"Si Sheng, Fenulis just called. He wants us to meet him over at the Conference Hall." Bythre had received word from the king that it was time for the announcement of Si Sheng's presence.
Earlier in the week, as Si Sheng had been thinking about many things, he had asked Bythre why the king needed to announce his presence to the country. Bythre's response illuminated his curiosity.
"Many people have seen you and many don't know what to think of you. Some are scared, others disgusted, and others don't care. Whatever their personal feelings may be, the king's announcement is intended to inform the public as well as calm down fears and irrationality brought on by your presence. It will also serve to help you since the king himself is acknowledging you. That means you shouldn't have any incidents like what happened a week ago happen again."
"I see. It's like an extraterrestrial suddenly popping up out of nowhere and just casually walking around like nothing is wrong. That would definitely freak some people out."
Si Sheng understood why the king had to do what he had to do. It didn't make him any happier, even after knowing the fact. He'd rather be left alone, but as soon as Taro's party found him that wasn't an option. Regardless, it was also good that the king would basically be protecting him by personally announcing his presence to the country. While not explicitly saying that he was under the king's protection, it would provide a certain veil of protection against the annoying situations.
The Conference Hall that Bythre mentioned wasn't really a hall at all. It was an amphitheater of sorts, built specifically to relay news or important announcements to the country; the whole place was closer to a stadium, however. It was equipped with magic communication devices so that the citizens across the country could view and listen to the announcements in real-time instead of waiting for the news. This not only gave the king or leaders direct access to their population, but it also allowed them to cut out the middleman. There were many cases of news being manipulated before delivery, and such a system wasn't as efficient as directly relaying what needed to be said.
After walking toward the World Tree, Si Sheng was guided to a plaza-like area nearby. This plaza was the entrance to the Conference Hall. The Conference Hall was just beyond the plaza.
The plaza was crowded with people from all walks of life. You could see people from the lowest class to the highest gathering in this one area. It was quite clustered and Si Sheng found it annoying trying to squeeze between everyone trying to get to the hall. At one point, he swore he felt someone touch his ass, and when he turned to see who it was, all he saw was Bythre standing there with a smirk on her face like that of a cat after it had caught and killed a mouse, then presented it to you as some sort of gift.
When Si Sheng finally got through the entrance, there were already many people sitting in rows upon rows of seating. The hall was in a traditional raked stage fashion where the seating increased in height as you went farther away from the main stage. However, the seating was in a pit of sorts. Instead of being significantly raised above the ground, the seating was instead recessed into the ground and the center stage was deep below the ground, around 20 meters down and further away from the entrance of the hall. The stands could easily hold thousands to tens of thousands of spectators. The forum, where these seats resided, was covered in a long building, reminiscent of a warehouse made of wood. This afforded the venue cover from the weather and whatever else might try and disturb from the outside. It also provided space for rooms and other places to reside around the pit; this is where Si Sheng was directed toward.
Walking down a long hallway toward the back of the building, Si Sheng, accompanied by Bythre and an attendant, approached where Fenulis instructed them to meet him.
After walking for a bit, the attendant stopped and turned toward Bythre, saying, "Dean Bythre, His Majesty the King is waiting for you inside. Please, enter when you are ready," then walked off, back the way they had come.
Neither hesitated going inside; it wasn't like such a thing was a big deal for either of them. One was a person in a high position of the government and society, while the other couldn't care less. Meeting the king was like meeting any other person to the two that had just entered the room.
When Si Sheng and Bythre entered the room, Fenulis was waiting there getting dressed in his formal wear, which was used in front of an audience. The attire consisted of a frilly, lace-cuffed jacket that was maroon in color, a pair of matching pants that were made from a fabric Si Sheng didn't recognize, but were grey with an undertone of light blue. The shoes looked to be made from leather but rock at the same time; they were a very stylish pair of black dress shoes that would be fashionable even on Earth. There were other things that needed to be put on as well, certain ornaments and the like. There were maids helping him put all of this on while, on another side of the room, a strict looking elf stood there with a firm expression on her face, holding papers in her hands as she watched Fenulis get dressed.
