Chapter 128 – Parent of the Elves (Part 5)

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Orion’s sudden proposal. Elbridge asked with a bit of wariness.

“What kind of favor is it?”

Orion looked at Sonya.

“Where should I even begin… Sonya. Did you share that story?”

There was only one story that Orion could be referring to as “that story.”

The past history of Jean, Bella, and the Goddess of Thorns.

Marcus glanced at Sonya.

‘Did Sonya promise to tell us that story?’

However, judging by Sonya’s bewildered expression, it seemed she hadn’t said anything of the sort.

Marcus feigned ignorance and asked Sonya.

“Sonya. What story are you talking about? That you two were together today? Or was there something else?”

Thanks to Marcus’s slick remarks, Sonya regained her composure.

Sonya crossed her arms, pouted, and glared at Orion.

“Orion. I’m not that light-lipped of a woman. How disappointing.”

“I’m sorry, Sonya. It wasn’t because I doubted you. I just thought it would be easier to deliver the request if you knew the details. And the Goddess of Thorns said that you would definitely have told the story to your companions…”

In a way, it was an incredibly bold statement.

Orion sold out the Goddess of Thorns just to make an excuse to Sonya.

‘…How long has it been since he met Sonya for him to react like that?’

Sonya’s honey trap might be far more powerful than they thought.

No, at that rate, it might be closer to brainwashing rather than a honey trap.

“Whew.”

Sonya let out a playful sigh, putting on an expression as if she couldn’t help it.

“I’ll let it slide this time. Anyway, you want me to tell them that story, right?”

“Right.”

“Alright. Everyone, listen up. Here is how the Goddess of Thorns ascended to heaven…”

Sonya retold the story of Jean and Bella, and Elbridge’s party listened once more, looking as if they were hearing it for the first time.

When the story was repeated once more, Rombel wiped away mock tears as if moved.

“It’s a beautiful story. To think the love and bond between parent and child could be so deep.”

Orion nodded.

“It certainly is. I thought so too when I first heard the story from Lord Jean and Lady Bella.”

Interest flickered on Elbridge’s face. Did that mean he thought differently now?

“Lord Orion. Is there perhaps something in that story that differs from the truth?”

Orion shook his head.

“No. The Goddess of Thorns also said there were absolutely no lies in that story. There are just some parts that were omitted. And there are also problems that arose as time passed.”

“For instance?”

“Well… first of all. When the Goddess of Thorns was born, Lord Jean and Lady Bella were said to be slightly over a hundred years old.”

Sonya and Marcus showed no particular reaction.

However, Elbridge and Rombel were somewhat flustered. Since the two of them knew the ecology of elves to some extent.

A human’s hundred years and an elf’s hundred years are completely different.

If an ordinary human lived to a hundred, it was a life that enjoyed natural longevity.

But for an elf, a hundred years of age was a period where it was difficult to even be recognized as an adult.

Such being the case, it was common for elves to have children after two or three hundred years of age.

“…It seems the two of them were somewhat precocious.”

Unlike other elves who settled down and lived, he felt he knew the reason why Jean and Bella wandered the world.

Wasn’t it just because they were going through a period of storm and stress?

“And there is one fact that I also only found out a little while ago… they say the Goddess of Thorns’ ascension happened about three thousand years ago.”

“That is certainly a long time ago. But is that a problem?”

Orion looked slightly troubled.

“Well… of course, a long lifespan is a blessing. It is only natural for a child to wish for their parents’ longevity. But sometimes it can become a problem. For instance, when a child has been unable to escape their parents’ interference for three thousand years.”

“…”

An ordinary person is bound to break away from their parents’ care and become independent by the time they reach adulthood.

However, occasionally, overly anxious parents treat their adult children like young kids. As if to keep the child in their embrace forever, they reject the child’s independence.

Even if it was slightly twisted, that too was a parent’s love.

But to the child receiving that love, it could also become an oppression that was hard to endure. Let alone when that period was not just a few years, but three thousand years.

“To repay their downward love, the Goddess of Thorns bestowed the authority of longevity upon Lord Jean and Lady Bella. She thought that after a few hundred years or perhaps a thousand years, the two of them would also conclude their lives and enter the cycle of circulation, wrapping up this life and entering the next… or so she thought. But two problems arose here.”

Elbridge took up Orion’s story.

“The first problem would be that Lord Jean and Lady Bella had no intention of concluding their lives.”

“Exactly.”

Orion clapped his hands as he said that, and Elbridge posed a question.

“Then, what is the second problem?”

“It’s a matter of divine authority.”

“Authority?”

“As you all know, the seats held by the Goddess of Thorns are not many.”

The Goddess of Thorns always possessed only a single seat. It was a result of the small number of elves.

Looking back, even two hundred years ago, elves used to complain that the system for calculating the number of seats was unreasonable.

Since elves lived ten times longer than humans, their logic was that voting rights should also be given tenfold compared to humans to be fair. Asking if the Goddess of Thorns shouldn’t also be allocated about ten seats.

However, the only ones who agreed with that opinion were the dwarves and the God of the Steel Anvil.

Elbridge asked.

“I know that much… but what problem does having few seats cause?”

“Unlike other authorities that are done once authority is consumed, the authority of longevity continuously consumes divine authority.”

