Xia Zhi thought it rang a bell.
He remembered Ningguang messaging him once, saying an editor from Inazuma had come to Liyue Publishing House, looking to buy rights to a few books—including the one he and Zhu Zi had written.
So that editor was from Yae Publishing House.
Xia Zhi turned his head. "Lady Yae."
Yae Miko frowned, her posture delicate, her tone touched with grievance. "Mr. Xia, call me Miko."
Xia Zhi corrected himself. "…Miko."
Her expression bloomed into a dazzling smile. "What does Mr. Xia want to know?"
"My novel. Is it selling that well in Inazuma?"
Yae Miko nodded. "Extremely well!"
"Inazuma readers like cultivation stories, huh…"
She blinked, surprised. "Wait, your novel's about cultivation?"
"What else would it be?"
"Not… that kind of novel?"
"…"
Hanachirusato, listening from the side, tilted her head curiously.
She glanced at the poster outside Yae Publishing House and whispered to Qiqi, "Mr. Xia writes books too?"
Qiqi nodded. "Mm. That one on the poster is his."
"Oh…" Hanachirusato murmured thoughtfully.
Xia Ci grinned. "If you're interested, why not buy a copy?"
"Mm!"
Her savior had written it—of course she'd support it.
She dashed off and returned moments later, clutching a hardcover edition.
Yae Miko eyed it and chuckled. "Ah, that's the collector's version. Costs a bit more."
Hanachirusato blinked, her eyes flashing with foxlike charm. "Twice the price of the regular one."
Yae Miko answered smoothly, "That's the point. A book only has collectible value if it's priced higher. And the pricier it sells, the more royalty share Mr. Xia gets."
"…You really do know sales."
They continued on their way out of the city.
Yae Miko leaned close to Xia Zhi, her voice low. "Mr. Xia…"
"What is it, Miko?"
"The first volume of your book is wildly popular here. Everyone's waiting for volume two and three. I want to sign the rights for those as well."
"And how do you know I've even finished them?"
"I've read them. Downloaded from the group files."
"…Didn't you just get a phone? When did you have time? You stayed up all night under the covers reading, didn't you?"
"Isn't Mr. Xia's book exactly the kind you sneak under the blanket to read in secret?"
This pink-haired fox… When they first met she seemed composed, almost regal. Now that they were closer, she was sounding more and more like Ying'er, flirting at every turn.
But Yae Miko's face was perfectly serious. "Don't get the wrong idea. As the chief editor of Yae Publishing House, staying up late to review the follow-up to a bestselling series is only natural."
"…Fair enough."
"So, what do you say?"
"These two volumes cost me endless days at sea, blood and sweat poured into every page."
"And?"
"Gotta raise the price."
"Of course. When we signed the first contract, Mr. Xia was a newcomer. Naturally you had little bargaining power. But now you've proven the value of your work. A higher cut is only proper."
Hanachirusato listened in silence, then whispered to Qiqi, "Does Mr. Xia… need Mora?"
Qiqi shook her head. "He doesn't. Writing just entertains him. Negotiating entertains him too."
"…Got it," Hanachirusato said softly.
At a roadside stall, they bought a few trinkets.
Hanachirusato witnessed Xia Ci and Xia Zhen's terrifying bargaining skills.
Watching stall owners crumble under the goddesses' words, she whispered again to Qiqi, "So… this too is just for fun?"
Qiqi nodded. "Mm."
Hanachirusato's expression turned peculiar.
She recalled fragments of memory inherited from Kitsune Saiguu—so many moments of playing around, seeking amusement everywhere.
Before, she thought it was simply Saiguu's playful nature.
But seeing three gods all stir up mischief, she realized… it might just be the fate of long-lived beings.
When time stretches too long, you have to find entertainment, or you'll go mad.
Hanachirusato looked down at the hardcover in her hands.
She'd overpaid.
She should've dragged Xia Zhen or Xia Ci along to haggle. She could've gotten it cheaper.
But then Yae Miko would've earned less, and Mr. Xia's royalties would shrink too.
That kind of dilemma… wasn't that more entertaining?
Her lips curled before she froze.
Wait. Why did I just think that?
Could it be… inheriting Saiguu's memories made me a natural mischief-maker too?
Outside Inazuma City, Xia Zhi activated a space teleport, carrying them back to Mt. Yougou.
From the shrine gates, the Sacred Sakura loomed tall and radiant.
Here was the closest spot to the Sacred Sakura itself—the best place for the Great Sacred Sakura Cleansing.
Thanks to Xia Zhi's time-stop field, Hanachirusato hadn't been weakened by the ritual.
But this couldn't last forever. She needed a way to live normally.
"Come with me," Xia Zhi told her.
"Yes, Mr. Xia."
He released the others from stasis and led her to a shrine room, knocking on the door.
Inside, Xia Le's cheerful voice rang out: "Big brother, I'm coming!"
The door opened, her smile beaming.
"I felt time energy getting close—I knew it had to be you. Huh? This sister looks unfamiliar…"
She eyed Hanachirusato curiously.
Hanachirusato fidgeted slightly. "Hello."
Xia Zhi introduced them. "This is Hanachirusato. She'll be living with Qiqi. And this is Xia Le—you might know her by another name, Mondstadt's Stormterror."
Hanachirusato's inherited memories rippled, her face flashing with recognition. "Dvalin?"
Xia Le shook her head firmly. "I'm Xia Le now."
"O-oh… alright, Miss Xia Le."
Xia Le smiled warmly. "Welcome, Sister Hanachirusato. Big brother, what did you come for?"
"I want to check on Xia Lin."
"She's on the bed."
Within the time domain, only Xia Le could see them. Xia Lin couldn't.
So Xia Zhi drew her into the field.
She blinked, then her eyes lit up. "Papa!"
Hanachirusato froze. Papa? Mr. Xia… already had a daughter?
Xia Lin threw herself into his arms.
Xia Zhi ruffled her hair, checking her condition.
Though born of calamity, her Golden Circlet sealed away her Abyssal Aura. The cleansing ritual hadn't touched her—she was just a normal girl now.
Which meant the circlet could solve Hanachirusato's problem too.
Afterward, he introduced her. "This is my third disciple, Xia Lin. But she prefers to call me Papa."
Oh. Just a disciple… Hanachirusato relaxed.
"Hello, I'm Hanachirusato. Please take care of me!"
Xia Lin looked up at her, eyes startlingly clear.
She wasn't staring at Hanachirusato herself, but at something behind her… as if there really were a shadow there.
After a pause, Xia Lin tilted her head. "Sister Hanachirusato… are you a black fox?"
Hanachirusato's pupils shrank. "How… how did you know?"
"I saw it," Xia Lin replied simply.
Xia Zhi chuckled. "Alright, you two keep playing. I've got to take Sister Hanachirusato to deal with something. Don't stay up too late."
"Okay, big brother!" Xia Le chirped.
Xia Lin glanced at her, tempted to tattle about Xia Le staying up all night reading novels. But then she remembered she'd been doing the same… so she didn't have the guts.
"Okay, Papa," she mumbled instead.
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