Chapter 1078 — Half an Uncle Gao Yang

Gao Yang tried to grasp the deeper meaning in this inexplicable remark, and said hesitantly, "So—you will not be fobbed off by what I just said. Is that what you mean?"

"No," Berentia shook her head, her fingers leaving the teacup and letting the liquid ripple faintly. "I mean—a child would be angry that a gift was not what they imagined, would fret that things had not turned out as they wished, would sulk at details and at realities that cannot be undone. But I am not."

She raised her head, looked at Gao Yang, and extended a hand. "You are not Uncle Gao Yang, but at least you are 'half an Uncle Gao Yang.' In any case—welcome back to this world. It still needs you."

Gao Yang was somewhat taken aback. To be honest, he still felt he could hardly keep pace with the Silver Empress's line of thought. This empress, who had ruled the Elven Empire for seven centuries, was perhaps the hardest mortal to see through and fathom that he had encountered since awakening in this world—the gods, whose ways defied all common reasoning, obviously could not be counted for comparison—but he extended his hand all the same and gently clasped hers.

Then Berentia sat back, her gaze falling on the teacups before herself and Gao Yang. "The tea has gone cold—shall I replace it with hot tea? The black tea from the Highland Kingdom is at its best only when drunk hot."

"Of course. Thank you."

Berentia raised a finger and traced a rune lightly in the air. In but a moment, two high elf maidservants appeared noiselessly in the garden and replaced the hot tea for the host and guest at the round table. Berentia pointed to one of the elves and said, "Uncle Gao Yang, do you remember her?"

Gao Qi frowned, studying the elf, and at last dredged up a blurry outline from memory: "...That little girl who ran around making trouble with you all day back then? I believe her name was Elaine..."

"It is her—Elaine. Well, it seems we truly did cause you a great deal of trouble back then," Berentia said with a touch of helplessness. "Seven centuries have passed, and it seems we must reestablish our impressions of one another. What I mean to say is that Elaine was delighted to learn you had been resurrected, and she has been looking forward to meeting you."

"I am very glad to see you again," the high maidservant said, smiling, though with a trace of shame. "I am sorry, back then..."

"It's all right. I am glad to see you again too," Gao Yang cut her off. "Seeing familiar faces is always a good thing. Looking back on those days now, I only find them amusing."

The high maidservant smiled again, and Gao Yang lifted the teacup before him—at last he could settle down and savor this fine tea from the Highland Kingdom.

As time passed, the giant sun drew gradually toward the ridge west of the town, and a faint red crept into the sunlight. As the edges of the clouds were lit by the setting sun, it came time for Gao Yang to take his leave.

He and Berentia had talked of many things past. Through the latter half of the afternoon tea they spoke no more of gods, churches, or those grand plans concerning the continent's future—until Gao Yang rose and started toward the garden gate, when Berentia suddenly said, "Uncle Gao Yang, how confident are you about how many nations will be willing to join that 'Theocratic Council' you have conceived?"

Gao Song halted mid-step and half turned his head. "I have no confidence. I simply have no choice but to do it."

"Then you may now add a measure of confidence," the Silver Empress said behind him. "As I said, the Silver Empire will support you—including in 'this matter.'"

"Aren't you worried this will weaken the Elven Court's control over religious authority?" Though Gao Yang had guessed this outcome after hearing about the druidic secret cults, he could not resist asking.

"My authority comes from the Empire's politics, its economy, and its army—not from the ornamental title of 'High Priestess.' The Fall of the White Star was three thousand years ago," the Silver Empress said.

The elves had never held a complete understanding of the threat they faced, and now Gao Yang could offer them a systematic solution—an opportunity she plainly had no intention of letting slip.

Gao Yang could of course see that for himself, so he merely nodded slightly. "In that case, I can set my mind at ease."

...

The sun had already sunk low, and Elf Outpost No. 112 was gradually steeped in a pale orange glow. Gao Yang came out onto the broad avenue before the Oak Hall, and Amber's figure slowly emerged from the air beside him.

"Hey, hey—do you think she noticed me?" The moment she landed on the ground, Amber sidled up and whispered, "I kept feeling like she was looking my way several times in there..."

Gao Yang glanced at the jittery chief of intelligence. "Still not sure about your own shadow abilities?"

"...All right, then I'd say she didn't notice me," Amber said after a moment's thought, shaking her head. "I've tested it. Apart from legends like you, only a very few high-tier transcendents with unusual abilities can spot me once I've entered the shadow threshold—and that Silver Empress is definitely not a legend. High-tier at most."

"The way you say it, you make high-tier sound like nothing," Gao Yang could not help saying. "As a leader with limited energy to spare, being high-tier is already terrifying, all right? Do you think every king and emperor in this world is a legend?"

"...That's true, I suppose," Amber thought it over and had to nod. Then something seemed to strike her, and her eyes lit up. "Ah, right! A legend like you must be one of a kind among all those national leaders. So when you hold your meetings, you don't even need five hundred White Knights posted outside the windows—you could just tuck an eggplant in your coat and blast them all to kingdom come..."

Gao Yang: "??"