"Aether, that time you went traveling alone… did you also open every single chest you saw?"
Lumine stood before a chest containing only some cabbage and a few Mora. The vein on her forehead twitched violently as she contacted her "dear" oniichan without hesitation.
"Ah—this…" Aether stammered, sweat beading on his forehead.
He couldn't deny it. Of course he had opened countless chests. What kind of traveler leaves them unopened?
"Lumine, listen to my excu—no, my explanation." His voice was guilty, his tone weak.
Lumine could hear the panic. She stomped her foot furiously.
No wonder the wild chests rarely contained good treasures—they were secondhand!
"Aether, listen carefully! You're banned from this house from now on!"
She hung up the communicator with a snap. Paimon floated beside her, equally indignant.
Thanks to this communication device that allowed her to contact Aether anytime, Lumine felt slightly reassured letting him go—but only slightly.
Abyss Order Headquarters.
Aether scratched his head in frustration. The secret was out. Next time, he'd have to think of a better way to warn her.
"How much Mora does the Abyss Order even have?" he asked an Abyss Mage nearby.
The mage tilted his head. The Order had little need for currency; few dared to trade with them anyway.
Back in Liyue, Paimon sat on the bed, tossing Mora into her small piggy bank—her precious treasure chest.
"Paimon, how much have you saved?" Lumine shouted from across the room, glaring suspiciously.
Paimon clutched her coin jar tightly. "This is Paimon's! You can't take it!"
Lumine couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. "I'm not that broke, you gluttonous little fairy. But save up anyway. If I ever have to leave this world, you'll be on your own. Without Mora, you'd probably starve and faint into a river."
Though they had only journeyed through two nations together, Lumine already saw Paimon as family. The little companion's combat ability was worse than a wild boar's—how would she survive without Lumine?
If one day she left Teyvat, Lumine hoped Paimon could regain her lost power. Then she could leave without worry.
"Paimon, Baemon… who are you really?" she murmured. "What mysterious past are you hiding?"
"I…" Paimon hesitated. She hadn't thought about the day they'd have to part. Traveling with Lumine was fun—safe, warm, and full of food. A life without her sounded lonely beyond measure.
Besides, she somehow felt tied to Teyvat itself. She belonged to this world and couldn't travel between realms like Lumine.
"There must be a way," Lumine said. She had grown too used to having Paimon at her side. Being separated would hurt.
"Then let Paimon stay with you forever."
Koji entered with a calm smile. "If Paimon is bound to Teyvat, I'll simply use this divine sword to cut that bond."
He placed a hand on the hilt at his waist, confidence in his eyes. For him, blessings could shape reality itself.
Lumine smiled. "Heh, yes. Paimon, our journey will never end."
"Mm! Paimon doesn't want to be apart either! Paimon's your best partner!"
"You mean my greedy emergency food and backup rations," Lumine teased.
"Ahh!"
Seeing Lumine open her mouth in mock menace, Paimon yelped and shot into the air in terror, truly believing Lumine might try a taste.
"Paimon's not tasty! Paimon hasn't bathed in days—Paimon smells terrible!" she said in panic.
Lumine crossed her arms, pretending to be angry. "You haven't bathed? And you still sleep in my bed? Looks like you really do want to be part of the stew!"
She lunged playfully, and the room filled with laughter and chaos.
Koji chuckled quietly and stepped out, mostly to avoid getting thrown out himself.
There were many restaurants in Liyue, but to Koji, none compared to this one. The dishes here had true warmth—simple food for real people. The fancier restaurants only raised prices with rarer ingredients, flaunting wealth rather than flavor.
Cooking, he thought, was meant to fill the stomach, not the ego.
At Wanmin Restaurant, prices were fair and the food always delicious. Naturally, it stayed popular.
"Brother, you're back again! What'll it be today?"
Chef Mao greeted him warmly. Koji was a regular here, and the two often discussed cooking techniques. Before transmigrating, Koji had lived in Huaxia—the land of cuisine—and Liyue's flavors felt like home.
"Let's see… Honey-Glazed Char Siu, Grilled Tiger Fish, and Crab Roe Tofu. Three bowls of rice too."
He ordered smoothly, without needing a menu.
"Dad, let me handle it."
The voice belonged to Xiangling. Lively and bright, she stepped forward with a confident grin.
"This is my daughter Xiangling," Chef Mao said proudly. "She's been out gathering ingredients these past few days."
He beamed. Her cooking skill had already surpassed his own.
"So you're the traveler I've heard about?" Xiangling asked curiously. "Xingqiu mentioned you."
Koji nodded politely, glancing at the small creature beside her—Guoba, once the God of the Stove, now her faithful companion after dispersing his divine power.
He couldn't help but think Xiangling truly had the air of destiny about her: a chef trained by an immortal, accompanied by a former god.
"Chef Mao's told me your cooking's even better than his," Koji said with a grin. "I'll have to taste for myself today."
"Then you're in luck!" Xiangling replied cheerfully, stepping into her father's place.
Her movements were smooth and practiced; each gesture revealed years of experience. From her confident handling of the wok to the rhythm of her chopping, it was clear—this wasn't skill learned in a few months, but honed since childhood.
Soon, the aroma filled the room.
"Try it and tell me what you think." Xiangling placed the dishes before him with a smile.
Koji took a bite. "Mmm…" He gave a big thumbs-up. "Delicious. Even better than Chef Mao's."
"Ahaha, don't say that!" Xiangling laughed, glancing at her father. "Dad, don't mind him, okay?"
Chef Mao waved it off with pride. "Why would I mind? My daughter's talent makes me happy."
"Traveler, Dad said you know a lot of recipes?" Xiangling asked curiously, eyes sparkling.
"Quite a few," Koji replied. "Things like Boiled Cabbage and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."
"'Buddha Jumps Over the Wall'? That sounds a lot like Adeptus' Temptation," she said, intrigued.
Koji chuckled. "You could say that."
The two continued talking about recipes long into the afternoon, their shared passion for cooking bridging worlds and lifetimes.
(End of Chapter)
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