Pillar of Yita

Therefore, he became increasingly curious about Affia’s sister.

Leaving the Tansnier Crafting Association, Fang Hong first encountered Tianlan, Ai Xiaoxiao, and Gita—he hadn’t misheard at the Sand Lodge earlier, amidst the crowd, the one stirring up trouble was naturally Tianlan—this little girl and Atira had been handling business in the city for two days and already couldn’t sit still. So earlier today, she asked the Elf Miss for a day off, and dragged Gita into the city for some shopping.

When the combat happened at the Sand Lodge, she and Gita were just at a nearby plaza; with her knack for joining in on the fun, it was perfectly normal for her to be there at the time, which led to the subsequent series of events.

When Fang Hong saw these three girls, they hadn’t noticed him yet.

Curiously, he saw Tianlan and Ai Xiaoxiao whispering around Gita about something. Fang Hong approached a bit confused to hear Tianlan saying: ”Xiaoxiao, did you do the exchange I asked you to?”

Ai Xiaoxiao seemed quite flustered, shaking her head repeatedly: ”I, I went to do it, it’s not my fault, Tianlan—”

Tianlan suspiciously turned to Gita: ”Then Gita, did you do anything?”

Gita blushed and hung her head, nodding rather sheepishly.

”Don’t be so quick to blush,” Tianlan anxiously shook her: ”It’s not a big deal, don’t act guilty like a thief, besides, didn’t they just go through combat? Why doesn’t that pesky Luo Yu seem at all unlucky?”

”I, I...” Gita murmured: ”I added a little effect to the Magic Guided Wand, it, it couldn’t have not worked.”

”That’s odd.”

Tianlan didn’t exactly distrust her ’little partner’; she knew full well Gita would blush from telling even the smallest of lies, she might refuse, but once she agrees, she’d never lie. And this time it took Tianlan a considerable effort, using a ’signed’ photo of Lord Captain in exchange.

She understood Miss Natural Historian’s little schemes quite clearly.

Listening from behind, Fang Hong broke into a cold sweat, finally understanding whose hands the poor Papalarians had fallen into. He couldn’t help but glance at Parker, entirely unaware just a bit away, then at the three little girls, feeling for the first time that perhaps he had underestimated the situation.

Earlier, he’d excluded Ai Xiaoxiao and Gita from the group of untouchable ladies in the crew, but now it seemed, regardless of the lady, regardless of age, they were all quite tricky to deal with in the Seven Seas Travel Group.

But in the interest of maintaining harmony within the group, and to remind these three little girls, with the victim approaching, he lightly coughed, pretending not to notice.

The cough evidently startled the three little girls.

Tianlan, thick-skinned as ever, turned around, immediately wearing an innocent, harmless expression: ”Hello, Lord Captain!”

While Ai Xiaoxiao and Gita stared at him in shock—especially Gita, who turned crimson at the sight of him, as if on the verge of tears. Worried she might indeed start crying, Fang Hong quickly gave her a reassuring wink, bringing some stability to Miss Natural Historian.

But she turned back around and gave Tianlan a resentful glare.

”B-Big Cousin,” Ai Xiaoxiao stammered.

Fang Hong looked at this little girl—Ai Xiaoxiao was just a year younger than Tangtang, and he had actually known her on Earth—though she didn’t know him. He knew this little girl’s nature, likely influenced by Tianlan’s urging, would join in the fun. But Fang Hong also knew her weak spot, so he asked:

”Does Tangtang know?”

Ai Xiaoxiao paled, shaking her head repeatedly, pleading pitifully: ”B-Big Cousin, you mustn’t tell Tangtang, she’d nag me to death.”

Fang Hong couldn’t help but chuckle.

This little girl feared his cousin like mice fear cats, yet the two of them were incredibly close.

But he was only joking, while glancing at the mastermind among their little conspiracy group—Tianlan—and couldn’t help but give her a reproachful look. Competition with Affia aside, he hadn’t imagined this audacious little girl would tamper with Luo Yu’s Magic Wand; had Luo Yu encountered any mishap in battle, she’d be too late to start regretting.

Tianlan felt a bit guilty under his gaze: ”I know I was wrong, Brother Ade...”

Fang Hong shook his head, knowing getting Tianlan to apologize to Luo Yu at this point would probably be fruitless and might even backfire. Besides, there were indeed faults on Luo Yu’s part in this situation, but as for Luo Yu’s tangled affairs with Affia and Tianlan, Fang Hong had no idea how to calculate it all.

However, as Captain, he couldn’t ignore his team members’ situations. As Atira had mentioned, an excellent Captain isn’t limited to the battlefield; maintaining internal stability and relationships within the team is no small feat.

Since he is in this position, he naturally must bear this responsibility. Only now did Fang Hong understand some of Miss Sicape’s actions back then; no wonder she always seemed irked whenever she saw him.

He looked at Tianlan, softly asking: ”Luo Yu doesn’t know yet?”

Tianlan clamped her mouth shut, shaking her head.

”Today was quite dangerous,” Fang Hong replied: ”The enemy was strong, if they hadn’t held back, we might’ve been in trouble.”

Tianlan retorted stubbornly: ”I’d wish that annoying guy would run into trouble.”

But after saying that, she added bashfully, ”Besides... besides it was just a little charm spell... shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Tianlan’s voice trailed off: ”Brother Ade, I, I didn’t expect you’d run into such big trouble in the city...”

”Alright,” Fang Hong imitated Miss Sicape, gently replying: ”I’m not blaming you, the matter between you and Luo Yu, sometimes just clearing it up is enough. He’s not interested in the Little Princess, plus he’s an Invoker, and Affia is a Native, do you think it’s possible?”

He reckoned he had nailed the imitation, scoring at least ninety-eight out of a hundred. But to his surprise, Tianlan blankly retorted:

”But Miss Hilveld is also a Native.”

Fang Hong fell silent.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d misunderstood Miss Sicape’s way somehow?

Fortunately, Tianlan understood his point, quietly replying: ”I understand, Brother Ade.”

Fang Hong exhaled in relief, it seemed he had indeed learned something, and couldn’t help but nod.

...