Free Web NovelA bright, sun-filled afternoon—the perfect weather for strolling and sightseeing. After leaving the arcade, Xiao Lü piloted her puppet body and personally acted as a tour guide, leading Vieya on a nostalgic walk through familiar places.
“Yeye-sis, remember? Many years ago, we used to walk just like this around the shores of Cloud Pool.”
Cloud Pool—Talin City’s central lake—calm like the city’s heart. It reflected blue sky and white clouds year-round, hence the name: a sky-pool filled with clouds.
“......”
Vieya didn’t answer. Her clear eyes only reflected the white sand along the lake’s edge. No people, just waterbird tracks and bird eggs tucked in the reeds.
Back then, Flaviel would often bring her here to collect bird eggs. At first, she never understood why such a beautiful girl enjoyed something like that, dragging her along too.
But after learning Flaviel wasn’t some noble high-tower archmage, but a wandering, rain-drinking, beast-eating Dragon Demon King, these odd hobbies made perfect sense.
“What’s wrong? Remembering the good times?” Xiao Lü asked curiously. “This is exactly the route everyone used to walk together. I have all those memories backed up in countless data streams.”
“Remember your head. I’m not amnesiac,” Vieya replied coolly.
“Hehe, then let’s not talk about that.” Xiao Lü grinned, waggling her puppet brows. “But I saw your daughter! Tiny, tiny—she looks just like you did when you were little.”
“That’s enough.” Vieya reached out and flicked the puppet’s head—du du, crisp wooden clacks ringing out. “So smart, aren’t you? Stop yapping nonsense all day.”
Xiao Lü covered her empty wooden head and backed away quickly, not wanting to get flicked again.
But when she looked forward at the calm figure ahead of her, she paused. After all these years... Yeye-sis really had changed a lot...
Humans say one day apart feels like three autumns.
They hadn’t seen each other in over three years—how many autumns would that be?
“Yeye-sis, you really have changed...”
As always, Xiao Lü said whatever was on her mind. She swung her puppet arms exaggeratedly as she followed, each step long and awkward, like a real marionette. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
“I don’t mean your body and grandma-size curves changing, or you becoming stronger and more majestic and overwhelming. I mean... mm, you’ve grown up.”
She saw Vieya’s steps slow. Xiao Lü laughed softly.
But Vieya’s fist tightened. “If you can’t talk properly, don’t talk.”
“...That’s nice, though.” Xiao Lü exhaled quietly.
Then—
She looked up just in time to see that Vieya had stopped, turned around, stood right in front of her, expression blank. She raised her hand—
Bent her finger—
And smacked down hard onto the puppet’s head.
DONG!
The movement was smooth as flowing clouds and water, one clean streak from start to finish.
The sound was so loud that even the cat-eared maid nearby flinched.
For a moment, Xiao Lü’s consciousness seemed knocked right out of the puppet. She stood stiff and straight, looking as if a gentle push would topple her over.
“Ran away again?”
Vieya let out an exasperated laugh. With a dumb instrument spirit like her, if they ever formed a contract, one of them would definitely go insane.
“Meow?”
Helcat let out a soft question-meow. She had listened to her master and the puppet spirit banter along the way. She understood every word individually, yet after the whole conversation... she realized she didn’t understand at all.
Why did the little Demon King princess look like her mother when she was young? What did that even mean? The catgirl’s single-core brain couldn’t process the thought. Overthinking made her eyes glaze over.
After a long while—
The escaped spirit finally returned to the puppet.
Vieya stood with one hand on her hip, expression fierce. If Xiao Lü’s answer displeased her, she looked ready to dismantle the puppet and use it as firewood.
“Th-then... how about we go have... afternoon tea?” Xiao Lü abruptly changed the subject, as erratic as her thought process itself—pretending nothing had happened. fгeewebnovёl.com
“Afternoon tea”—
This, at least, Helcat understood. Her dull eyes lit up instantly. Afternoon tea meant good food. Delicious food. Many kinds of food.
“And while we drink tea, I’ll talk to Yeye-sis about the dungeon. Mm, it’s related to your daughter’s trial.” Xiao Lü continued her shameless topic-switching.
A blatant bait hook.
But it worked.
“Could my daughter even be in danger?” Vieya was very confident. Anna was also in that dungeon hunting treasures, and there were two Demon Kings involved. With such a luxurious lineup, what could go wrong?
...
A white table stood on the grass, covered by a linen cloth. Xiao Lü, Vieya, and Helcat sat around it, drinking afternoon tea.
Vieya drank volcanic coffee laced with snow-mountain liquor. Xiao Lü sipped a red “Perfumed Flower Brand” lubricant oil. In front of Helcat lay cheesecake, roe-cake, walnut brownies, roasted mackerel pancakes, baked fish-belly bread, toast with caviar, and white and green macarons...
Helcat devoured everything, head buried in her plates, while Vieya and Xiao Lü gazed over the broad shimmering lake.
This was Talin City’s best afternoon tea spot—nothing blocked the view, and the lake below glittered like a sea. Pine forests rippled lazily in the wind like rolling green waves.
Years ago, they had sat like this—drinking tea, talking about past and future, ideals and gossip.
Same place, different people, different hearts.
Even Xiao Lü’s puppet was a new model.
“Yeye-sis, are you really planning on raising your and her daughter all the way until she grows up?” Xiao Lü asked.
“Mm. Before that child grows up, I’m not planning anything else.” Vieya took a sip of the bitter, throat-burning coffee. “In most people’s understanding, the Chief Hero and the Demon King are mortal enemies—fight to the death, no exception.
But I want to find a method in this world—a way to pull someone who has died... ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) back out of the river of time, without needing sacrifices or corpses or souls.”
“That is... a very large wish.” Xiao Lü sighed. “The stronger someone is, the greater the cost of bringing them back. Have you thought about the consequences?”
Her gaze deepened.
“Those costs cannot be avoided just because you want to avoid them. Are you sure she would want you to pay that price just to revive her? Are you sure the one who returns would be whole? And... are you sure the one you revive will be the person you remember?”
“I’ve thought through all of it.”
Vieya licked the bitterness off her lips, her beautiful eyes reflecting the blue lake and sky. Her tone remained calm.
“But I still want to try. Even if I fail, it’s better than doing nothing.”
“You used to be such a firm conservative,” Xiao Lü frowned.
“I still am,” Vieya said softly.
“Forget it. You came here because you want to secretly protect your precious daughter, right? Let’s talk about that.” Xiao Lü sighed. “This dungeon was originally being cleared by many strong adventuring parties. But then the Northern War broke out, and every passionate, ambitious adventurer ran north to assist. So the clearing progress is still stuck at the tenth floor.”
“Your daughter can only operate on floors one and two, but there are still countless unsolved issues in this dungeon. If she’s not smart and brave enough, she could face danger.”
“Danger...” Vieya fell silent.
Xiao Lü narrowed her eyes, looking at the white-haired beauty deep in thought across from her, and nodded slightly.
“Yes. Very dangerous. More dangerous than you think. So maybe... consider being her personal bodyguard?”
“But Jasmine said she wants to be a little hawk—grow up facing the wind and rain on her own.”
“Aiya, and so what? If something really happens, won’t you explode?” Xiao Lü teased.
“Then I...”
“Take action, young mother.” Xiao Lü declared solemnly. “I’ll give you a trial slot—an official participant slot—for the Magic Academy’s trial as a junior mage.”
