One by one, the six of them entered.
Zhongli was here for two reasons. One is that he was going to buy a new manga and two is to make Childe pay for it and buy him one too. 'What could be Sir Yunru's book today...'
As for Childe's side, he doesn't have that much of a choice. He was ordered to make good relationships with the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, specifically, the man named Zhongli. He doesn't know why but all he knows is that it's an order. 'This is the guy from the other day's shop, huh?' He thought as he looked around.
For Hu Tao, she's been sensing some abnormalities around Igarashi's shop. She heard some people say that they feel cold last night whenever they pass by Igarashi's shop. Furthermore, they also felt like someone or something was staring at them.
Of course, Hu Tao was familiar with those conditions. Ghosts typically have Yin energy, resulting in those that are haunted feeling cold. It is also that they are translucent that they can stare at people without getting noticed.
So, when she found out that Zhongli was coming here with someone, she instantly joined them. 'If my guess is true and there is indeed a ghost here, then it is my duty to send them to the afterlife!'
Regarding Xiangling, she had been away from Liyue Harbor yesterday for a full day. She went to various locations to gather ingredients for the food she was making. And of course, she also looked for some specific ingredients to make the food she always wanted that she found in one of Igarashi's manga. 'I wonder if Boss Yunru has a recipe for that...'
And lastly, Xingqiu and Chongyun. It was Sunday and they just finished their morning routines like training and practicing sword arts.
Chongyun was finished with his exorcism training and wanted to hang out with Xingqiu. As for the latter, he was done practicing the Guhua Sword Art for today and decide to read some good books, but on his way to Igarashi's shop, he encountered Chongyun.
And regarding Re:Zero, Xingqiu has been reading them up to the latest chapter. At first, the cruelty that Igarashi did to Subaru in the first chapters didn't sit well with him, but as the story went on, he was even amazed at how much more cruel Igarashi can be.
All of them entered the shop and sat down on the couches.
Childe noticed the cold temperature and felt somewhat relaxed. 'Nothing like coldness in the morning... Reminds me of the Snezhnayan mornings...'
In Snezhnaya, it was always freezing cold. Everywhere you look in the land, snow covered it. Childe was even surprised to see that the same cold was introduced to him when he visited Dragonspine.
The coldness in Dragonspine reminded him very much of his homeland's temperature.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Igarashi was sweating a bit. 'Why are they all here?!'
He didn't expect all of them to appear today!
'An archon, a Fatui Harbinger, two people that know how to exorcise ghosts, and two people adept at martial arts...' Igarashi peeked at them and counted.
He tidied himself up and called the guardian ghost using the system. Soon, in front of him, a silhouette of a thin man with no facial features and just a white face appeared. He was wearing an all-black suit and had no hair. Of course, this appearance was made to look exactly like the Slender Man.
Just imagine an extremely tall thin man with exaggerated long limbs wearing different clothing appear in front of you in the middle of the night out of nowhere. Scary, isn't it?
'Hide!' Igarashi gave a simple command. The guardian ghost nodded as he dissipated into black smoke, and soon, he disappeared.
Igarashi then went to the other side of the wall and greeted them. "Good morning, everyone. What can I do for you all?"
"Ah, Boss Yunru!" Xiangling was the first to speak. "Do you have the recipe for the dessert called Cake?"
Yes, she had always wanted to remake that food she saw in Your Name. But unfortunately, she doesn't know the ingredients and instructions. As for a cake, it was only available to the traveler in-game, given to them whenever their birthday comes.
Igarashi nodded. "I do, in fact. Do you want to learn it?"
Xiangling stood up and nodded vigorously before replying. "Yes!"
Igarashi then chuckled. "Then you have to buy a book first." He said as he smiled.
"Oh... Oh right..." Xiangling said as she had a realization. She then sat down again and decided to buy a book first.
Suddenly, Hu Tao appeared beside Igarashi. The latter was frightened by her sudden appearance and jolted a bit. "W-What are you doing...?"
Hu Tao stared at him and inspected his body. "Hmm~?" She hummed.
"Hu Tao! What are you doing?" Shouted Xingqiu at the back.
Hu Tao, Xingqiu, Chongyun, and Xiangling had been friends since they were kids. As such, they are quite comfortable with each other. Except for Xiangling. She was always the target of Hu Tao's pranks.
