She Is Not a Witch

After Lady Philia’s previous invitation, Loranhil returned to the cold drink shop.

Pushing open the door of ‘Blooming Beach’, several maid ladies were still standing inside.

“Welcome~” A maid came forward to greet her.

“Hello, is Lady Philia here?” Loranhil asked.

“Yes, please follow me. The teacher left instructions.”

On the second floor dance studio of ‘Blooming Beach’, Lady Philia was instructing some girls on posture and rhythm issues. She held an exquisite silk folding fan, explaining the key points to these students in detail.

After a while, she finished her instruction.

“Are you curious?” Lady Philia noticed Loranhil had been standing to the side for quite some time.

“Yes, they’re the shop’s maids, right? One of them guided me in at the door yesterday.”

“That’s right, but being maids is just their occasional work.”

Lady Philia led Loranhil up to the third floor.

“Actually, they’re all learning music, dance, and performance from me, and often participate in theater performances. I don’t lack money, so I let them work in the shop normally, considering it as paying tuition fees.”

That’s impressive, Loranhil thought. Most of these girls came from good families, with beautiful appearances and well-maintained skin. Using them as shop assistants was simply overkill compared to other businesses, no wonder business was so good.

“Do you want to try being a maid for a while?” Lady Philia teased.

“No way~” Loranhil shook her head cutely. She didn’t want to do it, it was too embarrassing.

“Hehe~ That suits your personality.”

“So, have you thought about what I mentioned yesterday?”

“Yes, I’ve mostly considered it, but I still have some questions.” Loranhil sat on the sofa opposite Lady Philia.

“I’ve never performed on stage before. Isn’t this a bit too hasty? After all, the festival is watched by the whole city.”

Loranhil felt nervous even saying the words “whole city”.

“Are you afraid of getting nervous and making mistakes?” Lady Philia saw through her unease.

“Yes.”

“You don’t need to worry about that, little Lacey.” Lady Philia winked.

“You just need to stand on stage and say it’s your first time performing, you’re a bit nervous, and ask for everyone’s understanding if there are any mistakes. That’s all.”

“Is that… really enough?” Loranhil was a bit skeptical, wondering if it was too arrogant and willful.

“Yes, because no one will want to criticize you. Even I, a former songstress, feel affection upon seeing you. How much more so for ordinary people with no resistance?”

“You probably don’t realize how powerful your appearance is.”

Lady Philia gazed at the slightly reserved young lady before her. Her every move exuded a girlish innocence, purity, and cuteness that made people feel tender-hearted.

“This…” Loranhil didn’t know how to respond, feeling that any answer might seem boastful.

“Alright, but I’m still not clear about the festival’s procedures and program. This has always been handled by the industry guild of the alliance.”

“That’s not difficult. The Dew Festival originated from the Chaos War a thousand years ago. Back then, the White Flower Saint Duran led people to defend this bay during the war, repelling several attacks from the Chaos Shadows, until reinforcements finally arrived across the sea.”

“The small bay became famous because of this, and gradually developed. Now it has become a renowned commercial city in the south.”

“To commemorate Saint Duran, a grand Dew Festival is held in Hopland every three years. Many people from the Snow Flower Seven Countries will come to observe, and it will be very lively.”

Then Lady Philia began to explain the festival’s procedures, while Loranhil listened quietly on the side.

“Do you understand roughly?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good. If you’re afraid of making mistakes while singing, would you like to try tonight first?”

“Tonight?”

“Yes, there will be an opera at the city theater tonight, and Laniel will participate too. You can do the backstage singing then. This way, you won’t need to show your face, and you’ll just be singing according to the score and script, so it’s not too difficult. How about experiencing it first?”

Hearing this, Loranhil felt relieved and wanted to give it a try.

“Alright, may I ask which opera it is?”

“It’s a very famous opera. I believe you’ve heard of it. It tells the story of the origin of the famous Lightning Knight Order—’The Lineage of the Thunder God’.”

“Yes, that legendary man is the dream of many young boys.”

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Western Wind Kingdom, Saw Valley City.

Squads of rebel soldiers moved through the city, continuously taking control of various key points. Blue flags with gold stars replaced those on the city walls.

The collapsed city gate was moved aside. The walls were full of gaps and collapsed areas. Many places in the city were still smoking. Bodies were being moved to designated locations by specialized personnel for cremation to prevent epidemics.

Pullman and several companions climbed a high tower in the city, overlooking this scarred city.

“It wasn’t easy. No one expected Count Blackman’s will to resist would be so strong,” said a burly man wearing thick armor.

“Yes, the land around Saw Valley City is fertile and produces a lot of rye. It’s an important granary for the kingdom. Count Blackman was a good man, and the people’s living standards were much better than the surrounding areas, so it’s no wonder there was such strong resistance,” said a handsome young man next to him.

“It’s a pity he was a die-hard loyalist of Western Wind. We could only stand on the opposite side.”

Pullman recalled the count who fought to the death when the city fell, feeling somewhat emotional. Although an enemy, one couldn’t help but admire him.

“Western Wind has already rotted from its roots. One or two good nobles can’t change that. We can’t pin our hopes and future on individual morality,” said a small figure hidden under a cloak, their face unclear.

“Indeed, we can only give him a good burial. By the way, does Count Blackman have any descendants?” Pullman asked.

“His four sons all died in battle. Only a 12-year-old daughter was protected by a nanny hiding in a cellar. She was just caught by search soldiers this morning,” the handsome young man answered.

“Tolan, give the nanny some money and let her leave. Then we’ll find a kind elder to take care of the girl.”

“Alright.” Tolan agreed, understanding that if the nanny continued to care for her, it might only cultivate an enemy. Although they didn’t shy away from their actions, they didn’t want to see this child go to the bottom and stand against them.

“Before Saw Valley City fell, Count Blackman had already transported most of the grain to the southern capital. Now we don’t have much food, only enough for a month, and the next harvest is still two months away. This period will be dangerous, Pullman,” Tolan continued.

“I know.” Pullman looked at the vast green wilderness to the south, remaining silent for a long time before speaking.

“But what I’m more worried about is Western Wind disregarding everything and withdrawing their elite forces guarding the Chaos Vortex, that legendary knight order.”

“But we can’t turn back now, can we?” Tolan sighed.

“We can only keep moving forward, even if we face the continent’s renowned heroic legend, the Lightning Knight Order that shines with thunder.”