The Virtuous Dark Witch

Chapter 18

Perhaps because there were so many guests tonight, the Lord of Anastas City's Mansion had prepared a variety of food—including blood, as well as various pastries, soups, and more.

When she smelled that sweet scent again, Elara still felt a little uncomfortable. But because she had been mentally prepared, she didn't feel as nauseous as last night. Entering the dining room and seeing the blood filled in many glazed containers, she felt curious. "Has all this blood been processed?"

"Yes." Merlyn took a plate and glanced at the glazed wine glasses filled with blood on the shelf. "The blood used to entertain guests in Anastas City this time is all taken from virgins under the age of eighteen—it's relatively pure and full of vitality. It's then purified of impurities with Light Witch Power and mixed with moonlit gardenia juice."

Elara frowned when she heard this, and the nausea returned. "All this blood is from virgins under eighteen?"

"Don't think too much." Merlyn picked up a caramelized bread roll. "Such a large amount of blood must have been taken from slaves or purchased from Rozin merchants."

Progenitor Duke Austin Corell had always opposed Andros killing Rozin people recklessly. His efforts over nearly ten thousand years hadn't been in vain. At the very least, the Andros had gradually realized that the existence of Rozin People was necessary for their long-term survival.

After getting their food, Elara followed her mother to the lounge area in the hall, which was empty at the moment. But it wasn't surprising—at a banquet at the Lord's Mansion, who else would be thinking about eating besides them?

"Earl Alexander Stirling and Aunt Thea's opening dance is over." Elara took a big bite of the bread roll. The outer crust was crispy, and the inside was soft—similar to the donuts from her past life. It tasted really good.

Merlyn cut a small piece of roasted beef, looked up at the dance floor. "It's almost time." Andros baptism ceremonies were usually held in the middle of the night. They had wasted some time earlier, and dawn would break in less than five hours. "After we finish eating and rest for an hour, we'll go upstairs. We'll leave the Lord's Mansion at eight tomorrow morning."

Elara, who was eating the bread roll, was stunned. “Leave? Go back to the West Sea Forest?"

"We can't go back to the West Sea Forest yet." Merlyn chewed the beef slowly, swallowing before continuing. "Now that the Lord's Mansion banquet is over, we should leave, of course." She cut a small piece of beef and held it to the little one's mouth. "The Dessey Clan has its own shops in Anastas City."

When her mother mentioned this, Elara remembered the eighteen closed shops. "Then tomorrow, we'll first go to the jewelry shop to sell one of the glazed cards, exchange it for gold coins to buy grain, and have the merchant caravan transport it back to the West Sea Forest. Grandmother is at home anyway."

"It's up to you." Merlyn watched her daughter's puffed cheeks, feeling much better. "Try the beef from the Lord's Mansion—it's tender and has almost no fishy smell." You'll like it."

Elara didn't refuse, but she still took a small bite of bread to cover her mouth before swallowing the beef. She chewed it tentatively and was pleasantly surprised—it really had no fishy smell, just as her mother had said. "Another piece, please."

Seeing that she liked it, Merlyn was also happy. The little one had never liked eating meat, which had always been a worry for her. "Later, I'll ask Alexander for a slave who is good at cooking meat, and we'll take them back to the West Sea Forest with us."

"That's a good idea." Elara happily accepted her mother's feeding, but she still had a question to ask. "Did Haina Mullin come to you wanting to buy the silver ring?"

When this matter was mentioned, Merlyn's hand cutting the beef paused. She turned to look at the little one beside her and said firmly, "That ring will never leave you for the rest of your life."

Ten thousand years ago, during her fierce battle with the Twin Witch Progenitor, the West Sea Witch Ancestor had been cursed by the Twin Holy Spirits. She had returned to the West Sea Forest injured and found that the Life Spirit Ring she had always worn on her middle finger was missing. So she had left all information about the Life Spirit Ring in her journal.

And today, Haina Mullin had approached her. She didn't know how much of what Haina Mullin had said was true, but she was certain that her daughter, Roxane Mullin, was problematic.

This reminded her of an unfinished deal many years ago. Why had she softened her heart when she saw the newly born Roxane Mullin?

"Mother." Elara saw her staring at her in a daze and gently poked her. "What's wrong?"

Merlyn shook her head. "Nothing." She continued cutting the meat. "From now on, be careful around that Roxane Mullin—keep a certain distance from her."

"Okay." Elara ate the meat with relish. So her mother also thought the little girl Roxane Mullin was unusual. "When you asked me if I had any dreams earlier—did Roxane have dreams too?"

“Yes. She had nightmares."

Upon hearing this, Elara immediately swallowed the meat in her mouth and quickly said, "I also had a not-so-good…"

“Merlyn…”

Hearing the voice, Elara quickly shut her mouth and looked up at the woman who had interrupted her. Huh—a black beauty. If she guessed correctly, this should be from the Charlotte Witches, a famous major branch of the Dark Witches.

The Charlotte Witches were the only black tribe among the Witch Clan. This tribe had always been matriarchal, very united, and quite powerful. She didn't expect they had also come to Anastas City—she hadn't noticed them earlier.

"Ada?" Merlyn stood up. "When did you arrive?"

What exactly did Rocky Anastas want? Like her and her mother, the leader of the Charlotte Witches could also forge Moon Glow. Now that the Charlotte Witches had arrived, only the Annel Clan was missing.

"I just got here." Ada Charlotte walked to the opposite side of Merlyn. "It's a pity I missed little Prince Adair's baptism ceremony." She looked at Elara leaning against Merlyn. "I saw Thea. Why are you all here too? Could the invitation from Anastas City reach the West Sea Forest?

Merlyn smiled. "We came uninvited." But now it seemed things weren't as she had thought earlier. "Did no one from the Annel Clan come?"

