Night fell over Mondstadt.
At Fountain Plaza, a circus troupe was performing—outside, the crowd pressed together in a lively sea of faces.
Inside the restaurant—
Kaito carried a freshly finished platter of spicy grilled bass from the rack and set it down on the table. Beneath the plate sat a small brazier packed with glowing red charcoal, keeping the dish piping hot.
A handful of diners who caught sight of it couldn't help but stare.
A distinctive charred aroma mingled with rich spices, and the sharp bite of chili filled the air.
Barbara swallowed hard.
For one terrifying second, she seriously thought she'd never forget this meal. The aroma alone made her head go light.
He was handsome, he was kind to her, he was strong—and most importantly, he could cook this kind of spicy food.
It was the sort of thing that made her legs forget how to walk.
"Look at you," Kaito said, amused. 'You're drooling."
"Hmph…"
Barbara's face went bright red as she offered a tiny, embarrassed protest.
"Noelle," Kaito said, "go downstairs and bring Klee up."
"Okay!"
The moment she got an order, Noelle's eyes lit up. She knocked over an empty plate in her haste and hurried out.
"…"
"Kaito… what is that?"
A customer finally couldn't hold back.
"A heat-preserving setup," Kaito explained politely. "It keeps the main dish hot—and you can warm side ingredients on it as you eat."
"I'll add it to the menu later. You can try it then."
"…Spicy…"
The customer visibly recoiled.
After Kaito handled the curious diners, Noelle returned—practically digging Klee out from the deepest part of the crowd.
Klee was hugging two Windwheel Asters to her chest.
"Brother Kaito, these are for you!" she said proudly. "They're fluffy and soft—super comfy!"
"Ooh, I like those too," Barbara said immediately.
"Then we'll blanch them," Kaito replied.
He took the two Windwheel Asters to wash them.
"Eat them?" Klee's fiery red eyes went round. "Then… can we eat Dodoco too?"
"Dodoco can't be eaten. Friends don't get eaten," Kaito said casually.
Dodoco was the plush charm hanging from Klee's backpack—Alice's handmade gift.
A little while later—
Klee popped a Windwheel Aster into her mouth, swallowed while hissing from the heat, and shook her head with both hands pressed to her cheeks.
It tasted unbelievably good.
"Mmm…"
"Dodoco, I'm sorry," she whispered solemnly. "I did think about tossing you in too… just for a second."
"…"
There were two grilled bass in total—the second one added midway through.
By the time they finished eating, the circus outside had already ended.
Klee leaned against the window, full of regret.
"Why did it end so early? There's no midnight show?"
Then she turned back, suddenly extremely polite.
"Brother Kaito, thank you for the grilled bass! I'll come again tomorrow morning—Klee has to go home now."
"Mhm." Kaito nodded, already thinking about washing up.
Noelle seemed to read his mind. She wiped her mouth quickly—fast and oddly elegant—then ran up to the attic first, before darting back down to light the fireplace on the first floor.
The water heated through the stove system and flowed up to the attic for use.
"…"
Kaito felt deeply unaccustomed.
Was he seriously about to live like some decadent noble for a night?
This was… dangerously luxurious.
Barbara gathered the plates into the sink, rolled up her sleeves, and started washing.
She still hadn't learned Mona's "one-touch cleaning" trick.
For Barbara, Hydro was something she used to heal injuries. Outside of that, she rarely used it—she wasn't all that different from a normal person.
"Brother Kaito, I'm heading back too," Barbara said softly. "I'll keep praying for you, like always."
Today she'd gotten news about Jean, and she'd also managed to mooch a full meal of spicy grilled bass.
She was in an excellent mood.
She took two steps, hesitated, then hurried back—only to stop and clear her throat.
With Lumine not here…
Heh.
"I'm really going," Barbara said, a little awkwardly.
Then she fled downstairs at lightning speed.
She brushed past Noelle on the way.
Noelle had seen it before, so she wasn't surprised—though when she came back and noticed the dishes had already been washed, she looked faintly miserable.
"Boss Kaito," Noelle reported, "the water should be hot enough."
"Mhm."
Kaito went up to the attic.
Noelle followed right behind him—then stopped at the bathroom door like a guard posting watch.
"…?" Kaito turned and stared.
Noelle straightened at once. "Boss Kaito, I can help with preparations."
"With what preparations?" Kaito asked, already bracing himself.
Noelle spoke in an earnest, report-like tone. "Towels. Floor mat. Extra hot water. Clean clothes. And—"
"Stop." Kaito held up a hand. "I'm washing up. Alone."
Noelle froze, then nodded sharply.
"Understood."
She retreated—only to return a moment later, still fully dressed, carrying a folded stack of towels and a wooden mat.
She placed the mat outside the bathroom so the wet floor wouldn't be slippery, then aligned the towels with ridiculous precision.
"I've been studying at the library at night," she said seriously. "Lisa helped too. She picked books for me."
Kaito narrowed his eyes. "What books."
Noelle's ears turned faintly pink. "Etiquette. Household management. 'How to be useful in every situation.'"
"…That sounds exactly like Lisa." Kaito pinched the bridge of his nose.
Noelle looked up, determination blazing. "I'm not trying to cause trouble. I just want to repay what I owe—and improve."
Kaito exhaled slowly.
Too decadent.
Lisa… what is wrong with you?
One dared to assign, and one dared to take it seriously.
"…Fine." Kaito pointed at the towels. "This is helpful. Thank you."
Noelle's eyes lit up instantly.
"Then I'll wait outside," she said quickly. "If you need anything, call once."
