She Is Not a Witch

Hopland, Carithes Merchant Association.

The Tisphone family’s Black Robe Squad began setting up ladders to climb the low walls, where Carithes Merchant Association guards awaited them. The two sides clashed at the top of the wall, while archers and crossbowmen in nearby watchtowers fired down, hindering the climbing Black Robe Squad members.

Outside the wall, occasional bursts of gunfire rang out, shooting at the wall top and watchtowers to cover the climbing allies.

Inside the association, Loranhil sank her consciousness into her supernatural core. The blood-red gem, now like a flower bud inscribed with magical patterns, had remained at Demon Sequence 3 · Crimson Wound for quite some time. Since awakening, she had been accumulating and preparing for advancement. By her estimate, it would take another 3-5 days to fill the last bit of the hourglass and achieve a perfect foundation.

But time was of the essence. The Carithes Merchant Association was in grave danger, and her current strength was insufficient to protect the entire association. She had to advance.

Even if she operated at full power to accelerate the process, it would still take a day to complete the final gap and advance to Demon Sequence 4 · Song of the Rose.

If it were the Nature Sequence, she could advance now, but against thousands of enemies and hidden experts, her combat power would likely still be insufficient.

As Loranhil’s eyes alternated between crimson and emerald, the battle on the wall entered a new phase.

Several swordsmen in black cloaks and armor rapidly climbed the ladders towards the wall top, bringing a gust of evil wind. With swift sword strokes, they cut down a swath of guards, clearing space for the following troops.

This is bad, these are Sequence 3 elites, Loranhil thought worriedly. Just then, a mighty roar came from within the wall. Blake led the purple-armored Night Flower Guard to charge the wall top, clashing with the enemy. The two sides were evenly matched, reaching a stalemate.

Black and purple armored fighters battled fiercely atop the wall, their swords clashing in showers of sparks. Occasionally, a sword swing would cleave through a wall merlon, leaving only a smooth cross-section. These supernatural humans possessed combat abilities far beyond ordinary people.

As more Black Robe Squad members continued to batter the main gate, its rivets began to shake loose. Inside the wall, Carithes guards piled stones and other heavy objects against the gate in a last-ditch effort to resist.

Bang——

Bang——

Bang——

Heavy wooden hammers struck the iron gate repeatedly, each blow seeming to hit the hearts of those inside. Behind the city gate, guards stacked thick sandbags to defend against enemy gunfire, then set up bows and crossbows, nervously watching the loosening gate. Behind them, a cavalry unit stood ready to charge in a do-or-die attack once the gate broke.

Loranhil stood at the top of the tower, her eyes now completely emerald, her hair gradually turning light green and floating in the air. If anyone else had been present to witness this, they would have cried out in shock.

Is there no choice but to act? she thought to herself. The clouds above began to churn, moonlight flickering in and out, as the night wind took on a chill.

She raised one hand, and a gentle breeze began to swirl around her fingers.

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

Inside the Helis family compound, a flood of family guards rushed into the main building, blocking all entrances and exits. Squads of sword-wielding guards poured up the stairs, urgently deploying throughout the entire building to search for assassins.

Guard Captain Gerald led his men anxiously through the corridors.

“Still no sign of the young miss?”

“Captain, we’ve opened all the doors in the building. Any assassins we encountered have been killed, but we still haven’t found the young miss.”

One by one, the guards lowered their heads in shame. Failing to protect their master was the most disgraceful thing for a guard. Most of them had grown up in the Helis family and felt a deep sense of belonging, making their shame even more intense.

“Damn it!”

Gerald angrily punched the wall, cursing.

“Those despicable Tisphone bastards, I’ll make sure you all die horribly!”

“Keep searching! I want to see her alive, or at least find her body. Search the entire building again. The young miss is a grown person, she couldn’t have just flown away!”

He went downstairs and summoned the family’s tree artisans, then had all the fire camellia flowers accumulated by the Helis family over the years brought out.

Box after dust-covered box was carried out. Some locks were so rusted they couldn’t be opened and had to be chopped open with axes by the guards. Scattered light yellow camellia flowers emitted a faint glow in the firelight. With all the boxes opened, the entire plaza was covered in a beautiful sea of yellow flowers.

“Send an arrow message to the enemies outside,” Gerald roared.

“Order them to hand over Young Miss Melu within an hour, or we, the Helis family, will scatter these fire camellia flowers across the sky, setting all of Hopland ablaze. We’ll burn down the entire city, and everyone will die in this endless sea of fire.”

“After we’re dead, who cares if the flames reach the sky!”

“Let them try and see if I dare to do it!”

The subordinate guards were shocked upon hearing this but ran to prepare the arrow message.

Gerald looked around at the family’s tree artisans and ordered, “Now, chant for me. Raise the wind!”

The leaf-clothed tree artisans in the plaza hesitated. One of their leaders stepped forward.

“Gerald, you are not the family head and have no right to command us. Moreover, burning the entire city is far too insane. Our families, our children…”

Before he could finish, a sword pierced through his chest. He fell to his knees, blood frothing from his mouth as he struggled before finally falling silent.

Gerald pulled out his bloodied sword.

“Don’t forget who brought all this about, who gave the Helis family new life.”

His face was particularly ferocious in the firelight as his gaze slowly swept across those present. Squads of sword-wielding guards surrounded the tree artisans, drawing their swords. Cold steel glinted in the firelight.

“I don’t want to repeat myself. Now, raise these camellia flowers!”

The tree artisans no longer resisted. These supernatural beings in withered leaf attire began to chant the ancient, desolate ballad, though this time it was particularly mournful.

Layer upon layer of fire camellia flowers began to rise from the ground, enveloped in gentle air currents as they flew towards the night sky. The light yellow flowers spiraled and intertwined, forming a massive flower column in the sky, with blossoms swirling within and the outer edges beginning to burn. It was visible throughout the entire city.

Like a giant lantern rising from the scattered starlight of the dark earth below, the warm yellow firelight began to illuminate the entire city, with gorgeously burning flower petals swaying precariously.