The high elves stare at the spot where Jyne disappeared, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief.
The wooden doll sits on the table, motionless and ordinary.
[Liora] "That was... the Goddess. We just spoke with the Goddess."
[Rhevan] "I still can't believe it."
[Nym] "She was right here. In front of us."
[Kara] "I never thought I'd see her in my lifetime."
They're all still processing, looking shaken by the encounter.
Vesper, meanwhile, has moved to examining the stove.
I pick up the wooden doll from the table.
[Wright] "It's not quite what you think. This is just a wooden doll I carved for her. Jyne inhabits it with a sliver of her divine presence when she wants to visit."
[Liora] "A sliver... but she was so real. So present."
[Wright] "That's because even a sliver of a goddess is more than most mortals ever encounter."
Liora steps forward, her eyes fixed on the doll.
[Liora] "May I... see it?"
I hand it to her. She holds it reverently, like it's made of glass.
The other high elves gather around, staring at the doll with the same reverence.
[Rhevan] "To think the Goddess's presence resides in this..."
[Nym] "It's a holy artifact."
[Kara] "We should build a shrine for it."
Vesper abandons the stove and pushes her way through the group to look at the doll.
[Vesper] "Let me see!"
She takes it from Liora and examines it closely, turning it over in her hands. Her expression shifts from curiosity to disappointment.
[Vesper] "Oh. It's just a wooden doll."
[Nym] "Vesper!"
[Vesper] "What? It is! There's no enchantments, no runes, no magical residue. It's just... wood."
She hands it back to me, already losing interest.
[Vesper] "I thought it would be more interesting."
The other high elves look scandalized.
[Liora] "Vesper, that's the vessel of the Goddess!"
[Vesper] "Yeah, but only when she's using it. Right now it's just a doll."
I can't help but laugh.
[Wright] "She's not wrong. When Jyne's not inhabiting it, it's just an ordinary piece of wood."
I place the doll back on the table.
[Wright] "Alright, let's head back to the barracks for dinner. Everyone's probably wondering where we are."
—
We make our way back through the forest, the children still riding on Donny's back and chattering excitedly about seeing the Goddess. The adults are quieter, still processing the encounter.
When we arrive at the barracks, the smell of cooking food fills the air. The high elves who stayed behind are preparing dinner, and I notice a familiar figure among them.
Eldrin.
He's back from his diplomatic mission, looking tired but satisfied. When he sees us approaching, his expression brightens.
[Eldrin] "Good to see you, Wright. How did the harvest go?"
[Wright] "Finished this morning. We've got everything stored and ready for distribution."
[Eldrin] "Excellent. I have good news from the conference as well."
Before I can respond, Liora rushes forward.
[Liora] "Eldrin! We saw the Goddess!"
Eldrin freezes mid-step.
[Eldrin] "...What?"
[Rhevan] "The Goddess appeared at Wright's cabin. We spoke with her."
[Nym] "She gave us a divine message about Aldencrest."
[Kara] "It was incredible."
Eldrin's expression shifts rapidly—surprise, disbelief, then something that looks distinctly like jealousy.
[Eldrin] "You... you all saw her? The Goddess?"
[Liora] "Yes! She manifested through a wooden doll Wright made for her."
[Eldrin] "I can't believe this. I travel for days on a diplomatic mission, and you all get to see the Goddess? I should have hurried back faster."
He looks genuinely upset.
[Vesper] "If it makes you feel better, she swore a lot."
[Eldrin] "That doesn't make me feel better at all!"
I step in before Eldrin can spiral further.
[Wright] "She brought troubling news. Aldencrest has summoned heroes from another world. Children."
Eldrin's jealousy vanishes, replaced by shock and anger.
[Eldrin] "They what?!"
[Liora] "Summoning magic. Forbidden magic. They pulled a group of children from a world called Earth to use as heroes."
Eldrin's face darkens.
[Eldrin] "Those absolute fools. Do they have any idea what they've done?"
[Wright] "According to Jyne, they've destabilized the world even further. The damage is already irreversible."
Eldrin clenches his fists.
[Eldrin] "Unbelievable. And now innocent children are caught in the middle of their desperation."
Eldrin's rage was interrupted by the cooking team's announcement that dinner is ready. Well, let's continue this while we eat. Everyone starts gathering around the tables. We settle in with our food, and the conversation continues.
