2 Cooking in the peaceful realm of one's heart

Indeed I can! Ayumu picked up the dandelion wine and pulled out the cork, bringing it close to his nose to take a sniff. 🍷👃

"Hmm, the scent seems quite nice."

"Never thought I'd actually get to drink it one day."

Thinking of taking a sip, he suddenly realized another problem—no cup. 😅

Darn. 😓

Beside him, the two cups of apple brew looked exceptionally tempting, and they seemed pretty good as well. 🍺😋

After a moment's thought, Ayumu turned his head and met a pair of purple eyes.

"Um, do you want to try it?" 😕

"It seems pretty tasty."

This incredibly beautiful woman was just calmly looking at him like that.

Scratching his head, Ayumu took one of the cups of apple brew and walked up to her.

With its fragrant aroma and appealing color, the apple brew piqued her interest once again.

She lowered her head to look.

"What kind of drink is this?"

"This isn't alcohol. Do you want some alcohol?"

Ayumu was taken aback, placing the apple brew in front of her and pointing at the other large bottle in his hand. "This is alcohol. It's Mondstadt's famous Dandelion Wine, a gift from the Angel's Share Tavern. Have you heard of it?"

"Um... it sounds familiar."

"Is it good?"

The woman seemed like an innocent child who had never experienced the outside world, her calm gaze fixed on the cup of apple brew.

"Um... the reputation seems to be quite good. Would you like to try it?" 😊

Ayumu smiled, giving the bottle of dandelion wine a shake. "After you finish the apple brew, I'll pour you some Dandelion Wine."

Meanwhile, he glanced at the chat group and became slightly speechless the next moment.

[Raiden Shogun: Kujou Sara, is the apple brew good?]

[Kujou Sara: Shogun-sama, it's sweet.]

[Raiden Shogun: How about the Dandelion Wine?]

[Kujou Sara: ...The taste is alright.]

[Diluc: Unopened Dandelion Wine can be returned for a refund. Defective pressure relief packaging can be exchanged. Apple brew, once sold, is non-refundable.]

[Kujou Sara: Diluc, this is our Shogun-sama.]

[Diluc: I'm just a merchant, treating everyone equally.]

[Diona: We are the same.]

...

Mondstadt, Angel's Share Tavern.

Diluc's consciousness was immersed in his mind as he stared at the chat interface, showing a pensive look.

After completing the group task, which involved delivering a bottle of dandelion wine and two cups of apple brew, he received a weapon blueprint.

"Wolf's Gravestone Blueprint?"

Diluc had heard of Wolf's Gravestone.

It was a formidable greatsword, and it had disappeared many years ago.

The number of blacksmiths who knew how to craft this weapon was limited; at least in Mondstadt, no one could forge this artifact.

Craftsmanship was one thing, but the required materials were also extremely rare.

After a moment's thought, he carefully put away the Wolf's Gravestone blueprint.

He planned to find a time to ask the group owner, Ayumu.

Since such rewards were being distributed, there should be a way to acquire the forging materials for this weapon.

Outside the door, the bartender Charles rushed in.

"Master Diluc, that bard is playing his jean at the plaza, and he said he'll come settle the bill once he earns some money."

"Hmph."

Diluc snorted, "The money he's making isn't even enough for the daily alcohol expenses. When will he ever clear his tab?"

Charles hesitated for a moment, "Um... should I go and take back that bottle of dandelion wine?"

"It's fine, that person's identity is not simple."

"Let's leave it at that this time." 😏🍷

...

[Xiangling completed the group task.]

[Razor completed the group task.]

[Yanfei completed the group task.]

In the Heartflame Dimension, Ayumu was sipping dandelion wine in contentment. In the blink of an eye, a pile of items appeared beside him.

Crabs scuttled across the ground, along with chunks of beast meat, fish, salt, and seasonings...

Beside them were sparkling waste materials like magic crystal ore, along with chaotic furnace cores, heavy horns, ice mist flower buds...

"Hmm, these guys are quite quick on their feet."

Ayumu raised an eyebrow.

Looking at the small pile of magic crystal ore, with electric sparks occasionally flashing, there was no need to ask—it must have been Razor, the little wolf dog, who dug those up.

And it was no wonder, as Razor's mining speed was undoubtedly top-notch.

Apart from him, only Lord Zhongli might compare.

[Ayumu: Xiangling, little chef, do you have kitchenware and stuff? Get a set ready!]

