Bennett's earlier skepticism mainly came from one thing—
He couldn't afford it.
But now that he knew Solace Book House offered real magical rewards,
He was truly tempted.
He didn't necessarily want superpowers or rare skills.
What he really hoped for...
was something that could change his luck.
Thinking about his own miserable fortune,
Bennett sighed.
He didn't know when it started—
But it was as if he'd been cursed with "bad luck syndrome."
Go shopping? Either everything was sold out or the supply cart overturned.
Try to eat at a restaurant? Somehow it was always fully booked or closed for the day.
Today was one of his "lucky" days—
He actually managed to eat at Good Hunter.
Otherwise, it'd have been another day of scrounging up food at home.
But that wasn't even the worst of it.
Compared to his adventures, these were minor inconveniences.
Rockslides, ambushes by powerful monsters, spontaneous lightning storms...
They happened constantly.
Most of his expeditions ended empty-handed.
His self-founded "Benny's Adventure Team" had slowly dwindled to just him,
As the other members took indefinite leave one after another.
Now the group was basically disbanded.
That's why he so desperately wanted to change his luck.
So he turned to Paimon, a little nervous:
"Um… where exactly is that manga shop? I wanna check it out."
Seeing his sincerity, Paimon didn't hold back.
She gave him very clear directions,
Since the shop was pretty tucked away.
"Thanks a lot!"
Bennett bowed gratefully.
After saying goodbye to the group, he excitedly dashed off.
He didn't have much Mora,
But with years of penny-pinching,
He could probably afford one or two manga at least.
Now all he could do was hope he'd get a good reward.
"You really nailed it, Paimon!"
Lumine gave her a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed.
Paimon had already left Venti speechless in a debate back at the shop,
And now she'd somehow convinced the skeptical Bennett to go there.
And even got him to say thank you for it!
If Han Feng didn't give Paimon a reward for this, it'd be robbery.
"Ehe~"
Paimon smugly copied Venti's signature laugh.
Meanwhile, at Solace Book House—
Venti had wasted a good bit of time watching Paimon play video games,
So he was only halfway through Yu-Gi-Oh! by now.
But he wasn't in a rush.
He was enjoying the laid-back atmosphere.
Though… something still felt missing.
"Hmm... next time I'll bring wine with me when I come read manga."
Venti made a mental note.
He had completely forgotten about the poor Meicoomon still waiting at the tavern...
On the other side, Jean had just finished reading.
"That was… a really great story."
She gently closed the manga, reluctant for it to end.
In the story—
The sudden death of Rikka Takanashi's father had cast a long, dark shadow over her life.
It was the male lead, Yuuta,
Who opened a window in her closed-off heart,
Then became a door to a new world.
Yuuta wasn't just a companion to her—he was her salvation.
Despite the manga's quirky tone,
The romance between the two leads was genuinely sweet.
It left a warm impression in Jean's heart.
Don't be fooled by her role as the ever-dignified Acting Grand Master,
Respected and admired throughout Mondstadt.
Jean actually loved romantic stories.
She longed for that kind of delicate, emotional bond.
That mutual affection that slowly grows like a fragile thread.
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions had struck the perfect chord in her.
As for the "Eye of the Wicked Lord" that Barbara kept raving about…
Jean's expression turned a bit odd.
According to the manga,
It was just a golden contact lens Rikka wore under an eyepatch.
No magic powers.
Nothing like the "mystic artifact" Barbara made it out to be.
Just then—
[System Notification]
Customer Jean has finished reading Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
Reward: One Pair of Couple Charms
Couple Charms: Romantic accessories symbolizing a couple's bond.
Wearing matching charms causes others to assume the two are lovers, and grants the pair a blessing of love.
"Couple charms?"
Han Feng raised an eyebrow slightly.
Surprising, but…
Now that he thought about it, it actually fit.
Despite the chuunibyou themes,
The manga was fundamentally about sweet, sincere love.
But at its core, it was still a romance manga.
Getting a couple-themed item as a reward made perfect sense.
Bzzzz—
A dazzling light descended from above, enveloping Jean.
Moments later, it faded away,
Leaving a pair of clover-shaped couple charms in her hands.
"Boss, what's this?"
Jean looked at Han Feng with a hint of puzzlement.
"Couple charms. Give them to someone you love, and you'll both receive love's blessing."
Han Feng explained with a smile.
"Couple charms? Love's blessing?"
Jean's cheeks instantly flushed red.
She never expected this time's reward to be… this!
It made her feel rather embarrassed.
Last time, because of the crisis with Stormterror and the Fatui,
She had received the Conqueror's Haki to boost her combat strength.
But now she was getting a pair of couple accessories…
Was it because the crisis had passed,
And somewhere deep down she subconsciously wished for this instead?
Jean pondered quietly.
As a knight, as the Acting Grand Master,
She had always put Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius first.
But every now and then,
She would find herself standing by the window under the starlight,
Daydreaming…
If only I could visit the Cape Oath before dawn...
So, Jean felt that receiving this kind of reward wasn't entirely unreasonable.
Of course, there was another thought she couldn't quite ignore—
This manga shop was run by Han Feng.
If the rewards also came from him,
Then giving her couple charms…
Was that supposed to be some kind of hint?
Thinking this, Jean stole a glance at Han Feng's smiling face,
And her cheeks turned bright red once again.
~~--------------------------------------
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