https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-868-Lance-and-Talia-s-Memories-to-Bring-to-the-Grave/12937173/
Chapter 869: Lance's Return to His Old Haunt
Chapter 869: Lance's Return to His Old Haunt
Paria North District 4.
Baronet Bastian Manor.
The warm morning sun bathed the cobblestone streets, and even in the depths of winter, Paria remained relatively mild. Lance strolled down the street with a little black cat perched on his head, heading towards the distant mansion.
This was the ancestral home of the Bastian family, once the most magnificent residence on the street. The iron gate adorned with morning glories now bore a faint layer of rust from the passage of time, and the tall poplar trees standing guard-like on either side of the entrance had snapped in half.
"Alas, what a beautiful mansion. It's a shame it's been destroyed, just like the Willford family's old estate."
Lance couldn't help but sigh as he gazed upon the half-collapsed, once-grand manor.
On the night of the Flame Demon Beelzebub's attack, the broken walls resembled the fangs of a giant beast. In the midst of a stormy night, the mansion's gates were forced open, and rubble and debris littered the front hall and garden. The barriers protecting the manor had been dismantled.
Now, the peeling paint, shattered glass, and vines crawling up the walls made the manor look as if it might collapse at any moment under the weight of time.
Lance looked towards the garden.
It was morning, and a team of workers in construction gear had set up camp in the manor's courtyard. The foreman held a set of blueprints, discussing repair plans with the idle craftsmen.
Scaffolding had been erected, and roofers carefully climbed up to replace damaged tiles. Skilled carpenters repaired broken doors and windows, sanding them smooth, while masons deftly filled cracks in the walls and applied a fresh coat of paint.
"Actually, it was to protect Hugh Bao that the Willford family's mansion in South Vandina was destroyed by the decayed alchemical beast. If Duke Mygaya knew about this, he would definitely provide more funding to your chamber and have the old estate repaired, meow."
The Cat Boss, perched on Lance's head, spoke to him.
"I just found out that the Willford family was actually under the Alansar family. No wonder the company suffered the Willford Incident; it was because Duke Mygaya went missing, and their powerful backer was gone."
Lance had only recently learned that the largest shareholder of the Willford Chamber was Duke Mygaya.
"Then you struggled for two years, and the world changed, meow."
The Cat Boss reflected on Lance's adventures over the past two years, feeling that it was a miracle he had survived this long.
Setting aside the possibility of Lance returning to Kreithni to take over Emperor Loren's work, Loren would probably pack his bags and run. Even if Lance returned to the Northern Continent, he could become President Locke MacCay, as the current Emperor of Kreithni treated Locke as an advisor.
Either way, he was guaranteed a job in at least one country on each continent.
"At first, I just wanted to go to the royal capital of Echirite to take a look. But then I heard the name of that legendary Sealer, and the journey began."
Lance stood across the street from the manor, hands in his coat pockets, gazing at the distant mansion.
"You still can't forget your original White Moonlight Volunteer, can you, meow?"
The Cat Boss suspected that Lance and Sigrid wanted to turn Askan into a weekly dungeon.
"This journey has been full of twists and turns. If you look back, you'll realize that from the moment we set sail, nothing went according to our initial plan."
Lance smiled and patted the cat on his head.
Unexpected events had woven through his life, and that was what life was all about.
"Yes, meow."
The Cat Boss never imagined that he would become a Ninth Rank Divine Beast.
In Kreithni, he had lived out his dream of being a guardian deity.
The man and cat stood at a distance from the mansion, chatting.
After the Paria Incident, the Southern Continent was plunged into war, triggered by the Kreithni Empire. The southern province of Aquidan in the Bosson Kingdom bordered the northeastern part of the Kreithni Empire, separated only by a mountain range. The threat of invasion loomed.
Part of the Bastian family's assets were in Aquidan, so they were in a precarious situation. Instead of rushing to repair the old mansion, they put the restoration on hold and prepared to settle permanently in another luxurious mansion in the maple forest of District 2.
It seemed that the Southern Continent had recently stabilized, so the Bastian family began the formal restoration of the damaged old mansion.
