Chapter 179 Election Day
2 weeks later.
On this day, the streets of Elfaven were mostly empty save for a few Elves who were hurrying along to take part in one of the most momentous occasions that greeted the Kingdom of Eldinor.
It was election day.
Throughout the Kingdom, specially marked boxes had already been sent a few days before which automatically unlocked now that it was time to use their contents.
Inside each were 6 palm-sized trinkets which seemed to be made of gold.
Each trinket had a different color, and a name was emblazoned on the top to signify each contestant.
Renowned as some of the most sophisticated trinkets ever created in Central Angaria, each voting trinket was so foolproof that it was said that only someone at the Champion level would be able to tamper with them.
During the election, each elf who was giving the vote would choose their contestant and place their hand on the trinket which had their name. The trinket would first painlessly extract a drop of blood to verify the identity of the elf, after which it would be checked with a central hub whether a vote was already cast by this person.
After verifying that it wasn't, a vote would be recorded in favor of that contestant.
In Elfaven, there were four spots around the city where the voting was taking place.
In an inn which overlooked the building from which streams of people were entering and exiting, Eldra stood on the balcony while gazing at the expressions of each and every one of those who had just voted or were waiting to vote.
Both in her posture and her expression, there was a marked change which had surprised even Daneel.
After Eldara had been arrested and put in prison, it was as if Eldra was a hawk which had finally found its wings.
Baptized by the entire experience of addressing the crowds in the Grand Debate, she found it simple to campaign for the election.
Speech after speech, rally after rally, she managed to speak with the same passion that resonated with the hearts of those listening. Of course, because there were no outside interferences like during the Grand Debate, there were no hiccups.
Besides, all the money earned from the sales of the communication trinkets had gone into advertisement for Eldra. Although it felt to Daneel as if many Ker Gems were slipping away from his grasp, he knew that it was needed for the long run.
From his experiences on Earth, Daneel knew very well that social media was a goldmine which only kept giving. Thus, his eyes were fixed on the point in future when the Network of Angaria could transform into a behemoth that had earnings in the range of hundreds of thousands of Gold Lans.
Right now, he felt happy that Eldra wasn't wasting his efforts. She flawlessly took care of each and every engagement, and she seemed like she was almost a different person.
Puzzled, he had asked her the reason for the same on one occasion.
Hearing his question, Eldra had thought for a few moments before shaking her head and telling him that she did not know either.
Yet, standing on the balcony and seeing all the people voting with smiles on their faces, she looked inside herself again in an attempt to find the answer.
Indeed, since she had seen her mother taken away by the Warrior elf, Eldra had felt… free.
No longer did she need to go about her day hoping that she wouldn't be cursed or hit by her mother even though she tried her best to fulfill the tasks she had been given.
No longer did she have to be the one facilitating all her mother's dirty dealings.
Most of all, she no longer had to be Eldra Dartingnon, daughter of Eldara Dartingnon.
Finally, she could be herself.
This feeling of being in control of her own life had allowed her to discover herself in ways she never imagined possible.
To her own surprise, she had found that she loved addressing the people and caring for them, which was something her mother had never been capable of.
All the training she had had and all the suffering she had endured allowed her to blossom like a flower which only grew more even if it was stepped on repeatedly.
It would only endure and spring back, in defiance to those who thought it would be snuffed out just because it was put in harsh conditions.
And that was exactly what Eldra did. Using all the tools placed at her disposal by Daneel, she capitalized on the positive impression she gathered as the "Saviour of the Elves" to solidify her position as the one who would take the throne.
Eldra had worked hard to perfect her speeches and campaigning. Due to the circumstances surrounding her, her main slogan had been that she would ensure the safety of the people while also working to bring back the slaves already sold by her mother.
In fact, in the second Grand Debate that had been conducted at the same place, she had managed to surprise herself and the other contestants with the ease with which she had tackled all the questions that had been thrown her way.
This occurrence had added another positive to her name which was wildly advertised all over the Kingdom: her experience.
As someone who had been inside the government for so many years, she was the one with the most experience regarding the inner workings of Eldinor.
Thus, finally, even the three big news organizations had disgruntledly accepted that she was the one with the most probability of winning the throne.
Looking beside her, she saw that Daneel had arrived at some point and was now gazing at the government building just like her.
"Now that you are about to take the throne, do you regret the oath?"
Hearing the abrupt question, a startled expression appeared on Eldra's face which she quickly changed into one of determination.
Shaking her head, she said, "No. A deal is a deal. You followed your end of the bargain, and I shall follow mine. All I ask is that you treat my people in the same way that you do yours."
The response made Daneel sigh.
As the image of the field of bodies reappeared in his head, he wished that he could share that burden with someone.
Alas, that wish seemed like it wouldn't be fulfilled any time soon.
Turning around to look into her eyes, he nodded before saying, "I will. And you know that I am someone who stands on my word."
A smile appeared on Eldra's face as she heard the answer.
Indeed, regardless of the other things the King of Lanthanor was, he was someone who had never broken his word.
Smiling back slightly, Daneel gestured at Olfax who brought over a small, oval coin.
"I will be taking my leave now. Keep this with you at all times, I forged it so that you can attach it to your locket. We can communicate directly using it, and Olfax will be your liaison for other matters. Allow me to be the first to offer you congratulations for ascending the throne."
Saying so, Daneel held both of his arms out.
Seeming as if she wanted to say something, Eldra opened her mouth before closing it as if she had made a decision. Taking the oval coin, she made the locket appear around her neck which she took into her hands before carefully opening it and gingerly picking out the picture stored inside.
Putting the coin inside, Eldra put back the picture before letting it disappear on her neck again.
After doing so, she stretched out her hand and shook his firmly, feeling the coarseness of his palm due to the years of forging he had done as an enchanter.
To Daneel, it felt as if her hand was boneless due to it being extremely soft to the touch. Squeezing it, he realized that this was the first time he was making physical contact with this Elf.
Looking into her eyes one last time, he turned around and walked out with Olfax and Kellor without looking back.
The moment before he left, he thought he had seen something in her eyes which he couldn't decipher.
Keeping it in mind, Daneel started back on the journey to Lanthanor, triumphant from the secret success which only a few knew about.
Little did he know that this achievement of his had already begun to change the fate of Angaria itself.