Chapter 143: Do you want to visit them?

"There are so many things for you to see in our world, Viel...

...So don't leave us again"

Xing Cai looked at Viel straight in the eyes. She doesn't know if Viel was still blaming himself for what happened 7 years ago, so she was treading carefully on what not to say and do, afraid the something might trigger Viel's tragic memories of this world.

"Mei!"

A loud scream resounded through the hall, instantly popping Xing Cai's thoughts..

"Mei! Where did you run off to aga-"

Diao Chan, Diao Mei's mother, came running from the stairs, her eyes obviously on fire. But when she saw Xing Cai and the others, her expression quickly turned into a smile.

"Oh my, you did not tell me Miss Xing Cai is here"

"Sorry to intrude without notice, Miss Diao Chan"

"Nonsense. The estate has been lacking people lately, I welcome your visit", Diao Chan said as she grabbed Xing Cai's hand with a smile.

"You have other companions with you?", she then turned her head towards the woman wearing glasses that was examining one of their wax statues.

And then, her eyes wandered off to a boy wearing a red cape… and quickly noticed his golden hair.

Her eyes squinted as he stared directly in the boy's face.

Viel, who noticed that this previously shouting woman was now staring at her with an intense gaze, could not help but stare back.

Diao Chan squinted her eyes even further as Viel's face was now directed straight towards her.

Viel's eyes started to widen as his face became full of sweat. His eyes almost resigning to its defeat as it wanted to avoid Diao Chan's gaze.

Diao Chan's stare, however, started to become even fiercer as she slowly walked closer towards Viel.

Viel's head started to shake as Diao Chan got nearer and nearer, until finally…

"It's you!", Diao Chan shouted, pointing towards Viel.

"I swear I didn't steal anythin-!"

"You're Viel!?"

"What?"

"What?"

"You stole what now?"

"W-what? Who stole what?"

Viel's eyes were now totally avoiding Diao Chan's, and after a few seconds, Diao Chan could only let out a sigh.

"It doesn't matter", Diao Chan quickly shook her head, "Since when did you get back!?", she shouted as she grabbed Viel's shoulders.

"M-mother", it was then that Diao Mei cleared her throat, "Perhaps we can talk about this over dinner?"

"Ah yes, definitely", Diao Chan quickly nodded as she asked the maids to prepare the table.

***

"I see, so you've only been back for a few hours"

Diao Chan's face was full of curiosity as she interviewed Viel, "Everything must seem new to you? You were only 5 when you disappeared. It's a miracle you still remember anything about us"

"Ay ay", Diao Chan sighed, "You were so small back then. And now Diao Mei is getting married, time surely flies by"

"M-mother!"

Hearing her mother nonchalantly break the news that she wanted to tell herself, she quickly stood up in frustration.

She then looked towards Viel, who doesn't seem to have any reaction towards hearing the news. Diao Mei sighed as she returned back to her seat. She wasn't really expecting anything, but for Viel to not have any reaction, she could not help but feel slightly disappointed.

But after a while,

"Congratulations, Miss Mei", Viel said as he smiled towards her.

"T-thank you", she got her reaction, but all she felt was a tinge of pain in her heart. Does… she actually feel something for Viel? But he has been gone for 7 years, not to mention he was quite younger than her.

Or was she just unhappy that she was going to get married to someone she barely even knows?

Diao Chan, of course, did not fail to notice the slight sorrow on her daughter's face, but this was already decided by her father, General Diao. But maybe, just maybe, now that Viel is back, maybe he would change his mind?

He remembered that his father did quite take a liking towards Viel.

As if reading her mind, Viel suddenly asked her a question.

"Where's the weird old man?", Viel asked.

"Weird old man?", Diao Chan tilted her head.

Viel then slid his hand from his chin down to his waist in a very elegant fashion as he laughed, "OHOHOHO"

Guang Yan, who has been quietly eating, almost snorted the food in her mouth with Viel's sudden miming. She only met the General once, and Viel's impression seemed to be spot-on.

"Ah! Y-you mean father?", Diao Chan chuckled, "He is currently in the west with a few high rank explorers"

"Explorers?", Viel furrowed his eyebrows, he has been hearing that term for a while now.

"Hm", Diao Chan nodded her head, "He is also with the Pathfinder"

"P-pathfinder?", Viel furrowed his eyebrows further.

"Oh, you should be acquainted to her", Diao Chan said.

"Eehh…", Viel closed his eyes, "I don't know anyone with a weird name like that", he said while still continuing to eat even with his eyes closed.

"N-no, that's just her title bestowed to her", Diao Chan chuckled, "Because she can detect where the portals will be before it even appears…

Charlotte, do you remember her?"

"...Charlotte", Viel opened his eyes, "Ah! The woman that's not my mother!"

"Y-yes?", Diao Chan twitched her eyes, that's a weird way to remember her. She then once again stared at Viel.

"Now that you mention it…", she said, "Now that you're older, you are looking more and more like her"

Hearing this, Xing Cai quickly furrowed her eyebrows, but did not really say anything.

"What else do you need to know?", Diao Chan placed her finger on her chin.

"Violet is also in the west", this time, it was Diao Mei who spoke.

"Eh? Is she with your grandfather?"

"No", Diao Mei shook her head, "She and her mother left about 6 years ago, right when Taizhou was still developing. Violet didn't really want to leave, but she left with a smile on her face when she thought that she might find you in one of the dungeons there"

"I...I see", Viel stuttered.

"Xiao Pei, well, you know how he is", Diao Mei chuckled, "I don't really remember much about him now, but he suddenly disappeared not long after you were gone"

"Hmm…", Viel nodded. Honestly, the only thing that Viel remembers about him now was that he had a scar on his face.

"As for Wei Song's family…"

Hearing Wei Song's name, Viel immediately stopped eating, his eyes turning wide.

"...They are doing alright. Wei Song's sister is currently studying at Taizhou Academy"

"You know they… will be happy to see you, you know?", Diao Chan added,

"Do… you want to visit them?"