Xia Zhi honestly didn't think Yoimiya needed to apologize for earlier.
Taking apart a firework that close to an open brazier really was dangerous. And the moment a professional fireworks maker like her saw it, of course she'd run over to stop him. Her tone had only sounded stern because she'd been worried he might get hurt.
Still, she apologized anyway. A girl with a personality like that was impossible not to like.
"I think maybe you should put a label on the outside of your fireworks," Xia Zhi said. "Something like 'Do Not Disassemble.'"
"I think that'd work too. I'll try it when I get back this afternoon."
Yoimiya nodded, then stared at him with open curiosity.
"By the way, Mr. Xia, you're not from Inazuma, right?"
"No. I'm from Liyue, more or less."
"Oh!" Her eyes lit with excitement. "I've never been to Liyue, but Sister Beidou told me it's a super interesting place!"
"Beidou? You mean Beidou, Captain of The Crux fleet?"
"Yup! You know her too, Mr. Xia?"
"I've dealt with her a few times. So I guess you could say we know each other. But judging by the way you called her Sister… you two must be pretty close?"
"Mm-hm! Sister Beidou is one of our shop's big clients."
"Oh? So the fireworks they use for festivals in Liyue Harbor… some of those are actually from Naganohara Fireworks?"
"Hehe!" Yoimiya giggled proudly. "Bet you didn't expect that, Mr. Xia!"
"I really didn't… I mean, for the past two years Inazuma enforced the Sakoku Decree. Technically all private imports and exports were banned. And your shop still managed to do overseas business…"
"…"
Crap! I shouldn't have said that!
Yoimiya froze for a second, then panicked.
She quickly shook her head. "No no no, that was just me joking!"
"Oh?"
"I—I met Sister Beidou in a tavern!"
"I see."
Xia Zhi nodded and let out a knowing laugh.
"For a moment I thought your shop was involved in smuggling."
"…"
Yoimiya's heart nearly stopped. She rushed to change the subject.
"Um… something big happened in Liyue, right? Their Archon suddenly left?"
"Yeah. It caused a huge panic… but thanks to everyone working together, we managed to prevent a disaster."
"That's good, that's really good. Even without their god, so many people still stood up… Liyue sounds incredible. I can't imagine Inazuma without the Shogun."
Yoimiya sounded genuinely moved.
Xia Zhi asked casually, "I heard Inazuma is a nation of Eternity?"
Yoimiya nodded. "Mm. Inazuma's really different from the outside world. We pursue Eternity here. In other words, calm, stability. Things rarely change. The good part is… if you're tired, this is a great place to rest."
Xia Zhi thought about that. "So that's how you see Eternity…"
"Mr. Xia!"
A short-haired shrine maiden in a priestess uniform came running from inside the shrine, slightly out of breath.
Yoimiya recognized her immediately—Kano Nana, a shrine maiden who loved light novels. Last time Yoimiya delivered fireworks, they'd even chatted about light novel plot twists.
Yoimiya opened her mouth to greet her, but Nana stopped right in front of Xia Zhi and bowed deeply—an extremely formal ritual bow that only shrine maidens used when worshipping Lord Narukami.
Yoimiya blinked in shock.
Huh? Did I see that right?
Wasn't that the special bow they used only when praying to Lord Narukami?
Why would Nana bow like that… to Mr. Xia?
"Nana," Xia Zhi said calmly. "Miyuki probably sent you, right?"
"Yes, Mr. Xia!" Kano Nana's cheeks were pink. "Sorry to trouble you!"
"It's fine. It's no trouble." Xia Zhi waved lightly. "It's not convenient here. Let's go over there."
"Yes, Mr. Xia!" Nana looked nervous and excited.
Xia Zhi turned to Yoimiya. "Sorry, Miss Yoimiya. I need to step away for a bit."
Yoimiya was definitely curious, but she nodded politely. "Of course, Mr. Xia. Go ahead."
Xia Zhi checked the time. It was almost noon. Before leaving, he invited her to eat lunch with him at the shrine cafeteria.
Yoimiya accepted happily. She'd already planned to eat here—especially after seeing all those people climbing Mt. Yougou just to have a meal. Now she was dying of curiosity about just how good the food really was.
