I Have a Task Log

Seeing this, Orelia reached out to clear the plates from the table. Ale and Kase started to help, with Kase even smacking Dorn on the head to get the Dwarf—who didn’t want to work for the Elves—to get a move on.

But as Asvir entered the room, she snapped her fingers, and the leftovers on the table immediately flew up and floated outside.

She then snapped her fingers again.

The table in the room immediately grew several sizes larger, and nine long benches covered in Beast Hide appeared around it.

Once the group was seated around the table, Edwin said eagerly, "Colin, do you remember the secret letter you found, and the stone wrapped inside it?"

"I do." Colin nodded.

"That stone was a Golden Dragon Egg disguised as a stone block—the very one that was stolen," Edwin said. "You’ve all been a huge help this time!"

’A Golden Dragon Egg?’ Colin was slightly taken aback.

Seeing his expression, Asvir explained, "That Golden Dragon is an old friend of ours. Some time ago, the Dragon Worship Cult mobilized its forces for large-scale attacks on villages, even directly assaulting the Golden Dragon’s lair. They stole the Dragon Egg amid the chaos.

We also sent people to stop their actions, but we failed to prevent them from secretly moving the Dragon Egg. Fortunately, you’ve recovered it. Nice work."

"That’s good."

As he replied, Colin thought, ’So after Ale and I fell into that chasm, we just happened to stumble upon a secret Dragon Worship Cult base and find the Dragon Egg they were holding? That’s too much of a coincidence. Then again, it does seem to make sense. The Black Dragon and the Golden Dragon were fighting right in that area, and the leader in the cave was indeed a Black Dragon Descendant. No wonder the Dragon Worship Cultists went all-in on this.’

Hearing this, Colin felt somewhat relieved.

’At least this proves the people from the Dragon Worship Cult weren’t following us because they saw through Ale’s disguise. This Half-Elf’s method of disguise must be pretty reliable after all.’

"Next up is the victory parade. You will be the stars of the show, and the entire Silver Star Court will know of your achievements. Your actions have earned you glory."

Edwin then added, "Oh, and you must keep the matter of the Golden Dragon a secret. It’s not yet time to make this public."

Colin nodded silently.

Then, the Elf with the Seal Ring spoke. "Let’s hold the victory parade in three days. It will be an auspicious day. Now, Mirathesus, I need you to ensure nothing goes wrong with the grand event."

The other Day Elf gave a slight nod.

He rose and walked over to Colin and the others. "Greetings. I am the Ceremonial Officer, responsible for the rites and preparations for the victory parade. I am here to discuss with you all your attire, itinerary, order of appearance, and ceremonial arrangements for the coming days."

Colin nodded silently.

"First, it would be... improper for these gentlemen to appear in their current state," said the other Elf, the one without a Seal Ring. "The Dwarf should change the color of his beard, and the Half-Orc and Tiefling should perhaps wear hoods and..."

Before he could finish, Edwin cut in. "Pardon me, but are you trying to humiliate us?"

As soon as he spoke, the entire room fell silent.

Edwin still wore the same placid smile as before, a mixture of excitement and calm, but his words had been mercilessly blunt.

"My friends risked their lives to save your village and defeat your great enemy, and now you want to hide their faces and rob them of their honor." Edwin repeated, "Are you trying to humiliate us?"

At these words, both Elves were visibly taken aback.

Perhaps because he was so used to dealing with Ale, Colin could sense that the two expressionless Elves were feeling a little awkward.

After all, an accusation from a Legendary Paladin carried significant weight, especially with the Master of the Black Tower from Thousand Masts City sitting right there.

Colin, for his part, hadn’t expected Edwin to get so angry. ’Maybe it’s because he couldn’t take action back in that village, leaving him with some guilt. To be honest, none of us really thought it was a big deal. It’s not a pleasant thought, but Kase and the others are used to the trouble that comes with who they are.’

"Calm down, Edwin," Asvir said lightly. "I trust Mirathesus simply misunderstood our intentions."

The Day Elf with the Seal Ring spoke up. "Pardon me, but I confess I also failed to understand your intentions."

"This is no longer an age where the Elves can cut themselves off from the world and remain aloof. In the current climate, isolationism no longer suits any city-state, any kingdom."

Asvir said with a smile, "I think it’s time we abandoned the prejudices of the past and all this tiresome red tape."

"I believe I understand," the Day Elf with the Seal Ring said with a nod.

He looked at the other Elf and said, "Let us keep everything simple, Mirathesus. These heroes need not change their attire. Let every person in Silver Star Court see their faces clearly and remember their names."

"As you wish, sir," the Elf named Mirathesus replied with a nod.

While the others were talking, Colin glanced at Ale.

He blinked at her, a silent question: would something happen if she dropped her disguise? Ale hadn’t kept her head covered with her Cloak for this entire leg of the journey, but Colin still felt he had to ask.

Ale shook her head, signaling that it wasn’t necessary.

The answer didn’t surprise Colin.

’It seems my suspicion was right,’ he thought. ’Ale covering her head with a Cloak was probably just for her own peace of mind. After all, a magical disguise from an Elf family should be able to change her appearance, shouldn’t it?’

The thought made Colin a little curious about what Ale really looked like.

Afterward, the Day Elf went over the itinerary and other trivial matters for the day with Colin and the others.

Perhaps he truly had done away with much of the so-called red tape, because none of it was hard to understand. Colin had it all memorized in no time.

Of course, whether Kase remembered any of it was another question entirely.

Once everything was settled, Asvir said, "Alright, that will be all for today. Please, enjoy your vacation."

With that, the other visitors said their goodbyes one after another.

Asvir snapped her fingers to return the table to its original state, then left the cottage.

"Mr. Helder was so scary just now," Orelia said. "That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him angry."

"Those Elves must have been scared out of their wits. Did you see the looks on their faces?" Dorn said with a hint of schadenfreude.

Ale glanced worriedly toward the door.

She walked over to Colin’s side and whispered, "This won’t cause any problems, will it?"