Book 3: Chapter 273: The Trouble of Identity

Regarding the fact that "Hedra" was actually "Sylutia," the top echelons of the Hidden Grove Alliance were well aware. Over the past few decades, facing the rapid rise of the Mage Alliance, this had generated an immense sense of crisis within the Hidden Grove, and had also prompted a series of internal reforms within the Hidden Grove Alliance in recent years.

However, what the actual effects of those reforms were, and whether there were deeper factors beneath the surface framework that had enabled the Mage Alliance to rise so swiftly, the Hidden Grove Alliance had many doubts and anxieties. Harboring complicated thoughts, they had dispatched numerous personnel over the years to infiltrate the Mage Alliance, hoping to uncover the reasons and keep tabs on the Mage Alliance's real-time situation.

Such personnel were mostly of mediocre aptitude and utterly unremarkable. All along, even if the Mage Alliance detected their presence, they didn't pay much attention, because these people had spent years of time and effort studying within the Mage Alliance, and it was basically impossible for them to return. Moreover, since they had become part of the system, whether for their own future, for work and earning money, or otherwise, they were essentially adding bricks and mortar to the "Gold Steam" Path. Why bother doing something thankless and unrewarding?

Furthermore, with the Mage Alliance's enormous population base and territory, it was impossible to keep every matter secret. Rather than waste their own time and energy on thankless tasks, it was better to turn a blind eye.

And so, over all these years, the two sides had coexisted peacefully.

But a talent as exceptional as Sylutia, with such outstanding aptitude, character, and temperament, being sent to the Mage Alliance was a first for the Hidden Grove, and a very risky move at that.

Originally, Sylutia was kept in reserve as a means to interfere with the upper echelons of the Mage Alliance in the future. There were also considerations of bringing Sylutia back after a few years to lead the Hidden Grove Alliance's subsequent reforms, applying her learned knowledge of the Mage system and the use of Mechanical Creations within the Hidden Grove Alliance, thereby achieving a similar effect to "learning the barbarians' techniques to counter the barbarians."

But the arrival of this Sinking Fog season had disrupted many people's plans. Both the Mage Alliance and the Hidden Grove Alliance were forced to adjust many scheduled matters because of this change in the wind season.

The Mage Alliance had prematurely and rather urgently selected Sylutia as their successor and begun teaching her the most profound secret arts. The Hidden Grove Alliance, after this confrontation and the treaty negotiations, had also come to realize something.

If this treaty was concluded, during these sixteen years of the Sinking Fog season, the two sides would most likely maintain peace, because it benefited both parties. The Mage Alliance needed to weather this difficult period, recover and ascend to even greater heights in the future, and prepare for the birth of the Hours. The Hidden Grove Alliance also needed time to adjust its own framework and systems to cope with the ever-changing world.

Since peace was inevitable, there were few remaining reasons for Sylutia to stay in the Mage Alliance. Besides, she had already mastered spellcraft to a very proficient level, and could return to the Hidden Grove Alliance ahead of schedule to begin new work.

Additionally, various vague news and signs had made the high-ranking officers of the Hidden Grove Alliance worried. Sylutia's position in the Mage Alliance was rising sharply. If they delayed any longer, this young woman would become the new-generation leader of the Mage Alliance and the power-holder of the next generation. Getting her back after that would be extraordinarily difficult.

Considering all this, that was the reason the Hidden Grove Alliance urgently wanted Sylutia to return early when signing the treaty.

The Hidden Grove Alliance knew that "Hedra" was "Sylutia," but the high-ranking officers on the Mage Alliance's side were not privy to this secret. Nevertheless, that didn't stop them from rejecting the proposal, because the matter of "Hedra" becoming a Named One's successor was already an open secret among the Sages. Especially after learning that she was naturally favored by the "Luminous Moon," no one ever questioned that decision or choice again.

So, during the treaty negotiations, every time the Hidden Grove Alliance brought up "Hedra's" name, they received ruthless and unquestionable rejections, plunging the negotiations into deadlock.

From the Mage Alliance's perspective, the Hidden Grove was up to no good. What were their intentions, coveting their genius successor like that?

But from the Hidden Grove's side, Sylutia was originally from their Hidden Grove to begin with. Letting her come home was only proper. They couldn't really just lose this rare genius young woman, could they? That would be like losing the child without catching the wolf, a loss far too great to bear.

And so the two sides clashed over this issue many times, each meeting ending in discord.

That deadlock was only finally broken when the Named One issued a decree from above, because the Mage Alliance demanded an exchange of "Sylutia" for "Xilu," a proposal that temporarily silenced the Hidden Grove Alliance.

The Hidden Grove Alliance's lower ranks had to carefully consider whether the Mage Alliance had already realized this young woman's true identity, or whether it was merely an unexpected coincidence. And so, the question of "Aitos" and "Sylutia's" whereabouts was temporarily set aside, with both sides moving on to perfect the rest of the treaty, because the treaty covered an extremely wide scope and would probably take another month or two to nail down all the details.

....

When Sylutia learned of this news, it was already several days later.

"So you're saying that the question of whether I stay or go has now become the focal point of deadlock between the two major powers?" The young woman covered her cheeks in astonishment, her eyes widening with a trace of disbelief.

Because the treaty was of paramount importance, it had not been made public beforehand; only the top echelons of both sides were discussing it. During that period, Sylutia had been busy studying the numerous subjects imparted by the Named One, with no opportunity to pay attention or find out, and it wasn't until today that she heard about it from the Sage Hedra.

"Yes." The Dean stood in his office holding a teacup, gazing at the scenery outside, a hint of bewilderment in his voice.

Although the Hidden Grove Alliance had temporarily set aside the issue, the decree issued by the Named One also puzzled him greatly. Why exchange "Xilu" for an unknown rising-star gardener from the Hidden Grove? And what was even stranger was that upon hearing the proposal, the Hidden Grove Alliance's representatives wore complicated expressions and immediately dropped the issue without further discussion.

Could it be that this "Xilu" person had a very special identity, someone the Hidden Grove could not possibly exchange, and whose existence was also kept under tight secrecy? That would explain why, when the Mage Alliance side made the proposal, the other party looked so astonished and then fell silent.

It wasn't just Hedra; the other several Sages at the meeting were also very surprised and confused. But the Named Ones had not provided any explanation or reasoning, only instructed them to do so.

Hedra truly didn't know. But behind her, Sylutia, who was nearby, had a troubled and embarrassed expression upon hearing the news. Of course, she knew the whole story, and she felt an awkwardness and shame, as if her little schemes had been seen through by the great ones.

For the Named One to issue such a proposal meant that the three of them had long since understood her true identity. But why, despite knowing this, had they not exposed her and continued to teach her all along?

She felt uneasy, unsure how she would face them and explain herself when she went to the Sky High Tower in the coming days.