Welcome home, my child.

When Mason got up the next day, the snow was falling even harder. He left Ya'an early in the morning, and the driver had already harnessed the carriage and was ready to drive to the new city.

The first snow this year was heavy, so the harvest in the south will definitely be good next year.

The carriage rumbled across the icy ground, and snowflakes fell heavily, dyeing the earth white.

The grass and trees are covered with thick cotton quilts. Today's new city is no longer what it used to be. Even in the cold winter, there is no risk of frozen roads. The cement roads are unobstructed all year round and can support the traffic of vehicles.

Even so, it would take most of the day to get there. Mason was thinking about whether to install a teleportation array in the new city to facilitate communication with other cities.

From a distance, Mason could see the gray-black walls of the new city. They were made of cement with a lot of gravel embedded in it for beautification. Outside the walls were many plants, with vines entwined around the walls all year round.

Now, it was covered with a thin layer of snow, and the tender petals underneath were faintly visible. With Mason's current vision, he could easily see that they were slightly wriggling. If an enemy approached, he would probably attack immediately.

There was a long line of carriages at the city gate. The gatekeepers checked the credentials of each driver and then returned them to the driver.

"Welcome to the new city. If necessary, you can go to the Lord's Mansion, where someone is responsible for handling caravans and investment matters. There is a newsboy selling maps at the door. If you need, you can buy one from them to better understand the situation in the new city."

The person in front of Mason was riding in a luxurious carriage. He drew aside the curtain and asked, "Are those maps reliable? I hope we won't be cheated."

"Don't worry, this has been confirmed by the lord. Our lord, Duke Mason, has always attached great importance to the development of the people in the territory. This map was specially arranged under his guidance to facilitate the travel of the people and the Chamber of Commerce. If there is any problem, you can go to the lord's mansion to ask for compensation."

The other party suddenly realized what was going on and thanked him repeatedly. Mason lowered the curtains and the carriage came to the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper did not recognize Mason and allowed them to pass normally after checking.

As soon as I entered the door, a dozen children immediately came over and asked excitedly, "Sir! Do you want to take a look?"

"We have maps and newspapers here. If you need, I can take you to the best hotel here! It only costs one rouble and I can take you there for two days!"

Newsboys waved newspapers in their hands and greeted customers enthusiastically. Mason bought a map and a newspaper with interest.

The map is rough to begin with, and it records in detail the attractions suitable for sightseeing in the new city, the location of each area and rough markings to provide convenience for visitors.

The newspapers used black lines to circle areas of varying sizes, filled with bold text.

【According to the Acting Government Official Mr. Rambo, the Edelweiss Festival will be held in sixteen days. Currently, the commercial street has begun to be decorated. Please give way in time when you encounter construction materials being transported...】

【Mr. Hanka, the No. 1 meteorologist in New Town, said that the snow this year will be unprecedentedly heavy, so please be careful when going out. 】

[Ms. Shakara Asner's cooking class: Today I will teach you how to make butter apple pie. First, we need to prepare the following ingredients: butter, apples, flour and butter...]

【……】

He leisurely read the contents of the newspaper. The houses on the roadside were neatly arranged in an orderly manner. There were a lot of plants planted in the middle. Even in winter, there was still a lot of lush green. They were distributed in a strange order, and finally pointed to the square in the center of the new city.

This is the core area of ​​the map, labeled with text.

[When you come to the square, please be respectful of the big tree in the center of the square. It is the city's sheriff and is responsible for dealing with city security issues. If you have any questions, please raise objections to the Lord's Mansion during working hours. ]

Mason looked up and saw the tree in the center of the square stretching out its branches, its green leaves somewhat wilting. The world tree in his consciousness moved slightly, and Little Green suddenly sensed a familiar presence and perked up.

The mental power came, mixed with a hint of desire.

Unexpectedly, this tree also received blessings from the stars. Mason took a look and suddenly realized that this change would not only affect humans.

Okay, okay, once I figure out the elements, you can recover.

Mason communicated with Xiaolu through consciousness and comforted him for a while. Xiaolu finally calmed down, but the passers-by standing under the tree were pitiful. Xiaolu was confused and got his face soaked with snow. At this time, he was looking at the tree swaying in the wind with confusion, and his face was full of "Isn't this too unlucky?"

I'm really sorry.

Mason apologized silently in his heart and ruthlessly chose to go back first, leaving the guilty Xiaolu behind.

The carriage turned a corner and headed for the destination. From a distance, the half-exposed roof could be seen.

Ronald was right. As soon as Mason returned to the city, he felt relaxed from the inside out. He was familiar with every tree and grass, every building and every person walking on the street.

