Chapter 209

Kailan stared at the queen’s back, cleverly glancing around.

This area behind the podium where the queen stood was, by its very position, completely out of sight from those in the square below.

Thus, it wasn’t uncommon for individuals to exchange subtle glances or quietly discuss opinions with those seated beside them without causing much disturbance.

“So, announcing it to the populace really means solidifying and declaring this point, doesn’t it?”

“Whether this choice will be a blessing or a calamity….”

…Judging from the context, they seemed to know something.

The expressions on most people here were so solemn and stoic that it was hard to guess what they were thinking just from that alone.

But even so… we’ll find out soon enough.

The queen paused after finishing her speech, taking a moment to steady her breath.

-This is a story about one of the truths shown to us by the Sacred Tree.

Here it comes.

While not all High Elves fully understood what future the Sacred Tree had presented to our race, some did grasp part of it.

And it wasn’t hopeful—it was cruel, distant, and harsh reality.

-The Sacred Tree has informed us that our race’s fate is sealed.

That statement caused quite a stir.

Enough to unsettle over ten thousand elves gathered in the square.

‘So she’s decided to go down this path.’

It’s one of the expected developments.

After revealing an undeniable, brutal truth…

…she’ll guide the crowd toward doing what we want them to do.

Then the mission given to that human child must be….

-And furthermore, this is also a cry and compassionate message from the Sacred Tree itself, telling us that Its end is near.

Even among the seats occupied by High Elves…

And among the countless elven citizens, kin, comrades in the square…

They instinctively sensed that this wouldn’t end simply.

-But don’t be anxious. Don’t fear. This isn’t a foreboding prophecy of impending doom or inevitable parting.

First, shock them to capture their attention.

Then calm their fears with a solution.

A basic incitement tactic, but its effectiveness depends on how seriously the authority figure delivering it behaves.

The queen deliberately alternates between silence and speeches, carefully controlling the atmosphere.

Before emotions can fully rise or swell, her skill in drawing in and amplifying the collective mood goes beyond what might normally be seen among elves—almost alien talent.

As a gentle breeze brushes past her body, her blue hair flutters wildly while she resumes speaking with her vivid lips.

-That future will be another gateway we must overcome together. For reaching greater heights! And it is another opportunity for all of us to survive and earn glory.

…Kailan thought.

These words now are meaningless, empty rhetoric.

Hollow, futile wordplay.

-I will speak here about how and whether we should achieve this.

‘Still vague.’

The end of the Sacred Tree and the ensuing fear and anxiety haven’t fully spread yet, which is why.

Once the queen finishes speaking, everyone will understand and remember just how serious this is.

If this is merely some absurd attempt at morale boosting or propaganda…

…her future will become precarious.

All responsibility and blame will fall on her.

Declaring the truth carries such weight.

And surely, the wise queen knows this fact.

So she’ll likely present a clear answer.

Something everyone can easily understand and accept.

‘But either way… your choice is flawed.’

Kailan was prepared to oppose whatever she said next and rebel against it.

He planned to use it as leverage to pull her off the throne and remove her crown.

‘I shouldn’t be leading this.’

There must be others who cannot accept the Sacred Tree’s end, both here and elsewhere.

How they react to hearing this will be crucial.

Even if they’ve coordinated beforehand…

…there are limits to everything.

‘Tying the survival of our race to that human child… If he desires war, we’ll have war; if he desires destruction, we’ll accept it—but clearly, that’s not all there is.’

Our race is ruthless and cold when it comes to survival.

Yet entrusting this to him suggests that, in their reasoning, it’s the wisest choice.

However, keeping it secret from everyone else… That’s a problem we can’t overlook.

And this is the perfect setting to expose it.

-I… …have become engaged….

Hmm…?

For a moment lost in thought, I think I heard something important.

“Did I hear that wrong?”

A look of bewilderment briefly crossed the stern face of my friend sitting beside me.

