Chapter: 170-174Chapter 170: My Sister Just Came From the Countryside
Amon looked at Qiqi and asked softly, "Qiqi, how do you feel now?"
Qiqi raised her head, her big, pink eyes staring blankly at Amon.
"Qiqi... I feel very warm in my heart."
"That warmth... Qiqi likes it..."
Seeing that Qiqi had no resistance to the Stop Transformation Talisman and even seemed to like it, Amon finally felt relieved.
Then he picked up a string of fish balls and handed them to Qiqi.
"Girl, try it again. I think you'll be able to taste it this time."
Looking at the fish ball in Amon's hand, Qiqi opened her little mouth and took a small bite.
The little girl was stunned for a moment, then she tugged at Amon's clothes and said in a surprised tone, "Amon... Qiqi tasted the food..."
"The fish balls are smooth and soft... and taste sweet..."
Although Qiqi couldn't make any expressions, her big peach-colored eyes were full of joy.
Since waking up from the amber, Qiqi had been unable to taste the flavor of food.
Whether the food was delicious or unpalatable to everyone, it tasted the same to her.
This also meant that every time everyone sat together happily to eat, Qiqi could only watch from the side while holding coconut milk.
There was no sense of participation.
Now that her sense of taste had been restored, Qiqi was very happy.
Not only could she feel the deliciousness of the food,
but more importantly, she could also join in when everyone was enjoying a happy meal together.
Qiqi didn't want to be alone.
She wanted to be an ordinary person like everyone else.
"Thank you, Amon... Qiqi likes it..."
Qiqi wasn't good at speaking.
For her, saying she liked something meant she was extremely happy.
After regaining her sense of taste, Qiqi quickly finished the oden in her arms.
Seeing this, Amon's face lit up with the smile of a proud father.
He had initially been worried that Qiqi would feel sad because she couldn't drink coconut milk for a while.
But now it seemed that such worries were unnecessary.
It was clear that Qiqi liked eating these foods after regaining her sense of taste, and she ate them with great joy.
At this moment, Qiqi tugged at Amon's clothes again and said weakly, "Amon... can I have another bowl?"
"Qiqi still wants to eat... Is that okay?"
The little girl, having not tasted food for so long, felt a little unsatisfied.
Looking into Qiqi's innocent, big eyes, Amon found it impossible to refuse.
Because the little girl was simply too adorable.
In response, Amon gently patted Qiqi's small head and said with a smile, "Eat, eat, little Qiqi. Eat as much as you want."
"Eat to your heart's content. You can have as much as you like today!"
To accommodate this, Amon had specially reserved the snack stand and asked the owner to prepare every snack for the little one.
Meanwhile, Amon glanced toward Yae Miko and Raiden Ei to see if they wanted to try the snacks.
However, Yae Miko declined.
Her reason was that she had been focusing on taking care of her hair recently and could only eat light foods.
For snacks like oden, she would just enjoy watching the little ones eat.
Ei, on the other hand, showed interest in the snacks.
Having lived in a plane of Euthymia for hundreds of years,
she had missed out on the changes Inazuma had undergone over time.
Even something as simple as snacks had become unfamiliar to her.
For Ei,
trying these snacks might be a good way to start reconnecting with Inazuma.
She touched her chin, pretending to be in deep thought.
"If you put so many ingredients into one pot and stew them all together, won't the flavors mix?"
"Will it really taste good? Why not cook them separately? Wouldn't they taste better that way?"
It was Ei's first time seeing Inazuma's snacks, and she was both curious and confused.
If this were a movie, the snack stand owner would surely be baffled.
Why did this customer seem like she was seeing such a common food for the first time?
Yae Miko leaned in and quietly explained to the owner, "Please don't mind my sister's odd questions."
"She's just come out of the countryside and is visiting the town for the first time."
"You know, there are no such snacks in the countryside."
Hearing this explanation, the owner suddenly understood.
This explained why Ei was so curious about ordinary snacks.
It turned out that this guest was visiting Inazuma for the first time.
In response, the owner smiled and explained to Raiden Ei, "Dear guest, when we cook these ingredients together, their flavors don't mix unpleasantly."
"In fact, by controlling the cooking time for each ingredient, we can bring out their best flavors."
The owner patiently answered all of Ei's questions.
"Although I still don't fully understand, it does look quite appealing."
The owner chuckled and reassured her, "Don't worry, dear customer. The food from our stand is absolutely delicious!"
"Just a while ago, a guest from Mondstadt—he seemed to be a bard—bought some snacks from our stand."
"But instead of paying with Mora, he traded Mondstadt's specialty, Dandelion Wine."
"Although bartering like that hasn't happened in a long time, I thought it was interesting and agreed to the trade."
The owner seemed like a cheerful and talkative person, sharing the amusing story.
Nowadays, transactions are mostly done with Mora, so using alcohol to buy things is quite rare.
The story intrigued the listeners.
A bard who likes to drink from Mondstadt...
Could it be Venti?
Had he come to Inazuma too?
Chapter 171: Should We Follow the Procedure or Start the Meal Directly?
Amon asked the shop owner, "Excuse me, which direction did the bard who traded wine for goods go?"
The shop owner scratched his head, thought for a moment, and pointed to the east. "He seemed to be heading in that direction," he said. "But he's been gone for a while, so I'm not sure where he is now."
"I see. Thank you," Amon replied.
Initially, Amon had planned to meet Venti. However, upon hearing that Venti had been gone for quite some time, he decided to let it go.
At this point, the shop owner brought out the steaming, fragrant snacks.
Amon inquired if there was a quiet dining area available, as he wanted a more private environment.
Considering Ei's identity, Amon hoped to avoid any potential disturbances or riots caused by her presence.
Upon hearing this, the shop owner immediately suggested dining on the second floor.
"It's not only quiet but also free from interruptions," the owner assured him.
Soon, Amon led the group upstairs to the second floor.
After ensuring that the space was empty, Ei removed her mask and began tasting the food.
After finishing her snacks, she offered her thoughts.
"These dishes, stewed together, gave me a delightful feeling," she remarked.
"At the same time, they are quite filling. After eating this bowl, I feel as though I can't eat anything else."
As she finished speaking, Amon approached Ei.
"The snacks we just had are indeed a bit greasy. Ei, would you like some dessert to help cleanse your palate?"
As he spoke, Amon held out a plate of dessert.
The dish was made of glutinous rice shaped into small balls of three colors: pink, white, and green. The vibrant and charming appearance was eye-catching.
The snack, soft, sticky, and chewy, was known as tri-color dango.
When the tri-color dango appeared, the little ones couldn't take their eyes off them.
They found the dessert both adorable and appetizing.
When Ei saw the tri-color dango, her heart was stirred.
To Ei, Inazuma's greatest invention was undoubtedly desserts.
And among all desserts, the tri-color dango reigned supreme.
In Ei's opinion, tri-color dango was the best food in the world.
Faced with Amon's offer, Ei nodded gently.
"Then... since you say so, I'll give it a try," she said.
Yae Miko, sitting across from Ei, rested her chin in her hand as she gazed out the window.
"Some people," she muttered to herself,
"really love tri-color dango but pretend to be indifferent. It's just self-torture."
"But... from another perspective, it's rather cute."
Watching the little ones and Ei enjoying the tri-color dango with delight, Amon smiled contentedly.
Everyone was happily savoring the moment, which, to Amon, was the essence of travel.
Worried that the group might become thirsty, Amon went downstairs to buy some drinks.
When Raiden Ei saw the purple-and-white drink before her, she was intrigued.
"Are drinks these days always this fancy?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Hmm... the purple must be made from violet melon, and the white from milk," she speculated.
"I can smell a fragrance. It seems to be a mix of lotus and mint."
Raiden Ei merely glanced at the drink before confidently voicing her thoughts.
Yae Miko feigned surprise.
"It seems our Shogun isn't so clueless after all. She can discern the composition of these drinks at a glance!"
Raiden Ei frowned, clearly displeased. "Miko, you always call me stupid, but I'm actually quite clever most of the time."
Miko raised her eyebrows and teased, "If the Shogun is so smart, then why can't she learn how to cook?"
That remark hit Ei where it hurt.
It rendered her speechless.
Yae Miko loved to steer conversations toward unrelated but embarrassing topics.
In truth, Raiden Ei had tried to learn how to cook.
But her efforts nearly resulted in blowing up the kitchen.
The memory of her past failures was too painful to recall.
For Ei, cooking was the most challenging task in the world.
Noticing Ei's distress, Amon offered a suggestion.
"If you want to learn how to cook, I could teach you," he said gently.
After caring for the little ones for a while, Amon's cooking skills had improved significantly.
Teaching Ei to prepare a couple of basic dishes wouldn't be a problem.
Before Ei could respond, Yae Miko shook her head and said in a pessimistic tone,
"Mr. Amon, I'd advise against it. Ei's cooking skills are far worse than you can imagine."
"I once tried to teach her how to cook, but it was a complete failure."
"I still vividly remember the first time I taught Ei to cook."
As Yae Miko recounted the story, she sighed dramatically, lost in thought.
Amon grew curious.
What could have happened during Ei's cooking attempt to make Yae Miko react this way?
Raiden Ei looked flustered.
"Miko... you promised never to tell anyone about that," she protested.
Yae Miko waved dismissively.
"Oh, I know. We can't let others know, as it would tarnish the Shogun's dignity."
Pausing for effect, Yae Miko added, "But Mr. Amon isn't an outsider, right?"
Raiden Ei couldn't argue with that.
After all, Amon had saved Makoto and even treated her to delicious tri-color dango.
Indeed, he wasn't an outsider.
Still, recounting the story was mortifying.
Yae Miko, sensing Ei's discomfort, decided to show mercy.
"Fine," she relented. "Let Ei share those stories with Mr. Amon herself later."
"I'll just say this—Ei cooking is very dangerous."
"I once told her I'd teach her how to cook, and she looked at me with such despair, pleading,
'Please don't make me cook. I can do anything else but that.'"
Yae Miko imitated Ei's tone, her voice dripping with mischief.
Initially, Raiden Ei had completely abandoned the idea of cooking due to the trauma it caused her.
However, Yae Miko's teasing reignited her competitive spirit.
Ei raised her head and looked at Amon.
"Amon, you said you could teach me how to cook. Were you serious?" she asked.
Seeing Ei's determination, Amon replied earnestly, "Of course. If you're willing, I can teach you two simple dishes."
Ei nodded firmly. "Then it's settled. We'll meet at the castle tower tomorrow afternoon."
Upon hearing this, Yae Miko looked concerned.
"Mr. Amon," she began, "can you finish writing the manuscript tonight? Because I'm worried I won't see you tomorrow."
Then, with a sly grin, she added,
"Also, should we follow the procedure, or just start the meal?"
Chapter 172: I Got the Gift Without Knowing Why?
Miko looked at the sakura on the street and whispered softly, "In many cases, trying means death."
For a moment, Amon could strongly feel that the tone of Yae Miko's words was full of farewell.
It seemed as if Amon was about to embark on a path from which there would be no return.
Amon smiled politely but not awkwardly. "Ms. Yae, it shouldn't be as exaggerated as you say..."
"Even if Ei can't cook, she can't be that bad, right? Anyway, I want to try it."
He paused and looked at Raiden Ei beside him. "Am I right, Ei?"
Ei nodded slightly and said with full determination, "This time, I will definitely not blow up the kitchen!"
...Blow up the kitchen?
Amon suddenly felt that things might not be so simple.
Just then, footsteps could be heard not far away.
It was a young woman with a ponytail and thin-framed glasses. She appeared gentle and scholarly.
Miko immediately recognized the woman as her editor.
For a moment, Yae Miko felt a slight pain in her temple.
To her, every time she saw an editor, it always meant bad news.
Sure enough, the editor's eyes lit up upon seeing Yae Miko, as if she had found a lifeline.
The editor hurried over and said, "Editor-in-Chief Yae, I finally found you!"
"It's chaos at the Yae Publishing House right now, and no one can make decisions. You need to come and take a look!"
Yae Miko slowly took off her mask, revealing her delicate and charming face.
"Rather than the trouble at the publishing house, I'm more curious about how you found me."
The editor pointed at the mask in Yae Miko's hand and said weakly, "You're probably the only one in Inazuma who dares to use such a mask..."
Yae Miko glanced at the mask in her hand, which depicted a crying purple-haired girl.
Well, she originally intended to use this mask to tease Ei.
Now it seemed she had dug a hole for herself.
Yae Miko rubbed her temples and then looked up at Amon.
"Mr. Amon, it looks like I won't be able to continue accompanying you to explore Inazuma today."
"For the rest of the time, let that country girl enjoy herself with you. The Inazuma Festival is quite interesting."
Yae Miko paused before continuing.
"If she really gets you lost...
You can shout out, 'The beautiful and wise Yae Miko-sama,' and I'll appear."
"Alright, that's enough. I need to go see what mess those editors have left for me."
With that, Yae Miko turned and headed toward Yae Publishing House.
The editor also said goodbye to Amon and the others, hurrying after Yae Miko to report the situation at the publishing house.
Soon, the two of them left the snack bar.
Watching Yae Miko leave, Ei muttered softly, "This girl, Miko...
Does she really think I'd get lost in Inazuma?"
"That's truly underestimating me."
Yae Miko's words had sparked Raiden Shogun's competitive spirit.
She couldn't let Miko look down on her.
Traveling in Inazuma? What could be so difficult about that?
---
"Um... Ei, have we been here before?"
Amon looked at the snack bar in front of them and fell into deep thought.
After going around in circles, they had returned to the place they started from.
Could it be that Ei was lost?
Ei stared at the familiar street and asked hesitantly, "Have we been here before?"
Sara and Ayaka nodded weakly.
The little ones had keen observation skills and confirmed they were back at the starting point.
Raiden Ei said apologetically, "I'm sorry. I've been staying in the Plane of Euthymia for so long that much of Inazuma has become unfamiliar to me."
If Yae Miko were present, she would have undoubtedly laughed at Ei.
The thought of the god of Inazuma getting lost in her own land was undeniably amusing.
Ei also felt a little embarrassed.
Noticing this, Amon smiled and reassured her.
"It's not a big deal; we can just wander around casually."
As he spoke, Amon pointed toward a lively area with many tables and people.
"There seems to be something interesting going on over there. Why don't we take a look?"
Amon realized Ei might not be the best guide, given her unfamiliarity with Inazuma.
In that case, they'd explore together and see where the road led.
When they approached the crowd, they saw pairs of people seated across tables, each with a chessboard.
The chess pieces came in five colors—green for wind, red for fire, purple for lightning, and dark and light blue for water and ice.
The shop owner noticed the newcomers and greeted them enthusiastically.
"Customers, would you like to check out our store's new product?"
"It's very entertaining; I guarantee you'll love it!"
Amon glanced at the chess pieces and felt a sense of familiarity.
He asked subconsciously, "Mechanical Chess?"
This reminded him of a limited-time event in the game—placing mechanisms to block monsters from reaching their destination.
He didn't expect to encounter something similar here.
The shop owner's eyes lit up at Amon's words.
"Mechanical Chess? What a brilliant name!"
"We're currently holding a naming event, and you'll receive a gift if your suggestion is chosen!"
"Sir, the name 'Mechanical Chess' you just mentioned has been accepted. I'll bring your gift right away!"
Amon was stunned.
What just happened?
He had casually mentioned a name, and now he was receiving a gift?
Before he could react, the shop owner handed him a bouquet of flowers.
"This is the reward for the naming event. Now, you can present the flowers to someone you love!"
The shop owner stepped back and looked at Amon encouragingly, winking at him to hand the bouquet to the lady beside him.
The person standing next to Amon was none other than Raiden Shogun herself!
Chapter 173: Raiden Shogun: I Am Willing to Witness the Most Beautiful Flowers With You
In the store manager's opinion, Amon and Raiden Ei looked like a couple.
Even if they weren't lovers, their relationship seemed to be somewhere between friendship and love.
This bouquet of flowers, the manager thought, might bring them closer together.
Amon looked at the flowers in his hands and then raised his head to look at Ei.
He assumed Raiden Ei wouldn't be interested in flowers.
But to his surprise, Ei's attention was entirely focused on the bouquet.
Sure enough, women are creatures who enjoy romance, he thought.
This appeared to apply even to Raiden Shogun.
However, the next moment, Amon saw Raiden Ei touching her chin and muttering in confusion,
"Flowers can't stay bright forever; they will wither soon."
"If flowers don't last, why do humans like to express their emotions this way?"
Amon: ???
Seeing Ei staring at the flowers intently, he had thought she liked them.
But it turned out she was pondering why people enjoyed giving flowers in the first place.
It seemed there really were stay-at-home girls in the world who didn't care for romance.
In response, Amon said, "Ei, you don't need to overthink this."
"People give flowers to express their feelings simply because many girls like romantic gestures, and that alone is enough."
Ei raised her head and looked at Amon, asking, "What is romance?"
Having stayed in the Plane of Euthymia for so long, romance was a foreign concept to her.
If Yae Miko were here, she might have said, "Only I can tease you, no one else. That's romance."
But Amon naturally couldn't answer like that.
He thought for a moment before patiently explaining,
"Romance is a state of mind, referring to the small details and warmth shared between lovers."
Seeing that Ei still didn't fully understand, Amon continued,
"For example, giving flowers.
Although flowers bloom for only a short time, they're especially beautiful while they last.
When someone gives flowers to the person they like, it might mean,
'I want to witness this most beautiful moment with you.'"
After he finished speaking, Raiden Ei nodded thoughtfully, though she still seemed unsure.
"Amon likes me and wants to witness the most beautiful moment of flowers with me. Is that what you mean?"
"Huh?"
To say Amon was surprised would be an understatement. He hadn't expected Ei to interpret his explanation this way.
Her enterprise-level understanding was… impressive.
Then, Raiden Ei spoke on her own.
"Although I still don't fully understand human emotions, I am willing to witness the most beautiful flowers with Amon."
As she spoke, Raiden Ei took the flowers from Amon's hands.
At that moment, a system voice echoed in Amon's mind:
"Ding! Raiden Ei's favorability has increased from 0 to 1."
"Congratulations to the host for obtaining an intertwined fate, and your username has been automatically updated."
The favorability of the neet girl had risen.
Seeing Ei accept the flowers, the little ones around them neither cried nor made a fuss. They were calm and well-behaved.
Since Amon often bought them flowers, they didn't feel jealous.
Their attention was more focused on the mechanical chess set before them.
Especially Ningguang and Ayaka,
who loved playing chess on regular days and were eager to try this new game.
Fortunately, the Inazuma Festival had translations for all the game instructions,
making it easy for Ningguang to grasp the rules and quickly get the hang of it.
Raiden Ei and Amon followed closely behind the group.
Looking at the rules on the chessboard, Ei seemed puzzled.
"Why don't the monsters destroy the mechanisms along the way? They just walk past them.
If this were a real battlefield, weapons capable of affecting the outcome should be destroyed immediately."
In response, Amon patiently explained that it was just a tower defense game.
"That's how this game is designed to be played," he said.
Compared to Ningguang and Ayaka, who were fully engrossed in playing chess,
the other little ones showed less enthusiasm for the game.
Qiqi didn't understand the game at all but thought it looked impressive.
Beidou and Shenhe found simulating a battle through chess boring; they preferred straightforward combat.
As for Sara, she had never played chess before and couldn't quite grasp the gameplay either.
Surprisingly, this put her in the same boat as Ei.
Feeling a bit bored watching the chess game, Sara's eyes wandered, and she noticed something else nearby.
Looking closely, she saw a group of people gathered around a guardrail, drawing bows and shooting arrows.
It seemed there was an archery event taking place, with a reward for the winner.
Sara tugged on Amon's clothes and looked up at him seriously.
"Brother Amon, can I join the competition?"
Not only Sara but also Beidou, Shenhe, Keqing, and even Qiqi were drawn to the archery event.
They didn't know how to play chess, but they were eager to try their hand at archery.
Chapter 174: Entertainment Competition, Participation Is Important
Unlike previous activities, this year's festival introduced several new events.
The archery competition was one of the highlights among the newly added events.
Since it was a fresh addition, everyone found it novel and intriguing.
As soon as the event launched, it immediately attracted a large crowd of onlookers.
This archery competition was primarily for entertainment.
It meant that everyone, regardless of gender, age, or status, could participate.
The difficulty level was low, emphasizing participation rather than skill.
The top three winners would receive souvenirs prepared by the event organizers,
while the other participants would get consolation prizes—carefully crafted desserts.
Because of this, the game drew the attention of some cute little kids.
"Brother Amon, can Keqing participate in the archery competition? Those desserts look delicious!"
"Beidou also wants to join the competition! It'd be amazing to place in the top three!"
"Master Ganyu said that archery is a way to cultivate one's character. He'er wants to give it a try."
"Although Qiqi doesn't know how to shoot arrows... Qiqi wants to join everyone..."
Looking into their eager eyes, Amon couldn't bring himself to refuse.
"Alright, alright, since all of you want to participate, go ahead and have some fun."
Amon paused and then turned to Ei, who was standing nearby.
"I plan to take these little ones to the shooting range for a bit. Ei, could you watch over these two girls while we're away?"
As he spoke, Amon glanced at Ningguang and Ayaka, who were absorbed in their chess game.
He felt uneasy leaving the two girls alone, so he asked Ei to stay with them.
Raiden Ei replied slowly, "I have no experience with raising children. It might give me a headache."
"But... since you're asking, I will agree."
Hearing Ei's words, Amon felt reassured.
Although Raiden Ei was a shut-in and unfamiliar with Inazuma's changes,
she was someone who always kept her promises. Once she agreed, she would follow through.
Leaving the two girls in her care, Amon no longer worried about their safety.
Afterward, he took the rest of the kids to the shooting range.
By the time they arrived, the shooting range was already packed with people. It was nearly impossible to squeeze in.
Many spectators were there for the fun, and the participants ranged across all ages.
However, kids like Sara were rare among the competitors.
The staff doubted that little Sara could even draw a bow and arrow,
as she looked so small and adorable.
Nevertheless, the staff encouraged the children and wished them good luck in the competition.
Soon, Amon led the kids into the shooting range.
To ensure fairness, all participants were required to use the same bows and arrows.
Since this was an entertainment competition,
the organizers provided very basic one-star hunting bows for everyone.
In the game, such one-star bows were virtually worthless, even for beginners,
as their damage output was laughably low.
However, little Sara thought differently.
When she saw the hunting bow, her eyes sparkled with excitement.
She looked as though she'd just found a treasure.
The crude hunting bows she used in the mountains and forests were far worse than this one-star bow.
To Sara, this bow was a rare and precious find.
She gently stroked the bowstring, her expression brimming with joy.
It was like a child receiving their favorite toy.
For Sara, bows and arrows were indeed her favorite toys.
Amon stood quietly on the sidelines, watching her with a faint smile.
Seeing how happy Sara was over such an ordinary bow,
Amon couldn't help but wonder how she would react if she ever received a five-star bow.
The thought amused him, and he decided to prepare a five-star bow for Sara someday.
Meanwhile, the other kids were also getting ready.
Qiqi looked up at Amon with a puzzled expression and asked,
"Amon... what should Qiqi do in this game?"
Hearing this, Amon gently explained,
"Qiqi, you just need to draw the bow, aim at the bull's eye, and release the arrow."
As he spoke, Amon demonstrated and guided Qiqi through the proper archery posture.
"Qiqi, aim at the bull's eye, not the sky."
"Why are you closing both eyes? How can you aim like that, little one?"
"Archery requires calmness and focus. You can't keep looking up at the little sparrows."