dark witch

Chapter15

"Lord Alexander Sterling, please honor your status," Haiyin immediately pocketed the five glaze cards into a hidden pocket in her skirt, then looked towards her mother, "Shouldn't we be getting ready to go back? It seems the baptism ceremony for Adar Anastas is about to start."

Merlin glanced at the moon in the sky, nodded, then gathered energy and slowly raised her right hand to gently beckon. The scattered glaze tiles immediately lifted off the ground. She muttered a spell with slightly parted lips, and with a flick of her wrist, the floating glaze tiles orderly returned to the roof. In less than five seconds, the large hole in the roof was restored to its original state.

"Let's head back," Merlin said, then no longer paid attention to the two still in confrontation, leading Haiyin past them towards the corridor.

Alexander glanced at Xiya, who was still seething, from the corner of his eye. Seeing the mother and daughter, seemingly indifferent to the dispute, about to leave, he couldn't help but speak up, "Mrs. Merlin, aren't you going to intervene with Xiya? Please remember that Anastas City is not the Western Forest."

"How should I intervene?" Merlin scoffed lightly, not even turning her head, showing a complete lack of interest, "When you had Alice Katerine transform Feleder, that slave, to mock Xiya, you should have anticipated such a day."

"To reiterate, I wasn't mocking her," Alexander Sterling watched Merlin and the dwarf disappear around the corner, helplessly shrugged, and turned back to the woman whose eyes were practically ablaze, his earlier irritation resurfacing, "Nine years, and you haven't forgotten that slave, have you?"

Xiya took a deep breath, trying to calm her turbulent emotions, but the sight of his detestable face made her uncontrollably recall that day. Her left hand swung uncontrollably, slapping the man across the face with a loud smack, she rebuked loudly, "All my kindness has gone to the dogs."

This was the first time she had shown kindness in her life, and it was exploited by the scoundrel before her, how could she remain calm?

Alexander remained silent for a long while before wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, offering a cold smile then glancing at Xiya, "You say I mocked you, but what about you? Didn't you mock me?" Before his words fell, his bloodshot eyes hardened, pushing the infuriating woman against the stone wall.

Xiya, caught off guard, quickly regained her composure, trying to push him away, but the hand that gripped her held tight, making it difficult for her to struggle.

Just as they were about to hit the stone wall, Alexander finally put out his hand to stop them, but the pain in his chest was burning. His gaze fell, and there was this damned woman.

Xiya, with her back against the wall, her left hand had dug into Alexander's flesh, her bright blood soaking his white shirt, adding a touch of bewitching beauty to him.

Alexander laughed in spite of the pain, unafraid as he drew closer.

"Don't move," Xiya exerted a bit more force with her hand, her neck stiff and eyes reddening, thinking back to the day she should have watched him be bitten to death by that wolf.

Alexander, as if he hadn't heard her, whispered in her ear, "Should I thank you for not digging deeper?" Turning his head, his nose brushed against hers, looking deep into her eyes as blue as the sky, and after a long time, he finally voiced the grievances of many years.

"Xiya, you shouldn't have asked Alice for that slave after you left my bed," he gave Alice the option to choose for that slave to make her realize that the slave wasn't worth her effort.

"Because I wounded your lordship's dignity, you had Alice humiliate me in such a manner?" That day was the eternal shame of Xiya DeXi, "You... ah," feeling the cold and softness on her lips, the hand in Alexander's chest tightened.

"Ah," the pain caused Alexander to furrow his brows, but even with his chest torn open, he did not let go of the delight beneath his lips, dominatingly seizing it, releasing his left hand to embrace her tightly.

Xiya couldn't resist his teasing and gradually began to lose control...

Haiyin listened intently, it seemed there was no sound, her face stern, "Mother, Aunt Xiya and Alexander Sterling won't both be hurt, will they?"

"No," Merlin said with a hint of bias, "Your aunt is no match for Alexander Sterling."

