"She bumped into us while foraging in Mondstadt, and then…"
Paimon began recounting their earlier adventures with Xiangling.
"Oh~ I see." Stelle nodded thoughtfully.
"Stelle, Xiangling is a really cute girl," Lumine said, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.
"Huh? O-oh, is… is that so…"
"When we reach Liyue Harbor we'll look her up and introduce you."
"If you're interested, I think she'd be easy to win over."
"W-what do you mean 'win over'…" Stelle turned away, flustered.
She hadn't even met the girl; Lumine made her sound like some love-struck scoundrel.
Once in Liyue, she definitely wouldn't behave as she had in Mondstadt.
She had to exercise restraint—no more adding people to her harem.
Restraint—absolutely… Chapter Two: Nowhere to Hide
Wangshu Inn really lives up to its reputation; the service is impeccable. If you had to compare, it's probably Liyue's answer to Mondstadt's Goth Grand Hotel.
If someone rated hotels in this world, Stelle figured this place would earn five stars.
This was also her first taste of Liyue cuisine.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but it faintly reminded her of the Xianzhou style.
A simpler version—without all those bizarre additives.
Maybe because this world's civilization isn't as advanced as the Xianzhou's, but Stelle actually preferred it this way.
"This dish is called… almond tofu?" Stelle scooped a piece of jade-white tofu with her spoon and held it up to her eyes.
The three were having dinner in their room; this dish was today's MVP for her.
Though everything tasted great, this one was light and perfect for someone not craving oil or salt.
"That's right; it's a dessert made from Almond milk. It's only named 'tofu' because it looks like it," Lumine nodded—she knew her food.
"I see…" Stelle nodded and lifted the last spoonful of almond tofu to Lumine's lips.
Lumine opened her mouth unceremoniously and ate it in one bite.
Silky, sweet, with a lingering Almond aroma—and more importantly, she could taste Stelle's sweetness on it.
Her heart felt wonderfully light.
Paimon glanced at the two; something felt off about their vibe.
A good kind of off—indescribable, just… weird.
"By the way, Lumine, did you notice?" Stelle asked idly, still eating.
"Notice what?"
"I feel like someone's watching me…" Stelle scanned the room, then looked up at the ceiling.
"Really?" Lumine set down her chopsticks and glanced around, frowning.
The room wasn't large; there was nowhere to hide.
They'd checked when they entered and confirmed nothing was amiss.
If Stelle's hunch was right, the watcher must be outside.
"Maybe you're imagining it?" Paimon shrugged after looking around.
"There's no hostility—just curiosity." Stelle shook her head; the gaze vanished the instant she spoke.
"Forget it. Maybe some restless spirit haunting the place. No big deal."
"Eek! Don't say creepy things!" Paimon darted behind Lumine.
"We can ask the proprietress later," Lumine said, placing Paimon back on her seat.
"Mm." Stelle nodded.
She remembered the landlady well; their eyes had met while climbing the stairs.
Her troublesome constitution was bound to draw attention, and that woman's aura had made Stelle look twice.
The proprietress was definitely no ordinary person.
According to an attendant, her name was… Philgoated?
Not a Liyuean name; who knew her real background.
---
"A peculiar girl indeed," murmured a short youth perched in the treetop, gazing down at the inn.
He had lived here for years, seen countless travelers, yet never anyone like her.
Something terrifying slumbered within her.
"Should I report this to the Geo Archon—huh?" The boy vanished the instant he sensed movement.
Just as he disappeared, Stelle's group stepped out of the inn below.
"Wow, the view here is amazing!" Paimon zipped ahead, marveling at the scenery.
The horizon stretched wide, everything in sight.
"It looks like there are ruins ahead." Lumine stepped to the railing and gazed into the distance.
"That must be the Guili Assembly the landlady mentioned just now, right?" Stelle came to her side and said slowly.
During the earlier chat, the other party had stressed that she was the proprietor, not the landlady.
Philgoated had looked surprisingly serious when she said it, but Stelle never managed to change how she addressed her.
"Guili Assembly was supposedly the first place people of Liyue lived, but after centuries only these ruins remain."
"Since it's ruins, there might be treasure! Should we detour there tomorrow?" Paimon suggested excitedly.
"We'll see. We don't even know how long it'll take to reach it," Lumine hesitated, then shook her head.
From here it looked close, but the distance was probably huge; if time ran short they would head straight for Liyue Harbor.
"Stelle, you—Stelle?" Lumine turned, puzzled, to find Stelle staring up at the treetops.
"Is something there?"
"No, nothing." Stelle shook her head and answered casually.
Someone was there; she could feel it—because that person's gaze had fallen on her again for an instant.
But it didn't matter; from what the landlady had said, a adeptus lived in Wangshu Inn.
She roughly knew what "adeptus" meant; she just hadn't expected Liyue to hold such wonders.
While chatting, the landlady had also told her about the youkai of Inazuma.
Apparently only Mondstadt lacked extraordinary species… No, not necessarily—she hadn't scoured all of Mondstadt; maybe there were races she hadn't discovered… After a while in the cold wind, it was about time to head back.
After all, this wasn't a modern world with phones and internet; evening entertainment was scarce and bedtime came early.
Besides, they had to set off at dawn, so they couldn't stay up too late tonight.
She hoped they could reach Liyue Harbor soon; she too was eager to see a completely different nation.
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