained undiminished. He grabbed Wayne's arm and looked him up and down several times, his eyes full of concern and joy: "Young Master, you've lost weight... but you've become even more handsome. No wonder you're the son of Master Lynch."

Wayne pulled his hand back: "That old guy would miss me? He's not going to sell me to some big shot again, is he?"

Dirk's face stiffened, then he waved his hands frantically, speaking urgently to defend Lin Qi: "Young Master, what are you saying! Master has never had such an idea! Besides, Master is already a Marquis now; it's more like others are trying to curry favor with us, not us needing to curry favor with others!"

Wayne remained unmoved.

"Alright, stop fooling yourself. Tell me, what brings you here this time?"

Dirk composed himself, his expression hardening, and his tone becoming serious again: "Young Master, we've come to take you home."

"go home?"

"Yes, young master." Dirk nodded. "The Marquis said that you have suffered so much at the border, it is time for you to return to the capital. He has already prepared a courtyard for you at his residence, so you don't need to go anywhere else when you return to the capital to report on your duties. You can stay at home directly. Father and son have not seen each other for many years, so this is a good opportunity to catch up."

After listening, Wayne nodded noncommittally, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and simply asked casually, "How's that old man's health lately?"

Dirk quickly replied, "Thanks to you, young master, the master is in excellent health. He even went to the hunting grounds in the north a while ago and brought back a wild boar. He's more energetic than a young man." After he finished speaking, he paused and added, "It's just that... he mentions you, young master, from time to time."

Wayne's lips twitched slightly.

Thinking about him?

They're probably wondering when he'll be of any use.

He didn't dwell on the topic and changed the subject: "Did you come to Bellino specifically to see me, or were you just passing through?"

"I came here specifically to see you."

How did you know I was here?

"The Marquis found out that you had already left Frost Town and calculated that you should be arriving in Bellino soon, so he sent me ahead of time to wait for you. I arrived the day before yesterday and stayed at the inn in the north of the city. I only found out today that you are staying at this inn."

Wayne nodded after listening.

The reasoning was plausible, and the information matched. But his intuition told him that things weren't that simple.

The panel popped up at this point.

[Dirk's Current True Purpose]

[Status: He was indeed sent by Marquis Lynch to bring you back to the capital. However, Marquis Lynch also instructed him to do something else—to ascertain your current strength, resources, and progress in your power before arriving in the capital.]

[Note: It's true that Marquis Lynch has reserved a courtyard for you at his residence, but he has also arranged a marriage for you in the capital. Your bride is the nineteen-year-old youngest daughter of a powerful duke in the North. Lynch plans to bring you back to the capital and use this political marriage to solidify his influence in the North.]

[Note 2: While Dirk is fiercely loyal to Marquis Lynch, his concern for you is also genuine. He doesn't contradict himself between these two emotions; investigating your background and scheming for Lynch are official matters, while caring for your health and well-being is a personal matter. He distinguishes between them clearly.]

[Additionally: He actually knows about Dalton's appointment with you for the Goddess's Judgment, and he's also heard the rumors about you at the church. He's not worried about it because he knows for sure that you beating Dalton is absolutely no problem.]

After looking at the panel, Wayne sighed silently.

As expected, we still have to sell him.

However, this time there was progress; he was no longer sold to men, and his orientation finally became more normal.

"Dirk."

"Young master, please speak."

"I won't be going back with you for the time being."

Dirk paused, his smile freezing for a moment: "Young Master... why is that?"

"I have my own plans."

Dirk opened his mouth, his gaze sweeping over Wayne's face. Seeing that he showed no sign of backing down, he tentatively asked, "Is the young master unwilling to go back because of that Dalton matter?"

Wayne didn't say anything.

Dirk took this as tacit agreement, took a half-step forward, and said in a low voice, "Young Master, if this is what you're after, you don't need to get involved personally. A mere assistant bishop isn't worth your time. If you trust me, I can take care of him for you. For one thing, our Marquis's mansion has some connections in Bellino. Getting rid of an insignificant assistant bishop quietly is no big deal."

After listening, Wayne glanced at Dirk.

He could sense the sincerity in Dirk's tone; the old butler genuinely wanted to resolve his troubles. But he also knew that Dirk had another purpose for coming: to find out his background so he could report back to Lynch.

Wayne's attitude was clear: "No need. I can handle this myself."

Dirk opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him further, but seeing Wayne's expression that left no room for negotiation, he ultimately swallowed his words: "...Alright then. Since you've made your decision, young master, I won't say anything more."

After he finished speaking, he took out a silver-gray badge from his pocket and handed it to Wayne with both hands.

"Young master, this is the Marquis's badge of pass. Please take it with you on your journey. If you encounter any trouble in towns around the capital, showing this badge will be of some use."

Wayne took the badge, weighed it in his hand, and put it in his pocket.

"Please thank that old man for me."

Dirk smiled and said, "Young Master, you should tell the Master yourself when you get back."

Wayne ignored the question and turned to walk towards the hotel entrance. "Alright, you can go back now. I have things to do here, so I won't keep you."

Dirk stood there, watching Wayne's figure disappear into the hotel, and remained silent for a while before turning around and waving to his entourage.

"Let's go back and pack our things."

"Sir, are we leaving now?"

"Young Master said he has his own plans." Dirk mounted his horse, a hint of感慨 in his voice. "We servants should just listen. Young Master has grown up and has his own ideas now. Besides, we're here to..."