"Keep it safe," Kaito said, motioning for Lumine to take the purified Tear.
"O-okay." Lumine nodded and tucked it away carefully.
If Kaito needed it later, he'd ask. Until then, she'd hold it.
"I'm going back to my room," Lumine said.
Then she realized how that sounded.
Her face went bright red.
She clapped a hand over her mouth and nearly fled into the attic, shutting the door like she was escaping a crime scene.
Why did that come out like… an invitation?
Like she was waiting for him to stop her. Call her back. Follow her.
The worst part was that a tiny, traitorous spark of anticipation flickered anyway—just for a second.
That made her even more embarrassed.
She threw herself onto the bed, hugged Paimon like a pillow, and squeezed her eyes shut.
"…Didn't you say you'd rinse your mouth?" Kaito muttered outside, genuinely puzzled.
But Lumine had only eaten a little porridge. It wasn't the end of the world.
And honestly, being a little rough around the edges was normal for a traveler.
After a full night's sleep, the morning after the dragon attack arrived.
Mondstadt had already dragged itself back toward normal.
Early in the morning, Sara reopened Good Hunter's outdoor cooking stations and started coordinating with their suppliers again.
Market Street and the stairway boulevard buzzed with voices. The fountain plaza was loud and bright like nothing had happened.
Knights patrolled through the crowd, keeping order.
Two Knights came by Good Hunter.
"Sara," one of them asked, "are Boss Kaito—and the Traveler who protected Mondstadt—awake yet?"
"Miss Lumine is up," Sara replied while prepping ingredients. "As for the boss… don't get your hopes up."
Unless something forced him out of bed, Kaito tended to sleep until noon.
Upstairs, Lumine sat at the second-floor table, chin in hand, completely speechless.
So much for travelers don't sleep in.
"Sara! Sara! Is my Fisherman's Toast ready?!" Paimon suddenly zipped out the second-floor window and dropped down, drooling at the smell.
"Give it a bit," Sara said without looking up. "Customers first."
Then she nodded toward the two Knights. "They're here to see the boss and Lumine. Paimon, are you taking them upstairs?"
"They're looking for Kaito and Lumine?" Paimon turned, inspected them, then puffed up her chest.
"What do you want?"
Her tone was ridiculously authoritative for something the size of a lunchbox.
The two Knights exchanged a glance.
"…Isn't that the Traveler's floating companion?" one whispered.
They decided not to argue with a creature that looked like it could bite.
"We're delivering a message," the other Knight said politely. "Acting Grand Master Jean hopes to meet you today."
Paimon waved grandly. "Got it, got it."
She flew upstairs and relayed the message.
"Then we have to wait for Kaito to wake up," Lumine said.
She wasn't going alone—Jean had asked for both of them.
"Sara! You can bring it up now—this one's on me," Sara called from below.
"Thank you! Hehe!" Paimon zipped down and returned with two plates of Fisherman's Toast.
After breakfast, with nothing else to do, Lumine and Paimon walked around Mondstadt—mainly to check the missing-person notices the Knights had posted for her.
They left.
Not long after—
The fountain plaza erupted.
"Ahh—it's Barbara!"
"Barbara waved at me—today is blessed!"
"I saw Barbara this morning—may the Anemo Archon smile on me!"
A crowd surged around a cute twin-tailed girl in a spotless white deaconess dress and hat.
Barbara.
Her bright eyes curved into crescents as she clasped her hands before her chest, smiling with effortless warmth.
"Seeing everyone in such high spirits makes me feel relieved," she said sweetly. "But please don't crowd together—if you want to hear me sing, it's not performance time yet."
"And be careful," she added gently. "Don't block the street. Thank you, everyone."
Barbara was genuinely happy.
Not because she was popular—
But because yesterday's disaster hadn't broken Mondstadt.
Not in body. Not in spirit.
The injured had already been brought to the Cathedral last night. She'd come out early this morning to make sure the city hadn't sunk into fear.
From a distance, she spotted Good Hunter's signboard—and her eyes lit up.
"Sara! Good morning!" Barbara jogged over.
Sara immediately understood.
Barbara often used Good Hunter to escape her overenthusiastic fans.
And in Mondstadt, Kaito's name alone was enough to keep most people polite.
Who dared cause chaos inside his restaurant?
Rumor said you'd get tossed into Cider Lake and fed to the fish.
In the city's quieter gossip circles, the two places you absolutely didn't provoke were Angel's Share—and Good Hunter.
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