[Eldrin] "This complicates everything. But at least the relief effort is moving forward."
[Wright] "How did the conference go?"
Eldrin takes a bite of his food before launching into his report.
[Eldrin] "Better than expected, actually. The conference brought together representatives from all the major kingdoms—Respera, Rathen, Selenith, and Eryndor. Even the Demon Lord attended personally."
[Wright] "The Demon Lord?"
[Eldrin] "Lord Kaelith. He's surprisingly reasonable, all things considered. The Pope was there as well, representing the church."
He continues between bites.
[Eldrin] "First, everyone agreed that Aldencrest is an enemy of the world. The Goddess's oracle made that clear. The neighboring kingdoms are preparing to receive refugees and provide support."
[Wright] "How many refugees are they expecting?"
[Eldrin] "Around forty-five thousand in total. The numbers could be higher depending on how quickly Aldencrest collapses."
The other high elves listen intently as they eat.
[Eldrin] "We discussed payment for the food. I explained that you're doing this at the Goddess's direction and that profit isn't the goal. They were... impressed, to say the least."
[Wright] "You know me well. We don't really need the money."
I smile.
[Wright] "What did they agree on?"
[Eldrin] "King Alden insisted on fair compensation. They didn't want it to look like they were extorting food from us. We settled on a modest rate—enough to cover operational costs but well below market value."
He takes another bite.
[Eldrin] "The crops will be funneled strictly to refugees, so it won't impact local markets. Each kingdom committed to purchasing quantities based on their refugee estimates."
[Wright] "That sounds reasonable. Feel free to use the payments to purchase anything you need."
[Eldrin] "Thank you, but us high elves have survived for centuries independently. There's not much that we need. But there's more to discuss. To manage distribution, they're establishing a coordination committee with representatives from each kingdom. It's set to meet weekly in Mariselle to review reports and adjust allocations as needed."
[Wright] "A committee? Would you be attending as a representative of this village?"
[Eldrin] "Yes. There's more to discuss aside from the adjustments as well. Ah, I mentioned that you likely won't want to attend. Let me know if that's not the case."
[Wright] "I'll have to burden you with the matter. What other things are left to discuss?"
Eldrin's expression grows more serious.
[Eldrin] "The longer-term plan was the biggest discussion. No one wants to annex Aldencrest's territory once the kingdom falls. Respera is focused on trade, Rathen on their own borders, Selenith on research, and Eryndor... well, the citizens wouldn't accept demon rule."
[Wright] "So what did they decide?"
[Eldrin] "A coalition government. Each kingdom will send nobles to form a governing council. They'll work together to rebuild and manage the land. It prevents any single kingdom from gaining too much power and symbolizes unity."
[Wright] "That's... actually a smart solution."
[Eldrin] "They're also setting up job placement programs for refugees—training in trades, agriculture, craftsmanship. The goal is to make them self-sufficient."
He sets down his fork.
[Eldrin] "I brought up the payment again at this point and proposed to allocate two-thirds of the payment toward refugee support and rebuilding efforts. The remaining third goes to purchasing materials from merchants who've agreed to help with job training."
I'm genuinely impressed.
[Wright] "You really thought this through."
[Eldrin] "Yes, I initially wanted them to accept the full payment, but in the end they only agreed on two-thirds. They will also fund the rebuilding efforts from their own treasury as well. It's rare to see this level of cooperation between kingdoms. The Goddess's oracle united them in a way I've never seen before."
[Wright] "Thank you for handling all of this, Eldrin. I wouldn't have known where to start with the politics."
Eldrin smiles.
[Eldrin] "It's what I do. Besides, it was an honor to represent you and the Goddess's mission."
I take a drink of water before continuing.
[Wright] "Speaking of which, I'll be heading to Aldencrest tomorrow afternoon. After I'm done here with the growth acceleration."
Eldrin looks up sharply.
[Eldrin] "You're going yourself?"
[Wright] "Someone needs to help those kids. They didn't ask to be summoned here."
Eldrin nods slowly.
[Eldrin] "Then I'll join you. I need to deliver the first batch of food to Respera anyway. We can travel together through Aldencrest, then I'll continue on to Respera while you deal with the situation there."
[Wright] "That works. The company will be appreciated."
[Vesper] "I'm coming too!"
Everyone turns to look at her.
