The Wonderful Taste of Divinity (Part 1)

In the blazing July, Shane returned to the mage tower twenty days after entering the Troll Lands. Someone had cleaned the living quarters. Two epic books lay on the tea table, and the tea set showed signs of daily use.

Sensing a familiar presence, Shane ate a little food before burying himself in sleep. This rest swept away all the exhaustion from his journey, along with the urgency and anxiety he had once felt.

Divinity was truly incomparably sweet. Within the cage of his mind, it was ground slowly like grain beneath millstones, its former owner's imprint gradually worn away to reveal its purest form: a crystallization of wind and lightning.

It was the Spirit of the Eagle, a power of rules it had gathered over thousands of years at its place of origin through instinctive resonance with nature. It was also the power the trolls had tried to steal through deception, transmitting faith through an ancient beacon.

There was only a trace of divinity, less than one-eighth of the eagle's soul, yet it was like a guiding beacon that showed him the way forward. The ultimate direction of arcane pursuit was also the power of rules. From pure balance, to the creation of balance, then to pure rules.

He slept for more than a dozen hours, longer than he ever had before. When Shane woke, his mind was exceptionally relaxed. Everything in the mage tower lay within his perception. Taigo had devoured the eagle, and a second pair of spikes had grown from its shoulders. Shane had guessed that they might represent the dragonhawk and eagle it had consumed respectively. At the moment, it remained in the mage hall, guarding the mage tower's main entrance.

Having just awakened, he felt a little thirsty. With a wave of his hand, he called, "Come." The kettle flew over, not carried by Mage Hand, but lifted and borne through the air by the wind.

"This is wonderful!" The divinity took the form of a translucent hexagonal prism. When he cast spells, it shone with sapphire-like radiance, illuminating his sea of consciousness. His mind was filled with a sense of sublimation, and every part of his body felt so good he nearly **.

After drinking, Shane returned the kettle to its place and cast a cleansing spell on himself in place of washing up. Then he walked to the window and looked down upon the night view of the outpost. Inns and shops had lit their lamps to welcome passing guests. These lights were not as gentle or bright as magical lamps, but that made them all the more fitting. Amid the hazy light, talking, laughing, walking about, exchanging pleasantries, and even fighting were all quite convenient.

The rangers had drawn in business opportunities, while the mage tower brought a sense of security. Commoners now dared to travel freely between Quel'Thalin and the outpost.

"Once all the roads are repaired, the outpost will be like a small town. Clear out the trolls in the east and produce some distinctive goods. In just a few years, this land will prosper—prosper in my hands."

At that thought, Shane felt a satisfaction unlike anything he had experienced since arriving in this world. He casually tapped the lid of the teapot, heating the water inside to a boil, then poured himself a cup of black tea.

At a time like this, perhaps drinking some wine would have been more fitting. But alcohol damaged the brain. If he wanted to go further in the arcane field, he had to give up drinking.

"Sylvanas, since you're here, come in."

The female elf had actually entered the mage tower through the front door today. The moment she approached, Shane detected her even faster than the alarm ward did. Sylvanas took four hundred and twenty-three steps down the passage, then stopped outside the living room door, hesitating over whether to enter.

"Hmph." With a crisp sound, the door clicked open a crack. A slender hand in a moon-white glove pushed it fully open.

Shane's eyes lit up at the sight. Sylvanas was exceptionally beautiful, even among elves. She had shed her ranger attire and was wrapped from head to toe in a fitted moon-white formal dress. Her toned body supported its exquisite curves. Her pointed chin was raised slightly, her chest held high, and her breasts seemed ready to burst from the fabric. She was the most beautiful laurel.

"Have you seen enough?" As she spoke, she walked over. Rather than reclining in the lounge chair, she sat with her legs together and hands resting on her thighs, like a proper lady. "If this dress weren't so restrictive, I wouldn't sit like this."

The female elf spoke irritably, yet seemed to be expecting something.

"Very beautiful," Shane praised sincerely, serving the lady tea and pastries. "But why are you dressed like this?"

"Because of that boring Landing Festival. It comes once every year. Even though I'm far away in the Ghostlands, my family still insists that I return to attend. It's boring beyond belief. I planned to put it off until the last day before going back, so they sent this over and made me try it on."

The Landing Festival was the holiday during which the high elves celebrated their arrival in Quel'Thalas. To commemorate that great day, the high-ranking clans gathered together to hold sacred ceremonies, while commoners were free to indulge themselves. Material supplies were endless, with everything one could want.

"Is it really that boring?" Shane had never attended one. Until last year, he had never entered the so-called high society.

"Ah, it's not only boring, it's meaningless." A faint disdain colored Sylvanas's tone.

Shane had never stepped into the worldly life of the high elves, so he had no idea what had earned the female elf's contempt. He had devoted all his time to arcane research. Only now, listening to Sylvanas speak, did he realize that the mortal world had been right here all along.

"Should I tell you to hang in there?"

"You should say we'll endure it together, carrying on the glorious tradition passed down from ancient times. You'll be invited this year too. I'm greatly looking forward to seeing how awkward you'll be. But if you ask me for help, I might just assist you." Sylvanas chuckled smugly. A mysterious light flowed through her eyes like starlight. Her lips curved into a faint smile as she faced Shane. The dust and splendor of military life had fallen away, leaving only a woman's beauty.

She looked at Shane like that for quite some time.

"Your scent has improved again. It's becoming more and more like the scent I prefer. Congratulations on obtaining what you wanted." Every elf had been granted arcane sensitivity by the Sunwell, and Sylvanas was naturally especially sensitive to his changes.

Shane smiled. Divinity had not greatly increased his total power. Instead, it had elevated him on another level, like the clarity of seeing the end of a road at a glance, and the anticipation of knowing that as long as he kept moving, he would reach the destination.

But Sylvanas would not dwell on the matter for long. She had her own pride. Soon, she turned back to the topic of the Landing Festival. "Vereesa will also attend the Landing Festival this year. In the blink of an eye, she's reached that age too. When she was little, I liked snatching her toys and watching her cry. Now she's completely past the age for games. Time passes so quickly."

"As for Alleria, who knows how many people she'll hurt again? She's especially dangerous at this time of year. Be careful not to get loaded into a ballista in Silvermoon City and fired away."

Behind her teasing expression lay sincere tenderness. The victorious ranger was transforming into a woman, and that radiance was as dazzling as a diamond. She possessed tenderness amid strength, and wildness amid maturity. For the first time, Shane witnessed all her charm.

That night's conversation revolved around the Landing Festival. Shane was a loyal listener, asking "And then?" at all the right moments as he listened to Sylvanas's memories.

Before she left, Shane escorted her to the window. The female elf turned around and bid him farewell. "You didn't encounter Vereesa in the Troll Lands, so your luck wasn't very good. But it won't be long before you see her. That's all I'll say. Goodbye."