"Uhn, we just casually picked it up in our garden. Tell me if you want more!" Sylvain nonchalantly replied. Two crescent moons formed with his deep green eyes.
"T-this.. Lord Sylvain, it's too much for us…" Eli replied with hesitation.
Now that she knew the real value of the gems they have casually given to her before, she dared not to accept them so easily.
"Indeed, Esteemed Guardians, your favor upon our family was enough for us.." Leon also replied with respect. He slightly bowed in gratitude.
"No bother!! We know it will be a great use especially for you. Aren't you spending all your life savings already to go to Silvertown back and forth just to visit Eli?" Celeste was the one who answered, casting Leon a knowing glance.
Leon's body went stiff. Celeste struck the right point. However, it was a stuff he didn't want Eli to hear because he knew that Eli would feel guilty because of that.
True enough, upon hearing this thing, Eli shot him a questioning look.
Helpless about this matter he gently brushed the back of his head in embarrassment. After a moment, he bowed in gratitude towards the guardians.
"I, Leon Andrae de Seirende, thank you with all my heart for these gifts."
"No worry… for Little Han and Eli.. they need you!" Amihan shyly replied.
"Ohh.. anyways we have another one here who wants to apply as Little Han's godfather!!" Zale then pulled someone that had been hiding behind them.
He was another fairy looking deity. But his hair was as hot as a fiery flame. His eyes were blue, as intense as the bluest fire. His expression was calm, yet one cannot take away their attention from his intense blue eyes.
Eli looked towards Leon, then towards the fiery guardian. A clear confusion and interest appeared on her face.
Leon, upon seeing the deity, knelt with a knight's salute and greeted, "Leon Andrae de Seirende, third prince of the current Seirende Empire greets our protector, Ignis!"
Eli also greeted right after, still showing a look of confusion.
"Are you curious, young Eli?" Sylvain asked with a playful smile.
"Yes, I wonder how Leon and Lord Ignis are related?" Eli asked straightforwardly.
"Ohohoho.. Ignis, buddy! Care to explain to young Eli?" Sylvain teasingly directed the question towards the intense looking Ignis.
With a deep frown on his forehead, he stiffly answered the question,"The first Seirende Ancestor had received my blessings... That's why they carry my features as long as they possess the Seirende Blood."
"I see.." Eli nodded in acknowledgement. That also answered why Leon showed intense reverence to him as compared to the other four guardians.
"I-i also have the right to be Little Han's godparent!" Ignis then continued with difficulty. His expression displayed that of a child, insisting on his right to claim over something.
Eli couldn't help but burst into a bright smile, finding Ignis's attitude as childish and adorable. "You are considered his godparent too, didn't you bless the Seirende Family from the olden age? Then you are Little Han's benefactor too!"
"Really?" Ignis eyes lightened up.
"Yes.. It will be our honor, right Leon?" Eli said in a brighter smile, if the two grandpa's were here they would definitely think that she had schemed again.
"Yes, it's our honor, Protector Ignis!" Leon answered solemnly.
"Alright! Good for you Ignis!" Zale puts his arm over Ignis's shoulder on a friendly manner.
"Uhn," Ignis replied calmly. However, his eyes definitely showed the signs of being elated from gaining a godchild.
Then the five proceeded to admire the newborn Han that was peacefully sleeping.
"He's so adorable~~~~"
"My Little Han!!!"
"He will grow into a very lively child!"
"Indeed! Let's do our part so that he won't be bullied!"
"Alright!!!"
Then they proceeded to congeal a dot of light from their hands, it was the same thing they did when they blessed Eli before coming down to Prasinos.
"We, the guardians of Prasinos, blesses Johann Asher de Seirende, to live under our guidance and protection! A piece of us that protect his life when a threat comes his way!"
Then the dots of light slowly burrowed in Little Han's forehead.
Eli and Leon couldn't thank the guardians enough of their blessings for Little Han.
However, the guardians turned to look at them in a serious manner.
"Eli, Leon, we have something to discuss," Sylvain said in a solemn manner. The other guardians also lined up and behaved, now that Sylvain had started to discuss the main purpose of their visit.
"You too must make haste on whatever plans you have. These gems might help you. However, all other things I leave to the both of you, protect Little Han.
"Yes!!" The two answered with determination.
"Eli, if the situation calls for it, do not hesitate to leave this place." Celeste then addressed Eli.
"I can see that you are a sentimental person. However, do know that really important things could be kept in our hearts? There will be a time that the enemy will be tracking you here and there. Therefore you must grow and be strong for your new family." She sincerely said while holding Eli's hands with worry.
"Uhn, I will." Eli said with determination, remembering every advice that they gave.
"We cannot interfere that much on what was happening to the mortal world, we are just here to look over the people and make sure that they would not be led to total doom." Ignis was the next one to comment.
"That is why we can only warn you this early, what's ahead of you will not be an easy one."
"We can always give gems to you, of course!" Zale commented.
"Uhn!" Amihan just nodded, letting the more senior guardians do their thing.
"Leon, protect your family." They all said in unison.
"I will heed your words sincerely!" Leon answered with a calm yet resolute expression.
"That's good to hear then!" They all said as light faded away to the room and everything went back to normal.
The two went into a trance silently, the guardians came and went too suddenly. They also blessed and warned too swiftly.
"I guess, we have a harder job to do at this point!" Eli said with a helpless expression.
"No matter what your answer is to me, I will hold you two dearly." Leon said with a clear and honest expression. He looked at Eli with a deep intense look.
Eli felt embarrassed of Leon's words of affection. She lowered her head and answered, "Uhn.. Thank you... I trust you."
"That's good to hear!" Leon said with a smile. His heart bloomed with warmth the moment he heard Eli trusted him.
'This was a good step for us, isn't it?' He asked himself.
The warm atmosphere between the two was interrupted as they heard a knock on the door.
"Leon, Eli, the Emperor is here!" Azayn said briefly.
Soon an elated Emperor Valentin went inside, holding Queen Tehila's hands. Upon seeing Little Han, his aged face reddened with joy and exclaimed in delight.
He carefully carried Little Han in his arms while repeatedly thanking Eli for holding on and giving life to their new bundle of joy.
After that he proceeded to nagging his son of the things that he has to do to protect Eli.
With a solemn look on his face, he addressed the two,
"The bells of the Seirende Empire rang wildly last night. Now everyone in Seirende knew that there was a blessed offspring of the empire. I was hoping to buy time for his growth, however, who could have known. We cannot conceal this anymore.."
"The bells?" Eli asked in confusion.
"When a Seirende offspring was born with high aptitude and capabilities the bells will ring so loudly to rejoice for the blessing given to the Empire. It was also true when Leon was born. It had caused such a disaster towards my son in the end, as at that moment I was still but an Emperor without stable support." Emperor Valentin explained with a sad and regretful expression.
Leon was also thinking deeply.
This matter cannot be concealed, for sure, his two older brothers will confirm to every member of the family who had birthed a newborn. It will not be long for him to be suspected.
In that case…
"I will announce his existence as soon as we arrive back in the palace." He said with a cold tone.
"Leon!" The Emperor and the Queen said in alarm, that move was too risky.
"It doesn't make any difference to buy time. I will announce. However, I will also say that I have not found them yet." Leon explained the matter more carefully.
"No.." Eli said with a cold tone. "It will trigger something unthinkable."
"What do you think your enemies will do when you say that?" She looked at Leon with a grave expression and continued.
"They wouldn't hesitate to kill every newborn in the whole Empire!"
