Chapter 123 Back home

Walking through the city streets, Matt found himself traversing the crowded streets all alone.

His face, showing a mind in full concentration as he walked.

Then, a voice called out. "Hey, Matt!"

Turning his head, he saw a man behind a food stall, waving at him.

"Ah, Will, my man! How are you?" Matt asked, walking to the stall and taking a seat.

"Ah, you know, better. How about you? You look like someone grabbed you in the balls."

"Oh, kinky." Matt said with a grin.

"But seriously, what is on your mind? I already saw your 'real' face, don't try to hide it." Said the man as he handed over a snack for Matt to nibble on.

Taking a bite, Matt said. "You know... I really should look around to see of there are people looking at me. I am so used to be the one looking."

"Heh, little pervert."

"You know it!"

"..."

"..."

"I'm not that old yet, Matt. So, what's on your mind? Let me, the grand master of knowledge, help you today." Said Will as he sat down dramatically on his seat.

"Hah, sure thing, mister-know-it-all."

"That's right, puny mortal. Hahaha!"

"..."

"..."

"Do you remember home, Will?"

"What? The place I woke up in this morning? Hah! I don't know, man. Seems even too much for me, the great one."

"Hah! Loser!... I'm talking about our first home, the place where we are born."

"Ah, that place..."

"..."

"..."

As the two young men stared off into the distance, looking like they were reliving a memory, a few minutes passed.

Then, Will said. "You know, Matt... Even though we have never met back then, I'm sure both of us feel the same way when talking about that place."

"Yeah..."

Running his hand through his hair, scratching it as he said. "You know... As much as I love my foster parents, and as much as they love me... I don't think they can ever fill the same way..."

"I think you are talking to the wrong person, Will..."

"Hah! I forgot! Sorry about that, Mister Orphan."

"Technically, you are an orphan too."

"Dammit! Well, there goes another insult that I can no longer use."

"Ha! Suck it, Mister Missing-left-leg."

Then, Will rose his left leg onto the counter, revealing some sort of metal mechanism that replaced anything under his left knee.

With a smile, Will asked. "Like what you see?"

"Oh, not in public, Will. Hehehe!"

After laughing for a bit, the two men sat back down in silence.

Then, with a serious tone, Will asked. "What caused you to bring that place up, Matt?"

Staring off into the distance, Matt replied. "I don't know... I just felt like it."

"Sure..."

"..."

"..."

"Well. It has been fun, Will. But, I have to go..."

"Your snacks are on the house... because I know you won't pay for it."

"This is why I'm your wingman, Will. Keep me posted on Miss Special."

"That Miss Special is soon to be known as my girlfriend."

"Keep telling yourself that, Will."

"You suck as a wingman... And don't clap at me, you weirdo!"

"Hahaha!"

After Matt left the stall, somewhere up north in the mountains, a meeting between three people are being held.

"From the way it came in, it came from somewhere west, possibly from the northwest."

Scratching her head, Shan then said. "If it really came from that way, Ling, it either has to come from Olympia or Niflland."

Then, the young lady she was talking to, the one with the extremely long sleeves, Ling, replied. "There is nothing in Niflland besides three years worth of snow, and the people of Olympia don't take kindly to any sort of strangers."

Then, with a bit of a pause, Shan continued. "Then, it must have came further west..."

Ling then asked with a slightly softer tone. "Did it come from your guy's home? Is he in danger?"

With a soft shaking of her head, Shan calmly replied. "Long knows better. He won't approach their territory."

Then, another voice spoke. "Why did he even leave in the first place? And, where did he say he would go?"

The two young women then looked off into the edge of the cliff, where Deniss is sat.

"Shut it, trash."

"It's a waste of breath to answer you since you'll forget it."

Amidst the harsh words, Deniss just replied. "If Jade didn't tell me to go here, I wouldn't be here! So, just deal it with like I do!"

After looking at Ling's calm yet angry face, Shan then said to him. "You insensitive bastard. Go jump off the cliff, will you? I can finish here on my own."

Then, without any hesitation, Deniss leapt off the cliff while saying. "Haha! Thank you!"

After mumbling of what can only be described as demonic whisperings, Shan turned to Ling, saying. "Seriously, that guy?"

Then, with a sigh, Ling replied. "Yes, that guy."

"Let's just continue what we were talking about, shall we?"

"We shall."

As the two ladies continued to talk, inside the Jade capital's many courtyards, infront of Jade, three girls are standing.

"Has Dianne informed you two?"

"Yes, Princess."

"Yes, Princess."

"Then, what are your opinions?"

"I think you did a great job and not taking any risk, Jade." Sumsa replied as she tipped all of her four hats to Jade.

"*sniff* Yes, I too feel the same *sniff*, Princess."

"Umm, Joan, are you okay?"

"I am fine, Princess. Just... don't... touch us for now."

Right after she said that, a wind blew in their direction.

"Hiiii!" As the wind touched her skin, Joan jumped in the flinch up into the air as she let out a screech.

Meanwhile, Sumsa just fell over, frozen completely still like a statue.

Seeing the sorry state of the two before her, Jade then said. "Dianne."

"Yes, Princess."

"Remind me to never go anywhere near the Praying Lotus, that also extends to the owner."

"I got it."

"Come, Dianne. Let's help these two back to their rooms."

"Yes, Princess. Sorry, but I'm going to have to lift you up, Joan."

"I see them... The nails... Noooo!!!"