[Nym] "Vesper..."
[Vesper] "What? I already said I wanted to go! And Wright didn't say no!"
[Wright] "I didn't say yes either."
[Vesper] "You didn't say no, which is basically yes."
I sigh.
[Wright] "Fine. You can come. But you'll have to follow my lead, and no running off to examine every magical artifact you see."
[Vesper] "Deal!"
Liora looks concerned.
[Liora] "Are you sure about this, Wright? Aldencrest is dangerous right now."
[Wright] "I'll be careful. And I'll have Vesper and Eldrin with me, at least for part of the journey."
[Eldrin] "We'll make sure he doesn't do anything too reckless."
[Rhevan] "What about Donny?"
I glance over at Donny, who's been contentedly eating his portion of dinner.
[Wright] "Donny will stay here. You'll need his help with hunting while I'm gone."
Donny churrs, looking up at me.
[Wright] "Keep everyone safe, buddy. I'll be back before you know it."
He churrs again, this time with determination.
The conversation continues, shifting to lighter topics as the meal winds down. The high elves share stories about seeing the Goddess, much to Eldrin's continued dismay. Vesper describes the artifacts in the cabin with infectious enthusiasm. The children reenact their ride on Donny, complete with exaggerated sound effects.
By the time the meal ends, exhaustion has settled over the group. One by one, the high elves head to their sleeping quarters.
I return to my cabin with Donny, who churrs contentedly as he settles near the door.
[Wright] "It's been an eventful day. Let's get some rest, buddy. I'll be heading out tomorrow, so I'll be counting on you to watch over the village."
He churrs in response, already half-asleep.
I lie down and close my eyes, letting the quiet of the forest settle around me.
—
The next morning arrives with clear skies and a cool breeze.
I wake early, prepare a quick breakfast, and head to the field. Liora and her team are already there, moving with practiced efficiency as they begin replanting.
The sections we harvested are now prepared and ready. Liora directs her team with calm precision, ensuring each seed is placed correctly, each row properly spaced.
I join in to help, getting used to the farming life. We've become incredibly skilled at this.
By lunchtime, the planting is complete.
Liora wipes her brow and surveys the field with satisfaction.
[Liora] "That's everything. The field is ready."
[Wright] "Great work, everyone. I'll handle the growth acceleration now."
I step into the center of the field and activate my magic.
The familiar surge of mana flows through me, spreading across the entire field in a controlled wave. I can feel the seeds responding, their life force awakening and accelerating.
It takes concentration, but the process is faster this time. I've refined the technique, making it more efficient.
Within an hour, the magic settles. The field hums with energy, the crops already beginning their accelerated growth cycle.
[Wright] "Done. They'll be ready to harvest in three days."
Liora nods.
[Liora] "We'll handle it. You focus on your mission."
—
By early afternoon, I'm back at the cabin, preparing for the journey.
I check my Storage—supplies, tools, a few changes of clothes. Everything I might need.
Vesper arrives shortly after, a pack slung over her shoulder and an excited grin on her face.
[Vesper] "Ready for an adventure!"
[Wright] "Why bring a pack when you have Storage?"
[Vesper] "It's to get in the mood!"
[Wright] "Just don't run around and get lost chasing down artifacts."
[Vesper] "I make no promises."
Eldrin approaches next, looking far more prepared than Vesper. He's wearing travel gear and has a serious expression.
[Eldrin] "I'll be traveling with you through Aldencrest. Liora gave me the food to deliver to Respera."
I nod.
[Eldrin] "I wish I could stay with you in Aldencrest, but I'll need to deliver the food as soon as possible. Just be careful once I leave."
Before I can respond, a playful breeze swirls around us.
Sylphaeris materializes beside me in a swirl of wind and leaves, grinning like she's thoroughly enjoying the moment.
[Sylphaeris] "Did someone say adventure?"
Vesper's eyes light up.
[Vesper] "Lady Sylphaeris! You're coming too?"
[Sylphaeris] "Of course! I haven't had a good adventure in ages."
Eldrin sighs.
[Eldrin] "This is going to be an interesting journey."
I look at the group—Vesper practically bouncing with excitement, Eldrin calm and composed, Sylphaeris grinning mischievously.
[Wright] "Alright. Let's get moving."
We set off into the forest, leaving the clearing and the high elves behind.
The adventure begins.