We came back relatively early this year, and there was still some time before the edelweiss flowers bloomed. As the carriage approached, the entire building came into view. When we saw you, the carriage drove quietly across the street and soon arrived at our destination.

Looking at the house in front of him, Mason blinked and almost thought he was in the wrong place.

The lord's mansion was surprisingly large, half of which was used as a government office. People came and went at the door. The snow-white walls were spotless and almost blended into the snow.

Although Rambo has no extravagant hobbies, this mansion belongs not only to him, but also to the Duke who has never been here.

Therefore, the Lord's Mansion was built without cutting corners, using only the best materials, and the effect was very good. At least the Duke himself was completely stunned when he got off the carriage and saw the building.

From the outside, this grand residence is no less magnificent than those in the capital. It even has a special new town style. The architecture and plants are perfectly integrated, and many of the pillars are replaced by trees. It exudes a thriving vitality.

He looked around for a while and finally confirmed that this was his lord's mansion. Mason's mouth twitched and he ordered the groom to go in through the back door, making sure not to attract the attention of passers-by.

The coachman responded and hurried the carriage towards the back door. They avoided people's sight, and just as Mason got off the carriage, he heard a crisp call,

"Your Excellency the Duke~!"

The young Duke looked up at the rooftop, where the girl sitting was giggling, her blond hair waving around her shoulders, her white skirt fluttering like a soft cloud.

Time has left no trace on her body, and she is still as clear and bright as she was at the beginning. Her azure eyes are clear, reflecting the world and the figure of the visitor simply.

She got the news early in the morning and rushed over to greet this "guest" who hadn't been back for a long time. The girl looked down at Mason, who had grown taller and had a sharp face. He was wearing a warm cloak, with half of his face buried in the fur collar of his coat. His warm eyes reminded her of warm caramel.

In my memory, he was a short person, but now he has become mature and steady. When he raised his head, the light shone on half of his face, outlining his clear features along his high nose bridge.

She looked at him from afar, and there were stories flowing in his eyes, but Olivia could not see the answers.

For her, these things are too complicated.

The girl's world only needs Rambo and desserts. But Orihi knows that there are always some people who need to solve puzzles. Just like Rambo, they are always faced with too many answers.

The girl opened her arms and jumped down from the roof like a dragonfly spreading its wings.

Mason subconsciously wanted to catch the other person, but he saw transparent wings extending from behind the other person, flapping at high speed and landing steadily on the ground.

This scene was familiar yet strange. Mason stared at her blankly, feeling a little lost for a moment. He withdrew his hand and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"You've grown up."

At this moment, he truly realized that he had been in this world for a long, long time.

It was so long that he had accepted Mason's identity, so long that Orih no longer needed him to pick her up. It was so long that the world had changed drastically, so long that when he looked at his former self, it was like looking at a familiar stranger.

"Of course I've become very good now."

Ollie raised her chin proudly, not understanding the thoughts in other people's minds. She led Mason inside with a hop and a skip, like a chirping little sparrow.

"The two viscounts are waiting for you in the house. Rambo didn't tell them that you were back today, saying that you wanted to give them a surprise."

"Rambo has been so busy lately that he doesn't even play with me! You must speak up for him for me!"

"There's more! There's more!"

Mason listened to her words and responded gently, just like an elder brother listening to his younger sister's greetings and feeling a little homesick.

At the door, Orih stopped.

"Rambo said he wouldn't let me in because the two viscounts were inside."

"Thank you for your help."

“Please bring me some snacks next time!”

“It doesn’t matter how much you bring.”

Hearing Mason's promise, Orihe was in a good mood and made way. The new Duke fixed his eyes on the closed door, and after a long while he reached out and gently pushed it open.

The clear sunlight hit my face and the heavy curtains fluttered gently.

The maple tree growing in front of the window has now turned a creamy color. The white snow reflects the light from the sky and seems to be glowing from a distance.

The soft light came in from the window, falling on the edges of the wooden furniture and the armrests of the red velvet sofa, creating a wonderful play of light and shadow.

Two people, one standing and one sitting, were talking in front of the window sill. When they heard the sound, they looked towards the door.

One was wearing a beige dress with a silk shawl over it.

A tall man holding a cup of black tea in his hand.

They opened their eyes wide, obviously not expecting to see each other at this time. Time seemed to be stopped at this moment, and the three of them stared at each other until the flax-haired child smiled slightly.

"Mom and Dad, I'm back."

Faile opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling with surprise.

Abner put the tea on the table as calmly as possible, turned around and strode towards Mason. He looked as if he was going to punch him hard. Mason stood there motionless until the man opened his arms and gave him a strong hug.

The strong muscles were tense, and Lede Mason was almost out of breath. During the embrace, he heard the other person's muffled and low voice.

"…Welcome home, my child."