Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong parted the dense shrubs and stepped out, looking at the Nightingale Girl who was leaning against a camphor tree, lowering her head to bandage her wound. A Big Catfolk beside her propped his sword on the ground with one paw, leaning against another camphor tree not far away. He heard the sound and turned his head, squinting at them as a form of greeting.

Fang Hong nodded and then greeted the Nightingale Girl: ”Long time no see, Alice.”

Alice lifted her head to look at him, and a trace of awkwardness flashed through her clear black-and-white eyes. She certainly hadn’t forgotten everything that happened on Fenris Isle, nor could she forget.

Those memories brought too much unbearable past to her, seeming to still turn into lingering nightmares, wavering and unremoveable—although she knew all of this was unrelated to the other party, indeed he even rescued her from that endless nightmare, she still tried her best to avoid anything associated with it.

In recent days, she instinctively did not contact them, even though Alice told herself it wasn’t necessary—they and her sister had nothing to do with her anymore. She didn’t need to pick up all past events again; her current life was fine, new environment, new acquaintances. But she also understood that this was merely an excuse.

But now this excuse was no longer applicable, Alice forced a smile, trying to make her tone sound as if it was still the past: ”Indeed, it has been a long time, Mr. Ade, but I often hear from my sister about you all.”

She then looked at Gita behind Fang Hong: ”Hello, Little Gita, you’ve grown quite a bit taller since last year.”

Without his glasses, Gita squinted at her, softly responding: ”Hello, Miss Alice.”

Nini was climbing up from Fang Hong’s shoulder; she had been awakened by the earlier combat, and now was still sleepy-eyed. She curiously looked at this girl who was very similar to Miss Nightingale and said in a childish voice: ”Papa?”

”Is this Nini?” Alice looked at the little one, her eyes involuntarily curious.

Speaking of which, the birth of this little girl was also related to her, but thinking of that Lizardman God made Alice’s mind involuntarily sink. But with this interruption, she felt somewhat better than before, seemingly regaining some of her past feelings.

Fang Hong answered: ”Miss Elisa often talks about you too.”

Alice smiled slightly: ”I suppose with my sister being together with you all, she feels much freer than in the past.”

”...Perhaps even a bit too free.” Fang Hong replied somewhat dryly to this question. The sister from his past impressions, gentle and kind, had long disappeared, replaced by a slightly mischievous Miss Nightingale.

She was always the first participant in any gossip about him; she seemed to enjoy seeing him embarrassed, such as the recent rumors spreading rapidly on the ship about him and Miss Miya.

Alice couldn’t help but laugh, and the atmosphere relaxed greatly: ”Looks like my sister has caused you all a lot of trouble.”

”...More or less, I suppose,” Fang Hong replied awkwardly, ”But, overall, Miss Elisa is still an outstanding scout and investigator, she has helped us greatly in the Seven Seas Travel Group.”

”Naturally,” Alice seemed to finally regain some joyful memories of the past, she playfully winked, ”Both my sister and I were among the top Nightingales in Rain Listening, Captain Lonely White’s judgment is impeccable.”

Regarding this answer, Fang Hong deeply agreed. Not only Elisa but also Xiangzi, the two former members of Rain Listening in the Seven Seas Travel Group were exceptionally outstanding, no less than Gita and Luo Yu from Tabopolis.

Compared to the Oak Knights, Rain Listening’s scale was much smaller. Before its dissolution, the former was already stepping into the Second World as a Free Summoners Guild, standing on par with guilds like Silver Forest Spear, capable of existing as a rival to the Descendants of Flor.

In the First World, it was at least a mid-level guild, and above that were the renowned guilds and the top ten.

Yet Rain Listening was just a regional guild, even not as strong as Holy White Stone and Twilight, similar at best to guilds like Art of War. Generally, the size of a guild determined the kind of talent it could nurture based on its resources.

But Rain Listening’s reserve members were clearly excellent, far beyond these guilds, showcasing the extraordinary capabilities and vision of Lonely White Field. However, after the Fenris incident, the individual left Rain Listening; rumor had it he went to the north, to the Ancient Tower, but no news came, even Xiangzi couldn’t reach him anymore.

”We’ve talked enough about idle matters, Mr. Ade,” Alice finally spoke: ”Let’s discuss the serious business now.”

Fang Hong nodded: ”Actually, I’ve been wanting to ask you about this; I heard from your sister that you joined the Stargate Port Special Team, but just now...?”

”This matter is rather long,” Alice stood up to answer, while reaching back to arrange her long hair into a bundle, then neatly flicked her ponytail, ”and actually I haven’t really joined the military, it’s more like serving it through merit, or you could say I’m still in a probationary period—”

Initially, after the Stargate Special Reserve Team took her away, they quickly investigated the cause and effect of the Fenris incident and verified the testimony of her sister and her. Speaking of which, this was thanks to the somewhat dazed guy in front of her; if not for his astounding actions at the time, Rain Listening’s some insider information wouldn’t have been exposed so quickly.