Most of the stuff the little monarch had hoarded in its nest was just junk.

Pushing aside some straw and other nest stuff, I grabbed a couple more of the small metallic objects. Most of them were shiny and round, making it rather obvious what its taste had been.

I bent a little, twisting as I did while reaching behind me, as to hand off the bundle of little trinkets to Fizz. She and I were squeezed into the small hole I had made as to get access to its nest. She giggled as she crawled backward out of the hole, pushing off my thighs and legs as she did.

The little monarch had made a small nest behind one of the larger bookshelves here in the library. The archive library to boot. Yet the spot it had made it in was not a place easily accessible. Once you got through the wooden shelf, and the foot or so of wood behind the shelf itself, you encountered stone. The hard brick that made up the Cathedral. It was why I had made the small hole and was digging out the stuff this way and not just accessing it properly. I didn’t want to have to rebuild a whole wall just to clear out its junk.

“I feel like a rat!” Fizz shouted happily as I heard her put the stuff I’d just given her into a box. The stuff clattered as I moved the nest some more to grab the rest.

There wasn’t much left. Some pens. Coins. A pocket watch, likely one of Hands’, and what looked to be some kind of polished stone. I gathered them up, and handed them off to Fizz again.

“Dogs like to dig holes under fences, that’s what it should feel like to you… not being a rat,” Jelti said as Fizz put the other objects into the box.

“It’s not the hole; it’s the hoarding little shinnies! Or well, the hole too, I guess…” Fizz said as she crawled back into the hole next to me.

“I think that’s it Fizz,” I said as I ran my hand all over again, verifying I didn’t miss anything in the nest or under any of the little crevices near the bricks in the wall.

“Oh? Can I see then?” Fizz asked excitedly.

For a moment I debated it. Part of the reason I was doing this and not her, who was much smaller than me, was because the Chronicler had worried it had hoarded something dangerous. Too dangerous for our weaker, younger, members to touch.

Yet it didn’t seem like anything dangerous was here. A needless worry.

“Sure. Just don’t get stuck,” I said as I pushed myself out of the hole.

She giggled at me, barely waiting for me to get out of the way before she delved deeper into the hole as to crawl to the nest.

Brushing my hands and arms off, I sat up and glanced around… finding Jelti smirking down at me.

“It’s just a bunch of junk, Vim. Think the fanciest thing is that pocket watch,” she said.

I nodded as I slowly stood up. I made sure to keep an ear on Fizz as I glanced around the section of library we were in, and made sure we were alone.

We were. Particularly me.

Renn wasn’t here.

Honestly I was a little worried, but I was doing my best to not let it bother me.

For Renn to ignore such an interesting thing as that monarch’s nest, favoring something and someone dangerous instead…

I bit back a sigh, keeping it from escaping.

If Renn wanted to spend time with the Chronicler, that was her choice. She had every right to.

Even if it was making me antsy as hell.

“And maybe this. Is this what I think it is?” Jelti’s question drew my from my thoughts as I turned to see what she was talking about. We had put a small table nearby, with a box upon it, as to gather up the items. She held up a small hand-sized round thing from it, at least the size of her hand, and I frowned and nodded.

“Yeah, think that’s a bone. One of the middle spine parts,” I said. Hadn’t even noticed I handed something like that off to Fizz.

Jelti shook her head as she put it back into the box. “It’s definitely a human one. Either it dug into a tomb or grave, or it killed someone and took it as a trophy,” she said.

“Hm,” I was half tempted to tease her that it could be a pig’s or something, but instead found my eyes lingering towards the exit.

Calm down Vim. She was safe. Fine. The Chronicler wouldn’t harm her. Especially since they have plans for her. Schemes. Prophecies that she must fulfill.

And the one thing I could rely on was their utter dedication and loyalty to their prophecies. They were the types to sacrifice themselves, to genuinely die and kill others, to ensure their prophecies came to pass. So for now at least, Renn was safe.

Yet… I knew better than to think the Chronicler’s threat to Renn was just that of physical.

What if she said something to Renn…? I wasn’t sure yet what to think or do about Renn’s personal beliefs when it came to prophecies. She seemed to not mind hearing them, and even desired to know of them. That meant she would happily hear any and all about her, and myself, and…

Closing my eyes, I bit back a groan as I imagined her stupid smirk when she showed up any moment now. Who knows what she’s heard, or knows now!

I’d never deny her the right to do what she wants. Ever. But by my parents I wish I could enforce my own rules upon her…! Even if just that of prophecies!

“You missed one!”

Looking down, I frowned as Fizz crawled out of the hole under the shelf. She was covered in the thing’s nest, straw and fuzz, which she ignored completely as she stepped over to hand me the golden object.

