Warhammer Divine Throne

Laine’s original plan was to attack the Sharp-Top Palace after next year’s spring farming was over, then, before the autumn harvest, at the very least push the campaign to the walls of Musillon City, surround the city, and prepare for a full-scale siege.

But now Aurora was saying she wouldn’t stay that long, which threw a wrench into Laine’s plans.

Either he had to abandon his schedule and bring forward the attack on the Sharp-Top Palace, or he had to give up Aurora’s Magic support and change his offensive strategy.

This put Laine in a real bind; he’d always preferred to act only after he was thoroughly prepared: "Dear, do you know why Aurora is in such a hurry to leave?"

"She’s sitting right there with Trovik and you’re asking me?" Veronica said impatiently. "Are you afraid of her or something?"

After speaking, Veronica gave a strange little grin: "Or is it that, when you’re facing this mother and daughter pair, your little head is commanding your big head? Just like when you were lying under the desk peeping?"

Danger flashed in Laine’s eyes; his large hand reached toward a certain part of Veronica’s body and gave it a light squeeze.

"Ah!" Veronica instantly clutched her chest, eyes brimming with tears. "Why are you squeezing me!"

"Because you’re talking nonsense." Laine shot her a sidelong glance. "That was all a misunderstanding."

"Hmph~ clearly you enjoy it..." Veronica fell silent. The Jialan Witch yawned; it was the depths of winter, ice and snow everywhere, and Veronica’s Magic Power was at its lowest point in the year. She was listless because of it, and after eating her fill she simply sat at Laine’s side and stopped talking.

Laine rose and walked to the other side of the banquet, where he found Teresa. "Dear Teresa, about Lady Aurora..."

"Laine, Mother can’t stay here for long, the Council has many matters that require her attention." Teresa held a glass of red wine; thanks to Aurora’s arrival, the female sorcerer had been in high spirits lately. "She’ll be helping me finish up the closing work on the Wizard Tower, but by early March she has to leave."

"I understand." Laine accepted Aurora’s schedule without complaint. It really was inconvenient for Aurora to remain at his side for too long; there were far too many things within the Council that needed her presiding over them.

Seeing him fall silent, Teresa thought Laine was somewhat displeased. The female sorcerer quickly said, "Laine, don’t blame Mother. A Holy Sanctuary Powerhouse is of immense importance to the Jialan Council. The Northern Empire is not Brittania; here on the surface alone you have no fewer than ten Holy Sanctuary–level Holy Grail Knights and Lake God Prophets, and even Demigods. But the Jialan Council has only three Holy Sanctuary Witches: Speaker Margarita, Mother, and Female Elder Carolina. With Mother absent from her seat for too long, many things inside the Council simply can’t function."

Before she finished speaking, the sound of high heels approached from afar. Aurora was wrapped in a snow-white fox-fur coat, her glossy black long hair cascading over her shoulders like flowing water, revealing a snow-pale neck. The Holy Sanctuary Witch held a glass of red wine; when she saw her daughter speaking with Laine, she immediately drew near. Her face carried a faint air of authority, yet there was a trace of maternal tenderness as well. "Laine, Teresa, what are you two talking about?"

A subtle scent of lavender wafted from Aurora. Once Laine caught it, he felt a strange sensation; he often smelled this same body fragrance on Teresa when he spent the night with the female sorcerer. The Count instinctively took half a step back, making room.

"Mother, Laine hopes you can stay here a little longer." Teresa said to Aurora.

"I cannot remain here for long. March is my absolute limit." Aurora looked at Laine with a gaze that carried a hint of threat. "After March comes the Green Grass Festival. At that time the Council will be taking in a large number of new Witch apprentices. I must personally oversee the selection; I can’t allow girls with exceptional Magic Talent to be snatched up by Margarita and Calerona."

"I’ve heard that Tsarina Katarina is also a member of the Jialan Council?" Laine tried to steer the topic toward something gentler.

"Katarina only joined the Council in name. In practice she rarely leaves the Tsar Palace in Kislev." Teresa explained, "Katarina is a pure Ice Element Holy Sanctuary Female Mage; all of her Magic belongs to the Ice Element. So she almost never leaves the Kislev Kingdom, because only there is it frozen year-round, and that environment makes her especially powerful."

"I see. I was hoping, Lady Aurora, that you could stay longer, so that when my spring farming here is finished and I muster the army to attack the Sharp-Top Palace, you could provide me with some assistance." Laine had no choice but to lay the truth bare. "But if, Lady Aurora, you can stay only until March at most, then my plan for a surprise strike on the Sharp-Top Palace will have to be revised."

"You lured Teresa away from my side and only gave her the status of a female courtier, and now you want to extend your hand to me as well?" Aurora clearly wasn’t buying Laine’s attitude. The Holy Sanctuary Witch’s tone was forceful and laced with sarcasm. "I can help you only within the limits of what I can manage. I will not alter my itinerary just because of your plans."

"Heh~ Lady Aurora, you really haven’t changed." Laine shook his head with a wry smile and raised his glass. "Very well, I understand. Please drain this cup; may you and Teresa stay in good health, and go even farther along the Path of Aurora."

"And the same to you." Aurora also lifted her glass and drank it down in one go. Then she continued, "Laine, Teresa is my only child. Now that she has become your female courtier, I disapprove."