"No calling," Kaito said flatly. "Go."
"Understood!"
She backed away like a knight leaving a superior's office, then posted herself several steps down the hall—standing guard with the intensity of someone protecting the Cathedral treasury.
Only then did Kaito close the bathroom door and finally relax.
…
When he finished and stepped out, the towels were still perfectly aligned, the mat still set straight, and Noelle was still standing there, posture rigid.
Kaito stared.
Noelle met his gaze and nodded once, satisfied.
"Boss Kaito is safe."
"…You're acting like I went to fight a Ruin Guard," Kaito muttered.
Noelle didn't understand the complaint—only the mission success.
"I'll return to work," she said, and went downstairs at once.
…
The next morning—
Noelle arrived early again and immediately helped Sara wipe down tables.
Sara was starting to feel guilty.
"Boss," she complained when she came upstairs, "you still couldn't solve it?"
Kaito had already gotten up—he was leaving today. He shook his head.
"If this keeps going, I'm the one who's about to get 'solved.'"
Sara sighed. "Such a stubborn girl."
Just then, Klee's lively voice rang out from downstairs.
"Brother Kaito! Klee brought Kaeya too—he came to play!"
"I'll just take her out," Kaito said helplessly.
What was supposed to be a three-person team had become four, purely by accident.
"Brother Kaito, where are we going to play?" Klee asked eagerly.
"I'm taking you to meet a good friend."
"A good friend?"
"It's a surprise."
Klee giggled. "Klee loves surprises, heehee."
Kaito headed toward the fork that led to Springvale.
"Aren't we going to Dadaupa Gorge?" Kaeya asked, still not understanding.
"Picking up a scout," Kaito replied.
"A hunter?"
"No."
At midday, the group was walking the ravine road outside Springvale—then Kaito changed course and led them into the woods.
"This place feels really familiar…" Klee said, eyes wide, as if remembering something.
"Klee," Kaito said, "call Razor out."
"Razor… that name sounds familiar…" Kaeya murmured, searching his memory.
But Klee had already figured it out.
"The friend Brother Kaito wants to see is Razor, right?"
"How come Klee didn't know you two were friends too?"
She talked while her hands moved without hesitation. From her backpack, she pulled out a bomb—smooth as breathing—and tossed it toward a rocky patch in the distance.
BOOM!
The echo rolled far through the forest, and countless birds exploded into flight.
"…You call people like that?" Kaeya stared.
"Razor can hear really far," Klee said matter-of-factly. "When he hears that boom, he'll know Klee is here."
Then she quickly added, very earnest, "But Kaeya, don't tell Jean! If she finds out, it's because Brother Kaito told Klee to do it."
She tried to clear herself completely.
Kaeya finally remembered. "Oh. Lisa's… bargain-bin apprentice?"
"That's him," Kaito confirmed.
"A wolf boy," Kaeya said slowly. "Last time he came into the city, the danger coming off him made my men nervous."
He'd met him before.
"You actually want to bring him along?"
"No one's better than Razor in the forest," Kaito said.
The real reason, of course, was that Kaito also wanted to add him to the system's training roster.
The woods rustled.
Kaeya and Noelle drew their swords on instinct.
Kaito and Klee didn't move at all.
A figure stood on a branch above them—so quiet no one had noticed when he arrived.
"Klee," a hoarse, halting voice said, "you… looking for me?"
"I… hunt today."
A white-haired boy in a gray hood stared down at them, speaking with a slight stutter.
He wore worn adventurer's trousers. A cloak-like shawl wrapped his upper body, and a fang charm hung at his neck.
A long claw scar ran across his face.
His eyes—red and watchful—fixed on the group.
"Brother Kaito wants to find you," Klee said honestly. "Not Klee. But Klee also wanted to play with you."
"Kaito?"
Razor seemed to recognize the name. His gaze shifted to the person in the center—the one with the pleasant scent.
"It's you," Razor said. "Smell… good."
He dropped down from the tree.
"Klee, you know Razor too?" Noelle asked, startled.
"Does Razor know Brother Kaito?" Klee asked back, curious.
"Master… brought me to Kaito's place," Razor said slowly. "Ate very tasty… meat."
"Master said… if meet hunters, say Kaito name."
Kaeya thought it through and quickly understood.
"The hunters around here are mostly from Springvale," he said, half to himself. "And the meat Good Hunter consumes every day makes them one of Springvale's biggest customers…"
"Dropping Boss Kaito's name would definitely earn you some courtesy."
Kaito smiled at Razor. "Come with me. I'll show you something."
"But… now I set traps," Razor said, frustration rising. "With Lupica, catch boar. If not… hungry."
Then he added, even more upset, "Thing Klee threw… scared boar away."
Lupica—family.
"It—It was Brother Kaito!" Klee hid behind them and peeked her head out. "Brother Kaito told Klee to do it."
"…Fine."
Kaito didn't seem bothered. He only asked, "Have you ever thought about what happens after you hunt all the boars? What will you eat then?"
Razor frowned, thinking hard.
For him, it was a difficult question.
"I… don't understand."
"Your family needs meat," Kaito said. "If you hunt every boar, do you go after humans after that?"
"We… don't attack humans," Razor said quickly, almost panicked.
"Then if you don't attack humans, where will you get meat?" Kaito pressed.
"…"
Razor shook his head.
"You're human," Kaito said, voice steady. "Not a wolf."
"There are better ways to get food."
"For example—learn from the hilichurls of the Meat Tribe… and raise boars."
Kaito's smile softened.
"Want to go see how they do it?"
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/StrawHatStudios