“I originally meant to have someone notify you, but I didn’t expect to be brought straight here.”
Enya stood at the doorway, wearing a gentle smile as she looked at Henna, who was seated in the main seat.
“Hope I’m not disturbing you?”
“N-no… not at all…”
Henna looked at the “Lady Phil” before her.
Today, she had abandoned her usual elegant shades of gray and white in favor of a black form-fitting dress that accentuated her graceful figure.
The feminine curves were fully revealed.
Lace and frills enhanced her refined aura, adding a touch of mystery.
Her long silver hair was meticulously coiled up, and her face was adorned only with a light, cool-toned makeup.
After all she’d been through, Enya had shed her youthful naivety and begun transitioning into maturity—though she was still in that in-between stage, not quite fully grown.
That added a unique charm to her presence.
Henna felt her heart beat faster as she looked at the woman before her.
Even the stress from going through fiscal reports seemed to melt away.
Noticing Henna in a daze, Enya blinked her golden eyes and asked softly:
“Is my outfit today… not appropriate?”
This was Enya’s first time dressing like this.
In the past, she had been somewhat careless in her appearance, relying solely on natural beauty to carry any outfit.
But after so many years, Enya had grown.
She was no longer the awkward young person who used to fidget in a skirt.
She thought perhaps her look today was too flashy, which might explain Henna’s odd behavior—though truth be told, Henna had always looked at her strangely…
Hearing that hint of disappointment in Enya’s voice, Henna suddenly shot up from her chair and quickly replied:
“It’s beautiful. It suits you perfectly!”
Suddenly remembering something, she hurriedly put down her papers and rushed to block the doorway, her face tinged with a faint blush.
It rose quickly and faded just as fast—but not fast enough to escape Enya’s sharp eyes.
Enya had been about to peek inside, curious about what Henna might be hiding, but was promptly intercepted.
The two stood less than half a meter apart, close enough to sense each other’s presence and even scent.
Realizing how inappropriate that closeness was—how could she stand so near to a woman with a child?—Henna quickly stepped back half a pace.
“Phil, it’s a bit messy in here. Let me take you on a walk around the estate instead. It’s your first time here, after all.”
“Oh? Sure.”
Enya didn’t press the issue about the secret in the room.
She raised a gloved hand lightly to her lips and looked directly into Henna’s eyes.
With a smile that curled her eyes into alluring arcs, she added a touch of teasing charm.
A technique she had once learned from a fox spirit—a real one, mind you.
Henna jolted like she’d been shocked and quickly averted her gaze, stepping out of the study first.
Hidden beneath her hair, her ears were burning red.
She felt like her body was on fire—flushed and flustered, yet unable to put it out.
All she could do was force herself to maintain composure as she led Enya through the estate.
Fortunately, Enya didn’t push things further.
Her early teasing faded quickly, and she maintained a polite, appropriate distance afterward.
But that made Henna even more restless.
Just moments ago, there had been that spark… and now?
In the study, there hung a painting—a portrait of the silver-haired Sword Saint.
Henna didn’t want “Lady Phil” to see it.
She was afraid it would cause a misunderstanding—that she had projected her admiration and longing onto “Lady Phil.”
The two strolled leisurely, touring the castle grounds.
The City Lord’s Estate and the Lord’s Castle were not the same.
The estate was part of the castle—the place where Henna, the city’s female lord, resided.
The castle was the ancestral home of the Asardes family.
But now, not many remained.
Henna actually worked in a different location, but she had been moving things to her study.
After all, it was nice to gaze at her idol’s portrait when bored.
As they walked, Enya noticed that the entire Asardes family’s castle was rather desolate.
There were barely any servants—and those who remained were mostly elderly.
Young ones were few and far between.
Once, the castle housed over a hundred members of the Asardes family.
Now, they were either gone or dead.
It seemed only Henna was left, holding up all of Redpine City and the Asardes territory on her own.
It was hard to imagine that this was once part of a small nation among the northern realms.
Enya had passed through here nine years ago.
Back then, Redpine City had been much more lively.
At the time, the northern realms were known as a chaotic land—full of endless ladders for those who sought to rise.
But after Henna returned, the chaos subsided—and with it, the liveliness.
Everything now felt quiet and lifeless.
Still, Enya could see Henna’s efforts.
Enya had the ability to help Henna.
But she never intended to use her knowledge to reshape the world.
She believed the world would find its own way.
Finally, once they reached the garden, Enya revealed her reason for coming.
“Rosily says she wants to attend school. She says she wants to get stronger… to protect me, or something like that. Henna, you said before I could come to you for help, right?”
“Mhm. I’ll have someone arrange it.”
For Henna, getting someone admitted into Redpine City’s Magic Academy was a simple matter.
A single word from her, and her subordinates would carry out her command without hesitation.
Hearing how quickly Henna agreed, Enya couldn’t help but feel it was almost too easy.
So all that effort dressing up, and it turns out it only took one sentence?
Enya smiled brightly and said cheerfully, “Thank you, Henna. You’ve helped me so much—I don’t even know how to repay you.”
“Then… how about you owe me one?”
Henna looked at Enya and said this tentatively.
Enya was momentarily stunned.
She hadn’t expected Henna to actually name a condition.
If I’d known, I wouldn’t have said that last bit…
Technically, she was practically half a guardian deity of Redpine City now.
With her watching over things, the average troublemaker wouldn’t dare act out.
By that logic, Henna should be the one who owed her a favor.
But of course, it couldn’t be calculated like that.
Henna clearly wouldn’t ask for anything major.
So Enya simply nodded and agreed to owe her—call it a gesture of goodwill for long-term relations.
After she agreed, Henna was overjoyed.
She pulled Enya over to a scenic viewing terrace in the garden and had the maids bring over tea and fruit to share.
Once the maids dispersed and they were alone, the two women began chatting about the things around them.
Enya had only one thing she could talk about—Rosily.
Henna, on the other hand, had much more to say.
She spoke about her current challenges—it was the classic case of a clever woman trying to cook without rice.
Except, as Henna herself admitted, she was never a clever cook to begin with.
Enya exclaimed in surprise, “You’re trying to follow the Empire’s lead and implement integrated schooling?”
Henna nodded, “Yes…”
Enya hesitated for a moment before continuing, “That’ll definitely provoke backlash from the minor nobles. To them, city-run academies are symbols of privilege—symbols of nobility. Forcing them to attend school with commoners? The resistance will be massive.”
Even though Enya was once a Sword Saint and had broken free of class boundaries herself, she still had a good understanding of these matters.
“Yes.”
Henna let out a helpless sigh.
Henna really likes Enya, this ship is very difficult to sail