"I completely understand your desire to help your friend, but I really can't directly intervene in this matter."
The elven mage pointed to the glowing wooden piece in [ Do Some Farm Work ]'s hand and said:
Even using this won't work.
Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, he explained earnestly:
" The Grand Foundry Master is an old acquaintance of mine; I just came back from that ridiculously large library."
"There, the Grand Foundry Master specifically instructed me not to get involved in this matter."
"Of course, even if he didn't say it, this is beyond my control."
"I am still the nominal Elf King. As a High Tier Grand Foundry Master, I cannot interfere in election-related activities unless I receive his direct authorization, for the sake of our relationship, and even the relationship between Elf Island and Graycast Corridor."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions fell again, and the elven mage poured even more cold water on their already chilled hearts.
"So by the same logic, your Son of God cannot personally interfere in this matter. Sending a guard to escort that young man named Gray back is already the limit of what he can do. Otherwise, even the Grand Foundry Master would feel that he has overstepped his bounds."
" The Grand Foundry Master has also sent Messenger to the Second Holy See regarding this matter. I suppose that wise Son of God understands exactly where the boundaries of this matter lie."
The players suddenly felt as if they had lost all their strength and abilities, as if all their energy had been drained. Even the [ Do Some Farm Work ] skill, which had been racking its brains for ideas just a second ago, was now completely helpless.
In the midst of this silent atmosphere, [ the Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop ] suddenly asked:
"Master, may I ask what the Grand Foundry Master said?"
"Oh?"
The elven mage looked at the Soul Returner, who had played a near-decisive role in shaping the Machine Spirit's personality, and said with a smile:
"Oh, he said--"
[Your Holiness the Second Holy See Son of God, I wonder if this is the proper way to address you? I am a Grand Artisan in the Graycast Corridor. I am honored to be called the Grand Foundry Master by the people here.]
I have learned about the current situation of Gray Gris, the candidate for the Merchant and the Grand Foundry Master, from two old friends and several " Soul Returner," and I am very grateful for the Second Holy See's many assistance to him over the past year.
Every merchant is a valuable asset to the Graycast Corridor, and we can feel the friendliness of the Second Holy See from your actions.
However, the election of Grand Foundry Master is crucial to the survival and development of the Graycast Corridor for decades to come, and personally, I do hope that this will be a completely fair election.
So thank you for your assistance to Gray Gris. I equally hope that every candidate can leave without regrets, and your help has brought him to the same level as the other candidates.
So let's stop here and see how these children perform.
Finally, please believe that no matter who succeeds as the Grand Foundry Master, the Graycast Corridor's relationship with the Second Holy See will not change; after all, we are the true allies of "Order."
"Call."
Ed looked at the letter in his hand, smiled, and folded it back along the crease.
The unidentified flying object by the window turned its camera lens-like prosthetic eye toward him, and Ed immediately smiled and nodded.
The aircraft, which resembled a quadcopter drone, seemed to have detected some kind of information, emitting a buzzing sound before rising into the air again.
"That guy Grand Foundry Master is really interesting."
The letter melted into the Incarnation's palm, Ed's form vanished once more.
What the Grand Foundry Master said makes sense; arbitrarily interfering in the internal affairs of friendly forces is not a good choice.
Moreover, Ed understood the deeper meaning the Grand Foundry Master was trying to convey.
Clearly, whether it was him, the Short-Eared Elf, or the Grand Foundry Master knew of Gray's whereabouts, they all knew one thing: given Gray's current performance, there was no way he could arrive in the Great Labyrinth City on time to participate in the election.
Gray, Nora, and even Antasia had no power to change anything. Their journey was meaningless at this moment, simply because the Great Labyrinth City was their home.
Moreover, other candidates who pass both rounds of selection will have their own supporters and teams to varying degrees.
However, Gray's background was so humble that he only managed to pass the first two tests by riding the wave of the Second Holy See's growth and expansion.
However, compared to other candidates, although his achievements were dazzling, he was severely lacking in so-called "insiders".
Even Grand Foundry Master needs people, and that's where Gray's real weakness lies.
Therefore, the Grand Foundry Master tacitly approved Ed's investment in Gray and the emergency aid he sent, because this would give Gray the real strength to compete with others.
Now that things are basically fair, it all comes down to individual ability and the ability of their subordinates.
Faced with this inevitable defeat, the only variable could be the one that Ed sent to Soul Returner.
"Is that really what the Grand Foundry Master meant?"
After listening to the elven mage's analysis, the five people present perked up again.
The elven mage looked at the skeptical Soul Returner and said with a smile:
"You don't believe me? Being the Elf King also requires some skill. Although I hadn't even warmed my seat on the throne before the Demonic Tide arrived, I still have some experience in this area."
"So you can do whatever you want these next few days, that Grand Foundry Master won't care."
The elf smiled and shrugged:
"Let me see what you're capable of."
As soon as he finished speaking, [ the Do Some Farm Work ], who had been frowning the whole time, suddenly said:
"Wait, Master."
"What's wrong?"
After much deliberation, the Soul Returner finally asked seriously:
"I want to know, in this matter, are you and our Son of God not allowed to intervene, or are you not allowed to intervene 'directly'?"
The elven mage paused for a moment, then his expression suddenly became playful.
Looking at this rather clever Soul Returner, he didn't answer but asked a question instead:
"What do you want to do?"
The monk's question was also a form of answer, confirming the guess that [ Do Some Farm Work ] had before.
Although he was very reluctant to use his brain, with the [ Traditional Eccentric Wheel ] no longer available, he had no choice but to take out his old brain, clean it up, and put it back into use.
According to the elven mage and the intelligence gathered during the day, each candidate for the Great Forge was backed by one or two [ Grand Artisan ] from the Great Labyrinth City.
These people are essentially betting on a chance, offering assistance to their preferred candidates during this final stretch.