Of course, more importantly, it was because of shyness.

Moreover, the Enola of the past had no competitors. The likes of President Dyres simply couldn't shake her status, so Enola had always been carefully replenishing her reserves.

She was preparing to use these skills and tricks after they married to add some fun and freshness to their life together.

Things like the "three-year itch" after marriage... Enola had also read about them in Shiayar's books and was frightened just thinking about it. She didn't want to experience it firsthand at all.

However, the situation was now different.

New women kept appearing one after another by her Shiayar's side, each more threatening than the last.

Furthermore, Shiayar had already come of age in the Empire last month, and in two more months, she too would reach the Empire's legal age for marriage.

In that case, before then, perhaps it wouldn't be too bad to experience with Shiayar some of the unspeakable taboos that were meant for after the wedding, right?

Thinking this, her spiritual power also swept gently over the interior of the Storage Ring that resembled a shield emblem, hesitating between a teacher's outfit and a nurse's uniform.

Given Enola's familiarity with Shiayar, she of course knew that he preferred teacher attire a bit more than a nurse's uniform. To be precise, he preferred the thrill of subverting authority.

But she also knew that Shiayar had a Golden Elf Instructor in the Black Tower, who was one of its 8th Page members.

If she really put on the teacher's attire, wouldn't she become a substitute for Teacher Hathaway?

She didn't want to become some idealized memory or a mere substitute!

However, as the girl's overthinking intensified and she wrestled with her decision, she finally settled on the nurse's uniform. Just as she was about to take further action, a moment came.

"Ahem."

A soft cough came from the nearby veil of night.

The blonde girl sprang up from the bed as if electrocuted, shielding Shiayar behind her.

The brilliance of the Sacred Spear shone forth. The star-forged armor, imbued with ancient mysteries, transformed into dazzling knight's armor that covered her entire body.

A sharp and fierce aura burst forth, locking onto the newcomer's direction.

Only then did Enola finally get a clear view of the visitor.

It was a gray-silver figure in a long dress.

The frozen twilight bathed her in the deep night, her untainted long hair cascading down like liquid mercury.

"Miss Silvia?"

...

SNAP. SNAP.

The firewood in the fireplace crackled as it burned.

"My apologies, Ennie."

The Gray-Silver Witch took a sip of the black tea on the table, and pale golden letters appeared in the air. "I just finished dealing with matters at the White Tower and came in rather a hurry. It seems I've disturbed you and Brother Shiayar."

This was a lie.

Silvia's true self had actually arrived some time ago; she was originally planning to find a more appropriate moment to visit.

However, witnessing the scene that had just unfolded, Silvia couldn't help but reveal herself.

Trying to steal him right under my nose? How could I tolerate this? It was one thing to be a third wheel when I was just a cat, but now that my true self was here, such blatant attempts to steal him while I'm right here were absolutely not permissible!

"It's alright."

"But for you to visit us so late at night, Tower Master, do you have some guidance for us?"

Enola knelt on the ground, cradling the sleeping Shiayar in her lap. She gently stroked the youth's facial contours with her pale fingers, speaking calmly.

Her words, however, carried the confidence of one declaring ownership, like a graceful and self-assured matriarch watching other women covet her man, only to be thwarted.

This declaration, much like that of a rightful first wife asserting her claim, left Silvia momentarily speechless.

Silvia herself was two major ranks higher in power than Enola. She was also the esteemed White Tower Master, and her Throne Rank allowed her to look down upon all living beings. However, love was never something that could be judged solely by strength and status.

Especially since Brother Shiayar truly did love the girl before him more deeply, making Silvia, a later arrival in his life, feel a pang of envious bitterness.

Speaking of which, Brother Shiayar and Ennie had already retired for the night. It was indeed a bit improper for me to visit so late.

Fortunately, her visit this time did indeed have a purpose—and a very important one at that.

The Gray-Silver Witch's delicate and flawless face tightened slightly. In the next moment, pale golden characters slowly emerged in mid-air.

"Brother Shiayar must have entered an Echo of History again, hasn't he?"

"I don't know what exactly Brother Shiayar did within that Echo of History."

"However, I clearly sense that a major disturbance has occurred in the River of History, upstream from the current temporal node."

Her beautiful gray-silver eyes also fell upon Shiayar, who lay on Enola's lap, a deep concern flashing within them.

"Brother Shiayar's true body still remains in that spatiotemporal plane, yet to return."

"And now, for some unknown reason, the past flow of history has been greatly disturbed... It might be somewhat difficult for Brother Shiayar to return from the Echo of History."

"If, during this process, he becomes lost in the turbulent currents of spacetime... then even if Brother Shiayar's physical body still exists in the present world, he would be merely comatose."

Shiayar... will he never wake up?

Looking at the pale golden characters appearing in the air, Enola lowered her gaze slightly.

She couldn't help but recall Shiayar fainting in the washroom not long ago, and the terror he must have felt, as if abandoned by the entire world.

"It's an event with an extremely low probability."

"I don't know how Brother Shiayar managed all of this, but since he was able to save me from that desperate situation in the Ancient Dukedom Azure Garden... I also believe he can return this time."

"However, in the unlikely event—and I stress, the unlikely event—"

"If Brother Shiayar cannot return, what will you do?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Enola responded, "I will watch over his body until I die of old age."

"If his physical body decays before then, I will end my own life to accompany him."

As Enola spoke these words, Silvia saw a fleeting deathly resolve in her azure eyes.

This further confirmed for Silvia the depths of the blonde girl's feelings for Brother Shiayar.

Though Silvia was reluctant to admit it, Enola's feelings were no less profound than her own.

However, at this very moment, Silvia's spiritual power stirred slightly.

The next second, the spacetime around her twisted instantly.

A symbol of the Legendary Rank was the ability to sense the flow of the River of Time.

A Throne, or the mark of a Demigod, on the other hand, meant leaving an imprint in history upstream in the River of Time, possessing the initial ability to interfere with time itself.

Therefore, among those who held a Throne, there was also the saying, "the older, the stronger"—though, of course, this didn't refer to combat power.

This is because the more ancient a Throne wielder is, the more of the River of Time they have experienced, and thus the broader the swathe of history they can influence.

In this respect, Silvia could only be considered a novice. Her experience of history spanned a mere five hundred years, making her much younger compared to those ancient beings born in the Ancient Era, or even an ancient god.

Of course, this judgment was based merely on age. As a new Throne who had devoured the Authority of an ancient god, if it came to a direct confrontation, an ordinary Demigod would likely be torn to shreds by this Gray-Silver Witch.

But at this moment, Silvia distinctly sensed some obscure entity moving downstream along the River of Time.

This entity was extremely subtle. If its exit point into the present world hadn't been right beside her, even Silvia would have been unable to detect it.

From this entity, Silvia sensed an aura all too familiar—one she had longed for during her five hundred years of slumber in the White Tower.

Brother Shiayar?

She suddenly stood up.

The frozen twilight once again began to surge, and a phantom River of Time shimmered into view within it.

A few breaths later,

"Ennie, my Ennie!"

"I almost didn't get to see you! Come give me a loving hug!"

Shiayar's body, which had been on Enola's lap, suddenly leapt up.

Then, he threw his arms around Silvia, who was opposite Enola, hugging her tightly.

"Wait, Ennie, how come you're not flat anymore? You feel so much like Silvia Babe! Have you finally started to develop?"