[Xiangling: Ah, Lord Group Leader, you don't have pots? I'll bring them right away.]

[Arataki Itto: Where is Lord Group Leader cooking? Can I come for a meal? 🍽️🍔]

[Ayumu: I'm at the Chamber of the Firmament, Arataki Itto, you can come if you want.]

[Kujou Sara: ❓]

[Yae Miko: ❓]

[Kujou Sara: I was just patrolling with someone, how come I didn't see the Group Leader?]

[Arataki Itto: Hahaha, Kujou Sara, do you even know what Lord Group Leader looks like? She's just a woman with a big chest and no brains.]

[Kaeya: Arataki Itto, she's not your enemy, why are you still praising her?]

[Arataki Itto: I'm cursing her.]

In the Heartflame Dimension, two extra pots soon appeared in front of Ayumu.

All the kitchen tools were there too. The thoughtful little chef, Xiangling, even prepared a bundle of firewood and sent it over.

"Now we're all set, let's get to work."

Ayumu rubbed his hands together, ready to cook his first meal in this fantasy world.

"Do you need any help?"

At that moment, Shadow's voice echoed.

Ayumu turned around to find that Shadow had somehow already stood behind him, curiously gazing at the various ingredients on the ground.

"Um... you want to help?"

"I want to eat."

"...Then come on, help me prepare the ingredients first."

Ayumu's lips twitched slightly, and he quickly spoke with a smile. 😄

Watching Shadow chase after the wild crabs scuttling around, Ayumu smiled slightly.

Fortunately, it seemed like Shadow's luck was intact.

Next was to wait for the puppet Shogun to be repaired and then exit from the space of Milk Sword.

But before that, he needed to fill his stomach.

Cooking in the Heartflame Dimension was probably a first in all of Teyvat.

With his attention back, Ayumu began to prepare the ingredients.

The beast meat was already cleaned; it was a chunk of meat with large bones attached. Ayumu skillfully chopped it into smaller pieces.

He lit a campfire nearby and quickly assembled a makeshift wooden rack, placing a pot on top.

What pleased Ayumu was that there was water here, even if he wasn't sure where it came from. Nevertheless, it wasn't a big problem.

After parboiling the meat, Ayumu added seasoning and stirred. Then he put the meat into the pot, adding water for a slow simmer.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Ayumu suddenly felt something was amiss.

Where was his supposed helper?

Turning his head, he noticed there was no sign of anyone nearby.

A few meters away from him, there was a dark and vague figure.

Approaching, he was taken aback.

It was something that looked like a charred crab, but it had turned into a pile of charcoal powder.

"Could this woman have used electricity to cook the crab?"

Ayumu's lips twitched.

Xiangling probably hadn't prepared it during delivery, and it might have been freshly caught crabs that had gone wild as soon as they entered the Heartflame Dimension.

Looking in the distance, he saw flickering electric sparks.

Could it be Shadow?

In his mind, Ayumu noticed that the chat interface was as lively as ever.

Someone had raised a question, sparking enthusiastic discussions.

[Raiden Shogun: How do you catch crabs? 😠😠]

[Kujou Sara: My Lord, where are you? I'm coming over right now. 😅😅]

[Xiangling: Eh? Blame me, I thought the freshly caught crabs would be fine and didn't tie them up. 😓]

[Arataki Itto: Don't you just need hands to catch crabs? 🤔]

[Raiden Shogun: Arataki Itto, come to the Chamber of the Firmament.]

[Kujou Sara: Arataki Itto, be quiet.]

[Arataki Itto: Understood, Lord Raiden Shogun, I love you. 😂]

[Klee: Where are you catching crabs? Klee wants to blow up fish, Klee doesn't know how to catch crabs. 🤩]

[Albedo: Klee, don't catch them, crab pinches hurt a lot.]

[Klee: Albedo, Albedo, brother, don't be afraid. Klee has Dodoco~!]

In the Heartflame Dimension.

The sound of crackling reached Ayumu's ears, making his heart skip a beat.

Quickly rushing toward the flickering electric lights, he found a few more charred crab bodies on the ground.

Or at least what was left of the bodies; they had turned into ashes.

"...You don't need to come, I'll handle it."

Ayumu stepped forward and, eyeing a crab that was scurrying frantically, reached out and grabbed it.

"It pinched me, it hurts."