It was as expected.

Otherwise, all elves would have lived for eternity.

“And the reason there are only three Sentinels is because if the authority of longevity is divided among three, the authority that the Goddess of Thorns can bestow runs completely dry.”

Rombel chimed in to offer his opinion.

“Since it’s such a powerful authority, couldn’t that just be the case?”

“That is correct. The problem is that Lord Jean and Lady Bella use two-thirds of the authority allocated to the Goddess of Thorns. Of course, I am also using one-third… And due to the ecology of the elves, one more problem arises.”

“What ecology?”

“Elves rarely venture outside the forest.”

“Why is that a problem?”

At Rombel’s question, Orion replied in a serious voice.

“Having no remaining authority and the believers not going outside the forest means… all the goddess in heaven could do for the past three thousand years was kill time by watching the elves inside the forest. If the situation doesn’t change, she will have to continue doing so in the future.”

As he listened to the explanation, Elbridge shuddered.

While spending two hundred years blankly inside the seal was hard to bear, the Goddess of Thorns had done nothing but watch the forest for over three thousand years.

Moreover, unlike Elbridge who had been released from the seal, the Goddess of Thorns was still in a situation that was not much different. There was no promise of when she would ever be freed.

Marcus looked at Orion.

“So, what does the Goddess of Thorns want from us? It’s not like she wants us to ki… no, eliminate Jean and Bella.”

There were ethical issues, and there was also the issue of capability.

Since Jean and Bella were skilled individuals to the point that Elbridge’s party couldn’t subdue them. Though it might be possible if they received Orion’s help… they did not want to take such a risk.

Orion replied.

“Regardless of the method, please help those two give up their Sentinel positions and eternal life.”

If Jean and Bella laid down their Sentinel positions, new Sentinels would not be selected. Even if they were, a limit would be placed on their lifespans.

“Since it is an authority bestowed by the goddess, can’t she just retrieve it herself?”

“They say it’s impossible. Because it is an authority granted under mutual agreement, unilateral retrieval is supposedly impossible.”

However, Marcus had a displeased look on his face.

“It doesn’t seem like a good situation for outsiders like us to get involved in this matter. It seems best for the Goddess of Thorns to speak honestly through an oracle.”

“Of course, the Goddess of Thorns has tried such methods as well. But they didn’t even pay attention…”

Indeed, if persuasion had worked, there wouldn’t have been any worries in the first place.

Yet, Marcus asked once more.

“Still, how about trying to talk again? There is an old saying that no parent can win against their child.”

Orion shook his head.

“It’s an incorrect old saying. There are at least two parents who win against their child.”

“…Oh dear.”

Marcus fell into deep thought.

In the past ten or so years of living as a mercenary, he had received all kinds of bizarre requests, but this was the most strange request among them. A request commissioned by a heavenly god. Even the content of the request was bizarre.

Just then, a question flashed through Elbridge’s mind.

Just like Jean and Bella, wasn’t Orion also a Sentinel who had been granted a long lifespan?

“Lord Orion. Why are you relaying such a story to us?”

“Yes?”

“If Lord Jean and Lady Bella give up their eternal life, it’s obvious that you, Lord Orion, will be next. It seems you have no reason to take the side of the Goddess of Thorns.”

It was a rather bold question.

A question that might anger the Goddess of Thorns, who in all likelihood was listening to this conversation.

But Elbridge believed in the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.

If it was the Goddess of the Rusty Shield, shining with a whopping four seats, she should be able to overwhelm the Goddess of Thorns.

Orion answered hesitantly.

“…To be honest, I think it’s better for Lord Jean and Lady Bella to retire, even if I have to give up my own eternal life.”

Elbridge was inwardly impressed. Was his loyalty toward the Goddess of Thorns truly that great?

But the direction of Orion’s story was slightly different.

“After the previous Sentinel resigned, I’ve been acting as Lord Jean and Lady Bella’s lackey… no, subordinate for six hundred years. Rather than living like this forever, I want to live short and thick. And the Goddess of Thorns said she would guarantee another thousand years of life.”

There was one cruel aspect to a hierarchy established by age. The fact that the order of top and bottom absolutely never changes.

‘A senior who lives forever. That’s a bit horrific…’

Should they accept this request, or reject it?

Elbridge did not know which side was correct.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield and the God of the Sunshower, who were undoubtedly watching this situation, were also silent.

It must mean that they would respect whichever choice he made.

And Elbridge realized there was a card he had not yet flipped over and shown.

“If we accept this request, what kind of reward will the Goddess of Thorns provide?”

Orion replied to Elbridge’s question.

“She promised full support for the next hundred years.”

The full support promised by the Goddess of Thorns was highly likely to lead to the backing of the entire elven race. Since the elves were a race that faithfully served the Goddess of Thorns despite not receiving much in particular.

“Also, she said she would appoint the Goddess of the Rusty Shield as the secretary of the Heavenly Goddess Standing Committee.”

Elbridge did not know what a standing committee was, or what a secretary was.

But it was clear that it was a tremendous condition. Since the Goddess of the Rusty Shield reacted immediately.

– Elbridge. Accept the proposal.

The faithful paladin Elbridge obeyed his goddess’s will.

“Very well.”