Jelti giggled at it. “They’ve been looking for that for years,” she said as I took the fancy golden orb that had at one time been on top of a crosier.

“What is it?” Fizz asked as I studied the gems adorning it.

“You know those staves that bishops and other upper church people use? During their ceremonies and stuff? This goes on top of them. It’s a part of the staff,” I said. I wasn’t going to go into detail as to its purpose, or religious importance.

“Oh…? So I can’t keep it then, can I?” Fizz asked.

“Says who?” I handed it back to her, as to which Jelti groaned a sigh and Fizz grinned wildly.

“Thanks Vim!” Fizz happily bounced away, running off… but then skidded to a stop. “Wait. We’re done, right? Can I go? Mom will want me to take a bath before we start cooking,” she asked.

“We’re done. Thank you for helping Fizz,” I said.

She grinned, waved the priceless orb of gold at me and then ran off.

“The Chronicler won’t be happy you gave that to her. That’s one of the fancy ones,” Jelti warned.

“So? Anything else of importance in that box?” I asked.

“No? Other than the pocket watch. The rest is all… junk, really. A few fancy items, gold and jewelry, but I definitely don’t see anything that supposedly is important,” Jelti said as she went to look again.

I joined her, and sighed at the contents of the box. There was a nice sized stack of items, likely well over a hundred, and most were as she said. Useless, or if valuable only valuable to a certain degree. Like coins, or basic jewelry.

“It’s sad though. The poor thing was annoying sometimes, sneaking bites of food and stuff, but it wasn’t mean or dangerous. It was in fact very cute. Who would hurt it Vim?” Jelti asked.

“I’m not sure,” I said. And in fact, no one was.

The whole of the church, not just the Cathedral but even the other branches around the Cathedral throughout Telmik, have been looking into the monarch’s disappearance. As it was right now only we Society members knew the creature was actually dead, the rest just believed it to be missing, but even almost a day later no one had answers.

The Chronicler had her people interrogated. They had done an actual audit of the Cathedral, using it as cover for the search of blood. To find where the thing had been attacked and hurt, and as of yet there had been no reports of it. If it had gotten attacked and hurt here in the Cathedral, it was in a spot humans didn’t go. Or couldn’t get to.

And though most of the day had been sunny, it was now storming. Heavy rains were falling upon the Cathedral, which meant there was no point in me or others checking the rooftops now. The blood would be washed away, if it wasn’t already. I still planned to check them, just in case, but knew it’d be pointless.

The worst part of it all was Renn had found it in the mansio, yet there was no sign of it arriving there before then. No trail of blood anywhere. Not in the house, the courtyard around it, or the Cathedral around that. I had checked everywhere, even places that people couldn’t get to.

We had no idea who had killed the thing… and no clue where or when it had happened.

Basically we knew nothing. And had no way to figure anything out, unless I was willing to start hurting people randomly as to interrogate them.

At the very least no one else was hurt. Everyone in the Society was accounted for, and fine. Even the human members.

Jelti picked up a few objects, and then promptly put them back down as she shook her head. “What am I supposed to be looking for Vim?” she asked gently.

“I don’t know, Jelti.”

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“Something tells me I don’t want to know anyway, but still…” she said with a sigh.

Isn’t that the truth…?

The Chronicler had been hoping we’d find… whatever it was she and Light had expected the monarch to acquire, but I wasn’t really sure what to look for either.

I had thought maybe a heart, at first, but not only was there no heart in its little nest… there was nothing else of importance either. I had even scanned the surrounding area, checking nearly every room, rafter, basement and hidden corridor, for any hint or sign of a heart or something special. I had found nothing. If the creature had another nest somewhere… and no one has found it yet, odds are we never would.

Picking up the pocket watch, I turned it over and found the little mark the raccoon family used on certain works. “Yep, Hands’,” I said.

“That’s good. He’ll be happy to get it back; he doesn’t forget anything he makes. He’s weird like that; watch when you give that to him he’ll ramble on about the day he made it, what kind of weather had been at the time, and then tell us exactly what he was thinking at that moment… Gah! Just thinking about it makes my stomach hurt. Please Vim, give it to him for me will you? Don’t make me do it!” Jelti begged.

I laughed at her and nodded. “I’ll do it, Jelti. It’s…” I spoke softly, and paused as another entered the room. I glanced at the door, and found Randle… followed by Renn.

Breathing a slight sigh of relief, I pocketed the pocket watch as the two walked over.

“We saw Fizz. She’s so dirty she’s hardly recognizable… so why aren’t you?” Renn asked me with a smirk as she glanced me up and down.

I looked down, as Jelti snickered, and I wondered if the light layer of dust on me wasn’t enough for her. “Dogs attract dirt better, I guess?” I said.

