The books Victor Wang could "steal wisdom" fell into four main categories: full-length novels, short stories, fairy tales, and poetry.
Full-length novels were the first to be ruled out. Too much content—even copying them word for word would be an exhausting task.
Poetry was the second to go. Mondstadt's poetic style leaned heavily into Western forms, which didn't quite align with his strengths. Maybe once he reached Liyue, he could try. So many Tang and Song poems just waiting to be repurposed...
Short stories and fairy tales were his biggest dilemma. Both were relatively short in length. Ultimately, he chose fairy tales. After all, one of the Witches of the Hexenzirkel was known for writing them, and compared to novels, fairy tales conveyed more straightforward, universally understood messages.
No sooner had he made his decision than Victor Wang left Good Hunter and headed to Patches' general store, where he bought a notebook and a pen.
Next, he needed a quiet place where he could write undisturbed for hours. The Mondstadt Library was the obvious choice.
After explaining his intentions to the two guards at the Knights of Favonius headquarters, Victor Wang was allowed inside. Almost immediately, he spotted a man leaning against the disciplinary cell door—indigo hair, eye patch over his right eye, darker skin tone, arms crossed.
Kaeya.
Victor Wang knew the layout of the Knights' headquarters from the game, but he hadn't expected to run into Kaeya so soon. He tensed up slightly. Fortunately, with his hood and mask, no one could see his face.
Kaeya glanced at the newcomer.
For a split second, Victor Wang thought he saw a smirk forming—then it was gone. Expressionless.
Did I imagine that?
He quickly took the right-side door into the library, only to find Lisa's beautiful green eyes locking onto him the moment he entered. Her elegant features carried a slightly amused expression that made Victor Wang feel... off.
"It's nothing, really. Just curious about who walked in." Her voice was casual, but her gaze sharp.
Suppressing his nervousness, Victor Wang approached Lisa. "Excuse me, does the library close at night?"
She wore a purple mage's hat, a sleeveless purple jacket, and a short violet robe. Beneath that, sheer charcoal-gray stockings. Above... a striking swath of white.
In the game, Victor Wang had always believed that touch of white was Lisa's most memorable trait. Now he was even more convinced.
"No," Lisa replied with a soft smile. She seemed intrigued by him, but didn't press further.
"Great." Victor Wang turned, ready to find a seat, when Lisa stopped him.
"Wait a moment."
He froze, turning stiffly.
"Please read the Library Usage Guidelines in front of you. As long as you follow the rules... the library is open to everyone. I hope you find what you're looking for."
Victor Wang exhaled in relief—but was also hit with a pang of sadness.
We've known each other for years... I maxed out every character's friendship in the game... Now I feel like a thief getting eyed by the police.
One day, I'll re-earn their trust—all of them!
Maybe it was petty pride, but the fact that he knew them so well made him all the more determined not to be discovered.
After thoroughly reading the Library Usage Guidelines: 7th Edition, Victor Wang began his project.
Since the afternoon was already half gone and he didn't have enough Mora for lodging, he resigned himself to staying up all night at the library. Just him, his pen, and the dream of a miracle.
At 6 PM sharp, Lisa got off work. Before leaving, she glanced back at the strange visitor. She saw him pause for two seconds mid-stroke... then start writing furiously... then pause again. Repeat.
Satisfied he wasn't up to anything shady, Lisa left.
Kaeya was already waiting for her outside.
"What's your take?" he asked, nodding toward the library.
Lisa, knowing exactly who he meant, replied, "That cloak... looks like one of Alice's creations. If she trusts him, I believe he doesn't mean Mondstadt harm."
"Oh?"
......
From afternoon to early morning, Victor Wang's pen never stopped. Through sheer labor, he filled his notebook with fairy tale classics—Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Match Girl—not a single one left behind.
When he finally looked up, the previously lively library was now silent and empty. Lisa was nowhere to be seen.
So, the library really doesn't close... I thought someone would be on night duty, but I guess not.
Freedom, huh? Then again, even if someone stole a book, Lisa would probably track it down easily...
Fatigue overwhelmed him, and he collapsed onto the desk, drifting off.
When he awoke, it was hard to tell what time it was—he only knew he was starving. The library had filled up again, and Lisa was back at the front desk.
Victor Wang grabbed his notebook and approached her. He had no idea how book publishing worked here—he could've asked a bookstore, but this was a perfect chance to get closer to Lisa.
"Excuse me, Miss Librarian, do you know how to publish a book?"
"Lisa Minci. You can call me Lisa."
After introducing herself, Lisa looked at him with a touch of surprise. "You didn't... write an entire book in one night, did you?"
She'd noticed him scribbling nonstop, but had never guessed he was writing a full book.
"I just borrowed the wisdom of those before me and copied it down." Victor Wang tugged at the edge of his hood with his left hand.
"May I see it?"
"Of course." Victor Wang handed her the notebook.
Lisa showed no obvious reaction as she silently flipped through a dozen pages. Then she returned it to him.
"Lovely stories. I think people will really enjoy them," she nodded. "To publish it, all you need to do is take it to a publisher for design, typesetting, and printing. With this level of content, I doubt any publisher would turn it down. For formal distribution, though, you'll need to pass a content review at the Knights of Favonius. After approval, your work will receive copyright protection—recognized across all of Teyvat."
In most cases, when someone helps you, they're more inclined to keep helping.
Victor Wang seized the opportunity. "Miss Lisa, would you happen to know how to get in touch with a publisher?"
He could certainly find one himself—but this was a golden opportunity to grow closer.
"Hmm... if you trust me, you can give me the manuscript and I'll handle the publishing contacts. You should have a finished copy in two days."
"Miss Lisa, you're amazing!"
The notebook returned to Lisa's hands.
"You'll also need to provide a title, pen name, and a bank account for receiving royalties."
Victor Wang had already thought of those. "Title: Fairy Tales from the Box. Pen name: Don't Want to Work. I don't have a bank account yet."
"'Don't Want to Work' is a fun name—but it might get rejected. I suggest picking something else."
"Alright then... how about Dust?"
Lisa nodded. "That'll do. You can set up your account in the next two days and give me the info before release."
"Got it! See you soon."
Mondstadt didn't have its own national bank, but there were two banks in town. One was Teyvat Bank—the obvious choice by name.
The other was Northland Bank, operated by Snezhnaya. Thanks to its affiliation with the Adventurers' Guild, it accepted adventurer licenses as valid ID—soon followed by other banks across Teyvat.
Victor Wang appreciated Northland Bank's inclusiveness toward people like him, but he still opted for the more neutral Teyvat Bank.
The banking system here was simple: each person had a unique account number. To deposit, all you needed was that number. To withdraw, you needed ID + bank card + PIN.
The card contained the account number. The system was simple, yet secure.
He paid 250 Mora to open an account, then gave Lisa the number. But with only a few coins left in his pocket, he had to start worrying about food and his next two days of expenses.
Stomach growling, he spent what remained on a grilled steak. Since he'd have no income without commissions, he decided to return to the wilderness. The biggest threat out there—Hilichurls—were his own people. For him, the wild was relatively safe.
Two days later, back at the library.
Lisa handed Victor Wang his original notebook—and a newly printed copy of Fairy Tales from the Box.
The cover had a golden border over a starry night background. The title and author's name were centered, with "Published by Mondstadt Press" at the bottom.
The faint smell of ink reminded Victor Wang of getting new textbooks at school.
He flipped through the pages, fingers brushing against the slightly coarse paper. "It's beautiful... Where do I go for content approval?"
"Third floor. Just head up. Once you get the distribution certificate, the publisher can begin mass printing."
Lisa paused, then added, "After you get it, I'll help forward everything to the publisher."
There was also a publishing contract. After Victor Wang signed, it and the certificate would be sent together.
Victor Wang had never even met the publisher. At this point, it would've made no sense to suddenly deal with it himself. Lisa had expected that, of course—she wanted to help. She was intrigued by Victor Wang, by the man Alice had chosen. Especially after reading his fairy tales.
"Miss Lisa, please let me compensate you for your help!"
Lisa shook her head. "I really like these stories... I'll buy three copies myself to add to the library."
After Victor Wang left, Lisa found herself thinking about The Little Mermaid. Not the love story, but how the mermaid gave everything for a dream—only to receive nothing real in return. It felt... familiar.
The third floor of the Knights' headquarters had been inaccessible in the game, so Victor Wang was curious what it was used for.
He climbed the stairs to find a layout resembling an office building. Many people worked quietly at their desks. After checking in at the front desk and waiting two hours, Victor Wang signed some documents and passed the content and copyright review.
Even so, he couldn't help but praise, "That was so efficient!"
In his past life, even the smallest errands had taken longer than this. And this was the approval process for an entire book.