"Did Ningguang agree to that matter?"
"Don't worry. Brother Victor made such a huge sacrifice for Lady Ningguang's business last time. He even let go of the grudge from Alice in Wonderland being banned and being mocked by Pravina. After learning about it, Lady Ningguang didn't say much, but I could tell she was somewhat moved. So, this time, she told me to 'handle it at my discretion.'"
"Handle it at your discretion…"
"It means as long as it's not a losing deal. For Lady Ningguang, that's already quite an exception. She originally didn't want to interfere in matters over here, but now she's at least willing to back you up."
Victor Wang rubbed his nose.
When he first arrived in Sumeru, in order to get the Akademiya to approve hosting the bubble-blowing competition, he had a debate with Pravina.
But in truth, the main reason was that he had finally come up with an original line of his own, only to get laughed at by Pravina. Being annoyed with that guy was the real motivation—fulfilling Ningguang's request was more of a convenient side effect.
Then Qi Xiuming opened his mouth with, "I didn't expect you to take my task so seriously"… That misunderstanding simply wouldn't do. So, Victor Wang immediately changed his wording, saying it was all for Ningguang, hoping to dispel Qi Xiuming's gratitude.
Judging by the result, being able to move Ningguang and having a wealthy patron backing him felt… actually pretty good?
Qi Xiuming, completely unaware, warmly draped an arm over Victor Wang's shoulder and said, "But after Lesser Lord Kusanali reclaimed control of the Akademiya and the Akasha was shut down, the people of Sumeru can dream again. Brother Victor's Alice in Wonderland has also been removed from the banned books list. Truly, good deeds bring good rewards!"
"And from what I've observed, Alice in Wonderland happened to catch the moment when Sumeru's people suddenly regained the ability to dream, so its sales have been excellent. To see Teacher 'Dust's' work appreciated like this brings great comfort to us all!"
"Hold it. Someone's coming." Victor Wang broke free from Qi Xiuming's heartfelt comfort.
Qi Xiuming waved his hand. "There are only a few minutes left before the deadline. At a time like this, who would still—wait, there really is?"
He narrowed his eyes and saw blond and silver hair emerging in the distance.
"The registration desk… the registration desk… I remember that there used to be really long lines here every day!" Paimon muttered while flying. "Why is there hardly anyone now… Don't tell me registration has already closed?"
"Don't panic, Paimon." After repeatedly checking the time on the flyer, Lumine said calmly, "It doesn't close until exactly 12 PM. There are still a few minutes left. It's probably quiet because everyone else has already signed up."
"A few minutes left? At a time like this, shouldn't you be saying there are only a few minutes left?! That's ten million Mora—we need to hurry!"
Within those final minutes, Lumine and Paimon managed to arrive in time.
"Victor is here too. Did you also come to sign up at the last minute?" Paimon asked.
"Probably here as part of the organizing side," Lumine guessed while registering her name.
"No. This competition is being handled entirely by personnel appointed by Ningguang—this gentleman here, Qi Xiuming. I'm here to discuss something with him."
Taking Victor Wang's cue, Qi Xiuming naturally picked up the conversation. "Miss Lumine, I know you. You're not only a hero known throughout Liyue, but also the third-place winner of the First Teyvat Bubble-Blowing Competition. It would've been such a shame if the Second Bubble-Blowing Competition had missed a strong contender like you."
"Shh—" Victor Wang pricked up his ears and cut off Qi Xiuming's pleasantries. "Someone else is coming."
Two voices approached noisily.
"Why are you following me?"
"The roads of Sumeru City weren't designed by you. I just happen to be going this way. You can't exactly forbid me from walking, can you?"
"You… hmph. I know you're here to laugh at me. What, I'm short on money—so what?"
"Not at all. I just find it rare—Kaveh, who designed the 'Port Ormos Expansion Plan,' fully oversaw the construction of the 'Palace of Alcazarzaray,' bears the title 'Light of the Kshahrewar,' and is even hailed as one of the finest architectural designers of recent decades—having to participate in a bubble-blowing competition to make ends meet."
"If someone came to nag you every month about repaying loans on time, and someone else kept hinting that rent was due, trust me—you wouldn't have any other choice either."
"Who would? If it were me, I'd never end up in the situation you're describing."
"You think I wanted to end up like this? I—I hate the Withering!"
"While I feel no pity whatsoever for your bankruptcy, what caused it wasn't the Withering. Even without that incident where the Withering grew right where you carefully chose for the client and destroyed the nearly completed Palace of Alcazarzaray, you would've paid the price for your personality sooner or later."
"But only at that location could the Palace of Alcazarzaray be the perfect Palace of Alcazarzaray!"
"Yes. And if not for that personality, you wouldn't have built the Palace of Alcazarzaray in the first place. Pros and cons, I suppose… I respect everyone's personality. Advice is meaningless, and I have no intention of giving it."
As the voices grew clearer, the figures of Kaveh and Alhaitham appeared on the road opposite them.
"Victor, Lumine, and Paimon… you're here too. I thought no one would be around at this hour…"
"Kaveh, are you here to sign up as well?" Paimon asked.
"Uh… yeah. I want to register."
"Then just come over here and fill it out," Paimon reminded him kindly.
"Okay…"
"Is Alhaitham not participating?" Paimon asked again.
"I'll pass. There's a mountain of work waiting at the Akademiya. I can't spare the time."
"But aren't you leisurely accompanying Kaveh right now?"
Kaveh crossed his arms, looking highly resistant. "Paimon, you can't just say things like that!"
Alhaitham shook his head in denial. "If you also had a roommate at home who'd been frowning for days on end, trust me—you'd be curious too. But I really was just passing by. I'm heading to the Akademiya now. Goodbye."
"Ah… he really left." Watching Alhaitham walk away without hesitation, Paimon's gaze shifted and suddenly spotted something in a corner. "Hey, aren't those four over there from the Arataki Gang?"
Victor Wang nodded. "They arrived over ten minutes ago. They've been crouched in that corner watching this place ever since. No idea what they're plotting."
"Then I'll sneak over and scare them! Hehehe!"
With a mischievous grin, relying on her small size and silent flight, Paimon looped around toward the corner—
"Boss, there are only two minutes left until registration closes…"
"Don't rush me, don't rush me! Haven't you read Yae Publishing House's light novels? The protagonist always makes their entrance at the very last moment!"
"But boss, if we really wait until the last minute, what if someone else beats us to it? Then we're totally finished!"
"How could that happen… Look, aside from those two just now, no one else has come," Arataki Itto said, sounding slightly uncertain.
"Boss, boss! Someone's coming—really, someone's coming again! That girl—she's not here to register too, is she?"
"Tsk— looks like it, actually. Damn it, why pick this exact moment to sign up? Fine then, fair competition it is. If we lose, no one can complain. Let's run and beat her there!"
With Arataki Itto leading, followed by Akira, Mamoru, and Genta, the four charged out of the corner—only to be startled by Paimon lying in wait. Spooked out of their wits, they sprinted toward the registration desk at even greater speed.
"We want to sign up! We want to sign up! We want to sign up!"
===BREAK===
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