Dance of the Jade Orchid — Meilin

She danced. She hummed.

Accompanied by the whistle of the wind and the chirps of crickets.

Her white nightgown flowed with her movement, and her pace was unhurried and elegant, compared to the modern dances I was used to.

Her hair trailed behind her like the tail of a paradise flycatcher.

I hadn’t seen many performances in my life—my parents couldn’t afford them. Yet every New Year, villagers would gather for lion dances, dragon dances, and traditional Chinese dances. I loved them and often mimicked the moves.

The lady’s movements resembled those dances, though more solemn than cheerful. It was the most captivating performance I’d ever seen.

The lady took the flower out of her hair and placed it on the ground. That marks the end of her ritual. She murmured something I couldn’t quite catch, but it was something along the lines of, “Rest now, my darling.”

Rest now? Darling? Perhaps her lover had passed away.

She picked herself up from the floor and brushed the dirt off her nightgown. “Alright, child. Let’s go.”

I am on the tall side of the spectrum, so most people don’t view me as a child. Even when I was thirteen, people often mistook me for an adult. What an eccentric woman.

Also, she didn’t seem to be spooked by me.

Well, she is a mysterious person after all, dancing in the night like that. I wouldn’t be surprised if she were a witch herself.

Wait…I touched my head consciously, maybe it’s because I didn’t wear my witch hat. If only Haruki hadn’t insisted on the outfit, perhaps I wouldn’t attract those cold stares.

The woman stood next to me and prompted me forward. Standing side by side with the woman, she was much taller than I, even barefoot. A presence that made me feel diminutive.

“So, young girl, may I ask for your name?”

The lady was surprisingly lovely, the contrary of my initial impression of her: proud, cold, and strict. “My name’s Meilin. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too. You can call me Yulan.” Yulan had a deep but gentle voice, the kind of voice you would expect a motherly figure to have. “So, what were you doing in the middle of the night in the forest? It’s dangerous here, even for young witches like you—”

So she knew all this time?

Yulan pointed at my staff, which was still emitting a soft glow. “And with that orb, you could easily attract thieves and monsters.” She had a sharp eye, spotting the light of my wish orb even in the dark.

“So far, all the people I’ve met are either afraid of me or don’t really have an interest in stealing my orb.”

Yulan sighed, “I assume you’re an apprentice. Your mentor must have a lot of trust in you, letting you keep such a rare orb.”

I shook my head, “I don’t have a mentor.”

Her eyes widened in shock, then she chuckled. “What a fascinating person you are. You don’t seem to be from around here. You must've come from a wealthy or reputable family, judging by your clothing.” She brushed the edge of my sleeve. “But I know of no witch clan from here.”

What is she trying to say…

“What an intriguing child,” Yulan commented, shifting her gaze back onto the road ahead.

Perhaps she wanted me to tell her where I was from, but I had been taught not to trust anyone. Especially strangers in the forest. Who knows if Yulan tries to kidnap me…

I shifted away from her, keeping a safe distance between us.

We walked in silence. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me. "What were you doing in the middle of the night? And what is this nightly ritual?"

“Just a practice I do after leaving my homeland.” Yulan brushed the question away like it was nothing, “Ah, now I remember what I was trying to say. You said your name was Meilin?”

I bobbed my head.

“Sounds like a name from Tian Cheng…” She muttered, “But judging from the direction you came from, you should be from Kazemura.”

How intelligent.

“What a gorgeous name indeed.” She tilted her head to the side, “A beautiful lotus…”

Mei by itself meant beautiful, and Lin meant lotus. This Tian Cheng Yulan spoke of must have a similar language to the one I said back on Earth.

This got me pondering: Am I still speaking a language from Earth? Or have I transitioned to Elysium so smoothly that I didn’t recognise the switch of languages? Never mind, too much thinking and my hair will fall out.

“Though I don’t know where you’re from, or what your intentions are for coming to Becher— I assume it’s for the wish orb—but I’ll have you know that the people of Kazemura are much softer and kinder than the warriors of Becher. These people won’t hesitate to steal your belongings or throw you in a fire pit.” Yulan pointed at my wand, “I advise you to keep that and any other things that might reveal you as a witch away.”

I don’t know if Haruki would let me do that…he seemed pretty proud of his identity as a witch's assistant.

“Could you tell me more about Tian Cheng, if you’re familiar with the place?”

Yulan stared up at the moon, “Tian Cheng. My birthplace.” She seemed lost in deep thought as her gaze wandered from the moon to the stars.

“It means City of the Sky.”

My mouth gaped open in astonishment, “Is it actually in the sky?”

“Heavens no, it’s on the ground," she chuckled. "But it was vibrant and ravishing. The emperor, ambitious as he was, ordered a ladder to be built to the heavens. It wasn’t finished yet, but it gleamed with golden light, climbing high enough to scrape the clouds. The gods disapproved, though, and monsters raided the city. Now Tian Cheng lies in ruins. The survivors either fled, like me, or live in small villages on the outskirts."

How horrible…I shifted uncomfortably and fidgeted with my fingers. What

if I end up becoming corrupted? I shuddered at the thought. “I’ve been meaning to ask—why weren’t you afraid or at least disgusted at me for being a witch?”

Monsters destroyed her homeland… and witches often corrupt. Does that make me her enemy?

“You spoke like you expected everyone to treat you harshly.” Yulan sighed, stroking my hair while wearing a look of sympathy. “Because you’re just a child. It’s not your fault you were born as a witch. You must hate being treated like this, being blamed for things you didn’t do.”

Not really. I knew I never fit in. People here hate me, but they are too afraid to lay a hand on me. I don’t mind that.

We finally arrived at the carriage, and I hopped in. “Where are you going now?” I asked Yulan.

She grinned, “Back for another drink. Stay safe now. I’m sure we’ll meet each other again soon.”

We bid farewell, and drowsiness took over me. I shut my eyes tight, and

Yulan’s dance replayed in my mind.

I miss New Year’s.

I wonder if they had anything similar here.