"Speaking of which, Lance, why don't you go inside and take a look?"
The Cat Boss knew that even if Lance didn't know the construction crew, with his social skills, he could quickly get to know the workers. Moreover, he was already familiar with the Bastian family, and it would be easy to contact Baron Bastian.
"Don't disturb their work."
Lance shook his head, ready to head to the maple forest in District 2.
"Meow, meow, you've worked here for quite some time. Take a good look before you leave. You might not get another chance, you know. Life is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
The Cat Boss followed Lance, witnessing his diverse work experiences. No matter the task, he approached it like a ruthless mercenary, striving for excellence.
But in reality, the Cat Boss knew that Lance was dedicated to every job. He wasn't just a hard worker; he enjoyed his work, which was why he excelled at everything he did.
The Cat Boss suggested that Lance take a look inside before heading to the Bastian family's other mansion in the maple forest.
As Lance and the Cat Boss chatted.
"Locke?"
A voice sounded behind them.
"..."
Lance, dressed in a gray coat, turned around and saw a familiar figure at the end of the cobblestone road.
Her golden hair was shorter than when he had first met her, having been trimmed after being partially scorched by a mysterious demon's attack. Now, several months later, the young lady of the Bastian family had not returned to her initial long-haired style.
"I'm sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else."
Christina spoke up after recognizing the young man's face.
She had initially thought it was the evil god butler returning, but something about his demeanor seemed different, more ordinary, and less transcendent.
However, when Christina noticed the little black cat on the young man's head, she hesitated.
That cat was the same sprite cat that Butler Locke had once boarded at the Bastian family's home.
"It's me."
Lance acknowledged reluctantly.
He had never intended to hide his identity.
"Locke!"
Christina exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth. She then rushed over to Lance's side, delighted to see the butler again after so long.
She thought she would never see this mysterious guy again.
"You sure have a lot of faces, but this black-haired, green-eyed, youthful disguise is quite eye-catching."
Christina surveyed their former butler, Locke, in his disguised appearance, and commented with a smile.
She thought Locke must be an ancient monster, perhaps a demon of unknown age. Seeing him looking even younger than during his time as the brown-haired, green-eyed butler, Christina felt a bit disoriented.
"Why do I feel like you're thinking of something impolite, Miss?"
Lance frowned, addressing Christina with familiarity.
"No, no, I'm just happy you're back!"
Christina waved her hand dismissively.
Although she never fully understood the identity of their temporary butler, she knew that such a mysterious powerhouse must have played a crucial role during the Southern Continent's war.
Now that the war was over, he probably didn't have much to do.
"How's your studies going lately?"
Lance asked Christina with concern.
"You shouldn't ask me that as soon as we meet. I've already taken a year's leave of absence from the Aroran Royal Academy, and it's reasonable to relax a bit, right?"
Christina held her head, reluctant to face the butler's question. "Let's go to the Bastian family. I don't miss you at all, but since you left, my father and mother have been in a daze, almost treating you like their own son."
Changing the subject, she called out to Lance, leading him towards the new residence in the North District's maple forest.
"Why did you come today?"
"I come often, always wanting to see the old mansion. Now I can act as a supervisor and report the progress of the repairs to my parents."
"..."
"See, now you've met me."
The two walked and chatted on the street outside the mansion.
Under the skilled care of the construction team, the long-slumbering building was slowly awakening, and soon it would regain its former glory.
Throughout the winter morning, the construction site buzzed with the sounds of machinery, hammers, and mana saws.
The tense, busy figures of craftsmen weaved through the dilapidated mansion, infusing the lifeless building with vitality.
"But Locke, you really don't need to worry about my studies. Now that I'm back at school, those magic practical courses that gave me headaches might be easily passed soon."
Christina's hair, which had been cut short during the Flower Capital Incident, had grown significantly.
Among her golden strands, a few strands hinted at a maple-like red.
A silver hairpin, engraved with a delicate rose, had its petals adorned with tiny rubies, sparkling in the natural light.
"Did the Count get you a tutor?"
Lance glanced at the hairpin, which he had personally fixed for Christina.
