Chapter 66: The conclusion of the Meeting
A heavy silence weighed down on the grand chamber like a smothering fog. Flickers of disbelief danced in the eyes of the assembled Fanged Elf nobles. One of the Grand Justiciars finally broke the tension with a nervous, stammering question.
"A-Are you certain that those humans are… actually from the Real World?"
Another noble chuckled bitterly, though the tremble in his voice betrayed his unease. "Let's not get our hopes up. This land… this cursed land has become our home."
"Right. This world is ours now. I was born here."
"Yes, we were born here. But our ancestors, they once thrived in the outside world… didn't they?"
The room was split between wistful reflection and pragmatic doubt. Hopes flickered only to be dimmed again, buried under layers of caution and resignation.
Then came the sharp voice of Duke Stormvine, slicing through the murmurs like a blade. "And what?! A mere two-star sect? That's just about the level of our current Elf clans! Tell me, how will they leave this place with that kind of power?"
Silence returned, this time tinged with frustration. The ember of hope was on the verge of being extinguished.
Until Aeloria spoke again.
"Duke Stormvine. Duke Silverthorn. Grand Justiciars. Envoys. Noble leaders and factions present. Your Majesty. Your Highness, the Queen… some of you may already be piecing things together. While I can't reveal the core reason for my gamble, I can say this. The status of those children could earn us the aid we desperately need. If we do nothing, disaster is almost guaranteed."
All eyes turned to her. The sharper minds among them had already begun to calculate. Others still stared in uncertainty.
Aeloria continued, her voice steady.
"There's one more thing. I can only reveal the full truth later to His Majesty and Her Highness. But what I can say now is this: we should align ourselves fully with the human they've been calling the Laughing Blue Blade Reaper. He should receive the full blessing of our Fanged Elf clan."
The chamber erupted.
Shouts, disbelief, and scandalized gasps ricocheted off the enchanted walls. Some nobles accused her of madness. Others whispered possibilities behind narrowed eyes. Many simply could not fathom why Aeloria would propose such a gamble.
Duke Stormvine and his retinue were practically snarling with disbelief. Duke Silverthorn's side, though quieter, was clearly rattled.
The Fanged Elf King, seated atop his throne furrowed his brow. The first real expression to crack his usual impassive gaze. He remembered the passionate words of his grandnieces, Shayleaf and Shirleaf. Could there be something to this?
The Queen's eyes narrowed as she silently recalled a report from days prior. Her gaze shifted to the silent, armored knight beside her, the one closest to her presence. A subtle tremble passed through the knight's form.
Without another word, the King called a recess.
Only the dukes, top knights, and most trusted advisors were ordered to remain. A heavy, shimmering barrier surrounded the room, laced with powerful anti-scrying magic. Each person inside, save for the King himself, was bound by a sealing spell to prevent them from speaking of what would happen within.
"Speak," the King commanded.
Aeloria bowed slightly, her tone serious.
"Your Majesty. You're likely aware now. The arrival of those human children matches the timeline of the rapidly spreading dimensional gate. My father, when he still led House Nightbloom, helped me present our concerns to you years ago. I even requested to leave for the Whispering Expanse and take over our faction's responsibilities there. You allowed it. When I first made a swift return here I suggested taking the two girls from the royal family with me primarily to awaken Shayleaf's dormant pure bloodline."
The room remained still. Eyes locked on Aeloria, absorbing every word.
The Queen noticed the knight beside her visibly tremble when the girls' names were spoken. A tight fist. No one else caught it except maybe the King.
Aeloria pressed forward.
"We only managed to slightly awaken her bloodline. Even the intense pressure of the Whispering Expanse wasn't enough. But I see now… my foresight wasn't about the Expanse. It was about those humans. More specifically the boy Elton. The one who became notoriously known as the Laughing Blue Blade Reaper."
Every face shifted with shock, disbelief, and Recognition.
The Queen stood, gasping in amazement. "What?! Is this true?!"
The knight beside her trembled again, this time more clearly. Excitement? Relief? It was hard to say. The other knights were visibly shaken as well, but only Seraphiel who was covered from head to toe in enchanted armor and standing by Aeloria remained still. She already knew. Both Duke Stormvine and Duke Silverthorn also had very exaggerated expressions of disbelief. And for the first time the Fanged elf King stood up from his seat as his aura nearly exploded and shook the barrier.
