Son of the Hero King

Chapter 712: Grand Priest

The place where Sol appeared through his portal this time was in front of a small cabin embedded in a modest tree— a small distance away from the main settlement of the elves in this region.

Even without power related to the earth, one could feel the aura of nature rippling in every inch of this place. Beautiful and calm when admired from afar, but oh so dangerous when observed up close.

He did not have time to knock on the door when an elderly male voice came from the other side of the door.

“No need to knock, Your Majesty. My door is always open for you.”

Sol tilted his head. He was sure he had hidden any fluctuation of energy when he moved spaces. But, remembering who the man on the other side was, he nodded to himself in understanding.

“I am entering then.” He twisted the doorknob and opened the door wide, showing an interior scene that was as humble as the exterior of the cabin. In the small space, there was only an old man sitting with two steaming cups of tea in front of him.

“I greet The Grand Priest.”

“Haha, I am just an old man waiting patiently for death’s embrace. No need for such formalities. Would you take a seat and enjoy some tea with me? I grew these leaves personally.”

“Heh, how could I refuse a tea made with the leaves of the World Tree?” Sol chuckled and sat opposite of the Grand Priest. Taking the cup of tea exuding a rich, invigorating aroma, he brought it to his lips and savored the warm liquid.

His mind immediately felt refreshed. This was an effect not so much different from the Spring, and since it was not considered a poison, his body was able to process the effect much better.

“Good tea. If it was possible, I would like to bring some with me.”

“Hehehe…” The Grand Priest gave him a meaningful smile, and Sol shrugged in response. At least he tried, right?

“Though, I am a bit surprised. Did you know I was coming?”

“No. When the ravens cawed at dawn, I had a feeling an important guest was about to come. I had to prepare myself.”

A raven?

Sol turned his gaze instinctively.

Caw!

Beyond the mountain peak, far in the distance, two large ravens perched on a dead tree flew off into the sky the moment he laid his eyes upon them.

One-eyed ravens.

“Those are… very interesting pets.”

“They are friends who fought alongside me for years. Gifted with a small gift of precognition by the Dragon Empress. Huginn and Muninn are their names. Though now they are nothing but tired and old. There was once a time they flew and explored the whole of Mortal Realm for me. Those were truly beautiful days.” A merry laugh escaped his wrinkled lips, his white beard shaking with mirth.

Huginn and Muninn. Names he did not expect to hear from a place like this. In Norse mythology, Huginn and Muninn were a pair of ravens that served under the god Odin and flew all over the world to bring information to Odin.

In many ways, those were fitting names for them.

“Speaking of. How is the lass? That young witch was quite a handful back then.”

“Lass?” Was he talking about Persephone? Sol had gathered that Persephone was definitely someone quite dangerous when she was younger.

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“Hum… I guess calling her a lass now would be a form of disrespect. She is an esteemed Demigod, after all. Her title was Thousand Spells.”

“......” Sol paused at the implication. “You mean Ambrosia?”

“Ohohoh. Indeed. Ambrosia. She was a courageous girl. I still remember when she got imprisoned by the guardians of the World Tree after she tried to steal all our books regarding magic. In the end, she became a student here for a few years and rightfully earned her knowledge.”

The Grand Priest showed an expression filled with reminiscence as he spoke about events that would most likely make Ambrosia writhe in shame. Sol was forced to remind himself that the man who stood in front of him was a relic of a past so far removed from the current time, so forgotten that he could barely even begin to understand it.

A man who could even call someone like Ambrosia a child. A man who participated in one of the deadliest wars and lived to tell the tale.

His old and frail appearance was unfitting of an elf. Proof that he had largely surpassed what should have been his natural lifespan.

Sol could still remember a quote from his world,

“Beware of an old man in a profession where men die young.” He spoke out loud, startling the Grand Priest for a moment. The man’s eyes opened wide, but soon a good-natured smile formed on his face. One far more sincere than anything he had shown earlier.

“What an interesting quote filled with Wisdom.” He nodded and muttered the words to himself over and over. Clearly, it was to his liking.

“Very well. We can talk about the past later. Why don’t we talk about the present? Tell me, Your Majesty. Now that you have the Supreme Daughter and the Queen under your thumb, what do you wish to accomplish?”

