Vaner's enlightenment

"This disciple greets the patriarch!" 

The sound of this one, uniform shout coming out of nearly a hundred throats at once accompanied Vaner as he retreated from the excavation site. 

"The disciples are really thankful for your help, patriarch," the escorting elder whispered. "No, we all are," he then added, changing his message a bit. 

"I only did what I should," Vaner muttered in response, still struggling with an impostor syndrome running rampant in his soul. 

"Be it as it may, the former patriarch wouldn't bother to come forth and personally help with this kind of ordinary job," the elder disagreed. He then raised his fist to his lips, hiding the small chuckle that followed. "In fact, he would admonish me for merely disagreeing with him just like I did with you right now, Patriarch," the middle-aged elder added.