“Why are we going to the Mayor’s house?”
Sophia was running her fingers through her tangled, knotty golden hair, and when she heard Enya’s words, she was instantly puzzled.
Enya explained casually.
“If a place can breed thugs and bullies, it means the guardians of order are definitely not doing their job. And if gangs and cults are growing, you can basically conclude there’s a problem with the leader himself.”
“So that’s how it is…”
Sophia understood immediately; the logic was very simple.
A single phrase came to mind: the lower follows the higher.
If there’s something wrong with all the subordinates, then you can infer there’s likely something wrong with the one at the top as well.
Or, perhaps, the problem is the top itself?
Seeing Sophia understand, Enya turned around, ready to climb over the wall and leave.
“Let’s go.”
“Oh, okay. Ah, wait, let me inform Nina!”
Sophia was about to follow Enya over the wall, but suddenly remembered she seemed to have forgotten about Nina.
No, not forgotten…
She actually felt that it might be better if Nina wasn’t around?
If Nina wasn’t here, she could relax more, and she could even have Ms. Enya to herself. Maybe she could persuade her…
The elven girl’s bright blue eyes were especially beautiful—clear as the sky, her pupils deep like the heavens themselves, calling her back home…
That feeling.
A strange glint flashed through Sophia’s eyes.
But she didn’t let the thought grow wild, pressing it down into the soil before it could sprout.
Suppressing her odd inner thoughts, she turned to a secluded spot and took off the emerald pendant hanging around her neck.
Through Divine Echo Magic, Sophia tried to send word to Nina about their meeting spot in town, but just as she was about to touch that aura, she suddenly stopped.
“I…”
Sophia bit her lip and canceled the ritual.
Enya glanced over and asked, “Are you ready?”
“Yeah.”
Sophia nodded calmly.
Then, the two of them scaled the wall, heading straight for the Estate at the center of town.
In the middle of this town stood a magnificent Estate, its opulence and elegance rivaling those of some city manors.
It was enough to put anyone at ease.
The villa was surrounded by exquisitely manicured lawns and landscaping. Walking here in broad daylight would surely lift one’s spirits.
The smooth stone paths stood in stark contrast to the pothole-ridden, uneven dirt roads of the outer streets. The master’s villa sat right in the center of the Estate, while along the wall was the servants’ quarters.
Even the servants’ quarters were leagues above the common houses outside—constructed with top-quality stone.
The entire Estate was designed by a famous architect.
As for the cost of materials and labor, the Estate’s owner didn’t care, so long as the place was grand enough to impress!
Inside the villa, a room was still lit.
In the dim light, a beautiful, curvaceous woman in a light nightgown sat at the edge of a large bed.
She seemed to be waiting for someone, her face a bit weary, but she forced herself to keep waiting. Soon, the person she was waiting for quietly pushed open the door and tiptoed in.
It was a fat man.
The woman gazed at him, her dazzling eyes full of resentment.
“You’d rather look for a servant than come to me?”
“How could that be, how could that be, my dear~”
The man was the Mayor, though at this moment his demeanor had changed, dripping with the flattery of a subordinate. The woman was his wife, and she sensed something was off, but said nothing.
If not for this man, could she have gained such riches? So for many things, she simply turned a blind eye.
For example, when her husband sought out servants to take care of his physical needs, as the Mayor’s Wife, she could only pretend not to see.
Sometimes she even had to listen from next door as they fooled around.
She did harbor jealousy and hatred.
The woman playfully complained a bit, then got up to help the Mayor undress.
Soon, the two were tangled up together.
Afterwards.
The Mayor’s round face radiated pure satisfaction.
His wife also wore a contented look.
It seemed they had both gotten what they wanted; she, too, was quite pleased tonight.
But just as they were getting dressed for bed, the door was suddenly kicked open, startling both of them.
A strange figure in full armor entered, wrapped from head to toe, with a tail, wings, and a pair of horns on the head. The Mayor nearly fainted from fright at the sight.
His wife, however, stayed much calmer.
“Who are you? What do you want? Guards! Where are the guards?!”
“No need to shout. They’re gone already.”
Sophia stepped out from behind Enya, staff in hand, aiming it at the two lying on the bed. The sheltered young lady wrinkled her nose at the smell in the room.
“D-d-dead?!”
The Mayor’s Wife shuddered in terror.
Just then, the Mayor suddenly jumped up and ran toward Enya, then with a “smack” knelt to the floor.
