Syl: Chapter 306

Chapter 306: Branch Head

The turnout for the evening was even larger than the Gala, to my surprise. But it appeared they were baking my victory in becoming the heir and announcing the engagement together. Anyone with half a brain could probably see the political reasons why the two were combined, but honestly, that was for the elves to deal with—I was just happy that this would be my last one.

Given the party's sheer size, it was clear that an attack would be foolish. Some of the most powerful elves of the realm were in attendance, and even if they brought an army, I couldn't see them winning. Not to mention the home turf advantage and the fact that the tree itself would aid in defense.

For the most part, my objective was just to greet people and brag about my success in the dungeon and occasionally show off my diamond acorn. Even among the other named heirs, there was some envy behind their eyes as they stared at my prize, which had me rethink the value behind it.

Well, I was already happy with it. If I get an incredible tree home for me and Vee. I guess once it grows, I can ask the treespirit if there are any other hidden features I didn't know about.

Aimon seemed a little agitated when I bumped into him, and for the most part seemed to be avoiding me. I did manage a brief conversation with him on his poison research, which briefly brought out the chatty elf I'd previously interacted with.

Vee had suggested he was possibly heartbroken by the announcement, but I could only shrug it off. I wasn't even an elf and had no interest in any of this. If not for wanting goodwill and having a powerful ally in the future, I would not have done this.

I still wasn't sure how the humans or even dwarves would react to the truth about me, so the elves always being a backup plan was a comforting thought I didn't want to discard. My willingness to continue helping the Feirelle had not gone unrewarded, and I expected a lot more benefits in the future.

I even get to keep my elf disguise, after Loreleia had previously asked me to stop using it once our deal was concluded. Until this whole assassin invasion conspiracy situation is sorted out, I probably shouldn't.

Honestly, I didn't mind giving the visage a break. While it had become my default "social form," all the elven politics and talks and everything had made me grow weary of it. I hadn't decided yet if I was going to bring out Sylvester, create a new persona, or even just go as a random monster for our vacation, but I knew I wanted a change.

My desire to change my skin was further emphasized when Galan "Dewdrop" Elarinwe made his appearance. Just as he had previously promised, he was providing a performance for the occasion with his hauntingly hypnotic voice.

But what disturbed me was that all his songs were effectively love ballads, and ones on the subject of longing and pleading. Or two separated lovers who had been torn apart. It was odd, incredibly odd, and I even had to question my Feirelle allies on what was happening.

Llewel had no idea and just thought the music was good, but thankfully Paeris had the answer. Apparently, the Elarinwe family had been quite vocal about a potential political marriage between our branches. By his estimation, Galan was trying to have a last-ditch effort to change my mind.

I was genuinely confused as we had barely interacted, and I'd effectively embarrassed him by having my companion beat him singlehandedly. Was he some sort of weirdo masochist or something? Thankfully, Paeris had an answer to the situation and said he was likely ordered by his parents to try to "seduce" me, as they no doubt saw the future rising prominence of our branch thanks to having its previous ruler ascend to High Elfdom.

Yeah… good luck with that, buddy.

If my disdain for his noble pompous attitude wasn't bad enough already, I had the advantage of being an entirely different species to protect me from any and all attempts like that. It was good to be a slime.

Weirdly though, Vee was quite enthralled by the music and even made a few joking suggestions to "give him a chance". A few offhanded mentions of new nitro experiments quickly shut up the troublemaking spider.

However, the actual victim of the evening was undoubtedly Llewel. He was effectively taken out of his apothecary and thrown into the deep end of elven politics now. Everyone wanted to talk to the lucky elf of the hour. Thankfully, not only did he have Paeris as a right-hand aid to protect him from any social attacks, but he was also blatantly using some kind of foresight magic to benefit him.

Both Vee and I thought he would be reprimanded for using magic in such a way, but strangely and against our expectations, the elves seemed to actually respect him for it. Overcoming social inadequacies with magic simply proved he was willing to do anything to overcome weakness, an elven virtue, or something like that.

Vee was particularly taken aback by it. She even went on a mini-rant with iconic quotes such as: "Do they settle debates by who can throw the biggest [Fireball]?"

Thankfully, her rants only fell on my ears, and so the world was still safe for now from the venomous tongue of the spider.

