Chapter 129: Communication

‘How did it turn into this…?’

The crowd gathered on Wuke Street was no smaller than what Lian had seen during the Grand Festival, yet there was no longer a single member of the Demon Race to be seen among them.

The shops and restaurants that once lined both sides of the street to welcome tourists were now tightly shuttered, leaving only the mess of overturned tables and chairs from their outdoor seating areas scattered across the pavement.

However, even this clutter was being stepped on and trampled repeatedly by the marching crowds and the angry citizenry.

The throng was like a rushing, roaring river; Lian and Iyue, swept up in its current, had to constantly check their distance from one another to ensure they weren’t lost in the wild surge of the tide —

“Keep close to me.”

Iyue led the horse at the front, while Lian followed tightly by her side.

Several times, the two were nearly separated by the crowd… fortunately, the brown horse served as a buoy, guiding their way.

“Only a few days have passed, and the city has actually become like this…”

Due to her injuries and the sensitive nature of her identity, Lian had spent the days following the end of the Grand Festival recuperating inside the Duke’s Mansion, strictly following Meliya’s instructions.

Aside from her family and companions, the only people who had visited her during her recovery were her colleagues, led by the Xīlong Pavilion maid, Tilly.

Those maids had also temporarily returned to the Palace due to the disturbances in the city… consequently, Lian was almost completely ignorant of what was happening outside the mansion and within the city.

Gazing at this scene, Lian felt a surge of burning anxiety.

She had imagined that the attack would sour the atmosphere in the city… but she had not expected it to reach this level.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything.”

Lian had also worried about the situation in the city. But when she had asked, Meliya had simply smiled and said those words to her.

‘At a time like this… if only the Communication Pearl were still here…’

Ever since the incident began, she had been carrying the Communication Pearl given to her by Sephy — but when she was knocked out by Feixiao, everything she had been carrying, except for the clothes on her back, had been confiscated.

“Don’t worry too much. The situation here should still be within the authorities’… within her control.”

Looking at the military police who were maintaining order and controlling the situation on the street in an organized manner, Iyue spoke to comfort the anxious Lian.

The two of them were heading in the same direction as the marching crowd… because this was a group demanding to see the Princess and presenting a petition to the Duchess to declare war.

That being said, the leaders of the march had never once managed to set foot past the gates of Honglian Palace.

Thus, these people could only block the Palace entrance, repeatedly shouting slogans that grew more radical by the day at the solemn-faced guards.

Naturally, Lian and Iyue did not take the same path as these people.

They headed toward a side door of the Palace that almost no one noticed… after they gave their names, the guard showed a look of surprise and delight, leading them toward the Duchess’s residence —

“Meliya…!”

Relying on her memory, Lian impatiently ran toward Meliya’s office, with Iyue following behind her.

The guards of the mansion all recognized them, so the two moved through without any hindrance.

The desk in the Duchess’s office was piled high with documents, just as it always was. Lian rushed inside, only to be greeted by a calm, slightly exhausted voice:

“…Why did you come in without knocking?”

“Ve… Vera?”

Sitting at the desk was not Meliya, but her close friend, Vera. She was clearly overwhelmed by official business; it wasn’t until Lian called out her name that she raised her head, revealing a look of pure shock.

“Li… Xiao Lian? Are you safe?!”

She jumped up from her chair instantly, her fatigue vanishing.

With a mix of surprise and joy, she ran over and hugged Lian, holding her face and repeatedly checking her condition.

“Are you all right? Did those people do anything to you? How did you escape from them — “

“I’m the one who brought her back.”

It wasn’t until Iyue spoke up that Vera noticed another person leaning against the wall at the entrance of the room.

“Iyue…!”

“Yeah. It’s been a long time… four or five years, right?” Iyue tipped her hat toward the stunned Vera. As she did so, a flush of red crept onto Vera’s face… she hurriedly let go of her embrace.

“Y-You, why are you here? And with Xiao Lian…” When she reached the name, Vera hesitated for a moment, then cast a look of confirmation toward Lian —

“It’s fine, Iyue knows… I’ve already told her everything.”

Lian patted her shoulder to reassure her.

“I see… Feixiao’s words are truly thought-provoking…”

After learning of Lian’s ordeal, Vera nodded with a heavy expression. As she was lost in thought, Lian impatiently interrupted her.

“Forget about that for now! Where did Meliya go? And I heard Milin is missing… what is going on?”

“Meliya and Sephy went to Nolan… therefore, I am currently acting as the Duchess of the Northland.”

“Nolan? What are they doing in Nolan?”

“Nolan hasn’t responded to our inquiries… not only that, but the people we sent there haven’t returned.” Vera’s expression turned grim.

“Because of this, several nobles, led by Northern Frontier Earl Edmond, have already mobilized their personal armies and marched toward Nolan… she went to dissuade them.”

“…Then what about Milin?”

The answers she received made Lian’s head spin. She held her forehead as she continued to ask.

“See for yourself.”

Vera handed over a sheet of stationery that smelled of fragrant ink. Lian took it and began to read:

“To my dearest Mother:

Please forgive my selfishness. But I must find Sister Lian… and catch Feixiao to ask her clearly why she has done all these things.

In the past, I didn’t know what it was I wanted to do — but now I understand. I believe this is the first thing I must accomplish after my Coming of Age.

I love you more than anything. Please take care of yourself.

Milin”

Watching Lian’s complicated expression, Vera continued to explain, “When I went to knock on her door this morning, I found her room door was open. Then I found this letter on her desk. Aside from that, she took the Frostblade I gave her, as well as the Communication Pearl Sephy gave her.”

“Then… then contact her immediately! It’s a mess outside; how can you let her run around alone at a time like this…!”

“I’ve tried. But that child won’t answer.”

“Try one more time!”

Seeing that Lian wouldn’t take no for an answer, Vera had no choice but to pull out her Communication Pearl and pour Magic Power into it… but just as Vera had said, Milin didn’t answer at all.

“That child is really…”

Lian was both anxious and angry… it was the first time she truly understood the feelings of a parent.

Ding-ding!

Just as she was at her wits’ end, Vera’s Communication Pearl rang on its own — it was another holder calling Vera.

“Hello? Milin… where are you?”

Lian answered it without a second thought, shouting impatiently into the other end —

“Ah… is that Lian?”

But the response was not from Milin.

As the hazy mist within the pearl gradually cleared, Meliya’s face appeared in the image shown by the bead.