Keqing looked at Lin Ze with anticipation, waiting for his "unless."
If there really was an "unless," then didn't that mean there might still be a chance to obtain another Rex Lapis figure of the same quality in the future?
"Unless," Lin Ze said casually,
"one day I'm in a particularly good mood. Then maybe I'll make one for you for free."
Originally, Lin Ze had planned to use this opportunity to secure a few convenient privileges from Keqing.
But after thinking it through, he realized—
Now that Ningguang had her eyes on him, those privileges already existed by default.
So he simply changed his phrasing.
"…In a good mood?" Keqing frowned.
She didn't believe in something as vague as mood.
But almost immediately, she understood.
'Good mood' just means when he needs my help.
It was merely a different way of putting it.
"As long as it doesn't harm Liyue," Keqing said after a moment of thought,
"I can help you from time to time."
"One favor… in exchange for one figure. How about that?"
"After all, you only need a bit of water and a bit of earth."
Lin Ze clicked his tongue inwardly.
He'd crafted the figure right in front of her, and she was still willing to trade a luxury villa for it.
That alone proved she fully acknowledged its value.
"Fair enough," Lin Ze said, not refusing.
"As a reminder—it's a figure, not a clay sculpture. Different materials, different craftsmanship. Don't mix them up."
After that final clarification, Lin Ze waved his hand.
Once Keqing stored the figure away, he politely—but decisively—saw her out.
Standing outside the villa, staring at the now-closed door, Keqing let out a quiet sigh.
She opened her Diary Replica, waiting for the next update, while heading toward Yujing Terrace.
She planned to bring Ganyu along and head to the Jade Chamber together.
As for how Lin Ze knew she liked Rex Lapis figures enough to craft one—
She'd already had the answer the moment she saw the words Genshin Impact in the diary.
That kind of information could only have come from another world.
Soon enough, Keqing and Ganyu arrived at the Jade Chamber.
Ningguang and Yelan were already waiting.
Even after all this time, Ningguang still couldn't suppress the smile on her face.
"What's with Ningguang?" Keqing asked quietly, glancing at Yelan.
"She's been smiling nonstop since we walked in."
"Ever since Lin Ze left, she's been like that," Yelan replied lazily, tossing her dice.
"Looks like even with only forty percent, she still made a killing."
On the way back from Liuli Pavilion, Ningguang had still been holding herself together.
But once she returned to the Jade Chamber—
She stopped pretending entirely.
No one could remember the last time they'd seen her smile so brightly.
"What's there to be this happy about?" Keqing scoffed.
"Lin Ze hasn't even taken anything out yet."
She felt Ningguang was celebrating far too early.
No one knew when Lin Ze would actually start introducing things from his world to improve life in Teyvat.
Wasn't this premature?
"No rush," Ningguang waved her hand dismissively.
"I still need time to assemble teams, choose sites, and build factories."
"And we'll need to guard against other nations—especially the Fatui."
"Where did Lin Ze ultimately decide to live?"
"In the residence near Yujing Terrace," Keqing replied.
"He bought it outright."
"He sold thirty outfits today and earned six million Mora," Yelan added.
"Even at half price, that shouldn't have been enough, right?"
She frowned slightly, then quickly understood.
"…How much was missing? I'll cover it," Ningguang said without hesitation.
"…I won't hide it. This was bound to come out eventually."
Keqing raised her hand.
"He traded this."
With that, she took out the two-meter-tall Rex Lapis figure.
In an instant, Ningguang's, Yelan's—and even Ganyu's—eyes were completely drawn to it.
It was too exquisite.
"I remember you're not particularly fond of collecting these," Ningguang said after examining it closely.
"Sell it to me?"
"Not selling!" Keqing snapped instantly.
"Why do you think I brought it out?"
"I like collecting these too, you know. Not for sale—no amount of Mora."
She quickly put the figure away, hastily justifying herself.
[Living in a villa feels amazing!
One figure (image.jpg) for one luxury villa (image.jpg)—
business deals like this are rare even across all of history, right?]
[A willing buyer, a willing seller~]
[I wonder if Dori in Sumeru has a diary replica.
If she does, she'd probably cry from jealousy.]
"Waaah—stop, I'm already crying!"
"I don't even know why it's called a 'figure,' but trading one sculpture for a luxury villa?!"
"Mora—! My Mora—!"
In Sumeru, Dori burst into tears on the spot.
She was truly crying from envy.
Why had she never run into a deal like that?!
"This craftsmanship… this quality…"
"I wonder if he could make a statue of Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho…"
"What a pity Inazuma is still under Sakoku…"
Even Kujou Sara felt envy.
If Lin Ze had appeared in Inazuma instead, she might have had a chance to obtain a statue of the Raiden Shogun crafted with the same level of artistry.
[Still plenty of time. Might as well write a bit more.]
[While talking with Ningguang, I noticed I sometimes say things instinctively—
phrases that clearly mean nothing to them.]
[If that's the case, why not use this diary to bring over the memes engraved into my DNA from before transmigration?]
[A meme encyclopedia?
Or maybe just directly importing works from my old world?]
[Wait—Ningguang mentioned that when they don't understand something in the diary,
some mysterious force helps them comprehend it.]
[Then why not take advantage of the system for once?]
[Decision made. I'll use the system.
Come to think of it, maybe it's not completely useless after all~]
"So he's already met Ningguang…"
"I wonder how the negotiations in Liyue went."
"Have Tartaglia speed things up.
Get in contact with Lin Ze as soon as possible."
"Since he's already met Ningguang, perhaps I should send a letter…"
"No—Lisa, could you go to Liyue in person?"
"Oh my~ what exquisite craftsmanship.
We can't let all the benefits go to Liyue alone…"
"…Looks like I'll need to pay Ei a visit after all."
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
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