“While it may be impolite of me, let me ask you a question before I answer yours. Do you think War needs a righteous cause?”

In the Mortal Realm, this old man had most likely seen more war than anyone else alive.

“Hum…” The Grand Priest considered Sol’s words for a moment.

“Only children who never fought in a war or lost something to it have the misconception that war is a glorious thing, an epoch of their times. As for righteousness?” The Grand Priest smiled, “War doesn’t decide who is right, only who is left. Why the question, Your Majesty?”

“I do not like war,” Sol answered honestly. “If it was possible, I wish we could just have the leaders fight and make a decision. If my goal was simply to win, then it is what I would have done.”

“.... So what do you seek?”

“Peace. My peace.”

“So, to obtain your peace, you will bring war to this world?”

“To obtain my peace, I will bring conquest.”

“A new Conqueror King?”

“No. I am only but a Selfish Prince. So, dear Priest, I would like to ask. Will the elves stand behind me?”

“Why ask when you already know the answer? No elf in this world would dare to defy you.”

“You are wrong. There is at least one, and he is sitting right in front of me.”

The tension grew thick as both old and young men gazed into each other’s eyes.

“Are you asking for my reverence?” The Grand Priest asked calmly, a smile still playing on his lips.

“No. I am asking for your assistance.”

“What kind of assistance would you need from a retired old man?”

“Simple.” Sol looked at the tea in his hand.

“The leaves? It would not be too hard.”

“No, no, no. Not merely the leaves. I want far more than that.” Sol grinned. “I want the seed of the World Tree.”

The Grand Priest coughed as if he had a bone stuck in his throat. This was definitely not what he had expected.

“That is impossible! In the first place, growing a World Tree would need the pure blood of a Supreme Daughter and you —”

“Jasmine is still a virgin. Well, technically speaking, at least.”

“Huh…?” The Priest paused, confused. Then his eyes bulged out when he connected the dots, “You mean…?”

“Yes.”

“Seriously?”

“Indeed.”

“That tiny hole?”

“I will exercise my right to remain silent.”

“... Damn.” The old man sagged in his seat, his expression lost as if realizing that the cute girl he had raised was not so cute any longer. The big bad wolf had gobbled her up and changed her for the worse.

This time, it was Sol’s turn to cough awkwardly. From what Jasmine told him, the Grand Priest had no child of his own. But he played a role similar to Kiyohime for the elves and had raised nearly all of them. Calling him Jasmine and Satella’s father would not be an exaggeration.

Sol briefly wondered if he would show such expression in the future as a father. Having a daughter might be quite the ordeal.

If before, the two looked like they were about to draw their blades and fight, now a subtle, vague atmosphere of uncertainty settled between the two of them.

“Well…” The Grand Priest licked his dry lips, “Even if we have the blood. It’s still impossible. The growth of the World Tree needs at least a hundred years just to become a sprout, and that is in normal circumstances. The mana in the current Mortal Realm is far too thin to allow the birth of a new tree.”

“Time is not a problem. As for the location— who said I was going to plant it in the Mortal Realm?”

Sol’s eyes twinkled. The ritual Jasmine had in mind was something he had not thought about, and he was glad to have her on his side.

“I will plant the seed in my dimension.”

And I will use it as an anchor to connect my dimension to the Mortal Realm.

He did not speak that last part out loud. It was still not the time to share the depth of his ambitions to the world.

“So… What will you do?”

The Grand Priest, now calm once more, nodded his head. “I am not so senile that I do not understand the situation. You gave me enough respect by asking me first. Why should I fight the inevitable? I only have one condition.”

“I am listening.”

“Please, take care of Satella and Jasmine.”

“I would have done so without you asking. They are mine now, and I always protect what is mine.”

“Heh, then I will believe, not in the words of Sol, the Crown Prince of Lustburg. But rather in the endless greed of Sol, the Dragon Emperor.” He laughed out loud, an unfettered, carefree laugh.

As the two shared a firm handshake, the sun finally rose in the sky.

Dawn has arrived.

It was time for Sol to leave Southern Pride.