The room was large enough that a full game of basketball could be played, while leaving room around the sides for people to comfortably walk around. It was in a similar style to the rest of the building, with dark-stained hardwood floors and seamless wooden walls that were of a pale beige color. There were numerous pieces of art hung on the walls as well as various furnishings around the room for people to relax on. The room had no windows and had both a front and back door. The back door was used as an entrance to the stage room where the actual announcements would be made. For that reason, the room was so large, so a large number of people could gather before they went to the announcement room.
The strict looking elf watching Fenulis saw Bythre and Si Sheng enter and approached them.
"Dean Helmer, Mr. Si Sheng, we've been waiting for you here. We are set to do the announcement in 20 minutes. I have some papers here for you to study to make sure you don't mess up during the speech. Dean Helmer, I expect you to act professionally, unlike your usual temperament. Your outfits are fine, so that is all."
The elf was named Marrie Mepher. She was from a noble lineage that was close to the Crown. She had grown up with Fenulis and at one point people thought they were going to get married, but it never happened. She resigned to stay as his secretary and aid, despite the bitter-sweetness of their relationship. Right now she was in charge of making the preparations for the announcement, and she was determined to make everything go right. She knew Bythre had a frivolous attitude and wasn't keen on sugarcoating her words about such things.
"Don't worry~, I won't embarrass your precious Fenulis," Bythre said in response to Marrie's comment with a playful smirk on her luscious lips.
Si Sheng and Bythre looked over the documents they were given. It was the traditional rhetoric about what to say and what not to say, how to act and how not to act. To be frank, Si Sheng didn't care what it had to say. He wasn't too enthused about the whole situation in general, so he really didn't care for the finer details of such a thing. Despite that, it wasn't like he was going to go out there and cause a shit storm.
The time quickly passed and the 20 minutes were over and it was time to give the announcement. Fenulis was dressed in his official attire and Marrie was looking him over to make sure nothing was wrong and asked him repeatedly to relay his speech to make sure he had it down.
***
"Do you know why the king decided to hold a speech?"
"No. But, I heard that something big was happening. You know the rumors going around, right?"
"You mean about that creature that showed up recently?"
"Exactly! One of my friends at the First Institute said he'd seen the creature on campus about a week ago. A lot of people thought it was strange but didn't question it since they'd seen Dean Helmer with it. This announcement is probably about that; a lot of people were anxious about the creature."
"I see. You're probably right, let's just wait and see what the king says."
The crowd was discussing the announcement that was about to take place. While many had guesses as to why the announcement was called, not many actually knew why it was happening. A fair number of people who had seen Si Sheng were under the impression that it was about him since it was weird to see such a thing. Nevertheless, they waited patiently for the king's announcement.
With the crowd loud, chatting and arguing over the current events, Fenulis stepped out onto the platform to deliver the announcement.
The crowd quickly quieted down when they saw their king and looked at Fenulis with anxious nerves. Some had been waiting hours while others just minutes, but everyone was supremely curious about what the announcement was about.
It was a rare event that such a wide announcement was made. The only time that this was used was when certain national laws or pieces of information were disclosed. So, whatever was being said would be important.
Thanks to Alfheim's infrastructure reconfiguration many centuries ago, every town square or plaza was equipped with a broadcasting device. It was similar to a holographic display board, but it was powered by magic and didn't need to recharge due to the device's ability of ambient mana absorption. Each broadcasting device was linked to the Conference Hall, allowing the whole nation to receive the news at the same time, save for the few backwoods areas.
While you could watch the announcement from virtually anywhere, many decided to watch it in person. It was a different experience than simply watching it through a screen, similar to watching a sports game live, rather than recorded.
After everyone was sufficiently quieted, Fenulis, down on center stage, began his speech.
"My fellow elven brethren, today we may sit at the crossroads of a new era in our country. For the last few hundred years, we've known only but ourselves and nothing more. Today, I am here to announce that that is no more. Many of you in Ljosalfheim may already be aware of what I am going to talk about, but many outside the capital don't. Around a week ago, we received a visitor, a visitor from another highly intelligent race. His name is Si Sheng from the race called Human. I am here today to assuage any fears or concerns you have over our newest guest, as well as welcome him to our great nation. First, I would like to call Si Sheng to the stage along with Dean Helmer."
