Chapter 30

The room was adorned with two cushions, emitting a faint yet refreshing aroma of wood. Elliana wrinkled her tiny nose as she detected the subtle scent. Soon, she realized that it was the fragrance emanating from High Priest Julius’ divine energy.

‘Father also had a wonderful scent…’

Come to think of it, only two people she knew carried such distinct scents. The Duke and High Priest Julius.

“Gwanpa, there’s a scent of wood here. A pleasant scent.”

“Really? You’ve perceived that scent?”

“Yes. Father had a different scent. It was like flowers and cool breeze. A gentle scent.”

“That might be due to the potent energies possessed by me and the Duke. Pure and strong forces like potent magic or divine energies often carry their unique scents.”

Elliana nodded as if understanding, and then Julius ascended the cushion and stood.

“Now, follow me and take a seat on the cushion. Close your eyes.”

“Yes.”

In an instant, Julius struck the staff on the ground, causing a ripple of blue light to spread like waves on a lake. It didn’t just expand on the floor; it reached the white walls and the ceiling, as if Elliana was standing amidst a lake’s ripples.

“Child, close your eyes.”

“Alright.”

Elliana, fascinated, opened her eyes and looked around before quickly closing them.

With the staff raised, Julius began to chant over her, the words resonating with power.

“Omnipotent and valiant servant of the radiant deity, Riott. We bring forth a child touched by the power of the sun. Guide this child with nobility and pure strength.”

A soft hum and a burst of radiant light filled the room.

Soon, Elliana felt a warm sensation resonating within her chest, a rhythmic thumping that she could distinctly hear.

Thump, thump, thump.

The beat of her own heart echoed vividly, a sensation she had never experienced before.

It felt as if the sound of her heartbeat filled the entire room, overwhelming her senses with its intensity.

Then came an odd sensation, as if someone was gently cradling her heart, which was now blazing with a fervent fire.

Although it felt like another force was touching her heart, it wasn’t painful or discomforting. Rather, it was a unique experience that she couldn’t quite explain.

Suddenly, droplets of light like dew formed at the tip of Julius’ fingers, suspended in the air.

Instinctively, Elliana reached out, and the touch triggered the radiant protection of the sun on her palm.

Zing!

A significantly larger small sun manifested this time, surpassing even Elliana’s head in size.

This time, she could unmistakably sense the connection between that sun and her heart.

‘It’s incredibly powerful.’

Julius’ eyes widened in awe.

‘Oh… Such a massive surge of the sun’s power, responding to my divine energy.’

In that moment, a thought brushed through Julius’ mind. He felt the pulse of life force within Elliana’s sun-infused power.

The ability to make the earth fertile, water purer, seeds sprout, crops flourish, and animals grow healthily.

‘It’s a power akin to miracles. It might bring true spring to Crovache.’

Elliana had suspected she was the Child of the Sun, but she had never imagined possessing such a vivid and potent power.

The abilities of Riott, the Sun God, included a robust life force. It was the divine force that could invigorate seeds, ensure bountiful harvests, and bless living beings with vitality.

If that’s the case, the small sun she conjured might possess this same ability.

‘Could I entrust her with cultivating something…?’

The power of Riott symbolized abundance and prosperity. And there was one crop particularly challenging to cultivate in Crovache.

Julius tightly held Elliana’s small hand in his own and spoke with fervent excitement.

“Child, you’ve been blessed with this power. Please, whatever you choose, be it farming, orchards, or animal husbandry, the sun’s power within you carries a robust life force. It will ensure their growth and prosperity. Please, consider it.”

Julius’ voice trembled slightly with joy as he spoke to Elliana, his expression filled with delight.

Even Elliana found it hard to believe and blinked her eyes.

“… Anwithing? (Anything?)”

“Yes, you can challenge anything and it will work out well. I think you should proactively discuss this with the Duke.”

“… Well, then I’ll think about it more. Thank you, Gwanpa.”

“Don’t mention it. Oh, that’s right. How about I lend you my field for a little while? Just for fun, why don’t you try cultivating it?”

At the priest Julius’ suggestion, Elliana followed him to the back of the Riott Temple, where she saw a spacious field.

“I’m not seriously using it for now, but until last year, I personally grew lettuce and carrots here. But now, my back isn’t doing so well…”

As he said this, Julius tapped his back and groaned. Elliana looked around the field.

Having lived in a rural cottage, she had done some small tasks herself. Growing tomatoes and potatoes, collecting eggs from chickens…

However, whatever had been done to this field had left a strange and queasy feeling in her. There wasn’t a single bug or weed in sight.

Elliana slightly furrowed her brows.

“… Is it an owdinary land? (Is it an ordinary land?)”

“Yes, of course. It’s just ordinary land. So you can easily test the power of the sun you possess.”

The high priest smiled gently, but Elliana felt like something was tangled up in her emotions.

Nevertheless, if she could learn more about her own abilities, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to give it a try.

‘Well, let’s give it a shot, I guess.’

“I will do it. But I cwan’t manage it alone. I need someone to help.”

“Of course. How could I ask you to do such a challenging task? If I did, the Duke might put me back in prison. Or you might never see me again. Haha.”

It was the first time Elliana had seen someone talk so calmly about something ominous, which made her regard him with curious eyes.

“I will send workers to assist you tomorrow.”

* * *

The next day, a young boy arrived at the Dandelion Palace. He had vibrant red hair that gleamed and his bright eyes shone like emeralds.

Elliana quickly realized he was from a different werebeast clan like her.

“Hello, lady. Isaac von Cervan greets you.”

His eyes formed crescents as he smiled, a smile as radiant as the sun. This boy with his striking red hair was wearing a pure white priest’s robe.

The Cervan family, symbolized by the red fox, was well-known to Elliana.

They were a famous clan among the werebeast, along with the silver lion Crovache family and the black leopard Biolark family.

Especially at grand gatherings, the Marquess of Cervan was always present and well-liked, so they had quite a reputation in high society.

It was said they were born for high society and possessed a mesmerizing charm and artistic skill.

One more thing: the Cervan were said to possess the power of seduction, a mesmerizing ability unique to their fox race. They were also skilled in disguise.

Because of this, most events in high society were rumored to be orchestrated by members of the Cervan family, Elliana overheard them from the maids’ gossip.

Especially the eldest son of the Cervan family—people either praised him as an amiable gentleman or cursed him as a playboy of the werebeast world.

Elliana wondered why such a person, with his intriguing background, would become a priest in the distant Riott Temple.

This curiosity sparked within Elliana, and she looked at the boy in front of her with a slightly tilted head.

“Hello, Isaac.”

“Hello, lovely lady.”

Isaac, with his fox-like features, had a bright and cheerful face.

He appeared to be around sixteen, but for the Cervans, it was difficult to gauge someone’s age by their looks alone.

‘But why does he look at me with such sparkling eyes?’

With his long, graceful eyes and a teardrop mole beside his eye, he left a fresh impression.

Isaac half-bowed and extended his hand, leaving his gaze fixed on Elliana as he gently brushed her soft cheek.