"Phew… finally here."
Layla let out a sigh of relief. After everyone else had disembarked, she timidly followed behind, stepping into Port Ormos.
The ship from Sumeru City to Port Ormos was packed with people—far too many for her liking.
It made Layla feel uneasy, as if everyone was staring at her…
She patted her cheeks, quickly pulling herself together. She was here to relax today.
To prepare for the astrological observations in the coming days, she needed to rest properly.
Layla had long suffered from insomnia, much of it stemming from the pressure of her studies.
All students of the Akademiya were required to take courses, complete theses, and pass exams or reviews.
It didn't sound complicated, but each task demanded an immense amount of time and energy.
Unfortunately, Layla's progress on her theses was always slower than her peers'.
She would dwell on things for ages:
Are my arguments sound?
Compared to my classmates, are mine too simplistic?
Even after her calculations, she couldn't help but doubt herself…
In her hesitation, time slipped quietly through her fingers and furrowed her brow.
Thankfully, she had the [Blessing of the Stars].
Though she still didn't fully understand what kind of power was aiding her, the [Blessing of the Stars] had resolved her most pressing problems.
It allowed her to submit several course theses all at once.
In truth, both personalities were her own—just one lacked confidence.
With her heavy coursework sorted, Layla could finally carve out time to do things she enjoyed.
For example, observing the stars—not for her studies, but purely as a hobby.
She had given herself a few days off.
Today was the first day, and the stellar phenomenon wouldn't appear for another three days.
So, her main goal today was to relax and get a good night's sleep.
When it came to relaxing, Layla could say she wasn't very good at it—yet, in a way, she was.
She wasn't good at it because her methods of relaxation were quite limited.
They consisted of taking a ship from Sumeru City to Port Ormos and wandering around there.
But she was good at it because small trinkets or street performances could keep her happy for hours.
To the conservative factions of the Akademiya, acrobatics and crafts were at the bottom of the social hierarchy.
But Layla clearly wasn't one of them.
In Port Ormos, merchants from all over set up stalls, hawking all sorts of novel and interesting items.
They showcased jaw-dropping tricks that always left the weary Layla refreshed and amazed.
She had seen a marvelous knife-throwing challenge.
A skilled desert folk knife-thrower would fling a blade and hit an apple placed far away with precision.
She had seen a so-called "flying man" who, with nothing but an ordinary rug, could lift off the ground.
But none of these were Layla's favorite activity at the moment.
She approached a small stall surrounded by a handful of people, all intently watching the stall owner's performance.
Yes, Layla's current favorite was this lottery game.
The rules were simple:
The stall owner placed slips of paper marked with different prize amounts into wooden boxes.
Then, he shuffled the boxes containing the prizes at an astonishing speed and invited interested participants to choose a box.
The stall owner spoke up, "Young man, you've watched two rounds already. Why not try your luck? Otherwise, I can't keep this business going."
Layla looked toward the young man the owner was addressing.
She froze.
Is there really someone this good-looking?
Layla was at a loss for words to describe his appearance.
Judging by his attire, he seemed to be from Liyue. Was he traveling in Sumeru?
The person being teased by the owner was none other than Mu Yang.
Speaking of Mu Yang, avoiding the spotlight was only a secondary goal for this trip.
He had his own plans.
The sparkling water he had previously sold to Dori had received rave reviews in Sumeru.
He wanted to see what other business opportunities he could explore here.
Having already connected with Dori, establishing a trade route was a must.
Otherwise, he had no reason to be in Sumeru.
This time, Mu Yang came to Sumeru to scout for any gaps in the market for goods.
He hadn't expected to be captivated by the first stall he visited.
Mu Yang could tell the lottery stall owner had some skill.
His hand speed was incredibly fast, almost impossible for the average person to follow, let alone guess the jackpot.
But that made sense—after all, the owner relied on this craft to make a living. If just anyone could win the jackpot, he'd probably be out of business.
Mu Yang wasn't an ordinary person, of course. He could see through it but was studying the owner's technique, which was why he hadn't placed a bet.
He hadn't expected the owner to call him out.
"Sorry, I got a bit caught up watching. I'll pick this one."
Mu Yang paid and casually chose a box, deliberately avoiding the jackpot.
He was currently playing the role of an ordinary Liyue merchant, keeping a low profile.
Who knew what Nahida was up to right now?
Even with the system's protection shielding him from mind-reading, it was better to avoid drawing attention from either Nahida or the Grand Sage's faction for now.
The owner revealed all the boxes, and everyone had only won consolation prizes.
After two or three rounds with no one guessing correctly, the travelers moved on to the next stall.
Only Layla and Mu Yang remained.
Mu Yang stayed, naturally, because of Layla.
With important characters like her, it was best to make a connection if possible.
The owner seemed particularly delighted to see Layla.
"Little lady, you're back! Feeling confident enough to take all the prizes today?"
Layla didn't speak, only nodding gently.
"Haha, let's get started then. Young man, keep your eyes peeled."
The owner used the same technique, his hands moving so fast they almost left afterimages.
After shuffling the boxes, he gestured for them to choose.
Layla pointed directly at the box containing the grand prize.
Mu Yang could tell too, but he didn't choose it.
If it had been another character, Mu Yang might have picked it and shown off a bit.
But not with Layla. This girl was already severely lacking in confidence, often sinking into deep self-doubt.
Judging by her demeanor, this wasn't her first time at the lottery stall, and this time she was brimming with confidence to win the grand prize.
If she encountered a Mu Yang who figured out the pattern after just three rounds, wouldn't that send her spiraling again?
Mu Yang enjoyed a bit of mischief, but only with those brimming with confidence, like Ningguang or Yelan.
For a girl like Layla, he wouldn't go out of his way to discourage her.
Sure enough, when Layla learned she had chosen the grand prize, she jumped up, heedless of appearances.
The scene was far more entertaining this way.
The stall owner was utterly shocked, unable to believe it.
But Layla's confidence had taken root. She played a few more rounds, winning the grand prize each time.
Because Mu Yang was there, Layla wrote down the owner's technique on a piece of paper and handed it to him.
Mu Yang knew perfectly well that the key was in the owner's left thumb.
Having his trade secret exposed, the owner couldn't help but be impressed and gave Layla her well-earned rewards.
For Layla, though, the prize money was secondary.
Figuring out the clever technique was what truly delighted her.
And with the praise from the stall owner and the young man, her confidence was soaring.
Watching Layla walk away with light, cheerful steps, Mu Yang's lips curled into a slight smile.
He was glad he'd made the choice he did.