Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

The next day arrived.

Wayne got up early and specially changed into an all-black clerical outfit. Black robe, black belt, black leather boots, and the chief priest's badge pinned to his left breast, making him look several degrees colder and more solemn than when he wore the white robe.

The carriage was already waiting at the door.

The Black Order's headquarters were not located in the core area of ​​the Papacy, but rather on a quiet old street in the southeast corner of the capital.

Emily and Wayne went together.

She sat opposite Wayne in the carriage.

"Mr. Wayne, is it really alright for me to go with you to take up my new post?"

Wayne remained calm.

"No problem. With the purification of my water magic, your curse manifestation has been reduced to a minimum. The Church's magic-testing stone will not classify you as a witch, and no one will suspect anything."

He added.

"However, you must remember that you are now my assistant, an assistant who is proficient in shadow magic."

Emily listened and nodded seriously.

"Okay, I've got it."

Twenty minutes later, the carriage stopped.

Wayne was the first to disembark from the carriage.

What comes into view is a dilapidated building.

The words on the signboard were no longer legible. The bronze plaque, which should have read "Headquarters of the Black Order," was now rusted and most of the paint had peeled off.

Emily stood behind him, looking at the drab two-story building before her, her lips twitching slightly: "...This is the headquarters of the Black Order?"

Wayne didn't answer, because he wasn't quite sure either.

He glanced down at the transfer order in his hand, then looked up at the barely legible address sign. Only after confirming the address was correct did he push open the door.

"Let's go in."

The lobby on the first floor was even more spacious than he had imagined. Several old tables leaned crookedly against the wall, their surfaces covered with a thin layer of dust. In the corner were several stacks of yellowed files, some of them scattered, as if no one had touched them for a long time.

There were only three people in the hall.

Two men and one woman. A young man was dozing off at the table, an open old book under his arm. A middle-aged man sat by the window, holding a cup of cold tea, staring blankly out the window. The woman, however, was quite busy, diligently flipping through files.

Hearing the door open, the three of them looked up at the same time, their eyes all falling on Wayne.

The man who was originally sleeping on his stomach was the first to move.

He jogged along, very attentive.

"You...you're the new manager?"

Wayne nodded.

The young monk's breathing quickened, and he quickly straightened up, his voice tense and restrained: "M-Sir! I am Torre, the clerk of the Black Order! I...I didn't expect you to come today, so I wasn't prepared and the office hasn't been cleaned up yet..."

Wayne looked at him: "It's okay."

On the other side, the middle-aged man did not move.

Seeing the obsequious Tore, the middle-aged man put down his teacup, his tone undisguised mockery: "Tore, you think you can leave this place by currying favor with this man? Don't even think about it. I reckon he was demoted here too."

Torre's face stiffened for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to retort, but swallowed the words back. He knew in his heart that unless someone was a marginalized figure, who would voluntarily transfer to the Black Order?

As soon as the middle-aged man spoke, the young woman who had been flipping through the book instantly turned gloomy.

She glared at the middle-aged man.

Then he looked at Wayne.

"Hey, new manager. If you're just here to coast along like these two people in front of me, then congratulations, you've come to the right place. This place is perfect for coasting along. Nobody cares about you, nobody pressures you, and you still get your monthly salary. You can sit here until dark every day and leave without anyone saying anything."

She paused for a moment.

"However, I'll also make this clear from the start. If you're really just here to coast along, I won't welcome you. The Black Order may be an empty shell now, but as long as I'm here, I won't let it become just a retirement home."

Just then, the panel appeared.

The Black Order: Current Status

[Personnel: Three people, two men and one woman, all peripheral figures of the Vatican. Torre and Blair are just going through the motions; the only one still seriously working is this woman in front of us—Anka.]

[Note: The Black Order currently holds no real power and owns nothing but some unfinished dossiers from the past.]

[Note 2: Anka's great-grandfather was once the head of the Black Order, but by her generation, the order had declined. Her wish is to restore the Black Order to its former glory.]

After reading the panel.

Wayne looked at everyone.

"This young lady speaks very well. I'll also make this clear from the outset: I'm not here to slack off, nor will I allow anyone under my command to do so. From today onward, the Black Order will be forged into an invincible blade, and I hope you're prepared to make that change."

Wayne looked at the three faces with different expressions and gave a formal self-introduction again.

"I am Wayne Angus, the new head of the Black Order. I was personally appointed by Cardinal Cecil."

Upon hearing this, Blair, the middle-aged man who had been nonchalant, became serious. Even the young clerk, Torrey, showed a look of shock on his face.

"Cardinal Cecil's... student?" Torre's voice held a hint of uncertainty. "You're the one... the student Cardinal Cecil personally mentored at the seminary for several years?"

"it's me."

Torre gasped, his mouth agape, momentarily speechless. He had assumed the new manager was just a young man demoted to a marginal department to gain experience, but the man before him was actually Cardinal Cecil's direct disciple. The contrast between this identity and the Black Order's dilapidated status was so stark that he didn't know how to process it.

Anka hesitated for a moment, then took half a step forward, her eyes filled with inquiry: "Master, Cardinal Cecil sent you to the Black Order... to push for reforms?"

Wayne looked at her, his tone firm: "Yes."

Anka froze. Something flickered slightly in her grey-green eyes. She stood there, her fingers tightening around the dossier: "Then... Chief Administrator, what I said before..."

Wayne said gently, "You're right. The Black Order doesn't need people who just coast along. I've remembered your initial reason for coming here."

Anka lowered her gaze, her voice several decibels softer than before: "...Thank you, Master. I apologize for my initial rudeness. I assumed you were like those others sent here to gain experience, so..." She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Wayne didn't care: "No need to apologize. As a member of the Black Order, it's your responsibility to uphold the Order's dignity. You didn't do anything wrong."

Anka's shoulders relaxed slightly: "Thank you for your understanding, sir."

Wayne glanced at the three people present, then stepped aside to make way for Emily behind him: "This is Emily, my temporary assistant. From today onwards, she will also be working with us in the Black Order. Her work will report directly to me and will not interfere with your existing duties."

Emily nodded slightly to the three of them without saying a word, but her quiet and decisive aura was enough to make her memorable.

Blair straightened up and spoke first, his previously lazy tone largely gone: "Your Excellency, I am Brian. I worked in the Vatican's Secretariat for over a decade before being transferred here for reasons I can't easily explain. Please feel free to ask if there's anything I can do for you."

Wayne nodded, not elaborating on the "reasons that are not convenient to discuss in detail," and went straight to the point: "I'm here today mainly to familiarize myself with the place and understand the current situation of the Black Order." He looked at Anka, "Anka, you tell me the specifics!"