"These are my shop's employees. We officially open tomorrow."
Luya briefly introduced the three physically manifested waifu cards.
The three beautiful girls—each like a celestial maiden—stood gracefully at his side. They focused intently on arranging the merchandise on the shelves. Their movements were gentle and elegant, their figures tall and slender, their appearances pure and ethereal, like blossoms blooming in spring, radiating a captivating charm.
Seeing the three girls beside Luya, even Master Diluc—who had seen more than most—showed a hint of curiosity. As the Darknight Hero who silently protected Mondstadt, Diluc knew nearly every face in the city.
But these three…
They had Mondstadt-like features, yet their attire and appearance—Diluc had never seen them anywhere before.
Amber lowered her head in thought. She patrolled Mondstadt's gate often, and she had never seen any foreigners enter. And these three girls had definitely never appeared in Mondstadt.
So how exactly had Luya recruited new employees?
Something's not right… something's definitely not right! she thought.
Anyhow, no matter how hard Amber tried, she would never guess that these three elegant girls had been created by Luya through Monster Card materialization.
Luya felt that instead of hiring ordinary humans in Mondstadt, directly manifesting waifu cards to work for him was far more efficient. Duel Monsters could not deceive or betray—they were the perfect shop staff.
And… they didn't need salaries. Even better.
...
In any case, Luya couldn't really explain the details.
"Everyone, it's getting late. I'm heading home. See you tomorrow!"
Luya waved goodbye with a smile.
"Eh? Shopkeeper, where are you going to stay?! Isn't this your first day in Mondstadt?!" Amber asked, tilting her head.
Hearing this, Diluc immediately understood Luya's situation. It was indeed his first day in Mondstadt. He likely hadn't found a place to stay.
Diluc offered, "It seems you haven't found lodging yet. How about staying at my manor for the night?"
"Big brother, you can stay with Klee instead!" Klee chimed in, eyes shining as she ran up to Luya and grabbed his hand.
Faced with their enthusiastic invitations, Luya shook his head. "I'm heading back to my home in Liyue…"
"Liyue???"
"You've got to be joking!" Amber gasped, her bunny ears twitching.
Liyue was so far away—how could he possibly return to Mondstadt by tomorrow?
"Hahaha, shopkeeper, you really love joking, huh?" Kaeya said with a smirk.
Diluc, however, fell into brief contemplation. To him, Luya might actually possess extraordinary abilities. Still, traveling between Mondstadt and Liyue so casually was outrageous.
"You don't believe me?" Luya asked, smiling.
They all shook their heads—they clearly thought he was teasing them.
Under their gaze, Luya took out [Spatial Teleportation].
In an instant, he vanished from the Mondstadt shop—
and reappeared at the entrance of his Liyue Harbor shop.
.....
Back in Mondstadt, Kaeya, Diluc, Amber, and Klee stared at one another, eyes wide with disbelief.
"H-he really teleported… all the way to Liyue…" Amber whispered, afraid her voice might shatter the impossible sight.
Everything that had just happened felt like a surreal dream.
"There are legends of Adepti in Liyue… They're said to have youthful appearances too… The shopkeeper might actually be one of them," Diluc murmured.
He had traveled many nations, and during his time in Liyue Harbor, he had heard many stories about the Adepti.
So… given Luya's identity as a Liyue native, it seemed only natural to assume he was an Adeptus.
After all, how could any mortal suddenly become larger than the Statue of the Anemo Archon in Mondstadt Plaza earlier?
The others agreed—none of them could think of a better explanation.
From the power Luya had shown, Diluc believed this was the strongest being he had ever encountered. He was quietly grateful their relationship was on good terms.
If he could uncover the truth behind his father's Delusion and restore his father's honor, the matter that had burdened him for so many years might finally come to an end.
Not only that—
With Luya in Mondstadt, no monster would ever dare invade the city again. His second identity as the Darknight Hero could finally be laid to rest. He could live peacefully as a Duelist in Mondstadt, enjoying life.
If everything truly went as he hoped…
Regardless, his investment in Luya's shop had definitely opened a wider path for him. Luya clearly wasn't lacking money.
A single shop in exchange for such a powerful ally—an incredible bargain.
After Luya left, the group finally noticed the new facilities in the shop.
"That thing! It looks just like the Duel Stages from the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime!" Klee exclaimed.
She immediately rushed toward the Duel Stage like she had found treasure and scrambled up onto the Duel Area.
"Kaeya! Do you want to duel Klee?!" she called out, face brimming with confidence.
With her bomb-filled Deck, she was absolutely certain she could defeat him.
Though small in stature, she stood tall with overwhelming momentum—unshakably confident.
...
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