"Hmm?"
"What's that?"
"A deity ascending?"
The two Elector Kings had been planning to chat with Kroya a little longer, but suddenly noticed ripples spreading across the plane. A surge like ocean waves lifted a giant octopus into the deepest reaches of the Astral Plane.
Its very standing was changing to that of a deity.
Each of its arms grew illusory in the starlight, merging with it and stretching freely through the deeper cosmos, briefly blotting out the stars themselves.
On the Creation Star Ring, not far away.
A kindly-looking, white-haired old man standing atop the Astral Council's Spire looked up slightly and said with a teasing smile, "The Rainbow Poem. Only the opening chapter of the Poem of the First Source could possess the mighty power to let a living being ascend to godhood freely within the Astral Plane."
"Ilyst, did you come so early to have tea and pastries with me because you were afraid I would steal that young mage's opportunity?"
Sitting beside him, Ilyst held a pastry and ate it in small bites. She spread her hands. "Yes. Nobody knows that you once fought a great battle with Arcadia. I have to be careful. After eating pastries with you for so long, I really am quite full."
"But did you have to come for tea the moment he entered the Astral Plane? The Astral Bard Ensemble's priest is still around. Would I really bully a junior?"
The old man gave a mild snort. "The conflict between Arcadia and me is ours alone. It won't extend to the next generation. Besides, is that young mage really Arcadia's grandson?"
There was no oppressive magic, and his tone was perfectly calm. But with power and status like his, any question he asked had to receive an answer.
Even an