Chapter 50: Chapter 48 Glory
"Yes, your insight is clear, Elder!"
Brin still seemed to be somewhat shaken as he knelt in front of Elder Prudeâs desk, reporting, "I was just making a few rounds outside Osennaâs house, thinking about how to enter and observe the situation, when Ian... he simply opened the window and told me to stay away."
At this point, recalling the scene of being watched by everyone, Brin still felt his cheeks and ears burning.
Having a face-saving nature, being caught spying was naturally humiliating, but who called on him after he had indeed been greedily trying to snatch the Sleep Powder from Ianâs hands? And then was approached by Elder Prude to go and probe for information about Ian?
This was both punishment and a chance to make amends.
"Hm."
Having listened to Brinâs report, Elder Prude fell into contemplation with a hum, "Through the house and the street, he noticed you... Although I told you to be a bit more conspicuous, itâs also possible that he was simply already looking out of the window, so he could detect you immediately."
"No, no, no!"
Now it was Brin who was eager to argue: "I paid special attention to the windowsâI know my eyesight, I can find Endar Medicinal Moss in the bushes, Ian definitely wasnât by the window before, he discovered me out of thin air, then came straight over and scolded me to leave!"
"Oh?"
Elder Prude gazed at Brin, who dropped his head in fear again, with a faint smile, and then slowly said, "You should have guessed why I asked you to do this... I thought that you, having offended Ian, wouldnât want to admit that he is a Spirit Energy User."
"Elder, I was just being greedy for a moment, not truly foolish!" Brin knelt at the Elderâs desk, begging, "If Ian really is a Spirit Energy User, what difference would it make whether I deny it or not? Can I deceive myself, let alone others? I just hope you will speak well of me in the future, and hope that Ian wonât hold a grudge, so he does not seek revenge on me later..."
"I also hope you can forgive me, Elder, I was really stupid, I had no idea... If Iâd known Ian might be a Spirit Energy User, I definitely wouldnât have dared to harbor such thoughts!"
"Hm."
The old man responded softly, and Brin, who had been gasping for air, relaxed somewhat, breathing a sigh of relief.
Elder Prude never promised lightly, but since he had already agreed, he would certainly help smooth things over in the future.
He had already thought of some rare herbs at home; although they were expensive, compared to the potential revenge of a Spirit Energy User in the future, they seemed cheap.
Now that he thought about it, he had been foolish. As a neighbor, how could he not be clear about what kind of person Osenna was? Even a burst of violence, killing one or two Native Hunters, would be the limit; how could he possibly kill four? He must have had help, and that person could definitely see through the Nativesâ stealth skills hidden in the darkness!
Brin was an experienced herbalist, often dealing and even fighting with the Natives, very aware of the capabilities of the Redwood Natives in the woods, hence, while others might not think much of it, he could easily notice the strangeness in Ianâs words.
And all this strangeness could be explained by âIan had awakened his Spirit Energyâ!
A Spirit Energy User at the age of eight... even among the White Folks, this age was astonishingly young!
"You keep observing Ian."
Just as Brin was feeling vexed and fearful, Elder Prudeâs voice rang out again: "Do not reveal this. Remember, everyone now knows you tried to snatch Ianâs Sleep Powder and were even loitering around his house, with ill intentions."
"If others knew Ian was a Spirit Energy User, how would they deal with you to please him?"
"Continue observing with my guardâs cooperation. Since Ian hasnât said anything to me now, weâll wait until heâs willing to tell me himself. I believe that given this childâs intelligence... it wonât be too long. Before then, I need someone to report on Ianâs behavior to me, to ensure his safety."
Narrowing his eyes, Elder Prude watched Brin, who had bowed down, and said softly, "You can leave now. Brin, I hope you remember this lesson; we are all family of the same Bloodline, your spying on a family member naturally brings with it consequences and punishment."
"When Ian is ready to reveal his status as a Spirit Energy User, I will explain all this to him, and I believe that child would be willing to forgive you."
"You may leave."
"Yes, Elder."
Brin shuddered at the thought of what might happen to him after Ian the Spirit Energy Userâs identity was exposed, and dared not say more.
He bowed deeply and left, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
After Brin staggered out of the Elderâs Hall, Elder Prude did not pick up the documents to continue working.
He turned his head to look outside the window.
The night had deepened, the rain was torrential, but the center of Harrison Port was still brightly lit.
There were two origins of the White Folks in the entire Harrison Port: one was a large family of White Folks who had been exiled from the Imperial Capital, and the other consisted of White Folks from the Southern Territory who had gathered bit by bit.
Thereâs no need to mention the scattered ones, as they have now been integrated. All the White Folks of Harrison Port are now one tribe.
He, Prude, was also once nothing more than a high-ranking offspring from that large family, the accidental progeny of a Dwarf, inheriting mostly the White Folksâ side, but still possessing Dwarven traits and part of his fatherâs heritage.
When the family was still glorious, he was just a mediocre, somewhat neglected descendent.
However, during a major plan, the entire family was banished to this remote place in the Southern Border by the one now known as the âBlack Tyrant,â the Former Emperor, stripped of history, surname, and all inheritance.
All the Sublimators were executed or imprisoned in another frontier, losing all foundation completely.
Instead, because of his Dwarven fatherâs heritage, which was not part of the White Folks, he miraculously avoided the disaster and was not revoked.
With the identity of a Sublimator, he actually became the only authority, the only Elder, after the family migrated to Harrison Port, in the Southern Border.
"Ah... so many years have passed..."
His thoughts returned, and the old man tiredly lifted his hand, massaging the bridge between his eyes. He couldnât help but recall scenes from many years ago.
[âPrude, promise me... promise me not to resent His Majesty, it is indeed the retribution we deserve for the great mistake we have made...]
[But the children are innocent! I beg you, do not leave, you are the only Sublimator among us. Lead the children to take root in the Southern Border...]
[Only you can do this...]
The old woman, too frail to leave her bed, appealed to him in a tone of vulnerability she had never shown him before. It was probably the only request she had ever made in her life.
He could not refuse, nor did he want to.
He was eager to show her his capabilityâto prove himself equal to anyone and perhaps even better than any other White Folk.
"Decades have passed, Mother..."
Opening his eyes, staring into the dark night as the heavy rain poured down, the short but stocky and dignified old man sighed softly, revealing a rare moment of vulnerability: "At last, I have an opportunity and a hope."
"Generations have passed, and all our people have begun to forget our past... Although itâs somewhat unfair to that child, we truly need it."
"We need a hope to reclaim our glory."
Meanwhile, outside the window of the Elderâs Hall, on the west side of Harrison Port.
At the edge of a steep cliff that extends south, where countless lightning strikes converge, known to all locals as Sigh Cliff.
A tall, gray-haired man with a build like an iron tower stood on the edge of the cliff.
He stepped firmly onto a large rock, his gaze solemn as he stared into the depths of the distant sea.