Well, the city was at least promising.

Heading back to the camp, alone, I wondered just how rich the veins and resource deposits this whole town had sprung up for were. It seemed they’d been mining them for a few years now, but hadn’t even gone more than a few hundred feet into the nearby mountain yet. For humans to be so slow in mining was not unnatural, since it had likely taken the first couple years just to set up the mine and town proper, but having so many powerful and wealthy humans move here off only a few years worth of results was… startling. It meant the vein this city was founded on was likely one of those high density ones. Where in a single mine cart they found more gold and other precious materials than you did from dozens of similar carts from other mines.

Plus it was outside any real jurisdiction. Which was why the founders, and the elite, were being so meticulous with who they allowed into the town and whatnot. It wasn’t just the fact that the powerful in the city didn’t want to share their wealth; they simply didn’t want it stolen. If any of the local lords, such as the ones who ruled Ruvindale, tried to take over they’d kick all the current players out and replace them with their own families and nobles. They’d go so far as to slaughter people if they needed to. I’d seen it happen many times.

But who was brave enough to try and strong-arm a place full of ex-mercenaries and knights?

That was what this town was full of. Former soldiers and mercenaries. And not just the grunts either, there were people here that commanded thousands of others. Leaders and generals, commanders of entire mercenary bands that didn’t just speak for entire armies but had the respect and recognition that came with such power. They weren’t just figureheads or something, but genuinely known and even to a point feared individuals. The kind that usually didn’t gather all together as they were doing here…

Combine those people with wealth, the truly wealthy, such as the nobles and merchants who have set up camp here… and you got a very powerful force. One that only showed up a few times per generation.

“I’m surprised they allowed us in,” I whispered.

Usually such people didn’t like outside influences… and the Church of Songs was probably the greatest influence outside of gold or a sword there was on the planet, currently.

The Church of Songs was not some slouch. Although in my perspective, from the Society’s standpoint, we were few in number and barely hanging on… the truth of the matter was the exact opposite. The Church of Songs basically ruled the Nation of the Blind, and all its wealth and millions of inhabitants. It was the biggest, wealthiest, and most powerful nation on this side of the planet… and honestly was not usually one to be trifled with. Even this far north outside of its borders. And none of that included my or any of the Society’s influence or power, that was simply what the human-side of the church had at its disposal.

So in theory they could have accepted the church, welcoming it even, as to try and not pick a fight it wouldn’t win… but something told me it was something else.

But what, I wonder? I’d only spoken to Randle for a short while, just to confirm what I had already heard and seen from Renn, but it seemed we hadn’t been approached yet by any of the lords of this town. Nothing beyond the original contract of purchase for the land we were using, at least.

It was a tad concerning. By all counts this town was healthy and growing rapidly. As long as the mine didn’t suddenly run out of gold, or some foreign power invade and take over… this place would in the blink of an eye become another Ruvindale. Likely larger, even. A multi-hundred thousand city, one of a handful in this whole region.

The reason I knew so, and believed it to be inevitable, was a simple fact.

This town was overflowing with gold. I’d checked the local hiring post in town; an entire guild had been built to manage it, and had found that even a simple miner at the mine got a share of the profits. Every miner shared equally one-tenth of the mine’s monthly gold output. Granted that one-tenth was likely being shared by hundreds of people in a pool, it was still a mighty sum. And judging by the oddly high prices of some of the goods here, such as a simple meal or drink, and how nearly everyone was paying them with a smile…

They were making more than any had before. Most of them, at least. Which was saying something since most of the people here were former mercenaries. Such people usually made quite a bit more than a typical layman in today’s era. It was why so many who were capable were drawn to the life, it paid well. So for them to be acting so… carelessly with their money…

It was to a point it was worrying almost.

Humans got weird when they were doing good. When everyone, or basically everyone, was flush with money and had few to no troubles… it didn’t always go as happily as one might think.

“Just like in Lumen,” I whispered as the stone path I was on turned into a dirt one. I’d reached what was considered SilverCreek’s current city-limits.

Though not properly paved, it wasn’t desolate or empty. Estates were already built around me, or being built, and many were the kind that were nicer than they should be. It was a little surprising to see nice brick buildings, even some brick walls and fences around the property lines already. Most didn’t seem too occupied yet, based off the way few if any had any lights visible in any of their windows… not even candle light, but I knew it would only be a handful of years before this whole area became a city-block proper. One that would be reminiscent of Ruvindale’s noble district, and if it continued to expand and grow it’d eventually look like the kind of neighborhoods you’d find even in Lumen.

