Anna sat to one side, but she did not sit too close to Estelle. Sometimes, after learning each other’s identities, they could no longer get along as intimate friends the way they had at the beginning.
After waiting for some time, Anna finally spoke to Estelle. “What is it?”
Estelle’s state was not right; she did not show any emotion. But she had always been someone with little expression and very few emotions, so it was only natural that nothing could be seen.
Just as Anna was thinking this and about to change the subject to keep chatting, Estelle calmly said two words. “Very similar.”
Just the silver hair and golden eyes alone were enough to spark endless imagination. Estelle seemed to understand why those gazes on the road had focused on her so much, and why people whispered after she passed.
“I see.”
“Huh??” Anna heard the words, but did not understand what they meant.
Estelle rose from the sofa, holding that painting about the size of a book, and turned to look at Anna, who was slowly getting up. “Can I take it with me?”
“Of course.” Anna smiled and nodded. “Are you leaving, Estelle? You can come visit me often. You are welcome anytime… as long as you have time.”
“Mm.” Estelle gave a slight nod, then turned and walked outside.
Anna followed behind and saw her off all the way outside the courtyard. Together with Marpel, she watched Estelle’s departing back.
Marpel suddenly turned her head and looked at Anna. “Sister Anna, why didn’t you keep Estelle a little longer?”
Anna shot Marpel a glare and sighed. “Where would I get that kind of ability…”
“Sister Anna, is Estelle really the Sword Saint’s daughter?”
“Didn’t you see how much she looks like her? That signature silver hair and golden eyes, have you ever seen anyone else with them? It is already this obvious, and you still cannot tell?”
A string of questions left Marpel speechless. But she still wanted to ask more; one glare from Anna made her obediently shut her mouth.
After a while, Marpel looked Anna up and down and teased with a grin. “Sister Anna, haven’t you noticed that you are looking more and more like a noblewoman?”
“You… I am not even married!” Anna fiercely glared at Marpel, then went back in a huff to continue enjoying her comfortable life.
After the Airport opened, the shops that had been piling up were all rented out at once, and at quite high prices; it would probably take only two years to recoup the investment!
As a landlady, Anna’s work was extremely comfortable. She had handed all of it over to others to manage and only needed to collect the money.
Still, she was very clear about who the true owner of this money was. She did not spend it freely, using only her own share of the wages, but that was already enough to support this small villa and easily keep a few maids and a gatekeeper.
A head poked out from the window, pale cyan hair giving off a faint halo in the sunlight, gazing at the bustling traffic outside; it had actually been there for quite a while.
Lucia and Katherine were together reviewing the documents that had been submitted.
This was originally the duty of the President of the Lily of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, but now that Enya was absent, they could only exercise the authority in her place.
Although letting two maids manage everything was an unreasonable act in the eyes of the old powers, the Lily of the Valley Chamber of Commerce was just that unreasonable.
After the Lord of Lakeside City was replaced, the former Lord was thrown into prison not long after stepping down because of huge bribes, his connection to multiple murder cases, and his involvement with the already dead Penrose.
After the new Lord took office, he issued one decree after another over these days, revised many old systems, broke the tax amount that had lasted for a hundred years, and allowed this city that had gone through turmoil to quickly recover to a very stable state.
“Wendy, are you still working or not?” Lucia put down the paper and pen in her hand and stood up, coming to stand behind Wendy.
She followed Wendy’s gaze and saw that it was the construction site of the Lakeside City Airport; an airship would soon reach their side too.
Lucia sighed and said.
“There have been so many Magical Beasts recently that the wheat harvest has been somewhat delayed. Fortunately, those Knights can finally be of some use, instead of drawing high salaries on the Castle Wall and sitting there slacking off.”
“Magical Beasts…” Wendy murmured this term, seemingly thinking about something.
A trace of curiosity appeared in Lucia’s eyes. “Will there also be Magical Beast attacks over in the Elven Kingdom?”
“There are, but they do not come close. We set up a barrier; encounters usually happen during patrols outside.” Wendy easily revealed important information.
Lucia blinked, not expecting Wendy to still be so honest after so long, not having learned any bad habits from humans at all. She also leaned on the windowsill and set her gaze on empty space.
Lucia had originally wanted to look at the people on the street, but remembering that her eyes had become a pair of Magic Eyes and that looking at people would stare them to death, she could only half-close them.
“Sigh~ Mistress is really too much, throwing us all here…”
“Huh?”
“And that birdcage with the human head locked inside, it has been hanging in the room all along. I do not know what that thing is even used for.”
Wendy was also unclear about what that birdcage was for, or whose head that was.
She had discovered it when she went to clean before; just when she was wondering whether to throw it away, that head actually opened its eyes and even tried to get friendly with her…
Wendy chatted with Sylvia a little, but she was not really foolish; that birdcage was clearly a Seal at a glance, so how could she possibly open it?
Sylvia had been temporarily abandoned here; she was left behind intentionally by Enya.
Lakeside City had welcomed a new order and was busy with the wheat harvest and transport, appearing to be a thriving and beautiful scene.
In comparison, the atmosphere in neighboring White Stone City was extremely oppressive; Magical Beasts ran rampant in the territory, destroying crops in the fields and wiping out village after village.
Fortunately, when the fog had risen before, the vast majority of people had already fled to Red Pine City. Only those who would rather die than leave still guarded those old earthen and wooden houses alone.
Since that great explosion at the Lord’s Manor, the population of White Stone City had dwindled again and again. The various powers that had once dominated this place had also found ways out and left early.
Madam Margaret gently stroked the young girl’s body, bent down to smell her fragrance, and only after a long while let the kneeling messenger speak.
“Honored Lady, Magical Beasts are running rampant in the territory of White Stone City.”
“Mm, and then?”
“They… they are slaughtering the people of White Stone City…”
“Hehe~” Madam Margaret smiled without a word, seemingly not caring about those people’s lives.
While smiling, she continued to stroke the lovely face of the girl in her arms and said something abnormal. “Truly a beautiful face. My lovely child, are you willing to give it to me?”
“I am willing, Madam! Please let me become your collectible; it would be my honor. Then I can remain beautiful forever and forever accompany and serve at your side, Madam. There is no greater blessing than this!” In that beautiful girl’s eyes was a burning desire for Margaret.
Margaret’s smile grew even brighter. “What a good child~”
After hearing this, the messenger felt a chill in his heart.
After sending the messenger away, Margaret’s eyes became deep and dark. “I truly look forward to meeting you again.”
Red Pine City, the South City Church of the Goddess Church.
Phil was dressed in ordinary clothes, wearing no jewelry, and entered the church alone with small steps. Simona came to receive her, but was stunned when she saw it was Phil.