"A tutor is one thing, but mainly..."
Christina told Lance about what happened after he left.
The accident that day left a wound on her chest and back, and even after she came back to life, there remained an unhealed, scarlet flame scar. Despite seeking help from various high-level physicians and clerics, it couldn't be cured.
However, whether it was a good or bad thing, her previously balanced attributes at the Aroran Royal Academy suddenly became fire-attuned. Same-level flames could no longer harm her, and her fire-attributed spells became so powerful that she couldn't estimate their strength.
"I'll find you a physician who should be able to help. Don't worry, it's not a big issue."
Lance guessed that this was probably a side effect of the epic spell Beyond the Ashes.
That day, Innoan knew he would meet his end in the Flower Capital, so he might have left something extra for Christina, but it wouldn't be a harmful physical change.
However, the top physician of the Resurrection Church, Mygaya, would surely be able to diagnose it.
"What kind of physician is that powerful?"
Christina knew Locke must have some extraordinary connections.
If someone was more capable than the physician the Count had hired, they must be a sixth-rank or higher entity.
"His brother-in-law, meow."
The cat boss, perched on Lance's head, replied.
Lance immediately covered the cat boss's mouth with his hand.
Christina didn't realize who was speaking at first, but as Lance slowly released the cat, she asked, "You can talk?"
She looked up at the cat, which had been released by Lance.
When she saw this cat in the Paros Realm and the Silver White Vine Arena, she knew it was strong and could protect her, but she never expected it to speak.
"Of course, meow."
The little black cat silently jumped off Lance's head, and Christina caught it.
"Hello, Christina, meow."
It raised its head, its bright eyes full of pride, its tail swaying gently.
"Amazing, a talking cat!"
Christina held the little black cat, speaking with delight. She never imagined the cat was so magical, and she had underestimated it.
It might even be a sixth-rank!
"But speaking of your brother-in-law, is he that powerful?"
Christina snapped back to reality and turned to Lance.
"No, he's not my brother-in-law, he's the Duke."
Lance was caught off guard by the cat boss's sudden statement.
"Er..."
Christina didn't understand.
She just felt it was strange.
Why did Locke show such respect to his brother-in-law, as if he were an elder?
"Anyway, he's not my brother-in-law. Even if he calls me his brother-in-law to my face, don't believe him. He just likes to joke around."
Lance warned Christina.
"Locke... It's been a while, and I feel like you've changed a lot."
Seeing the butler's rare urgency, Christina couldn't help but feel amused. She said to him, "What kind of changes?"
Lance asked Christina, puzzled.
"Er, it's hard to say."
Christina rested her chin in her hand, unable to find an answer.
Even though they hadn't seen each other in just a few months, she felt Locke's changes were far greater than hers.
"Miss, you still speak as you did before, relying on intuition. Back then, you said you didn't trust me, but when asked why, you couldn't explain. You just wanted to be cautious of me."
"Lance chuckled and shrugged, looking rather resentful."
"But later, I did trust you, and I wanted you to take me to Paros Realm to play."
Christina defended herself.
This butler, he seemed like a good person, but in reality, he was far from it. Yet, at crucial moments, he would always be a good person.
"By the way, was that gray-haired witch with you?"
Christina asked quietly, bringing up Paros Realm.
That day, in her dazed consciousness, she had caught a glimpse of the battle between the gray-haired witch and Perlman in Paros Realm. Only the Bastian family knew that the companion by the gray-haired witch's side was their butler, Locke.
In the past, she would never have dared to investigate Locke's secret.
It was only at the very end that she discovered Locke was a good person, but by then, she had no heart to dig deeper.
Now, meeting again, her mind was filled with reminiscence.
"Yes, you saw it that day. Thanks to her, I was able to defeat Perlman."
Lance readily agreed.
He had great trust in the Bastian family, and after the Flower Capital incident, they had kept the details about the butler from Admiral Nigel, who, despite knowing the truth, cooperated with the Bastians to complete the investigation report.
"Did she come back to the Flower Capital?"
Christina was curious about how Locke had managed to hide the gray-haired witch.