Our encampment was about a block away from here, past where any already built residences were, and as such was kind of alone at the moment. The nearest building to our land was actually not even a proper home or business, but a large warehouse. One that as far as I could tell was rarely used at the moment. It was likely something built to house the materials for the future resident of that plot of land, be it a home or a business.

I knew without a doubt that when the time came I left, and returned a few years later, like I always did any place I went to… this whole area would be different. Instead of fields of lush grass and trees I’d find cobblestone roads, multi-floored mansions and buildings, alleys and shops… even decorations, likely. The towns built during such economic booms usually were wasteful in their early days. Odds are this place would build statues, fancy buildings and roads and so forth… at least until the money dried up.

Because it always did.

Still, all things considered I was glad to find the place healthy and lively. I had honestly been expecting more of a squalor, or maybe a smaller town with only a few hundred residents. Instead I’d found a healthy, upbeat town that wasn’t too far off in population to the town near Twin Hills, Bordu.

Although I was still unsure of those who ruled over this city, since I still didn’t know yet if it was the mercenaries or the noble families who actually called the shots, I at least didn’t feel like my people were in danger here. No more than they were any other human settlement, at least.

The only way this place would become dangerous for Renn and the rest, is if the mine disappeared or some outside force tried to take it all over. Either of those things, which were both possible at any moment, could be foreseen and avoided by anyone with half a head on their shoulders… so I didn’t need to worry over anyone here, at the moment.

But right now as it was, this was not a place I could bring the others to.

Berri and her family had expressed a desire to move here. As did Tundra, that young wolf girl. I’d not be comfortable bringing them, or those like them, here… at least not first without taking some rather insane precautions.

Which meant I’d need to sit with Renn and talk to her about this… amongst other things…

I sighed as I finally saw our encampment. It was still a ways away, but the huge center tent was big enough to stand out even on the horizon. It actually didn’t draw too much attention here in SilverCreek, so I’d heard by just talking to random people, because when the other mercenary groups had first arrived they too had used similar tents. It was the kind one built to allow dozens of people in comfortably. A mercenary group would use such a tent for either a mess-hall, or a meeting room. We…? We used it for all of that and more.

Smiling at the fresh memory of Renn showing me around the camp, particularly where she slept, I found myself… feeling very content. Happy, even.

Which was a surprise, since I’d kind of been ignored by her.

Not long after she had shown me around the tent, and I had spent some time to talk to everyone… such as Randle and Merit, Renn had demanded that I take her straight to Sap. I of course had no problem with that, especially since after confirming our little camp was so isolated that there was no reason to force Sap to endure solitude out in the forest alone. So I had taken her and Merit to go and pick up Sap, and Liora… who I had intentionally kept mum about to Renn. I had enjoyed surprising her with the young saint, though realized I likely made a mistake bringing her here all the same.

Liora had wasted no time on getting on Renn’s good side. Before they’d even exchanged names the young saint had bounded forward and proudly asked to touch her ears, without any hesitation or even any shame. The fact it had worked so well, and had made Renn basically melt for the girl made me a tad annoyed.

Renn should have more pride than that…! Why was it a tiny little saint such as her got to so gleefully touch what I still to this day struggle to?

But no matter. After getting Sap and Liora we came back to camp, and since then I’d not seen or spoken to Renn once. I had left them all in capable hands and had went to examine the town… not just to check it as I usually did any location I visited, but also to see if I could feel or find any divinity.

I hadn’t, which was only partly a relief.

“The sound of the other shoe,” I said as I stepped ever so slightly harder as I got closer to our camp.

I was expecting it. On guard for it… yet there didn’t seem to be any sign of it.

Renn was fine. As was everyone else. And as far as I could tell Renn was her typical upbeat self… if she had any issues at all during my absence, they hadn’t been important enough to even note. If anything she seemed to be in such a good mood it was…

“Spoke too soon…” I mumbled as I watched Renn leave the encampment and head my way.

Although glad to see her finally focus on me, I had no choice but to admit I now felt anxious. She looked like she was hurrying, though she hadn’t broken out into a run she was walking at a quick pace in my direction. Plus she did so alone, and I didn’t see anyone watching her leave from the encampment… which meant she had likely snuck away once she noticed I was returning…

How had she noticed so quickly, I wonder? There had been a slight hill in the way, blocking me from sight, until just a few moments ago. Either she’d been on the lookout for me at just the right moment, or her senses were getting sharper…

All the same, even with her quick approach making me worry for what was about to be said or done… I still found myself smiling.

