This was kind of exciting.

I’d been in many nice homes lately. The Society had many places that were not just fancy but unique. The Cathedral was older than me, or at least old enough to almost be, yet it still felt modern and well kept. And then of course there was Lumen with its fancy electricity and plumbing, amongst other things. So I was used to nice homes. Ever since joining the Society I now knew comfort… in ways I had never even known possible… So it was fun when I got to experience something new when it concerned such a thing as a dwelling or building.

This home was newer. Only a year or so old… and it was the home of someone who was considered one of the wealthiest humans in the whole region. And even I was able to see the truth in that statement.

I stood with Vim in what felt more like a reading room than an office, and in fact that might be just what it was… It was an average sized room, it had a few shelves and drawers, and it had a nice big blue rug covering the wooden floor. There were two couches and a few smaller chairs, though not really all sitting together. There was nothing in the room that could be seen or used as an actual desk, but there was a nice sized table sitting up against one of the walls in-between shelves. But it only had a few things on it and they were all decorative, and didn’t have a chair before it, so it was likely not a desk at all. I stepped over to a large, comfortable looking, chair that was resting right near a tall window. One that overlooked a very pretty garden of freshly cut bushes and grass, and then a large field that ended at a stone wall where a stone road laid just beyond.

It was easy to tell that the garden would soon be full of flowers. The colorful kind. It was warm now, but it hadn’t been warm long enough yet for them to bloom. But I could see the budding bulbs that were likely only a handful of days from starting to peel open and show themselves.

The garden, like this room and the whole house… was extravagant. Nothing was basic and simple. The floors were fancy stone or wood, and covered in neat rugs. The walls either had finely crafted shelves or furniture against them or tapestries and paintings. The ceilings had decorative light fixtures and even designs and scenes painted on them too. Even things as simple as small tables looked unique.

Beside the chair on both sides were little stand-like tables. They were fashioned more like a shelf than a plain table where they had four layers. One of them had a few books on it, while the other was empty. I kind of liked them, as odd as they looked. They were almost as tall as me, and although not large enough to put anything too big on them such as a large plate or pot they were more than big enough for books and other little items.

Though what were they made of…? They were golden in color, but… surely not actually gold, right…?

Kneeling down in front of one of them, I studied the little feet that held them up and realized… “Vim, are these gold?” I asked.

Vim didn’t step over to me. He instead was studying a tapestry hanging near the door; it had the same motif found throughout the house and on the front gate of the property. A raven. “No. It’s a form of gold-plating. They stretch gold really thin then wrap it around another metal, acting as a foil. Likely copper or something,” Vim explained without even glancing at it.

Oh…? So it was gold, in a sense? Just not pure gold…?

I could see what Vim meant, though. On the back of the legs of the table you could see the thin line where, the foil as he called it, was secured in place. Still, even if only the outer layer… these were expensive weren’t they? There was a lot of gold here, then…

Maybe Randle had understated just how wealthy this Rivonne was…

Reaching over, I hesitated as I wondered if I could touch it or not. I wanted to know what this so-called foil gold felt like, but wasn’t sure if touching it near the creases would damage it or not.

I decided against it, and to have Vim make me some later. I stood up and away from the tables and chair and again looked around.

“Is it normal to be left alone?” I asked. We’d been kind of abandoned in this room by the one who had guided us here… though maybe it was because of how late it was. The world outside was getting darker, since the sun was setting. It was basically dinner time. In fact I could smell food, though it wasn’t so strong to make me believe it had just been cooked. Odds are I was smelling the meal they had already cooked and ate before we had arrived.

Vim had not wanted to wait even a single night to come see this Rivonne. After seeing the box that held that heart Vim had remembered who they were. Or at least, remembered that he had known them. He hadn’t gone into detail since we had hurried here, but from what little he had said about this family was they were kind of like those pirates in Lumen he had known. Though this one was not just friends of his, but also a friend of Lawrence’s brother as well.

I was a tad shocked to hear that this family was related to Lawrence, and even more so for the man’s brother to be the focal point. It was only recently I had even learned that Lawrence had a brother in the first place, from Lilly and later Merit. Lilly had mentioned he had been Vim’s friend and Merit had said he had been amongst those who had supposedly gone against Light and Celine, though I wasn’t sure if that was what had brought forth his death.

It was why this human family had ravens all over. Lawrence and his family were ravens.

