The moment she heard that Grand Master Jean would be coming to visit, Klee lit up with excitement.
"Yaaay~ Grand Master Jean is coming~ Klee hasn't seen Grand Master Jean in soooo long!"
Even though Jean was always keeping her in check—and even locked her up as punishment now and then—in Klee's heart, Grand Master Jean was still the person she felt closest to in all of the Knights!
These past few days over in Liyue, though it had all been wonderfully lively and lots of fun, she couldn't help feeling a little homesick.
And now that Grand Master Jean was coming, Klee was overflowing with joy.
"Come to think of it, it's been a while since we went back to Mondstadt to take a look around," Paimon mused aloud to herself, wearing a thoughtful expression.
Beside her, Lumine nodded again and again. "I wonder if Grand Master Jean is just as run-off-her-feet as she used to be."
"Run-off-her-feet! How could she not be?!"
Amber let out a sigh. "Traveler, you're an Honorary Knight of our order, you know! You really ought to come back and help out at the Knights more often!"
Lumine could only smile helplessly. Back in Mondstadt, she really was just an errand girl run ragged without mercy!
Beidou didn't know Mondstadt's Acting Grand Master, but seeing Ningguang wearing such a pensive look, she asked, "Do you know this Grand Master?"
Ningguang gave a slight nod. "I've never met her, but I once received a letter written by her."
"She must be a rigorous yet meticulous woman."
"Oh? What makes you say that?"
Seeing the puzzled look on Beidou's face, Ningguang explained, "That letter was exceptionally neat. Setting aside her precise, well-chosen wording, even the edges of every sheet of stationery were folded without the slightest carelessness."
"The more it's the sort of detail others tend to overlook, the more it lets you glimpse a person's true character through it."
Hearing this, Beidou had a sudden flash of understanding and murmured a few words of agreement.
Both she and Ningguang had grown a little curious—just what sort of woman was this Acting Grand Master of Mondstadt?
At that moment, Eula and Amber suddenly whispered something between themselves, their faces growing a bit flustered.
Seeing the two of them looking as though they had something they couldn't quite bring themselves to say, Ye Xi took the initiative to ask, "What's the matter with you two? Is something making you uncomfortable~?"
"Eh—?! N-nothing, it's nothing…"
Eula's face was a picture of panic, but the way she lied was downright adorable—anyone could see through it at a glance.
Amber, on the other hand, said in a low voice, "Maybe we should just come clean. Otherwise it'll be so embarrassing later!"
"Well, if we're going to say it…" Eula and Amber exchanged a look, then, with no other choice, heaved a sigh and began, "The thing is… the Dandelion Wine we bought might not be enough…"
"We didn't know ahead of time that Jean and Lisa were coming too."
"But there should still be time—I'll go buy some more!"
Hearing this, Ye Xi couldn't help finding it a little funny. "That's all it is?"
"What do you mean, 'that's all it is'?!"
Eula gave a soft huff and crossed her arms. "We promised to let you and everyone taste Mondstadt's Dandelion Wine. If there isn't enough to go around, wouldn't that let everyone down?"
"Are you looking down on my sincerity toward everybody?"
"I'm marking this grudge down!"
With that, Eula, all in a fluster, made to hurry off to the Angel's Share to buy wine, rushing for the door.
Ye Xi, caught somewhere between laughter and tears by Eula's whole speech, reached out and grabbed hold of her.
"All right, all right, why go running off so far at this late hour?"
"Besides, I'm not looking down on your sincerity at all."
"I just wanted to say that I've actually already bought plenty of Dandelion Wine!"
As he spoke, he pulled out a whole barrel of Dandelion Wine from his portable space.
He'd just been planning to build a wine cellar and store all this wine away properly first.
"Eh?"
Seeing a barrel of Dandelion Wine appear before her, Eula went a little stiff. "B-but… we agreed that I'd be the one treating everyone…"
"You will be treating them!"
Ye Xi said earnestly, "The wine you bought—you treat everyone with that. As for the portion for you and Jean and the others, let that be my treat."
Hearing this, Eula and Amber couldn't help but light up.
"Hehe, Ye Xi, you've got quite the silver tongue on you~"
Amber praised him again and again, thoroughly impressed by Ye Xi's sweet words.
Eula nodded, her eyes brimming with gratitude. "Then I'll bask in your generosity, my great Master. I owe you a round of wine!"
"I'll definitely make it up to you later!"
In truth, she never imagined that this single sentence was what would end up roping her in.
Ye Xi chuckled and looked at Eula as he asked, "I'm about to build a wine cellar next. Is there any expert who knows a thing or two about it willing to lend a hand?"
"Fine, fine, I get it—honestly, there's just no dealing with you."
A trace of a smile surfaced on Eula's face, and she added, "But I'm no professional, mind you. If something goes wrong down the line, I can't afford to pay for it."
Watching Eula and Ye Xi step out of the house one after the other, Amber couldn't help grumbling to herself.
It seemed to her that the relationship between Eula and Ye Xi had suddenly grown a great deal closer today!
Thinking it over carefully, she recalled what had happened earlier that afternoon under the covers.
Back then, Ye Xi had been hiding under the covers, and Eula had climbed in too—surely something must have happened!
That gave her a few little ideas of her own.
Could it be that Eula was going to poke through that paper window before she did?
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Dehya and Candace had just come out of the kitchen. There was no way they'd let Xiangling do all the cooking for everyone alone, so each and every one of them could show off their culinary skills and make a dish.
Yae Miko sniffed at the fragrant aromas, then gave a nudge to the figure beside her—Raiden Ei, who was absorbed in her game without a shred of guilt.
"Uh? What is it, Miko?"
"Oh my, my~ Even Ayaka and Sara have made Sakura Mochi and Bird-Egg Rolls."
"As Her Excellency the Shogun, a dignified god no less, surely you can't just sit back and reap the fruits of others' labor?" Yae Miko said with a smile. "As it happens, Xiangling's cooking is truly remarkable. Why not learn a little from her?"
The instant those words were out, a bitter look came over Raiden Ei's face, and she covered her ears, shaking her head. "Don't make me cook."
"I can accomplish anything, but I really can't cook."
Yae Miko only laughed all the harder.
Xiangling, who had just come out for a break, happened to overhear their conversation, and warmly extended an invitation. "Don't be afraid, Her Excellency the Shogun!"
"Cooking is simple—you've just got to be brave enough to try! I'll teach you hands-on!"
As she spoke, Xiangling reached out her hand.
Seeing how sincere Xiangling was, Raiden Ei felt a little bad about refusing.
Just as she was hesitating, Yae Miko fanned the flames. "Ei, give it a try!"
"Didn't you say you wanted to face new challenges?"
Hearing this, a flicker of resolve appeared in Raiden Ei's eyes.
Her elder sister, Raiden Makoto, whom she had always missed dearly, had also been a fine cook.
She had once made a vow to learn from her sister, to become a worthy Raiden Shogun, and to lead Inazuma ever forward.
Now, she certainly couldn't just fold so easily!
And so, she nodded and said, "Xiangling, I want to learn to cook!"
A fiery, spirited mood blazed up.
Yae Miko wagged her exposed tail with a beaming smile and praised, "That's the way~ Now that's the momentum befitting a light-novel protagonist!"
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