She Is Not a Witch

Two weeks later, Hopland gradually settled down. The damaged ruins on the streets were cleared and repaired, colorful small flags were hung along both sides of the streets, and the city was brilliantly lit at night. The bustling streets were once again filled with strolling tourists.

Although the recent internal conflict among the merchant associations had been intense, it was fortunately mostly internal, causing minimal harm to local residents and tourists. In recent days, the city guilds had organized many activities to revive the atmosphere, and the festival was set to begin tonight.

The new alliance guild had arranged many personnel to organize the festival, with colorful flags in every street and alley, diverse souvenirs, a grand seaside open-air theater, and the setup of venue lighting and stages.

They strived to promote the image of Hopland, the new alliance’s headquarters, making it a grand publicity event.

On the day of the Dew Festival, in the sunset-filled evening, floats carrying people in various costumes passed through crowded streets, slowly moving towards the end of the parade—the Tidal Moon Grand Theater by the sea.

On the other side of the sea cliff, the theater built with white stone bricks was both ancient and magnificent. The coastline here had a gentle slope, where ships could only run aground, unsuitable for a port, but perfect for a theater of unique beauty.

The massive theater was like a fan, with its center being a large white stone platform on the sea surface. The fan blades were the tiered audience seats, rising higher towards the back, all uniformly facing the central stage. The stage and audience were separated by encircling seawater.

Bang——

Fireworks burst into the sky one after another, with seven-colored light rain blooming and scattering in the sky, falling like stars, overflowing with brilliant colors.

The grand festival had begun.

Tonight, Hopland was more lively than ever before. The streets and alleys were filled with people, some holding folding fans from the East, some selecting various shell ornaments, and some children holding spinning pinwheels.

As the clock tower chimed, the spacious theater was already filled with waiting spectators. The seats, able to accommodate nearly ten thousand people, were packed densely. People in various colored clothes sat in their seats, occasionally conversing, constantly guessing which songstress would perform tonight.

The Dew Festival was famous in the southern part of the continent, attracting many tourists from neighboring countries. Performing at the festival would undoubtedly bring great fame, making it a stage many songstresses dreamed of.

This Dew Festival was said to be planned by Lady Philia, the former Azure Songstress, attracting many people. Many middle-aged people were fans of this idol, and although she had retired, they still paid close attention to her.

As people chatted noisily, the lights on the stage lit up. Several colored light pillars began to shoot into the sky, slowly rotating, and the audience in the theater began to quiet down.

The stage surrounded by seawater, previously dim, suddenly had a colorful circular light band illuminating its center. With the sound of a water drop, the light band spread like a wave across the entire stage. Crisp percussion sounds began, followed by rhythmic drum beats. The melodious music echoed through the vast theater through magical sound boxes.

Young women in gilded long dresses entered from the side doors of the stage, stepping onto the stage with light dance steps. Each young woman wore a bright yellow golden lotus headdress. Every few steps, they would twirl their skirts, with the gilded long dresses emitting faint golden light particles as they spun.

The light particles, like star sand, surrounded the dancing girls as they stood in formation, creating a giant golden flower with layered petals. As the girls danced, the petals sometimes bloomed, sometimes gathered, their grand steps moving like waves in the music.

This splendid and magnificent dance was like a fairyland, stunning every audience member present.

As the dance ended, amidst the host’s exaggerated and passionate congratulations, the most anticipated segment arrived. As the words fell, fountains around the stage spurted intense water columns, with seven-colored light shimmering in the surging water. The entire theater dimmed, with only a circle of golden light in the center of the stage.

Stepping onto the elevator platform below the stage, Loranhil closed her eyes slightly, recalling the familiar song “A Letter” from her previous life.

A unique and melodious voice gently rose, light and ethereal—a sound the people of this world had never heard before. But music can transcend race, language, and even time and space.

[All my friends have left]

[I can only sing this song alone]

[But you always flash through my mind]

[Though that’s alright]

[All my wishes and strength]

[Will carry me to that door]

……

Why is there no sound from the audience in the theater? Is it not approved by everyone?

Loranhil opened her eyes worriedly, and instantly, a tsunami-like cheer echoed through the theater. The audience fervently gazed at the descent of this young songstress.

Under the spotlight of all eyes, it was just as described in the poem.

Like descended twilight, a dreamlike young woman slowly rose. Her cyan hair fluttered in the sea breeze, shimmering brilliantly under the golden lights. Her light footsteps were like an ancient legendary figure descending into the mortal world. When those eyes opened, cyan like glaze, they seemed to reflect the entire world.

Her clear, crystal voice echoed throughout the venue, yet as gentle as a bird’s feather.

[I wrote a letter to myself]

[Is there anything else I want to say?]

[I don’t want to abandon my life]

[The path of life is full of mistakes]

[It might take a long time to find the way]

[Everyone is crying in vain]

[Now I see light in the pain]

…

[Say goodbye under the beautiful sky]

[But, your loving heart will become a true lifeline]

A brand new musical style, lively music, and lyrical singing swept through the theater like an icy wind, refreshing everyone’s ears and eyes. The singing seemed to have come alive, making the hearts of nearly ten thousand spectators in the venue beat in unison with it. The rhythm of the music became the rhythm of their heartbeats, and the extreme emotions in the song were transmitted to everyone’s heart. It felt like soaring through the vast sky, a dreamlike experience, as if descending into an earthly paradise.

That singing was a drug, willingly intoxicating countless listeners, wishing only to remain forever drunk in its spell.

Just as the previous generation’s “Azure Songstress” Philia had commented, if that girl couldn’t become a saint to save the world, she would surely be a witch to overturn the entire world.

⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱

As the song finally reached its end, the young songstress’s eyes slowly swept across the theater, and she gave a gentle bow.

In an instant, a tsunami-like cheer and applause echoed through the theater. The audience fervently gazed at this songstress who seemed to have descended from mythology.

“Now, please stand up and join me in singing this hymn of love,” a clear, melodious voice spread throughout the venue. The last segment of the festival had arrived.

The thousands of spectators in the venue stood up one after another, their expressions solemn, waiting for the young woman to lead the singing.

[I ask what is the meaning of life]

[I ask what is the image of life]

[Now let the new song be born]

[It is the sound of life’s chain, the tone of the sea]

[The resonance of life, the response of the earth]

[The liberation of life, the harmony of the sun]

[It is the song that connects all]

[This is the melody of life, the voice of the sea]

[The rhythm of life, the pulsation of the earth]

[The harmony of life, the breath of the sun]

[This is the song that praises all]

[Speaking of everything]

[To the seeking will and spirit]

[Playing everything]

[To the imagining consciousness and determination]

As the young woman sang each line, the audience below echoed one line. As the singing rose, the stage began to emit a faint glow. Then, a giant, complex magic array formed on the stage. Faint blue mist appeared in the air, slowly condensing into tiny water droplets that floated towards the audience in the gentle sea breeze.

These droplets disappeared slowly upon contact with people, and those touched by the droplets revealed expressions of happiness. This was the Sequence 3 wide-area spell “Loving Dew,” which had a healing effect.

Ten thousand people sang the hymn together, the song continuously echoing throughout Hopland. It was a blessing for this world and a prayer for oneself.

On the night of October 24, 1684 of the Third Era, in Hopland, the new generation Azure Songstress named Loranhil, hailed as the diamond on the starry crown of the Ivar world, began her legend.