Lumine leaned out slightly from the attic and looked downstairs.
Late at night, the Good Hunter restaurant was quiet.
Only the owner was still awake.
The witch named Mona had left a notebook and quill on the table, but she herself had disappeared somewhere.
So Lumine walked down the stairs.
She had changed into a white off-shoulder dress.
Since falling into this world, she had been living rough in the wilderness.
This was the first time she had been able to wear something like this.
A small, childish desire to show it off quietly grew inside her.
Her smooth skin, flushed from a hot bath, glowed faintly red—like an unripe Mondstadt apple.
"Jiang Chen."
She called out.
"What are you still cooking this late?"
Lumine walked up beside him.
From this angle, Jiang Chen didn't even need to try to notice the gentle rise beneath her elegant collarbones.
An uncontrollable thought flashed through his mind.
Mona is really embarrassing…
Jiang Chen replied:
"A nourishing soup."
He pointed to another pot.
"And my dinner."
Inside was a simple wheat porridge.
Rice existed in Teyvat too, which suited his tastes well.
Before coming to this world, these foods had been his staples.
After running around all day, he hadn't eaten anything yet.
Lumine smelled the rich fragrance of the soup and suddenly let out a small hiccup.
She quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment.
"Did you eat too much meat earlier?"
"Mmm…"
"Want some porridge too?"
Jiang Chen ladled half a bowl and handed it to her.
Lumine carefully took it and sat down at the nearby table.
Her heart felt oddly happy.
At the same time, she secretly glanced at the notebook Mona had left behind.
She couldn't understand a single thing written inside.
Suddenly, there was movement near the ladder by the chimney.
Mona climbed down from the roof.
She nodded politely to Lumine and said:
"Fischl is in the direction of Inazuma."
"Even your astrology only gives a direction?"
"Then she's probably near Inazuma City."
Mona was a Vision-bearing witch, and in truth the most skilled astrologer in Mondstadt.
But because she spoke bluntly and never softened her predictions, she wasn't very popular.
Imagine telling someone:
"You two will break up," or
"Your boyfriend has no future."
Of course she wouldn't have many friends.
"Looks like I'll have to send a letter to the Adventurers' Guild there."
Jiang Chen murmured.
"If you need Fischl to do something, you can ask me too."
Mona offered.
Mona — Lv11
Skill: Hydromancy
Unlike ordinary Vision holders who simply used elemental power, Mona had already mastered astrology before obtaining her Hydro Vision.
When the two merged, Hydromancy was born.
It allowed her to perform astonishing techniques such as Hydro Illusions and Star Destiny Tracking.
She was extremely useful in exploring ruins—
though she personally wasn't enthusiastic about it.
"I need someone to keep an eye on La Signora."
"Your identity isn't suitable for that."
"We'll have to wait until Fischl and Oz return."
Jiang Chen said while tasting the soup.
The flavor was perfect.
He turned off the fire.
It wasn't that Mona lacked ability—her Hydromancy was mysterious and powerful.
The issue was simply her identity.
Mona belonged to the Hexenzirkel, the secret witches' circle.
If she acted and was discovered, conflict between the Witches' Circle and the Fatui would erupt.
Mona would end up in serious danger.
"La… Signora?"
Lumine widened her eyes adorably.
Why did Jiang Chen need someone else to watch Signora?
Wasn't watching someone something you did personally?
If someone else watched her, wouldn't he miss everything?
Lumine couldn't understand.
"She's one of the Fatui Harbingers. Codename: Signora."
Jiang Chen said with a smile, amused by Lumine's confusion.
Mona came over with a bowl and began ladling soup.
"Signora is far away from us, isn't she?"
"Why monitor her?"
"She's in Mondstadt."
Jiang Chen replied.
Mona's hand trembled.
She almost dropped the bowl.
The Eleven Fatui Harbingers served the Cryo Archon of Snezhnaya.
Any one of them could dominate the other six nations.
Even Jean, acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, couldn't match one of them in reputation or status.
Only the actual Grand Master could stand on equal footing.
And yet—
Signora had arrived silently in Mondstadt?
"That's dangerous."
"We should report it to the Knights of Favonius."
Mona immediately tried to push responsibility away.
At the same time she felt lucky she hadn't spilled the soup.
If this bowl—worth thousands of Mora—had spilled, her heart would ache for days.
"If the Knights learn about it, it won't benefit me."
Jiang Chen said calmly.
Lumine's eyes widened again.
She had just heard something extremely serious.
So Jiang Chen wasn't entirely on the same side as the Knights?
She knew the Fatui diplomatic delegation staying in Mondstadt already caused the Knights serious trouble.
When they cleared the Four Winds temples earlier, they had only a few people because most of the Knights had to stay in the city to watch the Fatui.
Lumine decided immediately:
She would keep this secret.
Compared to the Knights, she trusted Jiang Chen more.
The fact that he spoke so openly in front of her meant he trusted her too… right?
Lumine took a small sip of the wheat porridge.
For some reason—
It tasted sweet.