Xia Zhi took Nana to the back of the shrine, an area closed off to outsiders and much quieter.
They found a table and sat. Xia Zhi reached for her wrist to check her pulse.
"Mr. Xia?"
"Don't worry. It's a small issue. Just like Miyuki—take a few prescriptions and it'll be fine."
He wrote out a prescription and handed it to her.
"Take it exactly as instructed. Otherwise it'll poison you."
"Okay! Thank you, Mr. Xia!"
"You're welcome."
Nana accepted the prescription carefully, her eyes shining with relief.
Perfect! From now on—clean and dry, no weird smells, no cramps, and I get two extra days a month to read light novels!
---
After Xia Zhi and Nana left, Yoimiya finally pulled out the Omikuji she'd drawn earlier today.
She realized she'd never even read it. She'd seen Xia Zhi dismantling a firework and had sprinted over before checking the slip. She'd even dropped it in the chaos—thank goodness he'd picked it up for her.
Yoimiya held the slip and read it carefully.
"Huh? An Excellent Blessing? Does that mean I'll get lucky today?"
She brightened immediately. Thinking it over… she drew a lucky slip, then immediately made a new connection with Mr. Xia and even learned a bunch of fireworks knowledge from him.
That really was accurate!
"Thank you, Lord Narukami!"
Yoimiya pressed the Omikuji between her hands, closed her eyes, and prayed sincerely.
When she finished, she felt like that wasn't reverent enough.
So she jogged into the shrine hall and dropped a few Mora into the offertory box. The crisp sound of the coins falling made her feel completely satisfied.
Now Lord Narukami will definitely bless me!
---
Xia Zhi walked into the kitchen, where Xiangling and Guoba were cooking.
"Master! Are we making Gods' Temptation again today?"
"Woo?"
Xia Zhi shook his head. "Not today."
"Okay!"
"Woo…"
Xiangling didn't mind, but Guoba looked crushed.
She tapped him lightly on the head and laughed. "Guoba, don't be so greedy!"
Guoba covered his head pitifully. "Gu…"
Xia Zhi chuckled and thought of Yoimiya. "The shop owner from the fireworks store delivered her goods to the shrine today."
Xiangling nodded. "Oh! You mean that really cheerful girl, right, Master?"
"Right. We talked for a bit. She reminds me a lot of you—very outgoing and friendly."
"I thought so too. She seems super easy to get along with."
"I invited her to have lunch with us. You should chat with her. I think you two will become great friends."
"Okay, Master!"
Xia Zhi had just finished two dishes when Ei walked into the kitchen.
"Cousin."
"You're back."
"Mm. Um…"
"Come on."
Xia Zhi set down his ladle.
Of course Ei was anxious. She desperately wanted to fix her cooking.
They went to a room. Xia Zhi took out the Universal Syringe.
"Give me your hand."
Ei held it out obediently. A moment later, he extracted the omen from her body. Inside the syringe, the liquid turned dark.
Ei watched him pull the needle out. "Is it done?"
"All done. You can try cooking again now."
"Okay!"
Ei hurried out with visible excitement.
Xia Zhi picked up the Universal Bottle and emptied the dark liquid into it. Inside were two other extracted skills—Forsaken by the World among them. The liquids didn't mix. They separated into distinct layers.
So even when converted into the same form, different skills resisted each other?
He shook the bottle. They still didn't blend.
He'd hoped something strange might happen from combining skills, but apparently he needed an item with Fusion to do it.
He took out his phone and messaged Venti.
Moments later, a gentle breeze blew outside the door.
Venti appeared with a bright grin. "Hey, best friend!"
"Come here."
Venti eyed the syringe with curiosity. "This thing?"
"Yeah."
A moment later, Xia Zhi extracted a greenish liquid from Venti.
Venti checked himself but didn't feel anything missing. "Interesting… so I'm not scared of cats anymore?"
"You shouldn't be."
"Then I'm going to Cat's Tail to test it. Thanks, best friend!"
"Anytime."
Another breeze swept by, and Venti vanished.
Xia Zhi poured the green liquid into the Universal Bottle. It also refused to mix.
These skills didn't seem useful, but he kept them anyway. Worst case, he could feed them to the Replication Box later.
----
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