Being granted the title of baron—especially one with hereditary lands—meant that a visit to the city's ruler was, as tradition dictated, absolutely required.
Truth be told, Leilin Farell did have a certain interest in the Chosen of the Goddess of the
During his two years in Silvermoon City, he hadn't exactly never seen her—though he'd only ever caught glimpses from afar.
By all accounts, this lady had an excellent temperament. She was even known to suddenly appear at celebrations held by commoners and subordinates alike, offering her blessings. She'd even lend a hand to orcs without hesitation.
But Leilin's assessment was: "A political imbecile! A fool running on ideals and hot blood—on par with Lavinia. If it weren't for her immense power, and the Elder Council and City Hall cleaning up her messes behind the scenes, Silvermoon City would've collapsed long ago!"
Compared to a politician, Leilin thought she'd be far better suited as a philanthropist.
And that innocent, idealistic personality of hers was entirely unsuited for politics and court life—just like Lavinia.
That hot-blooded, justice-driven knight girl was a wonderful companion and friend, but absolutely not a good superior.
If you let her rule a city, it would be nothing short of a catastrophe!
And yet, Alustriel truly ruled all of Silvermoon City—and what made it even more terrifying was that she possessed even greater power.
In times of peace, everything could be managed. But Silvermoon City now faced constant orc incursions, and the various contradictions were at their sharpest. Leilin could already vaguely sense a great disaster approaching…
For newly ennobled lords, etiquette training was an arduous task. One could not afford to appear discourteous during the investiture ceremony or when being received by the city's ruler. Failure would invite ridicule from the other nobles. For those who had risen from humble origins, this process was often especially difficult.
And this was one of the reasons the old aristocratic families looked down upon the newly ennobled. In their eyes, these mud-caked peasants didn't deserve such status, ignoring the vitality that class exchange brought—ultimately dooming themselves to slow decline.
Fortunately, Leilin had received dedicated etiquette tutoring since childhood, and he was a quick study. After just one morning, the court-appointed etiquette instructor departed satisfied.
Before the investiture ceremony, Alustriel wished to meet with Leilin. This sort of private summons didn't bother Leilin in the slightest. Apart from coming face-to-face with a deity's true divine form, he didn't believe anyone could see through his disguise.
…
Leilin had seen Silvermoon City's royal palace from a distance on several occasions. He felt nothing special about its wealth, though the rumor that it housed legendary spell资料 had piqued his interest.
But upon actually entering the palace, he retracted his spiritual power tightly into his body, not daring to probe at will.
"The moment I passed through the gates, there were at least five waves of high-level magical detection spells. And inside the palace itself, there are numerous high-level mage guards…"
Leilin lowered his head, a sharp gleam flickering in his eyes.
Silvermoon City's palace and the Mage Guild were probably the two most heavily guarded locations. Powerhouses below the legendary tier wouldn't stand a chance here—and even legendary ones would likely think twice about provoking a city backed by the Goddess of the Weave.
That said, Leilin had never harbored any notions of robbery, so he remained perfectly calm.
Right now, he was dressed in full noble formal wear. The collar, embroidered with gold thread, made him feel like he could barely breathe—he looked like a peacock spreading its tail feathers!
There was no help for it. Noble attire was simply that lavish and ornate, practically screaming to display every possible adornment.
At home, Leilin usually wore only mage robes or casual clothes, but that clearly wouldn't do here.
"The Queen wishes to receive her guest in the side hall!"
At that moment, a woman who was obviously a court official jogged over, speaking in a measured tone.
Leilin then followed them to another part of the palace.
"She's here!"
She didn't make him wait long. In an instant, Leilin felt the surrounding security spike to its highest level. Two powerful soul forces approached as well, and he immediately recited a silent prayer in his mind.
"Good day, Baron Leilin Farell!"
Accompanied by a laugh like silver bells, Leilin caught sight of Alustriel.
She had eyes like the moon, and her entire being seemed the very embodiment of beauty. She wore nothing more than a simple dress, yet she radiated an effortless, captivating charm.
"Sorry I'm a bit late! I went to Uncle Kupa's barbecue celebration, and I brought you a blueberry pie he baked personally—a congratulatory gift that couldn't be more fitting!"
Alustriel's eyes fixed on Leilin, a smile on her face, as she handed him a roasting basket.
"Your Highness!"
Leilin accepted the gift with a somewhat speechless expression but still bowed respectfully as his etiquette instructor had taught.
