"This is Mapo Tofu? Why doesn't it have that golden glow?"
Jean frowned slightly in confusion.
When Barbara and Klee had gone back, they had bragged about it endlessly— saying they ate the most delicious Mapo Tofu, that it could brighten your mood, and that not only did it smell heavenly, it literally glowed gold!
But what she was seeing now didn't quite match up.
It only smelled good, nothing more.
"That's because it was made by a different person," Han Feng explained with a small smile.
"This one was made by a skilled chef, but the one Klee had was personally prepared by the manga's protagonist, the Special Chef Liu Maoxing. Naturally, the difference is obvious."
"Ah… s-so that's how it is!"
Jean's cheeks turned a little red as she glanced at Han Feng, clearly still thinking about the four-leaf clover couple's charm from earlier that afternoon.
Han Feng looked at her with some suspicion, then shifted his gaze back to the Abyss Mage.
On the sofa, the Abyss Mage carefully removed its mask— as expected, there was no face underneath.
Yet somehow, it was still able to eat the Mapo Tofu as though an invisible mouth existed.
Amber and Eula stared, dumbfounded.
It was the first time either of them had seen what lay beneath an Abyss Mage's mask.
Under their mixed stares of disgust and envy, the Abyss Mage polished off the entire plate.
"Ahhh… delicious!"
Sliding the mask back on with satisfaction, the Abyss Mage savored the lingering taste.
It didn't know how exactly this dish was made, but it could clearly tell how refined it was— springy, flavorful, and utterly satisfying.
That ten thousand Mora was worth every coin.
If even Shao An, the losing chef, could cook at this level… then what kind of divine taste would Liu Maoxing's version have?
"Maybe… next time I should bring His Highness here to try it."
The Abyss Mage secretly thought to itself.
But now it had more important business to handle.
It stood up and went to Han Feng again.
"Boss, do you have that manga about the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon? I want to read it."
"The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon?"
Jean tilted her head, puzzled.
She had been away handling the Stormterror crisis, and Lisa hadn't mentioned anything about it to her.
Amber and Eula, however, exchanged glances.
"Wait… could it be that this thing came to Mondstadt just for the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon?"
Eula muttered, confused.
"What would it even want with that? It's just a toy dragon!"
"…Don't tell me it actually thinks the dragon is real and wants to control it?" Amber guessed.
Given its record of manipulating Stormterror, that idea didn't sound so far-fetched.
"Pfft… if that's really the case, then this is going to be interesting."
Eula nearly burst out laughing at the thought of an Abyss Mage trying to control a fictional monster.
"You mean Yu-Gi-Oh!?" Han Feng asked.
"Y-yes, that's the one!"
The Abyss Mage was ecstatic— after all its effort sneaking into Mondstadt in the middle of the night, being chased and hunted, it had finally found it!
If it could gain the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon from the manga… and then control it… then His Highness's grand plan could finally succeed.
The lost homeland might be restored!
But Han Feng's next words poured cold water over all its dreams.
"Sorry. One manga per person per day. You'll have to come back tomorrow."
"W-what? There's a rule like that?"
The Abyss Mage froze, utterly dumbfounded.
No one had told it about this!
If it had known earlier, there was no way it would've wasted today's chance on Cooking Master Boy!
"Oh? I never mentioned that? Must've slipped my mind."
Han Feng feigned realization.
Abyss Mage: Σ(△|||)︴
Amber and the others nearly burst out laughing.
This rule was common knowledge to anyone who came here!
And this fool didn't know?
"Boss, can't you make an exception? I've got Mora."
The Abyss Mage pleaded.
When Han Feng didn't budge, it switched tactics.
"Then… how about I just stay here overnight and wait until morning?"
This time the girls couldn't hold it back—they laughed out loud.
Han Feng was speechless.
What was this thing thinking?
Stay overnight here?
You think you're the Traveler or something?
Even she had to pay ten thousand Mora for a night!
"Sorry, but the shop's closing soon. Come back tomorrow."
With a wave of his hand, the Abyss Mage was swept out of the store and dumped in the alley outside.
Now it was truly stunned.
No manga? Fine. It could always come back tomorrow.
But it couldn't even stay in the shop anymore?!
Suddenly, it felt a chill down its spine.
Inside the manga shop, those three women hadn't dared touch it.
But now, outside…
Its head snapped up.
Sure enough, Amber and Eula were walking toward it, smiling coldly.
Run!
The Abyss Mage reacted instantly, taking to the air.
But this time, it couldn't escape.
A sudden invisible shockwave smashed into it, knocking it down.
"It's over!"
It recognized the attack immediately—Jean.
As expected, she stepped calmly out of the shop.
"…Take it back to the Knights of Favonius headquarters. I'll be there shortly."
Jean ordered.
"Leave it to me, Acting Grand Master!" Amber replied crisply.
"And I've got two grudges to settle. Time to collect."
Eula's icy glare sent shivers down the Abyss Mage's spine.
Looking at their murderous expressions, it trembled.
I just came to read some manga… why is this happening to me…?
Too miserable for words.
After Amber and Eula dragged the Abyss Mage away, Jean quietly said to Han Feng, "Boss Han… I'll be going now as well."
"Mm."
Han Feng nodded, but then added, "By the way, Barbara asked me what reward you got, so I told her."
"Y-you… you told her?!"
Jean froze in place.
Oh no.
She had forgotten to tell him not to!
If Barbara knew, then Lisa would definitely know too…
and now she understood what that "agreement" between them was.
The thought of facing their teasing later made Jean want to crawl into a hole.
"…Is there a problem?"
Han Feng asked, puzzled.
Wasn't it just a couple's charm?
In a romance manga, wasn't that perfectly normal?
Why act so flustered about it?
"N-no, it's fine! I'll head back first!"
Jean blushed, hurriedly excused herself, and left in a rush.
"…Could it be…?"
Han Feng stared at her retreating figure, a suspicion rising in his heart.
But he didn't dwell on it.
His focus was entirely on the next thing— the exclusive reward he had been anticipating for so long.
Finally, the mission was complete.
It was time to unveil it.
~~--------------------------
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