Elemental energy indigestion.
This was just a figurative description.
Because the place where the stagnation occurred was not the stomach, but other organs.
Simply put, it was about the matter Jack had previously developed, allowing his wives to absorb his essence of flora to enhance their strength.
Due to Nahida's special race, her absorption capacity was many times greater than that of ordinary eternal companions.
However, although the quantity was large, Nahida's absorption efficiency did not increase synchronously.
Therefore, she could only store the excess essence of flora and slowly digest it later.
And because the storage location was the same as where one would be during pregnancy, it looked as if she had a baby.
...
After hearing the explanation, everyone suddenly understood.
Then they all gathered around Nahida, as if looking at some rare animal.
After all, this was one of the only seven Archons in Teyvat. Compared to the aloof Raiden Shogun, Nahida seemed much more approachable.
So, the young wives from various nations of Teyvat pinched her cheeks for a while, then poked her elbows, dressing up the beautiful Nahida like a doll.
Yoimiya did not join them but walked over and pulled Jack into a corner.
"So mysterious, is there something you want to tell me?"
"Hey, Jack, did you upset Kuki Shinobu? Today I met her sister at the shrine, and she said Kuki Shinobu had been hiding in her room all day, not saying a word to her."
"Kuki Shinobu... Oh no, Kimono Restaurant!"
Prompted by Yoimiya, Jack remembered that when he went to bail Arataki Itto out of prison, Kuki Shinobu had told him to meet at the old place two days later before he left.
However, because of the celestial wedding orchestrated by Yae Miko, which required him, the groom, to put in effort, he got busy and forgot about the appointment.
Counting the time, the appointed day was exactly yesterday evening.
What was he doing yesterday evening? He was... well, feeding little Nahida.
Now even he felt he deserved to die.
But Yoimiya had not lost faith in him yet, and holding Jack's hand, she said,
"That... it's alright if you missed an appointment for a moment! Just make it up!"
Missing an appointment is annoying, but doing nothing about it is even more so.
More than the appointment, what they wanted to see was the person.
So...
"I know where Kuki Shinobu's house is. I'll take you to find her."
"Okay! I'll leave it to you, Yoimiya!"
Jack also understood that no amount of words would be as good as action now.
So he turned and explained to his wives that on the first night in Sky City, he had an appointment he needed to make up for.
To this, everyone had no objections and even asked Kamisato Ayaka, who was also from Inazuma, what kind of person Kuki Shinobu was.
Lumine pouted, "Hmph, he also said he'd get me a Mistplitter Reforged before, but that promise wasn't fulfilled either, was it?"
"Hey, this isn't the time to take advantage of the situation."
Jack glared at the mischievous Lumine.
Nahida, however, took it seriously: "Does Lumine not have a suitable weapon? We still have a Key of Khaj-Nisut in our Sumeru treasury."
"Really?! Nahida, you're so nice!"
"Nahida, don't listen to Lumine's nonsense. I've already given her a Primordial Jade Cutter and a Dragon's Bane. Two legendary weapons aren't enough, what would she do with a third?"
"Hmph hmph! You wouldn't understand this. I'm cosplaying Zoro with his Three Sword Style! Three Sword Style: Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds! Slash!"
Lumine made the gestures from the manga.
With such banter, Jack's accidental forgetting of the appointment was brushed aside by her.
This girl... is she comforting me?
Jack helplessly rubbed Lumine's cheek and affectionately kissed her.
"Alright! Since you want to play with the Three Sword Style so much, when Alice comes back, I'll get you a Dragon's Frost Greatsword! That sword is definitely more powerful than the Mistplitter Reforged!"
"Really?! Husband, you're so nice!"
Lumine, who was just wiping her mouth, immediately changed her expression and hugged Jack, showering him with kisses.
Keqing and the others shook their heads at the sight.
No matter who it is, anyone who gives you things is a good person. No wonder you get along so well with Klee; turns out you haven't grown up either!
...
Under the farewells of his wives, Jack stepped into the Teleport Waypoint.
He had received a mission from the organization: to make up for his missed appointment.
These incredibly lovely people were so united, saving Jack a lot of worry.
Soon after, he and Yoimiya arrived in Inazuma City.
"Wait, Yoimiya, let's not go to Kuki Shinobu's house first. Let's go to Kimono Restaurant!"
"You mean Kuki Shinobu might still be waiting there?"
"There's a possibility."
Then Jack picked up Yoimiya and flew directly to Kimono Restaurant via air.
In the dark night sky.
The scattered lights below Inazuma City were very conspicuous.
Right by the lights of Kimono Restaurant, a lonely young woman sat at the bar, having ordered two drinks and drinking alone.
She really came!
This sight filled Jack with guilt, and at the same time, relief.
The fact that Kuki Shinobu came to this place a second time meant that she hadn't completely given up on him yet. As Yoimiya said, everything could still be made up for.
"Go, Jack. I'll wait for your good news at home."
Yoimiya said, hugging him.
"Yes, I will definitely bring Kuki Shinobu back."
Jack gently kissed Yoimiya on the forehead.
After landing, he opened the Serenitea Pot, allowing Yoimiya to return through it.
...
Under the moonlight, Kimono Restaurant.
A young man who had missed an appointment arrived belatedly.
"Boss, two bowls of tonkotsu ramen, with two extra slices of char siu!"
Jack sat directly next to Kuki Shinobu and ordered two bowls of ramen.
"Hmm?"
Kuki Shinobu tilted her head, her scattered gaze gradually focusing.
"Traveler! You, you, you... why are you only just arriving! No, you're finally here!"
"Yes, I apologize for being 24 hours late," Jack said sincerely. "To make up for the long time Kuki Shinobu has been waiting here, you can make three wishes."
"Wishes? Does the Traveler think he's the Genie from a fairy tale?"
"As expected of the knowledgeable only brain of the Arataki Gang, you even know Sumeru's fairy tales. But I'm not joking, you know?"
Kuki Shinobu and Jack stared at each other.
In less than 30 seconds, she automatically conceded, her face flushed as she said,
"Alright, actually, I didn't wait for 24 hours at all. You misremembered. That day I clearly said we'd meet three days later."
"Is that so? Did I really misremember?"
"You definitely misremembered!" Kuki Shinobu showed a smile that made one's heart ache, then pushed the drink on the table towards Jack: "Here! This is the drink I ordered for you."
Jack looked at the contents of the cup; it was fruit juice.
Kuki Shinobu's own drink was a cup of sake.
She probably didn't drink alcohol.
Although Jack had never asked Kuki Shinobu, he had a strong intuition about it.
And in reality, because she had to study a lot for certifications and such, Kuki Shinobu truly disliked alcoholic beverages that would make her mind hazy.
Not to mention, while Inazuma's sake had "clear" in its name, its actual taste was more like dishwater, not a flavor that the general public could accept.
"I want that one more. I wonder if Kuki Shinobu is willing to part with it."
"Eh?"
Kuki Shinobu said shyly, "But, but I've already drunk from this cup."
"It's okay. It's my honor to share a drink with an intellectual and charming girl like Kuki Shinobu."
Jack replaced her juice and took a sip of the sake.
That's the spot I just drank from...
Kuki Shinobu bit her lower lip, watching Jack's lips touch the rim of the cup, as if she was kissing him. Her mood went from the initial disappointment to the joy of seeing Jack, and now she was at the highest point of a roller coaster.
"Kuki Shinobu!"
"I, I'm here!"
"I like you!"
"Ugh... /(//o/ω/o//)/, I, I also..."
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