Ch 5

"Sorry, boss, for involving you in this," Eula said with a heart full of apologies as she saw the onlookers outside.

"It's alright. Thanks for standing up for me. Just call me Takumi."

Seeing that Takumi harbored no prejudice against her due to her identity and was so polite, and thinking back to the blanket that had been placed over her while she slept, Eula felt a warmth in her heart.

"I'm Eula."

"Oh, by the way, boss, I... uh... broke your glass case. How much is it worth? I'll compensate you..."

"You're too polite. Let's just say it's at cost price... 200,000 Mora."

200,000 Mora, equivalent to the purchasing power of two thousand dollars. Of course, the overall prices on the continent of Teyvat were somewhat lower. For ordinary people, 200,000 Mora would be at least two or three months' worth of living expenses.

"Alright, 200,000... Wait, what!?" Eula suddenly widened her eyes. Her monthly salary was only 150,000 Mora! She instantly felt as if all the emotions she had just experienced had been in vain.

Is this boss trying to extort her?

"200,000 Mora? Boss, are you sure you're not joking with me?"

"I'm sorry, Eula, this is the price of a cellphone."

Eula took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"I'm sorry, boss, I don't have enough money with me right now. Can I bring it tomorrow?"

She had decided to investigate the price of this "cellphone." What exactly was it, and how could it be so expensive?

At this moment, someone from the crowd outside suddenly shouted, "Captain Jean is here!"

The crowd immediately buzzed with excitement. Today's commotion was indeed worthwhile; even Captain Jean had been alerted.

Jean walked in directly and first nodded slightly to Takumi.

"I'm sorry, Takumi. It's my fault for not managing my subordinates well and causing you unjustified losses."

The people outside were instantly dumbfounded. Who exactly was the owner of this shop? Even Captain Jean had personally come to apologize?

"It's okay, but I hope there won't be any more troublemakers coming here."

Jean nodded and said, "I will punish the Mondstadt Knight responsible for this, including his companions."

Then, she turned her gaze to Eula.

"While the main responsibility lies with Duke, Eula, as a member of the Knights of Favonius, you acted recklessly in someone else's shop, so you must bear some responsibility as well."

"I understand, Captain Jean..."

Eula lowered her head. With Jean's guidance, the onlookers gradually dispersed.

However, the impact of this incident was far from over.

"The Knights of Favonius had a showdown in a shop, and Captain Jean personally came to apologize!"

"Just how influential is the mysterious owner of the mobile game pavilion?"

"What exactly is this emerging thing, mobile games?"

In just half a day, these news had already exploded throughout the entire city of Mondstadt, becoming a topic of conversation for people over their meals and tea breaks.

Takumi's mobile game pavilion had overnight become a well-known shop throughout Mondstadt.

However, faced with the high cost of playing, most people could only watch from afar and were reluctant to spend such money. However, there were also some well-off young people who came to experience it.

Early in the morning, Takumi's shop already had three young people experiencing the mobile game. With Takumi's guidance, they smoothly entered the world of Teyvat within the game.

Not playing, they didn't know, but these three young people were immediately captivated by the unique visuals and novel gameplay. Their exclamations of astonishment and wonder could be heard from time to time.

Of course, their gaming skills were nowhere near Lisa's level. After playing for more than ten minutes, they were still wandering around on the beach. But they didn't mind at all and were having a great time, their eyes filled with excitement.

They initially chose the payment method of 10,000 Mora per hour, but soon, after just one hour, when they were just starting to get familiar with the game's controls and were eager to explore, each of them immediately paid an additional 20,000 Mora for two more hours.

...

"It's the Anemo Hypostasis!"

One of them exclaimed in excitement. He had finally unlocked the seven statues of The Seven and entered the storyline. When he saw the massive creature flying through the sky, he couldn't help but cry out.

His voice immediately attracted the attention of the other two, and they felt their blood boil with excitement. They couldn't wait to continue with the storyline. They even encountered a young man in the game who could communicate with the dragon, which further astonished them!

Takumi shook his head helplessly. They were only in the beginning stages; once they delved into the main story, their eyes would be blinded for sure.

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and a familiar figure walked in.

"Hi, Takumi."

Lisa greeted Takumi with familiarity.

"Miss Lisa, how many hours would you like to experience this time?"

"You mentioned there's a promotion, recharge 100,000 Mora and get an additional 50,000 Mora, so I'll recharge 100,000."

Lisa placed a heavy bag of Mora on the counter. Such a lavish move naturally caught the attention of the three young people.

"It's Lisa, the Head Librarian!"

"Lisa, you play this mobile game too?"

