She Is Not a Witch

Hopland, the Nisos residence.

The Nisos Merchant Association was one of the five major merchant associations in Hopland. The family’s eldest son, Finnerton, was among the older members of Hopland’s younger generation at 31 years old. He had married late, and his two children were only 1-3 years old.

Today’s banquet was hosted by him, inviting the upper echelons of Hopland’s society to celebrate his young daughter’s first birthday. In truth, it was merely a pretext; he would likely just make a brief appearance with his daughter before everyone continued eating, dancing, or engaging in other entertainment activities.

The Nisos family was the most enthusiastic about hosting banquets among Hopland’s great families, with a wide social circle. If one wanted to quickly get acquainted with Hopland’s nobility and power players, attending their banquets was the best choice.

Of course, the Nisos family’s fondness for banquets wasn’t purely for enjoyment. It was also because their family’s main business was the brewing industry. They produced 40% of all alcohol in Vegar, with various types exported to different countries and renowned throughout the southern and western parts of the continent. Each banquet served to promote their new types of alcohol, essentially advertising. Once these top figures in Hopland approved and liked it, the new alcohol would gradually become popular from the top down.

Loranhil sat upright in the carriage, watching through the glass window at the stream of carriages on the road, the street lamps, and the lanterns hanging from carriages. The interplay of lights painted the street in a nostalgic amber hue, often accompanied by the sound of carriage bells and people’s various conversations. The road to the Nisos residence was crowded with all sorts of carriages and guards.

“Is the Nisos family this popular?” the girl asked curiously.

“It’s hard to say, but they do have a wide social circle. They invite many people to each banquet and provide their new types of alcohol for free, after all, it’s their family’s most important industry,” Chelsea replied from beside her.

“Do we have any business connections with them?”

“Four or five years ago, they created a new type of liqueur that became very popular as soon as it was released. They then specifically purchased a batch of oranges from us, which is a key ingredient in the liqueur.”

After a brief recollection, Chelsea continued.

“Because brewing requires specific climate conditions for orange growth, sweetness, moisture content, and so on, the Nisos family had several discussions with Lord Angus at the time.”

“The liqueur is crystal-clear orange, as transparent as amber. It has a rich, smooth flavor with the natural fruity aroma of sweet oranges. It’s been popular in the Seven Snow Flower Countries for years, and I’ve heard some is even shipped to the distant Eastern Continent’s Gillyflower Dynasty.”

“I see. How did the cooperation go afterwards?”

“It started well, but they didn’t want to rely on purchasing from us forever. Later, they built their own orange estate, and this year they’ve ordered less than in previous years.”

As Loranhil and Chelsea were discussing the Nisos family, they finally arrived at their destination.

The entrance to the Nisos residence was very spacious. The tall black iron gate had beautifully curved horizontal bars rather than just vertical ones. In the center was a pattern—a tilted wine bottle with liquid pouring out and grapes on the bottle, indicating that the Nisos family initially built their fortune on wine.

The bustling entrance was filled with attendants, guiding arriving carriages to designated spots and announcing the welcome for each noble guest.

“Lady Mishu of the Proho family has arrived~”

“Master Herang of the White Cross Sword has arrived~”

As Loranhil’s carriage entered the gate, the welcoming announcement sounded again.

“Lady Lacey of the Carithes Merchant Association has arrived~”

At the attendant’s call, a butler from the courtyard hurried over to guide her carriage to a spacious, well-lit area.

Upon hearing the attendant’s welcome, the guests present turned to observe this carriage bearing the Night Lacquer Flower emblem. The carriage was black overall, with purple lines and decorations on the edges, exuding understated luxury.

Head maid Chelsea alighted first, opening the door for Loranhil, who stepped out holding her dress. She didn’t need anyone’s assistance.

Her dress was as vivid as flames, adorned with blooming red night lacquer flowers. The bodice was form-fitting, accentuating the girl’s slender figure. The neckline dipped into a modest V-shape, while the sleeves were slightly wide, like unfurling flower petals. On her hands were white lace gloves.

Her golden hair shimmered in the lamplight. Beneath her wispy bangs was a face of ethereal beauty, with the ends of her hair falling across her chest in slight waves, adding a touch of earthly charm.

From the moment she appeared, Loranhil captivated the attention of everyone present, like a massive magnet. Her clear blue eyes, blinking like rippling water, seemed to make souls dance. She was like a legend descended from mythical paintings.

The entire entrance fell into a brief silence, making those outside and inside the mansion curious about what had transpired.

In the quiet entrance, the Nisos family’s butler led the way for Loranhil, while several attendants quickly entered the great hall to inform the family’s important members and make other preparations.

Finnerton, the eldest son of the Nisos family, personally came to greet her at the entrance, both to show respect and out of curiosity about this new key figure of Carithes, the never-before-seen Lady Lacey. Rumors had long circulated that she was an incomparable beauty, but rumors are often unreliable, and he wanted to see for himself.

When that flame-red dress entered the great hall, Finnerton swore that if he were still unmarried, he would certainly become this lady’s most devoted suitor. Her breathtaking features, those serene and clear eyes, that perfect figure—each aspect was a priceless treasure, etched indelibly in one’s memory.

Alas, he was already married with children, and somewhat older. With desire but no capability, he could only sigh inwardly as he hurried to greet her.

“Welcome, Lady Lacey. I am Finnerton of the Nisos family.”

The eldest son of the Nisos family wore a white formal suit, slightly plump, with a small family crest—the tilted wine bottle—pinned to his chest.

According to etiquette, Loranhil, or rather Lacey, should have extended her hand for him to kiss. But she didn’t want to, keeping her hand at her waist. This wasn’t considered terribly rude, as it was a privilege of unmarried young ladies, especially in some conservative regions.

“Hello, Mr. Finnerton. I’m Lacey. I’ve only recently arrived in Vegar and am still adjusting. I apologize for not accepting your banquet invitation until today.”

“It’s no trouble at all. I’m just delighted that Lady Lacey could come,” Finnerton replied, and this wasn’t mere courtesy—who doesn’t enjoy seeing a beautiful young lady?

At that moment, another welcome announcement came from outside the hall.

“Lady Fenrai of the Anemis Merchant Association has arrived~”