Now, looking around, she couldn't see the gray-haired witch anywhere.
"She came back with me too."
Lance nodded.
"Then why are you still here!"
Christina immediately stopped in her tracks.
She felt that at this moment, Locke shouldn't be hanging around with her.
"?"
Lance looked at Christina in confusion as she suddenly halted.
"Go, go, go! Hurry up and find her! What are you doing leaving her behind?"
Christina put the cat back on Lance's head and pushed him forward, as if urging him to run.
"Wait, Christina, I actually came to see you all today."
Although Lance was much stronger than Christina, he let her push him forward with all her might.
"The Bastian family is always here, we won't run away. Father also said that you can come back anytime. Why do you have to separate from her on the weekend? You can bring her along without any worries!"
Christina continued to struggle with Lance, insisting that he take the weekend off.
Otherwise, this guy would go to the Bastian family and end up working the whole day in a daze.
Now that the Southern Continent had just stabilized, the Bastians indeed needed someone as capable and efficient as Locke. However, precisely for this reason, Christina would never let Locke return to their home at this time.
"I've already paid your five thousand pounds, so you can't work for our family anymore!"
Christina declared.
"But it'll be really awkward for me to go on a date with her today. Regardless of my feelings, she'll definitely feel embarrassed!"
Lance tried to explain.
"How can you know if you don't ask her?"
Christina used all her strength to push Lance out of the Bastian family's estate, as if starting a stalled car.
Lance looked back at Christina in bewilderment.
"Look forward! The past is gone, the future has yet to come, and now—"
Christina waved and shouted at Lance,
"The most important thing is now! That's what you taught me!"
"..."
Lance was about to say something but sighed and held back his words.
He was somewhat relieved about Christina.
What he had been most concerned about was the young lady of the Bastian family after the Flower Capital incident.
Now, it seemed that Christina had a full life and didn't need an ounce of pity.
The one truly hesitating at this moment was him.
"Please give my regards to your brother, the Count, the Countess, and your younger siblings."
Lance waved goodbye to Christina for the time being.
"No problem, feel free to contact me anytime."
Christina smiled and stood in place, seeing Lance and the little black cat off.
...
A few minutes later.
Lance strolled on the streets of Pariera's south bank, quickly leaving the neighborhood and returning to the streets lined with plane trees on both sides.
"Lance, are you going to find Tata at the Asturias Manor in Montmartre Heights?"
The Cat Boss took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh air, and murmured.
In this environment, he felt Lance's hesitation and fatigue gradually dissipating, replaced by a rare sense of calm and relaxation.
"Yes, it's not too far to walk there."
Lance knew the way to Montmartre Heights, and the Asturias Manor of Baroness Rosalinda wasn't too far from there.
There weren't many pedestrians around, and the streets were filled with the peaceful and harmonious floral fragrance unique to the Flower Capital, making it an excellent place for a stroll.
More importantly, Tata might have just finished her early tea, and he needed to let her eat her fill before taking her out to play.
Suddenly, the Cat Boss hung upside down and handed Lance a pink magic card.
"Lance, you have a communication."
It said.
"Huh..."
Lance took the Holy Communication Magic Card in confusion.
This limited-edition communication magic card from the Silver Moon Reform Society had become a memento of his time in the Kreitni Empire.
Ever since Talia became the Mad Love Demon, Lance had replaced all his Epic cards with magic cards that reduced mana consumption, increased mental attributes, and accelerated mana recovery.
Tool magic cards would be kept with the Cat Boss.
Lance took a closer look and realized it was from Tata.
"Tata?"
Lance answered the call.
He hadn't expected that just as he was about to go find Tata that morning, before even reaching Baroness Rosalinda's home, Tata had taken the initiative to contact him.
"Lance, you..."
Tata spoke to Lance.
A woman's expectant laughter could be heard in the communication.
It seemed that under the encouragement of Baroness Rosalinda, Tata wanted to say something to Lance but became tongue-tied due to Rosalinda's presence.
"Do you want to go out and play this afternoon?"
Lance asked.
"Okay."
Talia hesitated slightly but agreed resolutely.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
