"Mayor Leo, can you tell us what exactly happened?"
Leo's calm gaze swept over the flushed, excited faces below.
His voice carried clearly into every ear, as if whispered right beside them.
"Citizens of Dalton," he began slowly.
"What you see before you is neither a dream, nor is it heaven."
"This is the rebirth of Dalton Town—the echo of years of hard work, answered by fate itself."
"From this day forward, the land beneath your feet will be our eternal home and sanctuary."
He explained no further.
But once again, the crowd erupted into thunderous exclamations and chatter.
"What? This isn't heaven?"
"We… we're still alive? But why are we in the sky?!"
"Mayor Leo, what on earth happened!?"
…
Leo paused, then spoke again:
"All of this was my doing. I hope you like it."
"…"
"I knew it! This had to be Mayor Leo's work!"
"Long live the Mayor! Long live the Grey family!"
"Mayor, are you perhaps the fabled Creator God?"
"Nonsense, isn't it obvious? Who else but a god could achieve this?"
…
Leo raised his hands, pressing downward. The uproar quieted instantly.
"The city is newly born. Many affairs require time to settle. I must leave for a few days to handle certain matters."
His words immediately stirred unease.
Leo lifted a hand to soothe them.
"Do not worry. The city's defenses are unbreakable. Food and resources within are plentiful. Carry on as usual."
Having said this, he vanished.
In the next instant, his figure appeared in the courtyard beneath the World Tree, where Elarielle and Lilith awaited.
The little garden remained as simple and familiar as before.
Lilith darted forward like a joyous lark, sapphire eyes sparkling like stars.
"Father! You're amazing! This is just… just incredible! Are we living in a myth now?"
Elarielle bowed gracefully, emerald eyes still brimming with awe and reverence.
"Lord Leo, your power… once again surpasses my imagination. Thanks to your gift, I have broken through at last!"
Leo smiled fondly at Lilith, then turned to Elarielle with approving eyes.
"Congratulations, Lady Elarielle, for shattering your shackles and stepping into a higher realm. Truthfully, even without this environment, reaching that height would only have been a matter of time for you."
Elarielle's smile, this time genuine, blossomed.
She knew better than anyone how difficult it was, in the current mana-starved world of Aresia, for a Grandmaster of Truth to emerge.
Yet in Dalton Town, the density and richness of mana had already become something beyond comprehension.
"All thanks to the miracle you created," she said softly.
Her eyes drifted toward Lilith, brimming with natural affection.
"Miss Lilith's gift is extraordinary as well. She has only just awakened her bloodline, and yet her aura is already steady and vast. Her future will be limitless."
"For precisely that reason," Leo continued, gently ruffling Lilith's hair,
"Though Dalton Town is wondrous, it is but a corner of the world. I intend to take Lilith with me for a few days, both to see to some matters and to broaden her horizons."
He looked at Elarielle, his voice calm yet unquestionable.
"During this time, Dalton Town will be entrusted to you."
Elarielle was mildly surprised that Leo would take Lilith away so soon after the city's rebirth.
But she knew full well—Leo's actions carried meanings not for her to second-guess.
Back when she had faced him in the abyssal rift, she thought Leo powerful, yes—but within limits.
At least, not this.
Yet now, with a gesture he had remade heaven and earth—she was wholly convinced.
The gulf between them was as vast as sky and abyss.
She bowed once more.
"As you command, Lord Leo. To guard your home is Elarielle's honor. Only…"
She hesitated.
"The city's affairs will be complex. The citizens, suddenly thrust into new power and a new environment, will have countless questions and need guidance…"
"I have made arrangements."
Leo inclined his head slightly, as if he had long planned this.
His voice was quiet, but carried through all of Dalton Town.
"Reize Blake. Steward Magnar. Yanna. Young Hans. Miss Morris. Come before me."
…
Moments later, several figures rushed into the courtyard, nervous yet excited.
At their head was Reize, son of the blacksmith Blake, now captain of Dalton Town's guard.
Following him was Magnar, the Grey family's long-serving steward—aged but sharp-eyed.
Then came Yanna, daughter of the confectioner Timan, a bright-eyed girl;
Young Hans, grandson of a farmer, sturdy and honest;
And Miss Morris, daughter of the general store's mistress, a competent and capable young woman.
They bowed stiffly under Leo's calm yet commanding gaze, and beneath the unfathomable aura of Elarielle beside him.
Whatever Leo once had been in their eyes, the events of late had burned reverence into their hearts.
"No need for formality."
Leo flicked his wrist.
Before them appeared several bottles of radiant elixirs and thick, ancient tomes glowing with arcane brilliance.
"Reize—this potion is the Source of the Thunder Titan, and this is the True Manual of the Immovable Bulwark. They will greatly refine your talent and strengthen your might. I trust you to guard Dalton's skies and earth in the future."
Reize thumped his chest with a clenched fist, eyes blazing.
Memories of bickering with the mayor over a potato pie as a child resurfaced, and he almost laughed.
Perhaps Leo had let him win back then. Such moments, he thought, would never come again.
"Magnar—this is the Elixir of Wisdom's Light, and the Codex of Order and Resource Optimization. With your experience, the city's governance will need your steady hand."
The old steward's cheeks flushed red as he accepted them, his once-cloudy mind suddenly clearing like lightning.
"Yanna—here, the Secret Brew of Sweet Accord, and the Recipes of Flavor Resonant with Mana. I hope you and your mother, Ms. Timan, will bring sweetness and laughter to the city."
"Young Hans—this is the Pulse of Earth's Essence, and the Sacred Tome of Fertile Hands. The cloudsoil beneath our feet will need your tending."
"Miss Morris—this is the Elixir of a Hundred Open Channels, and the Art of Thousand-Sails Trade and Logistics. Dalton Town shall not remain confined here forever."
…
Each gift fit perfectly with its recipient's nature and potential.
The youths trembled, staring at the gleaming elixirs and glowing tomes before them.
They were precious beyond measure.
And yet, here they were—bestowed freely.
There was no doubt: this was the hand of fate itself, granting them the power to change their destinies.