Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

The next day arrived.

In Bellinor, besides the ongoing discussions about the outcome of the goddess's judgment in Wayne, another event spread even faster throughout the city's streets and alleys—the Earl of Layton had been purged.

Nobody knows exactly what happened.

All I know is that last night, at the Earl's mansion

A brief shout of battle came from the direction of the gate, lasting for about fifteen minutes before falling silent. When the city patrol arrived, the gates of the Earl's mansion were wide open, and the stone steps in front of the gate were clean, without bloodstains, corpses, or even a trace of a struggle.

Everyone in the Earl's mansion, from Earl Layton himself to the cooks, grooms, and maids, had vanished without a trace.

It was as if no one had ever lived in that mansion.

By this morning, the news had completely exploded. Teahouses, pubs, street vendors—everywhere was buzzing with discussion. Rumors of all kinds were spreading like wildfire throughout the city.

A bard sat on the edge of the fountain in the square, holding his lute, and was singing a particular version of the song with great expression: "The Earl of Layton, who had committed many evils, finally angered the messenger of the goddess. Last night, a holy light descended from the sky, enveloping the entire earl's mansion... When the light dissipated, the mansion was deserted; even the goddess found them too filthy and took them directly to the place of judgment..."

An adventurer next to him spat, "Bullshit! My cousin works in the city defense team. He said he didn't see any holy light last night, and there were hardly any sounds of fighting. But there were a few carriages covered in black cloth that drove out of the back gate of the Earl's mansion in the middle of the night and headed north."

"North? Isn't that the direction leading to the capital?"

"Who knows? Anyway, this isn't a simple matter."

A few businessmen huddled together on the street corner.

"I heard that Earl Layton had been secretly dealings with people from the Northern Church, and the messenger was intercepted by the city lord's mansion. Her Majesty the Queen gave the order, which is why they took action."

"Having dealings with the Northern Papacy? Isn't that treason?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down, you can't say things like that."

Similar debates are taking place in every corner of Bellino.

Within half a day, at least seven or eight different versions had emerged. Some said that Earl Layton's entire family had been secretly executed and their bodies thrown into an abandoned mine outside the city; others said that Earl Layton had received advance warning and fled with his family and valuables; still others said that this was an internal purge within the Papacy and was inextricably linked to the Bishop of Frosttown who had just won the Goddess's Judgment.

Wayne stood by the window on the second floor of the hotel, listening to the murmurs and chatter on the street below.

The panel unfolds in view.

[Layton's Mansion - A True Response to the Incident]

[Executor: Lord Jain Heinrich of Bellinor, with direct instructions from Queen Evelyn of the capital.]

[The trigger: Earl Layton's close ties with the old guard of the Papacy and his repeated covert obstruction of the Lord's decisions in the affairs of the Bellino diocese.]

[Disposal method: The entire manor was thoroughly investigated, leaving no stone unturned. The operation was carried out by the Third Battalion of the Dragonblood Knights, and was swift and efficient, leaving no traceable clues. The Earl's manor has been sealed off and awaits receipt by personnel from the capital.]

[Note: Earl Layton never imagined that what he thought was an unshakeable foundation built over decades in Bellino was actually a mistake. He forgot one thing: the Heinrich family never gave their opponents a chance to turn the tables.]

After looking at the panel, Wayne couldn't help but ponder.

Earl of Leyton.

His son was the murderer of Marco's daughter.

His revered high magician is now my slave.

Now that this has happened, I wonder how Sriyan is doing? Speaking of which, since we parted ways in the woods that night, I haven't heard from Sriyan at all.

The only good news is...

The contract is still in effect, and the person is not dead.

As Wayne was thinking, there was a knock on the door.

"Young Master Wayne, there's a guest downstairs looking for you. He says he's an adjutant from the City Lord's Mansion, carrying a letter personally written by the City Lord."

Wayne snapped out of his thoughts and went downstairs.

A young man in a black uniform stood ramrod straight in the hall. Upon seeing Wayne descend, he immediately stepped forward and gave a standard hand-to-chest salute: "Bishop Wayne, I am the adjutant of the Lord of Bellino's mansion. I have been ordered by Lord Jayne to invite you to the mansion this afternoon for a discussion. The Lord says there are some things he would like to discuss with you in person."

Wayne took the letter, opened it, and glanced at it.

The letter was brief and politely worded.

The gist of it was congratulating him on winning the Goddess's Judgment, and also mentioning "something about a fifth-tier archmage".

Wayne folded the letter and put it in his pocket.

"Okay, I'll be there on time this afternoon."

He had originally planned to leave Bellino today.

It seems the plan has changed.

With no reason to refuse, Wayne changed into clean clothes and followed his adjutant to the city lord's mansion.

The reception room was not large and the decoration was not luxurious, but every piece of furniture was made of solid materials. In the corner, there was a well-trimmed dwarf pine, and on the wall hung an unsigned landscape painting.

Jayne sat in the main seat, with two cups of tea in front of him.

When he saw Wayne enter, he didn't get up, but simply gestured to the seat opposite him: "Sit."

Wayne sat down opposite him.

Jayne didn't rush to speak. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then put it down, his gaze falling on Wayne's face: "Bishop Wayne, yesterday's judgment was well done."

Wayne nodded slightly: "You flatter me, City Lord."

The panel now appears.

[Jain Heinrich - Biographical Information]

[Identity: Lord of Bellinor, younger brother of Queen Evelyn, late-stage fifth-tier knight.]

[Background: A core member of the Heinrich family, Queen Evelyn's sharpest weapon. He kills whomever his sister commands. Unlike the Papal knights, he is a true knight, and chivalry is the sole guideline for his actions.]

[Note: He has been attracted to married women since childhood. Fifteen years ago, it was the baron's wife next door who led him down this path of no return. It's all the baron's fault for frequently going hunting.]

[Note 2: He recently joined a secret cult. The core doctrines of this cult are very much to his liking, because its greatest benefit is that it allows him to encounter various like-minded people in his dreams who like to give him green crowns. And he, Jayne, never gives himself a green crown.]

Wayne finished looking at the panel.

This is undoubtedly a follower of Hena.

Jayne didn't continue with the polite conversation about the "Goddess's Judgment," and changed the subject: "You must have heard about what happened at Earl Layton's mansion, right?"

Wayne picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "I've heard about it. It's quite widespread, with all sorts of versions circulating."

"So, what do you think of Earl Layton?"

Wayne put down his teacup, thought for a moment, and gave an ambiguous answer: "It's only a matter of time before a remnant of the old era is eliminated by the times."

After listening, Jayne did not immediately respond: "Someone told me that the purge of the Earl of Layton's mansion is related to you."

Wayne's expression remained unchanged.

"What does this have to do with me? Lord, you are joking. I am just a bishop who has only been in Bellino for a few days. How could I possibly have the power to bring down a count who has been in power for decades overnight?"

Jayne gave a noncommittal "hmm".

"Do you know this person, Nasrian?"