“Ah… okay, let me take a look.”
Sophia was awakened by Enya’s voice and quickly turned her gaze to the map.
Even through the jade-green veil, she could clearly see the route marked on it. Sophia followed the path Enya pointed to, tracing it from their current location all the way to White Stone City.
The route passed through three villages and one town—it was quite short.
After some thought, Sophia confirmed the route in her mind and was about to tell Nina to set off when she suddenly noticed that Enya seemed to be watching her intently.
Why has she been staring at me this whole time?
Didn’t I wear the veil that the Saintess gave me?
Sophia’s long ears poked out from beneath her hood.
She pursed her lips and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
“Hehe, nothing…”
Enya chuckled lightly. Though she said it was nothing, she then muttered to herself,
“I thought you would blame me.”
“Hm? Why would I?”
Sophia heard that and tilted her head slightly.
It’s just a matter of pointing out a route, why would she think I’d blame her?
What a strange dragon.
Enya shook her head and said nothing more. Instead, she handed the map to Sophia.
Her mind drifted to a past memory.
She once made a flower crown and placed it on the head of an elf she was about to bid farewell to, but that elf scolded Enya for disrespecting the lives of the plants.
Then, that elf dismantled the beautiful flower crown and used Revival Magic on it.
The picked flowers and grass seemed to come back to life one by one, flying back into the bushes and regrowing roots and stems, returning to the earth.
After that, Enya was locked in a small dark room by that elf, who declared she would imprison her for life. Enya begged desperately until she managed to contact Antiros. When Antiros arrived, Enya’s sentence was reduced to one year.
During that year, under strict supervision, Enya was forced to copy manuscripts every day, then read them aloud. After listening, her captor would interrogate her about her thoughts.
It was excruciating for Enya, but the elf looked both joyful and mournful.
One year for elves wasn’t long—like a human being confined for a day, almost a blink of an eye to them.
But for humans, a year is a long time, which left a deep impression on Enya. She still remembered the pain from that time.
“Sophia sister, let’s hurry and go!”
At that moment, Nina ran over and stood between Enya and Sophia, hugging Sophia’s arm with both hands before turning to pout and glare at Enya.
Her pretty round face was so cute it made one want to cup it gently.
“Mm.”
Sophia nodded, and the three of them continued on.
After passing the border, the roadside trees began to disappear. Some areas were clear-cut forests, with only freshly cut stumps left behind. The entire mountain plain was bare.
Further along, the ground became uneven and pockmarked. There was no grass at all—only mud overrun by wild weeds and flowers, as if the earth itself had been overturned.
When they passed a deep and large pit, Sophia looked at Enya curiously and asked, “Was this a dried-up lake before?”
Enya glanced over and shook her head.
“This is a big hole dug out by humans, and judging by the look of it, it’s not very old. They finished extracting whatever they wanted and just left the hole behind.”
“Humans are really despicable. They dig a hole and don’t even fill it back up?”
Nina cursed.
Since arriving here, Enya had done some investigation. White Stone City was named for being built next to a stone mountain, and it was famous for its white stones.
White Stone City—it was as the name suggested.
Red Pine City thrived on livestock and hunting Magical Beasts, Salt Abundance City survived on sea fishing, but White Stone City’s specialty was this snow-white stone.
It was a high-quality building material, typically used in constructing palaces and city walls.
This material was difficult to transport, which was a challenge. Fortunately, nearby Qingshui City had a Canal.
This Canal connected north and south, reaching the largest consumer market—the West Wind Empire. Using the Canal, White Stone City’s quality mineral resources could be transported to the West Wind Empire’s interior, greatly fattening the pockets of the city’s lord.
However, building materials were not common goods with unlimited demand. The market limited how much was extracted, so White Stone City never overmined.
But recently, the West Wind Empire’s demand had been insatiable, so the lord of White Stone City dug as much as possible. Riding this wave, he made a fortune.
But as a result, the land of White Stone City was left devastated.
After hearing this, Sophia fell silent.
As for Nina, she didn’t quite understand the long explanation Enya gave and just kept glaring at her.
The little elf girl didn’t seem to mind her eyes getting dry. Enya looked down at her and said,
“Simply put, it’s like selling off your own foundation. Selling a little is okay, but selling too much means some things can’t be bought back with gold. Like cutting down trees—it’s impossible for them to grow back.”
“Heh, Mother Dragon, you really have no knowledge.”
Nina disdainfully rolled her eyes at Enya, then proudly said,
“Our Elf Saintess can make cut-down trees grow back again!”
“Amazing~ Nina is amazing too~”
Following Nina’s lead, Enya smiled and teased the little one.
“Hmm…”
Nina pouted and was left speechless.
