The pale-gold haired Elf was Bishop Valerie, the Regional Cardinal appointed by the Nature Church to Siofra’s East City, and a member of the Elgar Royal Family.
Although she had agreed to Astrid’s request, Valerie also had to consider how to arrange Astrid’s affairs from the family’s perspective.
Based on the description, Astrid seemed to have a good relationship with the young man named Lance.
Even if the young man had indeed been drawn into trouble because of Astrid, and even with a sense of responsibility driving her, Valerie still didn’t believe a mere partner would make Astrid choose to seek help from her family and the Church directly.
She was someone who would pass her home and the Church’s gates three times without ever entering.
‘A human youth… and an Adventurer at that…’
Valerie’s expression remained unchanged, but she began making her own calculations in her heart.
As a firm member of the Continental Faction, Valerie had always believed that the Elf race should not limit their power to Pasu Island and the Inter-sea Archipelago.
As an undeniably superior and powerful race, the Elves should establish closer ties with the Churches to expand their influence.
Thinking of this, Valerie let go of Astrid and, after a moment of pondering, asked, “Little Astrid, are you interested in going to the City of Wisdom to study?”
“The City of Wisdom?”
Astrid’s eyes flickered with confusion. She didn’t quite understand why her aunt was bringing this up now.
Her father, the King, had arranged this for her before, but back then, her mind was entirely set on searching for Ancient Magic Tools on the continent.
She had no interest in studying fundamental magical theory, so she had skipped out on it entirely.
“Is this a condition?”
Astrid felt a bit conflicted. From the moment she stepped into the Nature Church to seek help, she had prepared herself to be “arranged” by her family once again.
If this was the condition for asking her aunt to save Lance, she might just have to accept it.
“No, it is not a condition.”
Valerie gave a faint smile and shook her head, explaining, “You can see it as an invitation, or you can see it as a condition.”
“The invitation is to join the Continental Faction, and it is also a condition for your return to the Royal Family. You have spent too much time on adventures; you must now act like a Royal Princess!”
“Studying at the City of Wisdom is one of the requirements. Only then can I handle matters with the family. You should understand this.”
Having said that, Valerie observed Astrid’s reaction. Seeing that the Elf girl did not show any obvious resistance, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Valerie then changed the subject and asked, “You should also know that our Elf race is internally divided into the Continental Faction and the Oceanic Faction, and that I am a member of the Continental Faction, right?”
Astrid nodded, appearing enlightened, but in her heart, she was muttering to herself. ‘What Continental Faction and Oceanic Faction? How come I, a Royal Princess, didn’t know about this?’
“Do you like the leisurely life on Pasu Island? That kind of life where everything follows a set routine yet there is nothing to do…”
At the mention of life on the island, Astrid’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly. She could not possibly like that kind of constrained existence.
Everything she had experienced over the years on the continent was far more interesting than the dull life on the island.
This was also a major reason why she was unwilling to accept the family’s arrangements.
They would inevitably keep her on the island to use her as a political tool to win over and balance the political forces there.
After all, there were many families eyeing the Elven throne.
In particular, the newly emerged Triple Alliance on the island had already begun causing trouble for the Elgar Royal Family’s power.
Seeing Astrid’s sour expression, Valerie nodded with satisfaction.
“It seems your experiences over these years have made you realize the charm of the continent. So, join our Continental Faction! The past political model of isolationism on the island is no longer suitable for this era where major Churches and Empires are expanding feverishly!”
Valerie’s tone grew impassioned, as if she were articulating a grand ideal.
“The future of the Elves should not be on Pasu Island! On the island, we only waste our strength on internal friction! The Triple Alliance composed of the Burns, Brooks, and Lawrence families is the ironclad proof!”
“Therefore, whether for the future of the Elves or for the stability of the current Elgar Royal Family’s power, we must extend our influence further onto the continent! So… join us, Astrid!”
Listening to her aunt’s excited speech, Astrid was somewhat stunned. ‘Why does this rhetoric sound so much like a human political propagandist?’
The three major empires on the continent did not lack such people.
They would often paint a grand picture for the populace, inciting them to support the empires’ repeated military expansions.
Once, she had even heard a speaker inciting a surprise attack on the Elven islands near the coast.
At that time, she was a little worried… after all, many great families within the island were wasting their energy on power struggles, clearly lacking awareness of external threats.
‘But thinking about it carefully, the number of Elemental Tier and Saint Rank individuals our Elf race possesses is actually only slightly inferior to the three major Churches, and clearly stronger than the three great empires. There seems to be no need to worry about anything…’
While she was hesitating, Astrid suddenly remembered something Lance had mentioned before.
“I’ll sell everything when I get back this time and send Noren to the City of Wisdom to study.”
“Me? I’ll probably find a chamber of commerce with better pay to work as a guard or something. After all, the cost of living and studying in the City of Wisdom is not low at all.”
Lance had spoken very decisively at the time; clearly, he had given it deep thought. If she successfully rescued Lance this time, he would likely still do that.
‘Hmm… if little sister Noren is sent to the City of Wisdom to study, then as her older brother, he would surely visit her when he has the time, right? And if he comes to the City of Wisdom, he would drop by to visit me as well, wouldn’t he?’
Thinking of this, Astrid no longer hesitated. She immediately took her aunt’s outstretched hand and said firmly, “Aunt, you are right! We Elves indeed should broaden our horizons!”
“If this continues, our Elf race will sooner or later be squeezed by the increasingly powerful continental empires until we have no space to survive! I am willing to accept the invitation and go to the City of Wisdom to study!”
Hearing Astrid express herself this way, a brilliant light flickered in Valerie’s eyes.
‘Has this child’s thinking already matured to this point? It seems traveling abroad really is helpful! Should I organize the younger generation within the Continental Faction to come out and travel as well?’
A multitude of ideas flooded Valerie’s mind in an instant, and her motivation surged.
She promised happily, “Little Astrid, you rest for a while! I will head to the central district right now to find the City Lord! Within today, I will definitely make that new Radiant Saintess hand the person over!”