123 – Finalize

Unsurprisingly, Vivi found Rafael at the headquarters of the Adventurer’s Guild. If not for the fact that the demon clearly thrived under hectic conditions, she’d have felt guilty for how the man never had a moment to rest.

Yet here I go, intruding on his schedule anyway.

Though it wasn’t like she’d come with a frivolous pursuit. Logically speaking, there weren’t many events more important on a global scale than the development of Vanguard.

Seeing how she wasn’t facing an ongoing emergency, she didn’t blink into his office unannounced like she had with Zael and Sarielle. She informed his assistant and sat down to wait. The mundane experience was maybe even good for her. She didn’t want to get used to people waiting on her hand and foot, treating her like the most important person in the world.

…even if she might be, by certain definitions.

As always, she tried not to think too hard about that.

Rafael strode out less than a quarter of an hour later—or maybe longer, since she’d pulled out her notebook and gotten lost in developing theories. Idle time didn’t bother her much, not when she had a pressing need to mine deeper into the secrets of voidglass, and enjoyed the process regardless. In fact, she might have preferred a longer delay.

“Lady Nysari?” Rafael prompted. “How may I help you?”

Vivi rose and followed the man into his office, where he had proper privacy wards installed—hence his use of her fake name. Upon closing the door, she announced without preamble, “I brought Eshara back.”

She would never stop being impressed by how nearly nothing she said could faze the man. He didn’t pause for even a quarter of a second. “Sooner than expected,” he remarked. “That’s good news. I apologize for being occupied. I’m nearly finished tying up loose ends with the Guild—I’ll be solely Vanguard’s within the week.”

Vivi couldn’t imagine what kind of managerial work went into abruptly abdicating one of the most important—and influential—administrative roles in the Kingdom, but she assumed that Rafael was already being more expeditious about that task than any person could reasonably expect.

“Take your time. And let me know if you need anything.”

“I shouldn’t.” Rafael’s expression turned wry. “I’ll admit that the primary reason I’ve lingered is for Allegra’s sake. I believe she’ll have matters in hand, but she’ll be fighting an uphill battle.”

“If she needs my help, then she has it, too.”

“A public statement to that effect could alleviate certain issues of hers,” he said, sounding amused. “But the Sorceress’s reputation is a hammer the size of the Royal Palace. A useful tool when appropriate, but not one I would wield unless certain of its necessity.” He shrugged. “I merely gripe about work frustrations, pay no mind. To Vanguard?” He held out a hand.

Pressing her fingers against his, she [Blinked] them back to their guildhall.

“I’m serious, though,” she told him when they arrived. “Ask if you need help.” He did so much for her that she almost wished he had a favor she could repay him with. Even if all of that work was technically his job.

“I will,” he replied idly. “Is there anything pressing I should know about with whatever happened down south?”

Vivi took a moment to reply. “Eshara… has had a rough day. But things worked out in the end.”

“Ah.” Keen as he was, he picked up on what she meant. A contemplative expression crossed the man’s face. “I’ll keep that in mind for how I address certain topics.”

In brief terms, she caught him up as they walked to the forge. There honestly wasn’t much to say, not so far as the Steward needed to know that very moment. Vivi had found Eshara; she had dealt with the Flesh-Weaver’s work; and Eshara intended to rejoin.

Rafael focused on something in the quick report that Vivi hadn’t expected. “Given what you’ve told me, I believe certain escalation protocols weren’t properly followed.” Displeasure dripped from his tone. “I’ll be requesting further information from the responsible Guild branches.” He paused, then grimaced. “Or rather, I’ll be forwarding those concerns to Allegra. The operation of the Adventurer’s Guild is no longer my concern.” He took a breath and released it. A career of a hundred years was probably difficult to let go of, even for a man like Rafael, and even if he hadn’t intended to take on that responsibility to begin with.

Further discussions were cut off by their arrival at the entryway to the forge. Only Mae and Eshara were inside; Vivi wasn’t sure where the others had gone, since they hadn’t been in the common room either.

Eshara had presumably heard Vivi coming—Titled did have fearsome senses—since she and Mae had already turned to face them by the time they arrived. The elvish knight squeezed Mae’s shoulder in a goodbye gesture before walking up.

She stopped short of the demon. “Rafael.”

“Eshara.”

“I understand we have certain matters to discuss.”

“That would be correct.”

The two held each other’s gaze, then nodded—not tersely, but without much congeniality, something Vivi picked up on not just because they hadn’t so much as given each other a proper greeting. Vivi looked between them, only not blinking in confusion because of her new outward passivity.

Not… the biggest fans of each other, I take it?

She did remember Rafael taking on a sarcastic tone when describing the ‘Roving Justicar’ during that initial briefing from a while back. Something about how ‘unyielding’ Eshara was, and how unthinkable it would be for her to decline rejoining Vanguard.

Vivi didn’t detect animosity between them—certainly not—but the two apparently weren’t friends. Allies, perhaps even close ones, but not more than that. She wondered whether something had prompted the lack of kinship, or if it had come about through a simple mismatch of personalities.

“To my office?” Rafael suggested.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Please.” Eshara gestured for him to lead.

A minute later, the three of them had taken their seats in the small room.

“I’m glad to see you looking well, Eshara.”

“And I you.”

“How much has Vivisari caught you up on current events?”