New Life, New Task: I'll Be A Mom Then!!!

"Leon.." Still recovering from the bizarre experience, Eli softly called out between her sniffles.

Leon gently cupped Eli's face to see if she was hurt. Taking out a handkerchief, he carefully whipped Eli's pale and tear stricken face, "Sush.."

"Goodness young Eli!" The grandpas, now trio grandpas, with Chief Eirllon joining the grandpa gang, exclaimed with concern.

"What happened?"

"Why are you here? Eh, why is the artifact staff here?!!"

"We've been looking for you right after the ceremony but you were nowhere to be found!"

The three grandpas worriedly threw Eli a lot of questions.

Leon on the other hand, was busy checking Eli's body if she had been injured or hurt. Finally, he bent downward and carried Eli up.

He glanced inquisitively towards Chief Eirllon and asked in a respectful manner, "May I trouble the Chief to help me have a check on Eli's physical condition?"

"Uhn, come this way.." Chief Eirllon suppressed his many questions as Eli's condition came first.

Soon they came into Azayn's receiving room and had her check Eli's condition.

"You're fine, the pulse is good, Little Han is also well. But be careful with your emotional state. It will greatly affect Little Han." Azayn declared her diagnosis calmly, albeit awkwardly.

Because her little clinic was actually filled with people, especially the Emperor, the Second Queen and the three grandpas, not to mention Leon and Kayden who were silently waiting on one corner.

"I.. I feel like it wasn't my emotions earlier." Eli replied with a puzzled look.

Surely, the vision she had witnessed was so soul stirring, enough to make her emotional. However, she knew to herself that she wouldn't feel that level of grief she was feeling the moment she awakened from the vision.

"Child, can you tell this old one what really happened?" Chief Eirllon asked slowly with a mystified expression.

Eli's sudden disappearance, as well as the sudden acting up of the artifact staff, wasn't merely a coincidence, he believed. He must ask Eli what really happened.

"I…" Eli replied full of uncertainty.

She looked at the Chief with panic. In this room, only him and Azayn were the ones who knew a thing or two about her connection with the guardians.

Fortunately, Eirllon immediately understood that Eli was in a predicament. He respectfully faced the rest of the personalities in the room, gave a light bow, and requested,

"Your Majesty Emperor, Grandmasters and the rest, it seems that what happened had a strong connection to the information regarding our elven village. I hope that you pardon me in requesting a private conversation with young Eli.."

Everyone paused in silence, hesitation and unwillingness appeared on their worried expressions.

Emperor Valentin, examined Eli's expression very well, when he saw the determination in her eyes, he gave a heavy sigh and said,

"Very well… However…" He paused.

"If the matter deeply exposed Eli and my future grandchild in extreme danger, do give us, Eli's family, the right to know." He replied, emphasizing without reserve Eli's relations with the Imperial family.

Although astonished with the assertive claim of the Emperor, the Chief gave an assuring nod.

Seeing that the Emperor himself conceded, everyone followed the suit and exited the room. They all casted a hesitant look towards Eli. But they only saw a gentle and assuring smile from her.

Now that everyone had given them privacy, Chief Eirllon snapped his fingers.

Eli found that a little dome of green light suddenly enveloped her and the Chief, who was now calmly sitting in her bedside.

"This was an isolation array. You may talk freely and without fear now Young Eli." Chief Eirllon said with kindness in his eyes.

"You see, Chief Eirllon, the moment you and the Emperor used the artifact staff, my whole surrounding was filled with a blinding light." Eli recounted the events slowly.

She looked towards the Chief and continued, "Then, when I was able to finally see my surroundings I found myself in an unfamiliar place… I saw a guardian named.. Asa.. I also saw Sylvain and Celeste.."

Eli proceeded to explain the vivid details of what happened in the vision she witnessed. She didn't miss out a single detail because she really had a feeling that there was definitely a purpose why she had experienced this.

As to why, she would be blessed if the chief had an answer today. If not, she trusts that she will know the answer in the future.

The more Chief Eirllon listened, the more his eyes displayed amazement, puzzlement and nostalgia, all at the same time.

He was amazed that a human could witness a vision like that.

He was puzzled because he couldn't understand the reason why, of all people in the witness area, it was Eli that had been granted by the staff to see a shard of its memory.

Finally he was feeling nostalgic, because the story was really close to its heart.