Lisa glanced at the screens of the three young people's phones, smiled, and shook her head.

"Haven't you even reached Mondstadt? I've already put an end to the Anemo Hypostasis's power source and saved Mondstadt."

Lisa casually teased, piquing the interest of the three.

According to Lisa's words, they would be able to confront the Anemo Hypostasis and save Mondstadt in the upcoming storyline? Anyone could be a hero, but in this world, most people were just ordinary folks. Now, within this mobile game, they might be able to fulfill their hero dreams.

The three young people's eyes gleamed with excitement as they eagerly pushed the storyline forward.

...

...

Just when I was thinking of giving up, I suddenly received so many flowers. Is this a sign for me to believe in the light once again?

[Prologue, Chapter 2, For a Tearless Tomorrow, unlocked after reaching Adventure Rank 10.]

It seemed that continuing to experience the "Prologue" Archon Quest was not that easy after all.

Currently, Lisa's Adventure Rank was still at 7. After receiving in-game prompts, Lisa knew she could increase her Adventure Rank by collecting Anemoculi, opening chests, completing world quests, and more. Although she wouldn't be able to gather much more useful information, Lisa's enthusiasm remained unshaken. After all, she aimed to develop herself into the most powerful character.

During the process of raising her Adventure Rank, any monsters that appeared within her line of sight were controlled by Lisa herself and eliminated using powerful Electro elemental attacks. The three young men noticed Lisa's situation and were initially shocked to see Lisa herself in the game. They were then awed by her smooth maneuvers and slick combos. They even put down their own phones and stood behind Lisa to learn her techniques.

"Lisa, why do you use Amber's aimed shot on the monsters first?"

"Lisa, your damage is so high!"

"Great librarian, please teach me how to become stronger!"

The three of them were excited behind her, but Lisa lightly tapped on the table, and a surge of electricity flashed. The three were startled and even dared not speak loudly, fearing they might disturb Lisa.

After quietly observing Lisa's actions for a while, the three felt they had gained valuable insights. Returning to their seats, they planned to continue pushing the storyline forward and strive to acquire the "Lisa" character as soon as possible.

...

After experiencing battles in various large worlds, Lisa returned to Mondstadt. She briefly encountered people at the blacksmith's shop, Adventurers' Guild, and the Good Hunter restaurant. Then, she followed the guide to the Knights of Favonius' headquarters. Lisa also took a look at the headquarters' office but found that Jean was not at her desk. Perhaps, just like in the real world, she had gone out to execute some plans.

After a conversation with Kaeya, a prompt appeared on the screen:

[Peacock's Feather Chapter, Act 1, Pirate's Treasure, Unlocked.]

"This should be Kaeya's personal mission."

As for why it was called the Peacock's Feather Chapter, there probably was some deeper meaning behind it, but it was still unknown for now. Including the Archon Quest in the prologue, Lisa felt that this mobile game concealed a significant amount of thought-provoking information within its various texts.

However, this personal mission of Kaeya did not reveal any major secrets about Kaeya himself. In summary, it was a story where Kaeya concocted a lie to deceive travelers into searching for treasure and used it as bait to capture criminals. As compensation, Kaeya gifted the traveler a [Favonius Sword].

Lisa took a look and found that this three-star weapon had excellent attributes. Unfortunately, it was a single-handed sword, which she couldn't use, so she equipped it on the traveler herself.

Previously, the traveler's name was "[Jean]." After Lisa found the name-changing function, she changed it to "Purple Rose." This account of Jean's was now completely Lisa's own.

Two hours passed quickly. During this time, another three or four people came in to experience this mobile game. Similarly, once they immersed themselves in it, they couldn't pull themselves away.

Outside the shop, more than ten people had gathered, curiously peering inside through the windows. They had confidently declared before going in that they would just have a brief experience and then come out to tell everyone what this "mobile game" was all about. However, once they entered, they seemed to be possessed, sitting tightly in their seats, staring at the palm-sized glowing boxes. Their faces were either filled with excitement or curiosity. This situation left those outside utterly puzzled. If they hadn't seen Lisa inside as well, they might have suspected that the glowing box had some sinister sorcery that could steal people's minds.

Lunchtime arrived, and there were fewer people outside watching. Lisa also emerged from the shop. She planned to have lunch first and then continue with the upcoming storyline. After completing Kaeya's legendary task and various miscellaneous quests, her Adventure Rank had reached 10, allowing her to embark on new legendary missions. Lisa still had some expectations in her heart. Nevertheless, one must eat their lunch. Such is the life of an elegant librarian.

