The castle was being restored at a rapid pace.

With Solein’s support, the village chiefs had all gathered to help, and the people of Hiloshain were returning, so the pace was accelerating.

Lenisha watched the process with a smiling face.

“The women of the territory are said to be going out with hoes and baskets to mine the scales of the black snake. The mining amount is increasing day by day, so it should be no problem to make the knights’ weapons and armor with this amount of mining.”

At Lindei’s report, Lenisha slowly nodded her head.

“A new name will be needed for that mineral too. We can’t call it the scales of the black snake forever, and we don’t need to let others know about the existence of the black snake. Mithril. How about calling it Mithril?”

“It seems like a suitable name, ma’am. It’s easy to call, and it doesn’t look related to a snake.”

“Good. Then spread this story around. And Henry is watching well, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Any particular movements?”

“No. There was no problem other than doing what needed to be done. No contact with the outside either.”

“Hmm.”

When Lexus sent Henry, the purpose must have been surveillance.

To Lenisha, Henry was a necessary evil.

She needed someone to serve as the castle’s steward, and she had to accept him to avoid Lexus’s suspicion.

But at the same time, it was an uneasy factor.

Henry must not forget that his master is Lexus.

If necessary, Henry might have spilled all the facts to Lexus.

“Lexus is also quiet. I really don’t know what he’s up to.”

Lenisha grumbled.

Turiel had also been silent since sending the letter to Canaria.

Turiel seemed to want to use Canaria as his pawn, but that was left to Turiel.

“Shall we attach more people to Henry?”

“Good. The more cautious we must be at times like this.”

Seeing the people of Hiloshain finding their places, Lenisha moved on to the next step.

She activated the smithy and ordered them to make weapons and armor.

And in addition to the knights that Casius brought, Lenisha began to foster the Hiloshain supporters as knights.

The chiefs were repairing the castle in the morning and afternoon, and the volunteers were training at night.

It was not easy to make ordinary people attain a knight’s skill in a short time.

However, these people were born and raised in Hiloshain.

Having consumed plenty of the black snake’s energy.

Thanks to that, Casius said they were achieving quickly.

‘……Perhaps by next spring at the latest.’

By then, Lenisha might be able to achieve what she intended.

What woke Lenisha from her contemplation was news from the bureaucracy.

Lenisha found out why Lexus had not contacted Henry.

He had sent someone directly.

(This is a time separator.)

All the village children gathered around.

They came to see the new guests from the Imperial Palace.

Isabella also joined them, raising herself on her tiptoes.

After sincerely sharing what was inside, the children of her age began to mingle with her.

She flitted about the village today as well, offering her fullgrown body to help, then rushed to hear that guests had come from the Imperial Palace.

Isabella firmly pressed her hat.

The maids had put it on her so that her face wouldn’t burn, but she never imagined it would be so helpful.

The dungarees dressed for convenience also helped conceal her identity.

The nobles would never imagine that a noble young lady would be like this.

Isabella checked the position of the knights watching her.

If something happened, they would evacuate Isabella from here.

Her small heart beat fast at the words of those from the Imperial Palace.

A huge horse pushed the gathered children aside and moved forward.

It was a long procession.
“What’s this? Who has been sent from the imperial city? Isabella, do you know?”

Isabella shook her head.

“I didn’t get a good look at their faces.”

“I saw their faces. You mean the man standing at the very front, right? He was really handsome! As handsome as our Duke!”

“That’s not true. Our Duke is really, really handsome? You won’t find such a handsome face easily anywhere. Even our mother said so.”

At the children’s pure praise, Isabella’s shoulders rose a notch.

“And Lady Lenisha is the same. When I first saw her, I thought an angel had come?”

“Right, right.”

It was when Isabella was smirking and taking in their stories.

The knights who were guarding Isabella appeared and spoke to her.

“Miss. We need to go back.”

“What? What happened?”

Isabella asked the knight with a surprised face.

Now, the knights were used to her talking about being a lady, even in jest.

“Lady Lenisha is looking for you.”

“……What happened…….?”

Isabella repeated the question, having received no response.

The knight smiled as if it were nothing.

“Don’t worry, Isabella. Nothing will happen.”

The knight pressed down on Isabella’s hat.

Compared to before, she now gives off a more girlish vibe.

The knight bent his waist to match Isabella’s eye level.

“I’ll protect you, so don’t worry about anything. You understand, Miss?”

Isabella nodded her head.