Gacha Hell: Furina Edition

Qin still had work to do, and Amber was on duty in the afternoon. The task of introducing the Traveler duo to Mondstadt fell to Kaeya, who was relatively free.

Kaeya led the two to the Knights of Favonius' dormitory area. The surroundings were pleasant, far enough from the training grounds to maintain a quiet atmosphere.

"How does it feel?" Kaeya asked with a smile.

"It's great!" Lumine nodded.

Paimon was even more thrilled.

What kind of hard life has Paimon been living these past few days?!

Sleeping rough, eating whatever we could find!

But now, Paimon finally understood what it meant to be treated like an honored guest. Mondstadt really felt like home!

The dorm room wasn't large, but it was cozy. Just a short walk away were the dormitories of Jean and the others. In another direction, less than five hundred meters away, was the cafeteria!

As an Honorary Knight, this room would remain Lumine's unless the entire building needed reconstruction. Plus, meals at the cafeteria were free!

This was perfect—it meant Lumine wouldn't have to worry about food even if she stayed in Mondstadt forever. According to Kaeya, the head chef's skills were quite good too.

With lodging and meals taken care of, Lumine felt she had successfully cut down on expenses. The next step was figuring out how to earn Mora.

Though Paimon was a native of Teyvat, Lumine felt she didn't know much. It was a good opportunity to ask Kaeya, a true local.

"You mean taking commissions from the Adventurers' Guild to earn Mora?" Kaeya mused.

That was indeed one way!

Many people posted commissions at the Adventurers' Guild for problems they couldn't solve. However, times were changing fast—more and more skilled adventurers were appearing, making the field quite competitive.

Kaeya said, "I think it's doable, but don't expect to earn too much Mora. Keep your expectations in check."

"I'm prepared," Lumine nodded.

If there were opportunities to make big money, she'd definitely take them!

"Alright, this is the girls' dormitory, so I shouldn't linger. If you have more questions, shall we talk somewhere else?" Kaeya suggested with a smile.

"Sure!"

Lumine asked a few more questions about phones.

Phones were incredibly convenient. She saved Kaeya, Jean, and the others' numbers and added them as contacts.

Kaeya mentioned that ever since Mr. Lu Heng introduced these devices, even the farthest corners of Teyvat had network coverage. Communication had become much more efficient, keeping people closely connected.

In the future, even if she traveled to other nations, she could still call her friends in Mondstadt. So convenient!

While introducing the basics of Mondstadt to Lumine, Kaeya also took them to the original store.

"Is this the 'youth edition' card shop?" Paimon observed.

The store was bustling with automatons handling transactions, while Mondstadters waited in line, eagerly paying and receiving card machines and phones from the robots—each transaction took less than five seconds.

"Youth edition?"

Kaeya chuckled. "That's an interesting way to put it. Mr. Lu does plan to open a store in Mondstadt, but it's still in the works. Those who can become Genshin characters have the privilege of teleporting directly to the Liyue or Fontaine branches to pull gacha. You two qualify as well."

"Me too?!" Paimon pointed at herself.

Lumine was the protagonist, Kaeya and the others were characters—so what was Paimon?

"The Guide," Kaeya nodded. "No problem. Since I'm free this afternoon, how about I take you two to Liyue?"

"Thank you so much!" Lumine quickly expressed her gratitude.

"Come with me."

Kaeya greeted one of the automatons and led Lumine and Paimon through a door into what seemed like a storage room. On the other side was another door.

When they opened it, they were greeted by an entirely new scene.

"Did we just teleport?!" Paimon was stunned.

Lumine was equally shocked.

There was no sensation of spatial displacement—it felt completely natural!

"That's just how powerful Boss Lu is. He can do things beyond our imagination," Kaeya shrugged.

After witnessing enough miracles, one simply grows numb to them.

The Liyue branch was far more luxurious than Mondstadt's temporary setup. There were sections for snacks, drinks, alcohol, and small trinkets.

But the most eye-catching area was near the entrance, where counters were set up for Liyue locals to pull gacha.

While observing, Lumine and Paimon heard someone exclaim—clearly, someone had gotten lucky.

"A two-star card, huh?" Kaeya clicked his tongue before turning to Lumine. "Looks like Boss Lu isn't here. Should I ask for you?"

"Is that okay?" Lumine hesitated. "I feel like we shouldn't bother such an important person with something so trivial."

"Hmm?"

Kaeya smiled. "That's a fair thought, but you haven't met Mr. Lu yet, right? He probably hasn't met you either. If you show up at the store, I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."