Vim had been kind of quiet on our way here, after telling me about this family. The kind of quiet that told me something odd was happening… but at the same time, since Vim had been willing to bring me along to meet Rivonne I knew it wasn’t likely anything too dangerous.

If he had planned to come here and kill them all he’d not have brought me, after all.

Glancing at Vim, who had yet to answer my question, I found him smiling softly at the tapestry. I stepped away from the chair and its gold plated tables as to stand beside him and look at the wall as well.

It was just a large raven looking bird, with outstretched wings and a decorative emblem behind it. Some kind of shield or something. Rather basic, compared to some of the other paintings and tapestries we’d passed on the way here. It was just a nicely woven raven design, nothing else about it really stood out.

“What was his name?” I asked softly.

“Bird. Just Bird,” Vim said just as softly.

Bird…? So he was one of those types who didn’t care much for names… yet his brother, Lawrence, wasn’t? I wonder if they had been similar or not?

I honestly hadn’t spent much time with Lawrence. Whenever I was in Lumen I was always focused on other things. Either the tasks at hand or those like Merit and Lamp. Maybe I should have spent more time with the man, considering he was Vim’s friend… though maybe I had misread them. Maybe it wasn’t that Lawrence himself was Vim’s friend but rather his brother had been, and thus Vim was attached to him a bit more than typical because of it.

“Was he…” I was about to ask more about him, but I heard the sound of footsteps on soft rugs. I turned, since Vim didn’t, and greeted the woman who had came to deliver that box. Rivonne entered the room alone, but there was an older woman I didn’t recognize behind her. She had nice clothes on, but instead of entering the room alongside Rivonne she simply went to closing the door instead.

“Lord Vim… it is my greatest pleasure to finally meet you,” Rivonne spoke after the door closed shut, and did so with an apprehensive smile.

I shifted a little and glanced at Vim, who was still staring at the tapestry on the wall. “I’ll be completely honest… I had forgotten about your family. Until I saw the box, that is. It’s not often I get to meet the descendants of those who I genuinely called friends anymore, so… yes. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you,” Vim spoke calmly as he turned and stepped towards the woman. I felt an itchy smile try to grow on my face as he went to shake the woman’s hand. As he did so though, instead of just shaking it normally he actually bent forward and gently kissed the back of her hand.

Although I knew I probably should have been slightly annoyed to see him do so, I wasn’t. Rivonne smiled in the kind of gentle way that told me she was completely used to such a greeting, which told me it was likely just something people of higher society did. “My name is Rivonne Ravensoft. My fourth-grandmother had been the last one to aid you and Lord Bird,” Rivonne said.

Ravensoft…? Had they adopted the namesake in honor of Vim’s friend, or…?

“She had Bird wrapped around her finger, you need not call him lord,” Vim said as he released her hand.

Rivonne giggled ever so softly as I smirked. So there had been more to it than just friendship, huh? Figured.

She then turned to look at me and gave me a smile that I could tell, although was genuine, was also a bit faked. She had been completely genuine with Vim just now, so her suddenly acting a tad less so was all the more obvious. “We met a few weeks ago, didn’t we? I apologize but I don’t think I got your name…”

Before I could answer Vim went ahead and gestured lightly at me. “May I present to you my wife and love of my life, Renn,” he said, introducing me.

Rivonne’s eyes went wide as her shoulders also stiffened, and then she happily laughed as she stepped forward and nodded. “How terrible of me…! I had thought you just one of their workers or servants…!” Rivonne went red in the face as she laughed off her own embarrassment and she held a hand out to me, this time in a normal fashion and not palm down as she had with Vim. I took it, gently, as she sheepishly smiled at me. “I hope you’ll forgive me… My family has always been in Lord Vim’s service, and as such so too shall I be in yours, Renn is it?”

We shook hands in a rather dainty manner as I nodded carefully. “Um… it’s okay. If anything the fact you saw me as such is a good thing, I try to blend in and all…” I said as I glanced over her shoulder and at Vim. He was smirking at me. He must have known she would have acted like this upon hearing who I was.

“Oh…! Of course! Yes… I get it, I do! To be perfectly honest I’m rather shocked…! I mean… it should be obvious you’d have family, Lord Vim, but I swear I don’t think I’ve ever heard heads or tails of them! I wonder why…?” Rivonne wondered and asked as our hands separated.

“Probably because we’re recently married,” I said.

She blinked and then hurriedly looked over at Vim. “Goodness! Congratulations then! Wow…! If only the others still lived… they would have given anything to have met you!” Rivonne said.