No one yelled out or question the king. They intently watched and listened. When Si Sheng and Bythre came into view, people began to whisper among themselves while clapping.
"That's this human creature? He's so tall!"
"He's pretty hot, right? His height is so sexy."
"Are you blind? Look at his hair. It's basically black! Isn't that weird?"
"I think his eyes look pretty. They're so enchanting!"
"Hmph! What are you looking at? He's so inelegant and looks like a pain in the ass. Why would any of you think he looks good?"
"Oh, shut up! You're just jealous that you're short, and he's tall!"
Obviously, some elves liked him, while others didn't. Si Sheng's height was an immediate hit with many women, and a lot of them liked his height. Despite this, many were indifferent to his appearance; elven beauty standards were different from humans', and they preferred a softer-looking face and thinner build. Si Sheng had a manly, sharp face and, mainly because of his size, a bigger build. The only things the women liked were his height and eyes. Despite this, they quickly quieted down when Si Sheng and Bythre arrive next to Fenulis.
"Welcome Si Sheng. If you would."
Si Sheng hadn't prepared anything to say in particular, so he winged it and introduced himself.
"Hello, as Fenulis just said, my name is Si Sheng and I'm a human. I will be staying in Alfheim from now into the foreseeable future, I hope we can get along."
Silence. Many were stunned by Si Sheng's words and others offended. For Si Sheng, who lived in a country like the USA, honorifics were never a thing that mattered all too much. When he addressed Fenulis, he didn't add any honorific like "king" or "his majesty," which offended some of the elves who were very traditional. Others that weren't so headstrong were stunned at the articulate nature of his wording. They expected him to talk in a very broken nature, only having a few phrases make sense, let alone the whole thing.
The prevailing belief among the elven populace was that they were the only highly intelligent race, besides mythical beings. So, seeing and hearing another highly intelligent being talk and act with such mannerisms stunned them. It would be like watching a cow suddenly talk in fluent English and act like a human, it would be completely strange and unbelievable.
Bythre chimed in next.
"Also, Si Sheng will be attending the First Magic Institution starting next week. If you are students there, be nice to him for me~."
Disregarding Marrie's warning about being professional, Bythre also announced that Si Sheng would be attending the First Institute in an informal and playful manner, typical of her usual self. This added another wave of shock and anger. For the same reasons as before the people were shocked, but many were angry since the First Institute was hailed almost like a holy ground for the young talents of Alfheim. Many thought it was a disgraceful thing that he would attend there, it was similar to Reen Hamen's and Professor Ryth's opinion about Si Sheng.
"Before any of you get up in arms, this was decided by the Council. We voted on it and it was decided that he will attend. It would be better for all of us if he is kept there and not wandering around. For that reason, I expect you all to treat him like you would treat another elf, with respect and understanding."
Fenulis was quick to stop the crowd from simmering to a boil and told them this was the decision of the Council. When the people heard that, most of them quieted down and had a look of relief on their faces. To the people, the Council was the supreme rule in their country, so if they decided this was for the best, then they would take their word for it.
The announcement continued, and the audience asked questions and Fenulis, Si Sheng, or Bythre answered accordingly. Many of them were unwarranted concerns, and they were quickly cleared up. However, someone in the crowd shouted out towards the end.
"What makes you think he's even able to compete at the First Institute?!?"
It was someone who was still caught up on that despite the Council already saying their stance on the issue. Whether he was a shit-stirrer or was genuinely concerned was up for debate, but after his shout, the previously silent elves followed up by echoing his opinion.
"Yeah! Can he even keep up with the students there?"
"How do we know if he isn't a useless waste or not? He could completely fail, even if he's given special permission to attend!"
"If he could get in, even I could!"
The voices weren't few, and a roar soon overtook the hall. Many of the people were just following the crowd, but some really were there in the belief that Si Sheng wasn't capable of attending their prestigious Institute.
"Sigh~."
Si Sheng, before the angry mob of a crowd, sighed.
