“I’ve made my decision already,” I said simply as I studied the tally.

It wasn’t complete yet. About twenty odd percent of the Society had not voted yet, or at least had not filed an official vote, but it was enough. Almost eighty percent of the Society had voted already on my fate. And… somehow had voted in my favor, so far at least.

I tried not to do the mental math, as to keep myself from internally admitting that even if the remaining votes voted heavily against me I’d still be given a favorable result. Because it annoyed me, now for more reasons than I had expected it to.

Without me realizing it seemed I had grown… anxious over this vote. And not for good reason. I had not grown worried over being removed as protector, essentially betrayed, but instead had found myself doing the opposite.

Upon seeing the expected results of the upcoming vote, and for it to be in my favor, I found myself upset. Betrayed, even.

I had wanted them to vote against me. Deep down. As to justify my doing so. Because if it had been their will, and not my own, it would have not only been valid but would have allowed me to step down without feeling as if I was abandoning them on my own volition.

“What decision is there to make, Vim…? The Society has chosen to keep the status quo, isn’t that what you wanted?” The Chronicler asked.

No.

Half tempted to end the conversation and leave, I spent a moment to just… keep calm.

I was alone with her in her office, thankfully. Here in the Church in Telmik. Renn had been with us a moment ago but had somehow or another gotten pulled away by Mapple and the others. I wasn’t entirely sure why they had left, but I was now glad for it. This current conversation happening with Renn would have been even more difficult and annoying than it already was otherwise, which was saying something.

How was I supposed to actually feel about this? A part of me was glad that Light had kept her word and had influenced enough people to keep their vote in my favor, yet…

Glancing down at the two sides of the scroll, and the many names listed on the side that was voting to keep me as Protector of the Society made me feel a bit wary.

Why were people so fickle? Why was a simple comment, or a suggestion, by Celine’s daughter or her associates enough to make people change their votes? It was almost disgraceful… especially since it went against everything I stood for.

Changing people’s opinions? Through sly tactics and suggestion…? It was the kind of thing that had made me disgusted with Celine. To the point I had nearly abandoned her in her final moments. The mere thought of benefiting from such manipulation made me disgusted with not just them but myself.

Maybe I could use that emotion, this disgust at them manipulating people, to my advantage. Maybe I could use that as enough of a reason to justify stepping down, regardless of how the actual vote went in half a year during winter. Maybe.

“Here I thought you’d be happy, Vim,” The Chronicler then said, a tad gently. It seemed she was genuinely surprised by my reaction to being told I was in the clear, and that my position and my being in it was in no danger anymore.

“I’ve been told that several people have begun to alter their votes, is this the updated list?” I asked, searching for an excuse to be angry. One she’d actually believe.

“Yes, the most current to date,” she said proudly.

“So it’s the one most manipulated,” I said with a huff.

The Chronicler sat up a bit straighter, as if suddenly offended. “Quite an accusing tone you just used,” she said defensively.

“And you’re quite defensive upon hearing it,” I said with a leer.

She didn’t even flinch as she waved me off. “Only a few people changed their votes, Vim, and pretty much all of them were in your favor!”

“Something tells me they had not done so with enthusiasm,” I said back.

“You’ve become ever so snippy since you found Renn… here I’d been expecting the opposite!” she said with a small huff, as if offended.

I wanted to roll my eyes but didn’t. Because I was too busy glaring at her.

Why were they so obvious with their snide comments lately…? Did she even realize who she was talking to? She basically just admitted, loudly and blatantly, that she and everyone else have been expecting me to… change because of Renn.

Renn’s made it clear that Celine and the rest had been expecting her for years. Maybe even since the beginning. But…

Did it really go that far? What if it wasn’t just her arrival they had gotten wrong, but something else…

For a tiny moment I was a bit shocked at the realization, since it came at such an odd moment, but before I could really focus on it and compartmentalize it the door to the office re-opened… and a familiar face walked in.

“Ah! Vim!” Tressi greeted me with a kind smile as she entered the office, a long white robe dangled behind her… It was made in a similar fashion as to what one would find maybe on a wedding dress, but they had made it to look like a simple nun’s robe. Sadly though, thanks to the fact I knew what was under the robes, it was very obviously not doing very good at hiding them. I could even hear the feathers rustling beneath the robe as she walked in.

“Tressi…” I greeted the duck, Nasba’s cousin, and wondered if they were all still here. I had thought she and the rest had said they would be heading elsewhere, only staying in Telmik for a short while. Well, it’s been a little over a month since I’d last seen them so I had thought they’d be gone by now. I’ll have to let Renn know, then… she had wanted to meet them, not just because they were Nasba’s family but because she had heard from someone that Tressi’s daughter, Fressi, had a crush on me.

