Lin Qiu and Furina's 'date' was still ongoing, but outside, a huge uproar had begun.
In Mondstadt, people had already started reading 'The Chapter of the Songstress'.
The opening still featured everyone's familiar old friends, Lumine and Paimon.
The protagonists of the story always changed, but they two never did.
People now realized that in Qiu Cheng's books, there were only fleeting protagonists and the ever-present Traveler and Paimon.
At the beginning of the story, the two discussed the topic of imaginary friends.
This topic also caused others to resonate, for example, Dinazade.
Dehya brought the book; she had heard that 'The Chapter of the Little Rabbit' in this book had given many people courage.
That's why she brought this book to Dinazade, hoping that Dinazade could also gain courage from it.
After buying the book, Dehya immediately handed it to Dinazade.
She just didn't expect that she had bought the latest edition, 'The Chapter of the Songstress', which didn't contain 'The Chapter of the Little Rabbit'.
"Dehya, do you have an imaginary friend?"
Dinazade looked at Dehya, who was sitting on the windowsill nearby.
Dehya wasn't reading the book, so she was a bit puzzled by Dinazade's sudden question.
However, she still answered seriously, "I did."
Dehya's gaze drifted out the window, as if reminiscing about the past.
"When I was little, my old man always told me childish stories."
"They were all about fighting evil dragons, saving princesses and such, very childish."
"He would also ask me to act with him, and I usually played the hero."
"Although it was very childish, at that time, I really would imagine some friends and enemies."
Although Dehya called it childish repeatedly, she never disliked this memory.
It was this childhood memory that kept her warm and made her who she is today.
They say that when you grow up, you forget fairy tales.
Dehya wouldn't; she just buried the fairy tale deep in her heart.
"Is that so? What an interesting father." Dinazade covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
Then she continued, "I do too."
"I'm not sure if she's a hallucination or if she truly exists."
"But I believe she definitely exists; she must be Lesser Lord Kusanali!"
The one Dinazade spoke of was Nahida.
She had only seen Nahida in her dreams and couldn't be sure if it was real or fake.
However, Dinazade was still more willing to believe it was real.
The Grass God must be such a gentle being that she would even care for ordinary people like herself.
"The Grass God?" Dehya had never seen the Grass God.
Let alone her, a Desertfolk, even few people in Sumeru City had seen the Grass God.
Would such a God really appear before Dinazade?
If it were real, then why wouldn't the God save her?
Do even Gods have their difficulties?
"That's right, it must be Lesser Lord Kusanali!" Dinazade's tone was firm.
"Is that so? If it's true, I'd like to meet her too."
"The God of Wisdom should know how to cure your illness, right?" Dehya said with a smile.
Dinazade looked at Dehya gently.
This one of her few friends truly thought of her at all times.
"Don't sit there, come over and watch together."
"Okay." Dehya was not polite and sat directly next to Dinazade.
The two read the next part of the story together.
[Venti: "Traveler! What a coincidence, you're here too."]
[Paimon: "Bard! Why is it you again!"]
Venti paid no attention to Paimon's address, stating his superficial purpose for being there.
[Venti: "Lisa recently made something interesting."]
[It was the 'monocle' that allowed people to see others' imaginary friends.]
"A 'monocle' that sees imaginary friends? An interesting topic."
Lisa became interested.
Regardless of whether Lisa originally made this item or not.
At least now Lisa was interested in making this item.
At the same time, far away in Liyue, there was also one person, no, one big bird, who was interested in this.
"Allowing mortals to see imaginary friends? I wonder if a combination of mechanisms and adeptal arts can achieve it?"
Cloud Retainer excitedly flapped her wings.
The book was recommended by the Geo Archon last time they had a meal together, so Xianyun (Cloud Retainer) asked Ganyu to buy a copy for her.
She didn't expect that a book written by mortals could actually be quite interesting; it just sparked an idea.
Ignoring this research duo.
At this moment, Lumine, who was sitting in the tavern with Venti, looked at Venti with suspicion. How could it be such a coincidence?
"Ehe." Venti said nothing.
He said nothing aloud, but Venti was also very embarrassed in his heart.
I didn't expect it; I only just noticed this 'Stanley' gentleman in the tavern, and a book about him is already out!
Venti immediately saw what problem this story aimed to solve.
This was too much like his usual style of handling problems.
Good thing I gained an advantage in Dvalin's matter and didn't let him predict everything!
Can other Gods do it?
Diluc likewise looked at Venti with suspicion; this Anemo Archon was truly unfathomable.
Since Venti didn't want to say anything, they could only look for the answers given in the book.
In the book, the Traveler, Paimon, and Venti experimented with the wonderful little item in the city.
Until they used this item to look at adults like Diluc.
Boring adults don't have 'imaginary friends'.
[Diluc: "See my 'imaginary friend'? I wouldn't have such a thing even fifteen years ago."]
In the book, the Traveler stepped forward and spoke to Diluc; this was Diluc's reply.
"Wouldn't have it even fifteen years ago? Really?" Kaeya looked at Diluc with a smile.
"Hmph." Diluc was too lazy to explain.
But if time could really go back fifteen years, Diluc at that time had not yet shed that youthful spirit.
Returning to the story in the book, the Traveler trio wanted to verify when 'imaginary friends' would disappear.
So they found a Damselette who was between an adult and a child—Ellin.
Ellin still had an 'imaginary friend', but her 'imaginary friend' greatly surprised everyone.
Her 'imaginary friend' turned out to be the famous Acting Grand Master Jean!
This was the first time everyone had encountered such a situation.
An 'imaginary friend' was actually a real existing person.
Before this, everyone thought that 'imaginary friend' emphasized 'imagination'.
Now it seems that 'imaginary friend' truly emphasizes the word 'friend'.
Even if it's just imagination, even if it's just a hallucination, it's still the 'friend' one longs for day and night.
"It... it's me?" Jean also didn't expect it.
However, being so admired and loved by her junior made her very happy.
"Jean is really popular." Lisa said with a smile.
She would always specifically come to Jean whenever she read a book.
Anyway, their offices were very close, and reading together was more interesting.