Chapter 132 Reunion

The morning sky over Iketeru was filled with a faint blue hue. In this early summer, the air throughout the city was exceptionally fresh.

The aroma of oatmeal and cheese still lingered on the first floor of Cat Boss Restaurant.

Clearly, the three new employees had just enjoyed a relaxing chat after breakfast.

However, a visitor shattered this customary tranquility.

"You...!"

Talia's pupils contracted, her mouth slightly agape, unable to utter a complete sentence, but her expression spoke volumes—

It was a mixture of astonishment and bewilderment, as if her brain had ceased to function.

Her body leaned back slightly, instinctively trying to recoil from the source of the shock.

Then her fingers clenched into fists, unconsciously tugging at the corner of her clothes, a self-soothing behavior under extreme emotional stress.

Her shoulders were tense, instinctively reacting defensively.

Talia made a dozen feints in a split second.

Too embarrassing, she had never suffered like this in her life!

The surrounding environment lost its importance at this moment. All her spirit and emotion were completely focused on the scene before her, making her world consist only of the immediate focal point. Everything else became blurred and secondary.

The three employees in the restaurant were all unfamiliar faces, but the familiar aura and magical fluctuations emanating from them instantly revealed their identities to Talia!

The woman sitting at the bar was stroking her chest with a serene expression. Her eyes were closed, and her long black dress resembled that of a noble lady. Her movements were gentle; it was Sinora.

And the casual and playful short-haired woman, wearing a leather vest, tight leather pants, and high boots, was obviously Antanas.

The man in a dark brown waistcoat, appearing particularly introverted and deep in the dimly lit bar, must be Planae.

Although their eyes carried a hint of natural coldness, they were all stunned when they saw Talia at that moment.

They looked at each other for several seconds.

Finally.

"Talia, it was Lanqi who brought us out of the Protos Empire."

Antanas rushed over and hugged the dazed Talia.

"Ah... ah..."

Talia allowed Antanas to shake her, but her mind remained blank, unable to recover.

She felt her brain shutting down.

Was someone casting a Fallen Paradise illusion?

She had opened the door to see Antanas, Sinora, and Planae?

How was that possible?

Lanqi had only been to the Northern Continent for half a year, yet he had managed to find the whereabouts of these three great demons in the Protos Empire, and how had he "brought" them back?!

Talia finally shook her head violently and pinched Antanas's face.

"Ouch, that hurts!"

Antanas cried out, her eyes closed.

"Not a dream..."

Talia murmured.

"Talia, you've changed! Who taught you to pinch others to determine if you're dreaming!"

Antanas's cheeks were flushed, but joyful tears welled in her eyes as she complained to Talia.

Near the entrance of the restaurant.

"Meow, Lanqi finally did something good."

The Cat Boss, perched on Hyperion's head, wiped away tears as he watched this touching reunion.

It was the first time he had seen Tata, who was always as cold as an iceberg, so dumbfounded.

"Yes..."

The Great Love Poet, who had somehow already appeared beside Hyperion and the Cat Boss, nodded with relief, her voice as if she were gritting her teeth.

The Great Love Poet had returned to Iketeru with the three great demons. It was normal for her to suddenly appear in the shop.

"..."

Hyperion didn't understand why, but she felt a chill.

In her impression,

The Great Love Poet had become less talkative since returning from the Herloom Prison. If Lanqi asked her to work, she would do so without a word. If Lanqi spoke to her, she would only reply with a smile.

Lanqi said that perhaps this was growth.

He felt very gratified.

Only Hyperion felt that this Great Love Poet gave her the creeps.

The look in the Great Love Poet's eyes as she looked at Lanqi was as if she had found her prey, and the smile on her lips was a perfectly fake one!

Hyperion had a bad feeling.

At the bar.

"Talia..."

Unlike Antanas's carefree personality, Sinora seemed to have not yet recovered from her shock. She found it hard to imagine that Talia, the moment she walked in, looked like a foodie who had perfectly integrated into humanity.

Was this really the Talia she knew?

Sinora looked at her brother.

However,

Planae had already skillfully begun wiping the glasses, pretending that nothing had happened.

He possessed a top-notch sense of self-preservation.

"..."

Talia saw the reactions of the siblings, and her cheeks flushed immediately.

If they were to sneer at her now, it would be an acceptable punishment for Talia.

But,

Their evasive attitude only made Talia feel like all was lost, as if sitting on pins and needles!

Now her embarrassment had made them feel embarrassed too!

"You come with me."

Talia grabbed Antanas's shoulder, gently pushed her away, and looked at Lanqi, her voice devoid of emotion.

But every word trembled.

"Tata."

Lanqi was still smiling naturally, his thoughts seemingly innocent.

However, his words stopped halfway.

He could only move his head now. His body was unable to move, as if pressed down by a mountain.

Talia was standing beside him, using mental magic to control his body.

Talia's golden eyes watched him like a hawk, completely ignoring his weak, pitiful, and helpless state. She only asked him—whether he would walk on his own, or if she would help him.

She quickly turned around and walked towards the staircase.

"I have something to discuss with Tata alone..."

Lanqi's heart suddenly quickened a little as he politely greeted the three great demons, leaving behind the puzzled demons and the suddenly overly quiet first floor of the Cat Boss Restaurant. He followed Talia up the creaking wooden stairs to the second floor.

They walked all the way to the end of the hallway. Talia took out a key from her pocket and opened the door to her home.

"Get in."

Talia said through gritted teeth.

Before Lanqi could hesitate, Talia pushed him into the room.

"Tata, you..."

He staggered a few steps before steadying himself, looking around the familiar little house, and couldn't help but speak.

The walls were painted in soft shades of cream, light orange, and beige, warm and bright. The wooden furniture, carefully polished by the Cat Boss when building the shop, exhibited a natural texture.

But at this moment, the hearts of the two people in the tightly closed room were anything but peaceful.

"You!"

Talia grabbed Lanqi's tie, the look in her eyes shifting from resentment to determination to emotion.

Her sudden social death had made her briefly consider the idea of dying together with Lanqi.

But the appearance of the three great demons made her feel nothing but gratitude towards Lanqi.

"What exactly did you do in the Northern Continent?"

Talia's mind was in turmoil.

She couldn't read Lanqi's thoughts.

She didn't know if this guy was really doing it for her sake, or if he just wanted to laugh at her.

But that was temporarily unimportant. She only wanted to understand Lanqi's magical experiences in the Northern Continent.

How did he manage to bring back three great demons after just one trip to the Northern Continent?

The most terrifying thing in the world was when acquaintances spent a long time with another group of acquaintances without her knowing, laughing and talking about her embarrassing past!

"This starts with the situation in the Protos Empire. This issue is very complicated. Calm down first, and let me explain it to you slowly."

Lanqi raised his hands, signaling Talia to take a deep breath. Her emotions were too unstable right now. If the Great Love Poet accidentally provoked her again, Lanqi couldn't imagine what would happen.

His heartbeat was only slightly faster, but he was still stable. Everything was under his control.

It was fortunate that Talia didn't know that he had almost been mistaken for her husband by the great demons in the Protos Empire at first, otherwise it would be even more difficult to explain.

"You... Protos Empire... my husband?"

Talia said with a trembling voice.

Lanqi: "???"

When did this girl learn mind-reading?!

And why did you only read half of it!—

New Year's Day extra update! Please give me your monthly votes at the beginning of the month, daddies!

(End of Chapter)