Shadow's heart raced as she hurriedly spoke.

But the next moment.

In Shadow's astonished gaze, the crab wiggled its legs and swung its large pincers.

But it couldn't reach Ayumu.

He casually threw the crab into a small bucket and heard Shadow speak again.

"Did it get you?"

Walking over to Shadow, Ayumu took her little hand and saw a red mark on it.

"Are you okay? Does it still hurt?"

"Why didn't you say..."

Suddenly, Ayumu felt that something was off. He lifted his head and met a pair of light purple eyes.

The next moment, he felt a cold sweat forming on his back.

What am I doing?

This is a big shot we're talking about!

Involuntarily, Ayumu hadn't let go yet.

His mind raced rapidly. He maintained his usual calm and composure, saying, "Uh, well, it seems a bit serious. I'll bandage it for you in a moment..."

"No need."

Shadow seemed a bit bewildered by Ayumu's actions earlier. 😅

She gently pulled her hand back, glancing at the crabs in Ayumu's small bucket. "Is one enough?" 😊🦀

"Uh, no, definitely not enough. I'll go catch a few more!" 😅🦀🦀

"I'll help you." 👫🏻

Chasing after the crabs scurrying around, Ayumu effortlessly caught them one by one. 🏃‍♂️🦀🕊️

Shadow followed behind him, holding a small wooden bucket and gazing thoughtfully at the crabs inside. 👀🦀🌟

This guy is impressive. 👏

Every move he makes hits the mark, and I can't even compare to him. 😕👟

With her straightforward understanding, Shadow hadn't yet grasped the intricacies here, attributing everything to Ayumu's skill. 🤔🙇‍♀️

Before long, the small wooden bucket was full of crabs. 🦀🦀🦀

Returning to the campfire, the pot of beast meat stew was bubbling and emitting a tantalizing aroma. 🍲🔥👃

Ayumu stepped up to the cutting board, pouring the crabs out of the bucket and splitting them into halves. 🍽️🦀✂️

"Shadow, help me set up another pile of firewood and put some oil in the pot." 🔥🛢️

"Sure, understood." 👍

The awe-inspiring deity, Raiden Shogun, known as the Beelzebul, meticulously gathered a few pieces of firewood and kindled a fire. 🔥👑

The two of them, Ayumu in front and Shadow behind, oddly had the feel of a couple. 💑🌟

Of course, this was just Ayumu's perception. 🙈

In a short while, the crabs coated with flour were added to the pot. 🍲🦀🍞

Sizzle... 🌬️🔥

Shadow's light purple eyes watched Ayumu's actions curiously, a faint glint of light deep within them. 💜👀✨

There was a time when she used to be by the side of a few people, watching them work busily, chatting and laughing, and then creating delicious-smelling dishes. 🍳👥😄

Regrettably, those people would never return again. 😔🕊️

----

In the serene realm of the Inner Sanctum, an intriguing scene was unfolding. The delectable aroma wafted through the air. Unnoticed by Ayumu, the once dark-red sky above had taken on a subtle dimness—a reflection of the true emotions of Raiden Shogun, Shadow. 🌌👃

Ayumu's sudden appearance brought a unique hue to her and the Inner Sanctum. However, Ayumu remained oblivious to the changing atmosphere. His hunger was too strong to care about such things. 😅🌈🍲

Gazing at the pot of stewed ribs emitting a mouthwatering scent, he nodded in satisfaction. He used chopsticks to pick up a crab that had turned golden-orange from the frying pan. 😋🥢🦀

"Shadow, crush those raspberries..."

"Crack!"

"...No, don't discharge lightning randomly! Just crush them with your hands... Yes, that's it..."

Ayumu patiently guided her, feeling a sense of joy. 🙌⚡

There was hardly anything more enjoyable than a stunning girl assisting him. 😄👧

Indeed, a girl. 👧

How could one define age in the realm of the Inner Sanctum's five centuries?

In Ayumu's eyes, Shadow was an immensely powerful yet ignorant girl in other aspects. 🤷‍♂️💫

"Oh, how much do you need?"

"Well, just one bowl, a bit thick."

Ayumu smiled and continued frying the crabs coated with flour. 😊🦀🍳

In a short while, on a small wooden table within the Amatsubami Tenkoku, two plates of steaming dishes looked irresistibly appetizing. 🍽️🍛

Ayumu and Shadow sat facing each other. In their wine cups lay the distinctly fragrant Dandelion Wine. 🍷🥢

"All right, let's eat!"

