Chapter 199: Who is that?

"That one was a bit crazy, wasn't it!?"

"Maybe if you stayed to the side instead of poking your spear everywhere, we would have already been done hours ago"

Violet and her group stepped out of the portal. None of them seemed to be injured as the only thing that covered their body was the powdered bones of the skeleton monsters that they have obliterated. Falling like ash as with each other their steps.

"My spear is my--"

"We know, Rudolf", the woman with a large hammer, Pam, rotated her shoulders while sighing, "You don't have to tell us every hour"

"Tch", Rudolf quickly clicked his tongue in response, "You and your weapon without even a single finesse"

"At least my hammers proved effective with the undead", Pam smirked before looking who was quietly looking around, "What do you think, Violet?"

"Psh, why are you even pulling Violet into our conversa-- What… the?"

Before Rudolf could finish his words, his eyes widened in shock as he also started looking around, "Where… are all the monsters?"

There were still countless numbers of monsters when they stepped outside. It would be no big deal if there were corpses strewn around because of how strong Violet's friends are… but there wasn't even a single corpse to be found.

"Do you guys… hear that?", Violet raised her hand as gestured for her group to keep silent. She then looked towards the castle. After a few seconds, they heard screams.

"Something is happening inside the castle!", Violet quickly rushed towards the estate. Seeing that there was also smoke coming out from it, the group expected the worst. Could Violet's friend have failed to protect the castle?

"Let's go!"

The group was careful as they sneaked inside the castle, they didn't know what awaited them there, so stealth would be the best option. But as soon as they reached the source of the noise and the smoke, their eyes could not help but widen in shock.

"This…", Rudolf breathed as he stepped off the wall and slowly walked into the courtyard.

In front of him, were the source of the noise and the screaming. But instead of people crying out for help, they were all smiling. Some, of course, were still crying for their lost loved ones.

There were also people grilling food. And some people were playing tunes with their broken instruments. Of course, the city was still grieving and they still needed to recover. This was just a spark, the spark that would ignite their hopes once again.

"This… are they having a feast?", Pam whispered as she walked beside Rudolf.

Violet, on the other hand, could not help but smile, "This is probably Viel's doing".

If something can't be explained, then it more than likely has something to do with Viel.

"Come on, let's go find--"

"V… Violet!?"

Before Violet could finish her words, she heard a familiar voice calling for her from her left. And as soon as she saw who the owner of the familiar voice was, she quickly rushed towards her and hugged her.

"M… Mei!?", she said as she tightened her embrace and slightly looked up to see Diao Mei's face, "It really is you, it has been a long time, hasn't it!?"

Diao Mei nodded repeatedly in response as the both of them jumped in glee.

Rudolf and Pam could not help but let out a smile as they saw Violet's expression. One tends to forget how young Violet actually is because of the mature air that surrounded her, not to mention her strength. And seeing her like this, she really did look like she was just 12 years old.

"You're with Viel?", Violet asked as they tried to contain their excitement.

"Hm", Diao Mei once again nodded.

"When did he come back!?"

"More than a month ago", Diao Mei sighed, "But we have not really spent that much time together--"

"Hello, mademoiselle"

Before Diao Mei could finish her words, she was interrupted by Rudolf, who suddenly kneeled in front of her, "You have such beauty that makes me want to--"

"Come on, let's go to where the others are!"

But alas, Rudolf was ignored, leaving him kneeling on the ground like a fool.

"Pft...", Pam could not help but scoff as she patted Rudolf's shoulders, "Best learn how the easterners act before you embarrass yourself further. Come, let's join the festivities"

And so, Rudolf, Pam, and their two other unnamed companions joined the festivities.

"Viel! Look who it is!"

"Ah, Miss Violet!"

Viel quickly raised the crab he was holding and waved it in the air as he saw Diao Mei and Violet approaching their table. Beatrice, who was beside him, could not help but cover her face as some of the meat from the crab flew to her.

"What took you so long to clear the dungeon?", he then said as he munched on the scrumptious and juicy crab meat.

"...", hearing Viel's words, Violet could not help but chuckle awkwardly. That was actually one of their fastest times yet. There were also no natives so they didn't need to stop.

"Hello, are you friends with Lord Viel?", Beatrice, who finally managed to be free from the bits of food that were being thrown at her, joined the conversation. But as soon as she saw Violet, her eyes squinted. "You…", she muttered.

"Aren't you the new hero!?", Beatrice quickly stood up and approach Violet, shaking her hands in excitement.