Smiling lightly, he then started to explain what Eli saw,

"What you have witnessed was actually a shard of the memory of the artifact staff.  Alternatively, you can also call it a legend of how this Silver Dew Forest came about."

He then let out a troubled sigh and continued, "As to the reason why you experienced this, I also do not know why. I do not know the reason why the artifact showed the memory to you…"

"Lastly, the spot where you have been found, was actually the very same spot where the body of Lord Asa, the Guardian of Mortal Time, was resting peacefully."

"Guardian of Mortal Time?" Eli asked curiously.

"Before he went to eternal sleep, he was the gatekeeper of the heavenly realm. Before a soul in Prasinos could enter the realm, Lord Asa will be the one to check the life ones soul had lived. He will be also the one who opens which gate the soul could enter..."

Eli nodded in acknowledgement. From her understanding, it seemed like Asa was like a guardian who judges the soul if he or she could enter the heavenly realms.

She also thought, maybe because of his demise, that she encountered the Great One instead, prior to her descent in Prasinos.

Could it be that the heavenly realms was understaffed?

She couldn't help but wonder.

Eli continued to ask a few questions regarding Guardian Asa, especially as to why he was buried in a public place like the flowerfield, which was actually a playground for the elf children.

"Ah, it was because Lord Asa had long wanted companions. Lord Sylvain thought that maybe in his rest, he would find the presence of our elven community a good companion for him." Eirllon patiently answered Eli's question one by one.

After their conversation, Azayn once again checked her condition before leading her out.

The event after the renewal of treaty was actually a day-long banquet.

Everyone enjoyed what the elven village had prepared.

Freshly harvested fruits, specially brewed wine, purest fruit juice, rarest and the most tender meat hunted by the strongest elven men. The Silver Dew Elves went all out in hosting the banquet.

The sound of dancing, the lively music of the lyre and tambourine filled the whole village. Children happily ran as they cutely held flowerncrowns and garlands with their tiny hands.

They went around the area and offered the flowers towards the guests with a bright smile.

Eli was also happily enjoying the atmosphere, beside her was the ever attentive Leon.

While she was absentmindedly picking up the slices of fruits Leon carefully placed on her plate, she found herself caught in a deep trance.

Leon saw her staring blankly towards the happy crowd. He let out a smile and he gently asked, "What's on your mind?"

Startled, Eli looked up to see Leon's handsome face wearing a gentle expression, suddenly she felt self conscious from his deep gaze.

Feeling her cheeks hot, she slowly looked down towards her plate and said,

"I-i was just thinking how it was so ironic. The elven people welcomed us very well today, but why do they have a restrained relationship to humans in general?"

Leon raised his brow in surprise, however on a second thought, he found it natural for Eli to wonder about these things. She was originally from another world and didn't know the mysteries in Prasinos.

He let out a helpless smile and gave a brief answer, "It was because there was a time humans repeatedly attempted to invade and own the Silver Dew Forest."

"Oh.." Eli replied understandably.

Now that she knew that Silver Dew Forest was actually a place of rest for Guardian Asa, it was natural for the elves to get angry at humans who tried to disturb the guardian's resting place.

Thinking that Eli's reply was a little restrained, Leon added, "When I come back to the capital, I'll bring you the history books from the Empire's library…"

"Errr, you don't have to do that. What if the officials and scholars needed those to read??" Eli replied embarrassedly.

"It's fine, it could also be good training for you." He said in a mischievous tone.

Remembering the 'special' training regimen Leon had prescribed for her, she pouted and resentfully looked at Leon, "You are actually abusing your power as my trainer to bury me in a pile of books!"

Seeing Eli's accusing expression, Leon couldn't help but find it cute. He let out a beautiful smile, his light chuckle almost made the whole banquet pause.

"Did you witness our son's expression??" Queen Tehila whispered towards Emperor Valentin with wide eyes.

"I saw it too, my eyes really didn't deceive me.." Emperor Valentin also replied in amazement.

"It's the first time I saw him laugh like that…" The Queen uttered tearfully.

Oblivious to the attention other people had given to the two of them, Eli suddenly felt a painful sensation in her lower abdominal area.

She grimaced in pain.

However, the pain was actually just for a brief moment and soon it was gone. The sensation was different when Little Han would be so active and 'kick' around inside her womb.

Leon also saw Eli's sudden change in expression, he worriedly asked, "Is anything wrong?"

Eli shook her head and said with a straightface, "I might have enjoyed myself too much and suffered indigestion."