Chapter 602

Chapter 602: Reappearing at the Border

In the maple leaf courtyard, inside the small house kitchen.

“Yes, just like that. First, remove the fish’s innards, then scale it, clean it, and afterwards sprinkle some salt on it.” Lolan Hill rolled up her sleeves and guided the other red-haired girl beside her. Although Keti looked more mature and voluptuous, she had a particularly innocent personality. When they were together, Lolan Hill felt more like a sister.

“Then put the fish in the pot, and when it’s lightly fried to a golden-brown, flip it over, adding various seasonings during the process.”

“This is how it’s done.”

In the kitchen, Lolan Hill placed the fish on a plate and poured the soup from the pot over it. A tempting aroma wafted through the air, with the colors beautifully complementing each other.

Keti blinked her eyes as she watched the braised fish being taken out of the pot, silently memorizing each step. She also wanted to help Lolan cook, so she was learning very diligently.

“Let’s go to the hall for dinner.” Lolan Hill carried the dishes towards the spacious hall in the middle, where there was already a table set up.

When she entered the hall, she saw a blonde-haired girl with silver eyes sitting there early. She wore a classical black dress, with a red butterfly hair clip in her hair.

“Senior Tides,” Lolan exclaimed in surprise upon seeing this phantom witch.

“It’s been a while, little Lolan, and Keti too.” Tides opened her folding fan and tapped it gently, causing exquisite candle stands to appear around the table, illuminating the room brightly.

“Can I have dinner with you, little Lolan~?” She closed one eye and teased.

“Of course.”

Lolan Hill had Keti sit down at the table, while she brought over the rest of the dishes. The three of them then sat down to enjoy their dinner.

“Lolan uses chopsticks just like Su Qin does.”

Tides spoke softly, looking at the chopsticks on the table.

“Have you ever been to the Eastern Region? It’s no smaller than the Western Continent, and its customs and culture are quite unique.”

“Not yet.” Lolan shook her head, her smooth hair swaying slightly.

“You should go sometime. There are academies there that rival Emanas, where sages teach under purple banyan trees, and flying birds and dragons roam between thousands of mountains and lakes. Hidden worlds exist in the mist, and there are long-lived beings known as immortals who tread on clouds and exhale mist.”

“Their way of life and customs are completely different from those of the West.”

Lolan nodded, feeling curious about this familiar yet unknown world.

Tides glanced at the hair clip by Lolan’s ear, as if remembering something. “Little Lolan has used this hair clip several times now.”

“Yes,” Lolan thought to herself that once started, it wouldn’t stop, and now only one use was left.

“In a few days, I’ll give you another gem. While it may not be as versatile and convenient as Sister Crystal’s hair clip, it should be enough to save your life.”

“Thank you, Senior Tides.” Lolan thought she was being taken care of again. Fortunately, she was gradually understanding the people and things here, and wasn’t as resistant as before.

“That’s good.” Seeing Lolan didn’t refuse, Tides seemed to feel better.

At last, she could help this junior. They would slowly build a relationship, so there would be another companion in the future.

—

Three days later, Tides gave Lolan a brand new pendant. Within the smoky crystal, a wisp of dark fog seemed to wander, giving off a unique beauty.

“It’s done. Wear it well. If there’s an emergency, you can call me through it, and I’ll be able to come.”

Even though Lolan was already strong, she was still considered a young and inexperienced witch in the eyes of the other witches.

Lolan nodded in agreement.

Afterwards, Tides stayed and played with Lolan for several more days before leaving, teaching Keti many skills and knowledge in the meantime.

“In fact, these are things that previous generations of Keti knew. I’m just returning them to her,” Tides said, recalling her experiences with the rise and fall of the Water Mercury Dynasty. As a veteran witch, she had interacted with several generations of Keti.

“Well, goodbye, little Lolan, and Keti.”

Tides waved from the carriage, and two black unicorns pulled it towards the sky.

“Goodbye.” Keti and Lolan waved back, bidding farewell to the phantom witch.

They continued to live in the small house in the forest, occasionally going out to buy supplies in the nearby rabbit-eared city.

During the day, Lolan read books or spun thread, while Keti usually sat beside her, watching her work. Sometimes, Keti would help out, asking simple and naive questions. Lolan was extremely patient in teaching this reborn fire witch.

This continued until the next spring, as the weather gradually warmed up.

After months of winter, the snow on the ground melted, and the war that had paused due to snow and mud resumed slowly. Clancia sent new reinforcements to the border with Frost Rose.

“Are your things packed? Did anything get lost?”

Lolan wore a brown coat, holding a wicker box, and looked at Keti’s attire before asking.

“I’ve got everything.”

Keti raised her hand, showing what she was holding.

“Alright, let’s go.”

After saying this, Lolan took Keti and flew straight south. Their destination was the port city of Greenwater, which was in the midst of a major battle.

This port was once a bustling commercial hub within Vergha. Though less developed than Hope Lane, it still had a significant population. The headquarters of the rival Dayas Merchant Guild had been stationed here.

They were the old generation of shipbuilders. In recent years, they had teamed up with the mages of Frost Rose to design and produce numerous ironclad ships. Unfortunately, despite initial success in the naval battle last year, the ironclad ships were soon defeated by Carithes’ new steel warships.

After Greenwater was occupied, the shipyards previously belonging to the Dayas Merchant Guild were confiscated and are now managed by the Carithes Merchant Guild.

“Miss Lacy, please follow me.”

Several senior members of the local branch of the merchant guild respectfully greeted Miss Lacy and introduced her to the current situation of the Carithes Merchant Guild and the state of affairs in Greenwater.

“Since we joined forces with Clancia, we have received a large number of official warship orders. Following your instructions, we have also signed contracts at reasonable prices. Not only in Hope Lane, but even in Bango Island, the main production line of Aglaya-class warships has also started producing some auxiliary warships near the enemy-controlled Greenwater, preparing for the upcoming major battle.”

“If the Starlight Alliance wants to continue increasing its troops, it must ensure control of the seas to continuously supply reinforcements and supplies to the front lines.”

“So, what is our production capacity? Can we deliver the orders by June?”

“Miss, currently, five Aglaya-class warships have been launched, with one having sunk, leaving four in service.”

“By June, we estimate three more will be launched, but this is our limit. We have canceled all other shipbuilding orders and need considerable time to train craftsmen and proficient alchemists.”

“What about transport ships, the ones used for carrying food and supplies?” Lolan asked, looking at the busy scene in the shipyard.

“These are easily solved. Many merchant ships can be temporarily converted into transport ships, and there are also materials prepared for making ironclad ships in Greenwater, which can be used.”

“That’s good.”

Looking at the busy workers in the field, Lolan suddenly asked curiously.

“Are they our guild’s workers, or Dayas Merchant Guild’s?”

The group exchanged glances and replied. “They were originally from Dayas Merchant Guild, but now they have joined us. After all, our benefits and treatment are better, and we provide comprehensive personal protection.”

“Personal protection?” Lolan turned her head.

“Yes, in order to quickly produce results, Frost Rose heavily oppressed these craftsmen, and the senior members of Dayas Merchant Guild also wanted to curry favor with the mages, so they used rather forceful methods to supervise the work.” They chose their words carefully, not wanting to sound too bloody and brutal, considering that this young lady was still quite young and so adorable.

“Alright, I understand.”

The young girl shook her head slightly. Such flesh factories were almost inevitable in a country with unequal power, where no one cared about these powerless commoners.

But such scenes, she truly did not want to see or hear anymore.

Sleep