Diluc had followed the group inside but hadn't said a word yet.
Instead, he stood at the back, silently observing.
Aside from the unique interior design that was unlike any bookstore he'd seen,
what intrigued him most…
was the owner of this manga shop.
"No elemental presence. He really does seem like an ordinary person…"
That was what Diluc noted at first glance.
But of course, he knew not to take appearances at face value.
Someone running such a mysterious shop—
someone whose manga could bestow powers—
couldn't possibly be just a normal person.
More telling was the way Jean and the others treated him.
They showed this black-haired youth deep respect.
Even Venti—the carefree bard whose identity had recently been exposed by Dvalin as none other than Barbatos, the Anemo Archon—
treated him with deference.
This god, a being of immense power and status…
Was apparently working part-time for the manga shop owner?
Helping with marketing?
If word got out, it would flip all of Mondstadt upside down.
"Forget being a bard—Barbatos, you're supposed to be a god!"
Inwardly, Diluc chuckled.
But all jokes aside, this confirmed one thing:
"This shopkeeper is likely far stronger and more mysterious than he lets on…"
As that thought crossed his mind, a calm voice reached his ears.
"Welcome, Dark Knight Hero of Mondstadt—Mr. Diluc."
"…Dark Knight?"
Diluc blinked.
Only then did he realize that the others had already gone ahead to pick their manga.
He was now standing at the counter alone.
Who came up with that name anyway?
The townspeople, probably.
A silly title, but he supposed it was a good sign—it meant Mondstadt was safe enough for people to joke around.
Shrugging it off, he focused on what mattered.
"I came here for the manga."
"That'll be 100,000 Mora. One volume per day,"
Han Feng said lightly.
Diluc nodded without hesitation and produced a pouch of Mora.
To Mondstadt's wealthiest man, this was pocket change.
Meanwhile, everyone else was browsing the shelf.
Paimon didn't hesitate—she grabbed Digimon Adventure immediately.
She'd been eyeing that manga for days, and now it was finally hers!
Lumine hesitated for a moment.
She'd already read One Piece – East Blue Arc and received her Wind Fruit ability.
This time, she wanted something new.
"Lumine! Cardcaptor Sakura is really good!"
Paimon called from the side, already halfway through her volume.
"The story is exciting, and the magic cards are super powerful.
I bet you'd like it!"
Lumine paused, fingers brushing over the illustrated cover…
and her curiosity began to stir.
"Alright, I'll take this one,"
Lumine nodded, choosing Cardcaptor Sakura.
But as the two of them searched for a place to sit, they suddenly spotted a familiar face.
"Sara? You're here too?"
Because they had eaten at Good Hunter before, Lumine and Paimon recognized the waitress easily.
"Huh? Oh—it's you two!"
Sara looked up in surprise.
She hadn't expected to run into them here.
"Sara, what manga are you reading?"
Paimon asked curiously.
She hadn't seen that cover earlier in the day—
Could it be a new release?
"It's a cooking manga," Sara replied with a secretive smile.
"And the dishes inside glow!"
Out of all the mouthwatering pages she'd read so far, the golden fried rice had left the deepest impression.
The moment the lid was lifted, the room was filled with radiant golden light.
It was bright enough to blind a customer.
"Glowing food?!"
Paimon's eyes sparkled.
Just imagining it made her mouth water.
"What's the title?"
She quickly swallowed and leaned in.
"Cooking Master Boy," Sara replied with a grin.
Paimon quietly made a mental note.
I'm coming first thing tomorrow to read that one!
If her luck was good, maybe she'd even get a reward—a glowing dish!
…No, no, she couldn't keep thinking about it.
Just imagining it made her hunger unbearable.
Darn you, Boss Han!
If only she could read two manga a day!
After Lumine and Paimon walked off, it was Venti's turn to choose.
Unlike the others, he wasn't particularly interested in getting stronger.
He had zero desire to read Digimon Adventure again—
he didn't want to risk getting another cat-type Digimon
That would be the last straw.
"Ah! Yu-Gi-Oh! looks fun!"
His eyes lit up as he spotted the title.
Any manga with the word game in it had to be entertaining, right?
Clutching the volume in excitement, he went to find a seat.
—
When it was Jean's turn, only two titles remained on the shelf.
She didn't hesitate.
She picked up Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions.
Barbara had passionately recommended this one—
mentioning something about a "Wicked Eye of Truth."
And she'd said it was personally endorsed by Boss Han, with even Lisa confirming it.
"If the boss himself says it's powerful… it must be real."
Jean thought to herself as she walked off with the manga.
—
Diluc was the last to step up.
Only one volume remained on the shelf:
One Piece – East Blue Arc.
"Barbara and Jean both got their powers from this one…"
He recalled the earlier conversations.
That settled it.
Not that he had much choice—this was the only one left.
And waiting around for a restock wasn't something Diluc Ragnvindr did.
So he picked up the volume, found a quiet spot, and sat down.
Before long, he was completely immersed in the story.
~~--------------------------------------
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