"Hm?", Viel could not help but raise an eyebrow, "Hero?"

"Eh, you're the new Hero!?", Diao Mei could not help but raise her eyebrows.

"Hm", Beatrice nodded her head, "Violet passed the test of the Circle with the highest marks!"

"...Circle?", Viel lowered his eyebrows in confusion. There seemed to be a lot of things in the west that was not present in their lands.

"Since Hero Cortana disappeared more than a decade ago, the Circle decided to pick a new Hero", Beatrice continued to shake Violet's hand, "...And miss Violet here is the new one!"

Hearing the name Cortana, Violet's expression quickly shifted as she released a slight breath.

"S… sorry!", Beatrice finally let go of Violet's hand after shaking it one final time, "I just got excited seeing the new Hero! They told us someone was clearing the last dungeon, I did not even dare to think that it was you and your group! Thank you!"

"Cortana…", Viel whispered. "The Hero of Freiden…"

"Hm?", Beatrice tilted her head as she heard Viel's mutterings.

"Do you know where Cortana is?", Viel then asked.

"I am afraid not. No one knows", Beatrice shook her head, "She just suddenly disappeared a decade ago a year after defeating the Demon God"

"Hm…", Viel placed his hand on his chin. If he remembers correctly, Cortana was the name of the person that Xanthus wanted to dearly meet. Maybe he'll wake up once he meets her?

"I believe you should be hungry?", Beatrice then pulled Violet and Diao Mei to their table, "Come, please join us at our table!"

"You are the new hero?", Diao Mei excitedly asked as they sat at the table, "How did that even happen?"

"It's… a long story", Violet slightly chuckled.

"We have the time", Diao Mei smiled, "How are you and your mother doing?"

"She…", Violet was about to open her mouth, but decided not to as she shook her head and placed the attention towards Viel, "He should be the one we should be questioning!", she pointed her finger.

"Why did you only return now!?", Violet clicked her tongue, "Are you still staying in Taizhou?"

"No", Viel quickly shook his head, "I own a city now", he then said as he stood up on his seat, "The new and glorious ancient city of Xingcai!"

"What?", Violet blinked her eyes a couple of times, "How is it ancient if it's new?"

"Pff…", Diao Mei slightly chuckled, "He ransacked an old sect and made it his city"

"What, no!", Viel sat down, "You make it sound like I am a bandit!", he said as he pointed the claws of the crab he was eating towards Diao Mei, but by doing so, accidentally causing the meat to fall off and drop on the muddy and dirty floor.

"..."

"Ahahaha!"

The group burst out in laughter as Viel kneeled on the floor almost in tears.

"Vi, have you tried this buttered--", It was then that Sofia approached their table, holding a plate of her own, "Oh, hello again", she then said as she noticed Violet was now here.

"Ah, yes… hello", Violet nodded in reply.

"Vi, you should stop sulking and try this crab that's covered in butter", Sofia then said as she kneeled, placing the crab meat on her plate into Viel's mouth.

"Hmm!", Viel quickly chewed the crab that Sofia fed to her, his eyes quickly reviving, "What is this!?"

"It's buttered crab, almost the same as we had on the ship", Sofia said as she wiped the butter on Viel's mouth, "Let me get you some more"

Violet, who watched the whole interaction play out between the two, could not help but squint her eyes as she looked at Sofia who was now walking away to get more food for Viel, "You two seem very close?", Violet could not help but ask.

"Sofi?", Viel tilted his head, "She's my fiance"

"What!?", Violet widened her eyes in shock.

"Wait… she's also your fiance!?", Beatrice also reacted violently, "There's two of us!?"

"What!?", Violet no longer knew where to look as her confusion reached its peak, "Why do you have so many fiances at that age!?"

"...Because I am a beautiful man", Viel shook his head and shrugged.

Violet could not help but sigh, "I can understand Diao Mei being engaged since she's older than us… but you're the same age as me!"

Hearing her name being mentioned, Diao Mei could not help but flinch.

"You will make your Grandma Ling step out of the grave at this point!", Violet shook her head and crossed her arms.

"G… Grandma Ling?", Viel blinked his eyes a couple of times.

"...Viel?"

"Grandma Ling…", Viel once again muttered again as tears started to fall from his eyes.

"!!!"

"Viel, what's wrong!?", Diao Mei and Violet quickly stopped everything they were doing and rushed to Viel's side.

"Who… Who is that?", Viel stuttered as his tears continued to trail on his face,

"Why... can't I remember?"