Chapter 37: The Place Beside Them

Mornings came early for Saelith of House Sylvaren.

Before sunrise, Sae was already dressed and had washed her face in the small wooden basin.

Normally, the maids of House Sylvaren took care of her clothing and grooming, but she and her grandfather Thaelor had given them time off so they could take care of themselves.

It was no wonder, since all of them had been transported to this unknown world called Eryndea.

After making herself as presentable as she could, Sae opened the flaps of her black elk hide tent, and the first rays of morning light greeted her.

Of course, it was not that the sun had risen in the underworld. Rather, they were the first rays of light that the provisional spatial barrier the visiare had raised around the camp had allowed through.

After taking a deep breath of the fresh air in the magical valley of the underworld, she set out to fetch more water from the river.

On the way, the other visiare greeted her with small bows, and she returned their greetings cheerfully.

She also greeted the gigantic trees with legs known as the Elderbark, which spent their days carrying materials for what would become the future city.

They did not greet her back, but it was not out of ill will. They simply were not the most responsive beings.

The only exception was whenever Cerys passed nearby, at which point they would start trembling.

Once she reached the gigantic river that still had no name, Sae began playing with a pair of iluks that were drinking water by the bank.

Many of these docile yet imposing creatures already lived among them. Apparently, they had been won over with scratches behind the ears. That was their main weakness.

The walk back to the tent she shared with her grandfather was always a little slower. Sae often stopped to help those in need, whether by hanging laundry for older people or catching little children who had escaped their mothers’ attempts to give them their morning baths.

By the time she returned, her grandfather was usually already dressed, and the two of them would have a modest breakfast. Fruit, nuts, and some smoked black elk meat, if there was any.

“We must thank Lord Nereziel for everything he has done for us. Black elk hides, food, a place to live… we will never be able to repay him.”

“You’re right, Grandfather. He said it was all thanks to Lady Avelle. But without Lord Nereziel, we would have become fertilizer for the valley, according to Lady Avelle herself…”

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“Ah! That’s right! Yesterday, I found the perfect place for the temple, Sae. We truly are going to surprise Lord Nereziel.”

“That’s fine, Grandfather, but remember that he forbade us from building him a temple until everyone was settled. Homes, farms, and public services all take priority.”

“Well, just a little excavation for the foundations wouldn’t hurt anyone…”

“Grandfather…”

“We elders need spiritual peace! We could drop dead at any moment! Without a temple, how will Lord Nereziel receive us into his arms?!”

“I don’t know what he would think if he heard you say that… First of all, you and the other elders still have several hundred years left in you. There’s no need to be in such a hurry.”

Thaelor grumbled, but he did not press the issue. He was the archon, but he understood perfectly well that winning an argument with his granddaughter was impossible.

“Sae…”

“Yes, Grandfather?”

“Do you think black elk or iluks give milk? I miss my morning milk…”