"Diao Mother, it's you!"
Viel could not help but point at Diao Chan, who was currently pouring food for the tired masses.
"It really is you, little Viel! Did miss Xing Cai find you? Where have you been!?"
Viel was bombarded with questions by Diao Mei's mother. Viel didn't know where to start answering as he scratched his head.
Suddenly, sounds of broken plates resounded near them.
"V-viel!"
It was Diao Mei. It would seem she was also handing out relief goods for the wounded. She accidentally dropped the plates she was handing out to the man in front of him when he saw Viel.
"N..no, my cabbages…", the poor man was unfortunate enough not to be able to catch the plates that had his food.
He was, however, ignored by Diao Mei as she quickly rushed towards Viel and hugging him in excitement.
"We thought you were dead, Viel!", Diao Mei's eyes turned teary as she embraced Viel with all of her strength.
"H-hello, Miss Mei. How are you?", Viel could only chuckle awkwardly. He only wanted to get food, he didn't really expect someone suddenly hugging him out of nowhere.
"When did you get back!?", Diao Mei was examining Viel to see if he had any injuries.
"Oi! You're holding up the line here!"
But Diao Mei's inspection was cut short as the people that were still falling in line started to get impatient.
"Little Mei, you can go ahead and rest. We'll take it from here. Shoo shoo", Diao Mei's mother quickly shoved Viel and Diao Mei away to assist the next citizen.
"W-wait!", Viel tried to reach for his plate of food, but his small arms could not reach it before they were totally shoved away from the table, "Nooo!"
Diao Mei and Viel were now alone a few meters away from all the reception. Viel could not help but be disappointed that he could not get his food first.
"Since you're here… now only Xiao Pei is missing", Diao Mei closed her eyes as she released a breath, "Maybe you saw him out there? We've been trying to look for him as well"
Viel shook his head, "Nope. I am sure Pei Pei is just sleeping around here somewhere"
"Hmm…", Diao Mei nodded. He then looked awkwardly towards Viel. Now that they were left alone, she realized she really does not have anything to say to Viel.
"Uhm.. w-what about you? Where did you go?", Diao Mei just said the first thing that was on her mind.
"Well…"
Viel then proceeded to tell the events that have happened inside the portal.
"What!? Flying boxes!?", Diao Mei's mouth was fully opened in shock as she could not believe the things that Viel has seen from the portal.
"Yup, and then there's these winged…."
"What!? T-the earth is round!?", once again, the shock on Diao Mei's face could not be contained.
"Hhm, and then when we were about to go home…"
"No! Miss Xianying was… Who was that red haired man!?"
Diao Mei was fully engrossed in the story as if she herself was there. There was a hint of tear on her eyes as Viel told the last part of his adventure.
"I plan to go back"
Viel's eyes were full of resolution as he directly looked at Diao Mei in the eyes.
Feeling the fierceness in Viel's gaze. Diao Mei could not help but gulp as shivers ran down from her spine.
"G-go back? Then… Can I come with you!?", Diao Mei also looked at Viel's eyes, "We will rescue Miss Xianying together!"
Viel hesitated to answer at first, but then he nodded, "Of course! There are a lot of fun things there, but first, we will rescue sister Xianying, together!"
Viel raised his fist with resolve, and Diao Mei followed suit as she also awkwardly raised her hand.
And so, the three of them raised their fists in resolve.
…
Three?
"W-wei Song!?", Diao Mei jumped back in surprise as she saw Wei Song beside her, also raising his fist, "Since when were you here!?"
"Since we left the reception?", Wei Song had a confused expression on his face.
"What!?", Diao Mei could not believe it. Was Wei Song really here from the start?
"Brother, let me come with you", Wei Song grabbed one of Viel's hand as he looked at him with a serious gaze.
"Uhm…", Viel squinted his eyes, he didn't know what to do.
"Please! It is the least I could do. You are the benefactor of my sister and mother's life, And for that, you have my eternal gratitude!", Wei Song did the Taizhou soldier salute as he bowed towards Viel.
