"As expected… the real Inazuma City is huge," Kagami Ren muttered as he looked down from the sky. The actual city was far larger than in the game.
He descended, planning to wander around at his leisure.
Because of the Sakoku Decree, the city wasn't as lively as he had imagined. The streets were sparse, with far fewer people than expected.
"Tch… the Sakoku Decree." Kagami Ren clicked his tongue. No matter the era or nation, isolation was always the worst choice.
Cutting off contact with the outside world only led to ignorance and economic decline—nothing else.
Fortunately, Teyvat was ruled by gods. Even in the worst times, there was still a divine safety net.
Even so, resistance forces had already risen, opposing the Electro Archon's misguided policies.
Meanwhile, the Raiden Shogun was still being misled by the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions, immersed in the illusion of a perfect nation.
As Kagami Ren wandered aimlessly, a small stall caught his attention. A sign read: Dango Milk.
"Dango Milk?" Kagami Ren immediately walked over. That was Ei's favorite treat.
Coming to Teyvat and not trying the food from the game would be a huge regret.
"Welcome! What would you like?" Zhishu quickly stood up. Business had been terrible since the Sakoku Decree. People barely had enough for necessities, let alone sweets.
A customer like this was rare.
"One dango milk, and a serving of takoyaki," Kagami Ren said, pointing at the sign.
"Right away!" Zhishu got to work.
"You've got great taste," he said while preparing the order. "Dango milk is my newest creation. The dango is made soft and sticky so it blends perfectly with the milk."
"It's not just about flavor—it's about the texture too."
"Sounds interesting," Kagami Ren nodded. It reminded him of milk tea with mochi.
"Here you go. Enjoy." Soon, the food was ready.
"How much?" Kagami Ren asked.
"150 Mora for the takoyaki, 160 for the dango milk. Total 310 Mora."
"Alright, give me a second." Kagami Ren reached for his pocket—only to realize his outfit didn't even have one.
Then it hit him.
He hadn't taken his salary from Miko… and he hadn't brought any Mora.
Wait… how did he forget money? Back in his previous life, he wouldn't dare step outside without it.
Seeing his hesitation, Zhishu grew wary. This well-dressed guy… couldn't actually be broke, right?
"…"
Kagami Ren sighed inwardly. His hand moved toward the divine token at his waist—he was about to reveal his identity and put it on the shrine's tab.
Just then, a bright, energetic voice sounded behind him.
"Zhishu! One takoyaki!"
Kagami Ren turned.
A lively girl in an orange-red outfit, wrapped with bandages, came into view.
"Yoimiya…" Kagami Ren's eyes lit up. Teyvat's top Pyro DPS—cheerful, energetic, and full of warmth.
"Hm? You didn't bring Mora?" Yoimiya immediately sensed the awkward atmosphere. She was sharp enough to guess what was going on.
"Uh…" Kagami Ren sighed. "I was in a hurry and forgot."
"I see." Yoimiya nodded, then turned to Zhishu. "How much?"
"310 Mora."
"That's nothing. I'll cover it," she said with a smile, handing over 460 Mora. "It happens. People forget things sometimes."
"Uh… you don't have to—" Kagami Ren tried to refuse, but she cut him off.
"It's fine, really. Not much at all," Yoimiya said, passing the money over. "And my takoyaki too."
"Got it." Zhishu accepted the payment without further question.
"…"
Kagami Ren sighed inwardly and let go of the token at his waist. "Thank you."
"No problem!" Yoimiya waved it off casually.
Kagami Ren nodded and walked over to a seat beneath a sakura tree.
Great… first meeting Yoimiya, and he'd already embarrassed himself.
He took a sip of the dango milk, his eyes lighting up.
It was delicious.
Without artificial additives, the natural sweetness of the milk combined perfectly with the chewy texture of the dango. As someone who loved sweets, Kagami Ren instantly fell for it.
Just as he was enjoying it, someone sat down beside him.
It was Yoimiya, holding her takoyaki.
"Thanks again for earlier," Kagami Ren said.
"It's nothing," Yoimiya replied cheerfully. "I forget things all the time too."
"Are you a traveler from outside Inazuma?" she asked curiously. She knew most people in the city—and she was certain she had never seen someone this handsome before.
"Mm… not anymore. I just settled here recently," Kagami Ren said.
"That explains it," Yoimiya nodded. "Still, being able to settle here during the Sakoku Decree… that's impressive."
"Oh! I'm Naganohara Yoimiya. What's your name?"
"I'm Kagami Ren."
"Nice to meet you!" Yoimiya beamed, extending her hand.
Kagami Ren shook it gently, his thoughts a bit complicated.
He had always liked this lively, warm-hearted girl. Back when her banner first came out, he had spent heavily just to get her.
Many said Yoimiya was the perfect girlfriend—beautiful, kind, and understanding.
Now that he had met her in person, he realized… girls like her really did exist.
"By the way, Kagami Ren, where do you work?" Yoimiya asked. For some reason, she wanted to get closer to him.
"The Grand Narukami Shrine," Kagami Ren replied honestly.
"Oh, the shrine… wait—what?" Yoimiya froze, staring at him.
"Isn't the Grand Narukami Shrine all women? Kagami Ren, you…"
She leaned closer, carefully examining him—clearly trying to see if he was secretly cross-dressing.