The Bird and the Garden 3: The Final Adventure

Chapter 61: Mono, Part Three

Just as she expected, she found the First Vao in the kitchen sipping from his tea. He was talking with Jack about potential recruits for the Cult, with Ruby sitting quietly beside them, occasionally giving her thoughts. When Mono stepped inside, he looked up and gave her a small smile. "Good morning, Mono. Did you sleep well?"

"Of course, Milord," Mono replied with a bow before stepping in front of the stove to prepare breakfast. Since the First Vao had introduced electricity and Dust to the Cult with the materials he stole from the Graveyard, Mono had learned how to use the new kitchen appliances with ease. It made cooking a lot easier. "It is a good morning, is it not?"

"I guess," the First Vao said. "Anyway... Wot were you saying about the northeast of the Royal Capital, Jack?"

Mono listened as she set the meat in the pan, turning the oven knobs. Jack's smile widened, the Ripper leaning forward on the table casually. "Oui, Mon Seigneur. They are just small rumors; nothing so severe that the Church of Light would hear about it. Not yet, anyway. Rumors that in a small village not far from the mountains, children have reported seeing a small girl stealing crops and taking them to the nearby forest."

"A fairy, or perhaps a pixie," Ruby added. "But these are children, Jack. Their word is not reliable; it could just be an overactive imagination, or shifting the blame off themselves."

Jack shifted his yellow eyes gaze to the doll-maker. "But is it not worth looking into, mademoiselle? Fairies and pixies are very rarely sighted or rumored about. They stay away from human settlements. The fact that there are rumors is... Intriguing."

The First Vao nodded, taking a sip from his tea. "... Wot's this village's name?"

"Springwater, Mon Seigneur," Jack replied. "Are we investigating?"

The First Vao nodded. "Yeah. I'll go; you two will stay in Grimmore."

Ruby's silver eyes immediately snapped up to him. "My Lord, that is not wise to go alone. What if you were to be attacked? What of Salem?"

Jack was the one to answer. "They're still in the Wilds, looking for the Third Vao. They will be gone for quite a while."

The First Vao scratched his chin, furrowing his brow. "... Cripes. Did anyone feed Raven yet?"

No answer. Ruby stood up with a sigh. "I will do it."

The doll-maker grabbed something from the fridge before leaving the kitchen, Jack turning back to the First Vao. "Even still, Mon Seigneur, mademoiselle Ruby has a point. You should be accompanied; fairy or pixie, they don't trust humans like you and I."

The First Vao was quiet, Mono straining her ears in case he was whispering. But there was no sound. Not until he gave his answer, his voice clear for both Jack and the maid to hear.

"Mono, would you like to go with me?"

Mono jumped out of her skin, nearly dropping her spatula as she spun around. "P... Pardon, Milord?"

"I asked if you'd like to come with me on this recruitment job," the First Vao repeated. "Do you not want to?"

Mono quickly shook her head. "N-no, I do, it's just... Why me?"

The First Vao stood up, stretching his arms. "Becoz I want you to," he replied. "I like being around you. Makes me feel just a bit better about wot it'll take to reach our dream."

His dream. Over time, he included his Cult into his dream, having grown to cherish them like family. His dream to create his own world where everyone in the Cult's dreams could become a reality. Mono's dream, however, was already mostly fulfilled. She was at his side almost constantly. She wouldn't pass up this opportunity, either.