"Your Majesty! How can you receive your vassal looking like this? And today's schedule still has several items—"
A white-bearded old man chased Alustriel into the hall, clutching thick parchment scrolls and a quill pen.
Upon seeing Leilin, he offered a helpless smile.
"
A string of information flashed through Leilin's mind.
What drew his attention even more, however, was the powerful mana radiating from both Alustriel and Buren—proof that both had shattered human limits and reached the legendary tier.
The trace of divine essence from the Goddess of the Weave clinging to Alustriel, in particular, exerted an enormous pull on Leilin.
"I want to… I want to devour her! What a pity! If I actually tried, the Goddess of the Weave would be the first to come for me…"
Leilin sighed inwardly.
"Hee hee… Baron Leilin! You don't need to be so stiff and formal—you don't seem like a twenty-year-old at all…"
He had to admit, Alustriel genuinely possessed a quality that put people at ease, like a warm spring breeze. Even their conversation had visibly relaxed Leilin—at least on the surface.
When it came to personal charisma, she was certainly no slouch.
"Your investiture will be held in three days' time. So, Leilin—tell me, do you have any other requests? As a friend!"
Alustriel looked down at the mage below and spoke softly.
"If that's truly possible…"
Leilin took a deep breath, his eyes filled with resolve. "I would like unrestricted access to the court's collection of mage参考资料…"
"Granted!" To Leilin's surprise, Alustriel agreed with remarkable readiness—it nearly startled him.
Wait, wait! Wasn't the usual path to work your way up to the inner circle and only then gain access to such things? Handing them over so readily—was that really alright?
"Ahem… Your Majesty!"
At that moment, a rescuer arrived.
Scholar Buren coughed emphatically, drawing Alustriel's attention: "While I acknowledge that Baron Leilin possesses great talent, legendary-tier spell资料 would only be a hindrance to him at his current stage. For his own sake, I suggest we open access to everything below the legendary tier!"
"Oh! Sorry! I forgot about that!"
Alustriel looked at Leilin. "Due to the fixed nature of the legendary path, giving you access to legendary-level materials at this point would indeed be detrimental to your growth. I can open access to everything below the legendary tier for now, and once you advance to high-rank mage…"
"Cough… cough cough…"
Scholar Buren looked at this spendthrift of a queen as though he were about to choke to death on his own coughing.
"That's more than sufficient. Thank you, Your Highness!" Leilin smiled and bowed. The composure he displayed even caught Buren off guard.
In truth, a faint flash of disappointment passed through Leilin's heart, though he gave no outward sign.
For mages below the fifteenth level, studying legendary-tier research资料 was indeed far too ambitious. Alustriel's decision was genuinely meant for his benefit—but Leilin was different!
He was no low-rank mage. He could read even a deity's资料 without difficulty! But he could never admit that.
As for Scholar Buren's actions, those were understandable too. If you handed everything out now, how would you reward meritorious service later?
Understanding was one thing, but having someone forcibly cut off the conversation like that still left a slightly bitter taste in Leilin's mouth.
After chatting with Alustriel a while longer and obtaining a pass token to the palace library, Leilin finally took his leave.
He had to admit, today's meeting had given him a new understanding of Alustriel—perhaps even a measure of goodwill. Buren, on the other hand, was another matter entirely.
"What did you think of him, Buren?"
Alustriel rested her chin on both hands, asking as though amused. Even the most naive person would undergo some change after the passage of such a long time—even if the change wasn't of much practical use.
"There was no scent of demons or devils on him!" Scholar Buren's pupils had turned blood-red at that moment—a deeply unsettling sight.
"And his hunger and reverence for knowledge were genuine!"
"If that's the case, then why won't you let me grant him full access…" Alustriel said, sounding almost petulant.
"Legendary-tier资料 must be exchanged for through accumulated merit, one tier at a time. That is the rule—and it is the cornerstone that sustains our Silvermoon City!"
Buren looked at the girl-like Alustriel with a helpless, bitter smile on his face.
"Besides, for a young mage, access to everything above the high-rank tier is already more than sufficient. Once he reaches the fifteenth level and swears an unbreakable Stygian oath of loyalty, we can then pass on portions of the legendary资料…"
"Fine, fine…"
Alustriel waved her hand. "You decide! Oh! Tonight I still have to attend Mr. Nudo's banquet…"
"I must respectfully remind you, Your Majesty—as the sovereign of Silvermoon City and the Federation, appearing so casually at a commoner's banquet is highly inappropriate…"