Following the path down the cliff, the two walked along a road paved with cobblestones, heading toward the white and purple buildings nestled in the valley.
"Mel is back!"
"Mel, no classes today? Oh, you brought a friend!"
"Big sister Mel, can you play with us today?"
"Auntie made something delicious. Would you like to try some, Mel?"
Along the way, they were greeted by various people. Everyone seemed familiar with Mel, and by extension, they warmly welcomed Hestia, which made the girl feel both surprised and flattered.
"Mel, you're really popular," Hestia couldn't help but remark.
"Mhm, everyone here is really nice," Mel nodded.
"Are all the people living here your relatives?" Hestia asked, noticing that most of the residents had hair colors similar to Mel's—ranging from light purple to deep, almost black purple.
"Most of them are."
As they chatted, Mel led Hestia to a stop in front of a large mansion.
The mansion was surrounded by a waist-high fence, though it was more decorative than functional, as an adult could easily step over it. The white stone walls had a slightly jade-like texture, appearing somewhat translucent under the sunlight. The courtyard was paved with the same material, and the house itself resembled a classical Western-style villa, with purple tiles, arched glass windows, tall columns at the entrance, and subtle wave and seashell patterns under the eaves.
In the courtyard stood three towering ancient trees, and beneath one of them lay a white tiger with striking patterns, sound asleep.
Pushing open the lightweight white iron gate, Mel led Hestia inside. The soft creak of the gate and their footsteps roused the sleeping tiger. It opened its eyes, glanced at Mel, stretched lazily, retracted its claws, and then went back to napping under the tree.
"This is Hulu. Don't worry, he's usually very lazy and doesn't attack people," Mel explained to Hestia. The gray moon cat in her arms, upon seeing the large tiger, let out a soft meow and jumped down, trotting over to the napping tiger.
"The cat likes to play with him," Mel said, unfazed, and continued leading Hestia into the house.
Entering the first-floor hall, they were greeted by an elderly butler with graying hair.
"You must be Miss Hestia. Hello, I'm Perlanbeck, the butler here. Please have a seat, and Madam Heatherway will be with you shortly."
He ushered them to sit and then served them tea in white porcelain cups with gold accents before standing quietly to the side.
About two minutes later, footsteps echoed from upstairs, and an elderly woman in a long dress, her hair neatly styled, slowly descended the stairs. Her hair was a light purple with streaks of gray, and she appeared to be in her seventies or eighties.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Hestia," she said as she reached the hall. Hestia presented her with a small gift—a bouquet of white irises and a beautifully boxed set of traditional Eastern-style pastries.
Hestia had chosen the gifts after consulting Annelie. While she herself didn't care much for formalities, she thought it best to follow traditional etiquette since this was her first visit to someone's home.
"That's very thoughtful of you, Hestia, though you didn't need to go through all this trouble. Young people these days don't need to follow such old-fashioned customs," Madam Heatherway said with a wave of her hand, signaling the butler to take the gifts.
"It's better to keep things relaxed. When I was young, I used to visit friends' homes empty-handed all the time, and I never thought twice about it," she added with a chuckle.
"Where did you travel to back then, Madam Heatherway?" Hestia, who had never left the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region, was curious to hear about other places.
"Oh, quite a few places. I went to university in the central Snow Orchid Star Region. It's not very large, and its main inhabited planet, Seashell α-3, has a pleasant climate, with 80% of its surface covered by oceans. It's home to many prestigious schools with long histories."
As she reminisced, Madam Heatherway shared stories of her university days—her struggles with choosing a major, the challenges of changing advisors, and the various adventures she had with her classmates during their training. Gradually, both Hestia and Mel became engrossed in her tales of ups and downs, only snapping out of it after a while.
"That's amazing, Grandma. I didn't know you had so many interesting experiences. Why didn't you tell me before?" Mel pouted slightly.
"That's because you were too young back then, always busy playing with animals. I couldn't just force you to sit and listen, could I?" Madam Heatherway replied with a kind smile.
"I must have rambled on for too long. I hope I didn't bore you, Hestia."
"Not at all. I found it really interesting to learn about so many new things," Hestia said sincerely.
"That's good to hear. If you're interested, you're always welcome to visit again. Mel and I would be delighted to have you."
"Thank you, Madam Heatherway. I'll definitely visit again when I have the chance."
After chatting about a few more trivial matters, the conversation gradually turned to the main topic.
"You must be wondering why I invited you here, Hestia, since we've never met before."
"While you may not know me, I know a bit about you. In fact, I met your mother when she was just a little girl. She was such a lovely child. It's hard to believe over twenty years have passed since then."
"Ah," Hestia blinked, surprised to meet someone who had known her mother.
"It was at a gathering many years ago, where representatives from various northern districts were invited to discuss some issues. Among them was the leader of Thousand Towers City. If I recall correctly, your mother was only 14 or 15 at the time, accompanying her elders."
"She fell in love with a snowflake rabbit at a pet shop while shopping in Northern 1st District, but her elders wouldn't buy it for her. She cried so much, it was quite heartbreaking. That's why I remember her so well."
"Then, last year, after you received your acceptance letter from Swallow Garden Academy, representatives from the academy negotiated with Edess Academy and learned more about your background. That's when I realized you were Gu Yongrong's daughter."
"Looking back, it's quite poignant. Many of the once-famous factions in the northern districts have declined, and now only a few remain huddled here in Northern 1st District."
"I invited you here today to reminisce, to let you learn about the past and the present, and to share the bonds of friendship that we, the older generation, once had."
"I am currently one of the board members of Swallow Garden Academy. My ancestors were among those who wandered here with the Wind Swallow Garden, witnessing many changes over the years. It's a reminder of how fleeting the world can be."
"As people grow old, they can't help but reminisce about the past. Many familiar faces have passed on before me, and now all I can do is look at their descendants to soothe my longing."
"Madam Heatherway, when did you attend university?" Hestia suddenly felt that this elderly lady was far older than her seventies or eighties.
"Hehe, you ask such tactful questions, young lady. I started university in 1092, which was about 160 years ago."
"Though in front of Lady Isabelle, I'm still a junior. She was already a renowned professor at the university when I was a student."
"To be precise, I should be Mel's great-grandmother. But when she was little, she didn't understand the term 'great-grandmother' and simply called me 'grandma.' It just stuck after that."
"Wait, so calling you 'grandma' isn't correct?" Mel was shocked. She had always thought of her as her grandmother, never realizing the generational gap.
"It's fine. After all, being called something younger sounds better, hehe," the elderly lady chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. Despite the streaks of white in her hair, one could still see traces of the beauty she had in her youth.
"It's getting late. I'll have the butler prepare lunch. We still have plenty of time to chat today."
"I'm also very interested in you, Hestia. How have things been for you at Edess Academy? If you encounter any difficulties, perhaps I can offer some advice."
"Though my body has aged, I don't want to admit it. I still want to make myself useful, to prove my worth. If someone remembers me many years from now, that would be a truly happy thing."
"Alright, let's head to the dining room. If we don't go soon, the butler will complain about my rambling again, hehe."
"Not at all, Madam Heatherway. You are as charming as ever. No one would consider waiting for a lady like you a waste of time," the butler emerged from the dining room, smiling and bowing as he gestured for them to enter.
"Haha, you. That honest boy from back then has learned to be quite the charmer," Madam Heatherway said, leading the two into the dining room.