"Handled by Lady Cassandra? If Middlesburg really is that dangerous, isn't it too risky to leave Lady Cassandra there alone? After all, she's only a ten-ring arcanist."
Shade could not help asking. Miss Galina shook her head.
"But she has a good teacher."
Sister Devlin had said the same thing, and the nun had also mentioned that Grandma Cassandra's teacher was not a witch.
"How many rings does Lady Cassandra's teacher have?"
"I don't know, but she isn't a witch. You probably know that the Council's inheritance of power follows an ancient apprenticeship system. Each of us has someone we train—a disciple."
Teachers trained their disciples and provided free lodging. In return, disciples had to fulfill corresponding obligations during their studies and after completing their training. It was a very ancient tradition.
"Grandma Cassandra holds the seat of 'Darkness,' but the previous generation's 'Darkness' witch and her disciple both died in a terrible accident. At the time, Grandma Cassandra was merely an ordinary student beside the previous witch, somewhat like my other Followers. It was the previous Darkness witch's friend, Grandma Cassandra's teacher, who recommended her to the previous Speaker of the Council and personally taught her the knowledge of Ring Arcanists. That respected lady also understood some of the powers of witches."
"Then Grandma Cassandra's teacher is even older than Grandma Cassandra? Oh, is she still alive? How many rings does she have?"
"She is indeed still alive, and she is very powerful. The Speaker said so personally—very powerful."
Miss Galina gave her assessment cautiously.
"I was fortunate enough to meet that lady in Middhir Fort City. She looked very young, perhaps even a little younger than Tifa. And she seemed quite strange. Her mental state was nothing like that of an elderly grandmother; instead, she seemed like a