As an independent lord, a King who had lost his homeland, and a still-secret member of the Holy Hall, Annan could ignore the so-called Call-Up Order. But his Magic Film and trade businesses were closely tied to the Tartun Empire.
Maintaining good relations with the Empire could only benefit the fledgling Gemstone City, and chances to put the Tartun Empire in his debt were rare.
Eli Gravel's father was an Elf. Annan didn't know what had driven his father to do such a thing, and Elves, with their obsession with bloodlines, were unlikely to accept Eli. But Annan had a duty to do something for his capable subordinate.
Besides, he might even learn something about the Elf Mentor!
The Elf Mentor's enthusiasm was hard to handle, but reuniting with an old friend in a foreign land was still a good thing.
Elven tastes differed little from human ones, and Elves appreciated all forms of art, including Magic Film.
Making Magic Film popular in the Northern Frontier, the Tartun Empire, Middle Earth, and eventually the Southlands would still only reach humans. But if it spread among other races...
Besides, everything Annan knew about Elves came from Della and the Elf Mentor. The former was a Dark Elf transformed from a Ratfolk, while the latter... was an exception. Neither could represent ordinary Elves.
"So that's why you agreed to the Ceremonial Affairs Department?" Olin interrupted Annan's lengthy explanation.
"I couldn't find a reason to refuse. They're Envoys from the Elven Royal Court. Even the planting that's about to begin isn't as important as they are."
Olin said nothing, but she was plainly questioning his identity as a Sorcerer.
"I'm just a boy wrapped around the finger of every Sorcerer stereotype..."
The first law of Gemstone City will ban discrimination against Sorcerers! Annan