565: Daze [Bonus chapter]

Daze [Bonus chapter]

"Meralda? What are you doing here?"2

An amiable older woman blinked in surprise when she saw Meralda standing at the gates. Of all the people she expected to be here, she was most definitely the last. 

"Ah, Auntie Duna." Meralda politely came forward. "How could I not come to greet you all? It's my pleasure."

Auntie Duna seemed to be a woman in her 60's. However, the delicate features that must have made her a beauty in her youth had definitely not faded quite yet. In fact, there were certainly no small number of young men who wouldn't mind spending a night with her at all. 

She wore a translucent veil, but the embroidered lace couldn't hide the beauty of her face. The only thing that was a bit off putting about her was the fact she seemed to be dressed for a funeral. Not just her, actually. Everyone following her seemed to be the same. 

Auntie Duna shook her head. "I'll be giving those old fogies a piece of my mind for letting a fragile little girl stand out here all alone. Don't worry, Auntie will fight for you."

Meralda giggled lightly, her silver bell like laughter causing the eyes of the young men who followed behind Auntie Duna to glow. However, they knew their place. Meralda's cultivation was far beyond their own. Even if they were confident in their futures, they knew enough about the martial world to know that nothing was guaranteed. 

The young and old held their hands together. One would think that they were a pair of teenage girls exchanging some gossip about the boys they liked. 

Auntie Duna had known Meralda ever since she was a child. Of course, this was because she and Meralda's grandmother were both dear friends and rivals as well. It could even be said that Auntie Duna treated Meralda like her own granddaughter despite the fact the little girl insisted on calling an old lady like herself, Auntie. 

"Ah! Oh, right, Meralda, come come. I want to introduce you to a little girl. You two would be great sisters. Little Nunu, come here."

Amidst the group, a young woman with delicately sculpted features was surprised by the call of her name. 

Something about her felt ethereal, as though she was both within arm's reach and yet a world away at the same time. Her features were hidden behind a far thicker veil than Auntie Duna, and yet just the gentle slope of her brows and the twinkling of her irises captured ones imagination, making it difficult to not want to pull it away and see just what was hidden beneath. 

Her eyes seemed to shift in color depending on the way the sun hit it, adding to her mystery. The way her cheeks blushed in a clear shyness brought her back down to earth, though. The result was her being an untouchable beauty in one instant, and an innocent lamb others would lay their life down to protect in the next. 

Her hair was a beautiful jet black, falling with a healthy sheen to the small of her back. Her figure was wrapped in a black dress, clinging lightly to her curves. However, it was exactly because of this that where her hair began and ended was so difficult to spot… That and the fact sometimes her hair appeared to be material, and at other times, it wafted about like gentle, harmless black fog, only adding to her mystery. 

Everything about this young woman sent one's mind into a tail spin. It was too difficult to tell how you should feel laying eyes on her. It even felt like time stopped for a moment, and that was despite the fact Meralda was pretty sure she didn't like women that way!

Luckily, it was Auntie Duna grabbing this young woman's hand to bring her toward Meralda that snapped the latter out of her stupor. 

Auntie Duna giggled. "This little one is quite the beauty, right? I'm surprised I managed to find such a gem on the Mortal Plane."

Meralda blinked. "The Mortal Plane?"

"Yes, yes. I was surprised too. Her name is Yaana. Introduce yourself, Little Nunu."

"Ah… Yes… Hello, my name is Yaana…" Yaana lowered her head, not daring to meet Meralda's gaze. 

"Aiya, I'm always trying to get this little one to feel more confident. She is the greatest genius I have ever met. Before I took her in, she couldn't even cultivate out of the Awakening Realm, but she was just missing the proper technique! 

"Ah! I've said too much. This little one has a special physique that shouldn't be spoken about in public like this. I will talk to you and your grandmother about it over some tea. How about we go inside?"

Meralda blinked. Her Auntie Duna rarely got so excited. Clearly, this little girl was not normal. 

Now that she thought about it… Wasn't that Ryu 'Tatsuya' from the Mortal Plane too…? Was Fate trying to reverse itself again?

Meralda sighed. She knew well that this Shrine World wouldn't allow itself to fall into another's hands so easily. It seemed that it wasn't ready to lay down just yet. 

Meralda shook her head, pushing these matters to the back of her mind. 

"Yes, of course. I will definitely have some tea with Auntie. I will be right there after settling some things. We still have until tomorrow morning." Meralda replied with a sweet smile. 

"Good, good." Auntie Duna smile brightly. 

Auntie Duna led the youths that followed her into the city. Not long after, they had disappeared into the distance. 

Meralda took a deep breath. 'Well, that should be it. I guess I should close the gates now.'

Just when Meralda was about to take action, the teleportation station in the distance flashed once again. But, this time, it wasn't connecting to an outside world…

'The Shrine Plane…? They should all be here already…'

At that moment, a young man with looks that took Meralda's breath away appeared. He towered over Meralda, his pristine white hair fluttering in the wind. Just his scent alone made Meralda feel as though she was being intoxicated as she fell into an even deeper daze than she had before. 

"I'm not late, right? Hello, I'm Ryu Tor. I have a participation plaque given to me by Apostle Fidroha. Is it still valid?"

Ryu presented the plaque he had received from Fidroha after the Core Region tournament all those years ago. He smiled lightly, his usual cold demeanor seemingly receding slowly as time passed. But, this just left Meralda all the more speechless. 

In her daze, it took her several moments before she even thought of replying. But, when she was about to, her eyes widened. 

She finally recognized Ryu. It was actually him!

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