She Is Not a Witch

“It’s fine if you don’t want to say. I understand being cautious when traveling,” Angus said.

He wasn’t bothered by the girl’s denial. To him, it seemed a wise choice. Admitting her identity would be strange—even if she wasn’t a princess of the Verdant Empire, she was likely from a major noble family there.

He didn’t guess she was from the Western Wind Kingdom nobility because Angus knew that country too well. He himself was born into a baron’s family there, but left to become a merchant after being framed by his brothers.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. His talent and luck were good, and he became one of the top merchants in Hoplanor Port, a notable figure even in Vegar.

This trip to the Western Wind Kingdom was to bring his daughter to Vegar. In previous years, he had been busy traveling for business and social engagements, never settling down. Only in the past two years had he arranged his various enterprises properly. He could finally bring his daughter to Vegar to care for her properly, making up for leaving her alone in the Western Wind Kingdom before.

Angus’s daughter had lived comfortably in the Western Wind Kingdom, with a large estate and servants to care for her, but without close family nearby, her personality had become somewhat difficult.

Mainly, Eileen’s mother had passed away early. She was raised by a wet nurse, with only servants around her. No one dared defy her, so she gradually developed a spoiled, selfish personality.

This time, Angus had specially found a renowned teacher in Hoplanor, intending to stay by her side and guide her, hoping to change her awkward personality. As for the Western Wind Kingdom, they likely wouldn’t return. The nobles there had become degenerate, constantly engaged in civil wars, having forgotten all honor and duty, only knowing how to indulge in pleasure. No wonder there were frequent uprisings and unrest in recent years.

Looking at the knowledgeable and erudite young girl before him, Angus guessed she was either from a great noble family of the Verdant Empire or a student from the Emenas Academy.

Although the mages of Rulna were also knowledgeable, they were never interested in commerce.

Speaking of Rulna, it’s worth introducing the current situation of the Western Continent.

The Western Continent was roughly divided into east and west by the central Sigh Mountain Range.

To the east was the Verdant Empire, the most powerful nation on the continent, occupying nearly half of the land.

Over three hundred years ago, after the Verdant Empire’s powerful rise, the seven great nations of the western continent—Vegar, Rulna, Gufia, Falcon, Holy Domain, Western Wind, and Black Rock—formed a blood oath alliance at Snow Flower Mountain, establishing the Snow Flower Alliance to resist the Verdant Empire’s expansion.

Vegar was known for trade and its navy, Rulna for alchemy and mages, Falcon for its winged race and knights, Holy Domain was the stronghold of the Angel Sequence, Black Rock was a country of mercenaries and forests, Gufia was the last refuge for various beast-folk tribes, and the once-glorious Western Wind Kingdom was the initiator of the Snow Flower Alliance.

Over a hundred years ago, the seven nations united to form an allied army of about 2 million, blocking the Verdant Empire’s invasion at the Apocalypse Fortress south of the Sigh Mountains.

The battle lasted for nearly a year, with both sides continually reinforcing their troops. Eventually, the Snow Flower Alliance had about 2.6 million troops, while the Verdant Empire had about 3 million, engaged in fierce combat on the Golden Plains.

The war only ended when the Verdant Empire was finally defeated and withdrew. Later, both sides agreed to a ceasefire, slowly leading to the peace of the past hundred years. This great war was also known as the “War of the Broken Bow.”

This name held multiple meanings. The Verdant Empire’s archery skills, inherited from the Forest Elves, were famously representative. It was said that by the end of this great war, their bows were broken and arrows exhausted, yet they still couldn’t achieve victory, so they retreated and sought peace. Some also said it symbolized the Verdant Empire’s illusory bow being mercilessly broken, shattering their dream of unifying the continent.

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After Angus and Loranhil had been chatting for a while, the spoiled young lady in the blue dress returned.

“Father, let’s go back. I don’t want to stay here anymore. Let’s leave for Vegar tomorrow.”

