Journey to Find Heroic Spirits

This answer is perfunctory, but it's the most complete outcome.

Amidst the noise, the nursing home's performance event officially concluded, and everyone headed home for Christmas.

The house was already decorated, with the Christmas tree in the corner adorned with ornaments and colorful lights hanging from the ceiling.

Mash busily brought the prepared food to the table, and the family happily gathered to enjoy their Christmas dinner.

"Sorry, I'm late." Siegfried rushed, finally arriving home just before dinner. Yuxian had told him long ago to come back for Christmas.

"You're not late, you're just in time. We were about to start," Yuxian said with a smile.

"These are Christmas presents for everyone." Siegfried didn't sit down immediately. Instead, he took out the gifts he had brought and distributed them one by one.

"Wow! Thank you, Uncle!"

"Reindeer, do you want to be Santa Claus too? I can teach you!"

The children happily accepted their gifts, and the room filled with even more laughter.

"My colleagues at work were preparing gifts for their children, so I picked up a few extra for you all. I hope you like them," Siegfried said humbly, but it was clear he had put thought into them.

"Let's eat together!" Yuxian invited Siegfried to sit down, and everyone began their Christmas Eve dinner.

Another Christmas had come. This time, Tami-nya and Chiron were absent, but Brother Fei and Martha were present.

Oh, and Elma was here too. She was completely oblivious to freeloading and looked perfectly content. She'd been staying for so long that she'd probably become Martha's shadow.

After dinner, everyone sat together, chatting and talking, while the children played and laughed nearby. The scene was incredibly heartwarming.

"Master, I've submitted my resignation. I'll stay until the end of the year, and after the New Year, I won't be working at the company anymore," Brother Fei suddenly shifted the topic to himself, announcing his decision.

"Resign?" Everyone was confused. Yuxian had advised Brother Fei to resign earlier, but he had refused. His sudden decision to quit left everyone puzzled.

Siegfried nodded and said, "Teacher Qiao's photography exhibition will be held in the New Year. Once we find him, we'll probably return to Chaldea. It's better to resign early so as not to delay Master's plans."

Brother Fei valued Yuxian's affairs greatly. Although he enjoyed his current life, Chaldea and Yuxian were more important to him.

The mood suddenly became somber.

Leaving meant parting ways. Everyone understood this, but they had subconsciously avoided the topic.

Now that Brother Fei had brought it up, everyone realized that the time had truly come. After reuniting with Teacher Qiao, they would likely leave here and return to Chaldea on some day thereafter.

"You're leaving? Is it far? Are you not coming back?" Elma was a bit stunned upon hearing the news. In her impression, this world wasn't that big. Why was the atmosphere so heavy, as if it were a final farewell?

"We will be leaving this world," Yuxian explained.

Elma continued, "You won't even open a dimensional gate?"

"It's not a dimensional gate issue, it's just..." Yuxian didn't know how to explain.

They could certainly come back, but they needed to travel to more different worlds to find others. They couldn't return at any time, and who knew how long it would be before they could return again.

Martha explained the situation to Elma. Upon learning the details, Elma became very dejected. She had been very happy here during this time and couldn't accept this reality immediately.

It was relatively easier for dragons like Elma, considering their long lifespans. They would eventually meet again, no matter how much time passed.

It was ordinary people like Kobayashi that Yuxian truly didn't know how to say goodbye to.

I, Okita Souji, have a swimsuit too!

Section 90: Chapter 30 - Teacher Qiao's Photography Exhibition

In the evening, Little Jeanne delivered Christmas gifts to a few close friends. This Christmas was much more subdued than the last, but everyone felt it was very good and even more heartwarming.

The next morning, Kanna excitedly took out the two Christmas gifts she had received the night before, stating they were gifts from Santa Claus.

But she was puzzled: why were there two?

It wasn't just Kanna; Kobayashi was also confused. One gift was from her, which was fine. Where did the extra gift come from?

Yuxian smiled at Kanna and said, "Two Santa Clauses visited Kanna-chan last night, Kanna-chan is very popular."

Kanna's eyes sparkled, and she was exceptionally happy. Children's joy was always so simple.

After Christmas came the New Year. Yuxian had arranged with Kobayashi and the others beforehand to attend Teacher Qiao's photography exhibition together.

Kobayashi had time off during the New Year, so she readily accepted Yuxian's invitation. She was also very much looking forward to visiting Teacher Qiao's exhibition with everyone.

Teacher Qiao's fame was undeniable. Even programmers like Kobayashi had heard reports about him, indicating that his work was truly excellent and widely acclaimed.

Yuxian was a little excited about meeting Teacher Qiao. When they all appeared before him, it would surely be a big surprise.

Not only Yuxian but also the children were very excited to meet Teacher Qiao. Gaining the children's approval meant that Teacher Qiao was a very good person, especially since many people in Chaldea were not well-liked by the children.

Of course, the most popular among the children was Emiya, the guardian of Chaldea's kitchen.

New Year arrived, and the weather was a bit cold. Although it wasn't snowing, stepping outside still made one involuntarily shiver.

The children were dressed in thick cotton clothes, each looking a bit plump. With scarves, gloves, and hats, Yuxian bundled them up tightly, leaving no room for the cold wind.

The group setting out was quite large. This time, it wasn't just Kobayashi's family, but also Fafnir and Takiya, Elkoya and Shota, who all went to visit the photography exhibition.

Everyone had plenty of free time during the New Year, and no one wanted to miss the opportunity for such a trip together.

The trip wasn't actually that far, just an hour's drive to Akihabara.

Akihabara's main street was bustling with people, a cheerful crowd of pedestrians all smiling, radiating the joy of the New Year.

All the shops on the street were open as usual. It was an excellent time for business, and shopkeepers naturally wouldn't want to miss such an opportunity by resting.

The photography exhibition venue was well-located in the city center, where the pedestrian traffic was even heavier and more crowded.

The group walked towards the venue while browsing the shops. The children were constantly drawn to the stores lining the street, with their dazzling array of beautiful goods that left them a little overwhelmed.

Yuxian carefully reminded everyone not to wander off, to avoid getting separated.

What should have been a short distance took them a considerable amount of time, with everyone stopping and starting.

Finally, they arrived at the entrance of the photography exhibition venue. It was also very lively, with many people gathered in circles.

Fortunately, staff members were present to maintain order, allowing everyone to enter the venue for the exhibition in an orderly fashion.

Yuxian joined the queue with everyone else, waiting patiently to enter the venue.

It was considerably quieter inside the venue compared to outside. The people who came here generally had good manners and didn't make excessive noise.

Vivid works of art hung on the walls inside the venue, featuring animals, people, buildings, and landscapes.

The compositions of the works were very ingenious. Even an amateur like Yuxian could see the extraordinary quality of these pieces. It was undeniable that Teacher Qiao's fame was not by chance.

After entering the venue, Yuxian didn't immediately look for Teacher Qiao. He and Mash decided to admire the works around the venue first.

However, the children were different. As soon as they entered, Gretel and Jack slipped away. They didn't have the patience to slowly appreciate photographs they didn't understand at all.

Using their small stature to their advantage, the two weaved through the crowd with ease.

In front of one of the artworks, Georgios was patiently explaining the circumstances of the photo to visitors, sharing his thoughts on the composition. He also fulfilled the requests of some admirers who wanted photos and autographs.

Spotting Teacher Qiao, Gretel and Jack put their heads together, whispered to each other, and then slowly tiptoed closer.

When they reached Teacher Qiao's side, the two suddenly jumped in front of him and shouted loudly, "Happy New Year!"

"Whoa—" Teacher Qiao was startled by the sudden noise, thinking it was some children playing a prank.

He had encountered such things in many places and didn't dislike such children. He was about to respond with a smile.

When he clearly saw the faces of the two children in front of him, he blinked in disbelief. How could he mistake Gretel and Jack?

He crouched down, picked them up one in each arm, and said with a smile, "So it's you two little rascals! What are you doing here?"

"We're here to shake down the rich!" Jack blurted out the slogan Yuxian had used before they left, without waiting for an explanation.

"Jack, that's too direct!" Gretel immediately corrected him upon hearing it. "We came to find Teacher Qiao, and to shake down the rich along the way."

Georgios was a bit speechless. Wasn't that still shaking down the rich?

However, hearing the two children say that, he understood that Yuxian must have come with them. He couldn't think of anyone else who would teach Gretel and Jack to say such a thing.

Georgios turned and looked around, "Did Master come along too? Where is he?"

"It's not just Master, many of us came together!"

Hearing Gretel say that, Georgios quickly scanned the venue.

The entire group gathered together. Georgios led everyone to a lounge room, which the organizers had provided as his temporary resting place.

"Teacher Qiao," Yuxian greeted him politely.

"Long time no see, Master," Georgios replied to Yuxian, while also greeting everyone else. "Is everyone doing well?"

"We're okay, but Chaldea has had some unexpected events, and many people haven't been found yet," Yuxian slowly explained the situation at Chaldea to Georgios.

"Hmm..." Georgios pondered for a moment. "We'll investigate the specific reasons in detail once Da Vinci and the others are found. You've worked hard, Master, during this time."

Yuxian smiled and shook his head. He felt a little embarrassed. Hard work seemed distant from him; he had been quite lazy for most of the time. Mash, on the other hand, had truly worked hard, diligently helping him all along.

ps: Thanks to "My Merlin, Unparalleled Swordsmanship" for the support!

Section 91 Chapter 31 A Luxurious Hot Spring Trip

After chatting with everyone for a while, Georgios turned his attention to Kobayashi and the others. The fact that they came with Yuxian meant they were friends, and he understood that.

However, Yuxian's acquisition of so many dragon friends puzzled Georgios.

Especially Fafnir's dense, almost palpable dark aura made him frown. But seeing Siegfried's calm expression beside him, he didn't ask further.

"Wow! It really is Mr. George!" Kobayashi was very excited, showing a side of her that was a fan.

"Hello." Teacher Qiao greeted her politely. Kobayashi's reaction was not much different from the fans he had met before. Moreover, since she was Yuxian's friend, he naturally treated her with extra courtesy, readily agreeing to autographs and photos.

When Teacher Qiao had some free time, the children surrounded him.

When they were coming, Yuxian had told them that Teacher Qiao was very wealthy and they should definitely ask him to treat them to some fun.

The children naturally believed Yuxian's words, and so this scene unfolded.

Mash couldn't help but glare at Yuxian, annoyed that he was teaching the children such mischievous things.

However, Yuxian didn't see anything wrong with it. Like little trick-or-treaters on Halloween, it was actually a way to connect emotionally.

As long as Teacher Qiao wasn't angry, everything would be fine.

Will Teacher Qiao get angry?

Of course not. Yuxian was confident about this. As a saint, Georgios was likely even more tolerant of children than he was.

Georgios was surrounded by the children. He smiled, continuously soothing them, then pulled a voucher from his pocket and handed it to them.

"What's this?" Gretel's hand was the fastest. After she got the voucher, she flipped it back and forth.

Georgios explained patiently, "This is a complimentary voucher for a hot spring trip that the organizers gave me. The weather is so cold now, it will surely be very comfortable for everyone to soak in a hot spring together."

"Wow! Hot springs!"

"What are hot springs?"

"When you soak in a hot spring in winter, it's very warm and comfortable."

"I don't want to soak in water!"

The children reacted differently. Except for Gretel, everyone else was very interested in the hot springs and cheered happily.

"It's okay, the hot springs are shallow, just like taking a bath. Alice can enjoy it too."

Yuxian first comforted Gretel, who was a bit resistant, then said to Georgios, "After this photography exhibition ends, let's go on a hot spring trip together."

Georgios shook his head. "You all go. I need to handle some personal matters. Since I've met the Master, there are some things that need to be tidied up. Once everything is taken care of, I'll come find you."

Yuxian nodded, agreeing with him. After all, Georgios was a public figure and different from them. He had to see many things through to the end, otherwise, it would cause a lot of trouble for others.

Since Georgios had his own matters to attend to, Yuxian and the others didn't plan to linger too long and disturb his work.

Having received the hot spring travel voucher, they discussed it and decided to set off immediately to enjoy the refreshing hot springs as soon as possible.