"…Wait."
Cael suddenly realized something.
"Did I just say something I really shouldn't have?"
Xier stared at him in disbelief.
"M–Morax is here too?! Just what kind of place is this?!"
A tiny funeral parlor, yet it housed two gods at once—Morax and Agarest.
Her worldview shattered on the spot.
"Anyway," Cael waved it off, "don't tell anyone. And since you don't have a job, go work at Wanmin Restaurant. They're short on hands."
He'd already thought it through.
Whatever Il Dottore had done to her, and whatever the Fatui were planning, one thing was certain—
the Fatui would never dare stir trouble inside Liyue Harbor.
Putting her at Wanmin Restaurant was the safest option possible.
Unless the Fatui wanted to tear their relationship with Liyue apart completely.
Xier burst into tears on the spot.
"Th-thank you… thank you, Lord Agarest!"
Cael sighed.
"…Don't cry here. Eat, then leave. I don't want our Director finding you here. I'll come see you later."
Xier nodded vigorously.
"I understand, Lord Agarest!"
She stood up on her tiptoes—
then immediately slipped on the soft mattress and fell again.
Cael rubbed her head helplessly.
"You're really clumsy, you know that?"
Xier froze when she felt the warmth of his hand.
"…Lord Agarest…"
She'd read about him in the diary—
kind, casual, sometimes even gentle.
Seeing it firsthand still felt unreal.
After finally sending her off, Cael let out a long sigh of relief.
Then—
Knock, knock.
The door was knocked again.
"Cael… what are you doing this late? It's so noisy…"
Outside stood Hu Tao, her voice groggy with sleep.
He opened the door to find her wearing thin, loose clothes, hair completely messy, eyes half-closed.
She squinted at him unhappily.
"What were you even doing? You were so loud…"
Cael smiled apologetically.
"I couldn't sleep. Sorry for waking you."
Hu Tao yawned.
"Haaah~ So troublesome… I don't want to walk anymore."
She paused.
"Hey, let's just sleep together."
Before he could react, she slipped past him and flopped straight onto his bed.
Less than three seconds later—
Even breathing.
Instant sleep.
Cael stared.
"…Unbelievable."
She was already asleep on his bed.
So where was he supposed to sleep?
Looking at her completely defenseless form, he grinned.
"Well… this was your choice. And I was having trouble sleeping."
Dawn
Hu Tao slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw—
Cael's face.
Her brain short-circuited.
"W–Why am I—?! He—?! HIS BED?!"
Memories of last night flooded back instantly.
Her face turned red from neck to ears.
And then she realized—
Their position was very wrong.
She was curled up like a pillow in his arms, pressed tightly against him, his warm hand resting on the back of her head.
It felt… safe.
Too safe.
Her thoughts drifted.
Then—
His eyelids twitched.
Hu Tao panicked and shut her eyes immediately.
But Cael was already awake.
He'd been awake for a while.
Watching.
He spoke softly.
"Hu Tao… you're awake, aren't you?"
Her body jolted.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze.
After a long pause, she buried her face.
"…You're so mean."
The Performance
That day's performance with Yun Jin was flawless.
Their voices, their coordination, the tragedy of the story—
The entire audience was moved to tears.
Everyone was completely immersed.
As for Zhongli?
He watched with eyes practically glowing.
Xiangling, Xier, Chef Mao, Baizhu, and Qiqi all came to support him.
Aside from Qiqi—who didn't quite understand—it was unanimously agreed:
Cael was terrifyingly good.
From that day on, he earned a new title:
"Mr. Cael."
Hu Tao seized the opportunity immediately, advertising Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with unprecedented enthusiasm.
A surprising number of elderly customers signed contracts—
most of them because of Cael.
And at this point, even the blind could tell—
The relationship between Hu Tao and Cael was anything but ordinary.
Life returned to peace.
And prosperity.
That peace lasted half a year.
Then—
[Traveler detected. Main storyline has now begun.]
Cael froze mid-step while shopping with Hu Tao.
Then he smiled.
"…Finally."
Six months.
The main story had begun.
Hu Tao waved a hand in front of him.
"Xiaochen? What's wrong?"
He looked at her and smiled gently.
"Nothing. I was just thinking… I'll be traveling soon."
Hu Tao's expression dimmed.
"…So you really have to go."
He'd told her long ago—
one day, he would leave to find what he'd lost.
She didn't know what it was.
Only that it mattered more than anything.
She had no right to stop him.
"…When will you leave?" she asked quietly.
He rubbed her head.
"I'll leave the day after tomorrow. First Mondstadt, then I'll come back for a while. After that—Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine… we'll see."
Hu Tao pouted.
"Then these two days are mine."
He nodded.
"Of course."
Two days later.
At the gates of Liyue.
Hu Tao reluctantly let go of his hand.
"Write me every day!"
"I will."
Zhongli spoke calmly.
"Farewell, my old friend."
Cael said his goodbyes—
And set off toward Mondstadt.
Starfell Lake
Starfell Lake
"Did you feel the elements of this world?"
asked a floating white-haired girl cheerfully.
Paimon
The yellow-haired girl beside her looked at her hand.
"…A little."
Traveler
Paimon beamed.
"You're amazing! Ordinary people can't do this so easily!"
Somewhere far away—
Teppei: 6
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