"Hmm? Isn't that the case?"
Varka looked puzzled.
"A traveler?"
He then turned his head toward Alice and asked, "Didn't I hear that you saved him during the Hilichurl riot in Dadaupa Gorge?"
Alice dared not admit that the Dadaupa Gorge incident was "an accident from her experiment."
Not to mention causing yet another large-scale destruction to Mondstadt's mountains.
It had also left Lin Mo recuperating in bed for a full month, and he was only now barely recovered.
If Varka found out she had taken care of Lin Mo for a month because she had nearly blown him up, he would probably fly into a rage again, right?
"Uh... y-yes, that's right!"
Alice stammered in response. "Lin Mo was seriously injured by the Hilichurls back then. Luckily, I was passing by and saved him. If you don't believe me, ask him~"
Seeing Alice's guilty look, Varka instinctively turned his gaze toward Lin Mo.
"That's roughly what happened..."
Lin Mo nodded, not denying it.
"So, are the two of you a couple or not?"
Varka couldn't help but ask in confusion.
"No."
Lin Mo shook his head instinctively.
"No?"
Varka's gaze grew even more perplexed.
He looked at Alice, baffled. "If he's not your boyfriend... given your personality, you'd definitely have left him to the care of the church's deaconesses. How could you personally take care of him for a whole month?"
As he spoke,
a stern glint flashed in Varka's eyes. "There wouldn't happen to be something fishy going on here, would there?"
"No! What could possibly be fishy about it!?" Alice immediately denied.
The next moment, she turned her eyes toward Lin Mo.
It seemed as if she had made some major decision in her heart, and she said firmly, "I... I admit, I do like Lin Mo a little. That's why I came to see him every day. But... we're not a couple yet."
"Oh~!!"
Varka had a sudden realization.
When he looked back at Lin Mo, he secretly gave him a thumbs-up.
He then asked cheerfully, "Lin Mo, look, the most beautiful maiden in all of Mondstadt has confessed her feelings. Aren't you going to give some kind of response?"
"Huh?"
Lin Mo was a bit dumbfounded.
What kind of development was this?
"You... Varka, why do you have to meddle in other people's business~!"
Alice seemed somewhat embarrassed and angry, fleeing the hospital room as if escaping.
Only Lin Mo and Varka remained in the room.
Seeing that Alice had left,
Varka immediately sat down on the edge of the bed, put an arm around Lin Mo's shoulder, and spoke earnestly, "Brother, Alice is a girl whose looks and figure are considered top-tier in all of Mondstadt. You should cherish her!"
Is Varka trying to matchmake me with Alice?
Lin Mo thought instinctively.
However, Lin Mo also knew that matters of the heart couldn't be forced.
His mission in this life was very clear: to properly match Alice with that man who would appear later,
so they could smoothly give birth to Klee and complete the task.
If he just pretended to be Alice's boyfriend to cover up the fact that she caused trouble,
what would happen to Alice after they broke up later?
The elf race, who loves only one person in their lifetime, unwavering and faithful.
Would Alice's true destined one still believe she had taken care of him?
So Lin Mo just smiled and shook his head, saying:
"Grand Master, thank you for your high regard."
"But I believe matters of the heart should be treated with caution, especially when the other party is an unwavering, faithful elf. Until I am ready to take responsibility for her entire life, I will not agree to become her boyfriend."
...
Unexpectedly, upon hearing Lin Mo's words, Varka actually looked at him with appreciation, patted his shoulder, and sighed:
"For you to say such words proves you are a man of integrity and responsibility!"
"Alice didn't misjudge you!"
As Varka spoke,
he leaned closer to Lin Mo and asked with great interest, "But... don't you have any interest in Alice at all?"
"Uh..."
Lin Mo was somewhat wooden.
At this time, he hadn't yet experienced much.
Varka saw right through the stirrings in his heart toward Alice at a single glance.
"Hahahaha!!"
"Good! Good!! Excellent!"
Varka was very pleased. "Having someone like you who can settle Alice down! Mondstadt can have peace!"
"If you're only worried about Alice causing trouble, then the Grand Master can rest assured."
Lin Mo said with a bitter smile. "I've already promised Alice that we will soon set off on a journey across Teyvat."
"Uh... a journey across the entire continent."
"Without several years, we probably won't be back."
"There's such a good thing!?"
Grand Master Varka's expression of pleasant surprise was even a bit unseemly, which drew Lin Mo's puzzled gaze.
.....0....
"Ahem... no, brother, don't misunderstand..."
Varka quickly explained. "I've also heard that Alice is writing some kind of travel guidebook. What I meant just now was,
with someone as steady as you accompanying her, I can rest easy!!"
Varka said it with righteous conviction.
But from the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, one could see he simply couldn't hold back his joy!
"Alright then, Brother Lin Mo, you rest well!"
"I won't disturb you any further. I need to go tell everyone the sad news that Alice will be leaving Mondstadt for several years~" Having said that, Varka stifled his laughter and quickly left the room.
Varka, being the Grand Master, must be a mature and steady person.
Like the future Acting Grand Master Jean.
Like the Tianquan of Liyue, Ningguang.
Like the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma.
Lin Mo looked at his face, which was written all over with 'happiness.'
This nearly unseemly level of joy
made Lin Mo wonder.
Is Alice... really that much of a troublemaker?
But before Lin Mo could ponder further, Alice returned to the room, holding several skewers of grilled fish in her hand.
"Ta-da~! I just went to buy you some Mondstadt Grilled Fish!"
"After eating, let's go for a walk to regain some stamina~"
"I've already packed our luggage. We'll set off bright and early tomorrow!"
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T/N:
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