"Why?" Lumine was puzzled.

"You're the protagonist," Kaeya said matter-of-factly. "If you read a light novel and then transmigrated into its world, wouldn't you want to meet the heroine?"

"Eh?"

Kaeya's explanation left Lumine feeling a bit dazed.

"Someone of his stature thinks that way?"

"That's part of what makes him human," Kaeya said. "Alright, take a look."

Lumine glanced at Kaeya's phone, which showed a chat window.

[Kaeya]: Boss Lu, are you busy?

[Lu Heng]: Eating right now. What's up?

[Kaeya]: Traveler Lumine and Paimon are at the Liyue branch. Wondering if you'd like to come see them.

[Lu Heng]: They're at the Liyue branch? Got it. I'm tied up at the moment, so I might be back later. If they have things to do, they can pull gacha first and leave. No need to wait for me—we can meet another time.

"He seems really nice," Paimon remarked.

"Yeah," Lumine agreed.

Kaeya asked, "So, do you want to pull gacha first?"

Lumine thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I'm free this afternoon. Let's wait for him to return. I'd like him to see me—this so-called 'heroine.'"

"Haha," Kaeya looked surprised. "You don't seem as silent as you are in the game."

"Maybe it's because Paimon talks so much that I don't need to say much?" Lumine joked.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Paimon stomped her foot in protest. "Are you saying Paimon talks too much?!"

"You do," Kaeya nodded, then added, "Let's sit for now. You can browse the internet or try playing the game as yourself."

"Sounds fun…"

Lumine sat down and pulled out her phone.

Soon, she was immersed in Genshin Impact.

The moment she started the game, her fuzzy memories became clearer.

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!

She recounted the parts of her journey she still remembered to Paimon, then moved on to character customization.

"If the protagonist can freely choose between my brother or me, why do we need to customize appearances?" Lumine asked.

"No idea. Maybe it's to avoid copyright issues?" Kaeya shrugged. "Besides, wouldn't you prefer players not freely adjusting the camera angle to peek under your skirt?"

Lumine leaned back slightly.

She scanned her face with the phone and confirmed it.

Even though it was just a game, it was based on her original future. She didn't want to see herself misrepresented.

Paimon played alongside her.

If you included the real Paimon, it was Paimon controlling 'Paimon' to accept quests from Paimon.

Wanmin Restaurant.

Not having seen Xiangling for half a month, Lu Heng's first move was to sneak into the kitchen to scare her. After successfully startling her, he quickly pulled out a gift he'd brought for her, which immediately cheered her up.

Zhongli was pouring tea when Guoba ran over to him. He poured a cup for the little bear as well.

Lu Heng checked his messages.

Aside from Kaeya's, there was also a message from Navia.

She had resolved all the troubles in Poisson and invited him out for fun.

After agreeing to Navia's invitation, Lu Heng turned to Zhongli. "The Traveler's at the branch. Want to go see them later?"

"Sure," Zhongli nodded.

His plans were already well-laid. He didn't strictly need the Traveler's involvement to succeed.

But since the Traveler was part of the story now, Zhongli was curious about the role they'd play.

It wouldn't hurt to meet them.

At that moment, Guoba was called back by Xiangling to help serve dishes.

Soon, Xiangling and Hu Tao arrived with Guoba in tow.

"Mr. Lu!" Xiangling greeted cheerfully.

"How's business been lately?" Lu Heng asked.

"Unbelievably busy!" Xiangling sighed.

The three of them hadn't ordered much, so the dishes arrived quickly.

"Sit down and chat!" Hu Tao pulled out a chair for Xiangling. "You've been so busy, we barely get to talk!"

"Just adding another pair of chopsticks," Lu Heng said.

"Alright then," Xiangling agreed.

She explained, "Things have been crazy lately. So many customers have mentioned the shop, but I haven't had time to visit!"

"It's gotten that busy?" Lu Heng was surprised.

"Yeah!" Xiangling sighed. "The more expensive things get, the fewer people can afford them. Mora's value keeps rising… I've heard Xinyue Kiosk and Liuli Pavilion's business has taken a hit too. Most people are choosing to eat at Wanmin Restaurant now…"

Hearing this, Lu Heng immediately understood.

He glanced at Zhongli, who seemed to share his thoughts.

From a purely rational standpoint, this made sense.

With someone like Tartaglia's wealth, eating at Xinyue Kiosk daily used to be no issue.

But that was in the past!

