Chapter 96: Reunion and Infidelity

Chapter 96: Reunion and Infidelity Xu Tao heard it, loud and clear. A voice that sounded refreshing, like the chimes of a morning chime in a mountain shrine. Overflowing with innocence, but with hints of dignity beneath it. A dash of disbelief, along with a deep "wish," a prayer. "..." Xu Tao slowly put the little pumpkin down and sat up. His gaze turned forward, where a familiar figure stood. A small body that still hinted at her youth. Yet despite her appearance, she wore armor that covered all the vital areas—her chest, her sides—along with a pair of gauntlets and greaves. On her head sat an open-faced helmet adorned with royal blue feather plumes. His throat moved reflexively, calling out the name that felt closest to his heart—a feeling he’d never known before. "Jehanne..." "...!" As soon as her name left his mouth, the armored beauty, Jehanne d’Arc—one of his few trusted companions in this game-like world—broke into a sprint. Even from afar, her tear-blurred eyes were visible. No one could truly imagine what she felt in that instant—not even Xu Tao himself. "Sir Tao!!!" "GUH!" And just like Pepe, Jehanne jumped forward, practically tackling him into the sand. Adding the fact that she was wearing armor, the hit was heavy enough to knock the air out of Xu Tao’s lungs. Still, he didn’t complain at all. "Sir Tao...! I... I believed you would return!" she sobbed, pressing her face against his neck. "Not once did I ever think you’d leave us...!" Warm tears dripped from her cheeks down to his neck—tears that carried both her concern and her relief. "..." But Xu Tao remained still. He could tell that his body wanted to return Jehanne’s hug, but his mind told him not to. He was torn over how to react, unable to decide. Somewhere deep inside, a warning flared—if he returned the gesture, it wouldn’t end with just a hug. Mustering all his self-control and discipline, he raised a hand and gently patted Jehanne’s platinum blonde hair, trying to soothe her sobbing. It was a heartwarming moment—a reunion between two hearts that had been forcibly separated... "Uhm..." "Pui!" But of course, they weren’t the only ones present. Pepe acted first, hopping around the two like it was performing a ritual, crying "Pui, pui!" as it went. And the only other person nearby, Yifa, stood off to the side, staring at the two entangled in the sand with a slight grimace. "You two... want some privacy? Just say the word and I’ll take a step back." Yifa’s words weren’t just to remind them she was there, but also to vent her irritation at seeing some "random" girl hugging the man she’d been fantasizing about. Of course, she was trying to be subtle about it. "Oh, right!" Xu Tao shouted, standing upright. However, contrary to his expectations, Jehanne was still glued to him like a cicada clinging to a tree, refusing to let go. Her sobbing hadn’t stopped yet, putting Xu Tao in a bit of a pickle. He’d rather not force her off of him, after all. "Let him go...!" Yifa, unable to stomach the scene anymore, tried to approach and pull Jehanne away—but— "...!" A glare from a pair of red eyes shot her way, halting her mid-step. Yifa had lived close to death for a long time... and that single gaze made her recall her entire life in a flash, like a revolving lantern. ’If I take one more step, I’m dead...!’ she realized, her legs trembling as she backed away. At the same time, Xu Tao felt Jehanne’s hug tighten. If not for his boosted stats, he might’ve heard the sound of his bones cracking from the force she exerted. "Sir Tao..." Her chime-like voice from earlier had turned frigid cold. "Who’s this woman with you? Is this... cheating, perhaps?" "H-Huh?" The man was confused by the accusation. After all, from his perspective, Jehanne had no business interfering with whomever he chose to travel with. Much less accuse him of cheating! However, before he could even fully process it, Jehanne released him... and quickly manifested her three-meter-long spear flag with a burst of light, swinging it down toward Yifa’s head. "Stop...!" Thankfully, Xu Tao’s reflexes were fast. He caught the spear shaft, halting it just inches from the poor maid’s forehead. "...What are you doing, Sir Tao?" Jehanne murmured flatly, her gaze locked onto Yifa. "I need to nip the bud of infidelity before it blooms. Please don’t stop me." At the end of her words, the force behind the spear increased, making Xu Tao wince. "Argh! First, calm down...!" Despite having a higher STR stat than Jehanne—practically double hers at the moment—Xu Tao’s hand trembled under her force. It was inconceivable! "Yifa!" he shouted, his voice rumbling as he glanced behind him at the frozen maid. "Take Pepe and back off for now! Don’t come close until I tell you...!" His instincts as a cultivator screamed it—Jehanne was seriously trying to kill Yifa! He knew that keeping them close would only lead to disaster—thus, he made the decision to separate them by force. "Y-Yes!" Although unsure of what was happening, Yifa obeyed. She grabbed the equally frozen Pepe by the side and ran as far away from the scene as she could. Once they were about a hundred meters away, Xu Tao finally sighed and loosened his grip. "Jehanne, calm down!" he called. "Yifa isn’t an enemy, she’s—!" "Yifa..." Jehanne muttered, her gaze still locked on the little maid’s back. "A pet name, is it? So you call her that intimately..." "Huh?!" For whatever reason, Xu Tao felt that his attempts at de-escalating the situation had only made things worse. The bloodlust in Jehanne’s gaze grew stronger—so much so that even Xu Tao felt it, despite not being the target. Anything he said might make it worse, but if he did nothing, then Yifa’s death was practically guaranteed. Xu Tao’s brain spun rapidly, trying to think of a way to defuse the tension when— BONK! A golden sword suddenly dropped from the sky, smacking Jehanne on the head with a heavy thud. "Ugh!" she yelped, falling to her knees and clutching her throbbing scalp. "Oww...! What was that for, Miss Excalibur...?!" she cried, glaring up at the floating golden sword before her. The golden sword—Arthur’s legendary Excalibur—floated left and right, moving as if scolding Jehanne like a parent scolding a child. No words were spoken, but Jehanne looked like she understood the silent "sermon" perfectly. Her expression grew increasingly sour with each passing moment. "Uhh..." Xu Tao felt utterly lost watching the scene unfold, scratching his cheeks awkwardly. "Can anyone tell me what’s going on?" Though still confused, he was at least grateful. With the bloodlust fading from Jehanne’s gaze, the threat to Yifa’s life had been averted. Watching the two familiar, slightly nostalgic figures, Xu Tao’s shoulders finally relaxed, a quiet warmth blooming in his chest. A gentle smile, like a father finally returning home after going out to buy some milk, curled his lips. With a not-so-loud voice, he greeted them at last. "I’m home." He hadn’t realized how much he missed them... until now.