Chapter 12: Goddess's Blessings: The Kesley Family and the Church Will...
The autumn morning was chilly. Vifiya turned over in bed, opened her eyes and blanked out for a while before she slowly got up.
She tucked the jade gourd necklace into the small opening of her belt, tidied herself up briefly, opened the door, and made eye contact with the four people sitting at the table.
"Sister!" Stellan stood up and walked a few steps to her side.
Although Osa wanted to go forward, whether out of courtesy or the thought that she should let her family reminisce first, she chose to stand there and wait with Arnold.
Stellan looked Vifiya up and down, and when he touched the rough clothes on her body, he frowned slightly. When he looked up again, he was only worried about Vifiya: "Sister, are you hurt?"
Vifia looked at the worry in his eyes, which didn't seem fake, but for Stellan, the more it looked real, the more fake it was.
She lowered her eyes and crossed her arms, a look of fear on her face: "Fortunately, I met a kind person and was not hurt."
Her eyes moved from Stellan's face to Vaholian behind him: "Brother."
She hadn't expected that Vaholian would come to pick her up. Vaholian nodded slightly: "I'm glad you're not hurt."
Arnold saw the fear on her face and felt that she was pretending to be strong yesterday and was showing fear when she saw her family today.
Vifiya stepped forward and said to Osha and Arnold, "Good morning."
Seeing that she was in good condition, Osa smiled and said, "Good morning, Vifiya."
Arnold: "Good morning, Miss Vifia."
Vifiya saw that Osa was wearing women's riding clothes, which made her look even more heroic. "Osa, you weren't hurt that day, were you?"
Osa was startled for a moment, then smiled at her and said, "It's okay, you see I'm fine now. Anyway, welcome back."
Vifiya smiled.
She glanced around, but couldn't see Isidore. She asked, "Where's Isidore?"
Vaholian thought for a moment before remembering that it was the person who disappeared with Vifiya: "He was called away for questioning in advance. It's getting late, so let's go back to the mansion first."
Vifiya nodded at him, then said to Arnold: "Thank you."
After saying that, he walked out of the cabin and got on the carriage under the guidance of Osa and Stellan.
Vaholian looked back at Arnold and waved to the side. The man opened the wooden box and placed it on the table. There was a golden light shining inside the box.
Arnold looked at the gold coins in the box hesitantly. It was not that he didn't love money. No one in this world couldn't resist money. It was just that he didn't think that he could get so much reward just for the little thing he did.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Vaholian said, "Don't rush to refuse. I've heard everything today, including what happened before. These two things are worth the price."
Arnold thought for a moment, realizing this meant he was being told to keep his mouth shut. He took out three gold coins from the box and said, "That's enough."
Osa and Stellan left on the way because they needed to go to the palace to report. Vifiya looked at the mansion that was getting closer and closer through the carriage, and her heart was calm.
Her red eyes were filled with coldness and consideration. She had not forgotten what God had said to her. She had not seen God in her past 16 lives, but now he suddenly appeared again. What on earth did God want to do?
Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the mansion. Vifiya opened the door and took Gavin's hand: "Welcome back, Miss."
Gavin waited for Vifia to stand still, and looked at her eyes which became a little deeper. When her gaze met his, he lowered his head slightly.
Vifia glanced at Gavin, who was standing not far away. Neve was standing there, her face full of worry, as if she would cry at any second.
Seeing her expression, Vifiya felt that the time had come to make Neve her own. As long as Neve was willing to step out of that line, after the first time, there would naturally be a second time, and in the end, she would stand completely by her side.
Vifiya gave her a reassuring smile.
Vaholian came quickly from behind and told Neve, "Take the young lady to wash up and have dinner first."
Then he said to Vifiya, "Come to my study after you finish."
Vifiya nodded.
In the bathroom, several maids poured water into the wooden bathtub and left.
While serving Vifiya, Niv cried out, "Miss."
Vifiya said helplessly, "I'm fine, Niv."
Hearing the comforting voice, Neve raised her hand and wiped away her tears.
Neve closed the curtain across the wooden bathtub, her head lowered in a depressed mood. She couldn't help but say, "When you were in Seronil, you were always safe. How come you ran into something like this after a long trip?"
Vifiya stirred up the water in the bathtub, and the transparent water condensed into droplets along her fingertips, dripping, leaving only ripples.
She gently washed herself and spoke softly, "Neve, do you know what I encountered this time? I arrived at a rugged cave. There was no light in the cave, yet flowers still grew there. I saw the moonlight mouse in the book, and its appearance was really no different from that of an ordinary mouse. I'll tell you a secret: I had a dream while I was in the cave. I dreamed of the goddess."
Vifiya couldn't hear Neve's voice and paused. "That's something I've never experienced in Cyronil. Neve, I'm a noble. One day I'll accept a marriage alliance with my family, get married, and have children. Maybe when I'm old I can tell this story to my descendants."
