Tap tap~
Enya took a slight step back, the small heels she wore clicking softly against the floor. She turned around and, tilting her head slightly, glanced at Henna out of the corner of her eye.
Then, she spoke lightly.
“I haven’t even said what I want yet, so why do you assume I want their lives?”
“Hmm, I can see you’re anxious, but don’t rush.”
“Ugh.”
Henna’s pink hair and the pair of rosy long ears that peeked out slightly gave her a flushed look.
She raised her head and squinted, glaring at the back of this Black Nun standing before her.
The little Blood Princess’s soft pink lips parted slightly, then closed again.
Hmph, I’m not anxious at all!
Although Henna’s appearance was now that of a little girl, her mind remained that of a mature woman.
Having been a lord for so long, her composure in situations like this was still sufficient.
So she quickly recovered from the earlier emotional lapse. Her petite feet stepped firmly on the cold floor as she moved forward a step and spoke to the Black Nun who had her back turned.
“So. What exactly do you want from me?”
What Enya wanted from Henna was naturally Henna herself. Henna was the highest authority in Red Pine City. Whoever controlled her basically controlled the entire city.
Enya raised her right hand. A bottle of vivid red Potion appeared in her palm, which was clad in a black lace glove. She held the Potion as she turned around.
Once taller than Enya, Henna now had to look up at her. Enya looked down from above at this determined-looking girl.
“Hehe~”
Enya chuckled softly and bent slightly, holding the Potion just ten centimeters from Henna’s face.
Henna glanced at the bottle, frowned, and looked back at Enya.
“What is this?”
Henna knew what a Potion was, of course, but she was asking about the effect of this particular one. Potions could have all sorts of functions—perhaps this Black Nun was holding some bizarre, evil concoction?
Henna currently had no ability to resist!
If she were forcibly made to drink some kind of puppet Potion, wouldn’t she become a docile puppet?
Suddenly, a deep sense of helplessness settled over her.
After stealing a glance at the Black Nun’s vacant face, her gaze returned to the Potion in front of her, heavy with sorrow.
There was too much darkness in this world. As a mere sixth-rank, she was powerless. The only way to accomplish what she wanted was to grow stronger, to become as strong as that great lord.
Henna’s crimson vertical pupils fixed on the Potion in the Black Nun’s hand. It seemed she had made some decision as she reached out to take it.
Guh, if I can’t escape, then so be it!
But Enya did not let her succeed. Instead, she withdrew her hand, making the little Blood Princess’s delicate fingers grasp at empty air.
Henna instinctively looked up at her.
Enya placed the hand holding the Potion behind her back and raised her left hand towards Henna.
Henna wanted to dodge but thought better of it and stayed still.
Enya’s index finger lightly brushed Henna’s cheek. She chuckled and said,
“This Potion can seal the bloodline within you that drives you mad. It’s not the kind of control Potion you think it is… though, in a way, it is a control Potion, since it’s used to seal powers.”
The Bloodline Lock Elixir—while it had no direct controlling effect—once consumed, it would mask both the bloodline power and Magic Core inside the drinker.
This concealment was controlled by the Alchemist who crafted the Potion.
Its formula dated back a thousand years, to the era of human slavery.
The Bloodline Lock Elixir was a despicable tool used to control slaves with great strength.
A thousand years later, it remained a forbidden taboo. Anyone discovered brewing such a Potion would be hunted relentlessly.
The obsession residue mixed into Henna’s bloodline had already been cleansed by Enya. Even if the bloodline was unsealed, she would not fall into madness.
But as long as Henna believed it would happen, then it would.
Enya was exploiting this exact point, forcing Henna to obediently drink the Potion, effectively putting a collar on herself, and then handing the chain over to her.
“Miss Henna, or rather, Lord of Red Pine City, I don’t have any special demands. Hmm… How about this? You serve under Princess Vivienne, right? Now, become my subordinate, my chess piece. Usually, I won’t require much from you, but at critical moments, you must obey my orders unconditionally. Understand?”
“…I understand.”
“I didn’t hear you clearly. Say it again.”
“I understand!”
“What do you understand?”
“To be your undercover… to obey… obey your orders…”
The words squeezed painfully through Henna’s clenched teeth.
For a woman proud for over twenty years—especially since becoming a lord—this was utterly humiliating. Saying this took all her strength, and she collapsed to the floor.
Enya smiled wickedly in satisfaction and tossed the Potion to Henna.
Hastily, Henna caught it and just as she looked up at the Black Nun—
The Black Nun had transformed into a fluttering moth with colorful wings, vanishing without a trace.
As Enya left, she left Henna with one last word, telling her how to address her.
“Ms. Moth…?”
Henna lowered her head, holding the Potion in her small hands, biting her lower lip.
The thought of being under someone else’s control ignited a surge of anger within her.
She raised the bottle, intending to smash it to pieces.
But as she lifted it, she lowered it again.
If she broke it and lost control again, what if Enya refused to help next time?
Then it would truly be the end of Red Pine City!
She couldn’t let that happen. But Henna also didn’t plan to accept the “collar” given to her without a fight. Just as she had strived to break free from Vivienne’s control before, she would struggle to escape Ms. Moth’s.
“I can’t take on either of those two women. I have to find a balance between them. That’s the weakness of a lesser power. But maybe my limits have expanded now?”
Having reformed her bloodline, Henna had become a pure Blood Elf—the only one her entire family had managed to create at the cost of their lives.
Seventh rank was within reach, eighth might be possible, and ninth rank was a dream.
Henna clenched her tiny pink fists and spoke softly.
“Let’s work hard, Henna!”
Her pretty, adorable face held a seriousness not befitting her youthful appearance.
Suddenly, the door to the room opened.
Henna froze, turning to look past the bed, and saw Yelena. Yelena glanced down at the Potion in Henna’s hands.
She paused, then quickly hid it under the bed.
Yelena was puzzled. She had been tending to her sister but suddenly found herself wandering to the garden, lost in thought, before rushing back.
She pushed open the door and found the bed empty—but then a head popped up from the other side, a pair of pink eyes staring right at her.
Yelena’s mouth hung open. After a few stunned seconds, she hurried over.
“Sis, you’re finally awake!”
Henna looked at her sister lunging forward, still somewhat unaccustomed.
The Yelena of before wouldn’t have been this enthusiastic.
Yelena seemed ready to open her arms but then realized her current petite body couldn’t quite reach to hold her sister.
Before Henna could figure out how to hug back, Yelena had already embraced her, pressing Henna’s head against her soft chest.
“Ugh!”
Henna struggled but found she couldn’t break free from her sister’s hold.
This way of hugging, pressing her head down, meant every breath was filled with Yelena’s scent. She felt both embarrassed and helpless.
That wretched Ms. Moth, the Black Nun, left without returning my strength!
Did she forget?
Or was it intentional?
At this point, Henna could only be like a small child, held tenderly by her sister. After a long moment of warmth, she finally caught her breath.
Yelena looked at the girl in her arms—so different from the sister she once knew.
The elf’s long ears, the pale, delicate skin, the doll-like features—they only bore a faint resemblance to the past Henna.
But from the way those crimson eyes avoided meeting her own, Yelena could tell that despite the change in appearance—now even smaller than herself, a loli—the soul inside was still her sister.
Yelena watched Henna’s gentle breaths and flushed cheeks, pulling her closer and rubbing her face against Henna’s hair.
“I’m so glad you woke up, Sis.”
“I was really worried about you.”
“I was scared of losing you, so scared…”
Henna had been about to struggle but stopped, touched by the emotion in Yelena’s voice, and leaned into her sister’s embrace.
Hold me, hold me, just for a moment.
Letting her sister hold her wouldn’t hurt. Though burying her face in her sister’s chest was embarrassing, she could endure it for Yelena’s sake.
“Sis, you’re so cute now~”
“Ugh, Sis, you smell so good~”
“You’re so small and soft, hugging you is so comforting!”
“Sis, can we sleep together tonight?”
Upon hearing such rebellious words, Henna immediately struggled again.
After a long while, a satisfied Yelena finally released her.
The two sisters sat on the bed. Henna was now about a head shorter than Yelena. Since becoming a Blood Elf from human, her height had shrunk drastically.
Yelena’s palm wrapped around Henna’s small hand as she looked at her and said,
“Sis, you’re…”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Tell me what’s happened during these past days.”
Henna shook her head, signaling that she really was fine and didn’t want Yelena thinking about undressing her to check her body—it was out of the question!
Yelena’s raised eyebrows drooped as she began recounting the events of the two days Henna was unconscious.
Enya had returned home, transforming from the Black Nun into the elegant Madam Phil.
As she stepped out of the study, she furrowed her brows.
“Did I forget something?”
“Uh… I think I forgot to remove Henna’s Magic Seal. I’ll sneak back later to do it. She should rest for a while longer.”