Blade of Dawn - Chapter 569 — An Incomplete Solution - 清風書屋

At Suojilin's somewhat awkward greeting, Suoyou Frostleaf merely gave a faint nod. "At least you're still in good health."

The people around Gao Yang were all dumbstruck. Having had little occasion to deal with elves, they could not possibly have guessed that this elven lady, who looked scarcely a few years older than Rebecca, was in fact Suojilin's mother. Out of politeness, however, each of them kept their astonishment well in check—only Rebecca's "Whoa" broke the silence as the sole exception.

Gao Yang, though, had anticipated this the moment he laid eyes on Suoyou Frostleaf. He remained perfectly composed, and even remarked offhandedly, "Separated all these years, and you greet him this coldly?"

Suojilin shrugged helplessly, while Suoyou glanced at Gao Cen. "He hasn't been home for seven whole centuries."

Gao Yang: "..."

There was nothing he could say to that.

"We've already arranged lodgings for you all. I hope human rooms will still suit you," Hetty said, speaking up at just the right moment to ease the subtle tension in the air. As she spoke, she looked toward the enormous birds of prey on the plaza. "As for these giant eagles... could they stay in the griffin roosts?"

Though Cecil had begun promoting arcane-net communications and the griffins' role as messengers was gradually diminishing, Xuanyao City still maintained a basic griffin squad and infrastructure like the griffin roosts for delivering important correspondence and undertaking certain reconnaissance duties.

"That will do. Giant eagles aren't particular about where they roost," Suoyou nodded. "Ranger Oran will tell you how to settle them properly. Also, please see to the griffins whose nests have been taken over—soothe their feelings a little."

A male elf in green leather armor stepped forward; he was presumably the "Ranger Oran" Suoyou had mentioned.

The staff in charge of the griffin roosts began the handover with this ranger, while Suoyou and the other elves followed Gao Cen toward the Autumn Palace.

The giant eagles that had landed on the plaza seemed uneasy in this unfamiliar city. One of them raised its head and let out a loud call in Suoyou's direction: "Coo! Coo!!"

Suoyou stopped helplessly, turned back, and called loudly to the massive bird: "Show some courage! You are a giant eagle!!"

With that she turned and walked on. Gao Yang had been startled the moment the giant eagle opened its beak; he looked at Suoyou in surprise. "What's the matter with that giant eagle?"

"Its name is Coo. I hatched it forty years ago," Suoyou said, pressing her fingers to her temple and shaking her head in spite of herself. "Damn it, I never should have let Master Thornheart help raise it... Moon Valley is full of pigeons!"

Gao Yang: "..."

Fortunately, all these brief interludes did nothing to disrupt the welcoming proceedings that followed. As planned, the Autumn Palace had prepared a lavish welcome banquet for the envoys and a resting environment more in keeping with elven tastes. After a feast in which host and guests alike were well pleased, in the reception hall of the Autumn Palace, Suoyou Frostleaf placed the two letters she had long since prepared into Gao Yang's hands.

One letter was sealed in an openwork wooden case, on which pale green vines and leaves were carved as decoration, the sealing wax at its mouth bearing the mark of the Elven Court. The other was enclosed in a pale gold metal cylinder, its seal stamped with the sword-and-shield emblem of the Ansul royal house.

Clearly, one was from the Elven Queen herself, the other from the White Silver Castle.

Of course, nominally at this moment, the second letter was supposed to be "jointly signed and issued by the White Silver Castle and the Eastern Province."

Gao Yang glanced at Suoyou. He opened neither letter, but remarked as though casually: "So now you are both envoy of the Silver Empire and envoy of Holy Sunil."