Playing Genshin in Genshin! [21]

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“Dandelions! Look, it's dandelions!” Xiangling exclaimed with delight, pointing ahead.

Lu Shiyuan pulled himself out of his phone, following her gaze. Sure enough, he saw a field full of lush, vibrant dandelions. These flowers, which only bloom in Mondstadt, were undeniable proof that they had entered its territory.

Mondstadt, one of the seven nations, was under the protection of Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. Known for its beautiful landscapes, it was dubbed the "Jewel of the North." The capital, Mondstadt City, was often referred to as the "City of Freedom."

“We’ve finally arrived,” Lu Shiyuan sighed, taking in the sight.

“According to the map, this place is called Stone Gate. If we continue down the main road, we’ll pass by Dawn Winery, then head through Springvale before reaching Mondstadt City,” Xiangling said, her eyes alight with excitement as she reviewed the map.

“Brother Lu, let’s get going! If we move quickly, we might reach Springvale before sunset. I’ve heard the boar meat there is especially delicious. Oh, and the wine from Dawn Winery— it must be great for cooking. We should bring some back when we return. Since I’m not old enough to buy it, you’ll have to get it for me, Brother Lu.”

“Alright,” Lu Shiyuan nodded, sharing her excitement. But more than the food, he was thinking about something else: Would they encounter the Traveler?

Eager and expectant, the two travelers and their little bear companion quickened their pace down the main road.

As they walked through the lands that were so different from Liyue, a soft breeze caressed their faces, as if welcoming the travelers to Mondstadt. Despite the serene beauty, they had no time to stop and admire the scenery, hurrying toward their destination. Finally, by dusk, they arrived at the outskirts of Springvale.

“Let’s go hunting, Brother Lu!” Xiangling said, brimming with excitement. “I can already smell the boars!”

“Live boars don’t exactly smell good, do they?” Lu Shiyuan muttered, but then a thought struck him. “Speaking of which, in the game’s quest ‘Mondstadt Gastronomy Trip,’ Xiangling first appears when she meets the Traveler while hunting boars. Could they meet here in real life, too?”

He pondered for a moment, realizing, “It’s possible this could be a chance encounter with the Traveler. But the question is, will it be Lumine or her brother Aether?”

The three of them—Lu Shiyuan, Xiangling, and Guoba—crouched in the bushes, carefully creeping toward the area that smelled of wild boars. Soon, the scent grew so strong that even Lu Shiyuan could detect it.

Peeking through the bushes, they saw a herd of boars grazing in the forest. They were strong, healthy, and gleaming, unlike the scrawny wild boars that roamed the deep forests of Liyue.

Although Lu Shiyuan wasn’t a bad cook himself, just looking at these boars had his mouth watering as he imagined them roasted into succulent pork chops—juicy, tender, and full of flavor.

Oops, he was drooling. He glanced over at Xiangling, and noticed she was just as eager as he was.

But just then, they both noticed two unexpected guests wandering into the boars’ territory, oblivious to the danger of being charged by or scaring off the animals.

“Ugh,” Xiangling muttered, visibly annoyed.

Lu Shiyuan felt the same way at first, but when he got a clear look at the two newcomers, his mood quickly changed.

One of them was a cute, blonde-haired girl wearing a white dress adorned with green gemstones, and the other was a small, floating creature with a crown-like headpiece, a white onesie, and a starry cloak. The two walked together, chatting happily, clearly very close.

These two were none other than Lumine, the game’s protagonist, and Paimon, her floating companion.

“So, we’ve finally met,” Lu Shiyuan thought with a sense of amazement.

Xiangling, however, was much less patient. Seeing them get closer to the boars, she suddenly reached out and grabbed Lumine’s arm, pulling her into the bushes. Paimon, who had been happily chasing butterflies, was startled but quickly followed, only to find two strangers waiting in the bushes.

Lumine, surprised by the sudden yank, blinked in confusion. Xiangling, however, quickly motioned for her to be quiet, then pointed toward the boar herd.

Lumine understood and nodded, forgiving Xiangling’s abrupt behavior.

The group quietly retreated a little further from the boars and began speaking in hushed tones.

“Keep it down; I’m hunting,” Xiangling explained to the newcomers. “I’ve heard so much about the amazing ingredients in Mondstadt, and today, I’ve seen it for myself.”

Lumine hesitated, then asked, “Are you a hunter or an adventurer? And who’s that with you?”

Xiangling grinned and answered confidently, “No, no, I’m a chef. A chef on a journey to find rare ingredients from all over the world. I came from Liyue Harbor, and my name is Xiangling. This is Lu Shiyuan, who I consider my mentor.”

“And you two are?”

“I’m Lumine,” the blonde girl introduced herself, her gaze lingering on Lu Shiyuan. She felt as though this man had been discreetly studying her, without showing any surprise at their arrival.

Unlike Lumine’s guarded demeanor, Paimon was much more cheerful, waving enthusiastically. “Hi there! I’m Paimon, and nice to meet you too, tall guy!”

“Hello,” Lu Shiyuan smiled, snapping out of his thoughts. “Nice to meet you both.”

“Paimon?” Xiangling looked curiously at the floating being, wondering whether she was edible.

Of course, with Lu Shiyuan right there, asking that kind of question would definitely earn her a scolding.

“Better not try cooking an intelligent creature,” Xiangling thought to herself. She then turned to Lumine and asked, “By the way, what’s your relationship with Paimon?”

“She’s my friend,” Lumine replied seriously, not in the mood for jokes.

“Of course! We’re best friends!” Paimon beamed, proudly puffing out her chest.

“You two seem so close. I also have a companion…”

The three girls quickly warmed up to each other, chatting as if they had known each other for ages.

Meanwhile, Lu Shiyuan thought to himself, “She’s really that alert, huh? She sensed that something was off about me. I’ll need to be more careful from now on.”

Before long, Xiangling asked Lumine for help in catching the wild boars. After all, there were far too many for her to handle alone.

“Isn’t that guy, Lu Shiyuan, going to help?” Paimon asked, noticing how detached he seemed from the whole situation.

“Brother Lu is always like this,” Xiangling said matter-of-factly. “Once we finish hunting, I’ll just cook the meat for him.”

“No way!” Paimon was shocked, covering her face in disbelief. “It feels like you’re taking care of a lazy freeloader!”

Lumine glanced at Lu Shiyuan, who was now calmly leaning against a tree near the campfire, gazing up at the sky. She furrowed her brow but, at the same time, felt her wariness toward him lessen.

“I didn’t see a Vision on him, and he looks harmless. Maybe I’m just overthinking it…”