Randle scoffed at that. “More like she rolled around in the nest, likely. Is this it then?” Randle asked as he stepped over to the box.

As he did, I noticed Jelti had stepped back from his approach. She did it a little awkwardly, but also with a slight rush.

She had just stepped back because she no longer felt comfortable in his presence.

If Randle had noticed he didn’t show it, and so I pretended to not do so either, as Randle went to rummaging in the box. Renn hurried over to do the same, smirking happily as she did. She placed the spear she now carried religiously against a nearby pillar, a stone one, and went to join Randle in studying the box’s contents.

“Fizz found the most important piece, I think. Vim let her keep it,” Jelti said.

Randle paused a moment, glancing at her and then me. “Oh? The one The Chronicler wants?”

“No…? I don’t think so. It was just one of your artifacts. The little orb you find on top of your rods for your ceremonies,” I said.

“Wait… really?” he turned to look at Jelti, who startled but nodded gently after doing so.

“I’m glad I no longer need to worry about such headaches you bring, Vim,” Randle then said as he returned his attention to the box.

I smirked at that as Renn glanced at me. “You gave her something important?” she asked.

“He did. And valuable. That thing could buy a whole block in the noble’s district,” Jelti said as she stepped over to Renn, as to look into the box with her. It seemed she was more comfortable near Renn than she was Randle, which was a little odd… since Renn was now carrying around that spear.

But it shouldn’t be odd. Not to me. Randle’s actions, justified or not, were drastic. Or had been drastic. Those like Jelti would of course been bothered by his attack of Light, and the subsequent results of it. If anything it should be a miracle that they hadn’t demanded his immediate banishment, instead of giving him the season to prepare and recover from his wound.

“Little thing liked gold,” Renn said happily.

“And round things. Likely as to hold them as it slept, it seemed to like wrapping itself around stuff,” Randle said as he remembered the creature.

“Do you know what The Chronicler was looking for, Renn?” Jelti asked.

Her ears beneath her hat twitched as she glanced my way. “Kind of,” she admitted.

“If it’s very important I may as well know what it is, Renn, since odds are if anyone will run into it it’ll be me,” I said.

Renn slowly nodded. “A silver coin. One that supposedly sings,” she said.

I frowned at that, and the way she had answered me.

She had spoken with a slight tone of hesitation. And not just because she knew I hated speaking of prophecies, and the things they entail.

But it was likely just because she was omitting something. Something that I didn’t want to know. Which was fine. She had told me enough.

“A coin…? That sings? What’s that mean?” Jelti asked.

“I’m to assume she means literally. It must make music of some kind,” Randle said gently, unbothered by learning of a prophecy.

Renn nodded. “Yeah! Isn’t that weird…? I thought maybe she meant the sound metal makes when you clang it together just right, but nope? She means actual singing,” Renn said excitedly.

I sighed at her. “Well, there are coins in the box. Any of them singing?” I asked as I stepped forward.

For a moment I watched Randle and the two women gather up all the coins, even the non-silver ones. They all frowned as they studied each one, lifting them to their ears or looking for anything odd about them.

“I uh… don’t hear anything? Just in case I suppose I’ll take them all to the Chronicler. Maybe it’s something only a saint can hear,” Jelti said.

“Ah. I had not thought of that,” Renn said with a quick nod.

Please.

I kept my own thoughts to myself though as Jelti put all the coins back into the box, and then lifted it up. “You okay with me taking this then, Vim?” she asked.

“Hm? Yeah? Go do what you have to,” I said.

She smiled a little sadly and nodded. “Later Renn…” Then she hesitated and glanced at Randle, who she then pursed her lips at. “Randle…” she then added, and then hurried off.

Renn glanced around a bit, having noticed Jelti’s oddness, and Randle sighed softly as Jelti left the room and hurried down the hallway.

“I never once in all my years thought I’d be a man that scared people with his mere presence,” Randle said softly.

“It’s fun huh?” I said.

Randle smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Please Vim. Even for you that was in poor taste.”

“Yeah…! Don’t be mean, Vim,” Renn agreed.

I sighed at the two and glanced at the nearby hole in the wall. I knew I’d need to fix it, since this library was one of the ones that humans weren’t really allowed into. But I also knew boarding it back up right now might just be more pain than it was worth. I wasn’t sure yet if I would need to check it again later, after all.

“Did anything new come up, concerning the monarch, Renn?” I asked before Randle could allow his self-pity to become the focus.

“Huh…?” Renn startled, and then I heard her ears flutter beneath her hat again. “No. She, The Chronicler, is actually very upset Vim. She keeps interrogating her people, to the point that Mapple and others like Tenure are worried. I’m not sure why a singing coin is so important, Vim, but it must be with the way she’s acting,” Renn said.