Now, Tartaglia would at most treat you to a meal at Wanmin Restaurant.

Spending hundreds of thousands versus a few hundred Mora—the difference was massive!

Was the food at high-end places that much better?

Not necessarily.

The ingredients were premium, and the chefs were skilled, but Wanmin Restaurant offered great taste at a fraction of the cost.

With even Zhongli and others choosing Wanmin Restaurant, it was no surprise other merchants followed suit.

Thus, Wanmin Restaurant had been swamped lately.

"Good business is great, but don't overwork yourself," Lu Heng advised.

"Right, right," Hu Tao nodded vigorously. "If you collapse, who's going to be as easy to scare as you?"

"Hey! Meanie!" Xiangling glared at her.

Hu Tao just giggled, entirely unrepentant.

Lu Heng glanced around the restaurant.

There was even a line forming outside Wanmin Restaurant now.

Good business was excellent, but too much could lead to exhaustion.

"Here's an idea," Lu Heng suggested. "We're heading back to the shop soon. Why don't you come with us? We'll make it quick so you can return and help your dad sooner."

"Really? Can I?"

"Of course. I eat here all the time without waiting—should I make you wait in line at my place?" Lu Heng teased.

"Hehe," Xiangling smiled sheepishly. "Then it's settled. I'll go with you later!"

"Deal," Lu Heng nodded.

"Xiangling!" Chef Mao called from the kitchen—he was overwhelmed.

"Coming!"

Xiangling quickly excused herself. "Sorry, gotta go help my dad!"

Though Guoba looked like a little bear, it was surprisingly agile. Mid-bite, Xiangling scooped it up by the scruff and dashed off.

"Is there enough food?" Hu Tao asked Lu Heng eagerly. "If not, I can help too!"

She seemed hopeful Lu Heng would say no.

Zhongli's eyelid twitched, but he remained composed, waiting for Lu Heng—the expert—to respond.

"That's fine," Lu Heng said.

Hu Tao looked slightly disappointed but quickly perked up. "Xiangling's cooking is top-notch!"

That was undeniable.

If you visited Liyue without eating at Wanmin Restaurant, the trip would feel incomplete.

If Xiangling wasn't there, Wanmin Restaurant was still a decent eatery, but not the same.

The meal didn't take too long.

"Mm… so full!"

Zhongli watched as Guoba looked utterly bewildered. He snapped a photo with his phone and posted it on his feed.

Can you blame me?

Zhongli shook his head, amused.

Stepping out of the teleportation gate, Lu Heng saw Lumine and Paimon putting away their phones and standing up.

"Boss Lu."

Lu Heng remained perfectly calm.

Hu Tao, full of energy, declared, "I'll go check on Xiangling! And pay the bill!"

"Our Director truly is lively," Lu Heng remarked, turning to Zhongli. "Spending so much time with you makes me feel like I've lost my youthful vigor."

Soon, Xiangling arrived.

"Guoba's staying behind to help Dad. I'll come with you guys!"

"Wanmin Restaurant should consider hiring more staff," Lu Heng suggested.

"We're already working on it," Xiangling nodded.

Without extra hands, they'd burn out sooner or later.

To accommodate Xiangling, Lu Heng opened another portal.

One step, and they were at the shop!

Kaeya greeted them. "This is Mr. Lu Heng, the boss."

"Hello, Boss Lu," Lumine and Paimon greeted nervously.

"Did you wait long?" Lu Heng smiled.

"Not at all," the three shook their heads.

Noticing the two girls behind Lu Heng and Zhongli, Kaeya exclaimed, "So it's Master Xiangling!"

"M-Master?!"

Xiangling was stunned and quickly waved her hands. "No, no, don't call me that!"

"Why not? Your skills absolutely deserve the title," Lu Heng chuckled before turning to Lumine and Paimon. "Old friends, no need to be nervous. Let's head over here first—pull gacha, then we can chat."

Lumine wasn't overly tense, but Paimon looked extremely uneasy, her face full of guilt.

She seemed terrified of Lu Heng.

Why?

Lumine was puzzled.

Most people would be nervous around Lu Heng at first but relax after a few words.

Paimon, however, only grew more anxious—as if Lu Heng were some man-eating beast!

Lu Heng glanced at Paimon.

Good or bad, as long as she doesn't cause trouble, there's no need to worry.

"Don't be scared. I don't eat Paimon," Lu Heng reassured.

Paimon: "..."

Now Paimon's even more scared!

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T/N:

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