“Oh my, he looks grumpy. Is it Renn’s doing or someone else’s?” Tressi asked with a smile, the kind that told me she had very likely already met my wife.

“Met her did you?” I asked.

She gave me a happy nod. “She’s adorable, Vim. Well done.”

A bit of my wound up anger and annoyance unraveled at the complement, and I shifted a bit unsteadily as I felt a weird sense of pride feel me. “Thanks…” I said gently, unsure as to why I had so deeply been pleased to hear such a thing. Maybe it was because she had been completely genuine just now, and had spoken without a hint of teasing or sarcasm.

“I fear though my daughter may not like her much… for that I apologize and pray you and her will overlook her uh… well, any antics or anything she may possibly cause…” Tressi’s smile then changed a little, become a tad embarrassed as she reached up to scratch the side of her head as if perplexed.

“I’ve no doubt Renn will find her antics adorable, so worry not,” I said. I on the other hand wouldn’t find them so, but I’d put up with them. I always did.

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“What’s this now?” The Chronicler asked.

Tressi glanced at her and nodded. “My young duckling has a small crush on Vim, though I’m not sure how or why…” she said with a gesture at me.

Rude.

The Chronicler chuckled at that. “Funny,” was all she said about that.

It was, in a way, I suppose… “I figured you’d be gone already, Tressi,” I said, glad that she had given me an easy out of my previous conversation concerning the upcoming vote. Maybe I’ll get lucky and just… ignore it until it doesn’t exist. Such a thing had never worked before in my long life, but there’s a first for everything wasn’t there?

The duck looked back at me and gave me a slightly serious look. “That’s exactly why I came to find you. I’ve been told you plan to go see Light? In Lumen?” she asked.

Hm? Did she want to accompany us or something? “Well… it’s a current idea, not really a full blown plan just yet,” I said. Renn and I had given a brief update to the Chronicler earlier, but we hadn’t gone into much detail about it or after it. Since the Chronicler had already known of Tor’s betrayal for a long time, and as such wasn’t shocked or disturbed over it. They already had people in motion to ensure the safety of Tor’s Canyon and the village within it. Most of the people being sent there were from the other continent, new arrivals.

“I see… If you do happen to head that way next, would it trouble you if I and my daughter joined you? I wish to take her to see her family, those who are left at least, but unlike me her tail makes it… difficult to travel safely,” Tressi said.

Unlike her…? I glanced a moment at her feet, and the huge robe dangling around her. That might work here in the inner-sanctum of the church, but it’d not work on the road. At all… but she was right. Her daughter had oddly bigger tail feathers than typical for her kind. To a point it was a bit odd, even. Which meant it would indeed be difficult for her to travel safely, nearly anywhere even.

“Of course, Tressi. I’ll make sure one way or another to help you, no matter my eventual path,” I promised. It was easy to do, since odds are we would be heading eastward to Lumen. I didn’t want to admit it, but… well…

Light and I needed to talk. Or at least, Renn and Light did. Again. A bit more honestly and openly, this time.

I’d not brought it up to Renn yet but my plan was to have her… indirectly ask Light some questions for me. The kind that would help me figure out a bit more of our upcoming struggles. Not just with the Society, but… my own too.

“Thank you… I know you come and go swiftly, thus why I sought you out so quickly. I apologize if we’re intruding Vim, but…” Tressi then hesitated, and with an ever so tiny glance that she gave to the desk and the woman who sat behind it told me why.

“Think nothing of it. I’ll likely know what we’ll be doing soon within the day, if not here in moments once she tells me of some blasted prophecy or something,” I said, giving the Chronicler a chance to intrude into the conversation once more.

“Actually I too would like you to go see Light. I have some letters for Renn, if by chance you chose not to head to Lumen… but if you instead do head that way I can just keep them for now and let Light direct you,” she said.

Great. I lose no matter what path I take then.

Sighing softly, I nodded gently at Tressi. “See? I’m not sure how long we’ll be here… Can you and your daughter be ready to leave in a day or two? If we can get on the road that quickly, I’d like to,” I asked.

“Yes! Thank you! And thank you as well, Hyacinth! I’ll go start getting ready right away!” Tressi happily perked up and didn’t wait for a response back as she hurried to the door and left the office. She left the door open as she hurried out, and I smirked at her as her huge robe shuffled behind her.

