Archive of Our Own

Van Arkride’s flight to Liberl had him feeling unusually sick, and not from the motion of the airship or a fear of heights. The day that he had been secretly dreading, in which he would be introduced to his girlfriend’s family, had inevitably arrived and the minutes were counting down until landing.

Under any other circumstance, given his mostly positive relationship with the guild, the Bright family would make for easy allies. Not to mention that Cassius’s accomplishments alone were enough to make Van want to have the opportunity to shake his hand at the very least. Yet now that he would have that opportunity to make their acquaintance, he was feeling more anxious about it than even his conversations with The Oathbreaker or President Gramheart.

Looking over his shoulder to be sure that no one was watching, he pulled out his Xipha and looked at the last message he’d received from Renne before boarding the airship. It was very much like her to tease him a little bit when she knew he’d be nervous, and her message certainly had the intended effect. She had sent a selfie of herself sitting at a desk and sticking her tongue out while wearing her usual travelling clothes, but with several of the buttons of her shirt undone to reveal a considerable amount of cleavage and a black, lacy bra that stuck out between the parting of her top. All that accompanied the image was a text that read, “Don’t keep me waiting too long, Mr. Spriggan. ♥”

He felt his heart flutter with excitement, knowing that he’d be with her again soon—even if it was unlikely that the two of them would be getting much time alone during his visit. Van let out a soft chuckle as he thought to himself, Really says a lot about how much I’ve missed her that I’m willing to spend any more amount of time than I have to in a country with terrain so inhospitable that it ain’t even practical for most people to own a car. It’s fair to say Liberl has never rated very high on my list of places to revisit, even if I do enjoy the occasional goody from the boutique in Trion Mall, but I’d be lying to myself if I said that was the reason I’m feeling this nervous.

Going over the information he had in his head again, he ruminated on the facts surrounding the people he was soon to meet for the first time. Cassius Bright, a man who needs no introduction. Divine Blade, S-Rank Bracer, and Liberl’s hero during The Hundred Day War. That resume alone is enough to make anyone weak at the knees when meeting him, yet from what I hear he’s actually got a pretty down to earth personality. It feels ironic to say, but he might actually be the one I’m least worried about.

Joshua, on the other hand, is difficult to get a read on. With a reserved personality such as his, it’s unlikely that I have to worry about him bein’ too confrontational, but I’d bet my last mira that his eyes will be carefully observing every move I make when I’m around his little sister. Can’t forget that he was also once a member of Ouroboros, serving as an assassin known as The Black Fang. Having worked around my fair share of former assassins, that’s not something I plan on holdin’ against him, but the fact that someone with his set of skills has every reason to be suspicious of me ain’t a good feeling.

And then there’s Estelle, the bright ball of sunshine herself who speaks loudly, carries a big stick, and uses it too. These hot-headed types with big hearts and big tempers are typically pretty easy to get a read on, but get off on the wrong foot with them—which I bet I already have—and every interaction from then on is an uphill battle to get back into their good graces. That means she’s most likely gonna be the biggest obstacle to me having a pleasant visit. As frustrating as it is though, I understand where she’s comin’ from. Renne has been doing so well these last few years in becoming a well-adjusted and confident adult that the last thing she needs is for some scumbag boyfriend to enter the picture and ruin a lot of that progress.

Letting out a sigh, he gazed outside to see the Liberlian countryside where the airship would soon be landing. Renne Bright, I’m not sure if you’ve ever fully been able to realize just how intimidating your family really is to someone who only knows about them from reputation alone, or just how much weight your last name carries. I also can’t imagine that they, only knowing about me by my reputation, were too thrilled when they heard you’d been seein’ me. Afraid there’s nothing to be done about it now ‘cept trying to make the best impression that I can when we meet face to face.

As the airship descended, the city of Rolent came into view. As the ship landed, a message played over the intercom signaling their arrival, and the passengers began to disembark. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and followed the small crowd of people boarding the platform onto the landing port. He felt himself smile as he caught the sight of his girlfriend along with two people who were unmistakably her older siblings behind her, waving apprehensively.

He opened his mouth to speak but before he could get a word out Renne had enthusiastically called out, “Van, darling!” as she ran over to embrace him. He nearly stumbled back from the force of her wrapping her arms around his body and pressing her lips into his. Though embarrassed, Van could only accept this particularly passionate kiss that she was giving him, especially once he felt her weight shift onto his body as one of her legs kicked up into the air behind her.

Releasing him, Renne smiled up at Van mischievously as she spoke, “Welcome to Rolent, Van.”

Smiling nervously, he said, “Well, I’m certainly real glad to be with you again. But uh, it looks like we’ve got some introductions to make.”

She giggled, “I suppose we do.” Completely ignoring Van’s obvious embarrassment, as well as the astonished expressions of Joshua and Estelle—whose face had turned a deep shade of red as she began to glare at the two of them, Renne turned to face her older siblings while holding Van by the arm. “Estelle, Joshua, I’d like for the two of you to formally meet Van.”

Likely hoping to clear some of the tension in the air, Joshua spoke first, “Hello, Van. It’s good to finally put a face to your name.” Reaching out his hand towards Van’s free arm, the two of them shook hands as he continued, “We still appreciate the help you gave us back in April with our request. I don’t think that we could have gathered the necessary data for Renne’s gift so easily without you serving as our point of contact.”

Van gave a polite smile, “Same here. Heard a lot about you, so it’s nice meetin’ face-to-face.”

Estelle, who appeared to have steam rising from her head, seemed to mellow out a little bit at being reminded of this event. Taking a deep breath, she addressed, “Y-yeah, I’m glad to finally meet you as well.” Shaking Van’s hand, her eyes narrowed slightly as she added, “Kiiinda wish I’d known about your relationship at the time, but I suppose you being there to give it to her made that moment even more special than I knew it was going to be.” Her eyes shifted downward as spoke, which Van took as a sign that she still felt jealous and even a little guilty for not being able to make it to the Aramis School Festival.

Apologetically, Van said, “Sorry ‘bout that. I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret from you or anything. Figured if Renne wanted you to know then she would’ve told you, which wasn’t much later if I remember right.”

Estelle frowned, “Yeah… Though we still don’t have a lot of details. Just when did the two of you start going out, exactly?”

Figured this was coming. Unfortunately the answer is a little awkward to admit out loud, so I’ll just tell them half of the truth.

Just as Van had opened his mouth to speak, Renne happily chimed in, “Why, just about as soon as we reunited. I’d had such a big crush on him for all these years that upon meeting him again, we had become the most passionate of lovers in no time. ♥”

I’m dead. Van’s body froze in place upon hearing this extreme exaggeration of events and he could feel the intense glares of Estelle and Joshua on him while Renne smiled innocently and nuzzled against his shoulder.

Seconds that felt like hours passed before Estelle turned to her younger sister and spoke through gritted teeth, “Oh, R E N N E? Why don’t you and I have ourselves a nice ‘sister talk’ real quick, okay?” Her face shifted into a smile so unsettling that even Renne seemed taken a little off guard by the sheer intensity of her gaze. Grabbing Renne’s hand, Estelle walked with her until they were out of earshot before she began to speak again.

Standing alone with Joshua, Van couldn’t quite feel the full relief of not being on the receiving end of Estelle’s fury just yet. Shaking his head, he sighed, “Look, I’ll be the first to tell you that I ain’t the best guy out there, but I would never have taken advantage of her feelings just after we met again like that—not that I think she even had any right away. Dunno what game she’s playing right now, but it took a lot of consideration before I felt confident that either of us were ready to be romantically involved.”

Joshua’s stare softened as he shrugged, “Yeah, I think that was probably just her way of teasing Estelle a little bit, knowing what kinds of assumptions she must have had made about you. These last few days, Renne’s been really excited about your visit and the way she’s acting now reflects that. It’s clear to both of us that her feelings are genuine, so we’re both just looking out for her to be sure that they aren’t going to waste.”

Van conceded, “Fair enough. I appreciate that her well-being means so much to the two of you, cause I know that I’d be feelin’ the same way in your position. Doubt I’ll be able to convince the two of you in a day, but hopefully she can restrain herself long enough that Estelle at least gives me the chance to prove my sincerity.”

Joshua smiled sympathetically, “Well, if anyone’s able to convince Renne to dial it back a little, it’s Estelle. Maybe then we’ll be able to keep our conversations a bit more… civil.”

As Estelle walked Renne back to the two of them, she wore a proud expression as if she had just given her little sister a good scolding—despite Renne looking as composed as ever.

With a grin, Renne said, “All right, I admit that I may have been a tiny bit misleading.”

