She Is Not a Witch

Loranhil had previously signaled to the two of them, originally just as a precaution. She hadn’t expected Jelinc to actually dare to act so rashly, attacking in his own home that very night.

Whether in Western Wind or Vegar, attacking a guest was considered extremely taboo and utterly disgraceful. It seemed that Jelinc and Angus’s relationship was truly extraordinary for him to disregard his reputation and investigate so thoroughly.

“Mr. Jelinc, I believe there’s been some misunderstanding between us. Could we speak privately?” Loranhil suggested, looking at the many guards inside and outside the room.

Jelinc remained unmoved, and the situation reached a stalemate. But Loranhil wasn’t surprised. If this family head had been so easily swayed, he wouldn’t have acted in the first place. She signaled Chelsea to take out a small box she was carrying and retrieve Angus’s will from it.

The will was slowly opened, revealing the first two lines, and presented to Jelinc.

Jelinc looked at the familiar handwriting, his pupils constricting slightly, before slowly waving his hand.

“All of you, withdraw.” Jelinc gestured for the people around him to leave. Loranhil also had Ceres lead the Carithes family members out, leaving only the young woman, Chelsea, and Jelinc in the room.

“Chelsea, can you explain first?”

Jelinc looked at the head maid behind the young woman, suggesting they had known each other for a long time.

“Jelinc, you’re still as impulsive as ever.” Chelsea pushed up the glasses on her nose.

Chelsea showed no deference to Jelinc’s status as the head of the Agdelin family. Perhaps in her eyes, the man before her was still the same as in her memories—the young master who used to carouse in bars with Angus, full of sweet talk and flirting everywhere.

Chelsea then took out a copy of Angus’s handwritten will and handed it to Jelinc.

There were two copies of Angus’s will. One was publicly declared, stating that he was transferring all his assets to his daughter, Lacy. The other informed his old friends and subordinates that he and Eileen had actually been killed, and the merchant association was to be fully entrusted to another young woman to manage.

Jelinc took the will and read it carefully for a long time before slowly putting it down.

“So that’s how it is…” His face showed a hint of wistfulness. His old friend had left this world, and had even transferred all his assets to a stranger.

“This is indeed Angus’s handwriting, but it doesn’t completely prove what you’re saying is true. I know many supernatural sequences can manipulate and deceive others.” Jelinc still didn’t believe it. After all, the matter was too bizarre for him to accept.

Seeing Chelsea about to lose her temper, Loranhil raised her hand to stop her from drawing her sword.

“Lord Jelinc.”

The middle-aged man opposite her looked puzzled, wondering why the young woman suddenly addressed him this way.

“Mr. Angus told me something that, if I mentioned it, you would believe me.” Loranhil’s face revealed a mischievous smile, looking quite adorable.

“What is it?”

The middle-aged man suddenly recalled some unpleasant memories, feeling a chill down his spine.

“A black dress and dance shoes.” After saying this, the young woman said no more.

Chelsea was confused. What did this mean? Had Angus given Jelinc a dress? They were close friends, but surely they weren’t gay.

“Stop, stop, stop!”

Jelinc’s face changed dramatically. He hastily called for her to stop, rushing to prevent the young woman from continuing, as if there was some great, unspeakable secret involved.

“I believe you, my dear niece. From now on, if you have any difficulties, come directly to me. Consider me your own uncle.”

Jelinc finally believed that this formidable young woman before him was indeed entrusted by Angus. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know such a secret. Angus had promised him never to speak of this matter, yet he had told someone else on his deathbed. It seemed that Miss Lacy wasn’t lying after all.

Loranhil smiled and replied, “Thank you for your assistance, Uncle Jelinc. If I encounter any trouble, I won’t hesitate to seek your help.”

The young woman stood up and curtsied.

After a brief conversation, she bid farewell and left the room.

Watching the blue-gowned young woman and Chelsea leave, Jelinc leaned back on the sofa. After a while, he muttered to himself.

“Angus, oh Angus, should I say you were lucky or unlucky? Even after you’re gone, you managed to find such a formidable trustee.”

