She Is Not a Witch

“Lady Lacey, I’m not sure I understand your meaning,” Melu began, still trying to dodge the issue. Many of these matters weren’t hers to decide as the eldest daughter, and even Family Head Hoss wouldn’t dare to make such promises.

Perhaps to outsiders, the Helis family was one of Hopland’s five great merchant associations, very powerful. But only she knew that the Helis family had been gradually fragmenting internally, and the main family was slowly losing control of the whole. Taking sides now would only widen the internal rift.

She understood Loranhil’s meaning, but couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“Do you know about the spice trade conflict between Carithes and Helis over a decade ago?” Loranhil asked, watching the fire in the hearth where wood burned quietly, occasionally emitting faint crackles.

“I know a little about it,” Melu replied, her face showing some discomfort as if recalling something.

“At that time, Lord Angus, considering future development, was willing to set aside prejudices and conflicts, taking a step back by giving up the spice industry in the Southern Islands. The previous Helis family head reciprocated, ceding some of their forests and estates. Thus, both sides put aside their differences, helped each other, and ultimately solidified their market positions and status within the alliance.”

“But no one expected that the consistently loyal Helis family would set a trap for Carithes’ head, attempting to use one of their own children to claim Carithes’ inheritance rights and split the association.”

“Lady Melu, do you know about this?” As she said this, Loranhil slowly raised her head, her eyes once again looking at the Helis family’s eldest daughter across from her.

“I… I know a little about it,” Melu admitted bitterly, looking into Loranhil’s captivating blue eyes.

This was indeed an underhanded act by the Helis family, and they had never told Angus about the subsequent reconciliation, thinking that ten years had passed, Angus was gone, and everything was in the past. Who would have thought that this new head of the Carithes family would know the truth?

“Uncle Ceres is serving as my driver for the last time today, bringing me for this visit. After tomorrow, he will resign from his position in the household and retire to the south, never to return.”

Loranhil continued speaking about something seemingly unrelated, but Melu understood. This indicated that all of the Helis family’s actions and weaknesses had already been seen through by this young lady.

Is there no way out, Melu thought, lowering her head to look at her teacup. The scattered emerald tea leaves slowly swirled in the cup before sinking to the bottom.

Recalling childhood scenes, everything seemed like yesterday. Grandfather was still alive then, and all the uncles in the family would gather often to eat together, talking about new raw materials, which shipping routes were profitable, which new products were popular. It was very lively.

As the eldest daughter of the family, she often entertained her younger siblings, taking them to play, read books, fly kites. The uncles would often praise her, bringing her gifts from various places in the Snow Flower Seven Countries. Those were her happiest times.

But since grandfather’s passing and father’s succession, things gradually worsened. Father botched several projects right from the start, causing the uncles to become dissatisfied and resentful. They gradually stopped following the main family’s orders. Father, feeling he wasn’t cut out for the role, began to indulge himself, becoming obsessed with pleasure and no longer inquiring about family affairs. As a result, she had been making most of the decisions in recent years.

But she was just a daughter, unable to suppress those uncles with her generation or experience. Even her once-close brothers and sisters had grown cold, sometimes causing conflicts.

As the heat slowly dissipated, the tea in the cup gradually cooled, the leaves no longer floating, like stagnant water. Melu raised her head and said softly,

“I’m very sorry, Lady Lacey. The Helis family as it is now doesn’t qualify to be your ally.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Perhaps we still appear to be that brilliantly blooming camellia, but beneath the petals, the branches have long since grown far apart. I can only represent one branch now; the Helis family has already split internally.”

“Legally speaking, your main family still holds over 50% of the shares, doesn’t it?” Loranhil hadn’t given up hope yet.

“That’s only on paper. The Vegar Business Alliance’s trade union doesn’t have as much power as a kingdom’s king. Most of the time it’s local self-governance. Most of the Hopland branch’s personnel come from our five major merchant associations. How much binding force can self-governance really have?”

“But you still have over 50% of the legal shares. This is an indisputable fact.” Loranhil repeated, her eyes reflecting the firelight as if flames were burning within them.

“I understand, but…”

“But you don’t dare to take back what belongs to you?” Loranhil interrupted Melu.

“Can you just watch your family fall apart in your generation?”

“Waiting won’t yield any results.” Loranhil placed her teacup on the table.

“After you take back the power and everything, your relatives and uncles might have a big argument, hold grudges, but they’ll still have to rely on you. There will still be times when you all sit together again. If you split now, their share of the family property was never rightfully theirs to begin with. They’ll be even more afraid of your future reclamation, leading to darker thoughts and ideas.”

“Melu, you surely don’t want to see the worst outcome, do you?”

“I…”

Melu looked at the dream-like girl in black before her, who admonished like an angel yet tempted like a demon. For a moment, she was speechless.

Loranhil didn’t press Melu for an immediate answer. She knew that changes in concepts and habits needed time to digest slowly.

Then she stood up, walked to the fireplace, took down the teapot warming by the fire, and refilled both Melu’s and her own teacups with boiling tea.

Melu sat quietly on the sofa, watching the steaming hot tea pour from the pot in an arc, white mist rising, then flowing into the white, gold-rimmed porcelain cups. The sunken tea leaves in the cup began to roll in the hot water again, the light green leaves in the amber liquid like a small boat tossing in turbulent waves.

Helis, the yellow-green camellia, blooming between winter and spring, with full, elegant, and dignified flowers.

“Only the camellia endures exceptionally long, alone able to claim the spring breeze in the deep of the month.” —Line 7 (Song Dynasty · Zeng Jili) East Rhyme
[TN: In Chinese poetry, flowers often carry symbolic meanings. The camellia, in particular, represents resilience, purity, and unyielding beauty in the face of harsh conditions. The line could reflect a broader philosophical idea, praising those who stand firm and thrive despite challenges, much like the camellia in the cold months.

This type of imagery is characteristic of Song Dynasty poetry, which often merges nature with human emotion or virtue, creating a reflective and inspiring mood.]

“I understand, Lady Lacey. Could you give me a little time?”

Melu looked up at Loranhil, showing a relieved smile. In the firelight, her chestnut-gold long hair reflected a faint glow.