Xia Zhi carefully placed the flower crown on Xia Ci's head.
Her already radiant features instantly looked even more stunning.
"Thank you, cousin."
Xia Ci squinted her eyes as she smiled, her long lashes trembling like dewdrop-laden leaves swaying in the wind. The faint curve of her lips bloomed like a Padisarah in full blossom, exuding a charm that could topple nations.
Eula found herself momentarily dazed as she looked at Xia Ci.
For a brief second, she had the illusion that this dazzling smile made everything else on the street fade into dull insignificance.
Thankfully, that mesmerizing smile only lasted an instant.
"Do I look good, cousin?"
"I can't see."
"…Mm."
Xia Ci pressed her lips together, then, as if sensing Eula's gaze, turned toward her and asked, "Miss Eula, do you think I look good like this?"
Eula snapped back to herself, answering calmly, "Very beautiful. For a moment just now, I felt as though a goddess had descended."
Xia Ci blinked, then laughed behind her hand. "As expected of a noble, Miss Eula—you certainly know how to flatter someone."
Oddly enough, though Xia Ci was smiling again, Eula no longer felt that strange, heart-stealing allure she had before.
Perhaps it really was just her imagination.
Eula lowered her head, staring at the overpriced yet crude flower crown in her hands.
Something she could have woven herself in a matter of minutes—better than this, even—and yet it cost five thousand Mora…
Since when was making money this easy?
Or was it just that people from Liyue liked this sort of thing?
Meanwhile, the Lawrence clan was dirt poor, still clinging to their useless pride and refusing to stoop to ordinary work, forcing her to shoulder the burden of earning for the household.
The Knights of Favonius paid her too little, so whenever she had a day or two off, she'd take commissions from the Adventurers' Guild. Truth be told, today was the first true holiday she'd had all year…
Maybe, after the competition this morning, she could pick some Cecilias in the afternoon and try weaving flower crowns to sell on the street herself?
Of course, she could never charge five thousand Mora—Mr. Xia had clearly only paid that to support his friend's stall.
But at fifty Mora a piece, maybe some Liyue tourists would buy them. As for Mondstadt locals, she knew full well they wouldn't even spare her a glance.
Eula pondered silently for a while, then looked up and saw that everyone was already wearing their crowns.
With the wreaths adorning them, it seemed to her that each of them looked even lovelier than before.
Amber called out, "Eula, you should wear yours too!"
Eula hesitated. "…All right."
She placed the crown on her head.
A faint breeze seemed to stir by her ear.
She brushed a lock of hair aside absentmindedly.
Strangely, the irritation she'd felt earlier about her family's troubles suddenly melted away, leaving her calm.
Enough for now. First, the competition.
---
The Knights of Favonius Alchemy Laboratory
Sucrose was hunched over the workbench, carefully studying [Breaths of Joy] and [Twilight Mushroom].
Albedo emerged from the inner room, carrying a painting frame and art supplies on his back.
Hearing movement, Sucrose looked up and asked, "Master Albedo, are you going out?"
Albedo nodded. "A sudden inspiration struck me, so I thought I'd take a walk and see if I can find a good scene to capture."
"Oh!"
"And your research? How is it coming along?"
"I already have some results!"
"Good. Keep it up."
"I will!"
Albedo left the lab and headed toward the city gates.
On the way, he overheard many pedestrians talking about the dance competition.
He had little interest in such things. Rather than joining the crowds, he preferred the quiet of painting alone.
As he walked down the street, he noticed a cluster of small stalls.
He passed this street often, and he remembered clearly—these vendors hadn't been here before.
But that was to be expected. During festivals, crowds swelled, and people were always eager to spend. Naturally, sellers gathered.
He glanced at their wares.
A jumble.
Some sold toys, others pelts, wine, fruits and vegetables… and there was even a fortune-teller.
Albedo's eyes skimmed past the fortune-telling stand and landed on the stall beside it.
It was peculiar. No goods were displayed—only a single bold calligraphic character hung at the front: "Painting."
A middle-aged man sat behind the stall, casually chatting with the fortune-teller.
Albedo approached, pausing before the beautifully written character. After a moment, he asked, "Excuse me, is this a painting stall?"
Mountain Shaper turned his head, smiling in his best merchant's expression at his very first customer. "That's right."
"Since it's a painting stall, then where are the paintings?" Albedo asked.
Mountain Shaper picked up a brush from the table and answered smoothly, "The paintings are beneath my brush."
"Live painting?"
"That's right."
"What kind of paintings?"
"Any kind."
Interest flickered in Albedo's eyes. "Then what can you paint?"
"Anything in this world."
Albedo's curiosity grew. "And the price?"
Mountain Shaper paused to think. "A landscape is twenty thousand Mora per piece. A portrait, ten thousand. Would the customer like to commission one?"
Sitting beside them, Moon Carver clicked his tongue—clearly, that was copied straight from his fortune-telling rates.
Albedo frowned thoughtfully. "But that price…"
Mountain Shaper quickly added, "No need to worry about the quality. I'll paint first. If you're not satisfied when it's finished, then you needn't pay."
"In that case, I'd like one."
Mountain Shaper smiled, spreading out blank paper with practiced ease and grinding ink. "What would you like me to paint?"
Albedo stroked his chin. "Paint a few Hilichurls."
Mountain Shaper froze mid-motion, looking up in surprise. "Customer… you said Hilichurls?"
Albedo nodded solemnly. "That's right."
A strange request.