"They did." Ada Charlotte crossed her arms, speaking meaningfully. "It's good to be from the Dessey Clan—the West Sea Forest is close to the royal capital, making it convenient to go anywhere. Unlike our Charlotte Tribe, which mostly resides around the Glassless Forest. After receiving the invitation from Anastas City, we rushed here as fast as we could, but we still arrived late."

"If that's the case, then our Annel Clan is even worse." A tall woman with white hair and silver eyes walked into the lounge area with her hands behind her back. "Merlyn, it's been several years. Congratulations on successfully giving birth to the Moon Goddess Child."

Everyone was here. Merlyn forced a smile. "Thank you. Did the Annel Clan also receive an invitation?"

"Otherwise?" Avra Annel looked Merlyn and her daughter up and down. "Come uninvited like you Dessey Witches?"

Who did she think she was? Elara really wanted to knock some sense into these two women who were indulging themselves. Rocky Anastas' actions were an attempt to fully control the Moon Glow—the West Sea Forest had just inserted itself.

But even without this insertion, when Rocky Anastas controlled the Charlotte Tribe and the Annel Clan, the Dessey Witches would still have to wade into troubled waters—only the situation would be worse.

"What gifts did you give?" Merlyn didn't care about Avra Annel's sarcasm, letting out a cold laugh. "Also Moon Glow?"

Upon hearing this, Ada Charlotte and Avra Annel looked at each other. They didn't speak, but their meaning was clear. They then turned to Merlyn and asked in unison, "Did the Dessey Witches also give Moon Glow?"

"Yes." Merlyn pulled Elara to sit down and continued cutting the meat. "Didn't you take a good look around Anastas City when you arrived?" She then contradicted herself. "No, that's right—you were in a hurry and didn't have time to wander around Anastas City."

"What do you mean?" Ada Charlotte intuitively felt that Merlyn was implying something today. She leaned forward with her hands on the table, staring intently at Merlyn's expression.

Merlyn fed Elara a piece of beef. "What do I mean? Just let go of your Witch Power and feel the surrounding aura."

Avra Annel pulled Ada Charlotte back. A shadow of Ghost Grass flashed in her silver eyes. She frowned, her expression gradually turning cold. After a long while, she spoke. "Merlyn Dessey, please don't forget that Dessey Witches are also children of the Moon Goddess Selena."

"The Dessey Witches have never forgotten that." Merlyn said teasingly. "It's others who have forgotten."

For a long time, many Dark Witches had been close to the Andros. She was confused as to why. Even though the Moon Glow was controlled by the Dark Witches, the Andros never treated the Dark Witches well—on the contrary, they preferred to associate with the Light Witches.

This time, for a small baptism ceremony, why had Rocky Anastas suddenly treated the Dark Witches so politely as the Lord of Anastas City? Hadn't they thought carefully when they received the invitation?

"Moon Glow?" Ada Charlotte grabbed Avra Annel's hand tightly. There were as many as a thousand turned Andros gathering near the Lord of Anastas City's Mansion—that was far too many.

"Don't stare at me." Merlyn fed Elara the last small piece of beef on the plate, looking back at Ada Charlotte. "The Dessey Witches haven't left the West Sea Forest in nearly ten years."

"We only left this time because the grain store at home was empty and we needed to buy food. So it's not that we knew something and didn't report it—I only noticed something was wrong after entering Anastas City."

Ada Charlotte sneered. "What a coincidence."

Sometimes she really envied the Dessey Witches. Not only did they have the blood of Selah Dessey, the most powerful Witch in Mal Continent's history, flowing through their veins, but they also lived in the fertile West Sea Forest. Even when practicing Witchcraft, they had journals left by Selah Dessey and successive Dessey Witches to refer to.

Although many Dark Witches disliked the Dessey Witches, they never dared to underestimate the West Sea Forest—not only out of admiration for Selah Dessey, but also because every generation of rulers of the West Sea Forest had been extremely powerful, including the current Kelly Dessey.

"That's just how things are." Merlyn put down her knife and fork, turned her head slightly, her eyes drifting past the two women blocking the table to Thea walking over. "I'll tell you a not-too-bad piece of news—Alexander Stirling doesn't know about Rocky Anastas' plans."

Avra Annel pouted, looking disdainful. "Are you telling us to run away as soon as possible?"

"You can put it more euphemistically." Merlyn glanced at her coldly. "My advice is—you'd better leave before Alexander Stirling leaves Anastas City." She then looked down at Elara gently. "Are you full?"

Elara nodded her little head and replied obediently. "Yes." Her mother had done her utmost. The West Sea Forest was close to Anastas City—they couldn't avoid it for the sake of future peace, otherwise they would also want to run.

Merlyn took Elara's hand and stood up. "Of course, whether to leave or not is entirely up to you." With that, the mother and daughter left without stopping.

Avra Annel and Ada Charlotte looked at each other again. When Merlyn passed by, Ada grabbed her arm. "When are you leaving?" She had seen Thea and Alexander Stirling being extremely intimate as soon as she entered the door.

"Does it matter to you when we leave?" Merlyn's eyes swept over the two of them, sarcastically. "Since when have you cared so much about the West Sea Forest?"

"Sister." Thea walked over holding a glass of wine, pinching Elara's cheek. "I told you to wait for me, but you went ahead and ate your fill."

Elara leaned against her. "I just accepted a bribe from Alexander Stirling—I have to show some sense. Don't worry, I'll stick to you like glue from now on."

"That's better not." Thea put one arm around her shoulder, completely ignoring the two beside her. She took a small sip of wine and tasted it. "It's actually quite good."

Merlyn pulled her arm back. "Where is he?"

"Upstairs." Thea glanced at the hall. "Rocky Anastas isn't here either."