Is this really her aunt? Haiyin became even more convinced of her suspicion, "Then why did you leave Aunt Xiya to be bullied by Alexander Sterling?"

"Alexander won't do anything to your aunt," Merlinwas not worried at all.

That same line again, it seemed there truly might be some indescribable grievances between Aunt Xiya and Alexander. Haiyin touched the glaze cards in the hidden pocket of her dress, wondering if her business could last long term.

Merlin looked down at her daughter, who was harboring impure thoughts, "How did you end up getting close to Alexander?" She hoped it wasn't for those few glaze cards.

That question was a bit profound. Haiyin pondered the key point, "It was when I was concentrating on gathering witch power, I suddenly heard a terrified scream..."

Back in her room, Merlin's fingers flew swiftly, quickly creating a transparent barrier shimmering with moonlight. Haiyin stood by, straight as a pin, waiting for her mother to finish, before speaking again, "Alexander Sterling's visit to Anastas City isn't to father little Alexanders; he's here searching for Austin Correll."

"You discussed this atop the chimney?" Merlin was somewhat worried for the Sterling family, looking her daughter up and down, "Alexander Sterling is still so... unrestrained."

What kind of look was that? Haiyin pouted, "He also hinted to me that our family shouldn't send moonlight to Loki Anastasia."

Merlin's hand paused as she was about to pull up a chair, her expression instantly turning cold, "He hinted that to you?"

"Yes," Haiyin repeated every important word Alexander had said to her without missing a beat, "He said Loki Anastasia is expanding his power."

It seemed to be true. Merlin lowered her lashes, her emotions unreadable.

"Mother, I've thought it over," Haiyin stepped forward, instinctively lowering her voice, "Loki Anastasia expands his power through transformation, but to significantly enhance the power of those transformed, he needs a lot of moonlight. Otherwise, his expanded power will only exist in the darkness."

If someone were bold enough, they could take advantage of the daylight to completely undermine him. And as is well known, the Western Forest accounts for half of the Dark Witches on the Mar Continent capable of refining moonlight.

According to Alexander, Anastas City had no intention of cooperating with the Western Forest. With no cooperation, that left only... coercion, imprisonment, and other unpleasant methods.

Merlin was surprised, not at Loki Anastasia's ambition but that her adorable little Haiyin had discerned the crux of the matter. A smile involuntarily curved her lips as she grasped her daughter's hand, bending down to plant a strong kiss, her heart swelling with pride.

"Mother," Haiyin stood with her hands on her hips, "Loki Anastasia is targeting our Western Forest."

Merlin squatted down, her hand gently caressing her daughter's cheek, "Didn't I come to solve the problem?"

The DeXi family had indeed been out of the Western Forest for a long time, but that didn't mean they were ignorant of the outside world. They might not talk about distant matters, but the changes in Anastas City were very clear to the Western Forest.

Haiyin was somewhat unable to keep up, so her mother's visit to Anastas City wasn't because their family's granary was empty, but for another purpose? Was sending moonlight just a probe?

"Alright," Merlin pinched her little one's tender cheek, withdrew the barrier, and pulled her into her room, "I've already removed the Star Moon Dart, now I'll hide it in the hem of this dress for you."

Since her mother already knew, Haiyin wasn't worried anymore. After all, she was still young and there was really too little she could do.

Outside, the moonlight grew stronger, and the sands in the hourglass fell bit by bit. The main hall of the Lord of Anastas City's mansion was full of guests, clinking cups and exchanging toasts, with no sign of the discord lurking in the shadows.

Merlin descended the stairs with Haiyin, drawing many eyes. After all, not many noble families could reside directly in the Lord's mansion, but some were disappointed.

"So it's Merlin, long time no see," a woman in a white robe emanating a holy radiance approached the staircase, gently swirling her wine glass, "I thought you would stay in the Western Forest," her gaze casually swept over Haiyin.