By my parents she looked good. She was of course hiding her ears and tail here, even though the camp was isolated it wasn’t so far away from the town that she could risk doing anything but. Plus I’d been told that they occasionally got visitors, such as mercenaries coming to pray and confess to Randle.

I slowed my pace as I stepped off the road and waited for Renn to reach me. Usually I’d keep walking, as to meet her in the middle, but the fact she was hurrying a little told me she wanted to speak to me in private… so I didn’t want to go any closer to our encampment than needed. A few of the members there, such as Merit and Sap, had the kind of hearing that if we were too close our words would carry on the wind and be picked up by them.

Plus I’d really like to spend some time alone with her, even if but for a moment.

This book’s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

She slowed as she got near and gave me the smile only I ever got. A happy, but calm smile. The kind someone could only genuinely wear when utterly content in life. One that told me my earlier worry had not been as justified. Maybe she just wanted a moment alone and…

“Vim, I’m upset!” she said, though with a grin, as she came to a stop a couple steps from me.

My eye twitched, since I kind of had been hoping she’d just run up into my arms… “How can I cure you of such an ailment?” I asked.

Renn’s grin twitched, as if to mimic my eye doing so a moment ago, and I noted her hat shifted ever so slightly. In a way that told me she hadn’t pinned it down, her ears had likely fluttered in the way they did when I said such odd things and had moved it ever so slightly. “Why’d you say it all formally like that?” she asked.

“I’ve been traveling with a very educated little girl; she’s rubbed off on me. What’s wrong, Renn? Your smile makes me question the validity of your statement,” I asked.

Her smile tried to hide itself, but all Renn accomplish was make herself look even cuter as she gave me a glare. “Who gave you permission to leave without me?” she asked.

I frowned at her as I crossed my arms. “You were enthralled by your… friends,” I said. I’d almost said family, and even though it was probably how she saw them… in theory only Sap was a family member. For her at least… For now, at least.

“So…? There were things I wanted to talk about,” she said, crossing her own arms as she raised her chin at me.

She of course was not actually upset with me. Even an idiot could see that… but at the same time, there was a hint of legitimacy in her anger. I could see it in her eyes. Though if she was upset with me for having left without inviting her to see the town, or upset at herself for not being able to choose between her own desires and wants I couldn’t tell.

“Hm… well, I’d invite you to eat dinner in town… but I think both of us would get in trouble if we did that,” I said.

Renn’s hat shifted again as she finally lost her smile and frowned for the first time since this afternoon when I had startled her by the river. “Yes… I’d turn you down if you offered, and I think a few people would be upset with you too. Randle wants to talk to you, he asked me to make sure you didn’t leave town before you got a chance to talk privately,” she said.

I nodded. I had expected it… and honestly expected far more than just a request from Randle. People usually had a request or two even on a good day, let alone those at a brand new location… “That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about,” I said gently.

This time I heard her pants shift as her tail squirmed beneath them. “What…? Don’t tell me you have to leave already…?” Renn’s frown turned into a real one, a deep and furrowed one that made my heart feel anxious. She suddenly looked as if I’d just told her that her tail was ugly.

“No…! No. I actually hope to stick around for a bit… I saw your work so far, the foundation of it, I think I’ll help you build at least a building or two before leaving again,” I said quickly. By my parents for a moment there she looked as if I’d just broken her heart!

Renn blinked a few times and then gave me a toothy grin. “Oh, good…!”

Yes… it was… I didn’t hide the breath of relief as I nodded. “So… What are you really upset about?” I asked.

Her smile twitched as this time both her pants and her hat shifted and she actually leered at me and leaned back a bit. “Is… is it that easy to tell?” she asked worriedly.

“You pried yourself away from not just all your friends, and Sap who is basically a family member, but also a young saint who I have no doubt has been waiting her whole life to see you… just to come talk to little old me. I know you love me Renn, but I also know what you love more than anything and you’d not step away from it just to talk to me a few hours earlier than you usually would,” I said.

I had expected Renn to give me a lovely smile… since I’d just blatantly spoken, and proven, just how well I knew her… yet instead I found her face shifting into one of sadness. Her whole demeanor changed before my eyes, and I knew if they weren’t hidden her ears and tail would be drooping right now.