Handing Shadow a pair of chopsticks, Ayumu didn't hesitate. He picked up a piece of crab. 🍽️🦀

In the next moment, under Shadow's gaze, Ayumu smiled widely as he placed the golden crab onto her plate. 😄🦀

"Here, this one's called the Golden Crab. Since you like sweet flavors, try dipping it in raspberry sauce." 🍽️🦀🍇

"This is the Red-Braised Beast Meat. Despite missing some ingredients, it should taste good."

He picked up a piece of stewed rib and added it to Shadow's plate, still grinning. 🍖🍛

Observing Shadow's lack of reaction, Ayumu grew curious.

"Why aren't you eating? Could it be... you don't know how to use chopsticks?"

As he watched Shadow in bewilderment, Ayumu's mouth grew dry.

Could it be that this doesn't suit her taste?

Oh, no... I haven't explored other dishes yet. What should I do?

"You should eat too."

After a brief pause, Shadow lowered her head to look at the Golden Crab on her plate.

Inadvertently, she had drifted into her memories once again. 🤔👀

When her sister was still around, when Little Fox was still here, when everyone was together... she had also been cared for like this.

But now... the only person who cared for her like this had been unseen for over five centuries. 😔💭

"Well, I won't hold back, then!"

Ayumu breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Shadow nibbling on the ribs.

He finally felt comfortable enough to start eating with gusto. 😌🍖🍲

The beast meat and ribs had a slightly different taste from the familiar home-cooked flavors, possessing a touch of freshness. 🍖🥘🌱

The golden crab was both crispy and tender, especially delightful when dipped in raspberry sauce. 🦀🍇

And then there were the pancakes that Ayumu had cooked. Although their appearance was average, they were enough to fill the stomach. 🥞🍳

"Mmm... it's delicious..."

"Hehe, a toast?"

Seeing Shadow enjoy her meal, Ayumu chuckled mischievously and raised his cup of Dandelion Wine. 😆🍷

"Cheers?"

Emulating Ayumu's gesture, Shadow raised her cup. "What does 'cheers' mean?"

"Well... it's when something is really delicious, and you're really enjoying eating it, that you can raise your cup for a toast."

"It means celebrating, right? Are you happy, Shadow?"

Ayumu nodded slightly, explaining with a bit of effort. 😊🥂

"Yes... I'm very happy. Cheers."

Shadow nodded in agreement. She truly felt relaxed at the moment, a kind of happiness she hadn't experienced for over five centuries. 🥂😊

Sipping the wine, Ayumu felt content while eating. 🍷😌

An hour later, he patted his round belly, belching in satisfaction. 💤🥂

Across the table, Shadow was still gnawing on the Golden Crab, her lavender eyes shimmering. 🍽️🦀💜

Then, she paused her movements.

"Are you full too?"

Ayumu asked with a smile.

"Mmm... still want to eat, but if you're done..."

After a moment of thought, Shadow looked at the untouched plate of crabs, her gaze lingering.

Ayumu couldn't help but laugh and cry.

"Well then, go ahead and eat. I've had a lot of ribs, so you can have all these crabs. I can't eat anymore."

Such an amusing and adorable girl.

Putting aside her fiercely formidable side, she was genuinely cute. 😂👧🦀

"Um, okay."

Shadow nodded, her eyes flashing with a glint of light. She picked up a crab again.

In the meantime, Ayumu opened the chat group interface.

After a satisfying meal, he scrolled through his friends' posts—well, checking the chat was also a source of happiness.

[Kujou Sara: Shogun, I've caught some crabs and placed them in Tenkoku.]

[Kaeya: You and Shogun are truly people of the people.]

[Eula: Yes, this generation of Mondstadt residents hasn't seen Anemo Archon. Jean is practically exhausted [pout][pout].]

[Jean: It's what I should do [determination].]

[Ningguang: Captain Jean's hard work is known to all. Ganryu might claim second place, but Captain Jean dares to claim first.]

[Beidou: This woman always loves to show off [bored][bored].]

[Xiangling: Beidou, when's Beidou coming back? I've gathered a batch of fresh Absolute Cloud Chilies, they're really spicy [excited].]

[Beidou: Hahaha, save some for me, I'll dock tomorrow.] 📱🥳