After parting with Kaeya, Aether and Dain quickly arrived at the manga shop.
"Looks like we're lucky. Not many people here for now!"
Aether glanced around the shop and smiled.
No crowd meant the manga he wanted was probably still available.
No one had taken it first.
"Let's go read."
With that, Aether excitedly led Dain toward the counter.
"Boss Han, good afternoon—"
Aether was about to greet his "brother-in-law," but the moment he saw what was happening behind the counter—
he froze.
What was going on?
Boss Han was reclining in his chair with a blissful expression.
And his own sister—Lumine—
was gently massaging his shoulders?!
I've never even had that treatment!
And that wasn't all—
there was also a maid kneeling in front of him massaging his feet?!!
"So you stole my sister, and now you're openly showing affection like this?
Don't treat your brother-in-law like he's not family!"
Seeing this scene, Aether felt like he'd just bitten into a lemon.
Incredibly sour.
Dain stepped forward, patted Aether on the shoulder in consolation.
You can't beat him, and you can't outtalk him.
Just accept it.
"Oh? You're here? Sorry, their massage was so comfortable I almost fell asleep."
Han Feng smiled warmly, as if he'd only just noticed them.
Aether: (⊙_⊙)
He did that on purpose!
He definitely did that on purpose!
Not only did he take my sister—he even has her serving him like that.
This is too much!
At least show some respect to me, the older brother!
Aether felt deeply wronged.
No. I need to do something.
"Ahem, Boss Han, we're here to read manga."
While Aether was plotting, Dain stepped forward with a polite smile.
"Wow! What a cute girl!"
Lumine's eyes lit up when she saw Dain.
Since she hadn't read That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, she didn't recognize the character.
"Cough… good afternoon, Lumine."
Dain coughed lightly.
"Huh? You know me?"
Lumine blinked curiously.
Was she from Mondstadt?
Has she heard of the Honorary Knight?
But if so, shouldn't she call her that instead?
"My name is Dain. I'm Dainsleif's younger sister.
I've heard about you from my brother. He said you're very impressive."
Dain smiled.
He introduced himself immediately to prevent Boss Han from exposing him.
If another acquaintance found out, that would be truly embarrassing.
Sure enough—
Han Feng's expression turned extremely subtle.
Dainsleif's younger sister…
Quite the imagination.
Still, since Dain was trying so hard, Han Feng didn't expose him.
Though he wondered—
If Dain kept roleplaying long enough, would he eventually forget his original gender and identity?
"So you're Dain's sister!"
Lumine looked surprised.
That cold, aloof man actually had such an adorable little sister?
Hard to imagine.
"Yes. My brother has gone to handle his own affairs.
Before leaving, he told me there's a very magical manga shop here, so I came to see it for myself."
Dain was speaking more and more naturally.
He was practically immersing himself in the fabricated identity.
"That's true! Boss Han's manga shop is amazing. I've been here several times already!"
Lumine puffed up proudly.
As if the compliment was directed at her.
"Well then, I won't disturb you. I'll go check out this magical manga."
Dain placed a bag of Mora on the counter and pulled Aether toward the bookshelves.
"Wait."
Aether gestured for Dain to let go and turned toward Lumine.
"Miss, I heard you're searching for your brother. So why are you still staying here?"
This was Aether's trump card.
Awaken her longing for her brother—
and make her leave to search for him.
"Hmph. If you're going to show off your affection in front of me, don't blame me for playing dirty!"
Aether thought smugly.
Public displays of affection?
The worst.
"Huh? How do you know I'm looking for my brother?"
Lumine looked at him curiously.
She remembered this guy.
Aside from the outrageous hairstyle, he gave her a strangely familiar feeling.
She couldn't quite explain why.
"Because I saw many missing-person posters outside Mondstadt."
Aether smiled faintly.
That was exactly why he felt confident!
If she didn't desperately want to find her brother, why would she put up so many notices?
Han Feng silently shook his head.
If this had been Lumine from a few days ago—that tactic might have worked.
But now?
"I see!"
After understanding, Lumine nodded.
"I've already been to Mondstadt and Liyue, but found nothing.
So I decided to stop for now and rest at Boss Han's place."
She had thought this through carefully.
She'd already traveled through two nations.
And each time— trouble followed.
In Mondstadt:
The Stormterror crisis.
She was even briefly wanted.
In Liyue:
An ancient god was revived.
She nearly got wanted again.
Everywhere she went, disaster seemed to strike.
Was her luck just terrible?
And after all that trouble—she hadn't learned a single clue about her brother.
She had even asked the Anemo Archon and the Geo Archon.
Both had given her nothing.
So Lumine was tired.
Completely exhausted.
She might as well lie flat.
Why not just stay comfortably at the manga shop?
As Boss Han's business expanded,
people from all seven nations might come eventually.
Then she could simply ask around.
Wouldn't that be easier than wandering blindly?
And who knows—maybe her brother, hearing about this magical shop, might come here on his own.
For all those reasons,
Lumine decided she wasn't leaving.
Of course—
she would never admit that the real reason was because the manga was just too good.
And she couldn't bear to give it up.
—------------------------------
Pat reon Advance Chapters: patreon.com/YonkoSlayer