After setting down the steaming cup of tea, the maid quietly left the room.
The elegant lady took her seat and invited the young sorceress in the long dress to sit as well.
Anna settled calmly into the chair.
After a period of adjustment, she had completely gotten into the groove, no longer stiff as before, and skillfully exchanged pleasantries with the lady before her.
After three rounds of tea, the two had a rough understanding of each other.
At this moment, the lady smiled brightly and asked,
“Ms. Anna, you’re buying property at the North Gate. What do you plan to do with it?”
“Oh, just because I have money.”
Anna laughed awkwardly and conveyed what Enya had told her to say.
Having been an adventurer for years, her thick skin saved her from cracking under the embarrassment of such a blunt answer.
The lady was momentarily stunned.
Just buying because you have money?!
Hiss…
It seemed logical enough, but it still felt a bit abrupt.
Enya whispered to Anna, signaling her to take out the prepared map.
Anna naturally produced a rolled-up piece of parchment and spread it on the table.
The lady blinked again, lowering her eyes to look.
The paper was a map of the North Gate area.
Redwood City roughly resembled a teardrop shape, with the North Gate protruding, jutting straight into the forest.
Buildings in this corner were sparse and mostly clustered near the gate.
Anna pointed to a street on the map.
The lady looked, then nodded and said,
“They’re for sale. This area is for sale.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
Hearing it was for sale, Anna breathed a sigh of relief.
The lady looked up at her, her smile even brighter.
The lord hadn’t initially planned to sell, but recently had a sudden change of heart, so everything that could be sold was put up for sale.
However, since reclaiming the land deed of the North Gate, it had become very difficult to sell anything.
Today’s sale was the first in a long time, a small contribution to the lord.
She smiled and said,
“How many rooms do you want?”
Anna blinked at her and replied,
“Just open one street for me first.”
The lady took a deep breath, straightening her back and opening her eyes wide.
She looked as if she didn’t believe it, so Anna added,
“I’ll take this street and that street. What’s the price if I take them all together?”
Anna raised her chin and puffed out her chest.
Spending money, feels great!
Spending money that’s not your own feels even better!
The lady was a little incredulous and quickly asked if Anna was serious.
Anna nodded firmly.
The lady stood up, her smile fading, and said solemnly, “Please wait a moment. I can’t make such a big decision on my own. I’ll find the person who can!”
Enya glanced at the hurriedly departing lady, then focused back on the map. After a moment, she said to Anna,
“Buy as much as you can with that money. Don’t worry about the price.”
“If they ask where the money came from, just say it was dug up from ruins.”
“Also, five percent of it is your hiring fee. What you do with the land — whether you keep it or use it for something else — I don’t care. You just have to make sure the money flows successfully into the market.”
“My goal is to get the money spent.”
After giving these instructions, Enya left the house.
She had no intention of profiting in Redwood City.
Redwood City, Refugee District.
These refugees fleeing from neighboring Whitestone City had originally arrived pale and emaciated.
After drinking a few days’ worth of rice porridge here, they finally gained some vitality.
The young and strong were assigned to build wooden houses in the camp, earning black bread and even a hot bowl of meat soup through their labor.
Hana, clad in armor, with a tall figure and long wine-red hair, exuded a heroic spirit.
Though the people here didn’t know her exact identity, the fact that all soldiers obeyed her orders revealed her noble status.
No refugee dared to look her in the eye.
In their understanding…
Looking a noble lady directly in the eye meant risking having your eyes gouged out!
Hana’s gaze swept over the refugees, heads bowed and backs hunched, their expressions numb.
She couldn’t help but furrow her brow.
In the Northern Kingdoms, where order was lacking, commoners were generally forbidden from fleeing because they were considered property of the territory.
The loss of one or two might be overlooked.
But the exodus of hundreds—almost the entire population of a small village—and still growing, was alarming.
Yet Whitestone City showed no sign of concern, as if unaware of the matter, which was quite strange.
Hana gave a command to her officer.
“Keep a close watch especially at night. Don’t let any ill-intentioned people slip into the city.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The officer relayed the order swiftly.
Hana clenched her fists as she looked at the elderly and children.
The few viscount and baron families in the territory refused to provide funds or grain.
Even as the lord, Hana couldn’t command them.
This infuriated her greatly.
The prestige of the Asades family had been completely lost through decadence and decline, yet those old folks stubbornly guarded their so-called “nobility.”
But Hana was powerless against them.
She lacked a legitimate reason to cull these fat sheep who only took and never gave back.
For now, she could only passively wait for their mistakes.
Hana faced many problems: an influx of refugees, frequent security issues in the civilian district, and a nearly 300,000 gold coin deficit in the economy.
Refugees could be used as labor.
Security could be somewhat suppressed.
Economically, she planned to negotiate a business investment with the Orfield family, but to maintain independence, she needed to create income elsewhere.
Selling land?
Hana wanted to sell several empty streets near the North Gate, but no one wanted to take them because she had confiscated the land from landlords without paying a cent.
Those interested in buying now would hesitate, wondering if Hana might confiscate the land a second time.
The risk was too high.
The Northern Shipping Route plan was agreed upon in a meeting with Princess Vivienne, but one condition was that it remain confidential until construction officially began.
“Sigh…”
Hana rubbed her temples and sighed.
But thinking about visiting Lady Phil tonight lifted her spirits considerably.
Hana didn’t want to sit on a high seat forever.
Sometimes she fantasized about retiring, escaping responsibility to live a peaceful life like Lady Phil.
But the Asades territory was a burden she couldn’t cast off.
Her wish for retirement indirectly crushed the hopes she had pinned on Yelena.
The road ahead was long and arduous; she would take it step by step.
“Lord Hana, there is a butler outside who says he serves Princess Vivienne.”
“Send him in.”
Hana was a little puzzled.
Why would Princess Vivienne send a butler?
Wasn’t the plan supposed to officially start after her visit to the Forest Elf Kingdom?
She went to the reception room and sat for a while.
The white-haired old butler soon walked in.
“Lord Hana, I hope you can find someone.”
“Find someone?”