Next, Navia brought Clorinde before Lin Qiu and introduced the two of them.
No need to introduce the others. Clorinde naturally knew the Security Team members, and who didn't know Charlotte?
Clorinde was also surprised by Lin Qiu's knowledge and abilities. He even knew about her secret agreement with Kales, this near-omniscient precognitive power.
Lin Qiu, meanwhile, was shocked by Charlotte's connections. Good grief, she knew everyone!
You're the real Fontaine social butterfly. Is there anyone in Fontaine you don't know? Now it was truly "everyone under heaven knows you."
"Alright, Clorinde doesn't need to line up. I'll give you a copy," Navia said cheerfully. She had bought plenty anyway, planning to distribute them to everyone in Spina di Rosula.
After taking the initiative to speak to Clorinde and making that first step, the grudge in her heart had mostly dissipated.
Clorinde, expressionless, silently held up two fingers in a 'V' sign.
Just as Lin Qiu thought, 'This cuteness doesn't fit your character,' Clorinde spoke up.
"Can I have two?"
Her expression remained aloof, her tone as cool as ever.
Originally, Clorinde had come to buy a book for Furina. She herself wasn't particularly interested in the novel.
But after meeting Lin Qiu in person, she started to take an interest in it.
"Of course." Navia didn't mind one or two copies. She even refused the money Clorinde offered.
"Thank you." Clorinde stored the two books in her Vision.
(In this book's setting, Visions have a small space inside where weapons are usually stored.)
(The protagonist's Vision doesn't provide Elemental Power, but it has a small space, which is why it costs 100 points to exchange for.)
The group chatted and laughed as they headed to the restaurant.
Navia had booked the entire restaurant, so they could party as wildly as they wanted without disturbing anyone.
Upon arrival, the first thing they saw was a banner: 'Mr. Lin Qiu Celebration Party.'
Lin Qiu's old face flushed red. Why did this feel like something out of Little Bocchi?
Myles and Silver stood on either side of the door, holding party poppers. They had actually brought them.
Under the gaze of passersby, Lin Qiu entered the restaurant amid a shower of confetti from the poppers.
"Phew, finally free." Lin Qiu slumped in his chair like a salted fish. What kind of embarrassing play was this?
Meanwhile, while Lin Qiu and the others were celebrating, Marcel (Vasche) was staring at the bill in his hand, lost in thought.
The bill included not just party expenses, but also book purchases, fortune-telling fees, and Lin Qiu's salary, all mixed in.
A few days ago, Navia had come to chat with him, complaining as usual about her investigation into the Serial Missing Girls Case, then casually mentioning that a friend was having a birthday and she wanted to throw a party.
Marcel had casually offered to foot the bill as her uncle.
He hadn't expected her to agree so readily. Navia rarely asked him for money for her own expenses.
"Strange." Marcel was puzzled but didn't dwell on it. After all, Navia had played her part well, acting completely clueless about the Serial Missing Girls Case.
He would never guess that Lin Qiu knew so much and had spoiled it all.
Meanwhile, sales in Mondstadt were winding down.
Thanks to Charlotte's advertising, Lin Qiu's book had gained some fame even in Mondstadt, leading to strong first-day sales.
At that moment, Mondstadt's Outrider and "Explosive Lord of Secrets"—Amber—was reading Lin Qiu's masterpiece.
As an Outrider, she spent long periods away from Mondstadt City, so novels and storybooks were her best pastime when bored.
"There's even me in it?" Amber was a bit shocked.
She wasn't famous, nor a high-ranking Knight of Favonius member, and she didn't know the author, so her appearance in the novel truly surprised her.
Reading about herself awkwardly apologizing to the Traveler after a blunder: "I apologize... um... stranger yet respectable traveler."
Amber's pretty face blushed. That was exactly something she would do, and now who knows how many people would see it.
But the author knew her too well. Could it be written by an acquaintance?
Who? Kaeya? No, that guy would make it even more ridiculous.
Further on, even more shocking: the book detailed her current mission and the intel about Hilichurls approaching Mondstadt City.
Later, even Lynn outside the city, Timmie on the bridge, and gate guard Lawrence appeared, if only briefly. But this went beyond mere familiarity.
"This book...?" Amber began to feel it was extraordinary. Her reading shifted from casual relaxation to serious focus.
As Amber read on, the story progressed.
Amber led the Traveler to Mondstadt City and gifted them the Wind Glider.
While the two were chatting, the sky suddenly darkened, dragon roars echoed, and several tornadoes began ravaging Mondstadt City.
"What!? Stormterror is attacking Mondstadt City!?" Amber was startled. As Outrider, she'd spotted Hilichurls nearing the city but no signs of Stormterror attacking.
Mondstadt's Dragonspike had raged for a long time, but damage was always outside the city, trade routes and farmlands destroyed, minimal casualties. This was one reason the Knights hesitated to kill Stormterror.
But if Stormterror rampaged in the city, with its population density, there would definitely be casualties.
Seeing this, Amber wanted to rush to report to Acting Grand Master Jean, but then thought: Would anyone believe a scenario from a book? The events hadn't happened yet.
Even if true, it was the future. They had time to prepare.
Amber set aside the idea of reporting immediately and kept reading to see if the book had a solution to the disaster.
Meanwhile, in Mondstadt City, Lisa was also reading the book.
"Interesting, the author really knows that child Amber well." Lisa read slower than Amber, as she first filled out the library form to catalog the book.
But soon enough, she reached the part about Stormterror attacking Mondstadt.
"...This could be an opportunity." Lisa pondered.
She had been seeking a place to bestow power on the Anemo Archon, but ley line disruptions prevented it. If Dvalin truly came to the city, she could sense its power up close and find the source.
Lisa was inclined to believe the story. As librarian, she knew much of Teyvat's history was passed down via storybooks. A prodigy writing the future as a novel wasn't impossible.
After all, Teyvat's fates were predetermined, etched in the stars, though ordinary people couldn't read them.
"Looks like I need to discuss this properly with Jean."
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