Hu Tao ignored Xingqiu's call and kept inspecting Igarashi. "You... Have been hanging out with ghosts lately, haven't you?" She mischievously said.
She then went by him and tried to enter their workspace but was stopped by Igarashi's hand. "That is... A restricted area for employees only."
"Eh~? But I just wanna take a peak~" Hu Tao pouted and tried to enter again.
However, at this time, a firm voice was heard by everyone. "Director. I believe that you should refrain from disturbing Sir Yunru further."
It was Zhongli.
Just then, Childe stood up and approached Hu Tao. "Now, now, I also believe you should stop bugging the boss." He said as he smiled.
"Why would I listen to you?" Hu Tao said.
"Haha, because our Northland Bank is supporting the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor." Childe chuckled.
"So what?" Hu Tai crossed her hands. She only knows that Childe is a Fatui Diplomat that approached their funeral parlor. However, she knows too well about the reputation of the Fatui, so when she found out that it was a Fatui Diplomat supporting them, she immediately became suspicious.
At this moment, Igarashi intervened. "Now, now, dear customers. Will you please sit back down? If you have nothing to buy here, then please leave."
Childe stopped talking to Hu Tao and shifted his attention to Igarashi. "And if I don't?" He said, smiling.
He wasn't afraid of Igarashi. He had already sorted his power and found him extremely weak. And as such, he has no fear of the man. As for Zhongli's relationship with him, he assumed that they merely have a seller and buyer relationship.
"Hey, that's just open provocation!" Xingqiu said. His chivalrous and justice side is starting to show.
Of course, the rest also supported Xingqiu and complained to Childe. As for Zhongli, he just quietly looked at the scene as if he was witnessing a child fight.
However, Igarashi suddenly raised his arm, revealing a small black box.
Chide was a bit confused about why Igarashi pulled out something and asked. "What's that?"
Igarashi smirked and looked at Childe. 'Don't try to mess with someone that watches your voice actor's shenanigans...'
The item he held up... Was actually a memory he made using the Palace of Memories!
During Hu Tao and Childe's small talk, he secretly made this using the system. It cost him 60 system credits but he thinks it was worth it. He made this because he was sensing the enmity between Hu Tao and Childe earlier and wanted to cool the situation.
It was a memory of Childe's voice actor singing Rasputin. But is modified to be a Snezhnayan theme by the voice actor himself.
♬ There lived a certain man in Snezhnaya long ago ♬
♬ He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow ♬
♬ Most people looked at him with terror and with fear ♬
♬ But to Snezhnayan chicks he was such a lovely dear ♬
Childe was confused for a moment before realizing what was going on. "This is... My voice?!"
Currently, on Igarashi's hand, the sound of him singing some weird song was playing. But that's not the most strangest thing. And no, it's not about how Igarashi managed to get this recording, but the fact that the way he was singing so passionately was starting him. "How..."
He sounded like he was... Having fun in the song.
"Pft~" Just then, Childe heard someone keeping their laugh in and turned around to see everyone looking at him keeping their laugh in.
Even Zhongli was smiling in amusement at the scene. Zhongli looked at the item in Igarashi's hand and thought: 'He truly is an amusing fellow...'
♬ He could preach the Tsaritsa like a preacher ♬
♬ Full of ecstasy and fire ♬
♬ But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire ♬
♬ Tar Tar Targilia ♬
♬ Lover of the Snezhnayan queen ♬
Hearing such bold words being sung in his voice, Childe started feeling embarrassed. "Hey, you! Stop what you're doing! I have never sang any of that!"
"How courageous of you, Childe. To think that you would openly sing such things about the Tsaritsa..." Zhongli said at the back, smiling.
"Pft~ Yeah, aren't you afraid of getting punished for singing such things~?" Hu Tao said beside him.
"Whoa... I can feel how much fun you're having in the song..." Xiangling said.
"Yeah... It's as if he really did sing it..." Chongyun added.
♬ There was a cat that really was gone ♬
♬ Tar Tar Taglia ♬
♬ Snezhnaya's greatest love machine ♬
♬ It was a shame how he carried on ♬
"..." Childe was too stunned to speak on the spot.
On this day, the man named Tartaglia was openly embarrassed inside a small shop. And a few customers who were lucky enough to see it from the outside would from then on request to have the song.