Chapter 486 – Aramir’s Trial

“Mr. Aramir, this morning, a lady asked me to deliver this to you.”

Jenny and Lena had come to keep yesterday’s appointment. When they saw the old Elf beneath the oak tree, Jenny lifted the hem of her petticoat and ran over, pulling a letter from the bag she carried and handing it to him.

Aramir accepted it with a puzzled look. “From whom?”

“No idea! The lady was hidden under a dark cloak — I couldn’t see what she looked like,” Jenny said.

Although she had recognized the voice as that of a young lady, a silver coin’s payment and professional discretion kept her silent.

Before Aramir could ask anything more, Jenny was already pulling Lena along, dashing into the inn.

They had a big deal to attend to today!

Aramir sat beneath the tree and opened the letter wrapped in a black envelope.

“Mr. Aramir, are you perhaps facing some difficult choice at this moment? I represent the Dawn Society and invite you to join us. After passing the membership trial, the Society’s internal resources will be open to you.

Enclosed is an excerpt from the Society’s internal magical resource catalog: {Item Card – Spatial Ring}, {Item Card – Spatial Tent}, {Item Card – Spatial Planting Pot Card}…”

Aramir read with casual indifference — until a certain item on the magical resource list caught his eye, and he immediately sat bolt upright.

A spatial planting pot that could shrink down into a card, and the plants inside would maintain their current state — wasn’t this exactly what he needed most right now?

With it, he could bring Yar back to the Elven Woods.

The Elven Woods had an abundance of plants, and no one would carelessly harm a tree there.

Yar would be safe there, would have many friends, and would never be lonely again.

What was this Dawn Society? How could they possess such a spatial treasure capable of carrying a living being and being taken anywhere? The Elven race had such a long heritage, yet even they had nothing like it!

When he read that the invitation stated all magical resources could be purchased with Gem Coins — which were exchanged using magical energy — Aramir’s first reaction was: “This has to be fake!”

Such a precious treasure — even a single one would spark fierce competition. How could it possibly be exchanged for mere magical energy?

“It’s probably someone’s idea of a prank!”

After this thought formed, Aramir immediately felt disappointed. If only it were real.

If something like this existed anywhere in Lance City, he would spare no effort to get his hands on it.

Even though he had already decided in his heart that this was a prank, when Aramir reached the end of the letter and saw the words — “If you are willing to accept the trial and become a member of the Dawn Society, and guarantee that regardless of success or failure you will not divulge any matters concerning the Dawn Society, then sign your name here” — he still couldn’t help feeling tempted.

What if it was real?

He examined it carefully. Apart from the requirement to keep the Dawn Society’s affairs confidential, there were no harsh terms in the letter. Even if it were a Demon’s contract, the text on it wouldn’t cause him any harm.

“Why not just sign it and see?” Aramir wanted desperately to take Yar with him when he left.

The one thing he regretted most in his life was that when he left the Elven Woods, he had brought an oak seed with him and planted it outside the home where he was living abroad.

He had watched with his own eyes as it slowly developed a spirit, as the bond between them grew ever deeper.

As the years passed, the tree on the open plains became a tree in the middle of a city. He had been prepared to spend the rest of his life watching over it — but then something happened in the Elven Woods.

In the Elven Woods, there were still many of his relatives and friends.

He could not forsake an entire forest for the sake of one tree, Yar.

Now that there was the possibility of having it both ways, even though it was most likely a prank, Aramir couldn’t bear to let this chance slip by.

He took the invitation back inside, found a pen, and wrote his name on the blank space of the invitation.

From the moment his pen touched the paper, he felt something different — as if the power of contract was flowing through his pen strokes and seeping into the invitation.

By the time he finished writing his extraordinarily long Elven name, the Dawn Society Invitation beneath his pen had transformed into a black card.

On its face was written the card’s name — “Dawn Society Trial Card” — along with a wealth of text information.

【Trial Participant: Aramir】

【Trial Task One: Read 《Dawn Society Resource Catalog》, 《Dawn Society Mission Statement》, and 《Dawn Society Confidentiality Regulations》, then complete the examination to become an official trial participant of the Dawn Society.】

【Reward: An excellent examination score grants one temporary exchange permit for {Temporary Item Card – No. 9 Spatial Planting Pot (3 days)}.】

【Trial Task Two: Find suitable spellcasters and present them with a {Dawn Society Invitation}. The invitation is considered successful when the recipient accepts.】

【Reward: For each successfully invited spellcaster, receive one temporary exchange permit for {Temporary Item Card – No. 9 Spatial Planting Pot (9 days)}. Successfully invite ten spellcasters within three months to pass the trial early, become an official member of the Society, and receive one permanent exchange permit for {Item Card – No. 9 Spatial Planting Pot}.】

The moment Aramir had felt the power of contract, hope had risen in him anew.

But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he could obtain the spatial planting pot mentioned in the invitation this quickly.

He hadn’t even passed the trial yet!

Such a precious treasure, and all he had to do was read a few books, take an exam, and he could obtain it.

Even if he could only use it for three days, that was already extraordinary.

But what was an exam?

In the Elven world, there was simply no such thing as an exam.

Aramir poked at the word “exam,” and a small tooltip actually popped up on the card’s surface, explaining the meaning.

“So it’s a method of assessment that tests what you’ve learned!”

Did that mean all he really had to do was study these books properly, and then he could exchange his forces of nature for a {Temporary Item Card – No. 9 Spatial Planting Pot} usable for three days at the trial store?

Aramir had lived for seven hundred years and had never encountered such a good deal!

What kind of organization was the Dawn Society, and why were they so generous?

From what he could see so far, the Dawn Society was nothing less than a charitable organization!

At this moment, Aramir’s heart was full of curiosity and gratitude toward the Dawn Society.

It just so happened that the materials required for Trial Task One were all about the Dawn Society itself. He immediately began reading with eager impatience.

When Mo Lan, Lilith, Vasida, and Sylph came downstairs, all they could see of Aramir from beyond the bar counter was the top of his head.

He was hunched over the desk reading, and didn’t even lift his head when he heard them.

“Mr. Aramir, we’re heading out to look at houses. Once we’ve found a place to rent, we’ll be moving out. I’m sorry…” Sylph said, her spirits low.

At this moment, she was still the little Apprentice who wanted to buy the inn but wasn’t understood by her Instructor or her fellow students.

“It’s fine! I wish you the best in finding a good place soon!” Aramir lifted his head and said, speaking a touch quickly.