47. Ein and the "Ein Stone"

When the patrolling mages learned that a human settlement existed beyond Eldoron, they were utterly astonished.

In particular, the fact that a human settlement outside of Eldoron could actually produce a high-ranking mage came as an even greater shock.

They reported the information to their superiors, connected with the floating city high above the firmament, and transmitted this staggering news to Elian's palace.

Finally, having obtained Elian's remote permission, the surface mages sailed on flying carpets and escorted the lady who called herself "Aenllia" up to the floating city.

Before the palace of this sky city, the Goddess of Knowledge finally met the creator of this knowledge-revering human kingdom—the Archmage Emperor, Elian.

"Greetings, respected Archmage Emperor, Supreme Mage of the Human Realm, King of All Mages in Eldoron, and Great Majesty Elian!"

"It is my utmost honor to receive your summons and to witness your noble countenance."

Aen spoke the diplomatic pleasantries befitting her surface identity, bowing to the imperial monarch.

Observing the respectful posture with which Aen bowed to him, Elian could not help but smile faintly in his heart:

"Oh, isn't this the Goddess of Knowledge?"

"She's really putting on quite an act."

"She even deliberately transformed into human form. This is entirely what humans will look like in the era when they rule the earth in the future!"

Indeed, the very first moment he laid eyes on Aen, Elian recognized her identity:

Aen, the Goddess of Knowledge and Prophecy, the Omniscient Mentor, the Female Tutor among the deities.

Elian also knew that the classic magic item destined to appear in the future, the [Ioun Stone], would be named after her.

In his past life, Elian's relationship with this Goddess of Knowledge could be considered quite favorable.

Long before Elian ascended to godhood in his previous life, Aen would frequently descend an avatar to visit Elian's mage tower and discuss the cutting-edge mysteries of magic with him.

After Elian became the God of Magic, he and Aen would often stroll through each other's divine realms, exploring the ultimate truths of the universe together.

It was only a pity that later on, when the apocalypse descended, Aen bore the brunt of it, becoming one of the very first deities among the pantheon to fall.

Otherwise, she might very well have even become a subordinate deity to Elian in his past life.

Being able to reunite with a friend from his previous life so quickly in this one brought Elian no small degree of pleasant surprise.

"I didn't expect to attract the attention of the Goddess of Knowledge so soon."

"Yet it is hardly surprising. Compared to the ancient gods who were born long before mortals and casually created the various mortal races, these newly born deities care far more about mortal affairs. As the personifications of certain conceptual laws, they possess a supreme purity, bearing a nearly childlike side."

"Eldoron today is the land that reveres knowledge above all else on this continent, so drawing the gaze of the God of Knowledge is only logical."

Taking advantage of the primeval dawn...

In more distant eras, deities would never walk upon the earth as they did today!

Back then, wanting to seek an audience with a deity was a thousand times more difficult than it was now.

"Greetings, Lady Mage named Aenllia. For what reason have you come to pay me a visit?"

Unwilling to expose the goddess's true identity, Elian followed her lead and asked.

Aen smiled and bowed:

"Respected Majesty."

"I hail from a human settlement in the far west of the continent, having left my homeland many years ago to travel across this realm."

"Not long ago, I arrived in your lands and discovered that the humans here possess such a prosperous civilization."

"Your Majesty Elian, your kingdom has left me deeply awed."

"Here, I see that every child can attend school, learning all manner of knowledge within the classrooms."

"They learn to read and write, study arithmetic and geometry, understand past history, and appreciate the charm of arcane magic."

As expected of the Goddess of Knowledge, she placed extraordinary importance on the inheritance of knowledge...

From the joyous expression on the other's face alone, Elian could sense that this deity held a considerable degree of goodwill toward the newborn Eldoron.

This meant there was room to win her over!

Compared to racial deities such as the Elven Gods and Orcish Gods, these deities who were not restricted to a single race were prime targets for the human kingdom of Eldoron to court!

While it was true that in this era of scarce human population, Elian could not expect this Goddess of Knowledge to stand entirely on the side of humanity,

yet for a true deity of intermediate divine rank, even the most negligible gift would be infinitely precious to the nascent Eldoron!

"Indeed, knowledge itself is a form of power."

As he spoke, Elian strolled with the Goddess of Knowledge toward the railing of the floating city, speaking in a casual, conversational tone:

"Humanity possesses neither the physical might of the orcs, nor the innate magical affinity and agile physique of the elves, nor the mountain-like bodies and impenetrable scales of dragons."

"Knowledge is humanity's only weapon."

"Knowledge grants humanity the possibility of forging tools, wielding transcendent power, and triumphing over those enemies who are naturally stronger than us."

"Furthermore, I have found that although humanity's starting point is low, our capacity for learning far surpasses that of any other intelligent race."

"I believe that the human race is perhaps the most inherently suited race on this continent for the inheritance of knowledge."

Elian deliberately guided the conversation, subtly influencing the cognition of this true deity.

"Your Majesty speaks wisely. Perhaps pursuing the path of knowledge is indeed the most fitting path for humanity!"

Aen nodded in hearty agreement, feeling that the words of Eldoron's monarch were not without reason.

In her heart, her favorable impression of the newborn race known as "humanity" undoubtedly grew by a few more notches.

Standing nearby, Gurt listened to the exchange between the two and furrowed his brows slightly, a lingering sense of unnameable oddity blooming within him:

"What on earth is Your Majesty Elian talking about?"

"The way he phrases things... it almost sounds as if the other party isn't human."

"Aren't both parties in this conversation human?"

"Isn't the more crucial question right now to ask this lady mage about information regarding other human settlements?"

Unable to help himself, Gurt interjected:

"Lady Aenllia, what is the human settlement you come from roughly like? How large is it?"

"Do the humans there practice magic as well? How could they possibly cultivate a high-ranking mage like yourself?"

Aen shook her head:

"The human settlement I come from is very small, merely a village of a few hundred souls, falling far short of your prosperous Eldoron."

"It was only until recently, upon stepping into your lands, that I truly witnessed how humans could build such a prosperous kingdom on this continent, just like the elves and dwarves!"

"Our village does not possess the mastery of arcane magic as your Eldoron does."

"My magic was acquired through certain unexpected circumstances during this wandering journey that has lasted over a decade."

So that was it—the human settlement this lady mage hailed from actually did not practice magic...

A flicker of slightly contradictory emotions instantly arose within Gurt's heart—

As a human supremacist, knowing that there was no second human magical kingdom brought a faint sense of disappointment.

Yet as an Archmage of Eldoron, knowing that his own kingdom far surpassed all other human settlements filled him with a deep, irrepressible pride!