"…This is for your own good. Seize the moment and leave at once."
With that final warning, the young Adeptus turned to depart. Paimon hurriedly called after him, but Xiao did not pause. In a few swift steps, he vanished beyond the edge of the terrace.
Paimon stomped in midair, puffing up in frustration.
"That Adeptus is impossible! He talks in riddles, sounds so harsh, and doesn't even listen to people finish! How can someone be so self-absorbed?!"
She muttered about giving him an unflattering nickname—then immediately shuddered.
"No, no… what if we offend him and every chest we open from now on only has cabbages inside? That would be tragic!"
The thought alone calmed her down considerably.
To communicate properly with such a temperamental Adeptus, Lumine and Paimon decided to seek professional advice. They returned to the inn's main hall and approached the proprietress, Verr Goldet.
Still warm and composed, Verr Goldet raised her brows in surprise when they mentioned Xiao.
"Oh? You've already met Lord Xiao? And he appeared to speak with you? That's rare. For him, that almost counts as being in a 'good mood.'"
Paimon's jaw nearly dropped.
"That was a good mood?! Adepti standards are terrifying!"
Verr Goldet chuckled knowingly.
"Adepti possess unmatched power, but their temperaments are… peculiar. The Conqueror of Demons especially. He bears a heavy burden."
She offered a suggestion.
"If you wish to speak with him smoothly, lift his spirits first. He has one particular fondness—Almond Tofu. Chef Yanxiao makes an excellent one. Pair it with something of your own, and perhaps you'll have better luck."
An Adeptus with a sweet tooth? Lumine and Paimon brightened immediately.
Lumine prepared a generous, vibrant portion of Satisfying Salad, then sought out the inn's head chef, Yanxiao.
But Yanxiao looked pale and unsettled. When Lumine asked about Almond Tofu, he waved her off nervously.
"Not now! I'm busy!"
When Lumine mentioned it was for the Adeptus, his expression shifted.
"…If it's the boss's request, I can't refuse. But… my hands are shaking."
He leaned in and whispered hoarsely.
"I just saw a ghost in the kitchen. A little girl in red—she vanished in a blink!"
The heat of the kitchen did nothing to ease his fear.
Paimon found it half ridiculous, half chilling.
To reassure him—and secure the dessert—Lumine decided to investigate.
Back in the kitchen, Paimon started to declare boldly that nothing was there—only to freeze mid-sentence.
A faint red shadow darted across the corner.
Paimon's feathers practically stood on end.
"T-There really was something!"
Reporting this to Yanxiao only worsened his terror. Thinking quickly, Paimon suggested consulting Verr Goldet again.
The proprietress laughed softly and revealed that Yanxiao had once trained as an exorcist's apprentice but fled the profession out of fear.
As for the ghost—she wasn't malicious.
"The little spirit, 'Little Ming,' is temporarily housed here by the Adeptus. To draw her out, you must find the Demon-Conquering Seal left behind."
The seal was cleverly integrated into the inn's structure, visible only from a precise vantage point. After searching the middle floors carefully, Lumine and Paimon finally found the correct angle.
The seal activated.
Little Ming appeared.
The small red figure fled through the garden and into the woods beyond the inn. There, she abruptly possessed an abandoned Ruin Hunter.
The dormant machine roared to life, launching an attack.
As the mechanical giant fought, the little spirit sang in a childish yet eerie tone:
"Big Hilichurl fell sick,
Second Hilichurl came to see,
Third Hilichurl picked herbs,
Fourth, Hilichurl brewed tea.
Fifth Hilichurl died,
Sixth Hilichurl carried him away…"
Despite the Ruin Hunter's agility, Lumine ultimately reduced it to scrap.
The spirit floated free, still humming.
Paimon seized the moment to demand she stop frightening Yanxiao. Only after finishing her song did Little Ming blink and respond.
"Okay. I promise. I won't scare the guests anymore."
Satisfied, the two returned with the good news.
Yanxiao, astonished by their safe return, regained his composure. With utmost seriousness, he prepared a flawless Almond Tofu.
Soon, he presented the delicate dessert to Lumine. Smooth as jade, fragrant and refined—it was worthy of an Adeptus.
With Almond Tofu and Satisfying Salad in hand, they returned to the terrace.
The wind stirred.
Xiao appeared once more, seemingly drawn by the offering.
He looked at the Almond Tofu silently.
"…You put in some effort."
He sampled it.
A rare, almost imperceptible softness flickered in his golden eyes.
"This flavor… is acceptable."
Paimon quickly seized the chance to explain everything again—about Rex Lapis, about the gathering of the Adepti, about Liyue Harbor.
This time, Xiao did not leave.
After a long silence, he spoke.
"If Rex Lapis has truly fallen, then Liyue's fate stands at a crossroads."
"I will observe. But know this—should calamity descend, I will not hesitate."
With that, he dissolved into the wind once more.
Yet this time, the air felt different.
The Adepti were stirring.
And in Liyue Harbor, beneath the grand preparations for the Rite of Parting, unseen currents were already beginning to surge.