I indeed felt slightly jealous of her, that inheritance she got was indeed amazing, however, I had to comfort Elizabeth. This new power she has… if I train her well enough, she could become incredibly strong, even surpassing Ellergest. Someone even stronger than Ellergest at our side would surely be an amazing asset.
"Elizabeth, accept your father's gift with gratitude. Saying all those things only make you seem like a spoiled child." I said. "Accept his gift, and don't complain about not wanting it. He has given you everything he had because he loved you."
"Yeah, that's right." Seth said. "Elizabeth, don't feel so frustrated about not deserving it."
"If you think you don't deserve Lord Ellergest's gift, then just train hard and do tons of good things so you can one day deserve it!" Jack said, his simplemindedness was rather helpful now.
Elizabeth looked at the three of us, as the rest of our friends agreed, nodding.
She looked back at her own hands, as she sighed once more.
"…Fine. As long as… everyone can help me." She sighed.
"Sure, we are here for you, we have become your new guardians, Ellergest even prepared such papers already." Said Seth.
"Yeah, yeah." Jack nodded.
"Talking about papers… Did he leave any testament?" I asked.
"Tes… tament?" Asked Jack.
"…Yeah, there was something like that. Wait a second, I'll go search for it." Seth quickly set off back to Ellergest room, quickly finding the paper and bringing it back to us.
When Seth brought the paper, he immediately decided to read it in front of Elizabeth and everyone else.
"My dearest Elizabeth, and everyone. I leave this testament in case I die. I know I am older already, I don't think I have many years left, but I am making sure to treasure every single year I spend with all of you. Often times, I think about my own past as I write these papers, thinking about what I could had become if… I would had stayed at the side of an old friend of mine.
Perhaps I would had never become a priest, perhaps I might be living a completely different life than now, or perhaps, I would have already died long ago…"
"Nonetheless, every action and even that brought me where I am now was important to my life. And even the saddest of them I appreciate, as it brought me to the possibility… to the future where I have found you all with me, and above all, my daughter, Elizabeth.
I am leaving a small message for every person close to me, so please, read it carefully and if you're not one of these people, I would appreciate if you brought them here to read this…"
"Starting with Seth, you're perhaps the most promising Priest of all my apprentices. You're strict, you're rather talented, and you're also intelligent. You have the most experience of them all due to your age and time spent at my side, however, you have a flaw you must fix, my son. You have to be less strict with yourself.
Don't push yourself so hard, don't overexert yourself to the point you begin to forget what you were doing. Be patient, you require patience above all, Seth. With this card, I leave a recommendation to the High Priests of the church to consider ascending you into a High Priest, but it'll depend in your own efforts from the moment of my death to reach such a place."
Seth finished reading that part, as he smiled faintly, sighing a bit.
"Thank you, Lord Ellergest…"
"Wow! You can become a High Priest?!" Jack asked.
"Well, there's nobody more fitting than Seth." Said Erdrich.
"I think you could do it, Seth!" Elizabeth said.
"You think so…?" Seth wondered, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Well, for now, we can talk about that later. Let me continue reading…"
Seth resumed reading.
"This paragraph is for Jack…" Seth said, as the red haired teenager suddenly got excited.
"Jack, honestly, you're a rough kid. You're rowdy to no end, you lack manners, you are reckless, stupid, and also have a very hard time learning anything at all…" Seth muttered.
"Eh?! Is that what he left?!" Cried Jack. "Hahh… I guess I am really a failure, huh?"
"It keeps going on, be patient." Seth said, continuing to read.
Jack looked back at Seth after he said that with eyes filled with expectations of more insults from his mentor.
"…However, despite all these flaws, you're one of the most kindhearted people I've ever meet in my long life. Your attitude can slowly change, but you're so goodhearted that… you simply jump into danger to help others. You overexert yourself more than anybody and force yourself to help others as if your life depended on it… as if you didn't had any other thing to do with your life.
Despite your attitude, your selflessness is impressive, you embody the ideal heart of a Priest."
Jack looked into the floor, as tears once more flowed from his eyes.
"Take care, kid. Listen to what Seth has to say, and don't try to do anything reckless, you hear me? I know you've got more talent than you think you do. I am sorry if, in those times, I was unable to teach you enough. I hope you can, one day, become someone great for other people. Because to me, you're already someone like that."
Seth finished reading as he smiled back at Jack.
"See? Lord Ellergest loved you like a son, Jack."
"Ahh… Damn, I didn't wanted to cry again…"
Jack began rubbing his face with his arms, trying not to cry again.
"And this is for Elizabeth, my beloved daughter." Seth continued reading, readjusting his glasses. "Since the moment I met you that I saw him within you, Elizabeth. My old friend who I left behind so many, many years ago. I couldn't simply let you be alone in that orphanage. Without even checking if you were talented with magic, I just decided to adopt you in a glimpse.
Although it felt almost accidental, since I adopted you that my life has turned upside down…"