A fresh, wisteria-toned off-shoulder dress wrapped around Mona's fair, delicate figure. Two purple bra straps rested on her smooth, full shoulders. Though her bust wasn't exactly generous, the pair of long, black-stockinged legs beneath the ruffled hem drew every eye. The maid-like cut of the dress, paired with long twin-tails, looked especially pretty.
Ken couldn't help but sigh. This kind of outfit really does suit 2D-style girls best.
"It feels a bit weird. Boss, your taste is… unconventional," Mona said bluntly as she set her hat in place.
Ken: "…"
You call this "unconventional taste"?
It may not have impact of her witch outfit, but it's got a whole different charm, okay?
As expected of sharp-tongued Mona—she even roasts her own boss, and with a totally clear conscience.
"Let's go."
Smiling helplessly, Ken grabbed his car keys and led Mona to the underground garage. Klee and Barbara both wanted to finish their dubbing ASAP; that's why Ken hadn't disturbed them.
"Boss, wh-what's this strap?" Mona, in the passenger seat, stared at the seat belt in confusion. It was her first time in a car like this. Weird.
"It's called a seat belt. It keeps you safe."
As he spoke, Ken leaned over to buckle Mona in. The sudden closeness—the scent of a man—brought a flush to Mona's cheeks. Watching Ken earnestly fasten the seat belt for her, Mona's body tensed up on reflex, her legs pressed together, and even the small rise of her chest began to heave faster with her breathing. The feeling of being strapped in was… a bit strange.
Even a forthright astrologer can't stay completely calm in a situation like this.
Fortunately, it only lasted a dozen seconds or so before Ken sat back and started the car.
…
Ten minutes later.
Ken brought Mona up by elevator to the supermarket. The moment they appeared, countless eyes turned their way—especially drawn to Mona's distinctly anime-like aura.
"Whoa… that girl is gorgeous! Did she just come out of a con? Cosplay's getting scary good these days!"
"Bro, look, look… those long black-stockinged legs are killer. Even her eyes are light green. I think I'm in love. I wanna go talk to her! Shame she's got a guy with her… who's, like, a hundred million times more handsome than me."
"Damn, she puts those Tiktok influencers to shame."
"Suddenly thinking of Star Dome Company's Klee and Barbara… If anyone could compare, it'd only be those two, right?"
"Why do I feel like the guy next to her… looks a lot like Mr. Ken, the founder of Star Dome?"
"Bull! I don't believe it! No way he's bagged that many drop-dead-gorgeous girls! These girls belong to all of us!"
"…"
Whispers rustled nonstop.
Luckily, both Ken and Mona carried an aloof vibe; otherwise someone would definitely have tried to chat them up.
A 2D-style girl like Mona… It's a crit to otaku.
"Is this all… food?!!"
But Mona's attention wasn't on the stares. She was transfixed by the dazzling array of goods and snacks in front of her. She'd agreed to open a Blue Star specialty shop, but hadn't had a clear concept of it—until now.
A place that looks like it's packed with food everywhere you look…
To Mona, it was heaven.
She wasn't a foodie, but after so long living frugally, the sight of so many delicious things made her heart race. If there were a store like this in Mondstadt… just imagining it was exciting. Liyue Harbor would probably come buy Blue Star goods too, and the profits would be beyond imagination. If they earned more… the boss would raise her pay. With more pay, she could invest more into her divination research…
Just thinking about it filled Mona with boundless longing.
"If the Knights of Favonius saw this, they'd be even more antsy, right?"
Arbitraging across worlds—buy low, sell high—was basically unbeatable.
Her steps quickened, twin-tails swaying behind her.
Ken raised an eyebrow slightly. The Knights of Favonius, huh… They don't have time for that right now. They've got something else on their plate.
…
At that moment.
Outside Mondstadt, at the Dawn Winery.
The once scenic, luxuriously decorated winery was a mess. Goods and barrels piled outside had been blown all over; trees toppled askew; the flat road buried under fallen rocks and branches.
"Master Diluc, you're finally here!"
Ernest, the warehouse manager at the Dawn Winery, spoke with a bitter face as he looked at the wreckage. While handling shipments today, a fierce gale had struck. It not only blew the goods into chaos but also knocked over nearby trees and rocks, causing heavy losses to the winery.
Diluc was the owner of the Dawn Winery. He usually didn't mind operations much, but with damage like this, he had to come in person.
"There are traces of elemental power…"
Studying the devastation left by the gale, Diluc sensed elemental residue among it and frowned.
"Didn't think the first stop hit by the wind disaster would be your Dawn Winery," came a hearty voice from afar—Kaeya of the Knights of Favonius.
Seeing Kaeya only deepened Diluc's frown. "You don't seem surprised by this disaster. Did the Knights predict it?"
"Not us—Klee's father," Kaeya said, walking over, a lingering chill in his heart as he looked at the mess. Per Ken's video, they'd already destroyed three Temples of the Four Winds, yet the damage from the wind disaster still exceeded his expectations. An area of a hundred miles around the winery had been hit. If they hadn't destroyed the temples, the power of the storm would be unimaginable.
Klee's father?
Surprise flickered across Diluc's face, soon replaced by a sneer. "I thought you'd matured. Turns out you're still relying on others. The Knights of Favonius are as disappointing as ever."
Arms folded, Kaeya said, "Save the jabs for later, Darknight Hero."
Diluc: "????"
…
…
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