“Welcome back.” An elf woman greets us just inside the Conservatory.
“Welcome back.” A young apprentice girl mimics her older teacher.
“Thank you.” Laya’s voice carries more emotion than usual.
She's the star for this show, not me. That's why the two caretakers for the Conservatory directed their greetings to her, rather than anyone else.
“The Conservator is ready to meet with you.” The older caretaker says.
“Please follow us.” The younger adds.
The last time we came here, we had to wait before being called in to see him, but since this ceremony is so far out of the ordinary, even the stiff Conservator has given us a special exemption to be brought in as soon as we arrive.
And they didn't even ask about the addition of Kymil and Thalia. Just another perk of having a reputation that precedes us.
Like before, I can’t help but see the Conservator’s judgement chamber as a courtroom, with several rows of chairs placed in front of a single seat. That seat, which the Conservator is currently filling, rises above the rest, as if he were presiding over each case that comes before him.
Last time, I thought I’d have to plead my case before being able to meet the Astral Dryad, like every other elf that comes here. But I ended up with a special invitation that allowed me to completely bypass the Conservator’s normal judgement process.
That was good for us, since all the empty chairs are for friends and family of the elves who come to plead to meet the Astral Dryad. At the time, the only person we had to vouch for us was Kymil, which definitely would have made it difficult to get access to the Ancestral Glade.
Our current visit is even stranger than our first, so there’s not even a need to pretend like we’re here to have our case heard. After all, if this were just a normal visit, then Grand Elder Rena wouldn’t be here in the room with us right now.
“Good morning.” Rena greets us without a hint of sleepiness, despite the early hour. “As expected of our chosen Prime Elder, you arrived well before the scheduled time.”
“As did you.”
“I suppose I’m a little excited. It’s been over a thousand years since Myra first became Prime Elder. I never expected the second one to inherit her title on my watch.”
“I was even more surprised.”
The other two Grand Elders aren’t here. At least, not in the Conservatory. They’re certainly here at the Ancestral Glade, making their final preparations.
A bunch of other elves are in and around the glade, some local to the area, others from far away. I have no idea how they determined who would attend, but that doesn’t matter as long as everything goes as planned.
“As much as I wish it weren’t so…” The Conservator closes a notebook and puts down his quill. “The Grand Elders have requested the ceremony to take place here at the Ancestral Glade. As of now, no dryad has arrived to sanction this gathering, so we can only hope the Astral Dryad approves of our transgressions.”
“I’m sure she’s fine with it.” I casually deflect his worry. “She might even show up during the ceremony.”
“That would be the preferable outcome, else we may have to pay amends after today.”
The Conservator is as stiff as ever, which is precisely why he got the job to begin with. From what I hear, a strict adherence to tradition is a requirement to sit in his seat.
Good thing I wasn’t in the room when the grand elders had to tell him the ceremony will be taking place here at the Ancestral Glade.
Although the Conservator is worried about what the silent Astral Dryad thinks about gathering so many elves around her glade, I don’t share any of his anxiety. That’s because I’ve already talked to their protector about the ceremony, so I know exactly what she thinks about it.
The fact that she hasn’t sent one of her dryads to tell the Conservator can only mean one thing.
She wants to keep everyone in suspense so she can surprise them and steal the show!
At least, that’s what I’m going to complain about later, when we’re talking in private. But the real reason she’s stayed completely silent up until now is because she wants the elves to make their own decisions.
Relying on an Immortal Being too much would be bad for both sides. One would have to shoulder the daily burdens of an entire race, and the other would grow dependent on her protection.
The Conservator exists to prevent exactly that, so it’s no surprise that he’s against bringing this many elves here, even for a ceremony meant to raise Laya to the rank of Prime Elder.
Fortunately, I’m just an accessory this time, so I don’t have much to do besides stand around and show my face. That means I can leave all the details up to the elves and just relax.
There might not be many more slow mornings like this left, so I intend to enjoy it.
