The next day.
Warm sunlight pierced through the morning mist of Inazuma.
Although Sayu had watched for only two or three minutes the day before and then fallen asleep, Lumine still got up bright and early.
Waking Paimon was simple enough.
The moment Lumine mentioned going to Inazuma City to eat something delicious, Paimon nimbly flew right out from under the covers.
After flying out of the covers, Paimon even wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth.
Waking Sayu, however, was not such an easy matter.
"Ngh… just two more minutes… no, three more minutes…"
Sayu clutched the blanket tightly, curling her whole body into a ball, mumbling indistinctly in her sleep. No matter what Lumine said, she refused to get up—until Paimon, having finished washing up, came back to the bedside and said one line.
"If something important gets delayed because of sleeping in, then it won't just be your vacation gone—Sayu might get dragged into a whole extra month of overtime."
The instant these words were spoken, Sayu's body shuddered. She could only rub her eyes and, ever so reluctantly, crawl out of bed.
After washing up, they took the books and made their way straight to the Yae Publishing House in Inazuma.
When they reached the entrance of the Grand Narukami Shrine, a shrine maiden was already waiting for them—Yae Miko had instructed her to deliver their payment.
A big bag of Mora.
Lumine and Paimon were very satisfied with this reward.
Staring at the bulging bag of Mora, Paimon's eyes went straight.
Besides the Mora, there was also a protective charm and a slip of paper.
On the paper was written, "This charm is bestowed upon you by Lady Yae Miko, who possesses both wisdom and beauty."
After leaving the Grand Narukami Shrine, they headed to the Yae Publishing House as fast as they could.
Once they had conveyed Yae Miko's instructions, several editors immediately began checking and proofreading the contents.
With that taken care of, Sayu bid farewell to Lumine and Paimon and went off to find somewhere to catch up on her sleep.
Lumine and Paimon, meanwhile, went together to Shimura's, where they used the reward Yae Miko had prepared for them to enjoy a grand feast.
Just as they were thoroughly content and about to leave, they suddenly spotted two familiar figures at the entrance of the Yae Publishing House.
One of them was tall and burly, with white hair reaching down to his waist, a pair of red horns growing atop his head, and muscles knotted and bulging all over his body.
Standing before him was a slender youth.
This youth wore a suit of leather armor, and amid his brown hair there was a tuft of white.
Although his attire was quite eye-catching, even more eye-catching were his beast ears and that fluffy tail.
Unlike Sayu's kind of tail that was attached to her clothes, this youth's tail and ears grew right out of his body.
"It's Gorou and Itto—how come they're together? How strange... let's go over and say hello."
Paimon said.
"Mm."
Lumine nodded.
It was still early; setting out for Mondstadt in the afternoon would be plenty of time.
Since they'd run into acquaintances, naturally they ought to say hello.
Besides, she was also curious how these two had ended up together.
As they walked over, they heard the conversation between these two from a good distance away.
"Little brother, are you here to buy novels too?"
Arataki Itto asked in his booming voice.
"Mm."
Gorou nodded.
He'd never have guessed that this big fellow before him actually liked reading novels.
"Oh? Wouldn't have figured it—little brother, you're a man of letters just like me?"
Arataki Itto laughed heartily, then stroked his chin and asked with a puzzled look: "But, I just can't shake the feeling I've seen you somewhere before."
"Seen me before?"
Hearing Arataki Itto's words, Gorou's pupils instantly contracted, and he subconsciously slipped into a state of vigilance.
Only after putting his guard up did he realize that he and the Shogunate Army had already entered a temporary truce, so there was no fear of his identity being exposed—there was no need to be so wary.
At once he relaxed.
"Where have I seen you... I just feel oddly close to you, how strange... with my memory and intelligence, this shouldn't be happening..."
Arataki Itto knit his brows and pondered for a moment to no avail, then burst out laughing and said: "Forget it, if I can't remember then so be it. Since we hit it off so well, let me recommend a few books to you. Oh right, my name's Arataki Itto—what's yours?"
"Just call me Gorou. Then I'll trouble you to make the recommendations, Brother Itto."
Gorou said.
He had come this time to purchase a batch of novels on behalf of Lady Kokomi.
With a man of letters like Arataki Itto making recommendations, he could naturally accomplish twice the work with half the effort.
"Good name. Interested in joining the Arataki Gang?"
Arataki Itto said.
"Uh... sorry, I'm already part of an organization."
Gorou said.
"Well, all right then. A shame about a talent like you."
Arataki Itto sighed, then said: "Then let's get back to business. Let me recommend a few books for you. First and foremost, of course, are Fang Qiu's The Eternal and Your Lie in April. You could say they're the finest of the fine—they say even the Raiden Shogun loves reading them."
"Mm, these two—I've heard of them as well."
Gorou nodded.
These two books were extremely famous in Inazuma. They were so wildly popular that that woman had actually joined forces with the Yashiro Commission to hold a concert.
The matter had spread far and wide, all the way to Watatsumi Island, and just as Arataki Itto said, they too had heard that that Raiden Shogun also loved reading Your Lie in April and The Eternal.
Seeing the look on Arataki Itto's face as he mentioned those two books—his expression so utterly excited—was proof enough that those two books were exceptionally well written.
"There's also the latest issue of Idle Affairs Monthly."
Arataki Itto said.
Upon hearing this title, Gorou's whole expression turned rather poor, somewhat pale, and his face bore a look of awkwardness as well. That woman's publication...
He coughed awkwardly and said: "Anything else?"
"The next book is my most heavyweight recommendation—a work I revere as a divine masterpiece."
Arataki Itto said.
Hearing Arataki Itto say this, Gorou couldn't help but light up, feeling a bit of anticipation.
Since this was someone who could appreciate Fang Qiu's works, anything he revered as a divine masterpiece could hardly be bad, no matter how you looked at it.
Lady Kokomi would surely be delighted to read it.
He looked expectantly toward Arataki Itto, while Arataki Itto's lips curled into a smile—anyone who didn't know better would think the book he was about to mention was one he'd written himself.
He cleared his throat and coughed, then said word by word: "The name of this book is Lady Shina Falls in Love with Me!"
Upon hearing these few words, Gorou froze entirely on the spot.
In his ears, Arataki Itto's words of praise and longing for this book and for Lady Shina herself echoed on and on.
"This book is really well written, it's just like the real Lady Shina is right before your eyes. I really hope the meet-and-greet event comes sooner—I so badly want to see Lady Shina in the flesh..."
The more Arataki Itto spoke, the more Gorou felt a chill run down his back, until his whole body couldn't help but tremble.
His face went pale.
He stared at the endlessly babbling Arataki Itto before him, unable to utter a single word for the longest time.
It hardened.
His fist hardened!
It was all that woman's fault!
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