Due to the political nature of the evening, the Dornhallows did make an appearance, although it was two minor representatives. Even through my Paeris-certified training, I had no idea who they were, which showed how low down on the family totem pole they truly were. Beluar Dornhallow did not make an appearance, which I could only assume was to avoid me and potentially stir up a memory of who had helped Sylthaeryn to escape to the human lands.

Loreleia gave another speech, announcing her triumphant ascension. The reactions from the crowd indicated that it was already an "open secret" at this point, but it was still met with jubilation and celebrations. Another High Elf among their ranks only further solidified the elven position against any potential enemies and threats.

Sylthaeryn Feirelle was named the official successor, and I was prompted to give a speech. Thankfully, Paeris had written one for me, which I fully handed the reins over to [Roleplay]. I was not a public speaker, despite the stellar performance my fabricated identity was exuding.

Strangely, though, at the end of the prepared speech, there was a small ceremony that I was not informed about. Loreleia embraced me and touched my forehead with her own, which I thought was purely symbolic until I received a system prompt indicating her intent!

<Emblem [Branch Head] has been relinquished to you.>

<New system administrative features have been unlocked.>

<Features are presently limited to the Feirelle Branch. Achieve further emblems or integrate others under the Feirelle Branch to expand your influence.>

If [Roleplay] wasn't doing its job, I would have yelled at her. This was not in the script, and I had not expected this at all. How the heck could I, a slime, be in charge of the Feirelle branch?

While I was internally screaming, Loreleia just gave me a small smile and walked off. Leaving me dumbfounded as an audience applauded my coronation, or whatever you wanted to call it.

"Congrats, Queen Sylthaeryn," Vee teased.

I think a particular spider just volunteered to test out my explosive healing capsules.

When I finally escaped from the spotlight, it dawned on me what a huge risk Loreleia had just taken. Either she was showing off her trust in me, or it was some other political ploy, but I had no idea.

Between eating, talking, and drinking, I began briefly exploring the new system interface that had been opened to me. It was overwhelming, and I was in desperate need of an instruction manual.

There was a list of current members of the branch, with my name plastered right at the top. I noticed I also now had some system functions I didn't have previously, like the ability to grant noble names, of course, currently only limited to Feirelle.

I also had access to assign administrative positions, could see the status of the Feirelle home tree, and could even toggle the gateways' activation remotely. It was a lot, and I wasn't exactly sure what I was supposed to do with all of this.

Well, at least I can change my name back myself after this. I'm pretty happy to just be Syl after all of this.

To my relief, that was the final bombshell, and the evening eventually ended without anything significant happening. There was no undead attack, no social fights, or any political drama. I daresay it was a pleasant evening.

When we returned to the safety of the Feirelle mansion, which I discovered was also part of my territory, I finally confronted Loreleia about what had just happened.

"You made me the [Branch Head]!?"

"Of course, did you really expect otherwise after I bestowed an official family name and you passed the trial?" she asked coyly.

"I thought Llewel was getting it?"

"Not feasible. The High Elf council can see the currently assigned [Branch Heads]. If I gave it to Llewel, questions would be asked. If I kept it to myself, I wouldn't be able to join the council."

"This isn't some ploy to get us to stay, is it?"

"Gods no. The damage you can potentially do would be astounding," she replied with brutal honesty. "You can induct Llewel into the family proper, and then promote him as your Co-Head. Then you're free to go on your vacation, come back, or whatever else you please."

"I see…"

"I hope you understand the weight of trust that the Mistress has placed in you," Paeris said.

I nodded. "I do. I had that realization shortly after it happened. You really were pushing the limits of my [Roleplay] skill with that unexpected surprise."

"Well, in the interest of complete transparency, I thought you'd reject it if I told you my intentions beforehand," she answered.

I had to admit she was right. No way would I have had some strange Emblem and its responsibility thrust upon me if I knew about it.

I went to bed a rather grumpy slime, but Vee pointed out that our long-awaited vacation was now rapidly approaching. That was definitely a positive; my involvement in this whole drama would finally be over.

The next day, Loreleia guided me through the process. Llewel was inducted into the branch fully and granted the full Feirelle name. No longer was it just Fei. There was a notable hint of pride welling up in his eyes, despite his previous misgivings about all the politics he was now going to be engrossed in.

I then nominated him as my Co-Head, which granted him a corresponding Emblem. It was one of a kind per [Branch Head], so it was definitely a big deal.

