Xiangling stared at Guoba on the floor in disbelief.
From the moment she had met Guoba at the temple until now, she had never once heard him speak.
That childish, babbling "Prince", like an infant learning its first words, startled her badly.
But after watching him for a while, she realized that Guoba was only repeating those two syllables. Sometimes he even mispronounced them.
Clearly, Guoba was merely imitating what he had heard—not truly speaking.
Although she had always felt Guoba was different from ordinary pets, possessed of something extraordinary, facing this reality still left Xiangling a little disappointed.
If only Guoba could really talk like a human…
"Prince… Prince…"
Guoba bounced around adorably, shaking his head as he hopped, looking as though he were trying to please Severin.
"I've raised him for so many years," Xiangling muttered sourly,
"yet he likes His Highness more after just one meal than he likes me."
Paired with her sulking expression, she looked more cute than upset.
Seeing this, Beidou burst out laughing.
"Why don't you just give Guoba to His Highness? Look—he shows up and Guoba immediately learns to talk. Isn't that amazing? You can tell Guoba really likes the Prince."
Xiangling was nearly brought to tears. "Guoba is mine!"
"Alright, alright, I'm joking," Beidou said with a grin.
"His Highness wouldn't take your Guoba. A dignified Prince walking around with Guoba would look pretty strange anyway. Guoba only feels natural staying with you."
Beidou continued teasing her.
Meanwhile, Severin had made a new discovery.
Guoba could sense the aura around him—an aura comparable to that of a god—and that was why he felt close to him.
This meant that although Guoba had lost his memories and divine power, his instinct as a god remained.
With Guoba accompanying her on ingredient-gathering trips, Xiangling could avoid many dangers in the wild—Guoba would sense them in advance.
Sensitivity to elemental forces was an innate trait of gods.
As long as that instinct endured, there was a chance Guoba could one day regain his former strength… and his lost memories.
Among the Seven Nations, Liyue's hidden power was immense.
Beyond Rex Lapis and the Yaksha, there were still Guoba and Azhdaha—two great forces guarding Liyue.
At his peak, Guoba alone could suppress invasions from the Abyss. His true strength was not much weaker than Azhdaha's—possibly even greater than Kitsune Saiguu's had been.
When Abyssal forces invaded Inazuma, Kitsune Saiguu erected the barrier protecting Narukami Island, only to be consumed by darkness and perish in that catastrophe.
Guoba, by contrast, had merely lost his power and memories—his life endured. That alone proved how formidable he truly was.
"Guoba, don't run around—hey!"
Xiangling called out.
Guoba cheered happily and dashed out of the private room.
"Prince… Prince…"
He ran around the main hall of Wanmin Restaurant.
The diners all set down their chopsticks and cups.
"Isn't Guoba just a pet? How can he talk?"
"You don't get it. Zhongli often walks birds—one of them can even imitate storytellers."
"You idiots, that's not the point! The point is what Guoba is saying—Prince!"
"There's only one Prince among the Seven Nations—the one from Snezhnaya. Guoba just came out of the upstairs private room… could the Prince of Snezhnaya be inside?!"
All the diners in the hall instinctively looked up toward the second floor.
That awe-inspiring Prince of Snezhnaya had come to Wanmin Restaurant today!
Last night, the Jade Chamber had been lit brilliantly as the Liyue Qixing hosted the Snezhnayan delegation. The entire harbor had been watching.
Countless wealthy merchants and officials had tried—and failed—to invite the Prince to dine. Yet today, he was eating at Wanmin Restaurant.
That meant everyone present had effectively shared a meal with the Prince of Snezhnaya.
Something they could brag about to their descendants for generations.
"Excuse me," someone asked a server,
"what dish did the Prince of Snezhnaya order?"
The server answered honestly,
"His Highness came to taste the grilled Tiger Fish."
"Tiger Fish? The kind he ate in that fishing village the other day?"
"Yes. Wanmin Restaurant developed a new grilling style using that fish."
The diner immediately said,
"Bring me one grilled Tiger Fish!"
"Us too!"
"One for our table as well!"
The servers exchanged looks. Xiangling had created many delicious dishes before, but none had ever exploded in popularity like this.
They could already tell—grilled Tiger Fish was about to become a sensation.
Previously, Tiger Fish had been unpopular. Its texture and flavor were considered inferior among fish, almost low-grade.
Yet the Prince of Snezhnaya had made it famous.
His visit to the fishing village had popularized the fish itself.
Today, his presence at Wanmin Restaurant popularized the dish.
The news spread rapidly through the streets. Crowds flooded toward Wanmin Restaurant, all clamoring to try the same food the Prince had eaten.
Inside the private room, Xiangling stared at the sea of people outside. She rubbed her eyes, then calmly analyzed the situation.
"It's a pity… they're only here because of His Highness's fame. Once the hype dies down, no one will order grilled Tiger Fish anymore."
Beidou laughed. "Xiangling, don't say something so silly. Your fish is genuinely delicious. Try it yourself."
Severin and Beidou had arrived suddenly, and after cooking the dish, Xiangling hadn't even tasted it herself.
She picked up her chopsticks, took a bite—and her eyes widened.
She took several more bites in quick succession, delight flooding her face.
"This grilling method fully brings out the Tiger Fish's flavor! We always thought Tiger Fish tasted bad—but it was our cooking method that was wrong!"
She immediately said,
"Captain Beidou, tell the village chief this—from now on, Wanmin Restaurant will buy all the Tiger Fish your village catches."
Xiangling smelled a massive business opportunity. She wanted to monopolize the dish from the supply source.
"In your dreams," Beidou said coolly.
"Now that grilled Tiger Fish is famous, plenty of merchants will rush in to buy it. If your price is too low, the village chief will be put in a tough spot."
Xiangling clung to Beidou's arm, acting spoiled.
"Beidou-jiejie, help me talk to him. He'll definitely listen to you~ Please?"
"Alright, alright," Beidou agreed.
At that moment, she felt like she was dreaming.
Her bond with the village—and the village's future—had changed entirely because of the Prince of Snezhnaya's arrival.
The one who truly turned decay into wonder wasn't Xiangling.
It was the Prince of Snezhnaya.
"Thank you, Your Highness," Beidou said respectfully.
"You're welcome. I also benefit from this."
Severin set down his bowl and smiled.
"Miss Xiangling—would Wanmin Restaurant like me to serve as its endorser?"
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