“Our returnees have no concept of tradition Vim…” The Chronicler said with a sigh.

I frowned at her. “You should be happy that there are still those out there who remember your name, and can say it with such a happy tone to boot,” I said, defending the duck.

“Still…!” The Chronicler didn’t seem to agree. She fussed a bit as she went to rolling up the records of the vote tally, obviously realizing the conversation was over.

“Well… I suppose I’ll go let Renn know. For now I’ll plan to have us leave in two days, unless you disagree?” I asked.

She shook her head. “That should be fine. I’ll send notice out for you, we have nearly a hundred members here now Vim so you might get quite a few requests for once,” she said.

A… “A hundred? Really?” I asked. Even after they’d all been split so much? Some had even gone up north to SilverCreek, such as Kapni! I hadn’t realized there were still that many here…

“It’s nice isn’t it…? I like how it feels lively again, even if so many are like those light-headed ducks…” The Chronicler said with a small smile and sigh.

“Hm… It is, yes… does that mean the mansio is full?” I asked.

“It is. You’ll have to take a room below, though good luck finding one. Most of the newcomers are scattered all over down there,” she said.

Great. Renn will enjoy that, though I won’t.

I sighed as I stepped away with a nod.

“We’ll continue our conversation next time, Vim,” The Chronicler reminded me.

“Hopefully not,” I whispered as I left her office, though unlike the duck I at least closed the door behind me as I did.

Stepping away from the office, I frowned as I tried to ignore the rather… startling fact that had just been slapped against my face.

A hundred members. Here. In Telmik.

How long has it been since so many were here…? At one time…?

Supposedly, before I had realized Light and the rest were back, they had been here too. But there had only been a few dozen or so… and they had been coming and going, so I’d been told. It was why I had never noticed them, not even the saints. They had known better than to be here when I was, and had kept themselves at a distance. Though they could not directly foresee my existence in their prophecies, they could… see…

“Renn…” I stopped walking near a corner hallway, and sighed as I realized how Light and the others had hidden themselves from me for what had likely been years. They had most undoubtedly used the existence of Renn and others around me to keep tabs on me… a saint could not see me directly, but they could see me indirectly. By seeing someone, or something, else as they interacted with or spoke of me.

Though…

For a tiny moment I considered my earlier thought, about how Renn was supposed to have been here a long time ago. I of course could think of many… many, many, instances of such a thing. Of Celine or someone else acting… odd, or saying certain things that back then had been strange but now made sense. They had been hinting at Renn this whole time… but…

If that was the case, why hadn’t they just… found her?

I interfered with prophecies. That was what my existence did. Thanks to my parents’ blessings… but Renn was not like me. Or if she was, she had not become like me until we had gotten together. Since before then she had been… normal. A typical non-human. A thick in the blood, older and strong one, but still one within the realm of normalcy. Even now, today, she was still a creature of normalcy. Though one with a heart, her source was still normal. She was unique, but only to a single step farther than a normal being was. She was not like me, or a firstborn monarch. She had a connection to divinity, either through me or her heart, but was not divine herself.

So… why?

Why had they not found her? If they had actually foreseen her with me long ago, possibly hundreds of years ago… why had Celine just… let that be?

She had spent her whole life trying to make prophecies come true. Dedicated her entire existence to it. The whole reason the Society even existed in the first place was to fulfill her first prophecy. Her main one. So…

“Should I ask Renn…?” I wondered.

She might know. She had hinted back in SilverCreek that she had learned things she likely hadn’t meant to know. Merit had said it too. That they had found Celine’s private journals and stuff… so odds are Renn might very well know the answer to my question.

But did I want to know it too…?

If she did know it, and yet had not brought it up at all with me… that meant there was likely a good reason for it. Renn was very good at separating her secrets. She told me everything and anything, except and only except the things that went against my rules.

Which meant if she did know the answer… I likely didn’t want to hear it.

But… the answer might lead me to another one…

Such as why the gods would be so…

I blinked… and before my mind even registered what I was feeling, my feet were in motion.

Running forward, I felt my stomach fall. Into a pit. As if suddenly teleported by my mother to that realm of space. Where black holes lurked. Where she had sent me to experience true fear, back when my training had first begun. Although the fear of that dimension was long gone, since I now understood it and knew I could survive it… the feeling was unmistakable. And it was one I’d not felt since. Not even during the wars, or any time before or after. Even when I had made my mistake and killed nearly every living thing on this planet I had not felt so terrified.

And somehow, that feeling of despair was justified.

Because I felt a god. Here in the church. Not far from me.

Right next to Renn.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep