From this morning, the entire Grand Temple was bustling.
It was because everyone was busy preparing to welcome the delegation from the Elven Kingdom.
"Everyone's busy."
Except for us, who were in charge of the internal security.
As Heinrich casually remarked, Lyrin, who was standing guard at the passage leading to the gate with him, nodded and replied.
"It was a sudden decision, after all. Considering the scale of the exchange involving the High Elves, the time from decision to implementation was very short. It's inevitable that the preparations would be lacking."
True to her words, the collaboration with the Elven Kingdom had been decided only a few days ago, yet everything progressed rapidly.
This wasn't a schedule that could be hastened by one side alone.
Both sides had to agree and hurry as much as possible.
'Even if the Order considers tracking the descendant of the Immortal King urgent, what urgent matter could there be in the Elven Kingdom?'
In reality, all the Order had to do was prepare to welcome the delegation, but it was they who had to cross the sea.
Traveling across the continent couldn't have been easy.
Yet, their haste indicated a very urgent matter...
'Whatever their purpose, it's meaningless for me to ponder about it here.'
Having obtained information earlier, I was able to buy time to strengthen the barrier, and that was enough for now.
"Still, it feels a bit bad to be this free while everyone else is so busy."
"There's nothing we can do about it. This is our job, after all."
Those busy with preparations to welcome the guests.
Unlike the outer Paladins, who were busy strengthening their vigilance and patrolling in case of any unseemly incidents, the internal guards, the Glorious Guardians, were continuing their usual duties without such concerns.
'The Inquisitors will handle checking the infiltration routes towards the Grand Temple.'
Of course, there were more things to be concerned about than usual, but even considering all that, it wasn't as much as what others were facing.
"Our real job begins when we start welcoming the delegation. Then we'll really have no time to breathe, so don't feel too bad."
"Ah, no... I wasn't feeling bad about that..."
While we were talking, a group led by the Saintess approached from the other end of the passage.
"It seems it's about time. From now on, we really need to be careful not to make even a minor mistake."
"Yes."
As they straightened their posture and focused ahead, it was then.
"Hello! Sir Lyrin, Sir Heinrich. Are you two in charge of the security here today?"
The Saintess greeted us cheerfully, leading a line of people behind her.
"Yes, Saintess. Are you going to welcome the delegation from the Elven Kingdom?"
"Yes! We received a message from the temple in the east. They'll arrive here after passing through the gate twice more."
As the Saintess's behavior wasn't new, everyone there was accustomed to interacting with her.
Lyrin naturally received her greeting and conversed with her, then subtly stepped back and pointed towards the gate.
"Then they'll be here shortly. Shouldn't you be heading in to meet them?"
"Ah! Right. They must have already passed through once by now!"
As the Saintess nodded and turned towards the gate, she paused, glanced at Heinrich, and seemed to ponder something.
"......"
"......?"
An unexpected silence followed.
In the awkward situation where the attention of those around him began to focus on himself one by one, Heinrich could only force an awkward smile.
'Why are they looking at me? Did I forget to greet them?'
I thought, recalling that I had bowed my head in greeting when Lyrin did.
Had they not seen it?
While I was contemplating whether I should greet them again right then,
"Why don't you come along, Sir Heinrich?" the Saintess suddenly suggested.
"To welcome the delegation from the Elven Kingdom? There's no need for both of you to guard this place, right?" she quickly added.
People around us looked puzzled by her remark. Indeed, as she said, there was no need for two people to guard the passage right now. The entourage entering with her was already quite impressive.
The Saintess herself aside...
There were high priests including Archbishop Latius, who led the campaign against the Immortal King, and high-ranking Holy Knights including two Paladins.
With such people heading to the gate, one or two regular Paladins would hardly make a difference.
"Is there any particular reason you wish to bring him along?" asked Archbishop Latius, slightly stern.
But that was a separate issue. The guards were not posted without reason. If we start moving security personnel around based on subjective judgments when it seems safe, it could lead to gaps in the guard and disrupt the system later.
It was necessary to make the young Saintess aware of such matters.
The Saintess, uncharacteristically hesitant, seemed to realize her mistake from the atmosphere.
"I... I just wanted to give Heinrich more experience. I'm concerned about him, interested, and want to take care of him..."
She stammered as if making excuses. Everyone's gaze shifted back and forth between the Saintess and Heinrich.
"Hmm... If that's the case..." the Archbishop pondered, slowly nodding.
"Then let's do as you suggest."
Clearly, there was no personal motive in their eyes. Archbishop Latius and his companions agreed with utmost seriousness.
"It seems You'll have to guard here alone for a while. Is that alright with you, Sir Lyrin Setri?"
"Yes! No problem at all. Leave it to me."
The Saintess' words carry weight, being the closest to the deity. It meant that she could be unconsciously influenced the most by the deity's will.
"Oh? I heard he was an exceptional talent, receiving blessings at the Paladining Ceremony and catching the deity's attention. This is intriguing. Hey, are you interested in crushing the skulls of heretics?" a fierce-looking man with short black hair grinned at Heinrich.
He was one of the two Paladins, the leader of the Black Crescent Holy Knights, dedicated to hunting dark mages and demon worshipers.
"It seems Sir Heinrich isn't interested in the Holy Knights. But remember, if you ever change your mind, our Silver Wings should be your first choice."
Paladin Tuskyn joined in from the side. Heinrich found himself in an awkward situation with the sudden attention from these influential figures. While it was nice to receive favor from high-ranking officials...
'Is the Saintess being especially friendly to me because she's influenced by the deity?'
It was true that the deity seemed interested in Heinrich, even bestowing blessings.
Perhaps it was a combination of the Saintess' nature to favor those with strong divine power and the deity's influence. Either way, it wasn't bad for me. It was immediately helpful.
"Hmm... If we delay any longer, we might be late. We should hurry now."
With Heinrich included, the group quickly moved towards the gate. Fortunately, they arrived before the delegation, avoiding any mishaps.
"The gate is about to be activated."
They had not been in the gate room for a minute when the high priest in charge announced.
"Phew~ We almost were late! Thankfully, we arrived just in time! Ahaha..."
The Saintess glanced around nervously and laughed cautiously. She seemed embarrassed, knowing she had made a mistake.
The blue swirl at the center of the gate started to whirl and vibrate.
Moments later.
Figures began to emerge one by one from the vortex. Nearly twenty individuals immediately formed an orderly line as they exited the gate.
These were elves, a sight Heinrich was seeing for the first time.
They soon approached us, led by someone at the front.
"Welcome, delegation from the Elven Kingdom. You are welcome at the Grand Temple of Rosellia. I am the Saintess of the Theocratic Order, Liesta Saint Hattianus."
As they came close enough, the Saintess stepped forward and greeted them with a gentle smile.
Unlike her usual demeanor, she was serious and dignified, befitting the official nature of the occasion.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I am Laphori Granwood, a High Elf from the Elven Kingdom."
The handsome man with sky-blue hair at the front bowed slightly, placing a hand on his chest. The rest of the delegation mimicked his gesture.
Thus, the Elven delegation set foot in the Grand Temple of Rosellia.
***
The meeting with the elves was arranged quickly due to their urgent request. The Theocratic Order readily agreed to their request for assistance based on their circumstances.
Thanks to the Saintess' consideration, Heinrich was able to attend the dialogue with the elves. He stood behind the Saintess, Archbishop Latius, and the two Paladins.
Apart from High Elf Laphori, two other elves, a man and a woman, participated. They seemed to be the leaders of the delegation.
'But it's really fascinating.'
Heinrich, standing behind the Saintess, stole glances at them. His main focus was on High Elf Laphori Granwood, with soft sky-blue hair reaching his shoulders.