Soon, it’s time for us to head to where the ceremony is taking place. It’s not far, as it’s just in front of the Ancestral Glade, right at the entrance where elves step inside after receiving permission from the Conservator.
Placed into the ground near the entrance are two posts, both painted with what most people would only see as strange symbols. The elven language is rarely used, as the Goddess wishes for all four races to share a common tongue, but it’s still used for ceremonies and traditions that are exclusive to their people.
‘Wish’ and ‘well-being’. Just like the last time I came through here.
Other than the time I first met the Astral Dryad, I haven’t been here at the Ancestral Glade’s outside entrance. Every time I visit, I teleport directly inside to prevent people from finding out that I’m here. Most elves have no idea just how deeply embroiled their protector has already been in this Great War.
It’d be even better if she actually helped, though.
Guess it won’t matter in the end, but I could definitely use the boost in reputation from the Immortal Beings taking my side.
Normally, those two posts are the only objects adorning the Ancestral Glade’s entrance. But right now, there’s something else that draws the eye.
“I’m not standing up there, am I?” Thalia eyes the raised platform.
“Why wouldn’t you? It’s large enough for all of us.”
“Because I have nothing to do with this, so why should I be at the center of everyone’s attention during the ceremony? Can you imagine all the questions I’ll get later about why I was up there as the Prime Elder is given her staff? How many hours of research and experimentation will I lose from all the people who want useless answers?”
“I happened to pick up a few notable alchemy ingredients lately.” A vial appears in my hand, containing a substance that looks like dark sand. “If I had any friends who really wanted some, I could easily be convinced to let a few go.”
“What’s in that vial?” Thalia’s gaze is laser focused on the small, glass tube.
“Who knows? It could be something extremely rare. Perhaps something that you’ve never seen or heard of.”
“And you’ll only give it to your … friends.”
“That’s right.”’
“Ugh.” Thalia looks between the vial and the stage. “I’m standing in the back. Behind someone tall.”
“I have no complaints.” The vial disappears, which clearly disappoints Thalia. “I need you to focus for a least a little while.”
“The price is … focus.” A look of mild determination fills her face. Very, very mild determination.
Even though the first rays of light are only barely visible on the horizon, elves have already begun to gather. Considering that there hasn’t been a Prime Elder in over a thousand years, they’re no doubt excited to witness a historic event.
But it’s not quite time for Laya to make her appearance. She’s not hiding, she’s just standing here with us, near the platform.
It’s no secret who’s been chosen for the position of Prime Elder, so there’s no element of surprise there. But despite Laya’s reputation as the youngest of the five Great Heroes, many of her people haven’t actually seen her with their own eyes.
So, it’s no surprise that when they see that she’s literally a 10-year-old child by human standards, there’s still a bit of disbelief in their eyes.
I hope her age doesn’t impact the amount of faith people will place in her. And by proxy, in me.
I hate thinking about how much faith I can earn everywhere I go. Even here at this special ceremony, the thought just creeps in. But the reality is that if I don’t earn enough of the people’s faith and unlock my final Heroic Skill, then nothing else we do will matter in the least.
Nearly every action I’ve taken recently has been to improve my reputation. I’ve shown off equipment far stronger than anything this world has ever seen. I’ve defended kingdoms and saved kings. I’ve brought together all of the four races to fight on the same side of this war. I’ve powerleveled some of the most influential people in this world, preparing them for the upcoming battle.
Each of my actions may have an important role to play in setting up for the final battle, but the truth is that the equipment, levels, and even the kingdoms themselves are simply a bonus I’ve gained for completing my tasks.
But to me, the real treasure has always been the people’s faith.
It’s still not enough? At this rate, I may have to take drastic measures.
But with RAM gone, my options are … limited.
The Conservator breaks away from our group, drawing my focus back to the ceremony. I can’t let myself get distracted worrying about the same problem over and over, so I put thoughts of faith and Heroic Skills aside for now.
At least, the best I can.
For now, it’s time to play my part at this special event.