"I'd like to thank you again for all your help. Not only did you lure out the attackers, but you captured a vital prisoner. I swear to the gods that I will bring them to justice for the wrong they've done to my family," Loreleia declared.

"Sure. Without Sylthaeryn, I probably wouldn't be here, or at least not like this, so I kind of felt like I owed it to her. Even with her forcing my hand, I have to admit that it's led to many positive outcomes for me."

"I'd like to give you one more gift," she said, and pulled out something I hadn't expected. It was that damn golden oak bag that started this whole thing.

"I don't want it," I replied instantly at the sight of the damned thing.

"Oh? Even before I've told you what it can potentially do for you?"

I paused. "I'm listening…"

"If you give this bag to your treespirit, you can grow a gateway to the Feirelle tree. Since you are the [Branch Head], you'd have complete control over it; even Llewel wouldn't be able to override your access."

"I guess that's kind of useful, but Vee and I both have [Dimension Magic]."

"True. But if you wanted multiple allies to protect your territory, for example, that would cost you vast quantities of Mana depending on the distance, which I think even the legendary [Mana Slime] can't afford to pay."

"I suppose…"

"Not to mention that it will evolve your treespirit. I won't spoil the surprise, but when it can integrate the bag fully, you'll gain some considerable benefits."

"Evolving sounds good…" I admitted.

"I figured that would resonate with the two of you," she said, punctuated with a soft chuckle.

Vee sighed. "Just take the damn bag already."

"Fine. It just feels weird when my first quest was to deliver it, and now it's back in my hands. It feels like I'm back to square one."

"For delivering it, I thank you. I've taken out the contents of the bag and now have some mementos of my daughter."

I hesitantly took the bag and then curiously attempted to open it. Remarkably, it opened without any issue.

"It also functions as a dimensional storage bag," Loreleia pointed out. "But I assume you already have one, considering the items I've seen you pull out. However, I can confidently say that only you can open it without destroying it in the process, so it will be the most secure storage you've ever had."

Ha! As if. My [Core Storage] is the best ever; made by Gramps himself!

Paeris then walked up and gave me a deep bow, his torso almost making a ninety-degree angle. "Thank you for all your assistance, Syl, Vee. You've both been an asset to the Feirelle branch, and Syl, you've been an eager student. I only hope that Llewel will absorb my lessons as quickly as you did."

Llewel shuddered a little.

"You're welcome. Thanks for your advice and help, Paeris," I replied.

"Yeah, thanks for all the food, it was delicious!" Vee chimed in.

"Speaking of which… It's not much, but I hope it helps you on your travels."

Paeris then gestured to five containers lined up against the wall. My keen eyes sensed not only storage enchantments, but also preservation. Vee wasted no time in [Warping] over and peaking inside one, and the delighted cry she let out instantly told me the contents—food.

"Syl, you eat anything, so this is all mine, okay?" Vee quickly said.

I rolled my eyes, but let her have her way. While I enjoyed tasting good things, I preferred the efficiency of slime mass.

Not to mention, nothing tastes better than a good slime core.

"I also have a gift for you," Llewel said.

"Aww, is it an engagement gift?" Vee asked.

Llewel sputtered, giving an uncomfortable gaze at the meddlesome spider. He recovered pretty quickly and took out an alchemical case, which he opened to reveal a set of labeled potions and a note fastened to the lid.

"These are nutrition, growth, and fertilizer potions for when you decide to plant your hometree. While I don't doubt your brown slime will be a fantastic fertilizer, these are top of the range. I've even included some transmutation elixirs that will be of aid if you can't find a suitable soil."

"Oh! This is fantastic, thank you," I said excitedly, taking the box from him.

"I can attest to their effectiveness. We've sold similar sets to quite a few of the other branches," Loreleia replied.

"They've been quite effective in gaining favors," Paeris chimed in.

"If not for speeding up the brewing time, I'd never be able to keep up with the past week. I nearly didn't think I'd have the spare set to give you," Llewel admitted.

"Well, I really appreciate it," I replied honestly. "I'll be sure to follow the instructions and use them for the tree."

"Would it even work on beach sand?" Vee asked.

Llewel nodded. "Yes, there are two kinds of transmutation elixirs, one for stone to soil and another for clay or sand to soil. Just read the label and use the appropriate one."

"We could plant our tree on the beach, Syl!" Vee screamed excitedly. "Or maybe on a deserted island? That would be amazing, actually."