“Alright, my dear daughter. You’ve suffered alone in the Western Wind Kingdom for these years.”

Angus stood up, nodded farewell to Loranhil, and then left.

Watching the father and daughter leave, Loranhil became interested in Vegar as well.

Many years ago, Vegar was part of the Western Wind Kingdom, a coastal province with developed trade and numerous good harbors.

The Duke of Vegar was usually a position given to the king’s own brother. During one internal conflict in the kingdom, the royal family split, and the Duke of Vegar at the time was killed. His subordinates, fearing retribution, united with local merchants to declare independence.

Due to developed maritime trade, these great merchants all had their own fleets and guards. Several factions united and eventually defeated the army sent to suppress them, forcing the Western Wind Kingdom to recognize their independence.

But merchants ultimately wanted to do business and didn’t want relations to become too hostile.

So Vegar nominally still belonged to the Western Wind Kingdom, paying a substantial annual tribute in gold coins to appease the Western Wind royal family.

In reality, Vegar was now managed by a commercial alliance guild. Guild members came from various large merchant associations, balancing and restricting each other, discussing matters together. With profit as the goal, it remained quite dynamic.

After finishing her delicious ice cream, Loranhil took another turn around the city and found an alchemy shop in Seabuckthorn City.

“Hello, are you looking to buy something, or place a custom order?” 

A clerk in a deep blue uniform approached to inquire.

“May I look around first?” came the girl’s light voice from under the black hood.

The clerk sized her up briefly. Her attire and clothes didn’t seem to be something an ordinary person could afford. He stepped aside, guiding the girl to the display cases.

“Hello, what kind of needs do you have? Not to brag, but our Blue Precision Workshop is the most capable alchemy workshop in the Western Wind Kingdom. We have branches in all major cities of the kingdom, with a full range of products. Even if we don’t have something in stock, you can tell us your requirements, and our alchemy masters will create a custom piece for you.”

“Are you really the best in the Western Wind Kingdom?”

Loranhil looked at the rows of mere Black Iron grade potions on the counter, feeling the other was boasting.

“Of course! Our workshop not only regularly supplies the military, but sometimes even the royal family comes to us for custom orders.”

At this point, the clerk had an inexplicable sense of pride, his face almost glowing.

“Did you know? In the great hall of the Western Wind royal palace, there’s a clock as tall as three men. Inside are 24 delicate brass figurines. On the hour, one beautifully dressed figurine comes out to strike a gong and announce the time, then another takes its place for the next hour. They have various poses and beautiful designs. Even the ambassador from the Verdant Empire couldn’t stop praising it.”

“Was that clock made by your workshop?”

The clerk gave her a knowing look, clearly pleased with her question, and began to boast again about how beautiful and exquisite the clock was, not only keeping accurate time but also providing light at night.

It sounded impressive, but isn’t it just a clock? Loranhil thought.

The precise components and structure of clocks often seemed mystifying to outsiders, quite capable of impressing people.

In the girl’s memory, mechanical watches had gradually been phased out. A mechanical watch worth thousands of dollars wasn’t as accurate as a five-dollar electronic watch from the street. Perhaps its only use was as a luxury item to flaunt one’s status.

But if a workshop’s most representative work was just a luxury item with little practical use, didn’t that suggest their focus had become skewed?

No longer paying attention to the clerk’s boasting, Loranhil carefully looked around the shop.

Most products were luxury items with little practical use but beautiful appearances, such as a hollow ball floating on a base plate, a time-telling duck, color-changing crystal shoes, a cloak with light and shadow effects, and so on.

The only truly practical, good items Loranhil saw were a Bronze-grade longsword and three Voice Illusion Potions. The rest were either Black Iron grade with little use or purely decorative luxury items.

[Voice Illusion Potion] (Common Bronze grade): Can change the speaker’s voice, lasting for 1 hour.

This potion had a wide range of uses, whether for simulating various sounds to lure or intimidate in battle, or for beautifying one’s voice in performances and speeches. It could be used in many scenarios.