And the others were only just beginning to understand.
Hearing all of this news, although Duke Stormvine wasn't thrilled due to Aeloria Nightbloom's Nightbloom family gaining even more merit considering they were long-time rivals, almost enemies; he could not afford to act on old grudges. The matter at hand was far too important for the Fanged Elf clan, and looking around at the faces of everyone in the room, it was obvious that resisting this tide would bring him nothing but trouble.
Just as the room began to settle into a reflective silence, Aeloria dropped another bombshell.
"Your Majesty," she said calmly, her voice clear despite the weight of her words, "I have already made preparations on a certain matter. It seems that girl Shayleaf for whatever reason, perhaps a primal urge intertwined with her affections for Elton; has reacted extremely well to his essence. I've gone ahead and taught him our Elven Synchronization Art."
The armored knight beside the Queen let out an audible, "Ehhh?!" The Queen herself gave a slight cough, visibly stunned. Duke Stormvine and Duke Silverthorn looked at Aeloria, then at each other, then at the King all unsure what kind of reaction to have now that the decision had already been made.
The Fanged Elf King, uncharacteristically shaken, shouted, "You did WHAT?!"
His aura surged in fury, causing the barrier around the room to hum violently. The pressure weighed down on everyone, suffocating the knights. Yet Aeloria stood her ground, gaze unwavering. The Queen gently called out to her husband, urging him to calm himself. The King inhaled deeply, then slowly withdrew his aura, exhaling as he sank back into his seat.
"Continue," the Queen said firmly.
Aeloria gave a respectful nod. "Thank you, Your Highness. I'm not entirely certain why, but Elton's Energy Essence synchronizes easily with our noble bloodline, unlocking its depth in ways previously unseen. It's especially effective on Shayleaf. She's subconsciously drawn to him. His personality, his sense of justice, and his teachings from his home have all left deep impressions."
Her eyes momentarily glazed with something unspoken before she went on. "Truthfully, if it weren't for our age difference and the gap in life experiences with him still being a young teenage boy, I might have monopolized him myself. I suspected his importance back in the Whispering Expanse. I became certain after a small… experiment using our clan's taboo ability."
The room didn't react with gasps this time. Instead, everyone wore grim, contemplative expressions. They knew the risks of that taboo art. The fact that Aeloria took such a risk and spoke with such longing in her eyes confirmed the truth of her claims. The danger was very real.
Aeloria, sensing the mood, pushed forward. "Not just anyone can attempt synchronization with him. I nearly suffered a bad backlash, but I felt the poison draw back into his body by his own intent. He didn't see me as a threat so he didn't reject me entirely. Shirleaf fared better with a smaller attempt, though she did experience mild backlash. Shayleaf, however… was bathed in warmth and suffered none. She even absorbed more than I could."
Those in the room who had started to think of ways to take advantage of the boy immediately abandoned those thoughts. The very idea of manipulating or controlling him now seemed like courting death.
"Furthermore," Aeloria continued, "Elton and his companions are cultivation geniuses even by human standards. We should ally ourselves with their sect, but the truth is, we'd be aligning with him. That's the core of it. I can't explain it fully, but I plead with you, Your Majesty, grant him a high enough status within our Fanged Elf Clan. At least once he reaches Gold Tier."
She bowed her head deeply. Her voice carried not just formality but genuine desperation. The room fell into a thick, conflicted silence.
Duke Stormvine finally broke it. "Giving him high status might be too much."
Duke Silverthorn nodded. "Agreed."
The trusted advisors exchanged looks. "Perhaps… a lower-level honorary status might suffice. While he would be of great aide he is still a human."
All eyes turned to the King. The Queen, too, looked toward him expectantly. The King remained silent for a long while, eyes closed, weighing everything. Then he opened his eyes, gaze sharp and determined.
"Duke Nightbloom, I understand your feelings on this b—"
Suddenly, his eyes widened. A voice transmission hit him like a bolt of lightning. His expression twisted in shock and disbelief.
"What is it, Your Majesty?" the Queen asked.
He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he let out a slow, resigned breath. Everyone could feel the change in the atmosphere as he stood.
"I hereby decree that—"