"It would certainly make it defensible. Although your territory around it would be questionable," Loreleia replied.

"Indeed, you wouldn't have many resources to exploit," Paeris agreed, then continued after a brief pause."Although… I suppose with your levels in [Water Magic] you could explore the depths quite easily."

"I don't even need to breathe, so I could explore it without worry in the first place."

"Well, I do. So you better think of a solution for me," Vee said. "I want to explore the sea too. Maybe find buried pirate treasure?"

"Pirates?" the elves asked, seeming unfamiliar with the word.

"Does this world not have pirates? What the heck? I thought they'd be a universal constant."

"Moving on," I interrupted. "Thank you again for all the gifts. I'll consider planting the bag, although if the need comes, we can teleport to the Feirelle grove."

"That would be the safest option. The Mana expenditure for a long-distance teleportation would likely be picked up by Caelthal," Loreleia warned.

"Thanks for the heads up, I had no idea people without [Spatial Sense] could even detect teleportation," Vee replied.

"The main grove has magical items to help with that, too," Loreleia answered. "But anyone can detect such a large surge of Mana, assuming they aren't amateurs. I'd advise caution and do not think your [Dimension Magic] is without its own hidden flaws."

We chatted for a bit longer, but eventually, when there was nothing immediate left to talk about, it was time for our departure. Even so, there were some last-minute well-wishes, but it began to feel like we were unnecessarily dragging it out.

This is why I prefer to just leave. Goodbyes are far too awkward.

With Llewel staying behind, we headed to the Nyrelis gateway, where a representative was already waiting for us. I recognized her as Amedee Nyrelis, the current heir.

"Greetings, Feirelle branch," she said politely.

"Greetings, Amedee Nyrelis, thank you for your cooperation," Loreleia said.

"Of course, High One," Amedee replied. "Although I must admit I am surprised you managed to convince my old man to do anything. He is as stubborn as a tree stump."

"It's supposed to be a mule, not a tree stump…" Vee whined.

"Aeson and I go way back," Loreleia explained. "And while he certainly has some headstrong beliefs, he can be reasoned with."

"I'll have to trade you for some of those tips. I've certainly never been able to get through to him," Amedee said, punctuated with a defeated chuckle.

She led us inside and activated the gateway, blue and silver flowers blooming as it came to life.

"Be safe, Sylthaeryn," Loreleia said to me.

"I will. Good luck with your trials, I wish you the best," I replied.

"Allow me to go first, Mistress," Paeris said and walked through. He was escorting me, but would return after I left the border of the Nyrelis grove.

I gave one final wave farewell and entered with Vee firmly perched on my shoulder. The world warped, and we exited into the new area. Paeris was waiting, and so was another individual. He was an older-looking elf who exuded a sense of regalness.

"Pleased to meet you in person, Lady Sylthaeryn. I'm Aeson Nyrelis, current acting head of our branch."

"Thank you for the warm greeting, Lord Aeson," I replied. I nearly bowed, but managed to refrain from doing so at the last moment, as [Roleplay] reminded me that we were equals in elven society now.

The portal closed soon after, but there was no sign of Amedee.

"Your mother has explained the awful situation to me," he replied with a frown. "I do hope that the situation is resolved swiftly and that you can return to the warmth of the grove. I hope you don't mind that I keep my own daughter uninvolved in this."

"Not at all," I quickly replied. "The fewer that know, the better for us too."

He nodded and began escorting us out. Loreleia must have pulled some serious strings to have another [Branch Head] personally escorting us.

The Nyrelis grove was relatively sparse in terms of trees, very unusual for the forest locales I had grown used to. It was extremely tropical and humid, with a saltiness to the air.

It didn't take us long to see the large expansive ocean off in the distance.

"It's the sea!" Vee cried out with joy.

Vee's enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn't help but crack a smile in response. It looked like the next step of our adventure would undoubtedly be quite a fun one.

