While the two of them savored Sumeru's coffee and pastries,
Shao Yun broke the silence, trying to find something to talk about as he looked across the table at Lisa, who was sitting there with her usual graceful poise.
"Lisa, when you were studying in Sumeru, did you ever hear anything about Lesser Lord Kusanali?"
Hearing this, Lisa lifted her cup of coffee, took a gentle sip, then paused for a moment of lady-like thought before replying.
"Hmm… Lesser Lord Kusanali, you say? If I remember correctly, back when I was studying, there wasn't much talk about her at all."
"I only heard that she lives in the Sanctuary of Surasthana. Aside from that, there really wasn't much information."
Shao Yun was surprised that even Lisa—the genius graduate praised by everyone—knew so little about Nahida.
He thought to himself, no wonder that devil believed some people of Sumeru had chosen to leave her protection. If she lives like this, invisible to her own people, how is that any different from being a ghost?
"Oh, I see… I guess that makes sense then."
At that moment, Lisa noticed that behind Shao Yun's calm tone, there seemed to be a flicker of some unspoken emotion.
Setting down her cup, she leaned forward slightly and asked with gentle concern, "Judging from your expression, your search for the Dendro Archon isn't going too smoothly, is it?"
When Lisa mentioned "not going smoothly," Shao Yun thought about it—it wasn't really going badly. After all, he had already met the Dendro Archon directly and, in a way, they had reached an agreement.
"It's going alright. I plan to wait until after the Sabzeruz Festival to move forward." Shao Yun shared his current plan with Lisa.
When she heard the words Sabzeruz Festival, Lisa—who had studied at the Akademiya for two years—immediately perked up with interest.
"The Sabzeruz Festival? I've heard of it! Though the first year, I missed it because I was working on an experiment with my teacher, Cyru. The second year, I went—but the events at the Grand Bazaar were rather… how should I put it, a bit small and trivial."
Shao Yun calculated silently—there weren't many days left before the Sabzeruz Festival. Smiling, he extended a friendly invitation.
"Well then, would you be interested in coming to see this year's festival? This time, the event is being funded by a very wealthy patron. The scale and content will far surpass anything from before. I promise, it won't be that small, trivial affair you saw last time."
Shao Yun, who believed that the more people, the livelier, truly hoped Lisa would come. After all, he had somehow ended up working at the Zubayr Theater for a whole day—he'd earned his place there!
Hearing his enthusiastic endorsement, Lisa's curiosity was immediately piqued.
"Oh? Since even you are recommending it so strongly, I really must make some time to experience it properly!"
…
Meanwhile, not far from them, at the café counter, stood a young man with striking white hair and red eyes.
What drew the most attention was the jackal-eared hooded cloak on his head, giving him an aura that was both mysterious and cool.
He was speaking with the café's acting manager, Enteka, ordering a cup of coffee.
"Please give me a cup of coffee, thank you," he said in a deep, magnetic voice.
At that moment, from her seat in the corner, Lisa suddenly froze.
That familiar voice reached her ears, and before she knew it, she muttered softly, 'That voice… could it be?'
At the same time, the mysterious young man also heard her and turned his head in disbelief, whispering under his breath, 'That voice is…!'
Their eyes met.
When Lisa finally saw the young man's face clearly, she called out his name in surprise.
"Cyno?!"
Cyno's expression mirrored her shock the moment he recognized her.
He quickly took the cup Enteka had just handed him and strode toward Lisa's table.
"Senior Lisa!"
For a few moments, the two simply stared at each other in silence.
After a while, they both came back to their senses.
Cyno was the first to speak. "Senior, how come you came to Sumeru without telling me in advance?"
Lisa smiled gently, answering softly, "Hello, Junior Cyno. Actually, I only just arrived in Sumeru City this morning."
Then she gestured to the empty chair beside her. "Would you like to join us?"
Cyno nodded slightly, accepting without hesitation. Sitting down respectfully beside her, he said, "Then I'll take you up on your offer, Senior Lisa."
Once seated, his gaze shifted to the man sitting across from Lisa.
He looked at Shao Yun curiously and asked politely, "May I ask who you are, sir? A friend of my senior, perhaps? Though judging by your appearance, you don't seem like someone from Sumeru… or from Mondstadt either."
Lisa had intended to introduce Shao Yun herself, but on second thought, she realized it might be better not to draw too much attention to him.
So instead, she looked toward Shao Yun, signaling for him to introduce himself.
Catching her hint, Shao Yun stood slightly, removed his hat in a polite gesture, and began his introduction.
"Hello, Mr. Cyno. Yes, I am indeed a friend of Miss Lisa. As for how to address me, you may call me…"
He paused for a moment, considering whether to use his real name. After a brief thought, he decided—
"'Tacitus' will do."
After all, since the man was an enforcer, it was better not to reveal too much.
Cyno nodded in acknowledgment. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Tacitus. I am Cyno."
Then Lisa and Cyno began to catch up.
"The last time we met must have been when you came to Mondstadt to escort Collei back to Sumeru, right? Time flies—it's already been almost a year."
She tilted her head slightly, recalling the past with a faint smile.