But no matter. Hilichurls were Hilichurls—as long as he made a sale before Moon Carver, that was what counted.
"I understand. Please wait a moment."
When the ink was ready, Mountain Shaper took a breath, pictured the scene in his mind, then set brush to paper.
His strokes flowed with effortless grace. Albedo could tell immediately—this was a true master at work. He began carefully observing, studying the technique.
Before long, Mountain Shaper set down his brush. "It is done."
The painting showed a group of masked Hilichurls with bizarre weapons in hand, being routed by a courageous young man wielding a spear, his own face masked as well.
Albedo studied the picture in silence. "…And this is?"
"This," Mountain Shaper explained, "is the Yaksha Exorcism Scene."
"Yaksha?"
"Legendary adepti who once defended Liyue."
"I see."
"So, is the customer satisfied?"
"Mm. Your skill is remarkable. You even included every kind of Hilichurl, and wove in a tale with symbolic meaning, enhancing the painting's worth."
"You flatter me." Mountain Shaper smiled faintly.
In truth, this was no ordinary painting. Infused with his adeptal power during its creation, it would serve as a genuine ward if hung in a room.
Minor spirits would not dare approach; sensing adeptal aura, they would turn away.
For such power, ten thousand Mora was practically a bargain.
But he hadn't come here to make money anyway. It had been Azhdaha and Barbatos who, bored with drinking, had dragged him and Moon Carver into this street-stall idea.
As luck would have it, Mr. Xia had passed by earlier—so Azhdaha and Venti had already sold out their stalls and gone with him to watch the competition. The two of them, however, hadn't made a single sale, and were stuck here waiting for customers.
Albedo, as the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, hardly lacked for coin. He paid without fuss.
Since the ink was still drying, it wasn't yet fit to roll up and carry, so he lingered quietly, admiring the work.
Mountain Shaper weighed the Mora in his hand, then shot Moon Carver a triumphant look.
Well, well. Looks like someone didn't make a single Mora today.
Moon Carver snorted dismissively.
He'd actually had a customer earlier—but that customer was none other than the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata herself. With a being of that stature, he hadn't dared attempt a reading.
Still, seeing Mountain Shaper so smug was irritating.
He cleared his throat, coughed twice, then addressed Albedo in a gentle tone. "Esteemed customer…"
Albedo looked up. "Hm? Yes?"
Moon Carver smiled mysteriously. "Have you ever heard of divination?"
Albedo considered. "Divination… Liyue's fortune-telling art, yes?"
"Precisely. I see the customer is knowledgeable."
Albedo's master was the [Gold] Rhinedottir, and he had once lived for a time in Klee's home. Thanks to Aunt Alice, he knew a thing or two about divination.
She had once tried to divine his fate, but in the end, she hadn't seen anything useful.
Moon Carver studied Albedo's face intently, then frowned. His expression grew grave. "Customer, your features… tsk, tsk… they are most inauspicious."
Albedo glanced away from the painting, intrigued. "What do you mean by that?"
Moon Carver waved a hand, sighing. "It cannot be spoken. It cannot be spoken."
Albedo cast a look at the "Fortune-Telling" sign by his stall. "Cannot be spoken?"
Moon Carver remained silent.
When he offered no reply, Albedo let it drop and returned to studying the painting.
Moon Carver peeked at him again.
No, this wasn't right.
Why wasn't he reacting the way people usually did? Shouldn't he be begging for answers?
Moon Carver coughed again, then sighed theatrically. "Ah, though it should not be spoken… the very fact that you've met me today shows we are fated. I could make an exception and divine a hexagram for you."
Albedo raised a brow. "You want to divine my fortune?"
Moon Carver nodded gravely. "Indeed."
This time, Albedo's curiosity stirred.
Aunt Alice hadn't been able to see his fate. Could this stranger?
He stepped closer, standing before the fortune-telling stall. "How does it work?"
"By the method of hexagrams, naturally."
"Free of charge?"
Moon Carver shook his head. "Of course not. There must be some fee."
"How much?"
"One hexagram for romance, ten thousand Mora. For prospects, twenty thousand."
Albedo wasn't interested in romance. What he wanted was guidance—when he might see his master again.
"I'd like to divine my prospects," he said. "Please, tell me when I'll see my teacher once more."
"Very well."
Moon Carver picked up several old Mora coins from the table and cast them down.
But before the hexagram could even take shape, every single coin split cleanly in half.
The air turned heavy and still.
Moon Carver's pupils shrank. His mouth went dry. Slowly, he raised his head to look at the young man before him—the one with the Geo Vision—and asked carefully, "May I ask… who are you?"
Albedo frowned slightly at the strange reaction, but then assumed it was simply part of the divination. "My identity? My name is Albedo, Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius."
Chief Alchemist?
Impossible. That was only his surface identity—just like the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor "consultant" was but a mask for the Geo Archon, and "shopkeeper" was but a mask for Mr. Xia…
Albedo noticed the fortune-teller's long silence. "So, what was the result?"
Moon Carver forced a strained smile. "Apologies. My divination tools suddenly broke, and I could not divine anything."
"Broke…"
Albedo stared at the shattered halves of Mora on the table, murmuring softly, "As expected…"
Not even Aunt Alice could divine his fate. Others could hardly be expected to succeed.
By now, the ink on the painting had dried.
Albedo rolled it up, bid farewell to the two adepti, and turned to leave.
Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver exchanged looks.
"What do we do?"
"Leave! This place is far too dangerous! We'd better stick close to the Dragon King!"
"Agreed!"