Genshin: The Serenity System Chapter 128: Keep your friends close

"By the way..." While finishing his cre brulee, Isaac looked around as he rembered soone. "Did you happen to see a robot maid by any chance?"

Last night, he brought over Ineffa all the way from Nod-Krai to introduce her to the scenery for a bit. However, ever since she left last night to go wandering around, he had never seen her again.

Freminet thought for a mont before nodding lightly as he recalled said person. "Do you an Miss Ineffa? I actually encountered her this morning too."

"Really? That's great." Isaac heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing his words. 'I thought that robo-maid would go around and get lost...'

But then again, it was Ineffa. What can't she do? She'd probably find her way back to the café in so way.

"She's out on errands right now, I believe." Freminet answered succinctly.

"Errands? Who and what for?" Having no recollection of any orders being given to his new employee, Isaac continued to ask.

"It was by lady Yae." Freminet gave a side eye glance at a certain kitsune that was preparing the pastries in the glass display. "I don't know the specific details because I just happened to pass her by when I first entered the café this morning, sorry, Mr. Isaac."

'Miko...' After knowing who the culprit who had imdiately begun exploiting his new employee, Isaac couldn't help but instinctively pinch the bridge of his nose. 'Did she see the sa potential I see in Ineffa and locked in on her too?'

It was understandable. Both he and Yae Miko were both business owners, so both of them recognized the extre potential of soone like Ineffa, who was practically the best employee you could ever hope for.

Still, Isaac couldn't help but find the kitsune woman a tad bit shaless. 'I sotis forget that Miko is as shrewd as a fox...'

He has himself to bla for that one.

'Well, on the bright side, I can make use of her imdiately and cover the amount I pay her...'

Yes, in order to rope in Ineffa, he had to offer a large sum of Mora in their contract. But considering how useful she is, so long as he makes full use of her, he believed that each money spent was worth it.

An employee that was of artificial origins, never knowing rest...

What more can a businessman want more?

'Speaking of which... I wonder where Wanderer is now?'

He recalled Scaramouche, the forr sixth Fatui Harbinger that was currently erased from Irminsul, and where he could possibly be.

'Since this is the tiline after which he had erased himself, he should still be wandering sowhere out there, and less irritable too...'

If he gets the chance to find any sort of lead on him, he would imdiately take the chance to take him in.

Wanderer was practically another Ineffa. With a sort of personality problem that Isaac can sowhat tolerate.

But finding soone like that was like finding a needle in a haystack. Finding a puppet wandering around? Sure said easier than done. Archons know how many constructs are out there in Teyvat with humanoid proportions.

'Gosh, what a plate I have.' Thinking about the ntal lists he had been making lately, he couldn't help but self-deprecate. 'Planning to consult with Nahida, finding an angel who joined the Hexenzirkel, keeping an eye out for an erased puppet, and all the while maintaining the café...'

There are also so nial tasks he has to oversee like the underground market of Fontaine, his relationship with Arlecchino and by extension the Fatui, and, of course, his open relationship with Furina.

At this point, he might as well add in Neuvillette in that list.

'Oh, now that I think about it...'

He had forgotten sothing he hadn't been able to do for a while now while thinking about his tasks.

He thought long and hard for a mont before forming an idea. Indeed, he had conceived an idea most ingenious.

Then, his eyes drifted towards his friends who were all busy tending to the café.

'Although I did promise them that I won't do anything today...'

His eyes turned to another direction.

[Summon a new character?]

[Y/N]

It had truly been a long, long ti.

He was quite content with the people had invited thus far, and enjoyed their company thus far. Even so, he still had to admit that he wanted to invite another person to share this peaceful environnt with.

He checked the amount of system points he had to do a summon, and sure enough, he had more than enough.

The only reason he didn't summon anyone so far was because it would be really hard to hide their presence in Fontaine. He very much liked the knowledge that his café is connected to all around Teyvat.

After ruminating over his thoughts for a tad bit longer, Isaac finally arrived at a decision.

'I'll summon a new person later.'

He was sure that inviting a person here while everyone was in the middle of doing sothing would either surprise the person or even frighten them if they were certain characters.

As such, he'd much rather do it later when there were less people in the café.

Moving on, as he sorted his ntal list, there was one thing Isaac had noticed while recalling the events so far.

'...looking back, it's quite odd how all of my friends just decided to hold this arrangent so quickly...' He thought as he recalled his mories. 'Sure, I can sum it up to a coincidence, but...'

Sothing inside of him, perhaps the mories and instincts of the First Hunter, urged him to think that sothing was wrong.

But after considering a little more...

'I'm probably just too paranoid...'

It wouldn't even make sense for them to plan sothing harmful to him. Unless they all collectively agreed that he needs to et the sa fate as the Third Descender, that is.

But knowing them, that was probably a useless thought.

And so, after pondering about that topic for a while, Isaac decided to disregard it and shove it at the back of his mind.