Others…? Did she mean her family members, maybe?

“You mean that literally, don’t you?” Vim asked, speaking up and causing Rivonne to stop herself from speaking. She had been about to say something more to me.

Instead Rivonne turned, as if to properly face him, and nodded. “Yes, Lord Vim… I regretfully inform you that I am indeed the last of my line. No other Ravensoft or any of our branch members exist anymore. I am the last.”

I frowned, rather harshly, and was glad she wasn’t facing me. She had not sounded too saddened over saying such a thing, but…

“I see… do not feel ashamed of being the last, Rivonne. There is great pride in being the end. People remember the last page of a book far more often than they do any other,” Vim said.

My ear twitched beneath my hat, and my heart started to swell.

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I’ve missed his odd comments. The ones that he said so offhandedly that shook the heart to the core.

Rivonne only nodded to his statement, though she wore a very nice smile as she did so. Then after a moment she startled, as if suddenly remembering something, and then gestured to the nearby chairs and couches. “All the same, Lord Vim, though I am alone I plan to fulfill my duty. As before with my ancestors, you have my full support, I’m here and ready.”

Vim frowned a bit as I went to sit on one of the couches. So that Vim could, and would, hopefully sit next to me and not apart. “Can I ask how you knew to… reach out? To us?” I asked as I did so.

Rivonne took my initiative and joined it. She too took a seat, across from me in the other couch. “My family has been passing down prophecies and stories since we were first founded. One of them was for me in particular. I was to come to Lord Vim’s aid once I encountered a specific individual,” she said.

My frown deepened as I glanced at Vim, and found him smiling. He stepped over to me, but didn’t go straight to sitting down. Instead he rested an arm against the couch’s backrest behind me and stayed standing. “See Renn? That’s how one should speak of prophecies around me,” he said proudly.

Oh…? Oh! I smirked and nodded. “Yes… so you know about all that as well? Really?” I asked. She did indeed speak of prophecies in the correct manner that Vim preferred. She had mentioned them, but hadn’t revealed any finer details or even their importance. A normal person would have said what the prophecy was for, the danger it was foretelling, and maybe even the specifics… such as who she was supposed to have, or had, encountered.

Rivonne smiled proudly as she nodded. “That amongst other things.”

Interesting…! I wonder if Ronalldo in Lumen, the pirate boy, had been taught similar things by his pirate warlord mother? I should have talked to him more… but I had felt bad about doing so. Less had fallen for the lad and I felt every moment I took from her, even just to talk, was rude.

The boy was human. Less’s time with him was short. I didn’t want to steal even a moment of it.

“Is that why you’re here in SilverCreek…? Or was it just coincidence?” I asked.

Rivonne slowly shook her head. “I… would say both, in a way?” she answered.

I noted her tone. She had just tried to answer without doing so. Which meant if she answered that question too directly, it would have broken Vim’s rule concerning prophecies.

“I’m told you’re one of the founders of this town,” Vim then said.

Rivonne glanced upward a bit, as to look at Vim and not me, and she nodded. “Yes. I alongside four other families basically settled this town. Though my uncle was the original one to being the process. He and others funded, and he even helped scout himself, the area years ago.”

Huh… so this was actually a generational plan then? This whole city? Interesting.

“Were you the reason we were able to purchase the land then?” I asked.

Rivonne frowned and shook her head. “No… I in fact wasn’t aware that Lord Vim was so involved in the Church of Songs until now! It’s honestly too bad, if I or my family had known we could have been very helpful…” She actually sounded hurt, not over the fact we had kept it from her but over the fact that she had not been able to aid us more than she…

What? What was she going to do as to aid us anyway?

“Though that being said I did vote to allow it. Three of us did, only one voted against. The other didn’t care, and chose to abstain. The main reason for it was actually the mercenaries. Two of the biggest groups here are surprisingly very religious, to the point we feared if they learned we denied the church authority or entrance it would cause a revolt,” Rivonne said, basically confirming what Randle had assumed.

“And the heart…? Where did you get that?” Vim then asked, telling me that he found that a far bigger concern than anything else. I could tell from his tone that he had been waiting to ask about it.

“Ah, my grandfather happened upon it. As you know Lord Vim, Lord Bird’s daughter had been a saint. She had left a few prophecies, and…” Rivonne shrugged lightly, knowing she didn’t need to say more.

