dark witch

Chapter11

As the question was asked, it drew a snicker from a few female customers in the store. Merlin's icy gaze swept over them, promptly silencing them. Looking at her still puzzled daughter, she felt regret for the first time, realizing she shouldn't have always kept little Haiyin secluded in the Western Sea Forest.

At that moment, Haiyin also realized she might have become a laughingstock and looked up at her mother and aunt. Xiya, wrapping an arm around her, said in a voice just loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear, “This blood-red rose glass card is not valuable. What's valuable is the identity it represents, but we do not need it.” The Witch of DeXi, already powerful, feared no one, including Androsi.

Xiya’s beautiful blue eyes glanced at the women who had laughed at Haiyin, with silver frost forming in her gaze. She murmured with blood-red lips slightly curled, “You have no right to mock her.”

As her voice fell, the shop suddenly turned ice-cold, with the mocking women now covered in white frost, shivering yet clenching their teeth, daring not to make a sound.

The bearded shopkeeper, before he could rejoice at receiving the blood-red rose glass card, hurriedly apologized, “Honorable madams, miss, I am deeply sorry for the disrespectful treatment. Please forgive them this once. To show my apology, each of you may choose a piece of jewelry.”

Haiyin gently tugged at her aunt's skirt, signaling that it was enough; indeed, she had been foolish, but this was also a learning experience for her, her first realization that this was a world completely different from her previous life.

“Hmph,” Xiya snorted, her right hand beckoning, and the ring chain bracelet she had been eyeing flew into her hand, “I'll take this, but I insist on paying.”

The women, now wiser, quickly voiced their agreement to pay without waiting for Xiya to speak, their voices trembling, the frost on their bodies thickening without melting.

The bearded shopkeeper bowed deeply, “Yes,” then gestured, “Honorable madams, miss, please feel free to browse,” having done all he could, blaming only the Luo Zong women for forgetting their place.

Haiyin hesitated, unable to overcome her inner resistance. But Merlin didn’t give her the chance to hesitate further, pulling her past that barrier to the glass cabinet, “Dear, take whatever you like,” his gaze falling on the various modern-style gemstone jewelry, feeling each piece suited his precious child.

“What about this gold anklet with agate?”

The bearded shopkeeper, hearing this, didn’t dare to hesitate and was about to open the cabinet.

Haiyin quickly stopped him, “I’m still young, and the anklet is a bit large. Plus, wearing it would be inconvenient as I grow.”

The anklet was indeed beautiful, but overly extravagant, with a width of three centimeters and four pure green agates embedded in it, making it cumbersome to walk with.

“What about this sapphire headpiece?”

She had thought it was a necklace, “I already have a small crown, and this headpiece can’t hold back hair. Wearing it would just be a burden,” the headpiece strung with black pearls each the size of a little fingernail, making her feel top-heavy.

“What about this bracelet?”

“No need,” Haiyin’s finger pointed to the most inconspicuous and rusted silver ring in the corner of the cabinet, “I’ll take this one,” after looking around, she found the ring to be the least expensive and most unassuming.

Merlin frowned, “Are you sure?” wondering how that ring ended up in the cabinet, “Mother must tell you, if you miss this chance, you’ll have to pay for jewelry yourself in the future.”

Was it really okay to be so blunt? Haiyin edged closer, “I’ll take this one.”

In a world filled with fantasy, though she felt no spiritual connection with this ring, which looked ancient at best, there was always the chance of a fortuitous encounter.

The bearded shopkeeper was also troubled, staring at the ring with furrowed brows, “I'm sorry, miss, please believe me, this ring is... um,” sweating, “it is... new.”

Just then, a gorgeously dressed woman wearing a small black hat decorated with flowers entered the shop with a girl about Haiyin's age and delicate features.

Haiyin didn’t pay them much attention, “Grandfather, please take out this ring,” they had lingered too long and it was time to leave.

Merlin glanced at the ring again, barely perceptibly frowning, then nodded to the shopkeeper, “Give it to her,” his gaze moving away from the items in the cabinet, not finding anything tohis liking, and then shifted to the newly entered Luo Zong people.

After the lavishly dressed woman entered the shop, she did not immediately approach the cabinet but stood respectfully to one side with the little girl, maintaining a proper distance from Haiyin and her party.

Noticing Merlin's gaze, she quickly let go of the little hand she was holding and, lifting the hem of her voluminous skirt slightly, curtsied to Merlin, "Haina Mullin pays her respects to Lord Merlin."

"It's you," Merlin recognized her, looking down at the girl beside her, "Is this your daughter?"