“Renn…?” I asked worriedly. Had what I said hurt her somehow…? I had not meant any ill-will behind the words, and I had thought she knew me more than well enough to know that. I actually adored the fact she was friendly with so many, varied, people. It brought me great joy and pride to know my wife was capable of being so loved, and loving so strongly others. It made me feel…

“I’m okay… I just… I know you didn’t mean anything by it, but I just felt terrible. You’re right, Vim… I do prioritize others over you sometimes, I’m sorry.”

“Renn I hadn’t meant that…” I said quickly before she could continue, she had been about to.

She nodded gently at me. “I know. I know. I… to be honest Vim, there’s a lot we need to talk about… so much of it is so important too, so yes… I shouldn’t be ignoring you. I should have pulled you aside right away and… I didn’t…” Renn spoke calmly, but I could hear and see her emotions plainly. She was looking downward, as if at my feet, and had gone to twirling her fingers together… as she did I noted one of her longer and thicker braids of hair slide off her shoulder and around behind her. I studied the thick braid, and wondered why she was letting her hair get so long. The last time I’d seen it this long had been when I had first seen her, way back when she had joined the Society in Ruvindale…

“All’s well, Renn. I hadn’t meant that statement to bother you… After all this time you should know full well how much I enjoy the way you cherish your relationships with those we call friends,” I said.

Renn again nodded, and this time did so with a smile. “I know… And here we are wasting our precious moments, again,” she said as her smile turned into a smirk.

“Stop wasting them then.”

She reached up and scratched at her nose as she tried to hide her smirk. “Putting me on the spot here…” she mumbled as she scratched her nose.

“So what’s the plan with the cot…?” I asked.

Renn startled, as I figured she would. Her eyes went wide as her hat shifted so much it nearly revealed a tuft of her left ear, and she began to panic. “Wha…! Wait…!” she immediately realized what I meant, and groaned as she reached up to adjust her hat. “You’re right…! It’s too small for both of us…!” she said as she realized it.

I nodded with a smirk. Now she looked angry and flustered for a better reason. When she had showed me her tent earlier, I had noticed her cot was just a one person bed. Something made with wood as to not have to sleep on the ground. Not too surprising, at all, considering their current living arrangements… but that meant we’d not really be able to sleep together. At least not in the same bed. It was just too flimsy and small for me, let alone both of us at once.

Renn seemed rather bothered by this revelation, since she couldn’t seem to get her hat back on straight. My smirk grew as I stepped forward and reached up and grabbed the hat. I settled it for her, making sure to not bother her ears as I did. “Honestly, as much as it upsets me to say… I would like to ask a favor, concerning the whole sleeping arrangement thing,” I said.

“Yes, I’m more than happy to sleep on the ground. It’s what we do when traveling half the time anyway, I’ll just lay against you more than usual,” she said before I could explain.

I frowned a bit as I leaned back away from her so I could study her serious expression. That hadn’t been her teasing or joking, not even flirting, she was being serious.

“I see… well, I was going to suggest something a tad different,” I said.

“Hm…?”

“Liora,” I said.

For a tiny moment Renn’s face contorted into annoyance… and then as she understood my meaning she calmed down and nodded. “You want her to sleep with me. To keep her safe,” she said without any hesitation.

I nodded, glad she understood. “Yes. It’s not that I don’t trust anyone else… Such as Merit and even Randle, but Randle… well…”

“Is down an arm, yes,” Renn nodded, understanding perfectly.

“And Merit doesn’t like sleeping with people. She also… doesn’t care much for saints. Though she’d never not protect the girl just because of her past grievances, I don’t want to make her uncomfortable when…” I went to explain why I’d not ask Merit as well, and Renn happily smiled and patted me on the chest to stop me.

“Say no more, Vim. Yes. I’ll happily keep her close. Plus Merit’s tent is next to mine, and she’s always tagging along with me everywhere, so she’ll basically be protecting the girl too,” Renn said, interrupting me.

I smiled at my lovely wife who so readily agreed to something that most would either find utterly unappealing… or terribly frightening.

Most people didn’t want anything to do with saints, let alone be responsible for their well-being. To say no least to one who was basically just a child.

“Thank you… That doesn’t mean I can’t sleep in your tent still, with you, but I’ll probably just rest when you two aren’t in there.”

“You’re starting to make me think you found her on purpose, just for this,” Renn said with a smirk.

“Please,” I scoffed at the idea.

She giggled at me and nodded. “I forgive you. Either way. In exchange though… while you’re here, please give me some time. I… really do have things I want to talk about, Vim,” she said, and did so a little quietly.