I glanced up at Vim, since I was shocked to hear not just confirmation that Bird had indeed been the father of this family, but had even sired a saint. Why did Vim never tell me these things…!?

Vim though didn’t seem to notice my annoyance as he slowly nodded. “Well… thank you for keeping it safe for so long. You did well.”

Rivonne beamed him a smile, one that was almost childlike, and I felt my heart hurt a little at the sight of it.

Wasn’t this woman basically a family member…? Or at least, a Society member? In all technicalities she should be. Even if human, completely, she was… basically one who should have been born into the Society proper! She was the descendant of one of us, and even had a bloodline that could produce saints. Either of those should have qualified her… I wonder why she wasn’t…

Maybe it had something to do with this Bird’s antagonism with Light and Celine?

Vim then patted the chair and stepped around it, I found myself slightly forgiving him for his lack of telling me important details as he sat down right beside me. “Well… long story short then. My people are here to open a church and an orphanage,” Vim told her.

Rivonne sat up a tad straighter and nodded, and I watched her put on a rather serious expression as she clasped her hands on her lap. “Well, I can do plenty to help with that! Although I am the last of my line, I am proud to say that my family’s wealth and influence is still strong… maybe even stronger than ever. I can provide funding, people… I can also even influence the head council of lords. Two of the other families, although powerful, are very indebted to me. One is financially, and the other owes my family their lives. My father had saved them years ago and they’ve never forgotten it,” Rivonne said, listing the things she could offer as I would list the types of drinks I liked.

She was both proud and happy to offer her services, it seemed. To the point I wondered if she’d be offended if we didn’t use them.

It made me wonder just what had been told and taught to her, throughout her life, to make her so… loyal. She herself has obviously never met Vim, Bird, or any of us… right? Yet here she was, basically offering her whole life into Vim’s service… after only a few minutes of talking.

Actually how did she even know for sure that Vim was Vim…? Maybe she had a painting of him somewhere or something. She had brightened up at the mere sight of him, after all…

“Vim, can I…?” I reached up to grab my hat, but stopped before actually taking it off. He glanced at me, and nodded gently.

“Just mind the door,” he said.

Smiling softly I nodded and took my hat off. I had to undo a few pins to do so, but once it was off I sighed with relief. Honestly having to wear it all the time was really starting to annoy me.

“Oh my…! How adorable! I um… Is it rude to ask which line you hail from, Renn?” Rivonne then asked at the sight of my ears.

“I’m a cat. A jaguar, to be specific.”

Rivonne frowned at that. “I’ve never heard of such a cat. No matter, your ears are beautiful! I’m sadly unmarked myself. My mother though had black feathers on her back, and others throughout the generations have had similar markings,” Rivonne said.

Huh…! That meant that her family hadn’t been purely human at all! Even more of a reason for them to have been in the Society… Or, maybe that meant occasionally the human members did in fact inherit non-human traits…? “Thanks… Don’t feel too bad about not having anything, Vim doesn’t either,” I said with a flutter of an ear at him.

Rivonne frowned as she glanced at him, and then hummed a bit as she leaned back and pondered something. “Right… I suppose you don’t have anything outwardly odd about you, do you Lord Vim? I’d never considered it before.”

“How’d you know it was him anyway? You didn’t hesitate at all to address him as Vim, how’d you know he wasn’t an imposter or something?” I asked.

Rivonne grinned at me. “I have his painting. One of my family’s heirlooms. It’s of him and Lord Bird.”

Vim nodded. “Was actually painted by Lughes’ wife, Renn.”

My ears twitched as I sat up a bit straighter. “I see!” How interesting…! Vim, as far as I was aware, typically destroyed such paintings of himself. That meant he had either trusted, or liked, this family enough to overlook that personal rule of his…

Rivonne nodded happily. “I’ve a few other things too, but the most telling way was Vim’s comment on Lord Bird’s relationship with my great-grandmother. Officially, on paper and what we tell the world, she had been married to a human. Only those in the family, or Vim himself, would know that she had in truth been Lord Bird’s partner,” Rivonne added.

Ah… the comment he had made about him being wrapped around her finger, was it? Maybe that was their little way of informing each other, and not just a random comment he had made.

I liked that. Maybe I should think of something similar for my own human friends, such as Lamp and Roslyn. A way for them to tell friend from foe and stuff… In case one day I had to meet their descendants without them having ever seen or met me before until that moment.