Viel continued to squint his eyes as he was weirded out by the sudden treatment of Wei Song. Viel felt that Wei Song was much better before when he had a haughty attitude against him. This Wei Song is… a bit creepy, or so Viel thought.
"Please, brother! From now on, we are blood brothers! I will protect you with my life!", Wei Song's face was almost planted on Viel's forehead as he begged for Viel to include him in his quest. His big frame overshadowing Viel's. Was this really asking, or was this bullying?
"Eehh… okay", Viel could not help but just agree, "T-then the three of us will rescue sister Xianying… y-yey..", once again, Viel raised his fist but this time awkwardly.
And there, three kids, with no plan whatsoever and no idea what they would actually face, made an oath to rescue someone who they were not sure was even alive. With their fists pointed to the sky, they placed their resolve.
"*Ahem*"
As the three were making their oath, a man who has been standing a few feet away from them for a while now made his presence known, "Sorry to interrupt your playtime, kids. But we have business with the golden-haired boy here"
"What!? Where are you taking Viel!?", Wei Song quickly stood in front of Viel and blocked the man from approaching him.
The man could not help but sigh, thinking that this is why he doesn't want to deal with kids. "Look, I have orders from the General"
Wei Song then quickly scanned the man, and in truth, the man really was wearing a guard's uniform.
"I..I see, then I will come as Viel's guardian. As his loyal brother, I will not leave his side!", said Wei Song as he thumped his chest.
"Sorry kid, only the golden haired boy was requested by the General"
"But-"
"Uhm… b-brother Wei, I should be fine", Viel could not help but awkwardly smile towards Wei Song, he really did not know how to deal with Wei Song's sudden change.
Wei Song could not help but sigh in defeat as he nodded, "I am watching you", he said to the guard while pointing two of his fingers back and forth from his eyes and towards the guard.
"Take care, Viel. I'm just at the reception area if you need something", Diao Mei hugged Viel as she said her goodbyes.
The guard could not help roll his eyes. This was just supposed to be a simple task, once again, he was reminded why he didn't like dealing with kids. It wasn't like they were going to be separated for a long time.
"Let us go", Viel said to the guard as he waved his hand, as if furling an imaginary coat.
The guard twitched his eyes, what exactly did the General need from this dramatic child?
---
"General Diao, I have brought the kid you asked for"
"Good, let him in"
Viel stepped inside a huge room, with a huge round table in the middle.
There, he saw a bunch of familiar faces.
General Diao, who had a wide grin on his face.
Xing Cai who kept on sighing.
The old Headmaster of the Taizhou academy, along with Professor Hamburgdole.
There was one woman, however, that was unfamiliar to Viel.
"Hohoho, little brat. I see you've grown in all sorts of places since we last met", General Diao's laughter echoed throughout the room, "You should share your secret to our balding professor here", said General Diao as he placed his attention to Professor Hamburgdole.
"I'm not bald!", Hamburgdole quickly rebuked as he fixed his blond wig. But then he noticed Viel looking at him with a shock expression on his face, "W-why are you looking at me like that, student Viel!?"
"N-nothing sir… I just thought that you died during the attack…", Viel said as he looked to the side.
"W-what!?!?", Hamburgdole was perplexed. What rumors about him exactly were spreading around the school for this boy to think as such?
"HOHOHO!"
"How is that funny!?", Hamburgdole could not help but release a complaint. But even the Headmaster was slightly grinning while nodding his head, was there something he didn't know?
The room took a while before it became quiet due to Professor Hamburgdole's ramblings.
Viel then looked at the unfamiliar woman.
The woman was wearing a very elegant robe filled with embroidery. Her mountainous breasts did not even take the effort to hide as they jiggled with the woman's every swing of her fan.
When the woman noticed that Viel was staring at her, she smiled at him.
Viel closed his eyes in response, "I see. I know now why you called me here, Grandpa Diao", he then looked towards General Diao, a serious tone accompanying his voice.
"Oh?", General Diao could not help but be curious.
"You called me here to see if I wanted to be adopted by this big tittied lady", Viel said with a serious expression on his face.
"You are being disrespectful to the Princess!", once again, Professor Hamburgdole raised his voice, "And how did you even come to that conclusion!?"
Hearing Viel's words, the woman in question laughed.
"Maybe that's not a bad idea. I am still young, but if it was someone like Viel, I would not mind having a son at this age", the woman folded the fan she was holding as she revealed a smirk.
"Tch, with your fats, I am sure people have mistaken you for having multiple children, oh great Princess Cha", Xing Cai, who has been quiet for a while, commented a snide remark against the big breasted woman.
"Y-you! At least I am taking the initiative! What about you!? At your age you should already have children!"
"Tch!"
Viel watched on as Xing Cai and Princess Cha bickered with each other. Viel could not help but sigh as he approached Xing Cai.
He then patted her on the legs while releasing a deep sigh. "W-what is it, Viel?", Xing Cai was confused.
"You lost, sister Xing Cai", said Viel as he pointed to Princess Cha's breasts.
Xing Cai's eyebrows twitched. Wasn't Viel supposed to be on her side!?
"Pft", Princess Cha snickered as she revealed a victorious grin against Xing Cai.
"*Ahem*"
The Headmaster, who could no longer watch the silly bickering, cleared his throat to gather the group's attention.
"We called you here because of the portal. Xing Cai said you knew that defeating the flying beasts at their source was going to stop them from attacking", the Headmaster folded his arms as he looked at Viel with curious eyes, "How did you know that?"
"Uhmm", Viel scratched his head with the sudden query, "Mr. Voice told me?"
Hearing Viel's answer, Xing Cai scoffed. The others, however, only had confused expressions on their faces.
"Mr. Voice? Who is that?"
"Eh… Mr. Voice is a voice who speaks to me, sir"
"S…so you hear voices in your head?", the Headmaster grew more and more curious.
"What? No, I'm not crazy.", Viel snorted, "Mr. Voice is my friend who speaks to me in my- *gasp*", Viel's eyes widened as he released a loud gasp.
He slowly walked back, "Am…Am I crazy!?", he held his head with the sudden realization. He started to sweat as he looked at the people around him. Thinking that this was a trap and they were here to send him to the place for crazy people.
He then pointed at Xing Cai in panic, "Sister Xing Cai also hears Mr. Voice!"
"Is this true, Elder Xing Cai!?", General Diao could not help but stand up from Viel's sudden revelation.
"What!? N-no… tch", Xing Cai could not help but click her tongue in frustration, "I can't hear this Mr. Voice, but I did see floating letters after we returned from the other realm", Xing Cai gritted her teeth. She wanted to keep it a secret for now.
"Letters!?"
Xing Cai nodded in response, "The floating words were congratulating me for clearing the dungeon. The dungeon seems to be what the other realm is called"
Xing Cai proceeded to recount the events that happened to her.
"Hmm… Peculiar. That weapon beside you, it is the first time I am seeing it. Could it be from that… dungeon?", Princess Cha looked at Xing Cai with a questioning gaze.
Xing Cai could not help but click her tongue, why is this woman so sharp? She was so careful not to mention the sword she got from the mysterious floating words. Knowing Princess Cha, she will probably confiscate the sword, saying that it is an item for investigation and she will bring it to the royal palace.
"No… It is a weapon from the Golden Pavilion. I see your fats are making it hard for you to see the golden hue of this sword"
"Hmph"
"We did get something!"
"!!!"
Suddenly, Xing Cai's eyes widen as she heard Viel shout. Sweat started to form on her back. 'T-this brat!'
"Behold!", Viel raised his hand as he suddenly appeared on top of the center of the table.
"That is!?", all of the people in the room could not help but stand in suspense.
In Viel's hand, was a small black box.