Though it sounded like a compliment, she was a little angry, her cheeks puffed out even rounder. She felt Enya wasn’t just brushing her off but was teasing her slyly.
Hmph! You wicked Mother Dragon!
Nina swore she’d make Enya see just how powerful she was!
Sophia watched their interaction and couldn’t help but smile. It seemed the journey wouldn’t be dull after all.
Suddenly, she furrowed her brow, staring ahead.
In front of them was a bend behind a dirt mound piled on the roadside, blocking the view beyond.
But through magical sensing, they all detected faint magic fluctuations approaching.
The three stopped in place, silent.
Before long, a group of gaunt people hurried out carrying bundles—men, women, old and young. Their clothes were tattered, and their faces were emaciated, looking as if they hadn’t eaten properly in days.
When they saw the three standing there, especially one with an odd appearance, they seemed terrified out of their minds.
The group cried out and scattered, but there were no more trees nearby; everything had been cut down. Their escape route was completely exposed.
Some didn’t run. They immediately dropped to their knees, banging their heads on the ground, begging loudly, “Please spare us, milady! We won’t run away again!”
These were old, weak, sick, and disabled people.
Some ran, some knelt, some cried, and a few even fainted—the scene was chaotic.
“Hey, Mother Dragon, you scared them.”
Nina teased Enya, who shot back without hesitation,
“Why not say you scared them?”
“Hmph, Nina is clearly very cute. Even by human standards, she’s a beautiful lady. But look at you, Mother Dragon—you don’t even dare show your face. You’re probably afraid of scaring others, right?”
“Mm, you’re right. I am afraid of scaring others.”
Enya wasn’t one to take a little girl seriously and immediately complied with Nina’s playful accusation.
Nina’s eyes lit up as she turned to Sophia.
“Sophia sister, see? I told you Mother Dragon can’t show her face!”
“Cut it out.”
Sophia frowned and lightly tapped Nina on the head, then instructed both of them,
“Ain, Nina, stay here. Don’t move without my permission. I’ll go ask what’s going on.”
Nina: “Okay, Sophia sister!”
Enya: “Oh.”
After Sophia walked over, Nina immediately fixed her gaze on Enya, who ignored the little one’s stare and focused on Sophia instead.
Sophia approached the kneeling humans and spoke gently, addressing the elderly man at the front,
“You all may stand now.”
The elderly man, who was leading the group, froze when he saw her elegant straw-shod feet. Looking up briefly at the veiled woman, he quickly lowered his head and kowtowed several more times.
“Noble and beautiful young lady, please spare us! We’ll go back and continue serving the noble lords and ladies. Please have mercy!”
As soon as the old man finished speaking, the others echoed in unison, shouting, “Please spare us, milady!”
Sophia was taken aback by their fervor and stepped back half a pace.
Humans here sure were enthusiastic.
Nina frowned, her hands already resting on the hilts of her hidden twin swords beneath her robe, her expression turning dangerous as if ready to let the blood of these humans spill!
At that moment, a hand landed on her shoulder.
Nina turned to see Enya.
“Why, Dragon?”
“Sophia said to stay put and not make any moves.”
Enya looked down at Nina from above.
The two locked eyes for three seconds through Enya’s armored visor.
Finally, Nina looked away and loosened her grip on her sword, though she did not relent verbally.
“Stinky Mother Dragon, Sophia sister only needs Nina’s protection. You’re just our hired guide—just do your job.”
Nina paused, snorted coldly, then continued,
“If you, stinky Mother Dragon, dare lay a hand on Sophia sister, Nina will kill you instantly.”
“Hm, I believe Nina has that ability.”
Being called Mother Dragon was one thing, but why add “stinky”?
A whole upgraded insult!
Enya didn’t mind and neither clarified that she had no intentions toward Sophia nor argued whether she could kill Nina.
No point in arguing. I’ll just comply.
Upon hearing Enya’s response, Nina felt like she’d punched cotton. She clenched her teeth, her face flushed red with anger and frustration.
If Sophia sister weren’t there to scold her, Nina would have challenged Enya to a duel.
Hmph, stinky Mother Dragon, just wait!
Suddenly, Nina crouched down, dodging Enya’s reaching hand.
The little elf looked up and bared her teeth at the towering Dragon Princess.
Enya withdrew her hand and smiled.
Meanwhile, Sophia waited until the humans calmed down before saying once more, “You may stand.”
But the group seemed too used to kneeling…
Sophia sighed but didn’t insist further—after all, no one could restrict their freedom to kneel.
“Where are you from, and where are you headed?”
The group fell silent for a moment before the elderly man answered shakily,
“Noble and beautiful young lady, we are from the Water Well Town ahead…”
They didn’t say where they were going because they dared not.