Chapter 27 :  From Now On, I’ll Protect You

“A total of 130 silver coins, ma’am. Would you like them in gold?”

“Change them all to gold.”

Enya accepted the small cloth pouch, no larger than her palm.

She didn’t bother to count the exact number of gold coins inside—her instincts told her the amount was correct.

After tucking the money away, she turned and took Rosily’s hand, then exited through the back door of the Adventurers’ Guild.

Once outside, Rosily couldn’t help but glance back several times.

After walking a dozen meters or so, she tugged on Enya’s hand and asked:

“Mama, what was that?”

“Money.”

“I mean… what was in those boxes?”

“Oh, that?” Enya looked down at Rosily.

“That was medicine Mama made. Food and clothes all cost money, and people who don’t work don’t get to eat. So making potions and selling them to the guild is Mama’s job. Understand now, little Rosily?”

“Oh… did you make a lot just now?”

Rosily thought back to the size of the pouch and figured it probably didn’t hold that much.

She still didn’t have a proper concept of money—or understand the value of a single gold coin.

In truth, selling potions was a highly lucrative business.

Even after deducting the cost of materials and labor, there was still a profit margin of nearly 50%.

The real money came not just from rare recipes but also the strict magical control required of alchemists.

A small mistake could ruin a batch, turning the potion into worthless waste—and possibly putting the alchemist into debt.

Enya had always made her living through potion crafting.

She would finish the alchemy mentally before manifesting it into the real world.

Even if she messed up, she could reverse the process and try again.

That “cheat” was what gave her such confidence.

Thanks to it, Enya had a perfect 100% success rate—an achievement that once made the pink-haired princess who taught her alchemy seriously question her own life choices.

What did 100% mean?

It meant: unprecedented in history.

Vivienne had always hoped Enya would delve deeper into alchemy.

But Enya didn’t truly love the craft—she liked it because it made money.

So she only ever learned the basics.

Vivienne, on the other hand, was the one secretly hiding her immense talent as a top-tier alchemist.

Enya remembered how, before she left to slay the dragon, Vivienne had asked for a blood sample… though Enya had no idea what it was used for.

Looking at the little girl walking beside her, Enya thought she should probably teach Rosily more about common knowledge.

Though honestly, she wouldn’t mind just supporting her forever.

After a moment’s thought, Enya smiled gently and said to Rosily, “Why don’t we go buy something tasty on the way home, hmm?”

“Yes! I want cake!”

The moment food was mentioned, Rosily perked up instantly—her appetite kicking in just as fast.

Enya held her daughter’s small, soft hand in one of her own and covered her mouth to chuckle softly with the other.

But they hadn’t walked far when trouble found them.

Enya quickened her pace, pulling Rosily along.

Behind them, in a nearby alley, a few shady figures were tailing them.

Sensing something was wrong, Rosily didn’t say another word.

She simply followed Enya closely.

After a while, their path was suddenly blocked—several figures stepped out ahead of them.

Rosily looked up and saw a group of scruffy men.

One glance at their faces, and it was clear they weren’t good people.

Rosily tensed but summoned her courage to shout at them.

“What do you want?”

The thugs chuckled when they saw the pretty little girl standing protectively in front of her mother, scowling at them.

“What do we want?”

“Why, to invite you and your sister over for a little visit, of course.”

“Yeah, yeah, just a visit.”

“Hahaha.”

“…”

Rosily’s expression grew cold.

She took a breath, let go of her mother’s hand, and her body tightened as she shifted her right foot back half a step.

With a sharp exhale, the young girl suddenly exploded into motion.

Her tiny fist shot up in an uppercut that landed squarely on the laughing man’s jaw.

The guy had been laughing with his tongue out.

Now, he bit it clean through—blood spurting from his mouth as he crumpled into unconsciousness.

It all happened in a flash.

The other thugs didn’t even have time to react before Rosily turned on her heel, jumped, and kicked another in the face—sending him off to dreamland too.

The remaining three finally snapped out of their daze and ran for their lives.

Rosily was ready to chase them down and beat them too, but a firm hand caught her—Enya’s.

Enya looked at her daughter with a rather strange expression.

“No need to chase them. Let’s just leave.”

“Okay.”

Seeing that her mother didn’t want her to pursue them, Rosily gave a disdainful snort at the two downed men.

Anyone who wanted to hurt my mother… would have to go through me first!

Enya led Rosily away from the alley.

Moments after they disappeared, a finely dressed man arrived on the scene, shouting “Stop!” as he rushed forward.

But the sight that greeted him… was nothing like what he’d expected.

…

In the carriage on the way home, Enya sat beside the young girl, her mind unsettled and unable to calm down.

Rosily noticed her mother spacing out and asked with concern:

“Mama, did they scare you?”

“Uh…”

Enya was momentarily speechless.

As someone who had once held the title of Sword Saint—someone capable of fighting a dragon one-on-one—how could she possibly be scared by a few street thugs?

No, it wasn’t them that startled her.

It was Rosily’s reaction.

She had always thought of Rosily as her sweet, gentle, bunny-like little girl.

Energetic, yes—perhaps a bit mischievous—but nothing more.

But Rosily was her daughter after all—and within her veins flowed the blood of a dragon.

Even if sealed, the physical capabilities of a Dragon Princess were still far beyond that of ordinary people.

Suddenly, a pair of small hands touched Enya’s face.

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Rosily in surprise.

Rosily gently cupped her mother’s smooth cheeks and gazed into her warm, gentle eyes.

She knew her mother was a beautiful and exceptional woman—so beautiful and exceptional, in fact, that many bad people had eyes on her.

Rosily didn’t want to go to school—because then she couldn’t stay by her mother’s side.

But today, she realized something: If she didn’t grow stronger, her mother might one day get hurt by bad people.

“Mama… from now on, I’ll protect you.”

Enya looked at her daughter’s extremely serious expression.

Her heart trembled at the sound of that young, tender voice.

She leaned forward and touched her forehead to Rosily’s, placing her hand gently over Rosily’s.

Then, with her eyes closed and voice slightly trembling, she answered her daughter’s vow:

“Okay… Rosily will protect me.”

Rosily suddenly felt something stir in her mind—like something new had been added—but she couldn’t quite access it just yet.

It was a gift from Enya.

…

Meanwhile…

At the northern gate of Redpine City, inside the Adventurers’ Guild Hall, a petite figure in a gray cloak pushed open the door and walked in.

She approached the front desk and spoke to the attendant:

“Give me a Silver-ranked quest.”

“Silver rank?”

The attendant glanced at the stunning face beneath the hood—silver hair, golden eyes.

After a moment of surprise, she accepted the identity tag.

The girl’s name was:

Estelle.