"Yes," the woman's gaze softened as she looked down and whispered to the girl, "Roxie, pay your respects to Lord Merlin." Ten years had passed, and that figure remained as beautiful as ever, though her eyes seemed deeper. She had successfully given birth to a "Moon Goddess," and bringing her "Moon Goddess" out of the Western Sea Forest probably meant trouble for some.

Stepping forward and adjusting her position slightly with a curtsy, Roxie Peony Mullin introduced herself to Merlin. She knew they were deep in the Western Sea Forest, the DeXi witches, and that she and her mother received favorable treatment in the Mullin household thanks to the DeXi witches.

"Rise," Merlin said, touching Haiyin's hair and seeing the girl fitting the ring onto her thumb, couldn't help but smile, "Let's go."

"Alright," Haiyin, puzzled that the ring, which seemed too large, fit perfectly, looked at her thumb encircled by the black ring, becoming worried. This wasn't the place to speak, so she turned to leave with her mother.

As they were about to leave, the bearded shopkeeper hurried out from behind the counter to see them off. Haiyin, fiddling with the ring on her thumb after stepping outside and looking back, unexpectedly locked eyes with someone's amber gaze, the other party quickly averting their face in an unhidden reluctance. Haiyin's brows furrowed tighter, glancing down at the ring on her hand, wondering if the girl had also taken a liking to it.

"Esteemed miss, is there anything else you require?" the shopkeeper asked cautiously, also puzzled since the ring was clean and silver when it arrived but had rusted by evening.

Haiyin shook her head, "No, I just wanted to know if I can bring you the blood-red rose glass card again?" She wasn't being greedy; she just thought it would be more beneficial than taking Moslin's money.

The shopkeeper blinked but quickly recovered, eagerly responding, "Of course, you can bring it anytime, and I will make sure you are satisfied with the price."

"Good, then it's agreed," Haiyin said, turning to follow her visibly resigned mother and aunt towards their carriage, under the astonished gaze of onlookers.

In the jewelry shop, Roxie bit her lip as she watched Haiyin and her party board their carriage, her mother bowing slightly towards the departing vehicle before placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Roxie, what's wrong?"

"Mom, what's her name?" The little girl felt wronged, tears welling up in her eyes, but she knew she couldn't cry during the festivities in Anastas City.

But she was truly sad, this feeling worse than when Inde killed her rabbit Peter. Yet, as a lowly Luo Zong person, even with a deep desire, she couldn't compete with the powerful witches.

Haina looked away, covering her daughter's eyes and pulling her into an embrace, "I'm sorry, Roxie."

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Haiyin also felt troubled, "Mother, it seems I can't take it off," she probed her body, feeling a strange loss, and suddenly became weak, frightening Merlin into checking her with a stream of pure witch power.

After a long moment, Merlin released Haiyin's hand, puzzled, "What's wrong with you?" She had checked her daughter thoroughly and found nothing amiss: her meridians were clear, her witch power pure and abundant, and she was full of life.

"Is there really no problem?" Haiyin was skeptical, feeling indeed strong upon checking her meridians.

Xiya breathed a sigh of relief, examining the ring on her daughter's hand closely, then suddenly said, "Little Haiyin, try channeling your witch power into this ring."

"Okay," Haiyin was about to gather her witch power when her mother intervened, "No need, it must be the life ring that the Western Sea Ancestor lost."

"It has returned," Xiya's smile grew as she lightly touched the ring, "It has finally come back."

Haiyin felt impatient, "Can you consider my feelings?"

"Keep it on," Xiya held her hand, explaining, "The life ring was

crafted by the Western Sea Ancestor from core earth silver stone. It will help you communicate with living beings and better utilize natural forces." According to legend, the pinnacle of witchcraft was to merge with nature, effortlessly summoning natural forces without needing to gather witch power.

Merlin gently pinched her daughter's cheek, "Never underestimate it. Our records say it accompanied the Western Sea Ancestor for twelve hundred years and has developed its own consciousness," which is why she couldn't take it off.

Gulping, Haiyin swallowed hard, picking the ring out of guilt for its apparent worthlessness, "What happens to ordinary people who wear it?" She hadn't forgotten the look in that girl's eyes.

"I don't know," Merlin frowned in thought, "But at most, they would become more attuned to nature, gain some understanding of living beings. Why?"

Haiyin shook her head, "Nothing," contemplating trying the blood-binding ritual she knew from her past life.

"We're heading to the lord's mansion now," Merlin noted the time, "We'll eat something there and then rest."

The mention of the lord's mansion immediately perked Haiyin up. She straightened up, touching her high collar, then began tucking it in to expose her delicate, pale neck.

"What are you doing?" Xiya was puzzled. After Haiyin adjusted her collar to fully expose her neck, she turned and asked, "Do I look enticing... uh... very tempting to Androsi now?"