"Don't be jealous of Klee. Your manga also contains plenty of powerful treasures," Han Feng said with a smile.
Journey to the West was a mythological epic.
The number of formidable things inside it was staggering.
Whether celestial arts or mystical artifacts, none were inferior to Klee's Winged Dragon of Ra,
and many could even surpass it.
"You're right!"
Hearing that, Paimon suddenly realized it too.
Her manga indeed had plenty of miraculous things.
Like the Four Dragon Kings of the Seas—
just imagining them felt even more imposing than Klee's golden dragon.
"Come on, Lumine, let's keep reading! Maybe Paimon will get a dragon as a mount too!"
Lumine, watching Paimon's bright grin, only chuckled without dousing her excitement.
She herself secretly entertained the same thought.
"Ugh, I'll help tidy up Klee's things on the ground then."
Mona sighed, crouching down to gather everything up.
What was this situation supposed to be?
She only came to retrieve a chest, yet ended up seeing a giant dragon.
In an instant, the crystal ball reward in her hand felt far less appealing.
Compared to Klee's golden dragon, there was simply no comparison.
"Hm? What's this book?"
Spotting a book on the ground, Mona curiously picked it up.
"Could it be some ancient knowledge Miss Alice left behind? Hmm, just right to pass some time."
After putting the other items back into Klee's bag, Mona sat on the sofa and flipped open the book.
"Ah, poor Mona."
Han Feng smirked faintly.
She was about to regret it.
Not long after—
a dragon's cry echoed outside the store.
Klee soon came running back in, carrying a large box in her arms.
"Big sis, Klee brought back the chest!"
"Great, let me see!"
Mona's heart surged with excitement. She rushed forward eagerly.
Meanwhile, Klee skipped over to the counter, face beaming.
"Brother Han Feng, Klee flew so fast on the dragon just now!"
She felt like from now on, she could travel everywhere this way.
"You could also sit on the Winged Dragon's back and drop bombs down below. Blow up the fish and then fly away—no one would ever catch you."
Han Feng teased.
"That's right!"
Klee's eyes lit up at once.
If Acting Grand Master Jean didn't know it was her, then she couldn't lock her up again!
Brother Han Feng was so smart!
Coming here to chat with him really was the best decision ever.
But over at Mona's side—panic set in.
Because when she opened the chest, she discovered it had no lock, and worse—it was empty.
Nothing inside at all.
Could it be… that her master's item had been stolen?
"It's like this. I borrowed this chest to hold all my treasures."
Noticing Mona's frantic expression, Klee explained cheerfully.
"Borrowed…?"
"Mm-hmm! Now that big sis wants the chest back, I just took my treasures out. That's why it's empty."
Klee spoke so reasonably Mona was momentarily at a loss.
Snapping out of it, she hurriedly asked,
"You used it to hold your things?! Then what about the original item inside? That's what I need!"
"Ohhh, so that's what big sis wanted! You should've said so earlier."
Klee spread her hands.
"You didn't break it, did you?"
Mona's voice turned tight with worry.
If it was broken, her master would be furious.
"Nope! Not broken at all!"
"Phew!"
Mona finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Han Feng, on the other hand, was brimming with anticipation.
Because the legendary Klee gesture—the origin of that infamous meme—was about to appear.
"That thing is the book you're holding in your hand, big sis."
Klee raised her right hand and casually pointed at the book Mona held.
"If only I had a camera right now…"
Han Feng chuckled and sighed at once.
These were classic Genshin moments!
Like Paimon's earlier "Eh-heh, what does that mean?"—this was another.
If he could compile them all into a collection and put it on display in the store, it would be a hit for sure.
A certain unscrupulous shopkeeper let out a regretful sigh.
(⊙_⊙)
"Ehh—?!
Th-this… this diary… it's the old hag's… could it be her diary from fifty years ago?!"
Mona froze, completely dumbstruck.
She had thought it was some random diary, boring and meaningless.
But now she realized—it was actually her master's.
The item she was tasked to retrieve after fifty years was none other than… her master's youthful black history!
"I'm done for! No wonder…! No wonder the old hag said, 'Under no circumstances may you peek. If you do, I'll tear you to pieces…'"
Mona's whole face collapsed in despair.
She felt like once she returned, she'd be a dead woman.
"Ah—did… did Klee cause trouble?"
Klee now looked flustered too.
Wasn't she just helping to retrieve a chest?
Why did big sis suddenly turn like this?
Thinking quickly, Klee panicked.
"It was big sis who asked for the chest! No one said anything about the stuff inside! I know nothing—I'm leaving now! Bye-bye, Brother Han Feng!"
She slung her little backpack over her shoulder and bolted.
"Pfft!"
Noelle finally couldn't hold back her laughter.
Who would've thought that adorable Klee could say something so devastating?
Mona now looked like a wilted eggplant, completely listless.
"Don't worry, Miss Mona. As long as you don't say anything, your master won't know you peeked, right?"
"No way… Astrology pierces through all lies."
Saying that, Mona suddenly recalled something.
Her eyes narrowed with grievance as she looked at Han Feng, who was calmly sipping tea behind the counter.
"Han Boss, you knew all along, didn't you?"
In Mona's view, since Han Feng's "divinations" could reveal her purpose here,
and even pinpoint who the successor was—
there was no way he didn't know what her master's item was.
And if he knew but didn't say… then there was only one explanation:
He wanted to see her make a fool of herself.
That realization made her even gloomier.
"I didn't! I really didn't! Don't accuse me wrongly. If I knew, let the Anemo Archon strike me with lightning!"
Han Feng said with a straight face.
Venti, lounging in the corner, nearly choked on his drink.
Me? Strike you with lightning? I can't even beat you!
Besides, since when did the Anemo Archon wield Electro?
Why not just say, "Let Raiden Shogun smite me"?!
"…Now I can't go back, and I don't have much Mora on me. What should I do?"
Mona's face was clouded with worry.
"Don't worry, Miss Mona. I can introduce you to Acting Grand Master Jean. I'm sure a talented astrologer like you would be welcomed by the Knights of Favonius."
Noelle comforted her.
"Really? That would be such a huge help!"
Mona's spirits soared.
If she could temporarily work with the Knights, then her lodging problem would be solved.
"It's no trouble. I was heading back to the Knights anyway."
Noelle waved it off, then turned to Han Feng.
"Boss, I'll take Miss Mona with me then."
"Go on."
Han Feng nodded.
"Wait, Miss Noelle, let me say goodbye to Lumine and the others first."
Mona quickly went to them.
"Mona, congratulations! We'll come find you at the Knights later."
Lumine smiled.
"Thank you! I'll repay that money to you soon."
Not only had they brought her to this miraculous manga shop, but they had also lent her 100,000 Mora.
Mona felt deeply grateful.
After saying her goodbyes, she tucked the crystal ball into her Vision space.
That was her 100,000 Mora reward—she couldn't afford to lose it.
Watching Mona leave with Noelle, Paimon let out a heartfelt sigh.
"Miss Mona really is pitiful."
Accidentally peeking into her master's diary…
Now she'd probably never be free unless her master's fate ran its course.
"Alright, enough about that. We finished the manga. Time to go ask Boss Han for our reward!"
Lumine said with a grin.
"Yes yes, reward time!"
Paimon's eyes sparkled once more.
~~--------------------------------------
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