Van objected, “A TINY bit?”

Putting her finger up to her mouth in a shushing gesture, Renne winked, “In truth, we only started dating sometime around the end of last year. He was ever so resistant to my charms until then. ♪”

Estelle’s expression turned into a frown once more, leading Joshua to inquire, “So, what changed around that time?”

Van rubbed the back of his head nervously, “Nothin’ much, really. The two of us kinda ran into each other out of nowhere while separately working the same case. Talked a good bit afterwards and we really hit it off. Seemed like we weren’t half bad for one another, so a few dates after that I figured we may as well make it official.” Alright, that should be enough info without goin’ into too many details that they don’t need to hear.

Estelle continued to eye him suspiciously, and to Van’s relief Renne didn’t decide to add any embellishments or worse: the truth. After a few moments of consideration she seemed satisfied with the answer and sighed, “Well, I’m still not totally sure how to feel about you, but it seems like you’ve been taking this at an appropriate pace. Anyway, we’ve been standing at this landing port long enough, so what do you say we show you around town?” Her eyes narrowed as she added, “We can circle back around to asking about you and your ‘profession’ later.”

Feeling especially relieved at the change in subject, Van smiled, “Works for me. I’ve only passed through the area once before, so I have to admit that I’ve been a little eager to get an insider’s perspective on the kind of place Renne returns home to.”

As they began to walk into town, with Renne insisting on clinging to Van’s arm much to Estelle’s vexation, Joshua conceded, “I’m afraid there isn’t a lot to see, especially compared to what you’re used to, but it’s calm, cozy, and it’s been good to all of us.”

“Yeah…” Estelle spoke somberly, “It has.”

Confused for a moment by her change in tone, Van noticed the town’s signature clock tower come into view as he recalled a bit of historical information he’d learned about it a while back. Ah, that’s right. Realizing it’d be strange not to acknowledge it, Van observed, “Looks like we’ve already made it to one of the few parts of the city that I distinctly remember. Heard they rebuilt this tower shortly after the war.”

Estelle walked on ahead to turn back to the group as she smiled, “Yeah, it took about 5 years of the people of Rolent coming together to make sure it looked just as good as it did before. It’s always had a special place in our hearts.”

“That’s clear as day.” Van mused, “You can really feel the spirit of Rolent’s people from the work that went into restoring such a significant landmark.”

With a somewhat hesitant expression, Estelle proposed, “Why don’t we go to the top together? It’s kinda on our way to everything else, and we’ll be able to see everything from up there.”

In a surprised tone, Joshua asked, “Estelle, are you sure?”

“Well, why not?” Estelle replied in an almost cheerful sounding tone, “It’s the symbol of the city, and he’s not as familiar with the area as we are.”

Renne had a knowing smile on her face as she giggled, “The view from the top is quite lovely, after all. It’s the perfect place for a couple to share a romantic moment together. ♥”

This comment only seemed to raise a mild level of annoyance from Estelle, who frowned and said, “Yeah, well it’s a good thing that you two will have a pair of chaperones watching your every move, so there won’t be any funny business while we’re up there. Got it?”

Renne gave a defeated shrug and mumbled, “Aww, you’re not fun.”

However, Estelle’s gaze stayed fixed on Van, who—deciding that bringing up the fact that he was older than her to object to the idea of being chaperoned wasn’t going to make matters any better given the situation—nervously answered, “Loud and clear, ma’am.”

With a brief look of pride, Estelle smiled, “Good, now let’s go!”

Reaching the top of the tower, Estelle watched as Joshua followed behind—along with Renne and her new spriggan boyfriend. As the last two were making it to the top, Joshua made eye contact with Estelle. She smiled at him reassuringly, and he nodded before greeting Van now that he’d made it to the top.

“Here it is.” Joshua announced, “From up here, you can see the whole city, a lot of the surrounding area, and even the roof of our house if you look real closely this way.”

Following where Joshua was pointing, Van leaned forward and squinted as he observed, “So that’s where you and Estelle grew up, huh? Can’t make out much of it from here, but it seems like you’re not too far from town.”

Taking a deep breath, Estelle felt herself relax as she answered, “Even though he didn’t want us to be right in the middle of town, Dad built our house close enough to the city that I’ve always felt like Rolent was my home. It’s a home that I'm so thankful to have been able to share with Joshua and later Renne.”

With a small shrug, Renne said, “In all honesty, I’ve spent so much time at different schools that I’ve hardly gotten the chance to properly settle in here. But I suppose this has always been my home base to return to whenever I’m able to get a break from those responsibilities.”

Smiling warmly, Joshua spoke, “And we’re always happy to have you with us when you’re able to be around.”

Inadvertently, Van let out a chuckle, to which Renne asked in a surprised tone, “Oh? Is there something funny about that, Van?”

Van shook his head, “Nah, it’s just that now I think I see why you like comin’ back at every opportunity that you get. This city seems real peaceful and charming, with plenty of calming scenery around. But most importantly, you’ve got a real loving family to return to.”

Estelle caught Renne blushing slightly as she quickly ran over and hugged her tightly and boasted, “You bet your sweet bippy she does! No matter what happens, she’ll always have us in her corner!”

Though Renne fully accepted the hug she was receiving, her voice had a hint of embarrassment to it as she demurred, “All right, Estelle, I think you’ve made your point.” As Estelle released her, she gave an amused smile, “My, it really is a wonder how you two can say these sorts of things with a straight face. Maybe you’re more alike than I thought.”

Looking extremely unamused, Estelle frowned, “Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, missy.”

Joshua grinned, “I don’t know, Estelle, I think she may have a point. I’ve become pretty used to hearing it from you by now, but I definitely wasn’t expecting to hear that level of sincerity from Van of all people.”

Renne giggled, “That’s just because you don’t know him the way I and his employees do. He puts on a real tough guy image but anyone who’s been around him enough can tell you just how much of a softie he really is.”

Looking a little irritated and eager to move on, Van sighed, “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, you two. Anyway, I’m ready to hit the town if the rest of you are.”

With a nod, Joshua said, “Sure thing. Do you wanna show him around, Estelle?”

Shaking her head, Estelle spoke, “Actually, why don’t you lead them down? I’m just gonna take a moment real quick and then meet you all at the bottom.”

Joshua’s expression looked understanding as he answered, “Sure thing. Renne, Van, let’s head down.”

Estelle closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the other three people descending the ladder as she felt the breeze blow gently against her face. With a tranquil resolve washing over her body, she looked towards the sky and said a prayer. It looks like our family may be growing yet again, Mom. It’s beyond me and Dad’s control this time though, so it’s hard to know whether or not this’ll be a good thing or if it’ll even work out. But I think that if you were here, you’d do everything you could to make him feel welcome, so I’ll try to be a little bit more patient from now on. No matter what, I’ll make sure that this family stays a happy one, so keep watching over us, okay?

Feeling satisfied, she descended the ladder to find Joshua, Renne, and Van waiting for her.

Van stood around at the bottom of the tower with Renne and Joshua, briefly discussing where they were headed next, until Estelle caught up to them with a contented smile on her face. Energetically putting her hands on her hips, she declared, “All right, I’m ready to roll!”

Van couldn’t help but grin at the sight. Given what I know about this place, I’m surprised to see her looking so chipper. Guess she really does shine like the sun after all… He nodded, “Wherever you all wanna go next, I’ll follow. I’m just along for the ride.”

Joshua spoke, “Well, I was thinking—” before being interrupted by a call to Estelle’s orbal device.

Estelle gave Van an apologetic look as she said, “Sorry, I think it’s from the guild. I gotta see what this is about.”

They were soon greeted by Aina, who appeared on the screen as Estelle held it out for the group to see. “Estelle? I see Joshua and Renne are with you as well, that’s good to know.”

Estelle answered, “Aina, what’s up?”

In an apologetic tone, Aina spoke, “Sorry to call you on your day off, but I’m afraid Luke and Pat are both out on assignments right now and I just got a call from Tio that her bike broke down on Milch Main Road during a delivery.”

Sounding alarmed, Joshua asked, “Did it sound like she was in any immediate danger when she called?”

Reassuringly, Aina said, “Thankfully, no. She was able to park by one of the road lamps, so that should keep any monsters at bay for the time being. But in order for her to finish her delivery, she’ll need to be escorted into town so that she can make it to Abend Bar before any of the produce goes bad. I called the Orbal Factory to see if Melders or Freddy could come along to take a look at the bike, but it sounds like Freddy is out on an errand until sometime later in the afternoon and Melders is working on a tight schedule for another repair job. I’m afraid we’ll have to deal with retrieving it later.”