“No. It was mentioned briefly before, but no one took it seriously.”

“But how could she consider marrying a human….”

“He’s of the Radiance bloodline. Plus, he has strong ties to influential families across the continent.”

“…That doesn’t matter, but hasn’t everyone who knows already accepted that he was chosen by the Sacred Tree?”

Something’s off.

It could be a reasonable decision, but…

The issue is that alongside officially announcing the engagement to a human, the following words were utterly unexpected.

-Our Lord, who has emerged from His cocoon, announces the day He shall ascend to Heaven! Let us rejoice and mourn appropriately!

…What nonsense.

Didn’t the Sacred Tree predict and declare our demise?

And through this human child, we’ve learned the undeniable truth.

He Himself has abandoned life continuation.

And indirectly proclaimed this to us!

Wasn’t it this human child who made us realize it?

‘Is the prophecy misinterpreted? Were we deceived? Or is someone lying?’

Impossible.

How long have the visionaries wrestled with confusion and despair over this issue?

What? Ascension? Returning to heaven?

Are they trying to beautify death and destruction like this…?

‘No. That’s not it.’

Is this the truth she speaks of?

‘Deception! She intends to deceive everyone here!’

Kailan seethed internally.

Then calmly whispered to his friends on either side as he steadied his breathing.

“It’s probably false.”

“What?”

“What does that mean?”

“…Procedurally, this makes sense.”

If we abruptly reveal the harsh truth to everyone, shocking them immediately…

We’d have to take immediate action, whatever it may be.

Right now.

But with this gradual approach, we can plan long-term.

This is the moment for exactly that.

‘But.’

This leaves us without answers.

During this time, the queen will undoubtedly expand her authority using this justification.

She might even gain the legitimacy to issue commands to the guardians of the four directions.

By then, the influence and power of that human kid will have noticeably grown.

-And He chose this person to bid farewell to Him.

As the queen extended her hand toward Carriel, he stepped up beside her on the left.

‘Not once. How many times has He deceived us? And who are the targets?’

By mentioning the forbidden law hidden by elves and revealing concrete war plans…

How they intend to manipulate the continent…

The importance of speed and decisiveness…

That human kid convinced everyone through these contents.

But now, this seems completely contradictory.

And for some reason, despite all this, the senators, elders, and even the queen seem to believe that he won’t just stop at planning but will genuinely implement and accomplish everything.

There’s something going on.

But only a few know.

…Perhaps this unwarranted belief needs to remain more secretive than the mention of the Sacred Tree’s demise.

Or is it another measure to cover up some other hidden truth?

My head hurts.

‘Thinking too hard about this here is pointless.’

They’ve already prepared and are pushing forward with their own plans.

If we’re not going to give up, then we should…

-Hence, I will give the proxy who inherits the Sacred Tree’s will the opportunity to express his thoughts and wishes.

As the queen stepped back, the young human naturally took center stage alone on the podium.

…

The boy, standing calmly with his gaze lowered, composed his breathing steadily.

His pitch-black hair swayed gently in the light breeze.

When his closed eyes opened like blossoming flowers, a pair of golden orbs revealed themselves.

Radiance poured forth, piercing through vast distances with clarity.

Like…

Even though it sits as a small dot in the vast sky,

It effortlessly bathes the entire world in brilliant light, unique and singular—just like the sun.

-Greetings. While most of you probably already know me, I’d still like to formally introduce myself.

I am Carriel Brendiar.

You might call me the foremost of the nine heroes, also known as the Great Warrior and the sole Knight of Glory, Ruelde Brendiar. Additionally, I’m the eldest son of two blessed parents: one of the nine heroes, another Great Warrior, and renowned as the High Holy Maiden and Mother of Irene’s Order, Hermine Brendiar.

And… Was I seven or eight? At that age, I petitioned the Emperor on behalf of Princess Ellie Berg Enzul, my close friend, to contribute to continental peace by becoming the first hostage sent to Dabas Kingdom. There, I eventually became sworn brothers with their Crown Prince, the Wolf Prince, overcoming great hardships.

