The readers still adored Yelan, because the expression she showed in her moment of worry for Xiao was genuine. That raw emotion was hard not to love.
Yelan was always aloof, shrouded in secrets, and exuded mystery. So when she instinctively showed that panicked, worried expression, it made her feel all the more real.
Perhaps that's just how people are—looking for story in buttery games and searching for spice in serious ones.
[Xiao: "…"]
Xiao's silence wasn't him giving Yelan the cold shoulder. He was simply at a loss for how to handle someone's gratitude.
Ganyu is the type to hide behind a tree after saving someone, and Xiao wasn't much better—he'd hide in the treetops.
[Xiao: "No. That wasn't my achievement alone."]
The Traveler followed Xiao's lead and thanked Yelan as well.
Yelan, never one to sit idle, checked that everyone was uninjured, urged them to rest, and then went to scout the surroundings.
In Yelan's view, she hadn't done much in this incident. It was Xiao who saved everyone.
She had wanted to convince Xiao to abandon his "sacrificing himself" mindset.
But this time, Xiao had done well and come out unscathed, so she couldn't bring herself to say it.
[Yanfei saw through it all: "But Xiao isn't easily swayed. I think Yelan might have given up trying to convince him."]
As expected of a top lawyer, she could even see through Yelan.
[Paimon, looking at Xiao: "Xiao, she's criticizing you, you know."]
Paimon meant that Yanfei was calling Xiao stubborn—so stubborn that Yelan didn't even bother trying to persuade him.
This made people laugh. What was Paimon doing? Tattling right to his face?
[Yanfei hurriedly waved her hands: "That's not what I meant!"]
[Xiao: "What you say is true. There's no issue."]
["I'll consider your opinions."]
Unexpectedly, Xiao was actually persuaded. Ei, take a look at this guy.
The readers were delighted that Xiao could think this way—it was like untying a knot in his heart.
Great! With the knot undone, he'd start to have a desire to live. Then, while wanting to live, he'd face death—uh, wait.
Ahem, back to the story. The group chatted for a while before realizing one Oni hadn't woken up yet.
They went to check, and Arataki Itto happened to wake up, yawning and stretching.
Say what you will, his recovery speed was impressive. Time was frozen in that space, meaning he'd only been back on the surface for a short while, yet his strength was already returning.
The group asked about Arataki Itto's condition.
[Kuki Shinobu: "Is anything feeling off?"]
[Paimon: "Your head? How's your head? Did you knock it too hard?"]
["You weren't exactly smart to begin with. If you damaged your head…"]
The readers found Paimon's concern a bit unnecessary. To damage a brain, you'd need a brain to begin with, and Arataki Itto clearly didn't have one.
Want to know if his head was damaged? Just check if Kuki Shinobu next to him is injured.
[Arataki Itto said he was fine, then asked: "I feel like I forgot something… Oh, right! Huh? Weren't we underground? How'd we get up here?"]
How else? They took the stairs—er, no, in their case, they "rode the elevator" up.
[Yanfei said: "Itto, we escaped this time largely thanks to you, Shinobu, and Ushi's full support."]
["You got dragged into this because of me. If possible, please let me apologize!"]
Look at Yanfei's emotional intelligence. She first praised Xiao, Yelan, and the Traveler, and now she's including Arataki Itto, Kuki Shinobu, and even Ushi.
No wonder she's a top lawyer—her EQ is off the charts.
At this point, we can't help but mention our dear Ei again. She always pops up when it comes to this stuff.
If Ei were a lawyer, it'd be hilarious. She'd probably end up walling the judge into a statue—building a wall!
Just kidding. Though Ei's EQ isn't high, her IQ is solid. If she actually became a lawyer, her eloquence might be lacking, but her ability to discern right from wrong would still shine.
[Arataki Itto said: "Don't say that. You helped us, so it's only right we do something for you."]
["If it weren't for you, we'd probably be in a Liyue jail cell right now."]
Kujou Sara: Not bad, right? You haven't tried Liyue's jail yet. Why not give it a go? Maybe you'll come back with some improvement suggestions.
After some banter, the group's bond grew stronger. Yanfei suggested taking the two Inazumans to try authentic Liyue cuisine.
Authentic cuisine? Come on, Shikikan, write it down! You're my only window into Liyue! —IP: Liyue.
When it came to food, Paimon was always eager to join, but this time she couldn't, as the "parent" had other matters to handle.
Xiao stood to the side, back turned, not interrupting the conversation. The matter the Traveler needed to handle was Xiao himself.
Xiao performed so well this time—doesn't he deserve some Almond Tofu?
Putting Xiao aside for a moment, Ushi suddenly started chatting with Arataki Itto, saying a lengthy piece meant for the Traveler and Paimon.
Arataki Itto acted as translator. Everyone gathered curiously to listen, though Xiao remained a aloof silhouette in the background.
And then… Lucian only wrote, "Arataki Itto translated Ushi's words for everyone," without detailing the content.
The characters in the book knew what Ushi said, but the readers didn't.
Everyone else knew, but the readers were left out. The readers were frustrated—were they being excluded?
Wait, it seemed not everyone knew. Xiao didn't know either.
[Paimon: "That Ushi guy—despite looking like that, he's surprisingly thoughtful and gentle. Who would've thought?"]
So, what exactly did the Geo Battle Bull say?
In this illustration, the group was gathered chatting, with Xiao standing off to the side, back turned. Seeing this, though it might be inappropriate, the readers couldn't help but laugh.
How to put it? Xiao clearly didn't want to socialize, but since he had to wait for the Traveler to finish talking, he just stood there.
It gave off a vibe of being super aloof, yet not entirely aloof.
It was like when you're waiting for the elevator to go home, and your parent runs into an acquaintance and starts chatting. Xiao was like the kid standing off to the side, bored but pretending to be cool.
His height fit the part perfectly too.
[Xiao: "Done?"]
This line made him sound even more like a kid waiting for their parent to finish chatting.
The readers laughed heartily, but as they laughed, they realized something was off. The others knew what was said earlier, but Xiao didn't. Just like the readers.
So, all along, we were seeing things from Xiao's perspective?
Got it. The earlier parts were "overheard" because they were loud, but the later part was whispered, so Xiao didn't catch it, right?
Xiao waited a long time for the Traveler, but before they could exchange a few words, they were interrupted. Yelan returned.
[Yelan, back from scouting: "Still here?"]
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Yelan: About Lucian
"This guy keeps calling me 'Little Sis Lan,' but his tone feels off somehow.
Is there some secret behind that nickname? I really want to interrogate him."