"Rewards and compensation!!"
At the mention of that, Paimon's eyes immediately lit up. She started muttering excitedly,
"Come to think of it, Kaeya and Amber still owe us Honey Roast Carrots!"
"Kaeya's pretty badly injured—don't expect anything from him for a while,"
Jiang Yan said.
"You can go collect from Amber first. But don't fleece her too hard."
Knights who were still minors didn't receive a salary.
Saving Mora wasn't easy for Amber.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Paimon sighed regretfully.
"Then I'll only order one serving!"
Jiang Yan broke into a cold sweat for no reason.
If Amber's wallet were sentient, it would probably thank him as a lifesaving benefactor.
Who knew what Paimon had been planning originally—
All-you-can-eat just because someone else was paying, perhaps?
After filling his stomach, Jiang Yan wrote down the recipe for the Three-Immortal Poultry Soup and handed it to Sara. He then wrote a letter and held it in his hand.
"I'm heading to the Adventurers' Guild to mail this letter,"
he said, patting the envelope.
"We'll go to the Knights' headquarters together after I get back."
"That's the place with the Adventurer artifact set, right?"
Paimon asked.
"Yep."
"Then I'll go take a look too."
Lumine picked up the round-bellied Paimon and followed along.
Jiang Yan led her down the steps from the Fountain Square.
No matter which of the Seven Nations one was in, the Adventurers' Guild was always a massive organization.
Generation after generation of legendary adventurers had left behind considerable wealth to the Guild in their later years, as thanks for the support they'd received in their youth.
These legacies included treasures, intelligence, and precious records—among many other things.
As a result, the Adventurers' Guild possessed a remarkably deep foundation.
In Mondstadt, the Guild had purchased an adventurers' hall directly opposite the city gate, with a reception counter set up outside.
There was also a headquarters building deeper in the city, facing toward Springvale.
Jiang Yan was heading for the counter.
"Boss Jiang Yan! And the Traveler too!"
From afar, the receptionist Katheryne waved enthusiastically.
"That's strange—does the Guild have a commission for me?"
Jiang Yan asked as he stopped at the counter.
"No, no! My main target today is actually this Traveler,"
Katheryne said, waving her hands.
"Me?"
Lumine blinked in surprise.
"Yes, you. I've been observing you all morning—the Traveler who helped repel the Stormterror."
Katheryne spoke with great seriousness.
"I can see the potential of a legendary adventurer in you."
"Whoa!"
Paimon scrambled up onto the counter.
"What about me? What about me!?"
"You?"
Katheryne hesitated.
"Perhaps… the legendary adventurer's companion?"
"I can tell just by looking?"
Lumine found it hard to believe.
"Of course. I'm very confident in my judgment,"
Katheryne said as she pulled out an Adventurer's Handbook.
"Congratulations on joining the Adventurers' Guild."
On the first page of the handbook was already written Lumine's name.
The Guild's intelligence network was impressively fast.
After all, only a portion of the Knights of Favonius even knew her name.
"Eh—eh?!"
Lumine still hadn't caught up.
How had she joined the Adventurers' Guild just like that?
Had Katheryne asked her opinion earlier… and she'd agreed without realizing it?
"Jiang Yan, was my memory erased?"
Lumine grabbed his hand, her face turning pale with anxiety.
"I can't remember her asking whether I wanted to join the Guild at all."
"…"
Jiang Yan couldn't help but laugh. He flicked her forehead lightly.
"You're remembering correctly. She didn't ask you."
"Ow."
Lumine covered her forehead, feeling a bit more at ease.
"Then…?"
"Isn't this just the classic shop trick for signing people up for memberships?"
Jiang Yan said, rubbing her head.
"First they hype you up until your brain overheats and you can't think straight. Then they turn assumptions into 'facts' and lead you along their train of thought."
"By the time the customer realizes what happened, they're already on their way home with a membership card in hand—regretting it too late."
"Ah!"
Paimon gasped, as if discovering the dark truth of the world for the first time.
"So devious!?"
"Boss Jiang Yan, it's not that bad…"
Katheryne said awkwardly, nearly wanting to hide under the counter.
Even though the method really was exactly as he described—
The Guild receptionists did sometimes use these tactics to boost performance metrics.
But the Adventurers' Guild wasn't a shop!
She hurriedly explained,
"Miss Lumine, don't worry. There are no membership fees, and we won't force adventurers to take on obligations. Joining us brings only benefits, no drawbacks."
"Is that true?"
Lumine still didn't quite trust her and looked to Jiang Yan instead.
"That part's correct,"
Jiang Yan nodded.
"You don't lose anything. Through the Guild you can meet new companions, organize expeditions, accept commissions for rewards, or post commissions for other adventurers. It's basically a support organization for adventurers across the Seven Nations."
"Just keep the Adventurer's Handbook."
"Okay."
Only then did Lumine accept it.
Katheryne finally breathed a sigh of relief. Another successful sign-up.
And this one was the Traveler who had driven off Stormterror—
Recruiting someone like that might even earn her extra commendation.
Only then did Jiang Yan take out the envelope and hand it over.
"Send this to the Adventurers' Guild in Inazuma City, addressed to Fischl. Using the Guild's internal routes—how much will it cost?"
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