***

Name: Sylthaeryn Feirelle [Branch Head]
Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Prismatic) LV 1
Class: Elementalist LV 22
Status: Healthy
Mana: Overflowing

Emblems:
[Experiment]
[Unique]
[Apex Hunter]
[Elven Legacy]
[Dungeoneer]
[Nature's Bane]
[Manhunter]
[Banisher]
[Branch Head]*

Traits:
Slime:
[Primordial Slime LV 17]
[Slime Mastery LV 12]

Core:
[Core Collective LV 8]
[Core Storage LV 6]
[Sub-Core Alpha LV 6] [Sub-Core Beta LV 6]
[Sub-Core Gamma LV 6] [Sub-Core Eta LV 6]
[Sub-Core Delta LV 6] [Sub-Core Theta LV 6]
[Sub-Core Epsilon LV 6] [Sub-Core Iota LV 6]
[Sub-Core Zeta LV 6] [Sub-Core Kappa LV 6]
[Sub-Core Lambda LV 5] [Sub-Core Mu LV 5]
[Sub-Core Nu LV 4] [Sub-Core Xi LV 4]

Mimic:
[Chimeric Mimicry LV 8]
[Chroma Shift LV MAX]
[Consuming Osmosis LV MAX]

Mana:
[Mana Circulation LV 8]
[Mana Reinforcement LV 8]
[Derived Element (Magma) LV 8]
[Derived Element (Steam) LV 8]
[Derived Element (Dust) LV 6]
[Mana Infusion]

Attributes/Other:
[Soul Mastery LV 8]
[Enhanced Vitality LV 5]
[Magic Resistance (Greater) LV 1]
[Curse Resistance LV 4]
[Illusion Resistance LV 4]
[Sonic Resistance LV 2]
[Prodigy]

Senses:
[Soul Sight LV 9]
[Soul Sense LV 8]
[Soul Vision LV 7]

Trait Points remaining: 18

Skills:
General:
[Universal Language]
[Equipment Swap]
[Dissection LV 8]
[Mapping LV 5]
[Tracking LV 3]
[Identify LV 6]
[Multitasking LV 6]
[Perception LV 5]
[Aerial Finesse LV 4]
[Thunder Step LV 5]
[Wind Step LV 4]
[Blink LV 3]
[Triangulate LV 5]

Tamer:
[Companion Bond]
[Companion Training LV 8]
[Companion Growth LV 9]

Combat:
[Tranquil Flow LV 5]
[Attack Mastery (Greater) LV 2]
[Affliction Mastery LV 7]
[Exploit Weakness LV 6]

Magic:
[Basic Elemental Magic LV 6]
[Ice Magic LV 5]
[Lightning Magic LV 5]
[Magma Magic LV 1]
[Steam Magic LV 1]
[Nature Magic LV 1]
[Dust Magic LV 1]
[Corrosion Magic LV 6]
[Arcane Magic LV 5]
[Light Magic LV 3]
[Dimension Magic LV 4]
[Healing Magic LV 1]
[Mana Weaving LV 1]
[Magic Efficiency LV 7]
[Magical Overcharge LV 3]
[Counter Magic LV 5]
[Elemental Shift LV 7]
[Elemental Adaptation]
[Ritual Casting]
[Mana Suppression]
[Elemental Harmony]

Sneaky:
[Vanish LV 6]
[Assassinate LV 6]
[Identity Fabrication LV 7]
[Roleplay LV 6]
[Rogue Expertise LV 4]
[Magical Subterfuge LV 5]
[Trap Mastery LV 6]
[Subtle Afflictions]

Skill Points remaining: 12

Profession:
Enchanting:
[Rune Reading LV 6]
[Rune Engraving LV 2]
[Rune Framework LV 7]
[Rune Tracing LV 5]
[Rune Design LV 3]
[Runecrafting LV 2]
[Rune Inspection LV 5]
[Rune Filigree LV 3]
[Rune Repair LV 2]
[Brand]

Profession Points Remaining: 0

***

Initially, I aimed to reach chapter 310 for the ending of book 4 for a nice round number, but after finishing chapter 305 and giving it some thought, I realized I'd just be dragging it out.

Hence why 306 is a bit of a chonky chapter, nearly 2 chapters even, and the conclusion of book 4 of Syl.

I'm excited for the next stage of the journey, and much like Syl, I'm a bit done with elves. In my original planning, "Book 3" was going to be half dwarves and half elves. The dwarves ended up taking up an entire book, so it was only natural that book 4 should focus on elves. Or so I thought.

Personally, I think I might have let this arc go on for a bit too long, and while I had fun with it, I soon became more and more eager for the next arc.

As mentioned in the announcement, I'll be taking a 2-week Syl break to get things in order and start book 5 on a fresh and positive note!

~Lunadea