Randle shook his head. “No. The Chronicler, like her siblings and ilk, get like this when one of their prophecies fail them. What you’re seeing Renn is not her panicking but her lashing out because she, like the rest of them, cannot comprehend that their dreams are not foolproof,” Randle said.

I nodded. “I do believe that’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said in my presence,” I said.

Randle ignored me and gestured lightly at Renn with a tired arm. “The coin could well be important, I’m not saying that, but don’t for one moment believe her actions right now aren’t motivated by emotions. And this is not a man scorned recently by her saying this. I could give you hundreds of instances where she and those like her did the exact same things, because their prophecies ended up being wrong or misplaced. Most of them they end up blaming Vim on, to be honest,” he said with a point at me.

Renn glanced at me, and I shrugged. “I’m an easy thing to blame.”

“Are you at fault though?” she asked.

I smiled at her. “I’d love to say yes, but no. Usually I’m not.”

“Usually,” she said softly.

“Nevertheless, Vim did not kill the monarch. He had no reason to. I’m sure even the Chronicler isn’t blaming him for this one,” Randle said.

Renn quickly nodded. “Right. She’s not. It’s kind of weird, actually… she really does trust you Vim, probably more than I can even imagine. How is it someone can be so willing to put their whole trust in you, yet at the same time plot against you?” she asked.

“Because to her she’s not plotting against him. She’s simply working around his… what they consider to be at least, less than desirable personality traits,” Randle said.

“He’d know,” I agreed.

She frowned at us, and then gave me an odd smile upon noticing my stare. One that made me flinch, since it was damn near the exact one I had thought of earlier. When thinking of what kind of smile she’d wear when she arrived, teasing me over prophecies I knew not about.

I looked away, like the coward I am, and found Randle absentmindedly scratching at his arm. The missing part of it. About where his elbow would have been.

“So… are you going to say it, or will I?” Randle then said.

“Hm? Say what?” I asked.

Randle though wasn’t looking at me, he was instead looking at Renn.

She shifted, and I heard her ears flutter again. This time even stronger than the last. “I’m assuming you mean about the coin,” she said softly.

He nodded.

My eyes narrowed as I studied the two. They were staring at each other as if they both knew a dirty secret, and wanted to say it but weren’t sure had the right to say it first.

Great.

Renn then looked at me, her frown contorted into one of worry… and she slowly nodded. “Can I… tell you, Vim?” she asked.

“Do I want to know?”

“I believe you should Vim. You always say we should tell you if a prophecy concerns life and death,” Randle said.

“Is it really about that, though?” Renn asked.

“From my experience, it’s better to expect that it is than to be unpleasantly surprised later,” Randle said.

“Wait… if it’s really a prophecy, I’m not…” I raised a hand, to stop them, but Renn didn’t seem to notice or care. She turned, shifting the spear enough to tap it onto the wooden floor in the process. I noted the way it jolted a bit, and then came to a rest.

Damn if it didn’t look good in her hand.

“The letter Celine left for me. She mentions this coin,” Renn said.

I flinched. “Renn…” I groaned.

“Listen to her, Vim. Its warning is one worth noting,” Randle said.

For a long moment I debated just… leaving. But knew better.

Renn should know by now what it meant to risk my ire. And Randle knew especially. Even in his slightly distressed state he knew better than to tread so lightly.

So…

“Okay… let’s hear it,” I said.

Renn shifted again, her expression brightening a little as she nodded quickly, as if happy to hear me say so.

“Celine’s warning was that when I one day find a silver coin that sings, that I should put it back where I found it,” she said.

My eye twitched, and I ignored Randle’s heavy stare. He was waiting apprehensively to what I’d say, or do.

Glaring at the excommunicated priest, I did my best to ignore the happy gleam in Renn’s eyes. She was waiting apprehensively too.

“How is it you know of this, yet The Chronicler doesn’t?” I asked Randle.

“I was the one who preserved Celine’s letter to her. I had to re-write it a few times, as to keep it legible, Vim,” Randle answered calmly.

“Wait… how’d you know The Chronicler doesn’t know about it, Vim?” Renn asked.

“Because if she did she’d not have allowed you or I to participate in the looking for it. Because she’d know we’d not give it to her, then,” I said.

“Ah…” Renn nodded, as if that made sense.

I sighed a little, since it confirmed for a fact that Celine had indeed left Renn prophecies.

I wonder how many…?

“So… conflicting prophecies,” I said.

“Interesting, isn’t it?” Randle nodded.

No. Not really.

“You have no idea, Vim,” Renn though said.

Glancing at her, and her happy smirk, I reached up to clasp my face. As to squeeze it, and block her grin from my sight.

That smile told me more than words could.

This coin was not all she’s learned of, it seemed.

“Have mercy,” I begged.

She giggled at me.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep