After handing the letter to his subordinate and arranging everything, even the usually carefree Childe found himself sighing constantly, trying to figure out how to strike back at those gods. After much deliberation, he had no good ideas. He decided to put it aside for now. He needed to get to Wangshu Inn as soon as possible. If he delayed any longer, that insufferable Anemo Archon would surely follow the wind straight to him.
…
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, at the port of Inazuma City on Narukami Island, the Traveler Lumine looked at her newly made friends with some reluctance.
"I promise, once I find clues about my brother, I'll come back to visit you all."
She had originally planned to stay in Inazuma for a while, but she never expected that she would have to leave so soon after meeting these new friends and return to Liyue.
Paimon added, "We'll be back."
On the shore, watching Lumine and Paimon board the ship, Kamisato Ayaka smiled warmly. "I believe you. Next time you come to Inazuma, don't forget to visit me at the Kamisato Estate first."
Kuki Shinobu also spoke. "The boss couldn't make it, but he asked me to pass along a message: 'Don't be sad, we'll meet again soon.'"
Just thinking about that idiot boss gave Shinobu a headache. At least Arataki Itto hadn't come to see them off this time, or else he would have caused a scene. Still, the message he left was rather strange. Even Shinobu didn't know what it meant.
And so, under the watchful eyes of their newly made friends, the merchant ship carrying Lumine slowly departed from Inazuma's port, heading for the opposite shore. It was one of the fastest merchant ships available. Before long, it would reach Liyue Harbor, where Lumine could meet the Raiden Shogun at Wangshu Inn.
Watching the ship grow smaller on the horizon, Shinobu was still thinking about Itto's parting words: "We'll meet again soon."
Could it be…
Suddenly, Shinobu gasped. "Oh no—"
Ayaka looked puzzled. "What's wrong?"
Shinobu murmured, "I hope the boss didn't do anything stupid. I hope he didn't secretly hide on the Traveler's ship and stow away to Liyue. Otherwise, we're in trouble."
Ayaka was also shocked. "Arataki Itto wouldn't actually do something that foolish, would he?"
Shinobu said with frustration, "You don't understand the boss. He's an idiot—he's capable of anything."
She glanced at the empty sea, then immediately turned back toward the Arataki Gang's hideout, hoping to find Itto waiting for her there.
At that very moment, out on the open sea, the ship had already left Narukami Island far behind and was drawing closer to Liyue.
Suddenly, Paimon, who was flying in midair, sniffed the air. "Huh, that's strange. Something smells weird."
Lumine looked puzzled. "What is it?"
Paimon said, "There's something hiding inside this cargo crate."
Lumine: "???"
Hiding something?
The next moment, the Traveler and her emergency food supply worked together to pry open the cargo crate. But the moment they lifted the lid, both Lumine and Paimon stared in disbelief.
Inside the crate was a living, breathing person—one they had just befriended.
Arataki Itto: "Hello there, you two little ones! Aren't you happy to see me?"
Lumine: "…"
Paimon: "…"
So this was what Itto meant by "we'll meet again soon"? It was fast, all right. They had parted less than half an hour ago.
Itto: "What's with those faces? Aren't you glad to see me?"
Lumine: "Does Miss Kuki Shinobu know about this?"
Paimon: "Yeah, does Shinobu know you stowed away?"
Itto said confidently, "Shinobu? Of course she doesn't know. But even if she did, she couldn't stop me! I want to hear the stories, and nobody's stopping me."
He turned to Paimon. "But you, little one, how did you smell me so fast? Are you part dog?"
Paimon huffed. "You're the dog! It's because you reek of bug droppings—"
Itto sniffed himself. "Huh, let me see—ah, I guess there is a bit of an Onikabuto poop smell. But it's not that bad! Come on, smell it again!"
Paimon: "I don't want to smell bug poop!"
Lumine: "…"
Looking at the vast sea, and then at the arguing Itto and Paimon, the Traveler fell silent.
…
Meanwhile, at Wangshu Inn in Liyue, Li Mo sat on stage, watching the audience below chatter. He knew he wouldn't be able to continue storytelling for a while.
Just then, a system notification chimed in his mind.
[Ding! System notification: The story of "Diluc's Father" you told has resonated deeply with the audience.]
[99% of listeners expressed sorrow, 30% shed tears, 10% wept bitterly.]
[System reward: 2000 Storytelling Points!]
[System reward: Gacha Ticket x1.]
In this life's storytelling, Diluc, a key figure, had not been present—a pity. But Li Mo believed that when the story reached Mondstadt and Diluc heard it, he would come to the inn immediately.
The next moment, another system notification appeared.
[Use the gacha ticket to draw now?]
Without hesitation, Li Mo said, "Draw now."
The giant roulette wheel appeared before him. After so many draws, Li Mo no longer felt as excited, but he still hoped for a big prize—at least a [Wish Fragment].
The wheel began to spin under the system's power. The pointer swept rapidly past each precious prize. Soon, it slowed and finally stopped.
[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have obtained a rare reward—a complete [Wish]!]
…
After the draw, Li Mo glanced at his profile with a flick of his mind.
[Host]: Li Mo
[System]: Hundred-Lives Reincarnation System
[Current Life]: 100th
[Current Mission]: Become a storyteller in Liyue, make Hu Tao cry, make Qiqi cry, make the Raiden Shogun cry, and make La Signora of the Fatui cry.
[Storytelling Points]: 310,000
[Characters Who Have Cried]: Makoto, Ei, Raiden Shogun, Qiqi, Barbatos, Dvalin, Shenhe, Kazuha, Xiao, La Signora…
[Other Items]: Wish x3, Musou Isshin, Serenitea Pot, Rare Building Collection
[System Shop]: Staff of Homa, Vision, Musou no Hitotachi
...