This Miss Lacy had remained calm and composed throughout, not even flinching when surrounded by more than a dozen Sequence 2 guards. It was clear that her hidden cards were far more than what appeared on the surface. It seemed that Vegar would soon be stirred up again.

Afterward, the butler Orwin returned to ask for instructions. At Jelinc’s signal, the Agdelin family guards withdrew, no longer restricting the Carithes Merchant Association’s riders.

A moment later, Orwin returned with tea and stood quietly by Jelinc’s side.

“Has Miss Lacy from the Carithes Merchant Association left?”

“Yes, sir. They’ve departed and are likely back at their mansion now. We have people near their mansion, and if there’s any unusual activity, we’ll be informed promptly.”

“Very well. Just leave two or three people to observe casually. Withdraw the rest. Don’t be too obvious. Miss Lacy can be trusted.”

“Understood, Lord Jelinc.” Orwin nodded in response, not questioning the reasons. There were many matters in the household that he only needed to execute, not inquire about the why.

Too much curiosity could easily lead to an untimely death. This was the warning his father had given him on the day he became a butler.

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After returning to the mansion, Loranhil took a hot bath before going to bed.

The next day, Rachel invited Loranhil to visit her estate. The young woman agreed, as their team needed to rest and prepare supplies for the journey. They would stay for two days, which was a good opportunity to learn more about the unique country of Vegar.

At one of the Agdelin family estates, there was a flowerless forest on the outskirts, with a windmill and several houses in the center. On summer mornings, one could occasionally hear bird songs from the woods.

Under a laurel tree in the estate was a large swing. Rachel sat on it, swinging back and forth, rising high and then falling, with bursts of laughter coming from beneath the tree from time to time.

Lacy, or rather Loranhil, sat on a nearby wooden chair watching the joyful young woman, occasionally turning a page of the book in her lap. Only the two young ladies and a maid were present in the estate.

Having been moving with the main force of the Carithes family for days, she finally had a moment of peace in this estate. She found it quite comfortable, preferring a quiet, leisurely life. Being surrounded by people all day, constantly mindful of her image and etiquette, always made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

Sitting under the tree, listening to birdsong, turning the yellowed pages of a book in the sunlight—it all felt much more natural.

“Lacy, don’t you want to try the swing? The feeling of the wind rushing against your face is so refreshing.”

“It does sound nice, but you go ahead and enjoy. I’d like to sit quietly for a while.” Lacy brushed back her wind-tousled bangs, then turned another page with her left hand. She read unhurriedly, not in a rush, as if merely passing idle time.

“Do you know, Lacy? I’ve always wanted to learn a wind-related supernatural profession, but unfortunately, no one in our family knows how.”

“Shouldn’t that be easy? Wind-attribute abilities seem quite common.”

“Not really. Maybe most winged magical beasts have them naturally, but it’s different for humans.”

“Perhaps you haven’t been in Vegar long, but in our Vegar Alliance, the vast majority are War Sequence, Ocean Sequence, and Primal Sequence. Then there are a few Angel Sequences among the church clergy. Other sequences are rarely seen. And the mainstream ones aren’t adept with wind and atmospheric abilities.”

“Aren’t there specialized schools or mentors to teach supernatural knowledge?”

“There are schools in Vegar’s big cities, but they mostly teach arithmetic and languages. There are also some for navigation and law, but supernatural knowledge is generally held by ‘masters’.”

“Masters? Don’t they teach outsiders?”

“It’s not that. But you need to become their apprentice and follow many of their traditions and rules. Otherwise, you can only learn some superficial knowledge, with Sequence 2 being the limit.”

“The Agdelin family has existed for so long, surely they must have some insights?”

“It’s not really a secret, many people know this. Our family has mastered three advancement paths, ending at War Sequence 4 · Shell Shield, Primal Sequence 4 · Piercing Spear, and Ocean Sequence 5 · Ship of the Ebbing Tide.”

“But in reality, a Sequence 5 · Ship of the Ebbing Tide doesn’t appear in every generation.” Rachel stretched out her hand, looking at the sunlight between her fingers, speaking with a hint of disappointment.