Chapter 80 : Bloodline, Fragments of God

“Hena, I really don’t care about those rumors.”

Enya shook her head.

If she truly cared about the gossip, she would have stayed in the mountains from the start and never come out.

In that case, she wouldn’t have come to Redwood City, nor experienced so much.

Thinking back now, it felt like only a little over a month had passed, but it seemed much longer—as if she had lived through a different lifetime.

That was how she felt, but Hena didn’t see it that way.

Hena thought Lady Phil had grown so accustomed to the rumors that she no longer noticed them, which made her feel sorry for Lady Phil.

Hena clasped the hand that Enya had placed on the table; her palm was soft and delicate, and the touch was soothing.

She lowered her gaze briefly.

Then she looked straight into Enya’s eyes.

“In three days, I’m planning to host a banquet in the castle. Many social elites will be invited. Phil, I want to invite you to be my dance partner.”

“Ah?”

Enya was a little surprised.

She had already reacted when Hena suddenly grabbed her hand but hadn’t deliberately pulled away.

She was already a bit stunned, and now Hena was inviting her as a dance partner.

But… but we’re both women, right?

Biologically speaking.

“T-That’s… not appropriate, Hena… I already have a daughter.”

Enya averted her eyes, her gaze dimming as she put on a look of reluctant refusal and quietly said, “Besides, there are already such rumors going around. I think it’s better to keep some distance.”

“…I’m sorry, I was presumptuous.”

Hena cursed herself silently for being too forward!

Seeing that she was still holding Lady Phil’s hand, she quickly let go.

After freeing her hand, Enya casually placed it under the table.

Hena gave a faint, embarrassed smile and lightly tapped her fingers on the tabletop.

After thinking for a moment, Hena said, “I have a hobby—I like to paint people. Once everything is over, I want to paint a portrait of Lady Phil. Would you be willing?”

“That’s fine, but can I bring Rosily along?”

“…”

Enya saw Hena’s momentary choke and smiled wryly.

“Heh, just kidding. I accept.”

Hena breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily.

Enya asked if Hena wanted to stay for dinner, but she declined, saying she’d come another time.

Enya didn’t press further.

The last part was just polite formalities; everyone understood.

After seeing the carriage off, Enya was about to return inside when she saw Rosily staring at her wide-eyed.

She asked her daughter what was wrong.

Rosily fixed her gaze on Enya’s eyes.

“Mom, you said you’re only mine, right?”

“Yes…”

Enya nodded calmly, but a headache began brewing at the thought of what she’d do if Rosily ever met Estelle in the future.

What would she do then?

…

That night, after confirming Rosily was asleep, Enya quietly returned to her own room.

Instead of lighting the magic lamp, she opened the window.

The moonlight outside streamed in, bright enough to see clearly.

Enya walked slowly over to the full-length mirror.

The silver-haired woman reflected back at her was beautiful, dressed in a light gray slip dress.

She looked gentle and fragile, with not a hint of menace—that was the image others saw of Enya, a single lady named Phil Krochi.

Her full name was Ainphil Enya Krochi.

She had discarded the surname Frennard, using Krochi from her biological mother instead.

Enya stretched out her hand, palm up, and a black mask appeared floating above it.

This mask had been given to her by Antiros.

The mask was completely black, with an oily, shimmering iridescence flowing over its surface.

However, the mask had no openings at all—it looked like a raw prototype.

Enya hadn’t studied it closely yet.

She flipped the mask over.

What Enya saw inside made her eyelid twitch.

The interior of the mask was also pitch black, but on closer inspection, it was covered with extremely fine downy hairs.

They seemed to sense something, as the tiny filaments swayed happily.

To be honest, she felt a bit reluctant to use this thing.

“Eh?”

In the Sea of Consciousness, Pendrak saw Enya’s eyes viewing the mask and let out a doubtful sound.

Enya asked what was wrong.

Pendrak fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“This thing… might be a shard of authority.”

“A shard?”

Enya was a little surprised.

The mask was made from the drop of a demon summoned by the Rose Priestess.

That demon was at least equivalent to a human Rank 8 in strength, but it was unfortunate enough to encounter Enya.

Because she could truly harm spirits, she had instantly killed it.

A normal powerful person would have needed much effort to defeat that demon.

She hadn’t expected it to drop a shard of authority.

But what exactly was a shard of authority?

While Enya searched her memories, Pendrak spoke again.

“This should be a shard of the Night Goddess’s authority. You could try to absorb it. Since your soul is unique, you won’t be affected by the residual divinity inside it. It’s all benefit, no harm.”

Enya didn’t agree immediately but asked a question instead.

“What’s the relationship between authority and bloodline?”

“…They’re the same thing.”

Taking the opportunity, Pendrak explained part of the truth about bloodlines.

The dragon bloodline itself was authority.

Enya currently possessed the Destruction Authority of the Black Dragon’s blood.

Gathering all the dragons’ authorities together would bring about the arrival of a true god.

Pendrak said that before the Golden Empire, humans didn’t have the bloodline abilities that today’s nobles possess.

Humans were once at the bottom of the world’s hierarchy, just a fast-reproducing species.

The Black Dragon Princess wasn’t sure where the bloodlines in the Golden Empire came from, but she was certain that humans’ bloodlines also originated from a shard of a god.

It was precisely because of these divine shards that humans grew powerful and managed to rule the Southern Continent in one fell swoop.

“Humans had no bloodlines before? No, you’re wrong.”

Enya found a flaw in Pendrak’s words.

The Rose Priestess’s Book clearly stated that the Asades family descended from blood elves.

That generation of blood monarchs severed their bloodlines to break through Rank 10.

As a result, they lost their bloodlines and became like humans…

This meant bloodlines could change a being’s form.

Isn’t that already proven by me?

I’m transforming from human into a dragon!

“So, Pendrak, were you once human too?”

“…”

Pendrak chose silence.

Enya didn’t press the matter but instead asked about the realms of cultivation.