The orange-red morning sun had already crested the distant mountains, half revealing its true face.
Witch Town, which had clamored all night, had finally welcomed daylight.
The chaos had eased somewhat, but the cessation of chaos was no good thing. It meant that Princess Castle's guards had completely brought the town under control.
At this moment, guards stood watch at intervals along every street. The solemn atmosphere cast a pall over all of Princess Town.
There were scarcely any pedestrians left on the streets, while the people inside the shops were all on edge.
They only knew that a startling upheaval had occurred at Princess Castle, but no one knew exactly what had happened. Yet judging from the current level of martial law, it was certainly no minor matter.
Old Potter's tavern, however, had benefited from its usual good relations with the guards. Though men still stood watch outside its entrance, they were not at all stern. They even chatted cheerfully with Old Potter in hushed tones.
After a while, Old Potter came back in from outside.
Mero immediately stepped forward. "How are things outside now?"
"Not good. I asked those guards, but they don't actually know the specifics either. Still, Princess Castle has already issued an order: for the next few days, only outside merchant caravans may enter Princess Town. No one else may enter or leave. This ban has little effect on formal wizards, but it's terrible for the apprentices living here."
Old Potter paused, then leaned close to Mero's ear and lowered his voice. "I've known the guard outside for over ten years, and we're on pretty good terms. He told me that a large number of guards have already headed for the royal capital. If nothing unexpected happens, the royal capital will send people over before