The white skin, slender figure, and pointed ears were just as I imagined. The green, tree-like pattern on his forehead was unique, but not the most fascinating feature.
What caught my eye the most were Laphori's eyes, shining like stars.
Not metaphorically, they really shone like stars.
'Wow, his pupils are shaped like stars. And they're golden.'
The deep blue irises and golden, star-shaped pupils of Laphori were twinkling like a bright star in the dawn sky.
'Looks like the other elves have normal eyes, so it's not a racial trait. Perhaps a symbol of a High Elf? Would it be rude to ask?'
I thought as Heinrich sneaked glances.
"It seems my eyes have caught your attention," Laphori suddenly commented, making Heinrich flinch. I worried it might be taken as impolite.
However, Laphori's remark wasn't directed at Heinrich.
"Ahem... I apologize if it made you uncomfortable. Your eyes, they are quite beautiful. They shine like stars in the sky, and I couldn't help but be captivated," the Saintess said, clearing her throat and trying to maintain composure.
It seemed she too was distracted by Laphori's eyes.
"It's alright. This is actually an important matter to discuss. These eyes are a mark of a High Elf."
'As I thought!'
I felt relieved, my curiosity satisfied, and listened intently.
"I was once an ordinary elf. I was chosen by the World Tree, opened my eyes, and hence became known as a High Elf."
High Elves served as a kind of priest, bridging the elves and their object of worship, the World Tree.
"High Elves are very precious to us. There are very few among us who possess the qualities to become one. Perhaps only two or three are born in a generation."
Of course, a generation for the long-lived elves was much longer than for humans. And not all of them became High Elves.
"When an elf with the right qualities grows and meets certain conditions, they are chosen by the World Tree to become a High Elf."
Reaching the World Tree and consuming its fruit allowed them to 'open their eyes' and become High Elves.
"There are less than ten High Elves currently. Most of them are quite aged, so there's a dire need for new High Elves."
From the looks of it, the number was well short of ten. It was understandable that not all details could be shared, even with the Theocratic Order.
"But recently, we received a revelation from the World Tree. A child with the qualities to become a High Elf has been born here on Ion Continent."
Although most non-human races had migrated to the Enamel Continent, there were still some left on Ion. It seemed one of their descendants had the necessary qualities.
But apparently, the situation made it impossible for them to reach the World Tree by themselves.
"...The child was taken by slave hunters and then sold to dark mages as a sacrifice. It hasn't been long since they were taken, but we need to act fast as delaying will increase the danger."
The World Tree's revelation had its limits, hence the need for the Order's extensive information network.
"We need as much detailed information as possible. Likely locations, the appearance of the individual, and detailed descriptions of the surrounding landscape would be helpful," Archbishop Latius said, quietly joining the conversation.
"...We've determined that they were led by slave hunters towards the northern mountains. After being handed over to the dark mages, their exact location became unknown due to whatever tricks they used."
"The Northern Mountains cover a vast area. Essentially, it's most of the northern part of Ion Continent. Is there any more information?"
"The child hasn't opened their eyes yet, so they would look like a normal elf. By human age, they would be in their mid-teens, with lime green hair and orange eyes."
'Wait...'
"Hmm, we will mobilize the Order's intelligence network as much as possible. Do you happen to know the child's name?"
"Cecily. We ask for your quickest assistance. The situation is urgent, and well provide whatever help we can."
'Hold on, this sounds familiar...'
As they began discussing further details, Heinrich's mind was elsewhere.
***
"Ha ha ha! Well, this is a predicament!" Halli laughed heartily, scratching the back of his head, or rather, the black panther's fur there.
"So, little miss, what's your name?"
He asked with the most harmless smile he could muster, though with his blood-stained face, he still looked ferocious.
"Ce...Cecily... My name is Cecily."
The elf girl with lime green hair and orange eyes.
It seemed Halli had found her first.