Cyno nodded seriously. "Yes, Senior. It's been years since you graduated, and I've become the General Mahamatra. You're still as beautiful as ever."
Lisa's lips curved into a charming smile at his deadpan compliment. "My, my, your tongue has gotten sweeter, hasn't it?"
"By the way, when you get a vacation, why not come visit Mondstadt? I'll make sure you're well taken care of."
Their conversation went on, and before long, the topic shifted toward Shao Yun.
He waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, me? I'm just a nameless wanderer on horseback."
At that moment, an idea suddenly flashed through Cyno's mind—the setup for a cold joke.
"Speaking of horseback riding… Mr. Tacitus, have you ever wondered why horses are always late?"
Lisa knew her junior well and immediately covered her mouth, holding back laughter.
Shao Yun, intrigued, asked with interest, "Why?"
Cyno kept his straight face, explaining slowly, "Because they always say they'll be there in a horse minute!"
When Cyno finished his cold joke, Shao Yun didn't feel awkward at all—instead, he burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! That's actually a good one! In that case, let me tell one too."
Following the spirit of fair exchange, a classic Western joke flashed through his mind.
"Do you know why the cowboy's horse seems so down?"
Cyno, intrigued, leaned in. "Oh? Why?"
Shao Yun paused for dramatic effect before answering, "Because it can't stop feeling a little hoarse.'"
Cyno gave Shao Yun a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed. "That cold joke was brilliant! I didn't expect you to be so skilled at this—a true master of humor!"
As the two traded cold jokes back and forth, Lisa could only shake her head helplessly.
She closed her eyes briefly, rubbing her forehead with a sigh. "Ah, great… Cyno has finally found his soulmate."
Then she opened her eyes, resting her chin on her hand, and looked at Shao Yun with a soft smile. "The first time I met you, I knew you and Cyno would get along perfectly. You both share a similar sense of humor."
Seeing that Shao Yun shared his love for bad jokes, Cyno's eyes lit up again as he asked eagerly, "Since we both enjoy jokes, Mr. Tacitus, do you happen to play Genius Invokation TCG?"
Shao Yun blinked, confused. "What?"
So, this game actually exists? he thought. I wonder if I'd be a character card or maybe a skill card? Probably a skill card—a character card would be too strong.
Cyno misread his puzzled look as ignorance and quickly explained, "Genius Invokation TCG is a very fun card game! If you haven't played it, that means you don't have a deck box…"
He turned to Lisa, his eyes full of hope. "Senior, I remember you had a deck box, right? Could you lend it to Mr. Shao— uh, Tacitus? I could teach him a few rounds."
Lisa nodded lightly. Indeed, she had owned a deck box back in her Sumeru days—though…
"I do have a Genius Invokation deck box, but I've never been very into card games. I didn't bring it with me—it's still back in Mondstadt."
After a brief pause, Lisa seemed to recall a recent update about her hometown.
"Oh, that reminds me! Word has it that this Sumeru card game is spreading to Mondstadt. Miss Margaret is even considering turning the Cat's Tail tavern into a place where people can play."
By then, Shao Yun had processed the topic and quickly clarified, "I don't have a Genius Invokation deck box, but I do play cards—things like poker, or blackjack. Of course, those aren't as popular as Genius Invokation."
Cyno didn't recognize the names poker or blackjack, but he caught the main point—this new friend had never played Genius Invokation TCG.
He looked a bit disappointed. "Ah, that's unfortunate. If I weren't so busy lately, I'd really like to take the time to teach you."
Lisa tilted her head curiously. "Busy? What have you been up to lately, Cyno?"
Cyno considered for a moment, then decided there was no harm in telling her.
"I've been investigating a strange project within the Akademiya. I suspect the Grand Sage is planning something dangerous. The coming days in Sumeru City might be… unstable. Please be careful, Senior."
At his words, Lisa's heart skipped a beat. Her smile froze momentarily, though she quickly regained her composure.
"I see. But with you, the great General Mahamatra, on duty, I doubt anything too serious will happen."
"As for me—don't worry. I'm not that easy to deal with. A few waves won't sink me."
Cyno nodded firmly. "Understood. Please stay safe, Senior. Time is precious, so I'll take my leave now. Farewell."
With that, he raised his cup of dark coffee, drained it in one gulp, and stood to leave.
Lisa watched him with her usual grace, lifting a hand to wave gently. "Goodbye, Cyno. Take care of yourself!"
Just as he reached the door, Cyno stopped, turned back, and said, "Oh, by the way, Senior—and Mr. Tacitus—did you know I've been practicing a new way to say goodbye?"
Shao Yun immediately grinned, sensing another cold joke incoming. "Oh? Really? Tell us, what kind of special farewell is it?"
Cyno straightened up, answering with perfect seriousness, "I call it… the Cyno-style Farewell!"
Shao Yun chuckled. "That sounds very official. So, what's the process like?"
Standing at the door, Cyno began to demonstrate, explaining as he went. "It's simple. You just say the words 'goodbye,' and then…"
In the next instant, he vanished from sight.
Shao Yun burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Hahaha! That was so bad it was amazing! Lisa, your junior Cyno is absolutely hilarious!"