Hearing this, Van interjected, “Hold on, as long as the factory has the tools on hand, couldn’t we just borrow them and check out the problem ourselves? They’d have no problem loaning out a kit to bracers, right?”

Renne observed, “It would make the job much simpler for us if you were able to repair the bike yourself.”

As if just noticing Van, Aina addressed him, “I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet. I take it you’re the one visiting the Brights?”

Renne hugged his arm proudly as she answered, “Indeed he is. This is my boyfriend, Van. He’s in a… similar line of work to the guild.”

Aina’s eyes narrowed in suspicion at her wording, but shortly after she nodded, “Okay, if you’re willing to take a look at the bike, then we’ll gladly accept the help. Melders should have some spare tools lying around and I don’t see any reason why he’d refuse letting Estelle and Joshua borrow them.”

Excitedly, Estelle announced, “Sounds like a plan! See you when we get back, Aina!”

Estelle waved to Tio as soon as she and the bike were in sight. Running towards her, she yelled out, “HEYYYYY TIO! WE BROUGHT HELP!”

Seeing that Estelle, Joshua, and Renne had found her, Tio breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank goodness you all arrived. I’m sorry that they had to call you in today though.”

In a reassuring tone, Estelle said, “Nah, don’t worry about it. Being able to help you out during emergencies like this is what we signed up for.”

Joshua added, “I’m just glad to see you’re not in any danger. There’s still a lot of monsters that roam around these parts.”

Tio explained, “Oh, I made sure to pull aside towards one of the lamps once the gas gave out. I at least had enough time to do that, and it seems to be repelling the monsters just like it should, so I’ve been doing fine.” Her eyes trailed over to where Van was standing, and she added, “I’m not sure we’ve met before. Is this the help you mentioned?”

Van greeted her, “I’m just a guy who has a habit of helpin’ people out. I also happen to know a whole lot about vehicles, so hopefully I can do something for your bike before you have to take it to a real professional. Name’s Van.”

Placing her head on his shoulder, Renne cooed, “He’s also my boyfriend. ♥”

Estelle felt a burning sensation coursing throughout her body at the display, and clenched her fists. Deep breaths, Estelle. Deep breaths.

Tio stared at him for a few moments in surprise before fully registering the situation, and slowly began to speak, “Oh… Van, is it? Well, I’m glad that you’re here.” Gesturing towards the bike, she continued, “My parents bought this bike a year ago to help our farm make deliveries to Rolent a lot simpler, but today it just suddenly gave out on me even though I don’t think it’s taken any serious damage. It still won’t start for me, either. You don’t have any idea what could have caused this, do you?”

Van stared at the bike thoughtfully, “Well, with engines it could be any number of things. Won’t know for sure what caused it until I get a closer look. Fair warning though: spriggan rates are a bit higher than what the bracers normally charge. So if I help you out here it’ll cost a little extra.”

Before Tio could ask what he meant or Estelle could object, Renne suddenly interjected, “He’ll be more than happy to accept a Sunshine Mille Crepe as payment.”

This was enough to stun both Tio and Estelle in bewilderment. Van’s head turned slowly and his eyes lit up with excitement as he asked, “A… what kind of crepe?”

Renne answered warmly, “It’s a crepe made from the fresh strawberries, milk, and eggs that she’s delivering to Abend Bar this very moment. One of our friends came up with the recipe, and it has remained the most popular dessert item on the menu for over six years now.”

Van looked like he was deep in thought as he pondered aloud, “Hmm… A recipe unique to your hometown made from local ingredients, you say?” Unable to contain his excitement any further he turned towards Tio and burst, “I ABSOLUTELY MUST TRY IT! You’d really be willing to give me one?”

Looking a little flustered, Tio answered, “Um… sure, I don’t think that’d be a problem. I can just set aside some of the ingredients when I make the delivery so that Elissa can prepare one. It’s definitely better than letting them all go bad before I can even deliver them.”

With a burning enthusiasm, Van announced, “All right, it’s settled! I’m gonna try that Sunshine Mille Crepe if it’s the last thing I do! Lemme take a look at this baby here so I can get back to town and enjoy some sweet, fluffy, goodness!”

As he went to inspect the bike, Estelle let out a sigh of relief. She felt Joshua lean closer to her as he whispered, “Well, at least he’s not gonna charge her extra.”

Estelle grumbled, “Yeah, but I didn’t realize his sweet tooth was THAT bad. I’m pretty sure Renne mentioned something about it before but actually seeing it in person is a different story. He sounded like a little kid just now!”

Joshua chuckled, “I think it’s just another one of his little quirks there to remind you that he’s not quite the hardboiled fixer he makes himself out to be.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Estelle observed as she watched Van tinkering with the bike, enthusiastically explaining each step of the process to Tio. She added, “He really seems to know his stuff about vehicles, too. I guess those are a lot more popular in Calvard, after all.”

Rejoining her siblings in conversation, Renne chimed in, “That may be true, but Van’s exceptionally passionate about cars even by Calvardian standards. While he may not own a bike himself, multiple friends of his do and he’s done enough research on them to be very well acquainted with how they work. It’s one of the only other topics that he talks about with the same level of enthusiasm as he has for sweets.”

“Hmm.” Joshua observed, “I guess Liberl, and especially Rolent, isn’t exactly the best place to foster a hobby like that.”

“That’s true.” Renne agreed, “But at least he’s getting the rare treat of working on Tio’s bike today. Hopefully that’ll hold him over until he returns to Calvard.”

Estelle quietly considered what Joshua and Renne were saying. I guess we’re probably not gonna see him staying in Rolent long-term at any point in the near future, but if he and Renne were to get married then where would—HOLD ON, Estelle, you’re getting WAY too ahead of yourself right now. You can worry about this stuff AFTER he’s proven himself to be a worthy boyfriend for your little sister!

“Aaaaand, done!” Van called out, and everyone gathered around the bike as he stood up and dusted off his hands. “Just make sure to do that routine maintenance on it when you get home, and it shouldn’t give you trouble like that for a good while.”

Tio gazed at him, looking genuinely impressed. “Wow! Thanks, Van! You really know your stuff!”

Van shrugged, “I just like to stay informed on the latest vehicles, is all. A couple friends of mine have that same ETWS series bike, and I’d say your family made the right call on gettin’ it. Its offroad capabilities are a perfect fit for the rough terrain of this area, so you should have no problem during your deliveries as long as you keep it properly maintained.”

Shaking his hand, Tio said, “Well, I hate to leave you all to walk back into town, but the clock’s ticking on the produce and there’s just enough room for me and these ingredients I’m bringing. I’ll be sure that Elissa has a Sunshine Mille Crepe ready by the time you get back.”

Estelle grinned, “Don’t worry about us bracers. Walking in and out of town is just part of the daily routine. We’ll be back in no time!”

Van was in fluffy, syrupy heaven. Having just listed off all of the crepe’s delectable qualities to his captive audience of bracers, he announced, “That settles it! Even if this is outside of my usual travel range, I owe it to all other sweet enthusiasts around the world to put this on the blog. They’ve gotta know that something this heavenly is hiding out in Rolent, otherwise many of them may never get the chance to try it!”

Elissa, having returned to his table to see what all of the commotion was about, looked flustered as she asked, “A-Are there really people who travel just to try the local sweets? It’s hard to imagine my recipe really being that big of a draw…”

Van wore a defiant expression as he spoke, “Of course there are! There’s a whole lotta towns and cities I’ve put on my list of places to visit just because of the reviews I’ve read for a specialty dessert or a local pastry. The pursuit of sweets is one that’s meant to be cherished and shared with everyone who holds a true appreciation for them!”

Estelle let out a sigh, “Man, I guess it really was too much for me to hope that we might actually get someone else who’s normal in this family.”

Joshua retorted, “You know, Estelle, you aren’t exactly one to talk…”

Renne let out a giggle and winked, “My my, Estelle, that almost sounded like you’re already considering him part of the family.”

Van’s conversation came to a halt immediately as Elissa suddenly found something else to do around the bar. Estelle felt everyone’s eyes on her and she sputtered, “W-woahwoahwoah hold on, I didn’t say that!” With a prideful expression, she declared, “You’ve still got a long way to go before you can even think about calling yourself a Bright, buddy!”

Van shrugged, “Don’t worry, it should be at least a few—wait, hold on, who ever said anything about me changing my last name?!”

Before the confrontation could escalate any further, Joshua chimed in, “Actually, if we’re done here, we should probably check in at the guild. Since Tio called Aina, the request still needs to be reported as complete even with Van’s help in resolving it.”

Estelle turned to look at Joshua as she conceded, “Grrr, fine. Dad’s probably almost done making dinner too, so we should make that our last stop before heading home.”

With the guild just a short walk away, the group headed over to meet with Aina and update her on the results of the request. Having heard them explain the situation, Aina nodded, “Well, I’m just glad things worked out. Luke and Pat should be getting back soon so you should be able to relax the rest of the day without any worries.”

Joshua answered, “We’re always happy to help, but really it’s thanks to Van that everything worked out today.”

Aina studied Van for a moment, “It does seem that way, hmm…” Addressing Van directly, she added, “I’ll admit that I did a little bit of digging on you while you were out in the field. I heard… mostly good things from the other branches. We’d be grateful for your help again should we need it.”

Van shrugged, “Shouldn’t be a problem. Workin’ with the guild is nothing new to me, as long as you’re willing to cover my rates.”

“Also, this may be a little off-topic, but…” Aina inquired, “You seem old enough to drink, so what would you say to sharing a few at Abend Bar while you’re in town?” Nodding towards Renne, she reassured, “Not that I’m planning to make any moves on your boyfriend, of course, but I have been in need of a drinking partner ever since Schera moved to Erebonia.”

Oh right, The Silver Streak used to live here before she married the prince. I do seem to recall hearing that she was quite the drinker. Van began, “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me—”

He cut off as he noticed the mood around Estelle and Joshua shift dramatically. Joshua had become completely stiff ever since Aina had made the suggestion, and Estelle appeared to be shaking her head as if trying to tell him something. Van reconsidered for a moment and then said, “But I think Cassius is gonna want to have a drink with me later tonight, and I’d rather not have anything in the system before indulging in whatever he’s got picked out.”

Estelle and Joshua’s relief was instantly apparent through their body language. They each barely contained their sighs as Aina disappointedly said, “Ah well, it was worth asking. I’m sure you and Cassius will hit it off tonight, though. Enjoy the rest of your visit!”

Yeah, I hope we do… The reminder that Van still had one more person he had to impress weighed heavily on his mind as they walked out of the guild. Turning to Estelle and Joshua, Van asked, “Okay, someone wanna tell me what the hell that feeling I had was after she asked me to go drinking with her? All I know is that it meant something to the two of you that I couldn’t quite understand, but knew to be afraid of.”

Estelle sighed, “Well, your instincts were right. To be honest, you’re probably better off not knowing what she and Schera have put us through in the past.”

Renne giggled, “Or you just made it too obvious for him to realize that he should refuse. Anyway, let’s just say that you dodged a bullet and we’ll leave it at that.”

Oh, so clearly you were willing to let me find out the hard way. Van’s thoughts were interrupted as Joshua announced, “Hey, it looks like Luke and Pat have made it back!”

A couple of young men close to Renne’s age wearing bracer emblems approached the guild entrance, each looking exhausted. One of them looked at the group and said, “Oh hey, it’s Joshua and Renne! And oh… Estelle is here too.”

The other one spoke in an apologetic tone, “Luke, there’s no need to be rude…”

A vein appeared on Estelle’s head as she growled through gritted teeth, “What was that, you little twerp? How many times do I need to tell you that you’ll never make senior bracer if you keep talking to your superiors like that!”

Luke barked back defiantly, “Who are you calling ‘little twerp’? I’m a whole head taller than you, in case you haven’t noticed!”

Glaring, Estelle fumed, “As much as that pisses me off, you’re still the same little brat you’ve always been. You just happen to be marginally useful to the guild because you have Pat here picking up the slack for you.”

Nervously, Pat said, “A-Actually, he was a big help out there today…”

Joshua sighed, “C’mon, Estelle, give him a break. We’re not setting a good example if we’re provoked so easily.”

Turning to Renne, Van whispered, “Are they always like this?”

With an amused grin, she whispered back, “Estelle and Luke have always bickered back and forth, but it’s all in good fun. I think deep down, they really do respect each other. They just have very similar personalities, but in the worst way for being around one another.”

Van grimaced, “Respect for each other or not, I sure hope our interactions don’t get to be like this.”

Renne giggled, “As long as you tread with a bit more care around her than he does, I think you’ll be fine.”

With Estelle and Luke’s back and forth seemingly settled, Pat said, “Well, we should really report to Aina now, so we’ll see you later!”

Estelle’s face twisted into a smile as she addressed him, “Of course, Pat. I look forward to working with you again.” Frowning, she added, “Luke.” and turned to walk away. The others waved apologetically and followed Estelle home.

Despite their somewhat awkward parting from the guild, the group had an amicable walk to the house, though Van was beginning to experience a similar level of sickness to what he’d felt on the airship at the anticipation of finally meeting Cassius Bright in person—particularly under these specific circumstances.

When they reached the house, Estelle and Joshua went to open the door but found it locked. Estelle exclaimed, “Huh? That’s weird. He usually leaves it open for us when he knows we’re coming home.” Turning to Joshua, she asked, “You don’t think we should knock, do you?”

Joshua shook his head, “I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m sure he knows that we’re here already, but that just makes it all the more strange for the door to still be locked. He’s never done anything like this before.”

Renne closed her eyes, attempting to contain a smile. Damn it, you’ve got some idea of what’s going on, don’t you? However, before he could ask, the door swung open and standing in the doorway was the Divine Blade himself. His eyes immediately found Van as he gave him a piercing stare that turned Van’s legs to jelly. In an instant, he was frightfully aware of the fact that he was in the presence of a living legend.

Cassius spoke in a low growl, “So, you’re that spriggan who’s been dating my daughter.” It was a statement of fact; not a question.

Doing everything in his power to keep from trembling, Van answered, “Y-Yes sir, that’s correct.”

Estelle took a step back in shock, “D-Dad? What’s gotten into you?” Even Joshua seemed taken aback by their father’s behavior.

Cassius took a step forward, and it felt to Van as if the ground shook at that very moment. His voice boomed, “I hope you’re ready to prove your worth to me. I’ll have you know that I have extremely high standards for anyone who hopes to date my daughter. So tell me, spriggan, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Van began to stammer, “U-Um, I, well…”

Before he could piece any more words together, Renne let out an amused giggle, “All right, Dad, that’s enough. You’ve had your fun.”

Cassius’s body language and voice shifted in an instant as he responded, “Aww, but I may never get another chance to play the ‘overprotective dad’ part.” Turning towards Van with an apologetic expression, he said, “Oh well, I suppose we may as well make introductions then. I’m Cassius Bright, Renne’s father.”

Though he still felt his body recovering from the shock of Cassius’s initial presence, every bit of tension in the air had completely evaporated and he felt capable of speaking again. Trying to shake the trembling from his voice, Van spoke, “I’m Van. It’s, uh, good to meet you.”

Estelle put her hands on her hips and objected, “Dad, what was that about? You didn’t need to try to scare him!”

Cassius rubbed the back of his head nervously and apologized, “Sorry, I just got a little excited at the possibility of giving him the treatment I’d planned on giving all of your boyfriends one day. But as we all know, you got with Joshua, so I couldn’t really do that with him.”

Joshua looked away and mumbled, “Well, I don’t think anything could’ve made a bigger impression than our first meeting…”

Estelle huffed defiantly, “You were planning to SCARE my boyfriends? How could you?!”

Renne turned to Estelle and grinned, “Well then, it’s a good thing that you never brought any home.”

Ignoring the glare that Estelle shot at Renne, Joshua sighed, “With all the bug catching and fishing, I don’t think she would’ve had time for it.”

“Oh, but I think you secretly loved that about her.” Renne teased, causing Joshua to blush slightly.

Glad to see that he was no longer the subject of teasing, Van gave an amused smile and said, “Well, as fun as this all is, you think now maybe we’re allowed to come inside, sir?”

Stepping aside and gesturing towards the door, Cassius answered, “Oh, of course! I’ve got the table set for five and dinner ready to be served. And please—just Cassius is fine.”

The group made their way inside, and Van got a quick look around. The Bright residence had a charming, rustic feel to it that was contrasted by the occasional Reinford or Verne Company appliance to remind you that they did still live in the modern world. Watching him take in the sights, Renne held onto Van’s hand, catching his attention. He turned his head to make eye contact with her as she smiled warmly, “Welcome to my home, Van.”

Smiling back, he said, “It looks cozy, warm, inviting—the kind of place that’d give you the perfect break from the hustle and bustle of Edith.”

Following behind Estelle and Joshua, Cassius entered the house and closed the door. He instructed, “You two can go ahead and seat yourselves, I’ll get everything from the kitchen. Estelle and Joshua, if you’d assist me.”

Van found a seat near the head of the table, where he naturally assumed Cassius would be sitting, and Renne sat next to him. Estelle, Joshua, and Cassius brought out several plates worth of entrees, sides, as well as a tea set that looked like it was especially to Renne’s tastes, until everything was properly set. Cassius sat where Van had expected him to, and Estelle sat across from him with Joshua taking the seat opposite from Renne. They expressed their gratitude for the meal and began to eat, with Estelle and Joshua catching their father up on the events of the day after Van’s arrival.

“I feel a little bad that we didn’t get to give Van a proper tour of the city, but when duty calls…” Estelle said ruefully once the conversation had caught up to their meeting.

Reassuringly, Van spoke, “Nah, you gave me a pretty good idea of the type of place your hometown is, and I probably saw all the other sights on my last visit anyway. I’m actually kinda glad that I got to see what kind of work you do out here, cause it helped clear up a few questions I had before meetin’ you.”

Joshua eyed him curiously, “And what questions might those be?”

Van answered amicably, “Well, the main one was about your rank. Guess it could just be that my main point of reference is Elaine, but given everything that I’d heard about you two it didn’t really make a lotta sense that you were still B-rank—seein’ as you’re certainly no less impressive. Lookin’ at Rolent, though, it makes sense. Though you play an important role in serving the local community, I can’t see there being any major cases here for you to work until you get called to assist at another branch.”

With an embarrassed grimace, Estelle answered, “Well, you’re not exactly wrong. Most of our workload as of late has involved training Luke and Pat, taking on some monster extermination requests that we don’t think they’re ready for, and making day trips out to nearby branches to help out when they get shortstaffed.”

With a nod, Joshua continued, “That being said, the people here do really depend on us in the same way that they used to depend on Scherazard. Any time the idea of leaving long-term comes up, it just doesn’t feel like the right time.”

Looking at Estelle, Renne grinned, “Isn’t that exactly what Luke and Pat are for? It won’t be very long until the two of them are fully-fledged bracers in their own right.”

Frowning, Estelle huffed, “Leaving Rolent in Luke’s hands? No way! I’m sure that Pat will be capable enough one of these days, but to be honest the thought of everyone depending on Luke keeps me up at night.”

With an amused smile, Joshua said, “You know, I’m pretty sure that Scherazard felt the same way about you when we were starting out.”

Estelle shot back defiantly, “No way! Okay, I may not have been the perfect student but I was never that disrespectful!”

Cassius chimed in, “I think Van and Renne are right, Estelle. Rolent’s a small enough city that Luke and Pat should be able to handle taking care of it soon enough. If you were to decide to temporarily move somewhere like Grancel, Crossbell, or even somewhere further than that then I have no doubt that the two of you would catch up to your contemporaries like Beauty’s Blade in no time.” Using a mockingly sad voice, he teased, “Unless of course you’d be too sad to leave dear old Dad all by his lonesome…”

Trying to hold back a smile, Estelle snapped back, “As if!” Her expression turning more thoughtful, she continued, “I dunno, it just seems a little too soon. But I suppose it’s worth thinking about.”

Van offered, “Well, if you ever think about comin’ to Edith, I can give you a personal tour of the important places to become familiarized with and even pass along a few people to talk to when you need information. There’s definitely no shortage of jobs there. Our guild is always so swamped with work that even I’m often helpin’ out with their workload.”

Looking pleased, Joshua thanked, “That would be much appreciated, Van. Even if we don’t plan on moving there any time soon, the amount of attention Calvard’s been getting lately could mean needing to travel out there one of these days. If that happens, then the more quickly we can become acquainted with the area, the better.”

Estelle’s eyes narrowed as she spoke, “That does remind me though, what exactly is it that you do when you aren’t just taking on jobs from the guild? I know that your contacts helped us out before, but it seems like this spriggan business has you working with a lot of unsavory individuals. Just what sort of work do they have you doing, anyway?”

Van had known that this was coming, and had his answer ready. He spoke simply, “Well, it’s like the sign on the door to my office says—I deal primarily in complicated matters. The fact that I’m not beholden to any authorities means that people directly involved with problems can come to me about them and expect my discretion in handling the matter. Say someone accidentally leaked company or government secrets but won’t admit it to anyone who could help prevent them from getting out because they’d lose their job or even face criminal charges. Since they know they can trust me, I can work with them to keep the situation from spiraling out of control.” For a brief moment, his eyes met Renne’s before he continued, “Another example would be former members of criminal organizations tryin’ to stay under the radar. Without having to expose them, I can make use of their information to take down someone higher up the chain, or prevent another crime from happening, or even just help them escape to get a fresh start.”

Estelle’s expression softened as she noticed the silent exchange between Van and Renne, turning thoughtful after he spoke. Softly, she considered, “I suppose we’ve seen our fair share of people turning their lives around for the better. The Capua Family and the Raven Gang for instance.”

Joshua asked, “I take that to mean that you aren’t picky about who your clients are. You’ll hear out anyone who sends you a 4SPG, but that doesn’t mean you’ll always take the job?”

Van nodded, “Correct. And even if I do, it’s still up to me how it gets resolved. I gotta have some standards at least, and to me it matters a lot more what a person does than who they are.”

Winking, Renne spoke warmly, “And I’m very grateful for that. It’s not easy finding people able and willing to shelter you from nefarious eyes when they know you to be the Angel of Slaughter.”

Van let out a deep breath, “You can imagine my surprise when an old meister from the Thirteen Factories contacted me out of the blue requesting my help in protecting an enforcer who had recently gone on the run. Or when I actually managed to find her and she threatened to slaughter me.”

Renne’s face turned red as she turned to Van and spoke, “In my defense, it *was* a little strange for you to suddenly start talking to me in the way that you were without invitation. Given the circumstances, I had every reason to keep my guard up.”

Shrugging, Van conceded, “Fair enough, but I seem to recall more than a few veiled threats over the next few days, as well. While I understood where your confusion and anger were coming from, it had me doubting if I was even gonna be able to provide any meaningful help or not until you finally started to relax a bit. Given how early that was in my spriggan career, I was also struggling with a lot of doubts about the type of person that I wanted to be, and it felt like I’d found someone else who bore some of the same scars as me. Being able to provide what little help I could durin’ that time was one of the only moments durin’ those years when I could feel as if I’d done something good.” As he finished speaking, he felt Renne’s hand grasp his and their gazes met. Her soft smile warmed his heart, and he felt himself smile as he continued, “When we met again, she was almost unrecognizable from the girl I once knew.”

Having been listening intently, Cassius leaned forward and spoke, “Hearing you talk about her back then reminds me of what it was like during those first few weeks we had Joshua living under our roof. I did what I could for him, but honestly it was Estelle who was finally able to get him to open up.”

Addressing Van, Joshua said, “I don’t imagine it was exactly the same for you, though. Estelle and I couldn’t have been less alike back then, and it took a bit longer for me to open up to her. It sounds like Joerg sought out a kindred spirit who he could trust to look after Renne in a way that she’d be ready for. Looking back on it now, I’d say we’re lucky that he was able to find you.”

Estelle examined Van for a moment and let out a sigh, “I guess in a way, we really aren’t all that different. I mean, I knew exactly who Renne was back then and wanted to help her anyway.” She flashed her sister a warm smile before continuing, “It sounds like you see a lot more cases where the right choice isn’t quite as black and white as it tends to be in a place like Rolent. Maybe we really do need to broaden our horizons a bit in order to understand the importance of what you do.”

In a relaxed tone, Van asserted, “Well, I’ll say this much. I’d be completely out of work if I lived here.”

In her usual demeanor, Renne giggled, “Of course, you do have a tendency to take on pretty typical bracer work even in Edith.”

Van protested weakly, “Hey, a lot of that is from me being a subcontractor for the guild!” Letting out a sigh, he continued, “But you’re also not completely wrong, either…”

Exchanging nods with Estelle, Joshua spoke, “Well, I guess we can put aside our concerns for now. It doesn’t seem like you’re a bad influence, at least not from what you do. If I weren’t with the guild, it’s likely that I’d also be a bit more loose with the rules if it meant finding the best outcome to a situation.”

Van offered, “Well, if you’re ever in my part of town, feel free to tag along during some of my jobs. You wouldn’t be the first bracers to do so, though I can’t promise we’ll always see eye-to-eye when it’s time to make a judgment call.”

Estelle frowned, “Hmm, I’m not sure if I like the sound of that. Then again, it doesn’t seem like you’ve made any decisions that would cause other bracers we know like Zin or Fie to not wanna work with you, so I think we can trust their judgment.” With a nod, she added, “Okay! We’ll be sure to make your office our first stop should we find ourselves in the area. Dunno if that’s gonna be anytime soon but still, it might be interesting to get an up close view at how you carry out your jobs.”

Van spoke with a grin, “I’ll be sure to keep the offer open, then. Can always introduce you to the rest of my team while you’re there, too.”

The rest of the meal went by with little incident, as Van and the Bright family continued to talk about their experiences and interests. As they were wrapping up, Van mentioned to Cassius that he may have told Aina that they were planning to share a drink later as an excuse to get out of drinking with her. Finding this amusing, Cassius agreed and told Van to wait for him on the porch where he would meet up with him after he and the others put away everything from dinner.

Walking outside, Van spotted a small table with two chairs on the edge of the porch—indicating that this was likely the designated spot for Cassius to sit back with a drink and, on occasion, a companion. He took a seat and allowed himself a moment to relax and enjoy the peaceful setting of the Bright’s home, as Cassius followed shortly afterwards with a bottle and a pair of drinking glasses. Reaching the table where Van was waiting, Cassius sighed, “Phew, I had to do a bit of rummaging around to find something that seemed right for the occasion, but I think this’ll do. It’s quite strong, but you’re definitely better off sipping on a glass or two of this than trying to keep up with Aina. That’d be a disaster even for me.”

Opening the bottle, he poured into his glass to fill it only about halfway before handing it over to Van, who briefly examined it before following Cassius’s lead by pouring into his own glass. Van grinned, “Will never say no to a good scotch, that’s for sure.” Holding onto his glass, he declared, “Bottoms up!” as both he and Cassius drank from their glasses. It was strong, all right, but very rich and smooth with a faint dried fruit taste to it. Returning his glass to the table, Van burst, “Damn, you weren’t kidding about its strength! Got a real sophisticated profile to it as well. Guessin’ you must really know your liquor to be keeping bottles like this around the house.”

Cassius smiled and answered humbly, “Well, I wouldn’t call myself an aficionado or anything of the sort, but I do hold an appreciation for good drink. It makes me glad to see you share that, seeing as Estelle and Joshua will hardly touch alcohol despite being old enough by a few years now. I get the sense that Scherazard’s drunken behavior left enough of a negative impression on them that they don’t want to risk following in her footsteps.”

Van couldn’t help but grin, “Huh, guess I’ll have to ask them sometime. Knew that the Silver Streak was a drinker but hadn’t heard the full extent of her shenanigans. Could be amusing, especially given her current station.” Pouring himself another glass, he asked, “So, is there a story behind this bottle? Guessin’ it’s aged at least a few years to have this kind of taste.”

Van caught a glimpse of something difficult to read pass through Cassius’s eyes before he turned away and answered, “It’s from the year 1192. Almost as old as Renne, now that I think about it. I picked it up during the war, and planned to open it to celebrate once it was over. However, when the day finally came, I wasn’t exactly in the mood.”

Van stayed silent as Cassius poured himself another glass. Holding it in his hand with a contemplative look, Cassius spoke, “Seeing it again with you and everyone else here made me realize that there’s no reason to keep holding onto this and letting it collect dust. We’ve come a long way since then, and this house is more full of love and energy than I ever could’ve imagined.”

Cassius paused as Van watched him closely. He observed, “You’ve got a real special family here, that’s for sure. It’s anything but conventional, and what you went through is something no one should ever have to experience, but since then you’ve made a good life for yourself and your daughter despite it all. If that wasn’t enough, you shared that life with Joshua and Renne, who had nowhere else to go. That may only be a footnote to most people when it comes to your accomplishments, but I think that’s one to be the most proud of.”

Cassius smiled, “I agree, though I wouldn’t give myself all the credit. Regardless, it’s what gives me the most joy. This is far from the family that I expected to have when Lena and I first had Estelle, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

The two of them continued to drink and enjoy each other’s company. Sitting in silence for a few moments, Van thought carefully about what he had been wanting to say for a long time before speaking up, “You know, there’s actually something personal I feel like I should thank you for. See, it was your plan to eradicate the D∴G cult that allowed me to escape from that hellhole with my life. So in a way, I owe you a debt deeper than anything I could possibly hope to pay.”

Cassius shifted uncomfortably, “That’s… really not necessary. I just—”

“Did what anyone would have done?” Van interrupted with a grin, “Renne told me you’d say that.”

Pausing in thought for a moment, Cassius chuckled, “Well then, in that case I suppose there is one thing you could do for me.”

“What’s that?” Van asked, leaning forward.

Soberly, Cassius spoke, “Do everything you can to make Renne happy.” Van blinked in astonishment as Cassius continued, “Thanks mostly to Estelle and Joshua, I feel that we’ve done everything we can to raise her with love to become the young woman she is today. But she’s not the type to be contained in a provincial city like Rolent, and has already been living abroad for school. When she’s far away from us once again, which I’m certain will be soon, I’d like there to be someone else I can trust to be there for her when we can’t.” Cassius gave Van a hard stare as he said, “My daughter’s happiness is a big responsibility, Van Arkride. Can I trust you with it?”

Van let out a nervous gulp, feeling a crushing weight in his chest from the Divine Blade’s stare. He knew he had one chance to answer this correctly. With a firm voice, he spoke, “Of course. I want that for her more than anything else in the world.”

Smiling, Cassius declared, “Well then, consider any and all debts repaid!” as every bit of tension left his body and he went back to being his cheery, unassuming self. Van felt as if he could relax again as he took another sip from his glass. Nonchalantly changing the subject, Cassius said, “So, I hear you’ve had your fair share of encounters with the Divine Blade of Silver. I have to admit, I’m a little curious to know what kind of impression you have of my old master's secret disciple.”

Van groaned, “Oh, believe me, you are WAY better off without ever meeting her! One look at you and she’d never be satisfied until she got a proper fight to the death.”

Cassius blinked in surprise and took another sip. With a chuckle, he said, “Well then, I guess it’s for the best that I keep my distance.”

The sun began to set as their conversation continued, and the two of them relaxed in the light of the porch lamps—taking the opportunity to savor the night air. Finishing off what remained of their glasses, Cassius stood up and announced, “Well, I think I’ve had about enough for the night. I told you I can’t possibly hope to compete with heavy drinkers like Aina. We can always finish this some other time if you’d like.”

Following him, Van said, “Sure, I’d love to… Cassius.” Though he hesitated to speak his name so informally, Cassius smiled in approval at hearing it and the two of them entered the house to see that everyone else had presumably gone upstairs. As they approached the stairway, the sound of conversation could be heard from one of the bedrooms.

Cassius yawned, “You can go on up if you want to join them. I think I’ll head to my room for the night. See you in the morning, Van.”

Van nodded, “All right. See ya tomorrow.” and headed upstairs towards the sound of voices.

Reaching the top of the stairs, he saw the door to his right was left open and he spotted Estelle and Joshua sitting together on a bed by the window. As he entered to greet them, he saw Renne sat upon a bed that pressed against the adjacent wall. Each of the girls had already changed into their evening gowns, and Estelle had let her hair down while Renne held a stuffed black rabbit that Van recognized seeing her carry in her arms all those years ago. Joshua’s arm was around Estelle, and for a moment it looked as if he meant to pull it back upon seeing Van, but he continued to hold her as he greeted, “Hey there, Van. How’d it go with Dad?”

Renne’s eyes narrowed as she grinned mischievously, “The two of you were out there for quite some time. What could you have possibly had to talk about for so long, I wonder…”

Not wanting to elaborate too much on their conversation, Van shrugged, “Well, can you really blame me? It’s not every day you get to talk to someone with as much of an impact on recent history as him. I’d be crazy not to want to swap stories and information with the guy if given the chance.” Walking over to Renne’s bed and taking a seat next to her, he continued, “Anyway, he decided to retire for the night, so I figured I’d see what you were up to in here.”

Estelle frowned briefly as she saw Van’s arm reach around Renne, who purred in delight at his gentle touch, before straightening her expression and giving Van an answer. “We’ve just been talking about our plans for the next few days. We were thinking about visiting Zeiss to meet with Tita. I’m sure Renne’s mentioned her to you before.”

Van nodded, “At least a few times, yeah. I also know she’s the granddaughter of Professor Russell. Pretty sure she was workin’ with you guys during that request back in April.”

Estelle’s eyes narrowed as she answered, “That’s right. And she’s been *very* interested to meet you after everything she’s heard from Renne.”

Van felt a rush of embarrassment as he turned to Renne and asked, “Okay, just what have you been telling her?”

Renne held a finger up to her mouth as she winked, “Oh, nothing too personal, of course. ♪”

Breaking up the awkward feeling in the room, Joshua spoke, “Zeiss has been changing a lot over these past few years. It’s by far the most technologically advanced city in Liberl right now, thanks in no small part to the ZCF. It’ll probably have more in common with the places you’re used to visiting than Rolent.”

Estelle’s face lit up as she added, “But if you do want something a little more quiet, the town of Elmo is nearby with an authentic Eastern-style inn and hot spring. We might rather stay there instead of crowding up Tita’s house.”

The excitement in Van’s face and voice were immediately apparent as he burst, “An authentic Eastern hot spring? Count me in!”

Joshua let out a nervous chuckle, “I see that we’ve found another one of your special interests…”

Renne giggled, “I’m especially fond of the open air bath, myself. The fact that it’s also mixed could give us a nice opportunity for a delightfully cozy evening together. ♥”

Estelle’s eyes were shooting daggers towards the two of them as she frowned, “Hey, watch it! Estelle Stare, Renne. Not. Happening. Got it?”

In a defiant tone, Renne teased, “Aww, but that’s no fair. Tita told me all about when the two of you shared that bath together. And you were so young, too…”

Blushing, Estelle sputtered, “T-That was a complete accident! I didn’t know that the bath was mixed or that he’d already be out there!”

With a slightly embarrassed expression, Joshua conceded, “She does have a point, though. Families share the open air bath all the time, so I think it should be fine if we all go in together.”

Blushing, Estelle let out a series of grumbles before finally mumbling, “...Fine.”

Fortunately, their conversation shifted to less awkward topics as they continued to talk through the evening. Once it had gotten late enough, Estelle yawned, “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think I’m ready to hit the hay. Van, you’ll be in Joshua’s room tonight. Renne and I will see you in the morning.”

Joshua stood up and said, “I’m feeling pretty tired as well. We’re just out this way, Van.”

Before he could turn his head to say good night to Renne, he felt her lips on his cheek—earning him another glare from Estelle. Luckily, she didn’t seem to notice Renne’s near imperceptible whisper in his ear which said, “Meet me outside in about 30 minutes.”

Careful not to show any signs that he had heard her say anything, he ran his hand through Renne’s hair and smiled, “Good night, Renne.”

Smiling warmly, she breathed, “Good night, darling.”

Joshua stared intently at Van for a moment, and turned to lead him to their room. Van followed him in to see that the bedroom had a fireplace on one side with a cot set up in front of it with sheets and pillows freshly prepared. As they entered the room, Joshua spoke apologetically, “Unfortunately, we don’t have any more beds at the moment, so this was the best we could do for now.”

Van reassured, “Nah, don’t worry. You’re talkin’ to a guy who often takes midday naps on a couch. This’ll do just fine.”

Joshua sounded a little relieved as he answered, “That’s good to hear. Just let me know if you need anything tonight.”

Van replied, “Will do.” and thought to himself. Now, to look for an opportunity to sneak out.

As soon as Joshua appeared to be asleep, Van moved as light as a feather to leave the bedroom and head downstairs. Sensing no signs of activity in the house, he made for the front door and carefully exited onto the porch to close the door behind him as silently as possible.

He found Renne waiting outside for him, winking as she held one finger up to her lips. In her other arm she was holding a rolled up blanket. She held out her free hand, clearly looking to guide him somewhere, and he held onto it as she led him into the woods.

Once he knew that they were out of earshot of the house, Van asked hesitantly, “So, uh, I take it you’ve got somewhere in mind you wanted to go? From the blanket I’d assume it’s a good stargazing spot.”

Renne spoke softly, “Mmm, it’s nothing too spectacular, but I did think we might be able to get a nice view of the sky from there. In truth, I was mainly just hoping to finally get a moment alone together. Our house can be ever so cramped when we’re all home.”

Van sighed, “As much as I’m glad to have met your family, I guess we have been lackin’ in privacy. Still, it feels a little weird to be sneaking out like a couple of kids after curfew.”

“Does it bring back memories of you and Elaine?” Renne teased in a playful tone.

With a nervous chuckle, Van answered, “If only. Think I was able to convince her to sneak out of the dorms just one time and she was a nervous wreck the whole night—goin’ on and on about what would happen if we got caught and if she’d be able to keep her spot on the student council.” Feeling a splash of regret from that time of his life, he added, “Guess in a way, this is my chance to experience the kind of romantic adventures I missed out on back then.”

“Oh?” Renne asked in an amused tone, “And just what do you expect might happen if you get caught this time?”

Van groaned, “I’d rather not think about it. While they seem like nice people, your siblings kinda scare the shit outta me, if I’m being honest.” In a sarcastic tone, he added, “Oh yeah, and thanks for getting me into hot water with them right off the bat, cause that was just what I needed while tryin’ to make a good impression!”

To Van’s slight annoyance, Renne giggled, “You needn't worry about them so much. I just thought that teasing Estelle a bit would help to relax her guard once you gave your real answer. And even if it didn’t, I just knew it’d be fun to get her riled up! ♪”

Van sighed, “You know it’s my life you’re playin’ with here, right?”

Pretending to ignore him, Renne continued, “And I’d already spoken in great detail about you to Joshua before you arrived. He did have a lot of questions for me, but it seems like he was satisfied with my answers. It also helps that he has plenty of practice at mediating between Estelle and anyone who gets her into a confrontational mood.”

Van stayed silent for a moment, feeling doubtful about his standing with Renne’s older siblings, before Renne stopped to look him in the eye. Softly, she said, “If you aren’t sure, then trust me. I know them very well, and I can tell that they’re warming up to you. So just continue to be yourself and let them recognize you for who you are and love you for it.”

Renne’s last few words caused Van to feel a flutter in his stomach. Not knowing how to respond, he let out a nervous chuckle, “Well, if you say so. Not really sure why they would, but you know them better than me.”

Renne smiled grimly and turned away. As she began to unroll the blanket, she announced, “We’re here, by the way.”

Looking around, Van spoke with a hint of confusion in his voice, “We’re kinda just in the middle of the woods. Pretty sure monsters could appear at any time, you know?”

As she laid down atop the blanket, Renne giggled, “Well then, it’s a good thing I have you here to protect me then, isn’t it?” She gestured with her hand to the spot next to her on the blanket, conveying the clear desire to snuggle—which Van was ready to oblige.

As Van took her hand, Renne rested her head against his shoulder and the two of them gazed into the sky. It was a familiar feeling to Van, as she had spent many nights in his room over the past few months. Though some had, as one might presume, been sexual encounters, most were simply to share each other’s company. It had become a regular occurrence for Van to wake up in the middle of the night to feel Renne’s body pressed against his as she nuzzled against him. Whenever her breathing sounded somewhat irregular, he would whisper, “Another rough night?” and he’d hear a soft, “...Yes.” in response. He knew all too well from experience how nights like those felt, and was always ready to spend the rest of the night with her in his arms until they each fell asleep. One time, she admitted that for the first couple of years she lived with the Brights, that was how she had spent most nights with Estelle.

Feeling her body relax against his, Van attempted to hide the bitterness in his voice as he observed, “You really do have an incredible family, Renne. In many ways, I wish I had people like them I could introduce you to, but you already know all of my assistants and confidants.” With a bit more levity in his voice, he added, “Hell, you’ve also got a grandpa figure in Jeorg, and even some of those whack jobs from the society checking in every now and again like a bunch of weird-ass aunts and uncles. You know that they’ve been contacting me ever since we went official, right? For a while I started getting a wide variety of messages ranging from vaguely to outright threatening, though I wouldn’t say it’s been all bad—even if it would’ve been enough to make any guy with a bit of sense run for the hills. Probably the nicest one I got was from Severing Chains, though she was maybe a tad bit TOO supportive, if you ask me.”

Renne’s voice conveyed a hint of amusement as she began, “It’s as you told me on the ferris wheel: I’ve got a support network like no other. Though you certainly have your own connection with much of it, not that I imagine you want one with most of the society.”

“Damn right I don’t!” Van declared—earning a small giggle from Renne, who then began to tense up slightly.

Taking a deep breath, Renne’s voice took on a solemn tone as she spoke, “This place is one that Joshua pointed out to me once while I accompanied him on a patrol. While he doubts that Estelle would even remember it, he says that it’s the site of The Bug of Legends.”

Perplexed, Van said, “Uh… That supposed to mean something to either of us?”

Renne giggled, “Not exactly, but it means a lot to Joshua. It was the moment in which he realized just how much Estelle had impressed and changed him, and when he ultimately decided that he would continue living with her and Cassius.” Pausing for a moment, she continued, “There truly is something magnetic about Estelle simply being herself. The two of us both tried running away from her, but got pulled back into her light. We share the fact that each of us even with our hearts of darkness were able to find a home in this place. It… makes me very happy that you were finally able to see it for yourself.”