Furthermore, I resolved a 130-year-old feud between the twin kings of Banus Kingdom, preventing unnecessary territorial wars and earning their respect. I also became King Metran’s riding companion, advising him to consolidate royal power, purge corrupt ministers, and distribute authority to benefit the people. Eventually, I helped him earn the people’s praise and admiration.

Beyond that, I’ve built friendships and exchanged favors with many along the way, and this process continues even today.

Personally, if you’ve been chatting with me, you might know this already, but for those who don’t, please don’t feel left out.

If I told everything from the start, it’d be too grand, so let’s save the rest for next time.

…

……

Initially, he spoke with an air of unexpected seriousness for his age.

But as he continued, his perfectly precise gestures and etiquette transformed into something more akin to a storyteller or wandering bard.

Singing-like, yet never straying from proper decorum, he succinctly recounted his achievements.

There was no trace of boasting or showing off; instead, his tone made everything seem entirely justified and natural.

And that commanding presence spread effortlessly to everyone influenced by his eloquence and rhetoric.

Yet, it wasn’t overwhelming or heavy, nor sharp.

Rather, it felt like a soft breeze at the end, drawing everyone’s attention naturally.

-As Her Majesty the Queen has stated, perhaps I arrived here on this glorious land guided by destiny and arrangement.

I conversed with the Sacred Tree beyond Its voice, witnessing the bleak and terrible future It showed me. I shared part of this revelation with Her Majesty, the fourteen councilors, and the elders and senior members.

This revelation was so shocking that they undoubtedly grappled deeply with its dissemination.

Therefore, I will address this now. The Sacred Tree, which has presented and arranged our race’s future, will soon enter Its rest.

But! This rest does not signify a pitiful and tragic end. As Her Majesty said, this is ascension—a return to heaven.

In essence, He is transitioning from being the Earth Mother Deity who tenderly embraced all to becoming one who embraces and caresses the entirety of the world.

Thus, He will no longer solely arrange and care for you all.

His grace, consideration, compassion, and love… will transcend our resting place, the continent, to encompass the vast skies and expansive seas—everything.

…

Even while performing this act, Carriel couldn’t help but sigh internally amidst his calm demeanor.

Yes.

…This is.

Undoubtedly a grand falsehood.

But.

If this falsehood is filled with nothing but goodwill and good deeds…

If we can make it so…

Will this falsehood remain mere falsehood until the end?

In a way, this is the question and answer I seek in my life.

I am not a father.

I lack the courage and passion He has, and I cannot inspire others with strength and hope.

I am not a mother.

I cannot comfort, love, or care for everyone—or even forgive their sins.

-In this regard, I wish to confess a new truth openly to everyone gathered here.

At that moment,

a soft yet deep and low sound began spreading across the area.

A strange resonance that captivated eardrums despite its subtlety.

As everyone marveled at this sensation,

Carriel began declaring in a calm tone, completely different from before.

-Our new and eternal Mother has descended and dwelled here for a millennium, ten millennia, and beyond.

Now, She ascends to heaven.

We humbly beseech Her to watch over all of us beneath this land with love and compassion.

–

—

With that—

Such light—

Golden and white-night brilliance—

Burst forth, cutting through the immense branches and leaves of the World Tree that seemed to cover the entire sky.

Descending from above, touching the ground right here,

Where the human boy stood.

Sacred beams of light cascaded down gloriously, brilliantly.

Unconsciously, the masses closed their eyes, and through their ears came a profound, almost holy melody.

Just listening to it stirred their hearts, moistening their dry chests and uplifting their spirits.

Without realizing it, hands clasped together, knees bent, heads bowed, arms wrapped around bodies in reverence.

-Today, the end reunites with the beginning. Glory and eternity reign. Here passes the king of an ancient world.

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