Chapter 110: The Vote

After traversing the crystal steps and finally arriving inside the Spire of the Sun, Patrick found a Spellbreaker attendant already waiting for him. That stretch of arcane crystal stairs had been layered with all manner of magical energy fields—from identity verification and spatial anchoring to spell-reflection wards. It seemed the waters of Silvermoon City ran deeper than they appeared.

Patrick followed the Spellbreaker to an exposed platform, where King Anasterian stood in full regalia, his gaze fixed upon him. A longsword shimmering with flame hung at the King’s hip; owing to the Sunstrider family’s ancestral heirloom being a one-handed sword, every Sunstrider king was not only a formidable mage but also an accomplished master of the blade.

Standing behind the King was a younger elf with three arcane orbs orbiting his head. He looked heroic and imposing, wreathed in potent magical energy. His name was immediately obvious: Kael'thas Sunstrider.

"Are you prepared?" the King asked.

"Yes!"

"I hereby announce the appointment of Patrick Cabolon as the sixth permanent Councilor of the Silvermoon Council. He shall enjoy all the privileges of the office and, together with the other five Councilors, shall govern our Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. Let us wish for the eternal prosperity of our realm."

A magical projection of Patrick appeared in the sky. All of Silvermoon City celebrated the birth of its sixth Councilor; petals filled the air, and arcane fireworks bloomed in the heavens, shedding brilliant, colorful light. With a few crisp pops, the sky blossomed with magnificent, radiant flowers—appearing as blooms yet surpassing them in splendor, resembling fire yet possessing an artistic grace far beyond it.

Following the royal appointment, Patrick was officially a permanent Councilor. The Spellbreaker attendant led him into the Council Chamber.

"What do you think of Patrick Cabolon’s strength?" the King asked the prince at his side.

"He is quite capable," Kael'thas replied, recalling how Patrick had ascended the steps. "When he walked up the crystal stairs, his levitation magic remained undisturbed. Although he walked step by step like any ordinary elf, his feet never touched the stairs; it was as if an invisible staircase existed in the air. He is a Councilor of significant power."

Anasterian did not reply. He turned and walked into the Council Chamber, with Prince Kael'thas following close behind.

The councilors in the outer circle were already seated, waiting for the arrival of the High Councilors.

The first to emerge was the Chairman of the Silvermoon Council, Grand Magister Senior Sunwing. As he passed Patrick, he looked at him with a smug expression, his eyes filled with mockery and his lips curled in a sneer, as if to say, "Little brat, you’re too green to fight us. If you want a slice of the pie in Silvermoon City, you must first show some deference to us veterans and learn the rules of the Council’s game."

Elves are arrogant by nature, and High Elves are profoundly arrogant toward humans, maintaining a strict hierarchy even among their own kind. Thus, Grand Magister Senior Sunwing had the capital for his pride. To the Council faction, the Cabolon family had no qualifications to compare with the Sunwing lineage. Consequently, the great families of the Council often possessed an inexplicable sense of superiority: *Little one, you must learn humility; you are only fit to be our vassal.*

In Senior’s eyes, the Cabolon family’s decision to shift their focus to the Sun’s Reach and the Eversong Woods was a sign of submission. It led him to believe that the Cabolons knew they were no match for the old, established houses and had chosen to withdraw from the power struggles of Silvermoon City. He expected that after Patrick met enough dead ends, he would come seeking favor from the Councilors, allowing them to open their maws wide and extract plenty of benefits for their own houses.

As for what the smaller families might think? Let them. He was the core of Quel'Thalas; he represented every elf in the kingdom.

It must be said that in the hands of the monopoly-capital class, this tyranny of the many over the few only grows more intense. It is a favorite method for politicians to use moral coercion against rivals or to condemn foreign nations that do not align with their own interests.

Everyone took their seats. King Anasterian remained in his presiding chair, though this time, Prince Kael'thas sat beside him.

"The Kingdom of Quel'Thalas has always upheld the governing system established and implemented by Dath'remar Sunstrider and our ancestors who crossed the sea. For the past 6,799 years, the Silvermoon Council has made immeasurable contributions to our nation's development. This plenary session of the Quel'Thalas government is now officially open to review the past year’s progress and determine our development plan for the new year."

The King spoke using his standardized, formal tone. "First, I invite the Chairman of the Silvermoon Council, Grand Magister Senior Sunwing, to present this year’s report to the assembly."

Senior Sunwing, patriarch of the Sunwing family, appeared as a middle-aged human with a clean, sharp face and a wise glint in his eyes. He stood slowly and recounted the changes in Quel'Thalas over the past year, highlighting in particular the two great victories over the trolls, which had greatly inspired the High Elven military and citizenry.

Regarding public welfare, the distribution rate for food and supplies was at 100%. The entire High Elven society appeared stable and harmonious, with every elf looking toward the future with hope. As for the civil service, the administrative bodies under the Silvermoon Council were fully staffed and dedicated to serving all elven people.

The other Grand Magisters in charge of finance, justice, taxation, and the mages followed, each stating their work for the year. Everyone conveyed the same message: *I have exhausted my efforts for the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, and I shall serve until my final breath.*

"You have all worked hard. It is thanks to your dedication that the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas remains standing at the northern end of the continent," the King said. He then looked at Patrick. "Now, regarding the appointment of our new Councilor, Patrick Cabolon, do the members have any suggestions?"

The hall fell into silence. The Councilors exchanged glances, and the ordinary councilors in the outer circle lowered their heads in thought.

Finally, Chairman Senior Sunwing looked around at the others and spoke: "I suggest that Councilor Patrick Cabolon take charge of the administrative work in the region east of Tranquillien, oversee the military affairs of the Ghostlands, and incorporate the defense around the An'daril Estate into the jurisdiction of the Sun’s Reach. What does everyone think?"

Patrick nearly laughed aloud upon hearing this. Grand Magister Senior was truly a thoughtful companion; how did he know these were exactly the things he wanted?

The assembly remained silent. The hall was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. The Grand Magisters hung their heads, acting in such tacit agreement that it seemed they had already reached a secret pact.

"Does anyone have any objections?" Anasterian continued his role as the moderator.

The silence continued.

"Then we shall proceed to a vote on the appointment of Councilor Patrick Cabolon."

With the exception of the Ranger-General of the Windrunner family and a few other councilors who opposed it, the motion passed with near-unanimous approval. During the vote, Orox Dawnblade looked at Patrick with confusion; he could not understand why Councilor Patrick Cabolon would seemingly relinquish his influence in Silvermoon City. However, seeing Patrick cast his vote in favor with such decisiveness, Grand Magister Orox hesitated no longer and gave his consent.