(Riveria POV – Loki Familia Hall)
The doors slam open as Lefiya staggers through them.
That alone is enough to make the originally lively room go quiet.
Her steps are uneven as she clutches her staff to her chest like a lifeline. She stares into space, her eyes unfocused and so dazed that I begin wondering how she even got back.
She looks traumatized.
I immediately perk up in alarm. 'What happened? Wasn't she supposed to be teaching Riven about Elven Magic?'
"…Lefiya?" I call gently, looking at her in concern.
But she doesn't answer. She doesn't even seem to hear me.
She just keeps walking forward until her knees buckle and she nearly collapses in the center of the hall. Luckily, Finn catches her by the shoulder before she can hit the floor.
"What happened?" He asks sharply, checking her over for any injuries.
Gareth, Tione, Tiona, Bete, and all the other members present step closer, their faces all filled with concern.
"Lefiya… are you alright?" Tiona asks softly.
"Tell me who did this to ya, and we'll sort them out." Gareth says fiercely.
"No one messes with us and gets away with it." Bete snarls, equally concerned, even if he can't show it.
Loki squints at her, no longer laying down. "They're right! No one bullies my kids and gets away with it! Who did it?!" She demands, slamming her fist against the chair.
Silence descends, all eyes focused on Lefiya, when she finally speaks, her voice trembling with frustration, rage, and shock.
"It's his fault." She breathes.
The room freezes.
"…Who?" Loki asks slowly.
"Riven!" Lefiya shrieks, spinning on her heel to face Loki. "That human! That monster! That— that—!"
She gestures wildly, words tripping over themselves.
"He… he copied it! He didn't chant! He didn't need to chant! He just—just—!" She clutches her head, almost pulling at her hair. "He made it better!"
Her words are scattered and hard to comprehend, but…
'I think I understand?' I ponder. 'But that shouldn't be possible.'
And hearing that she wasn't actually hurt, the tension bleeds out of everyone, replaced more with amused curiosity.
"…Pardon?" Gareth rumbles, his arms folded.
"He shattered everything I thought I knew…" Lefiya cries, tears dripping from her eyes to our bewilderment. "Centuries of theory, research, and effort… only for him to see it once and do better… Am I even good at magic?" She asks, staring into the void. "Are all my ancestors frauds?" She mumbled to herself, looking lost.
There's a moment of silence before…
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Loki bursts into laughter wheezing, as she collapses back lazily into her chair.
"Loki!" I snap. "Now's not the time. Can't you see Lefiya's going through… denial?"
Even I'm unsure what to make of it.
But Loki waves me off. "What? Aren't you curious? Whatever he did, he managed to one up those old coots in their own game. It's hilarious!"
I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh deeply at her behaviour, before focusing on Lefiya.
"Lefiya, you're amazing at magic. A genius even, and you'll one day surpass even me. I'm sure that whatever happened has a reasonable explanation. It doesn't mean you're not competent." I say softly, trying to calm her down.
"He was mocking me…" She continues, looking up at me, her voice cracking. "He corrected my pronunciation, mocked me for needing chants…" She grits her teeth. "Then copied my spell and did it better."
It sounds unbelievable, but Lefiya wouldn't lie about all this. And the one thing I can't help but wonder about is…
"Was Ais present? And where is she now?" I ask, since she didn't return with her.
"Yes… she was there." Lefiya's head sinks even lower, her knuckles turning white from gripping her staff so tightly. "She even clapped for him! She said it was 'good'! Then she left with him! I—I—!"
Her pride finally crumbles as it all sinks in for her, and she slumps forward, trembling.
"It shouldn't be possible…" She whispers.
Loki's eyes widen as she once again sits up, clearly alarmed. Her laughter and amusement dying instantly.
"He took Ais!" She screams. "Riven! I'll kill you if you do anything to her!" She stands up frantically, ready to dash out the door and chase after them.
But before she can… the door opens a second time, and unhurried, familiar footsteps reach my ears.
Ais walks in, carrying multiple bags on her arms, completely unbothered.
'Actually, she looks kind of happy?' I tilt my head. Even if her expression is the same, she has a sunny aura about her.
She pauses when she sees the room.
"…Did something happen?" She asks, and every head snaps toward her.
"Ais…" Loki says in a strained voice, stalking closer. "Care to explain why Lefiya's having a breakdown, and what that bastar— I mean, Riven, did with you?"
Ais tilts her head as she thinks for a moment.
Then she walks past everyone, stops in front of Loki, and calmly hands her a bottle from one of the bags.
Alcohol.
The same one she was begging for outside their shop the day before.
"Riven said this was for you." Ais says simply. "He said he hopes for more lessons."
Loki blinks, flabbergasted. Everyone stares in shock at his audacity, after what he did to Lefiya.
"Does he think I'm that easy to bribe…" Loki says with a trembling voice, her fingers already having taken the bottle. "I wouldn't sell my kids just for some alcohol…"
Ais pulls out a second bottle, labelled: "Only if Loki Agrees."
Loki falls silent, and two seconds later, she's hugging both bottles.
"Riven's a good kid. I'm sure he meant no harm~" She sings, and then begins drinking the wine.
'As unreliable as always.' I sigh, watching as a scuffle breaks out as the rest of the Familia tries to get some of the alcohol.