"It has been a long time," Merlin replied with a distant smile, descending the stairs, "But even after all these years, you haven't progressed at all, far behind your sister Boye."

The woman's cheeks twitched imperceptibly, and her grip on the wine glass tightened. She hated being compared to Boye the most. Merlin DeXi truly thought the Western Forest was still the same old Western Forest. The Western DeXi had been dead for ten thousand years.

Crack...

Haiyin heard the sound of glass shattering and quicklypulled her mother to the side. With a snap, the wine glass in the white-robed woman Yinaer's hand broke, falling to the floor and scattering shards and wine in all directions.

The hall fell silent for a moment, everyone present knew of the longstanding enmity between the Light Witch Clan of the Larissa Family and the Dark Witches of the DeXi Family from the Western Forest. Essentially, they were mortal enemies due to the sins committed by the Twin Witch Ancestors. The "holy" Light Witch Clan never acknowledged this "hatred," but the DeXi witches didn't spare them any courtesies.

Merlin glanced at the wine and shards on the floor, approaching Yinaer, "Are you angry?" She had been looking for an excuse to erupt, and now it had presented itself. She patted Yinaer's shoulder amicably, consoling, "Don't be upset, Boye won't have many good days left either."

Yinaer stiffened at these words, suddenly lifting her eyes to Merlin, lips slightly pursed.

"Don't be so surprised," Merlin's gaze swept around, "I guess everyone hasn't congratulated Yinaer Larissa yet, she's about to become an aunt..."

"Why so quiet?" Merlin, her speech interrupted, flashed a sharp look, then turned with a smile.

Loki Anastasia appeared on the second floor with a beautiful woman and a baby in swaddles: "I am delighted you could all attend my child Adar Anastas's baptism ceremony. Anastas City will treat everyone with the utmost care, please enjoy yourselves."

The hall didn't erupt in cheers, but everyone raised their wine glasses towards the second floor in salute.

Haiyin moved closer to her mother, "Aunt Xiya and Alexander haven't arrived."

"They will," Merlin knew her sister too well. Xiya loved the Western Forest even more than she did, and Alexander was well aware of this.

The adult world is indeed complicated, Haiyin thought as she watched Loki Anastasia standing on the second floor, looking down upon everyone. Perhaps due to his paternal lineage, his choice of partner wasn't a transformed being, but based on the color of the eyes, the bloodline of this Androsi wasn't pure.

"Today, the Great Priestess Sofia Larissa will baptize my child Adar Anastas," Loki's voice had barely faded when a deer's call came from outside the castle.

Merlin gripped Haiyin's hand tightly, a breeze bringing strands of her hair into disarray as she turned to see. So it was.

A witch dressed like a Native American, her face half-covered by a white veil, revealing clear, light yellow eyes. Haiyin stared at the newcomer, realizing that if the Light Witches were incandescent lamps, illuminating everywhere, this new arrival's wattage was a bit high, rather power-consuming.

"It is an honor to be invited to baptize His Highness Adar," Sofia Larissa began, her voice cut off by a snicker.

Alexander, now in a clean shirt and no longer barefoot, wearing black boots and escorted by a finely dressed Xiya, descended from the third floor: "Sorry, we're late."

Haiyin liked this defiant tone, but seeing the hand affectionately linked with Alexander's arm, she was momentarily confused. Hadn't they just been fighting? She was curious about what had transpired between them.

Merlin withdrew her gaze from Sofia Larissa and, like everyone else, turned to look at Alexander, but she didn't bow her head in respect as the others did.

"Count Alexander," Loki Anastasia stepped forward, bypassing the woman beside him, holding the child to greet them.

As Alexander reached the second floor, he didn't stop: "Isn't it time for the baptism? Then let's begin," continuing downstairs. With that, Loki Anastasia could no longer stay on the second floor and followed him down with the woman.

This is the legendary scoundrel, Haiyin's gaze shifted between the two, wondering if her business could leverage some connections.