"Lilith? It's you. How have you been lately?" Chen Nian greeted her warmly.
The cheerful girl before him was Levi and Petra's daughter, Lilith Ackerman. Fortunately, she hadn't inherited her father's dour temperament, but her mother's lively, sunny disposition.
"Oh, same as always. Nothing new, but Dad's taking me to Chang'an for this long holiday," Lilith said excitedly.
"Chang'an?" Chen Nian murmured. He knew it was a city bound to his father in countless ways.
"Hey, brat. Can't you see we're here too?" Levi said, walking slowly up behind Lilith.
"Oh, come on. Let the children have their fun," Petra gently interjected, her hair tied in a married woman's bun.
"Uncle Levi! Aunt Petra!" Chen Nian greeted them politely.
"Nian, where are you planning to go this holiday? Would you like to come to Chang'an with us?" Petra asked, lowering her head slightly with a smile.
"I was planning to go to National University to ask Principal Erwin a few questions, so..." Chen Nian said, looking a little embarrassed.
"Huh? You're going to see that stuffy principal even though it's the holidays?" Lilith blurted out, her eyes widening.
"Lilith!" Levi immediately snapped.
Lilith pouted, while Petra smiled and raised a hand to soothe her.
"We're going to pay our respects to some old comrades, not really to have fun. If you have something important to do, go ahead," Levi told Chen Nian.
"Were they Father's comrades?" Chen Nian asked.
Levi nodded.
"Then I'll come too. I think they must have been important to Father as well," Chen Nian said.
Levi looked at Chen Nian, something shifting in his eyes. He had never imagined that brat's child would be so thoughtful.
"Heh. If your father were here, who knows how you would've turned out? We really have Historia to thank for