Chapter 136: Mein Haus ist Hier!

"D-Did you just say you saw someone with golden hair?"

Seeing the renowned lady of the city asking them questions with her eyes full of fire, the two individuals could not help but look at each other with a complicated expression.

"Y-yes!", the skinnier one answered, "she...well, he was asking questions"

"Questions?", Diao Mei squinted.

"Y-yes, lady Diao. Weird questions like asking us where his house was, or if they were in Taizhou city…", the skinny man continued.

"!!!"

"W-where is he now!?", Diao Mei grabbed the skinny man by his shoulders.

"I-I don't know!", the skinny man quickly folded as he looked to the side.

"M-may we ask why you are asking, Lady Diao?", the taller one asked, "C-could they be illegal drifters?"

"Demon titties! I told you they were illegal drifters!", the skinny man yelled.

"C-come to think of it, the one with the glasses was speaking a weird language, wasn't she?", the taller one released a loud gasp, "Could they have come out from the new dungeon that just popped out!?"

"Oh crap...Should we have reported them!?"

Diao Mei's eyes could not help but twitch as the two started a conversation of their own. "Just answer my question!", Diao Mei shouted.

"Eeek!"

"W-we don't know, we swear! The last we saw of them they were still trying to find a house or whatever!"

"!!!"

House, if it is his house, then it should still be there.

It is no wonder that he won't be able to find it, ever since Taizhou extended their city, their walls have already passed over Viel's house.

It was now surrounded by other stores, and now a part of the new western marketside. General Diao's contractors wanted to demolish Viel's house, but Diao Mei was adamant that it was not to be destroyed.

And so, they just decided to build around it. Sadly, only the house was left. Grandma Ling's garden and whole backyard was gone.

Naturally, Diao Mei still knows where it is. And so with that, she ran. Leaving two dumbfounded individuals who had a lot of theories in their mind.

She ran, not even bothering to say her greetings or even nod towards the citizens who were greeting her.

She did not even know why she was running. She did not even know why her excitement was growing from the thought of meeting him again.

If she thinks about it, she has only known Viel for a very short time. But for some unknown reason, she felt a certain closeness to him.

And it wasn't just her. Violet, Xiao Pei… and surely, Wei Song. They have only known him for a short time, but his presence in their memories and their lives have been permanent. The choices they were making now, somehow, still involved Viel.

And so… she ran.

Even with her strength, she found herself trying to catch her breath. And finally, after what felt like an eternity, she found herself in front of a house.

"!!!"

Her eyes blinked rapidly as she saw that the door to the house was slightly open, and that rustling noises could be heard inside of it.

And so, she pushed the door with a wide smile on her face.

"Viel!"

And there he was. Diao Mei's heart could not be still as she saw the man standing silently inside the house.

With his silent eyes, ragged beard, and his curly dark hair.

"..."

Diao Mei's eyes wandered as she also saw two other people inside the house, who were leisurely lying on a sofa.

The three of them were holding snuff bottles, inhaling them like there was no tomorrow.

And so, started the long staring contest between Diao Mei and the three stragglers. Diao Mei's whole face was blank as she moved her eyes from one person to the next.

The three men's faces were also blank as they continued to sniff on the bottles they were holding.

And finally, after a long awkward silence, one of the ragged men spoke.

"Are you lost, pretty lady?", he said as sat up from the sofa.

"Oi, no. That-"

Before the one standing from the three could speak, the man that just sat up continued his words.

"Why don't we entertain- Fugah!", but before he could finish his words, he felt a strong force on his cheek as he felt his body spin in the air.

"What the!?", the other man that was lying on the sofa stood up, "You dare!? We are D rank explorers and you- Agh!"

Diao Mei once again did not let them finish what they were going to say. She then looked at the last man standing.

"Eek!", the bearded man quickly raised his hands, "P-please forgive us, Lady Diao Mei!"

"Eh!?", the other two, who were silently planning a sneak attack right after they recovered, could not help but shout.

"D-diao Mei? Y-you mean the A Rank explorer!?"

"Fool! She's also the granddaughter of General Diao!"

"G-genral Diao? Who is that?"

Seeing the three men casually start up a conversation in front of her, Diao Mei could not help but roll her fists.

"Get out of the house now!", she screamed as she one by one threw them out of the house like dirty laundry.

Diao Mei then patted her hands clean as she looked around the house.

Seeing the mess inside the house, she let out a sigh.

She didn't really know what she was expecting by coming here. She should probably go check on the new dungeon now and meet up with Elder Xing Cai, she thought.

She then slowly walked outside, slowly closing its doors with a wry smile on her face. She knew… She knew she was clinging to a ghost from the past. Maybe she should focus on her own life now, and just forget everything about Viel.

At first, she went inside the mysterious portals to try and find Viel, but then she soon found herself mesmerized by the missions and the rewards they brought. Dungeon exploring became a part of her life, and finding Viel became a secondary thing.

Maybe… It was time… to say goodbye?

Diao Mei let out a long and stuttered sigh as she took one last long look at Viel's house.

And so with that, she walked away.

"Ich glaube, wir sind verloren"

"Nein! Mein haus ist irgendwo hier!"

Hearing an unfamiliar language from behind her, Diao Mei's resolute steps instantly faltered. Her eyes were shaking as her body, without her command...

...started to turn back.

***

In front of a blue portal, a lady with a scar on her face was staring at the distance.

"Is she not coming?", the lady let out a long sigh as she planted her weapon on the ground. A huge golden greatsword that was bigger than her body.

"I wonder what is taking her so long?"