I focused on her eyes, and the way they had softened a little… and I wondered just what it was that was biting at the tip of her tail. A part of me hoped it wasn’t too serious, since she hadn’t brought it up yet… but…

There was something telling me that her lack of saying it, here and now, was not because it wasn’t important enough… but rather because she was scared to say it. Hesitant. As if… what? Afraid of what I’d hear?

“Well… if it’s any consolation, I too have something very important to talk about. But you’re going to have to give me time to build up my courage to say it,” I said.

Renn happily nodded at me. “I’m used to that, Vim. Take your time.”

No… I can’t. Couldn’t. Even if I wanted to.

For a small moment nothing was said between us… and I wondered why I didn’t feel more anxious. I should, I knew I should be. I mean…

I blinked and realized I’d not breathed in some time. Not since I’d just spoken. I took in a small breath, which made her eye’s narrow a little… as she expectantly waited for me to say something. Yet I didn’t. Because I was afraid to.

Because the moment I said it aloud… I needed to say more than just those words.

I couldn’t just tell her that I had met another god. I couldn’t just tell her I had killed him, either.

I needed to tell her the truth. I owed it to her.

The whole truth.

The saddest part wasn’t even that her life was in danger. But…

Hey Renn, love of my life; I was willing to sacrifice you. I chose my anger and vengeance over your life. Without any real hesitation, is that okay with you?

I looked away from Renn’s gentle gaze and looked around the world for a moment. To both distract me from my own disgusting self and to make sure all was well.

It was. There was now a little bit of smoke coming from our encampment, but it was obviously just for cooking. It was nearing dinner time.

How was it I could face literal gods without flinching yet couldn’t just say a few words when it mattered…?

“So…? How was the town?”

I blinked and looked back down at my wife, and found her patiently smiling at me. Like usual… she was the one who had made a move first. To pardon me. To give me time. To accept me, and all my failures.

Shifting ever so slightly, I nodded in thanks to her. “It’s a nice town, Renn. I’m still concerned over a few things, but so far so good. I think as long as nothing too odd happens, you and the rest will be safe here for some time to come,” I said.

She nodded. “Yes. That’s been everyone else’s… ah! Actually there is something concerning, another thing I should have brought up a lot sooner!” she said as she suddenly remembered something.

“This is… different than the other stuff you need to speak to me about…?” I asked worriedly.

She nodded quickly, and turned and pointed at the encampment. “Let’s go back. I have a heart for you.”

My eyes narrowed as I frowned at her. “Excuse me…?” Was this her odd attempt at a joke?

“Someone named Rivonne came and gave it to me. She gave me a box with a heart in it, and told me to tell you the moment you got here to go see her. She’s supposedly one of the ruling lords of the town,” Renn said, speaking quickly as she did.

Rivonne…?

Renn grabbed my wrist and went to tugging me to join her. I did so, while scrounging through my thoughts and memories in search of the name.

It sounded familiar, but I didn’t remember it… and the familiarity I felt might just be because I knew I should know the name, and thus expected myself to do so. Yet I didn’t. Rivonne didn’t ring any bells at all.

“Rivonne…?” I asked as we headed for the camp.

“Yeah. A noblewoman. Not much older than me, I mean… how I look, you know? Randle and a few others have inquired about her in town and she’s one of the three main families that started the mine. She’s from some powerful noble family from the Nation of the Blind, though her family line hasn’t lived there for some time I guess,” Renn began to tell me all she seemingly knew of this Rivonne… and I still couldn’t remember the name at all.

“If they’re from there, shouldn’t Randle know who they are?” I asked. Randle might not be a part of the church proper anymore, but he had basically been running the church for the last few hundred years. And unlike most he was very, very, particular about knowing anything and everything about the nation the Church of Songs led. If this Rivonne was from the Nation of the Blind, even if just her ancestry, then Randle really should know all about her.

“He doesn’t. But he said that was likely her first name, not her last name and he really only knows the last names of the nobles and royals anymore in Telmik. This way, Merit buried it in the tent Sap’s using,” Renn said as we entered the encampment.

Right… that made sense. And Merit had buried it…? I’ll need to thank her later for keeping it a distance from Renn, I’d not said anything yet but she had already fully absorbed the heart I’d given her in Lumen. If she spent too long near another right now there was a chance she’d absorb it too.

As we headed for one of the tents Renn slowed a bit as she turned to give me an odd grin. One that made me brace myself, since I knew something terrifying was about to come from her pretty lips.

“While I dig it up, you can tell me all about Fressi and why she’s going around telling people she’s going to steal you from me!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep