After flying in, the little fairy landed politely on the windowsill and gave a vigorous shake, as if worried about dripping water onto the floor. But alas, fairies were not cats or dogs, and such a simple motion couldn't rid her of the dampness.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Jenkins remarked after shutting the window against the wind, mist, and rain. He reached out a hand, and a gentle fla enveloped the fairy, drying the rainwater from her tiny form.
It had been a long ti, but the fairy hadn't changed a bit. She wore the sa clothes, was the sa size, and carried the sa sheet of paper on her back. Even her spiritual aura was identical.
She flew cautiously to the dining table, deliberately avoiding the cat who was watching her from its spot in front of a plate. Then, she looked up to greet Jenkins as he returned to the table.
“It's been a long ti, sir. Good morning.”
Hathaway had likely encountered fairy-like creatures before, so while she was intrigued, she wasn't particularly shocked. Briny, a normal person, and Julia, a low-level Benefactor, however, had never seen a fairy. Both tried to appear composed, but their eyes betrayed a deep curiosity for the tiny, beautiful being. Jenkins took the cue and briefly introduced her.
When Jenkins referred to her as his friend, the little fairy panicked, insisting she wasn't worthy of such an honor.
She briefly recounted her experiences over the past six months, which mostly consisted of traveling across the continent and searching for cherished knowledge in various libraries. The occasional sighting of her by a human would give rise to a new legend.
According to her, she had searched for the seven-colored ice lotus on the ice fields of the far north alongside natives who didn't speak the common tongue; she had spotted a rare dragon-whale while resting in a dormant offshore volcano; and she had even traveled through the southern forests—before they burned—with a fellow Book Fairy and a talking parrot. They had eventually parted ways, however, as their destinations differed.
“A talking parrot... I wonder if it's a rare exotic creature or a numbered item.”
The little fairy had chosen a na for herself during her travels. She told Jenkins it was Vinette, and she hoped he would call her that from now on.
“So, what brings you back this ti?”
It took a while for the conversation to arrive at this point, but when it did, Vinette excitedly removed the paper from her back. To a human, it was a single page, but to her, it was like a massive scroll.
This page was a remnant of her true form, the [Heart Book]. The Heart Book, in turn, was part of the legendary, scattered Bestowal known as the [Book of All Things], an artifact as significant as the [Millstone of Fate]. Legend held that the [Book of All Things], the [Millstone of Fate], and a third volu comprised of all the All-Seeing Cards—representing the unpredictable nature of existence—were the first three books created at the dawn of the world.
“I've been traveling for a long ti,” she began, “and I've recovered so of my lost power. I can now read the signs of the past, present, and future. That's why I believe it's ti for to return and help you.”
The little fairy Vinette's face was flushed with excitent.
“Help ?”
“Yes, sir.”
The fairy bent down to spread the page open on the dining table, but no one could decipher the bizarre symbols written upon it.
“I have foreseen that the cataclysm at this epoch's end will be more powerful than any before it,” she explained. “Because the Savior is so strong, the calamity must be equally so to maintain balance. You need help. Your power is not just your own; it's also the strength of those bound to you. That's why I've returned.”
As she spoke, the tiny fairy straightened up and bowed deeply to Jenkins.
“Sir, I will be the sword in your hand during the great disaster to co... well, more like a dagger. Please, allow to follow you for a ti.”
Despite her declaration, the Book Fairy race wasn't known for its combat prowess. Even with Vinette's extraordinary origins and the power the [Heart Book] granted her—far beyond that of her kin—she was, relatively speaking, not a formidable fighter.
She was likely stronger than low-level Benefactors like Julia, Dolores, and Jessica, but putting aside any comparison to the ancient silver dragons of legend, it was questionable whether she could even defeat Hathaway in a direct confrontation.
But at this mont, every ounce of strength was precious, and Jenkins needed more than just fighters. He gladly welcod Vinette and invited her to stay with them.
“However, I would prefer to stay by this lady's side.”
Jenkins followed her gaze and pointed to Briny. The young woman pointed to herself in confusion, but when Jenkins nodded, a delighted expression spread across her face.
“I'd like you to protect her,” Jenkins said to Vinette. “Consider it your first mission. Can you do that?”
“Absolutely, sir!”
She rolled up her page, then flapped her wings and zipped over to land on Briny's shoulder. Briny tilted her head, smiling at the tiny creature. The sight imdiately reminded Jenkins of the animal that sotis perched on his own shoulder, and by comparison, he suddenly felt that cats were perhaps not the most docile of pets.
Chocolate glanced up at Jenkins before returning its dangerous gaze to the little fairy.
“So,” Jenkins asked, his tone turning serious, “do you know when the great beast beneath our feet will finally make its move?”
“Within a week.”
“I an to say...”
“Yes, sir,” she affird. “The final battle will take place within seven days.”
The arrival of a ninth-level diviner, a silver dragon and a princess, and now a Book Fairy—it all seed to signal that the final battle was imminent. Jenkins didn't have many friends from outside the city, and now nearly all of them were gathered in Nolan. In his mortal state, he was stronger than he had ever been.
Jenkins planned to introduce Vinette to Alexia, hoping she might be of so help to the mathematician. But the first order of business for the day was the negotiation.
This eting would not be officially recorded anywhere. In theory, unless it produced a docunt on the scale of the High Tower Accord, the public would never learn of its existence.
Hathaway would attend as the representative for the Church of Music, while Jenkins had arranged for Julia and Briny to remain at the Church of Knowledge and Books for the day.
As for the venue, the negotiations had ultimately been moved from the Evergreen Forest to the Church of Knowledge and Books in the city center. This alone was a significant concession from the other eleven orthodox churches, but they had little choice—after all, the only Savior on their side belonged to Jenkins's church.
The rain grew heavier. To avoid arousing suspicion, Jenkins didn't leave with Hathaway, choosing instead to depart first. A separate transport would be sent for Julia and Hathaway.
Worried he might be late, the Church had already sent a carriage for him. Inside, he found a nervous Papa Oliver. As soon as Jenkins climbed aboard, his ntor began checking his old-fashioned pocket watch repeatedly, as though terrified they might miss their appointnt.
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