"Whoa, calm down! Steady your hand, please!"
Hiiragi Shinsuke, who had served as the Kanjou Commissioner for many years, had never encountered a situation where a knife was pressed against his neck.
This unexpected scenario left him montarily at a loss. Even with his extensive experience handling people and crises, his usual strategies seed futile.
Thankfully, as soone accustod to navigating treacherous waters, Shinsuke managed to maintain a semblance of composure, even with a blade threatening his life.
"Sir, whatever it is you seek—Mora, or anything else—I'm willing to accommodate as long as I can provide it," he said cautiously.
He couldn't discern much about his assailant, who was heavily disguised and wearing a mask. With no useful leverage, Shinsuke decided to bide his ti and gauge the intruder's intentions.
"Enough talk! Where is the Fatui's Delusion factory?"
The masked figure, Nolan, demanded in a low, chilling voice.
Hiiragi Shinsuke's pupils constricted sharply at the question. He knows. Who is this man?!
"Sir, I don't know what you're talking about. I've never had any dealings with the Fatui, and I—"
Shinsuke's voice remained calm, but a sharp sting on his neck interrupted him. A gust of wind from the window amplified the sensation, and he realized that a thin trickle of liquid—likely blood—was running down his skin along the knife's edge.
"Every month, we transport the Crystal Marrow near Yashiori Island, where Fatui soldiers retrieve it. As for their precise location, they're extrely secretive—even I don't know," Shinsuke admitted, his voice trembling.
He didn't even dare swallow, afraid the motion might cause the knife to pierce his arteries.
Whatever this intruder wanted, Shinsuke only wished for him to leave quickly. He spoke as fast as he could, divulging everything he knew.
He had never encountered soone so unreasonable!
"I see."
Nolan observed Shinsuke's fearful expression and judged that the man was unlikely to be lying. However, he decided not to push too far. While Shinsuke wasn't a good person, Chisato was kind-hearted, and for her sake, he would show restraint.
After all, once Inazuma stabilized, Shinsuke would inevitably face justice and likely imprisonnt.
As for the Fatui, they weren't fools. Even if they cooperated with the Kanjou Commission, they wouldn't recklessly expose the location of their Delusion factory.
Still, knowing that the target was near Yashiori Island complicated matters. The island was vast, and even using ntal perception to scan the area wouldn't guarantee finding the factory quickly.
Nolan inquired about the next scheduled delivery.
Shinsuke responded that it was in half a month—too long to wait. Staying on Ritou for 15 days just to follow the Fatui wouldn't be productive. If that was the case, it would be better to head to Yashiori Island and start searching directly.
Fifteen days should be enough to uncover so leads, and in the anti, he could fight monsters and gain Adventure EXP.
However, the issue lay in reaching Yashiori Island. Lumine hadn't unlocked the "teleport waypoints" there yet, making teleportation impossible.
As he pondered, Nolan recalled the "Waverider" from the ga—a small boat used for traveling across the sea.
Although he hadn't heard of any Waverider waypoints on Ritou, it was likely that this reality differed from the ga, and such magical constructs didn't exist. Alternatively, the Waverider might be exclusive to the "Golden Apple Archipelago," where it first appeared in the original storyline.
Regardless, the concept of the Waverider inspired a plan.
With his control over the Hydro elent, Nolan considered building a small boat similar to a Waverider. He could then use his Hydro abilities to propel it across the sea. With so effort, they might reach Yashiori Island in no ti.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seed. He decided to return and discuss the specifics with Lumine and Paimon.
"Clang!"
The kitchen knife was pulled away from Shinsuke's neck and tossed onto the desk. Without another word, Nolan jumped out of the window and disappeared.
He had deliberately kept his words to a minimum, crafting an image of a ruthless, unpredictable figure that Shinsuke wouldn't dare pursue or investigate.
Trouble was best avoided.
As the intruder vanished, Hiiragi Shinsuke's entire body finally relaxed. Slumping back into his chair, he stared at the blood-streaked knife on the desk, feeling both terror and relief.
Then, wiping his neck, Shinsuke glanced at his palm, where a streak of red confird his fears.
A surge of anger welled up in his chest as he clenched his fists, but after another look at the kitchen knife still embedded in the table, he eventually let out a deep breath and relaxed again.
anwhile, having left the Kanjou Commission unnoticed, Nolan slipped into a secluded corner. With a swipe of his hand, he tore open a rift in the starry void and quickly stepped through it.
The "Wonderland," though cloaked in a starlit embrace, radiated a serene brightness.
Lumine and Paimon, who were huddled beside Mona and observing her research, turned around at the sound of his arrival.
"Well? Did you find anything out?" Lumine asked.
"I did," Nolan replied, removing his mask and the patterned cloth he'd used to disguise himself. "But the location is quite far. We'll likely need to commission a small boat to get there."
"A boat?" Paimon tapped her chin in thought. "Even for a small one, it'll take a few days to build, right?"
"That's fine," Nolan said with a chuckle. "We're heading out to destroy the Delusion factory. It's bound to be dangerous, so Lumine could use a few days to master her Electro powers. The stronger she is, the better our chances."
Lumine nodded in agreent. This wasn't sothing to rush. Besides, the recent acquisition of Crystal Marrow had temporarily alleviated the crisis with the International Trade Association. A delay of a day or two wouldn't hurt.
"Mona," Nolan turned to her with a teasing smile, "why are you still up so late? A girl shouldn't stay up all night—it's bad for your skin, you know."
He borrowed the advice Lisa often shared.
For Mona, resting ant teleporting back to Fischl's side and then returning to her rented room. But lately, she'd been entirely engrossed in studying the stars from morning until night. Could the night sky really be so captivating?
While Nolan appreciated her dedication—after all, her research could help locate Earth—he didn't want her to exhaust herself.
Mona's obsession reminded him of Jean's relentless work ethic, an all-consuming focus that left no ti for rest.
This wouldn't do. Nolan decided he had to intervene.
"Rest? No way!" Mona protested, sitting on the floor with her knees up. Her black stockings pressed against the starlit backdrop of the ground, giving her figure a touch of fullness. She summoned her scrying mirror and began calculating sothing.
"I've already made so progress in my research! If I push myself for a few more days, I might figure out the movent patterns of that three-sun star system I recently discovered."
Mona's work was about uncovering the truths of the cosmos—deciphering mysterious phenona and charting the paths of stars. The more she understood, the stronger her astrology beca, and in turn, her powers grew.
She estimated that once she had thoroughly studied this entire starry realm, she'd be able to use her astrology to pinpoint Nolan's ho world.
But for now, she was still focused on a single, minuscule star system within the vast sea of stars. Completely mapping this stellar ocean was far off, and she hadn't even scratched one percent of it yet.
"All right," Nolan relented, knowing that stopping soone on the brink of a breakthrough would only upset them.
"But," he added, "only for a few more days. Once you finish this research, you'll need to take a break. And you'll join us on the trip to Yashiori Island—you'll be our navigator. With you, we won't have to worry about getting lost."
"Sure, sure! Whatever you say!" Mona replied absentmindedly, her focus still on her scrying orb. Despite her nonchalant tone, Nolan could sense a hint of appreciation for his concern.
[Mona Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 250 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 7 (150/700)]
Watching her, Lumine and Paimon sighed helplessly. "Maybe this is what the people of Liyue call 'obsession,'" Paimon muttered.
Nolan couldn't help feeling a bit exasperated too. Fortunately, the system's notification confird that his words hadn't fallen on deaf ears.
Still, Mona's casual attitude irked him slightly. It seems all the als I've been bringing her lately have made her forget who's in charge, he thought.
He made a ntal note: he'd have to "put her in her place" later—just a little.
---
While Lumine and Paimon teleported back to Mondstadt for a bath, Nolan used his "Blue Vortex" skill to channel Hydro energy over his body.
In an instant, all the dust on his clothes and skin was swept away without leaving him damp. The convenience of elental powers was truly unmatched.
With the others temporarily away, Nolan approached Mona, who was engrossed in her calculations.
Here, she wasn't wearing her usual wide-brimd pointed hat, and he could clearly see over her shoulder.
Her scrying mirror displayed a series of intricate, ever-changing runes—symbols he couldn't even begin to decipher.
It was hard to say if it was because she was too engrossed in her work, but Mona didn't seem to notice as Nolan approached her from behind to observe her.
Nolan sat down and stretched out his legs, then gently pulled Mona's soft body into his arms. Bringing his face close to the back of her head, he inhaled the subtle fragrance of her silky hair.
"Ah!"
Mona finally snapped out of her focus, her fair face flushing slightly as she exclaid, "W-what are you doing? Don't interrupt my research!"
She grasped his arm, which was wrapped around her waist, with her left hand, while her right hand lightly slapped at his legs in a mix of embarrassnt and frustration.
"It's fine," Nolan said calmly, "you can continue your research. I just want to hold you."
No matter how much Mona struggled, Nolan refused to let go.
"You're insufferable!"
After several failed attempts to free herself, Mona began to breathe lightly from the effort. Realizing she couldn't pry his hands away, she finally gave up in exasperation.
"I'm not insufferable at all," Nolan replied with a smile, giving her lower abdon a gentle rub.
"Hmph!"
Mona's cheeks remained flushed as she begrudgingly settled into his arms, her focus shifting back to the scrying mirror in front of her.
"Heh."
Nolan, now satisfied with his mischief, didn't plan to stop there.
Leaving one hand to rest on her softly clad abdon, wrapped snugly in her bodysuit, his other hand slid along her waist, down past her hips, and finally to the back of her thigh, caressed through the thin black tights.
"You jerk!"
Mona bit her lip and cursed under her breath, trying to keep herself from being distracted. But no matter how hard she tried, her slightly trembling pupils betrayed her struggle to focus on the scrying mirror.
"Aren't you hot wearing that shawl? Let help you take it off," Nolan suggested.
His left hand slid upward from her midsection, reaching the golden clasp of her purple shawl. With a quick motion, he unfastened it, allowing the shawl to fall away and reveal her snow-white shoulders and delicate back.
He let his hand trail to her elegant collarbone, lightly brushing over it.
At this point, Mona could no longer concentrate. Her face flushed a deep red as she turned her head to glare at Nolan, clearly upset.
"You insufferable jerk! Stop this nonsense right now!"
"Alright," Nolan said with a smirk, "but only if you give a kiss. Then I promise I'll stop teasing you."
Mona's face turned an even deeper shade of red, her complexion now resembling a ripe tomato. "W-who would kiss you?!"
Nolan remained patient, letting his hand slide gently from her thigh to her calf before moving toward her ankle. Mona instinctively pressed her knees together, her legs curling slightly.
Ugh, this jerk! Is he really going to take things further? Can't he give more ti to prepare myself? How infuriating!
Mona's heartbeat quickened.
As her body grew warr under his touch and her escalating heart rate, she realized that if she didn't escape soon, things might spiral out of control.
With her emotions swirling between frustration and embarrassnt, Mona sighed internally. To ensure she could return to her research later, she decided to et his demand. Turning her crimson face toward Nolan, she said, "Just one kiss, and then you'll go to bed. You can't co near again tonight!"
"Of course. I keep my promises," Nolan agreed with a smile.
Still blushing, Mona hesitated for a mont, seemingly gathering her courage. She then turned her upper body, placed her hands on his shoulders, and pressed her soft, cherry-pink lips to his.
It was her first kiss. Surprisingly, it didn't feel as special as she had imagined.
It was similar to accidentally getting a grain of rice stuck to her arm during a al—then deciding to eat it and feeling her lips brush against her skin. There was a faint sense of unfamiliarity, but nothing extraordinary.
With that realization, Mona felt a sense of relief. Kissing Nolan wasn't as daunting as she'd feared.
[Mona Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 600 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 8 (50/800)]
(End of Chapter)
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