She Is Not a Witch

Loranhil sat at the dressing table, allowing Chelsea to groom her.

Her appearance now differed from before. Her hair was no longer silver but golden, thanks to a supernatural potion called [Rainbow Potion] (Rare Bronze grade). This miraculous concoction could change hair and skin color, a knowledge gleaned from Trina’s records. Witches, living for so long, had unconsciously accumulated vast knowledge about appearance. Her eye color had also reverted to its original light blue.

She wore a blue gown with a beautiful butterfly bow at the side waist. The blue skirt split at the waist, revealing a white underskirt beneath, adding depth. The hem was adorned with lace, enhancing its elegance and beauty.

After donning the elaborate gown, Loranhil pinned Trina’s butterfly hairpin to the side. Her golden hair covered her fair neck at the back, with two strands falling over her chest. This blue off-shoulder dress was the most conservative one Loranhil had chosen from a pile of clothes. She had passed on others with large open backs or high slits on the thighs.

Even so, she felt slightly uncomfortable. She only agreed to wear it because the neckline was relatively high, revealing very little of her chest.

“Where are you from, Miss Lacey? I’ve never seen such a beautiful girl,” Chelsea inquired curiously while brushing Loranhil’s hair.

“I don’t know. I grew up in a forest, raised by a teacher.”

“I see. But I’m certain that wherever you go, in any country, countless young men would go crazy for you if you appeared in public.”

“Mmm… I’d rather not,” the girl murmured, sounding a bit troubled.

“Where is Chelsea from?”

“I lived in the Verdant Empire as a child, then came to Hoplanor with a fleet. After that, Master Angus hired me as a maid.”

“What kind of person was Mr. Angus?”

“The master? When I first met him, he was rather flippant. He wasn’t as successful as he is now, having only made a little money. He often came to the bar to drink.”

“Bar?”

“Yes, I had just arrived in Vegar and was working in a bar. That’s where I first met Master Angus.”

“Ah, was Angus quite frivolous then?”

“Hehe, indeed he was. But he was very handsome. Several of the girls at the bar were quite interested in him.”

“He often boasted about how clever and capable he was. Many customers at the bar enjoyed listening to his tall tales, though some were just there to laugh at him.”

“How did he become successful later?”

“Later, the master and a friend of his, who is now the head of the Agdelin family, Jelinc, went on an adventure to the Southern Islands together.”

“They discovered ancient artifacts on one of the islands and turned them over to the Crescent Moon Council of the Southern Sea. The council’s mages gave them a sum of money and a business license.”

“With that money, they imported spices from the Southern Sea to sell in Vegar, and quickly became wealthy.”

“No wonder you said the Agdelin family can be trusted. It turns out the current head and Angus are friends who’ve been through thick and thin.”

“Yes, at that time, Jelinc was just an unremarkable young member of his family. He gradually grew stronger because of this, eventually seizing the position of family head.”

Loranhil had barely settled in the mansion in Kempe Town when an invitation from the Agdelin family arrived. In the past, they wouldn’t have been so formal; usually, a verbal message would suffice, as Angus and Jelinc were old friends. But now that the Carithes family had a new head, everything proceeded according to formal protocols.

Kempe Town at night, Agdelin family residence.

Clouds seemed to roll across the night sky, the moonlight appearing and disappearing. A gentle evening breeze blew, dispelling the summer heat.

The Agdelin family was a local dynasty spanning several hundred years. Their estate was vast. Sitting in the carriage, Loranhil observed the blue stone and iron fence stretching for hundreds of meters before reaching the main gate. Six large fire basins stood before the black iron gate, illuminating the surroundings. Carriages entered occasionally, followed by attendants’ announcements.

“Mr. and Mrs. Rogue of the Gibran family have arrived~”

“Mr. Blaze, President of the Brulin Merchant Association, has arrived~”

Local notables and wealthy merchants in fine attire and on spirited horses had all been invited, making the Agdelin residence bustling with activity.

As the sound of hooves gradually subsided, a luxurious redwood carriage stopped at the Agdelin family’s main gate, with two squads of riders standing quietly on either side, waiting.

In the firelight, the night-blooming cereus emblem on the carriage was recognized as the symbol of the recently prominent Carithes Merchant Association in Vegar. The previously noisy entrance fell silent, and even the guests behind dared not speak loudly. Everyone understood before arriving that the protagonist of this banquet was Angus’s daughter, the new head of the Carithes Merchant Association.

An elderly butler in a black suit approached the carriage door. Everyone recognized him as Ceres, who had always been by Angus’s side.

The glass-adorned carriage door opened. First, a light blue silk skirt hem emerged, followed by shoes decorated with blue butterflies, then hair like golden sunshine. Finally, the girl raised her head, revealing eyes as blue as the sky. The breathtakingly beautiful scene stunned everyone present, like a magnificent painting come to life.

“Who is this girl?”

“…I don’t know.”

Some guests began to whisper among themselves.

“It must be the new head of the Carithes family, Angus’s daughter.”

“Impossible, how could Angus’s daughter have such a face?”

“I’ve never seen such a visage. It’s like a dream.”

“Indeed, she is Angus’s daughter, Miss Lacey. I heard the Agdelin family talk about it when they sent the invitation.”

A group of servants rushed out from the courtyard, quickly laying a soft red carpet between the main gate and the hall. The golden-haired girl in the blue dress, wearing shoes slightly darker than her skirt hem, stepped onto the carpet. Chelsea and Ceres followed behind her, protected by six War Sequence 2 · Lance Riders as they approached the hall’s entrance.

“You all stay here.”

“Yes, Young Miss.”

The six Sequence 2 riders took their positions on either side of the door. As it opened, the young lady entered the lively banquet hall, accompanied by Ceres and Chelsea.