Nervously, Van answered, “Well, sure. I’d been curious about meetin’ them for some time now, anyway. Figured you probably had a real nice place to return to whenever you took a break from school.”

With a brief hesitation in her voice, Renne spoke, “That’s… not exactly the reason why I’m glad you’re here. Van, I… wanted you to realize what it is that this family has to offer for you. To give you what you’ve never had for yourself.”

Van felt puzzled at this. He asked, “Huh, what do you mean, exactly?”

Lifting her head to meet his gaze, she offered, “I want to properly pay you back for everything that you’ve done for me. I know you don’t think that it’s been much, but I really am grateful for how you helped me all those years ago, and also for all the time we’ve spent together since then. So please, let me be the one to extend my hand to you.”

Comprehending her words, his eyes began to drift off to stare into space as he demurred, “No, I couldn’t possibly. I don’t deserve anything like that.”

Placing a hand on his cheek, she made eye-contact with him once more and asserted, “If anyone deserves this, it’s you. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to tell you that you give yourself far too little credit for the impact that you make on peoples’ lives. And besides, what better family to welcome you with open arms than the one that already has a pair of haunted souls like myself and Joshua in it? Whether or not you realize it, you fit right in with us. The Bright household has plenty of warmth to go around, as long as you’re willing to receive it.”

At the sound of those words, all snarky deflections and other forms of resistance left Van’s mind. Staring into his girlfriend’s eyes, his heart filled with a heavenly warmth until he could no longer contain the emotions that bubbled within. Tears welled up in his eyes as he managed to whisper, “Renne… T-Thank you.”

The two of them embraced each other as he let the tears that he’d been holding back fall. As she held him against her, Renne gently began to pat Van on the head and proceeded to stroke his hair at a comforting pace. Softly, she soothed, “I realize it may seem a little early to extend you such a formal invitation into our lives, but with my departure from Calvard on the horizon, I felt that there was no better time to share this part of my world with you.”

The uncertainty of their future together had stung in the back of his mind for some time, and his heart ached at being reminded of it. Pulling free to meet her gaze, he said, “Gotta admit I’ve been wondering for a while about that. Knew you were gonna go back home, but I didn’t wanna press you too hard about what’ll come after that. For someone like you, there’s near limitless possibilities for where you could end up, but that decision should be yours alone.”

In a playful tone, Renne suggested, “Well, what if I continued my academic pursuits in Basel? The institute would be a fine place for me to conduct research and connect with potential colleagues, after all. I’d even have a few familiar faces there waiting for me.” Looking solemn, she added, “It’s just…”

Van understood, and finished, “You’ve really missed your family, haven’t you?”

She smiled sadly, “Yeah. Even though I’ve come and gone an awful lot over the years, Liberl itself has started to feel like a home for me. Returning here feels somewhat healing, if that makes sense.”

Squeezing her hand, Van reassured, “It makes perfect sense. Can’t exactly relate, myself, but it’s easy to see what bein’ here means to you. Because of that, the last thing I wanna do is come between you and your family.” With resolve in his voice, he vowed, “However, whatever you end up deciding, we can all work together to give you the support you need. If that means having to plan dates through VR for a while, then so be it. Me and your family are on the same team, so however you need us to be there for you, we will.”

Renne’s eyes grew wide as a hint of red crossed her cheeks. She stared into Van’s eyes for a moment before smiling playfully as she teased, “Heehee, it seems like you’ve accepted your place in the family sooner than I expected. Who could’ve thought that my little plan would be so successful?”

Van sighed, “You’re unbelievable, you know that? Gotta say though, you’d make a damn good spriggan with the way you’re able to play people to suit your own ends like this.”

With a daring smile, she said, “And who says I won’t do exactly that?”

Feeling unable to resist, he kissed her and could feel her returning it with the same enthusiasm. They continued to lay together, enjoying the fresh air, the view of the night sky, and most importantly each other until it got late enough that they could agree it was time to return to their rooms. Before they reached the house, they shared one last kiss before splitting up to sneak back in separately.

“Good night, Van.” Renne whispered.

“G’night, Renne.” He answered back, as a pit in his stomach grew until he added, “I love you.”

“I know.” She giggled, well aware that those words don’t come easily to him. Looking into his eyes, she whispered, “I love you, too.” and kissed him on the cheek before turning around to quietly enter the house.

He stood outside feeling stunned and in disbelief that he could be so lucky to have someone like her in his life. Giving her a few minutes to get back to bed and sensing that she had managed to do so without incident, he followed her lead and quietly crept back into Joshua’s room.

Closing the door behind him, he prepared to lay down before hearing a voice from behind that made him freeze.

“Seems like the two of you had fun.”

Shit.

Joshua’s voice was cold enough to send chills down Van’s spine. Somehow, Van had been completely unable to detect Joshua’s presence behind him and knew that he was at his mercy. Guess he never forgot what he learned from bein’ The Black Fang. Turning around and still keeping his voice low, Van answered, “I, uh, swear it’s not what it looks like.”

Joshua spoke in a low growl, “That so?” Van could feel his heart beating as Joshua let the words sit in the air for a brief moment that seemed to drag on for ages. With the same cold tone, he continued, “Maybe I believe you this time, but that doesn’t mean you’ve been honest with us.”

Feeling certain that he didn’t like where this was going, Van stammered, “U-Um, I… h-have, uh, no idea what you’re talkin’ about.”

Joshua snapped, “The nature of your relationship. How the two of you started dating. I couldn’t help but notice you’ve been awfully vague with us. You say that the two of you ‘hit it off’ after working a case together? Estelle may have been satisfied with that, but I think you’re hiding something. What actually happened between you two?”

Through the darkness, Van felt as if he could see an otherworldly eye staring directly into his soul. All of a sudden, the words spilled out of him, “Okay! Okay! We were in a room at this really fancy hotel and I’d had a bit to drink that night and she’d tempted me inside with sweets and she was wearing this really really tight—”

With an embarrassed grimace, Joshua shook his head and cut him off, “Actually, on second thought, I don’t want to hear any more of this.” Van felt his body relax as Joshua assumed a natural posture and tone of voice. With a sigh, he added, “I had my suspicions that the two of you had already taken your relationship that far, and I can’t exactly say that I approve. However, Renne’s a grown woman now and it’s not exactly my place to intervene in her relationships.”

Just where the hell did all that come from? Dunno what kind of techniques he’s picked up over the years but one thing’s certain: this man is dangerous. But he’s also Renne’s family, and possibly my family one day too. With a sigh, Van apologized, “Sorry ‘bout that. I know it’s not exactly the proper way of doin’ things, but I also doubt that we’d have started dating at all if she hadn’t made her interest in me as clear as she had. It can be hard to dissuade her once she knows what she wants.”

With an empathetic grin, Joshua nodded, “Yeah, that’s true. And for what it’s worth: I do think from what I’ve seen of you today that you’re good enough for her for me to overlook this. We also probably don’t need to say anything to Estelle about it.” His expression became somber as he said, “It’s just… hard not to be overprotective of her given how far she’s come. While it makes me happy to see her in a relationship that she clearly feels so comfortable in, the thought of how she might end up getting hurt from it terrifies me deeply.”

“I get what you’re saying.” Van responded in a thoughtful tone, “Except I’m the one who has to be sure not to let her down by making the same mistakes I did in the past. I hurt Elaine in a way that I don’t think I can ever make right, and I even irresponsibly led on Agnès by dragging my feet in making’ clear to her that I can’t return the feelings she has for me. I was afraid that might happen again with Renne once I suspected she was interested, but then she made her move to ensure that I never got the chance. It also helps that she understands me in a way that Elaine couldn’t have all those years ago, and I’ve grown enough as a person since then that I don’t see myself makin’ those same mistakes again. Hell, I’m not even sure she’d let me. One thing’s for sure though, and it’s that I couldn’t bear for her to go through that kind of pain because of me.” The fact that I can say all this with a straight face really says a lot. In some ways, it still doesn’t feel real to me that I’ve fallen so deeply in love.

Letting Van’s words sit in the air for a moment, Joshua grinned, “I see. Then I’ll try not to worry about it for now. Though I couldn’t tell right away, it’s clear that you have a kind heart and a good head on your shoulders. All I can do right now is offer you my trust that you’ll do right by my little sister.” Holding out his hand, he said, “If this all works out, then I’ll be more than happy to have you as my brother.”

Taking a deep breath, Van took Joshua’s hand and shook it. With a sincere smile, he answered, “That would mean the world to me.”