"What the hell?! You're not taking us seriously, are you prick?!!"
Si Sheng's sigh triggered a plethora of people in the crowd. To them, it seemed like he was mocking them. In reality, it was basically that. Si Sheng thought they were a bunch of idiots and was tired just looking at them, so he told them so.
"Sigh~. Are you a bunch of idiots?"
"What did you say, you arrogant piece of shit!?!?"
"I said: are you a bunch of idiots? Since when do you have any say in whether or not I attend the Institute? Last I recalled, it was the Institute or Council that decided that. So why do you care if I'm fit to be there or not?"
Obviously, insulting someone had the calming effect of poking someone in the eye with a hot needle and would just make them angrier. Consequently, one guy rushed Si Sheng before anyone could react.
"You son of a bitch!!"
"Yeah, I am."
Si Sheng sensed the man coming before he got anywhere close. His Sixth Sense was always alert, and he easily avoided the man's fist and stuck his foot out, tripping the man. The man was obviously still angered and threw something Si Sheng's way. Si Sheng saw what it was and decided to use Blink to avoid it.
Boom!
The man had thrown an explosive reminiscent of a grenade. Where he got it or how, Si Sheng didn't care. But after that, the guards quickly tackled the man, subduing him. The interaction between Si Sheng and the man had lasted all of a couple of seconds, and only after could the guards catch the man. The man was obviously strong, and it took a few guards to subdue him.
After the man was apprehended, the crowd didn't have anything more to say. The way Si Sheng handled himself, while seemingly arrogant, seemed to give credence to his abilities. Not to mention his brief display of what people thought was space-time magic, which was incredibly rare and powerful. Not many were capable of doing what he had just done, at least among the general public. After this, no one questioned his position at the Institute and the announcement quickly came to an end.
"Sorry about that, the people can get up in fumes over these kinds of things. Thankfully, no one was hurt." Fenulis had apologized to Si Sheng after they left the stage. He didn't like the fact that his people had tried to attack Si Sheng, and that they were so up in arms about this issue.
"It's fine. I half expected it to happen, given how many elves act."
"Well, now you shouldn't have many problems in Alfheim for the foreseeable future concerning people questioning your eligibility at the First Institute." Brushing off Si Sheng's jab at the elven populace, Fenulis responded, hoping to bring an optimistic light to the situation.
"Mm."
'If only it were that simple; no random person can get a hold of a grenade,' Si Sheng thought after he nodded to Fenulis. This is what his common sense told him. Even if this was a different world, weaponry of military grade wouldn't be so easy to acquire.
"Dean Bythre! Could you take something seriously for once?! Your behavior was highly unprofessional!"
"Eh~. It's fine, no one cared."
"I care!"
"Hehehe, if you have an attitude like that, it's no wonder you're not married~."
"YOU!"
While Fenulis and Si Sheng talked, Marrie was scolding Bythre for her unprofessional behavior on stage. However, talking with Bythre only infuriated her more.
"Haha, they sure get along well," Fenulis said with an awkward smile on his face.
"..."
'That's what getting along with each other looks like?' Si Sheng thought as he looked at the two arguing before him with an eyebrow raised in confusion.
***
In the shade between two buildings near a plaza in a city near Ljosalfheim, there was a man hooded in a dark cloak.
"Sir, he failed to kill the human. What should we do now?"
It was immediately after the man had rushed Si Sheng on stage. The cloaked man was talking into an ovoid object that was glowing in a subtle blue light. This was a magical item used for long distance communication and the man was talking to someone on the other end.
"Activate a few assets in the Institute to keep an eye on him. There will be a time when we will be able to kill him. Remember, patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. We can't afford to make a mistake, he isn't an idiot from what we've collected so far. We will bide our time until the opportunity arises. If needed, personally take care of the issue. Out." The deep voice on the other end said in a calm and cold manner.
After saying that, the magical item's light dimmed until it turned off, signaling that the device was off.
"Looks like I'm in for more work..." the voice faded into silence as the man's body assimilated with the darkness and disappeared, leaving only an eerie silence in the isolated alley way.