"Ais…" I say, my voice firm. "Can you explain what happened, slowly?"
She nods.
"He used magic." Ais says.
"That narrows it down not at all," Loki says, already drinking.
"He didn't chant." Ais continues. "It was stronger than Lefiya's. Then he explained why."
The room goes dead silent. Her explanation, despite its simplicity, is much clearer than Lefiya's.
Ais tilts her head. "Is that bad?"
I close my eyes for a moment.
When I open them, I look at Lefiya who's still shaking.
"That human…" Lefiya snarls weakly. "Is a monster!"
"And a goldmine." Loki counters. "If he can do that, you're training him more."
"What?!" Lefiya screeches.
"Absolutely!" Loki says, taking another swig. "You said he explained how he did it. It'll help you improve."
Loki sounds noble and logical, but I'm certain she was just hoping she'd get more wine each time.
I turn my gaze back to Ais.
"What do you think about all this?" I ask her.
She considers.
"…I want to see him again."
'Of course you do.'
Loki looks constipated at Ais's answer, but…
"For the wine…" She mutters, drinking more to soothe her pain. "I'll kill him if he does anything…"
Lefiya looks like she might pass out.
As for me—
I rest my chin against my fingers, my mind already racing.
A human who can deconstruct elven magic after a single demonstration. Hard to believe, but could be possible.
Then, completing it without a chant, and even improving it…
"…Interesting." I murmur.
Very interesting indeed.
'Maybe I should attend next time.'
(Riven POV – Hestia Familia Church)
As I walk through the street, hands in my pockets, I can't help but sigh.
'I should've held back a little more.'
Lefiya was already on the verge of a breakdown. If I'd played it slower, strung her along, I might've gotten her to show off more magic.
Still…
'Two bottles of Soma should be enough of a bribe for Loki.'
And it wasn't like she hadn't benefited. If anything, I helped her improve her magic. I should be thanked.
That alone makes it fair.
The only real surprise was Ais.
I hadn't expected her to follow me once Lefiya left, much less stare at me in silence until I handed over several bags of food. Only then did she nod, visibly pleased, and wander off like a cat that'd been fed.
'…It was cute.' I think in amusement.
Eventually, the old church comes into view.
The crooked steeple. The cracked stone. The weathered doors on the verge of breaking down.
I stop in front of it.
'It's been long overdue.' I think calmly.
Between the dungeon, the shop, and everything else, I finally have time to work on it. With the funds from the Loki Familia, I managed to purchase more than enough materials to renovate the whole place, and have them safely stored in Stomach.
With GS handling the calculations and planning everything… and Predator making assembling and replacing things a cakewalk…
'I don't need to hire craftsmen.'
I push the doors open and step inside.
Dust hangs in the air, light slanting through cracked windows. The pews creak under their own age, the floorboards groan in protest, and the walls bear scars of neglect.
"Alright." I murmur. "Let's start from the bones."
The old pews go first.
One by one, I pull them into Stomach, absorbing the splintered wood and rusted nails without a sound. In their place, I release newly constructed pews. Clean, sturdy, and their grain smooth beneath my fingers.
The floor follows.
I peel it away in broad sections, replacing warped planks with fresh timber that settles perfectly into place, finally getting rid of any creaks and gaps. The walls come next. Crumbling stone giving way to reinforced brick, layered cleanly and sealed tight.
As I work, GS keeps everything precise, ensuring structural integrity, weight distribution, even airflow.
A fresh coat of paint follows, warm and subtle, transforming the dim interior into something that feels lived in rather than abandoned.
When the inside is finished, I move outside.
The stone walls are trickier.
I absorb large segments at a time, replacing them simultaneously to avoid sudden collapses, or unwanted attention. From the street, it would look like I just used magic to clean off the mold and repair the bricks.
Roof tiles are replaced, one sweep at a time. The door is reforged and rehung, its hinges smooth and silent. Windows cleaned. Cracks sealed.
The church stops looking old, and begins to radiate splendor.
Last comes the basement.
The lamps are swapped for brighter ones, the walls reinforced and smoothed. And then—
The bed.
I take my time with this one.
The frame is rebuilt entirely, solid wood, wider and sturdier. The mattress is layered carefully—firm beneath, soft above—something close to memory foam, designed to cradle rather than sink.
When I'm done, I straighten and look around.
The church is almost unrecognizable.
Hours have passed, even with GS and Predator raising efficiency… but it's worth it.
Rather than just fixing it, I've made numerous improvements, like adding a shower, kitchen, training room and more essentials.
I nod, satisfied.
"Hestia's going to be surprised." I say with a grin.
Then I glance back toward the basement.
But truthfully…
The bed might be my greatest achievement today.
*********
A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So, the Loki Familia's reaction to all this. It's a shame Riveria ain't a love interest, since she'd definitely have been interested, but it's all good. There didn't much to say this chapter, so I guess I'll keep it short?
I finally got around to the church renovations, which I think everyone has wanted to see. Overall, there's a lot of improvement. And going forward, the next chapters will sort out a few issues that have been unresolved till now. Then, after all that... Goliath!
I also plan to have his status updated soon, before that fight. The fight will be awesome (at least I think it'll be), with some interesting twists. So, I'm looking forward to that.
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
But, that's all from me. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your day/night😁.