"Thoma, my friends here came to Inazuma hoping to meet the Raiden Shogun. I'm guessing you might know a way to make that happen, right?"
Pointing casually toward Nagami—who was chatting with Zhongli—Lumine narrowed her eyes slightly, her golden gaze gleaming with intent.
Though she'd been to Inazuma a few times before while traveling with Beidou's fleet, back then she wasn't interested in getting involved with the resistance against the Vision Hunt Decree.
Or in making contact with Lady Ayaka from the Yashiro Commission.
After all, Lumine had been busy searching for her brother.
Turning Aether into a sister was already a full-time quest—way more important than finishing some Inazuma story arc!
Of course, Lumine had plenty of ways to meet the Raiden Shogun herself.
The reason she wanted Thoma's help was simple: she wanted to give Nagami a chance to get close to Ayaka.
"So that's your real goal for coming here, huh?" Thoma folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. "You guys think a bit too highly of me. We're talking about the Shogun—the most exalted being in all of Inazuma, a god everyone else can only look up to."
"Exactly!" Lumine nodded seriously, sneaking a glance toward Venti and Zhongli behind her.
And then she smirked, remembering that villa filled with rare desserts and shelves of isekai light novels.
'Raiden Shogun, you're next on my list to recruit.'
"So," she asked smoothly, "as the guy who knows everyone on Ritou, can you make it happen?"
"Well…" Thoma began, pretending to hesitate. But the sly grin spreading across his face said otherwise. "You know how it is, Lumine—connections like that don't come cheap. I'd have to mobilize some serious resources…"
"No problem! Just name your price!" Lumine said confidently, hands on hips, chest out, voice full of bravado.
At this point, she was Teyvat's richest traveler.
Compared to her, even Ningguang was pocket change.
Jade Chamber? Please—if Lumine wanted one, she could just make it.
"Oh, don't be like that," Thoma chuckled warmly. "We're friends! I'd never ask you for Mora. You just have to… help a few people with a few small favors."
[Low EQ translation]: Run some errands for me.
[High EQ translation]: A win-win solution that helps everyone!
"That's it? Easy!" Lumine grinned.
'Fine. You want me to be a tool again?'
Normally she'd refuse, but this time… Lumine's gaze slid toward Venti and Zhongli, her sweet smile growing even wider.
After listening to Thoma's "small favors" with suspiciously professional enthusiasm, she waved goodbye to him as he went off to report Nagami's arrival to Ayaka and the Yashiro Commission.
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"Hey, Venti~ how was the wine last night?"
Once Seele and Kurumi had been dragged off by C.C. to sample local Inazuman snacks, Lumine strolled up beside Nagami and gently linked her arm through his.
Nagami, amused, slid an arm around her slim waist and turned toward the green figure trying to quietly back away.
"Two bottles."
Venti froze mid-step.
In Mondstadt, he had to perform for hours just to earn enough Mora for a single drink—assuming the tavern even agreed to sell alcohol to someone who looked twelve.
But last night, when he first entered Lumine's ring-space—a literal pocket dimension mansion—even Zhongli had been impressed by its size.
Losing one's Gnosis meant losing divine power, but this? This was beyond divine craftsmanship.
Venti, however, only noticed one thing: the massive underground wine cellar filled with rare vintage bottles from across countless worlds.
He had looked like a starving puppy in front of a buffet.
Honestly, the only reason he hadn't moved in permanently was because he had just enough dignity left to stop himself from begging.
"Twenty bottles," he said solemnly.
Two? Insulting. There were thousands in there!
"Five."
"Sixteen."
"Eight."
"Twelve."
"Ten."
"Deal!"
And just like that, they shook hands. Venti's face lit up brighter than a sunrise. "You can count on me! Leave everything to the Anemo Archon!"
Lumine nodded, satisfied, before turning to the man beside him.
"Zhongli~ are you still broke? Still sighing over the things you can't afford? Still—"
"Enough, Lumine," Zhongli interrupted, voice calm but firm. "If you have something to ask just… tell me the task."
He exhaled, a picture of stoic resignation.
The mighty Geo Archon, reduced to a man living paycheck to paycheck.
Who could blame him? After handing over his Gnosis, he hadn't even kept an emergency fund.
And with his taste for fine tea, jade antiques, and 10,000-Mora dinners, his consultant salary at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor disappeared faster than Hu Tao's pranks appeared.
When Childe was away on missions, Zhongli often survived the month purely on Hu Tao's pity and free meals.
"Perfect!" Lumine grinned. "Tool Number Two—secured!"
Then, releasing Nagami's arm, she interlaced her fingers with his instead and cheerfully began explaining the details of the "mission" to her two divine subordinates.
Once she sent them off, Lumine turned toward the food stalls, hand in hand with Nagami.
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"Can you believe it? We actually got them to do errands for us!" Paimon floated behind, arms crossed proudly.
"You've got some nerve saying that!" Lumine poked Paimon's forehead with a finger. "Nine times out of ten, you're the one who volunteers us for quests!"
The once-proud Traveler, reduced to running side errands for Mora and XP—it was all this "emergency food's" fault!
Sure, gathering intel had once been necessary… but now? With her new powers, Lumine didn't need to grind ever again.
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