Lumine peeked down from the attic.
Late at night, the Good Hunter was quiet—only the owner remained downstairs.
The witch named Mona had left a notebook and a quill on the table, but she herself was nowhere to be seen.
After a moment's hesitation, Lumine padded down the stairs.
She had changed into an off-shoulder white dress.
Since falling into this world, she had been living rough, sleeping in the open and braving the elements—this was the first time she'd been able to wear something like this.
A small, girlish urge to show it off quietly took root in her heart.
Her translucent skin, still warm from a hot bath, carried a rosy glow—like an unripe apple from Mondstadt's orchards.
"Jiang Yan," she called softly.
"So late—what are you still cooking?" she asked as she came up beside him.
From this angle, Jiang Yan didn't even need to look deliberately to see the gentle rise beneath her delicate collarbones.
An uncontrollable thought surfaced in his mind.
Mona is shameless.
"Restorative soup," Jiang Yan said calmly.
He pointed to the other stove. "And that's my dinner."
It was a simple wheat porridge.
Teyvat did have rice, which suited his tastes quite well. Before transmigrating, it had been a staple for him.
After a full day of running around, he hadn't eaten a single proper meal.
Lumine caught the rich aroma drifting from the soup and couldn't help letting out a tiny burp.
She immediately covered her mouth in embarrassment.
"Too much meat earlier?" Jiang Yan asked.
"…Mm."
"Want some porridge too?"
He ladled half a bowl of freshly cooked wheat porridge and handed it to her.
Lumine accepted it carefully and sat down at the nearby table, her heart inexplicably light and happy.
While she ate, she snuck a glance at the notebook still lying there.
She couldn't understand a single word.
A faint sound came from the ladder by the chimney.
Mona climbed down from the rooftop at that moment.
She nodded politely at Lumine, then said,
"Fischl is in the direction of Inazuma."
"Even with your astrology, you can only get a direction?" Jiang Yan mused.
"Then she's probably near Inazuma City."
Mona, a witch with a Vision, was in fact Mondstadt's top astrologer.
But because she was blunt to the point of cruelty when delivering results, her popularity left much to be desired.
After all, telling people things like 'You're going to break up' or 'Your partner will never amount to anything' straight to their faces didn't exactly win friends.
"We'll have to send a letter to the Adventurers' Guild in that direction," Jiang Yan said thoughtfully.
"If you need something done by Fischl, I can help too," Mona offered proactively.
Mona: Lv11
Skill: Hydromancy
Unlike most Vision holders who simply wield elemental power, Mona had mastered astrology long before gaining control of Hydro.
When the two fused, hydromancy was born.
With it, she could perform astonishing feats—Illusory Bubble and Stellaris Phantasm, among others.
She was exceptionally suited for clearing ruins.
Though she herself wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it.
"I want someone watching La Signora," Jiang Yan said.
"Your identity makes that inconvenient. I need Fischl and Oz back."
He tasted a spoonful of the Three-Immortal Poultry Minced Soup. The heat was just right. He extinguished the flame.
It wasn't that Mona lacked the capability—her hydromancy was mysterious and powerful.
The issue was her affiliation.
Mona belonged to the Hexenzirkel.
If she were discovered acting, it could spark a direct conflict between the Hexenzirkel and the Fatui.
In that case, Mona's situation would become extremely dangerous.
"…La Signora?"
Lumine's eyes widened adorably.
Why would Jiang Yan need someone else to watch a lady?
Was this something that could even be outsourced?
Wouldn't that mean she wouldn't see anything?
She couldn't quite understand.
"She's a Fatui Harbinger—codename: La Signora," Jiang Yan explained, amused by her confusion.
Mona, already ladling soup into a bowl, paused mid-motion.
"…A Harbinger?"
Her hand trembled, nearly spilling the bowl.
The Eleven Harbingers under the Cryo Archon—any one of them could rampage freely through the other six nations.
Even Jean, the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, fell short of matching their authority and reputation.
Only the Grand Master himself could stand on equal footing with one of the Eleven.
And now—La Signora had arrived in Mondstadt without a sound?
"That's far too dangerous. We should inform the Knights immediately," Mona said, trying to pass responsibility away.
She was also deeply relieved she'd steadied her hand.
If this precious soup—worth thousands of Mora—had spilled, her heart would've shattered.
"If the Knights find out, it'll be worse for me," Jiang Yan replied calmly.
Lumine's eyes widened again.
She felt like she'd just overheard something very dangerous.
So Jiang Yan wasn't entirely on the Knights' side?
She knew about the Fatui diplomatic delegation stationed in Mondstadt—how it gave the Knights endless headaches.
The lack of manpower during the Four Winds temples operation was precisely because most forces had to remain in the city to deter them.
Lumine silently decided to keep this secret.
Compared to the Knights, she trusted Jiang Yan more.
The fact that he spoke so openly in front of her meant… he trusted her too, didn't he?
She took small sips of the wheat porridge.
It tasted gently sweet.
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