In the middle of the six seat table, the steaming hot eel pizza had already been reduced to a single lonely slice.
Paimon was rubbing her round belly, but her eyes were still glued greedily to that last piece.
Paimon could swear she had never eaten anything this delicious in her life.
Amber was just as tempted.
But as a member of the Knights of Favonius, she had to maintain her image. Besides, this was originally something Jensen had specially made for Acting Grand Master Jean, right? She had never heard that Jensen could make this kind of pizza before.
Outrider Amber's intuition was very sharp... her gaze kept darting between the two of them, quietly speculating about their relationship.
Jean did not seem to notice the little schemes in her subordinate's head. She rested her folded hands on the table and turned to Lumine. "I already have a general understanding of your situation. In a little while, the Knights of Favonius will help you post missing person notices throughout the city."
"Thank you."
"I am only fulfilling the Knights' duty, there is no need for thanks."
Jean's expression was properly earnest. "Just as Amber said, it might be better if you seek advice from Jensen in this matter."
"So this is... being entrusted to me?" Jensen asked.
Jean looked a little troubled. "Strictly speaking, it is not really appropriate to hand over the Knights' work to you, but if it will help Lumine..."
"There you go again. It is something I can answer in a single sentence."
"T... then I will be in your care." Jean's cheeks turned slightly pink as she spoke.
She rose to her feet. "There are still matters at the Knights that need my attention, so I will return for now."
On her way out, she very naturally took the last slice of pizza.
Paimon's reluctant gaze followed that slice until Jean disappeared from view before she finally pulled her eyes back.
"For your brother's situation, I do not know much either," Jensen said, "but I believe that one day, the two of you will meet again."
"Before that happens, I will do my best to make you stronger."
"Stronger?" Lumine hesitated for a moment. "Jensen... boss, it sounds like you know something?"
"Lumine, you can just call me by my name."
Jensen nodded. "Since the instigator behind everything is an unknown god, even if you meet your brother again one day, you will still need enough strength to stand against that god. Otherwise, something like this might happen again."
"Now that you mention it, Lumine can use elemental power without a Vision, just like Jensen," Amber cut in.
"Maybe that is just something special about travelers from other worlds."
Jensen did not really understand it either.
He had his system.
Lumine's case had to be related to her constitution.
After all, Aether and Lumine were true, bona fide travelers who had journeyed through many worlds. He, on the other hand, was just someone who had transmigrated once.
"You are right."
Lumine clenched her fist. In that battle against the god, she had lost all her power. Now she had to cultivate from scratch.
"In that case, if you ever need help with anything in the future, just ask me."
Jensen reached out his hand.
Lumine looked into his eyes, then lifted her own hand and placed it in his.
The long absent system voice rang in his mind at that moment.
[System Prompt]: New key cultivation target added, Lumine.
Target Name: Lumine
Level: Lv2
Elemental Affinity: Anemo
Skills: Gust Surge Lv1, Palm Vortex Lv1.
Jensen's heart stirred.
According to the system's rules, now that he had Lumine, he could finally raise the world level, which meant he himself could level up again.
He had known ever since helping Fischl to reach level 20 and then getting blocked by the world level cap that he would have to wait for Lumine or Aether to appear.
So all his plans to cultivate anyone else had been shelved.
To this day, he only had Fischl as a single cultivation target.
That girl was currently out on a long commission from the Adventurers' Guild. Generally, she would not be back for at least half a month.
And even if she did return, she would have to wait until Lumine leveled up first.
"Congratulations, Lumine!" Paimon spun in the air, hands on her hips. "With Jensen helping you, I feel like you can strut all over Mondstadt."
She looked every bit the fox borrowing the tiger's might.
"As if," Amber said, scooping Paimon into her arms and tugging at her cheeks. "Even Jensen has to obey the Knights of Favonius' rules. Little Paimon, you are instigating misconduct, do you know that?"
"Mmmm mmmm mmmm..."
Paimon let out a string of miserable noises.
Jensen could only stare speechlessly. Paimon really was as good at courting disaster as ever. One of these days, she might actually get eaten as emergency rations.
"Strut around is too much, but if you report my name, things will be a lot more convenient."
Jensen added calmly.
"Alright." Lumine answered softly.
Her heart felt strangely warm. It really did feel a bit like Jensen had become her guardian, and yet she did not reject that feeling at all.
In the past, when her brother was still by her side, it had felt just like this, had it not?
Curious, she asked, "Jensen, how long have you been here?"
"Roughly about a year."
"What?!"
Paimon, who had finally escaped Amber's grip, stared with wide eyes.
"You managed to save up enough money in just one year to open such a big restaurant like Good Hunter in Mondstadt?"
She spread her arms as far as they could go, trying to show just how big.
"Strictly speaking, I bought a bit more than half of the shares," Jensen replied.
"Wow!"
Paimon was fired up again. "Then can you teach us how to make money?"
Lumine was just as interested.
Having traveled through many worlds, she knew very well that without money, you could not take a single step in human settlements.
Besides, she truly wanted to buy herself a proper set of equipment.
"Make money?" Jensen paused. "I have not really gone out of my way to make money."
"Then how do you have so much?" Paimon asked, completely lost.
"Oh, I raised a whole batch of Mora Mice before. They would spit out tens of thousands of coins every single day. Once you let that pile up, you end up pretty rich."
Jensen said it in a perfectly serious tone.
As if having a money spitting machine was the most natural thing in the world.