'That's right. My friends... I trust them.'

---

"Ah, Lady Yae."

In the kitchen, Lumine and Yae Miko bumped into each other as both were preparing the pastries for the café, with the forr being the cook and the latter the one preparing them.

Seeing the kitsune lady in front of her, Lumine looked at her for a mont before rembering a certain matter.

"Um... Lady Yae, can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, little one. And don't be too polite with now. We've known each other long enough to stop the formalities, no?" Yae Miko replied as she looked at Lumine who was considerably shorter than her in height.

"Ah, right." Lumine smoked before continuing with her topic. "You see, I've just recently arrived in Inazuma."

"I'm aware." Yae Miko cut her off. "You're the one who ca with the Crux Fleet, yes?"

"Oh, you already know..." Lumine murmured. "That's right. I'm on Ritou right now, still being blocked by the immigration office, so I'm wondering if..."

"If I could pull off so strings and let you in on Narukami Island?" As if reading her mind, Yae Miko finished Lumine's sentence accurately. She smiled as she continued, "I'm sorry, little one. But despite our amicable relationship, I don't think we're at that level of intimacy just yet."

"I, erm..." Caught off guard by her odd choice of words and outright denial, Lumine didn't know what to say at first.

Seeing her like this, Yae Miko couldn't help but chuckle, leaving Lumine to subtly get flustered.

"Haha, seeing you fidget like that is so adorable." She comnted as she looked at her with an amused expression. "Alright, I'll take in the consideration. But..."

"But?" Lumine repeated, having already expected so sort of compensation, Lumine guessed what she could possibly want.

But instead of answering imdiately, Yae Miko's pupils narrowed for a mont before she closed the gap between them. Then, while Lumine was still dazed, she leaned down and whispered in her ear, just barely audible enough for her to hear, but enough for her to understand.

"I'll agree and even help you on your journey in reaching Tenshukaku, isn't that what you wanted? To et the Raiden Shogun? But in exchange, you'd have to do sothing for ."

Lumine gazed at her, who was just inches away from her face. "Wh, what is it?"

Yae Miko grinned.

"Help get Isaac to go to Inazuma. That is all."

Hearing this condition, Lumine paused for a mont before flatly rejecting her, her eyes steady and unmoving. "No."

"No?"

"I'm not selling out my friend." She adamantly rejected the notion. "Not unless you tell what you intend to do, Lady Yae."

Having dropped the formalities, Lumine changed her stance to a rigid one, as if she was actively defending against soone.

...or protecting soone else.

Yae Miko regarded her with her narrowed eyes for a re mont before scoffing. "Your imagination runs too much, my little fox. I'm not keen on doing anything dangerous to him, you know?"

She then straightened her posture while maintaining eye contact with her. "I just want to do what's best for him, that's all."

"Surely you've had similar thoughts before?" She continued. "Him running around, getting lost from your sight, after being with him, who listens to your each and every problem while being supportive no matter what... Being just generally a great person to have around..."

"Don't you just want to see him stay in one place? Safe, protected, and under your devoted gaze... At all tis..."

"Stop!" Lumine backed away, sensing the odd tremble in the head shrine maiden's tone. "What you're saying... I would never subject anyone to it!"

"But haven't you thought about it too?" Yae Miko smiled. "I can see it, little one. The eyes don't lie. You are just like the rest of us."

"...us?" Lumine repeated.

Yae Miko continued with a knowing smile. "The rest have already agreed to the plan."

"I'm not that insane, you know? I'm only keeping him in Inazuma for a few days at most. The rest of us decided to share him with each other."

Lumine's eyes constricted upon hearing her answer. "D, does that an that..."

Yae Miko silently nodded, confirming what was in her mind, and for a mont, Lumine didn't know what to do.

Indeed, she would be lying if she said she hadn't had the sa sentints as her, and that she didn't harbor any sort of motivation to keep that man safe and always be with her.

But at the sa ti, she knew it was wrong for her to do that, so she had been actively keeping it out of her head.

But upon hearing that an agreent had already ford between the rest of the custors of the café, she had to admit that she felt compelled to be drawn to this community that had ford.

...a community that only wanted to keep and protect the sa person.

After pondering for a little more, with her heart racing and fists clenched, Lumine, under the gaze of Yae Miko, reluctantly but quietly nodded.

"...alright."

"Very good, little one. Make sure to bring your little floating companion in on this too."

Yae Miko chuckled as she patted Lumine's head with a satisfied smile. After which, she turned around, but not before leaving behind one last ssage.

"You won't regret this, my little fox."

Everyone in that café, save for Isaac, was now in on the plan.

The plan to keep their beloved barista safe from the dangerous stunts he had been noticeably doing, with so even harboring so hidden agendas.

But those agendas would soon be crushed with the appearance of another person, walking down from Isaac's bedroom, having just woken up.