===

At noon, Takumi ordered a dish of Hunter's Toast from the Good Hunter restaurant for delivery. Although he knew there was plenty of delicious food at the Good Hunter, Takumi had to take care of the shop, and he couldn't leave it unattended.

It seemed that recruiting a waiter was becoming a pressing matter.

While he was eating, the shop's door was pushed open, and Eula, dressed in a simple outfit that wasn't her "Spindrift Knight" attire but still suited her beautifully, walked in.

"Boss, I've come to compensate you... for what happened yesterday. I'm really sorry," Eula said as she took out a bag and placed it on the counter. "This is 100,000 Mora. I... can't come up with more money for now. I'll return the remaining 100,000 to you as soon as possible."

Eula hesitated, and it was clear that she wasn't lying. Takumi put down his Hunter's Toast and weighed the bag. Then he looked at Eula and asked, "Did Jean, the Acting Grand Master, punish you?"

"Yes, I've been suspended for three months," Eula replied calmly. At least, she seemed calm on the surface.

"But Duke had it worse. He was directly stripped of his knighthood and is now closely monitored by the Knights of Favonius. He's probably regretting it deeply now."

When Eula received this punishment, she wasn't surprised. Mondstadt might be a free city, but punishments were severe once you crossed the line. After all, there were precedents.

Eula had no complaints about the punishment, but what she cared about more was the value of the so-called "mobile phone." She took the opportunity to inquire about it from Acting Grand Master Jean.

The response she received left her very surprised. In Jean's eyes, even if it were 2 million Mora, she would buy it without hesitation. Because the information in this mobile game was crucial, it revealed significant details that were vital for Mondstadt's future development. Furthermore, making a game of this caliber, in Jean's view, would not come cheap. Inside that palm-sized phone, there must be some other mysteries.

Upon learning this, Eula was genuinely astonished. She hadn't expected this item to be so valuable. Takumi had indeed not deceived her.

So, Eula brought out all her savings, came sincerely to apologize, and hoped to receive Takumi's forgiveness. However, Takumi didn't rush to accept or reject it.

He smiled and said, "If I recall correctly, you've already severed ties with your family and have been living on your own, right?"

Eula looked puzzled. "Boss, what do you mean?"

"Living on your own means you have expenses, be it rent or daily life. You've given me all your money, so what will you do?"

"I still have some money left, not much, but it should be enough."

"Don't forget, you've been suspended for three months. I doubt the Knights of Favonius will pay your salary as usual."

Eula fell silent. It seemed she hadn't considered this situation.

Seeing Eula's confusion, Takumi sighed and then said earnestly, "Take this money back for now. After all, you got into that conflict with those people because of me. In both reason and emotion, I should help you. So, work here for these three months. Free board and meals, and a monthly salary of 200,000 Mora. After three months, we'll settle the debt between us. How about it?"

Eula was stunned. She hadn't expected Takumi to propose such a condition. It not only solved her financial problem during these three months of suspension but also promised to clear the debt between them after three months. A monthly salary of 200,000 Mora was even higher than what she earned as a Cavalry Captain. To be honest, Eula was tempted.

"No rush, you can take your time to think about it," Takumi kindly reminded her.

For Eula, the most critical issue was whether working in someone else's shop as a Knight of Favonius would lead to people criticizing her for compromising the dignity of a knight. However, she realized she already faced many biases herself. Did she really need to care about a few more comments?

With that in mind, Eula raised her head, and her eyes sparkled slightly. "No need to think about it, Boss. I'm willing to work here."

"Great. When can you start working?" Takumi wore a satisfied smile.

"Right now."

Clearing her debt sooner would lighten her burden. "Very well, you are now an employee of the Mobile Game Experience Pavilion."

"Like this, you'll charge an equivalent amount based on time, understand?" Eula nodded.

For now, the job seemed quite simple. Calculate how long each person paid Mora for. But what puzzled Eula was: What made this mobile game so enjoyable? Why were these people willing to spend tens of thousands of Mora to experience it? Judging by their expressions, they were clearly having a great time.

As Eula moved around, she also got a rough idea of what this mobile game was all about. That palm-sized box could display the scenery of Mondstadt, and there were many familiar faces and things inside. Amber, Kaeya, Acting Grand Master Jean, Lisa...

It's unbelievable that you can control these characters inside!

Even Eula, who worked as a waitress, was feeling curious about this novel game.

How did this seemingly young boss design and develop such a magical game? Eula looked towards the bar counter. Since Takumi taught her how to handle the payments, he had gone into one of the rooms, either to rest or do something else. Entrusting the bar to her, this boss was truly trusting. Was he not afraid that she would take the money and run away? Of course, Eula would never do such a thing. However, Takumi's image now held an enduring layer of mystery in her mind.

