Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

Wien followed Edmund through the side aisle, around the main hall, and into a courtyard behind the church.

The courtyard is small and sparsely decorated, contrasting sharply with the grandeur of the exterior of St. George's Cathedral.

There is a large stone table in the center of the courtyard.

At the head of the stone table, a man in a purple robe was drinking tea. He didn't look very old, probably around forty-five or forty-six.

And this man was Caruso.

When Wayne walked in, Carrosso didn't get up. He simply gestured to the seat opposite him: "Please sit down, young friend."

Carrosso picked up his cup of tea, took a sip, and stared at Wayne's face for a moment before praising, "He looks even more energetic than in the portrait. That old Cecil certainly has a good eye."

Wayne did not respond to the polite remark.

"I wonder what business Bishop Carosso has with me?"

Carrosso put down his teacup and smiled. "Young friend, there's no need to be nervous. I have nothing else to discuss today; I just wanted to chat with you casually." He paused, then added casually, "How's that old man Cecil doing lately?"

"Thanks to you, everything is great."

Carrosso smiled, neither calling out the obviously distant answer nor pressing for an answer.

The panel popped up at this point.

【Caroso Valentine - Biographical Information】

[Status: The youngest cardinal in the College of Cardinals, a leading figure of the Old School.]

[Background: He studied at the Holy See of St. Hilde in his early years and was well aware of St. Hilde's power, believing that only St. Hilde could save Wiggins in his current state. Spreading the spirit of paladins was his way of offering his allegiance to St. Hilde. His strength was also built up for him by St. Hilde.]

[Note: He firmly believes that everything he has done is right. He is willing to sacrifice anything for Wiggins' continued legacy.]

Wayne finished reading the panel, his expression remaining unchanged.

Seeing that Wayne remained unmoved by either persuasion or coercion, Carrosso then steered the conversation in a broader direction: "What are your thoughts on the old guard of the Papacy, young friend?"

Wayne didn't expect Carrosso to ask that question.

Without hesitation, he spoke frankly: "The old-fashioned people in the past were at most a bit conservative in some rules and customs, which wasn't a big problem. But now, things are very different from before."

"Oh? How is it different?"

"The old guard these days has different ambitions. Having bigger ambitions isn't inherently a big problem..." He changed the subject, "but the fact that they're inviting trouble is quite intriguing."

Carroso picked up his teacup, took a sip, and didn't reply immediately. He remained silent for a few moments before slowly speaking, "I don't quite agree with what you've said, young friend."

"What is your opinion, Bishop Carosso?"

Carrosso's gaze became distant.

"Many things in this world are complex; there is no absolute good or absolute bad. However, people always like to describe problems from their own perspective, which often leads to a one-sided view of things."

He smiled and added, "Labeling others is not a good habit, young friend."

Wayne wasn't swayed by his words, but he had to admit that Carrosso's preaching of hard truths was rather blunt—besides, Wayne didn't like this roundabout way of expressing himself.

Wayne forced a smile.

"Could you be more specific, Cardinal?"

Carrosso didn't rush to answer; he leaned back in his chair, still immersed in his own profound self-amusement.

"Young friend, you've probably heard that the King is ill, haven't you?"

I've heard a little about it.

"Now that the Millennium Purple Sun is approaching, young friend, have you considered how Wiggins will defend himself against it without the King's protection?"

Seeing Wayne remain silent, Carrosso immediately became more enthusiastic.

"Is it through those unarmed commoners? Or those nobles who only know how to indulge in pleasure? Or that lofty mage tower? But everything the old school does, as you say, is to seek a new path for Wiggins to survive. And St. Hilde's aid is Wiggins' only way to survive in the future."

Wayne admits that Carroso's perspective is excellent, but ultimately it's all just an excuse. After all, no one knows who doesn't harbor malice beneath the surface of their heart.

Wayne chuckled awkwardly after hearing this, offering no rebuttal: "Your Excellency invited me here not just to hear the old school's vision for the future, but to ask?"

Carrosso smiled, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"Of course not." He lowered his crossed legs and leaned forward slightly. "The main purpose of this tea is to invite you to join the old school so that we can work together to find a way out for Wiggins."

Wayne hadn't expected Carrosso to be so shameless. Just a few days ago he was sending assassins to kill him, and today he was sitting across the stone table from him, casually inviting him to "join the old school and work together to save Wiggins."

A ridiculous impulse surged within him, and he wished he could pull out the cross on the spot and send that old fox to find another place to live for the rest of his life.

But he held back.

Sixth order.

Caroso's aura was as steady as a silent volcano, calm on the surface but churning beneath with a fiery magical power that could engulf an entire city block at any moment. With his current strength, if it really came down to a fight, he would be no match for Caroso.

Wayne picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.

"I appreciate your kindness, Your Excellency."

He said it with composure.

"The old school has its own ideas, and the reformists have their own beliefs. The differences between the two cannot be bridged by one or two tea parties. Besides, I am a student personally mentored by Professor Cecil. If I were to switch sides to the old school, not to mention what outsiders would think of me, I myself would not be able to get over this hurdle."

Carrosso's expression remained unchanged.

Wayne continued, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "Your Excellency, I respect your sincere dedication to Wiggins' future, even though our judgments differ greatly. But some paths cannot be deviated from from the beginning. The interest we will have to repay after accepting St. Hilde's aid will likely be the backbone of the entire Wiggins."

He stood up, bowed slightly to Carosso, and gave a standard student salute.

"The tea was excellent today. I'll return the favor another day, Your Excellency. Farewell."

Carrosso did not try to stop him.

He sat there, watching Wayne's figure disappear into the shadows of the side corridor as he walked through the courtyard. After a long while, he picked up the cup of tea, which had gone slightly cold, and glanced down at it.

"The backbone..."

He repeated the word in a low voice, whether with emotion or self-mockery, before downing the remaining tea in his cup.

After Wayne disappeared from the courtyard gate, Carroso remained seated at the stone table, as if he hadn't moved.

After about ten breaths, Edmund returned from the side corridor and stopped at the stone table. "Teacher, he refused. What should we do next?"

Carrosso said in a nonchalant tone, "Since he doesn't want to be treated with respect, then what's left is all that's not respectable."

He looked at Edmund: "Send five more witches over there to continue the assassination plan."

Edmund bowed slightly: "Yes, teacher."