A low sobbing sound came from behind the curtain.
Neve covered her face and cried. She had never thought that one day she would almost lose her young lady, just like her sister, falling to the ground and never getting up again.
For a long time, she buried the pain of losing her sister deep in her heart, but when she treated the young lady, she did not know when she began to transfer the guilt she felt for her sister to the young lady little by little.
Even though she knew very well in her heart that the younger sister was the younger sister and the younger lady was the younger lady, the younger sister and the younger lady were never the same person, but two completely different individuals.
But she just couldn't help it. As she watched her young lady grow up, she couldn't help but connect the two people together. The young lady's figure and the shadow of her imagined sister when she grew up kept overlapping. In a hidden corner, she secretly imagined a future where her sister still existed.
Gradually, the light in the future disappeared, and finally, only the voice of the young lady calling her name remained.
Neve knew that the young lady was comforting her, and she also knew that the young lady would marry the marriage partner arranged for her by the Marquis.
She had thought of accompanying the young lady until old age, and seeing her finally surrounded by children and smiling happily.
However, the young lady's description today made her feel lonely. Would she really like this kind of life? Would she really be happy in the end?
Vifiya stood up from the bathtub, wiped her body, and put on her underwear by herself.
Neve heard the sound of the curtain being drawn open, and when she looked up, her face was blank and tear-stained.
It is rare to see Neve like this. Vifiya gently wiped her tears. She knew that Neve must be thinking of her sister.
Although it's despicable to use a deceased person like this, but...
Vifiya put down her hand and said softly, "Help me put on my clothes."
In the magnificent mansion, the servants were busy with their work. After dinner, Vifiya went to the study alone.
Vifiya bowed slightly: "Brother."
Vaholian put down his quill and stood up, motioning her to sit down in the reception area and picked up a document next to him.
He placed the documents on the table and said, "Tell me, what happened these days?"
Vifiya repeated the prearranged speech, and Valhorian's expression gradually became serious: "Who else knows that you encountered a magician?"
"No."
Vaholian nodded. "Well, this is a serious matter. I will report it to my father. You should write him a letter when you have time. Also, you need to go to the palace tomorrow morning. They will ask you questions as per the routine procedure. Just tell them the truth." He paused. "As for the academy, you should get some rest and go back next week."
Vifiya nodded when she heard this, her eyes falling on the documents on the table.
Following her gaze, Vaholian pushed the document in front of her. "I heard from Stellan that this is Arnold's information. I've also taken care of the thank-you gift, so you don't have to worry about it."
He paused, as if he was a little conflicted. "Arnold is quite talented in swordsmanship, but he is still a commoner. If you want to develop a refined love, I won't stop you. There is only one thing: no one else can know."
Vifiya's hand froze as she picked up the document.
Elegant love was a popular love between knights and noble ladies in the past few years, and in recent years, the trend of elegant love between knights and noble ladies has become even more popular.
Weifeiya put down the documents and explained, "I didn't have that thought. I wanted to thank him before, but now I just think he's a good person, that's all."
Vaholian looked at her deeply and said, "That's fine."
There was silence for a moment, and Vaholian did not let her leave. Vifiya opened the file and read the information at a glance.
There was no difference from the Arnold she had known before.
His mother died early and his father was a gambler and alcoholic. When he was seven years old, he ran away from home with his younger sister and wandered around. Fortunately, he met a kind old mercenary who discovered Arnold's talent and taught him swordsmanship. Later, the old mercenary died in an accident. Arnold relied on his own efforts to be admitted to Alsayne College, and his sister worked as a maid in Viscount Langley's house.
As far as she knew, Viscount Langley was kind to others, and she had come into contact with the Viscount's daughter, who was a good person.
Vifiya put down the documents and looked up at Vaholian: "Brother, I want to go to Saint Vasok Cathedral to attend prayers in a few days."
Vaholian looked at Vifiya in surprise. In his memory, his sister had never been enthusiastic about attending prayers.
She knew that Vaholian would have doubts. After all, even [Vifiya] herself had told her that she did not believe in God and that she was just going to pray with her father once a week for show.
Although it is not a sin for nobles to not believe in God, they will be ostracized, so Marquis Seronil did not allow her to not believe in God.
The fact that [Vefiya] did not believe in God was known only to Marquis Seronil. After so many years, [Vefiya] had become adept at pretending to be a believer, and even the Marquis had come to believe that she did.
"When I was in the cave, I had a vague dream. I dreamed that someone woke me up. After waking up, I met the kind magician. I think this might be the blessing of the goddess."
This is Vifiya's reason, which seems untenable, but it is sufficient.
The Caseleys would like this reason, and so would the Vatican.
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