“Spare me, please spare me! I’m not the Mayor, I’m really not him…”
Sophia was startled and took two steps back.
Enya narrowed her eyes, walked up, and with a controlled kick, knocked the ‘Mayor’ over. After glancing at his face, she reached out and tore off a yellow leather Mask from the man’s face.
Once the Mask was gone, his real identity was revealed.
At the sight of her pillow companion’s face being torn off, the Mayor’s Wife was first terrified, and then, when she saw the true face beneath the Mask—
Her delicate body trembled violently.
The one who had entered the room wearing the Mask was none other than the Old Gardener—a servant she had never paid any attention to, nor even remembered the name of.
Yet this man, wearing a Mask, had come into her room.
And then they…
Thinking of this, the Mayor’s Wife collapsed to the floor, clutching her nightgown tightly, eyes wide with fury as she glared at the Old Gardener.
The Old Gardener, with his true face revealed, continued to beg for mercy.
“It was the Mayor, the Mayor told me to wear this Mask! He said, he said as long as I wore the Mask, I could sleep with the Madam!”
Mayor’s Wife: “??!”
Sophia: “??!”
Enya: “…”
This wasn’t enough to surprise Enya, but Sophia’s eyes were opened to new depths.
Humans really know how to play!
Forest Elves have a unique view on love.
All their marriages require the blessing of the Nature God, and if they’re not truly in love, it will be revealed during the Blessing Ritual.
So their love is always exceedingly loyal.
Enya walked up and gave the Old Gardener another kick.
“Where is he?”
“He…he, I don’t know…I really don’t, please, both of you, have mercy. I’ve got elders and children at home who rely on me to survive…”
The Old Gardener’s wrinkled face and weeping nearly made Enya step back, just in case he tried to cling to her leg.
Not just anyone could hold her leg.
“Tch.”
Enya clicked her tongue in annoyance.
The Old Gardener started to tremble in fear at the sound.
“I really know nothing!”
“What now?”
Sophia glanced at the man, then turned to Enya for advice.
Now the real suspect had run off, and the trail seemed cold.
Enya looked down at the Mask in her hand, then lifted her foot, pressing it onto the Old Gardener’s head as it touched the ground.
If she exerted just a little force, that head would burst like a melon. But she wasn’t a bloodthirsty person—this was just to scare him.
Enya spoke in a low voice.
“I’ll ask you some questions. Answer honestly.”
“Yes, yes…”
Sweat beaded on the Old Gardener’s face; he didn’t dare beg anymore, afraid this fierce foreign woman would crush his poor skull with one stomp.
“Where did the Mayor take the Mask from?”
“F-from his face.”
“His own face?”
“Y-yes.”
“And after he took off the Mask, did he look different?”
“Yes, I remember, he changed!”
“Good.”
Enya sneered, letting her foot off him, then looked at the woman cowering in the corner.
Even she felt a little sorry for her now.
She’d been shared.
The Mayor’s Wife’s vision went black after hearing the Old Gardener’s words.
If anyone could become the Mayor just by putting on that Mask, she now understood why her husband always had more to give, no matter how much she drained him.
No wonder his attitude toward her sometimes changed—sometimes passionate, sometimes cold, sometimes not even coming home.
Hahaha, so that’s how it is…
I hate it!
The Mayor’s Wife trembled all over.
Sophia gaped, staring at the beautiful Mayor’s Wife, feeling like a complete bumpkin.
Why am I so inexperienced?!
Enya put the Mask away, turned, and without asking Sophia’s permission, swept her up in a princess carry.
Sophia: “Eh?”
Facing the floor-to-ceiling window, Enya spread her dragon wings, and in a single blink for Sophia, smashed through the glass and soared high into the sky.
The speed was so intense, Sophia almost screamed.
Left behind in the room were the Mayor’s Wife, hair in disarray and face pale as a sheet, and the Old Gardener, paralyzed with fear and having soiled himself.
The Mayor’s Wife, her hair a mess and face ghastly pale, stared at the shattered glass window.
Gritting her teeth, she picked up a shard of glass, walked behind the Old Gardener, raised it high, and brought it down with all her might.
High above the sky, Enya flew with Sophia in her arms.
With Wind’s Blessing, Sophia didn’t feel any strong gusts.
She herself could ride the wind, but nowhere near the speed Enya displayed now.
Her blue eyes watched the rapidly passing scenery below, her heart filled with a nameless excitement.
What a pity White Stone City was in such bad shape.
If only this were the beautiful Elven Kingdom, that would be wonderful.