---

The space that Takumi rented for this mobile game pavilion was actually quite large. The lobby where players experienced the mobile games took up only one-third of the total area. There were two lounges on the first floor and four rooms on the second floor. One of them was designed by Takumi as his office. The window was half-open, facing the Wine Lake outside. Takumi planned to design a system similar to an internet cafe membership login for calculating time, as relying solely on manual calculations was prone to errors. Takumi could already foresee an explosion of customers in the near future, and the fifty gaming stations in the lobby might not be enough. Therefore, this membership account system had to be designed as soon as possible. The system was not very complex, and it took Takumi just over an hour to create it. After testing it and confirming there were no issues, it could be put into use tonight.

Heading downstairs, Takumi happened to see Lisa greeting Eula. "Acting Grand Master Jean seems to be overly harsh on you."

"But that's good. This place, this boss, and this mobile game all seem to hide some incredible things. Perhaps during this time, you might have some unexpected gains."

Takumi walked over with a smile. "Miss Lisa, it seems I heard you talking about me behind my back?"

"Mr. takumi, you must have misheard." Lisa smiled playfully and then went to her seat to start playing. Ever since she felt the unfathomable power from Takumi the day before yesterday, Lisa now felt an indescribable pressure when facing him. This pressure drove her to advance further in the game, hoping to complete the storyline and uncover the boss's secrets as soon as possible.

...

...

A new prologue was about to begin. After completing a series of tasks, Lisa's Adventure Rank had reached level ten, allowing her to start a new Archon quest. Lisa controlled her character and returned to Mondstadt. On her way to the Knights of Favonius headquarters, she happened to run into Jean conversing with the diplomats from the Fool's Guild.

"So, this is our stance."

"If we can't immediately eliminate the rampaging monsters, it's better to entrust Mondstadt's defense to the Fool's Guild."

"The dragon calamity in Mondstadt can be handled as long as we let them take care of that wild beast..."

The diplomats from the Fool's Guild had a very stubborn attitude.

"[Beast]?" Jean was evidently angered upon hearing these words. "I hope the diplomats from your country can show a more professional attitude. Do you really want to [deal with] one of Mondstadt's Four Winds Guardians? I don't want anyone to utter such nonsense in front of the Knights of Favonius."

In the face of Jean's anger, the Fool's Guild diplomats showed no sign of restraint and instead burst into a series of mocking laughter. "Heh...hehehe... It's not as crazy as you make it out to be."

"Very well, today's negotiations end here."

"I will...record everything truthfully."

The Fool's Guild was pressuring Jean. In reality, there were already signs of a similar situation, but these diplomats from the Fool's Guild had not reached such an arrogant level yet. It was probably because the game's storyline had depicted an attack by the Windborne Dragon on Mondstadt that had caused their attitudes to become so arrogant. If Jean were to witness this scene, she would surely empathize.

After conversing with Jean and giving a brief explanation of the Fool's Guild's background, the interface displayed a prompt indicating the true beginning of the new storyline: [Prologue, Act II, For a Tearless Tomorrow, Has Begun].

Upon returning to the Knights of Favonius headquarters, the Traveler took out a dark red crystal. This item was discovered at the site where they had encountered the Windborne Dragon. The in-game version of the Traveler was also present in the office. Their primary goal now was to confirm whether there was any possibility of saving the Windborne Dragon. Faced with pressure from all sides, Jean had to make a decision as quickly as possible, even if it meant deciding to subdue the Windborne Dragon. Of course, this was the result that none of the Knights of Favonius wanted to see.

This crystal might provide some clues, but Lisa couldn't determine its origin for the time being. She only realized during the touch that it contained a corruptive power that repelled elemental energy and entangled with it. Therefore, they decided to let the Traveler keep this crystal.

At this point in the story, perhaps Lisa, who had been viewing it from a vision perspective all along, had already formed a vague deduction in her mind. "Could it be that the Windborne Dragon became so violent because it was infected with this corruptive power..."

It seemed like the truth behind the Windborne Dragon's betrayal of Mondstadt was starting to become clearer.

Next, the story introduced a new variable. After leaving the Knights of Favonius, the Traveler and Paimon spotted a green figure running ahead on the street in front of the Knights of Favonius headquarters. After confirming, this "green person" was the individual who had conversed with the Windborne Dragon in the Whispering Woods that day! They immediately began to track this person, following them all the way from the Knights of Favonius headquarters to the church square.