Rivonne then clapped, lightly, and smiled as she sat up a bit. “Please, let me go fetch refreshments! Unless of course you must be off in haste, Lord Vim…?” she then asked.

For a tiny moment I expect Vim to actually decide to leave, instead though… he simply gave her a gentle smile. “That’ll be fine. Though I’ll not take your whole night from you, I hope you’ll forgive if we steal a few hours nonetheless,” Vim said.

Rivonne stood with a tiny laugh. “Please! You can have all my hours, each and every one…! Ah… your hat, Lady Renn,” Rivonne then pointed at her own head, to remind me.

“Hm…!” I nodded as I went to put it back on, though I didn’t pin it since I knew I’d be able to take it off again once she was finished.

Rivonne then nodded happily and stepped away towards the door. “I shall be back promptly. I’ll bring a nice sort of options, though I fear my kitchen is a tad unprepared at the moment! We don’t get another shipment until next week, and I’ve had several meetings lately so my stores are a tad famished!” Rivonne happily spoke as she headed for the door, opened it, and then with a tiny bow she left after closing the door.

For a few seconds I listened, to make sure she left… and once her soft footsteps grew distant I sighed softly. “She called me Lady,” I said happily.

Vim chuckled at me as he leaned back. “She did.”

“You should have said she was a friend, Vim.”

“Hadn’t I…?” He frowned at me, as if upset I’d accuse him of something he had indeed done.

“You had, but not to this level… do you mind if I get to know her better? Ask questions and whatnot?”

He gently shrugged as he reached over and placed his hand on my back. I sat up a bit straighter at his touch, a bit surprised for him to do so. “Of course Renn. We won’t know until we spend some time with her, of course, but her ancestors had been some of the most loyal people I’ve known. I in fact knew their great-ancestor, a long time ago, even before Bird showed up. They had been bats,” he said.

I blinked at that, and felt a tad overwhelmed at the knowledge. “I see,” I said softly.

He had a smile on his face, and had been talking with a gentle and happy tone… but I had heard it. Deep in his words, hidden from most if not all, had been sadness.

Vim had likely just thought of something terribly sad. Something that would have broken my heart if he said it aloud.

“Was this what you were expecting, then…?” I asked softly, to slightly change topics. For him.

Vim gently nodded. “Kind of. Now I have to use her help though, lest she feels insulted. It’s a tad annoying on my part, but to be honest it’s also not. We can use her in small ways that don’t burden her while also helping you and the Society out, so everyone wins and is happy,” he said.

I nodded at that. Yes, I had too obviously heard her great desire to be of help. And I understood it… she had been raised on prophecies, ones that foretold her assistance to us… and as such saw it as… What? Destiny?

“How many friends, or families, like them are there Vim?” I asked, while doing my best to not focus too deeply on his hand. It was now rubbing my back in a way that made me want to squirm.

“I wish I could say there used to be many… but the truth is there never was. Most are like Ronalldo and his line, people I knew and was friendly with but not really close with. Only a handful had ever been like this one, throughout my whole life,” he said.

“Why’d you forget all about them, then…? You didn’t remember them until you saw the box,” I asked. Even for him, forgetting such loyal people was surprising. Especially since he so deeply valued loyalty.

Vim’s hand on my back went still, and he sighed softly at me. “Because I’m a terrible person, Renn.”

Hearing him say such a thing hurt. Not just because I knew his real meaning, but because I just made him admit such a thing aloud. It was I who had forced him to say it, and…

Before I could say or do anything I heard voices. Coming down the hallway, I heard Rivonne talking with other women… and the sound of what could only be some kind of cart. I turned to look at the door, though Vim didn’t, as I apprehensively waited for the noises to arrive.

Sure enough the door opened and the older woman from earlier joined by a younger girl maybe Celine’s age pushed in a large cart littered with drinks and food.

I grinned at the plates and cups upon the cart as it was wheeled in. “Short on stock you said,” I teased. There were things on it that even I’d never seen before!

Excitedly standing, as to both help them set up a table and to sneak a few bites, I wasted no time in becoming Rivonne’s friend.

To not just find out more of my husband’s past, a past he randomly forgets without meaning to, but… to also hopefully set up for a better future.

For everyone.

It was the least I could do, since… like Vim, I too had failed the past. In ways I couldn’t explain or even imagine.

So it was time for us to be better.

Or at least, try to.

To do what the world has been expecting us to, since before I’d even been born. To do what Vim’s parents had expected of him.

To Stand Tall.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep