"Of course it's a proper manga,"
Han Feng said with a perfectly serious face.
"Those reactions from the diners are just because the imitation grilled meat tastes too good.
It's the same as when you ate my cooking and were so moved you cried, remember?"
"I… guess that makes sense?"
Noelle looked unconvinced.
Something about that explanation didn't sit right with her.
Those expressions, those poses— how could that possibly be "just good food"?
Still, despite her doubts, she kept reading.
After all, the dishes in the manga did look delicious.
"I'll just… ignore those weird panels," she told herself, trying to stay composed.
However, when she turned the page and saw an entire clothes-exploding scene, Noelle nearly dropped the book.
"B-Boss—her clothes… they actually… came off?!"
The little maid's cheeks turned crimson.
Shock, confusion, and embarrassment all tangled together on her face.
Compared to this, those earlier scenes of blushing, crossed legs, and soft moans
suddenly felt like child's play.
She had never imagined that food could have… that kind of effect.
"Calm down," Han Feng said casually.
"It's normal. Just like you'd never seen glowing dishes before, right?
So why can't there be food that, uh… causes clothes to fly off? Perfectly reasonable."
"I—"
Noelle was speechless.
How could that possibly be the same?!
A glowing dish was amazing because of skill and technique, something that made you marvel at the chef's artistry.
But this?
This had already crossed the line into something… very different.
She couldn't even imagine someone in Mondstadt learning this "culinary technique."
Would every diner end up blushing, trembling, and— exploding their clothes off in the middle of a restaurant?
That wouldn't be "fine dining"—that'd be a public disturbance!
"Boss… you're getting less and less proper lately,"
Noelle muttered under her breath, her face burning.
Still, she took a deep breath and forced herself to keep reading.
"I chose this manga myself. Even if it kills me from embarrassment… I'll finish it."
Han Feng watched her silently from the side, her cheeks flushed, eyes darting, hands fidgeting— and couldn't help but smile.
"Heh. Teasing an innocent little maid really is the best entertainment."
If it were someone like Lisa, she'd probably just smirk and say,
"That's it? Amateur work."
But with Noelle? Her reactions were priceless.
Meanwhile — in Liyue.
After leaving the manga shop, Childe sprinted along the path the Qianyan Army captain had pointed out.
Now that he had a direction, his speed doubled.
After chasing across half of Liyue Harbor, he finally caught sight of the faint blue glow ahead—
"Got you!"
He grinned as the Fake Peace Star floated in view.
"Once I grab you this time, you're not slipping away again."
But just as he lunged forward—
Whoosh!
The Fake Peace Star suddenly accelerated, zipping right past him and streaking toward the sea.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Childe stood frozen in disbelief.
It had been right there!
And now it had just… flown off?
He ran to the edge of the pier, but by then the blue light had already plunged into the ocean.
"Great. Just great.
I've spent all this time chasing it, ran halfway across the city, and ended up with nothing."
He sighed heavily, watching the waves where it had disappeared.
Still… something nagged at him.
From the start, that Fake Peace Star had been acting strange.
When it first slipped out of his hand, it had hovered above him, circling— as if searching for something.
Then, once it seemed to find its target, it had flown straight toward the coast.
"If I'm not mistaken… that direction is toward Guyun Stone Forest…"
His expression darkened.
"Wait.
Don't tell me that thing's headed for Osial—the Vortex God?"
The possibility made his scalp prickle.
Everyone knew the legend:
Beneath the waters of Guyun Stone Forest slumbered a fearsome demon god, sealed long ago by Morax, the Geo Archon.
Back during the Archon War, Osial had been one of the fiercest beings alive, until the Lord of Geo himself impaled him beneath the sea with massive stone spears.
When Childe had first arrived in Liyue, he had considered using the Rite of Parting as an opportunity to unseal the Vortex God— a trump card to create chaos while he pursued the Geo Archon's Gnosis.
He even possessed the means to do so: the Rite of Prohibition Talisman and the power bestowed upon him by the Tsaritsa.
But that was supposed to be a last resort.
Because once Osial awakened, Liyue would face utter devastation.
Entire districts would collapse.
Countless civilians would die.
And afterward, the Fatui would be blamed for everything.
So he had planned never to use that card unless absolutely necessary.
And now?
He hadn't done anything— and the Fake Peace Star was flying straight toward the sealed god's resting place?!
If that thing actually woke Osial up… wouldn't everyone immediately assume he was behind it?!
"Unbelievable… I've really got the worst luck!"
Childe rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
Not only had he lost his reward, but he might end up taking the blame for summoning a demon god.
"No way. I am not carrying this pot on my back!"
His eyes hardened with resolve.
"I need to report this to the Qixing.
If anything happens out there, I'm clearing my name first."
If it really was him who had caused it, he would've taken full responsibility.
He was Tartaglia, after all— the youngest of the Fatui Harbingers, a man who never feared a fight.
But if some runaway reward he barely touched ended up awakening a god?
Then he'd be accused of something he never even did.
That was something he absolutely couldn't accept.
Of course, deep down, he still held onto a shred of hope.
Maybe the Fake Peace Star wasn't strong enough to actually break Osial's seal.
Or maybe he'd guessed wrong entirely— and it had just flown off somewhere else for no reason.
That would be the best outcome.
He could just pretend none of this ever happened.
But just in case… he had to get ahead of the story.
Otherwise, when chaos erupted and fingers started pointing, he'd have no way to defend himself.
"No," he muttered grimly.
"Not this time. I'm clearing this mess up before anyone blames me."
And with that, Childe turned and sprinted back toward Liyue Harbor— determined not to let a fake star ruin his entire reputation.
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