She Is Not a Witch

Loranhil considered whether to sell some [Blood Activation Potions], as these potions could be made without supernatural abilities and were simple for her to produce.

“Do you buy potions here?” Loranhil took out a deep red glass vial, its pure red contents gently rippling. [Blood Activation Potion] (Perfect Bronze grade)

Hearing this, the clerk’s expression subtly changed. He had thought she was a big customer, but it turned out she was just peddling potions.

Workshops generally didn’t buy potions because their origins were unclear. If problems arose, it could greatly affect their reputation.

“Miss, do you have an alchemist qualification certificate?”

“Um… no.” The girl shook her head.

“Then I’m very sorry, we don’t accept items of unknown origin.”

The clerk’s expression became somewhat haughty.

“Alright.”

The girl lowered her head and withdrew the potion. She actually had several other types of potions with her, including some Silver and Gold grade ones, but they all involved supernatural powers in their creation, so she couldn’t use them for the mission.

Ordinary people really don’t have it easy making money, she sighed inwardly before leaving the alchemy workshop.

Perhaps she should go to Vegar instead. Trade was more developed there, with more wealthy people. She could first acquire some initial capital, and then things would be easier.

After today’s conversation with Angus, Loranhil understood various problems in the Western Wind Kingdom and no longer held hope for this country indulging in luxury and pleasure.

Three days later, the girl boarded a southbound carriage heading for the Vegar Commercial Alliance. Looking out the carriage window, she saw somewhat desolate fields along the road. The few farmers visible had dull expressions and lifeless eyes, slowly turning the soil in the fields. Occasionally, mounted men with whips came to urge and supervise them, even maliciously lashing out.

Seeing these gloomy scenes, Loranhil shook her head and withdrew her gaze, no longer looking out the carriage window.

“It’s miserable, isn’t it?” A young man sitting opposite the girl in the travel carriage spoke.

“I once lived like that too,” he said, looking out the window with a reminiscent expression.

“In the southern part of the kingdom, many people secretly cross the border to Vegar every year.”

“The remaining farmers are few, and large tracts of land lie fallow.”

“Those nobles in the cities don’t care about this. The grain and taxes they collect each year can’t be reduced by even a bit.”

“The people below don’t work themselves, just supervising farmers all day, beating them if they slack off. That’s how they barely maintain things.”

“In that case, won’t it eventually collapse? The remaining people will have it even harder, constantly fleeing or erupting,” the girl said puzzledly.

“Yes, but this situation will change soon,” the black-haired youth said with certainty.

“How will it change? Those nobles won’t easily change their ways, will they?”

Loranhil didn’t understand why the young man before her was so certain.

“You’ll understand soon enough.”

The young man revealed a mysterious smile, his eyes shining with a kind of fanaticism and worship.

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

Northern Western Wind Kingdom, Nid County, early morning.

Countless wooden towers were built on the endless plain, each with a huge bonfire burning atop it. The wood crackled as it burned. Below the towers were neatly arranged gray tents, but this wasn’t the focus.

In the middle of the plain stood about 50,000 warriors clad in black armor. They were arranged in neat formations, silent and solemn, awaiting orders. Flags of various colors and emblems waved slowly in the dense morning fog, representing countless local families and people.

Before the vast parade ground was a high platform built of huge stones. More than a dozen armored figures also waited silently. Some were minor nobles of Nid County, some were kingdom soldiers, but most were commoners from this land.

They hadn’t gathered here today for entertainment, but to undertake a matter of life and death. This not only concerned whether the various families present could continue to exist, but directly affected the future fate of millions of people in Nid County.

Indeed, today they would raise their banners high and launch an uprising and rebellion against the kingdom’s centuries-long rule!

It wasn’t that they chose this fate, but that the millions of people in Nid County chose them. These mountain folk, who had lived on this land since ancient times, were bold and unrestrained. Since the kingdom conquered this area, opening mines and quarrying huge stones, Nid County had provided large quantities of steel and precious metals for the kingdom’s rise. However, the people here didn’t receive corresponding rewards for their hard work and contributions. Most profits were divided among the kingdom’s great nobles, while more and more tasks were allocated to Nid County.

These hardworking mountain folk risked their lives digging in dark mine shafts, only asking to feed their wives and children, to let their aging parents eat a little better. But even this small wish was now cruelly shattered. The Western Wind royal family raised taxes again, demanding more ore and steel this year to forge armor and equip troops to suppress internal unrest. If the quantity was insufficient, they would be accused and beheaded. This became the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

A man wearing full black steel armor ascended the platform. He removed his helmet, revealing his face with a scar on the left cheek. This mature and fierce-looking man was Pullman.

Pullman, once an immature youth, had now become steady and powerful. He held a great sword, plunging it into the stone platform, then slowly swept his gaze over these resolute warriors. Like him, they were born and raised on this land, and today they would stake their lives for it.

Pullman took a deep breath, then his resonant voice spread across the entire plain.

“Fellow countrymen of Nid County, today we stand here to tell the world!”

“The mountain folk of the Nid Mountains are free and unrestrained. They will no longer bow in submission. They will straighten their backs and wash away centuries of oppression with iron and blood!”

“Since birth, we’ve been forced to obey. The kingdom treats us like straw dogs, the lowest and cheapest. We’ve been tormented by cold, heartless rules until now.”

“Called lowly people, mocked as fools covered in black ash. If that’s how it is, then we’ll become beasts in the darkness, reclaiming what was stolen from us.”

“We’ll trample mockery and shame underfoot.”

“Even if cruel slaughter awaits us.”

“We’ll fight like cornered beasts, tearing open a path of survival with our blood and teeth!”

The curtain on the high platform was now unveiled, revealing a huge blue banner with three golden morning stars. Below the stars was a book, with two wheat ears encircling the sides. The morning sun rose, breaking through the mist, gilding this brand new flag.

The dozen or so leaders on the high platform, all born on this land, now stood behind Pullman watching this solemn scene. They raised their right hands and swore an oath together with their comrades present.

“I hereby swear to form a brotherhood of life and death with my comrades present, entrusting my life and back to each other, to fight for the future of the Nid Mountains, until death!”

The clear sound of swords being drawn rose and fell, and the sound of oaths resounded to the heavens.