Bab 48: Ganyu's Visit to the Manga Store
Bolai looked at Lumine and Paimon with displeasure.
"The two of you are servants, right? Servants should not speak before their master."
Lumine looked at Bolai, "Do you find me familiar?"
"Hmm? We seem to have met... Oh, you're the Traveler. I'm sorry for my earlier tone."
"Please, please, esteemed guests, take a look and let me know if you have any thoughts."
Zhongli put his hand to his mouth, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Hmm, based on their growing environment and ancestral lineage, the characteristics of the Qingxin flower will vary. Boss, these specimens are all good and well-preserved. For example, this one is luxuriant with blossoms like hidden treasures in a golden house. It thrives in places with complex hydrological conditions. On the other hand, in shady or humid areas, the Qingxin Flower tends to have large petals and dense stamens, exuding a strong fragrance, creating a cluster of flowers. Lastly, this type is solitary and cold, with sparse branches, leaves, and flowers. Its fragrance is faint during blooming but lasts for a long time. It was accidentally discovered by ancient people while climbing the mountains to seek immortality. However, most wild Qingxin Flowers have become extinct during the geographical changes in Liyue, and they are now mostly cultivated artificially."
"Oh, Mr. Zhongli is truly knowledgeable. I didn't even know there were so many intricacies," Bolai said.
"I only have some basic understanding. It's my travel companion here who is truly remarkable. She will eventually travel all across the continent," Zhongli replied.
Upon hearing Zhongli's words, Lumine felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm not that amazing, really."
"Mr. Zhongli is too kind. So, which type of Qingxin Flower should we choose?" Lumine asked.
Zhongli looked at the boss and said exactly what Lumine and Paimon expected without a trace of surprise, "Boss, I'll take all three."
"Oh, not again?" the boss sighed.
"Heh, when enjoying a performance, one should choose the most famous actors. When observing the surroundings, one should be sensitive to the surroundings regardless of time and place. That's life," said Zhongli.
"However, this time, buying the three types of Qingxin Flowers is not just in line with my life philosophy. You may not know this, but according to tradition, if different Qingxin Flowers are made into incense and offered to the Seven Archons' statues, the God of Contracts, Morax, will make his choice. Although these ancient traditions and complex customs have gradually been simplified, the Sent-off to Ascension ceremony is the only remaining tradition belonging to the Seven Archons in the past 3,700 years. Let us follow tradition and offer these incense one by one," Zhongli explained.
At this point, Zhongli hesitated for a moment because of his age "I'm really old, over 6000 years old, haaa" Zhongli spoke in his heart.
"Um... so... um... why are you hesitated, do you have money with you?"
"Don't tell me you didn't bring money, Zhongli!" Paimon heard Zhongli's words and immediately got angry, hands on hips as she glared at him.
"Paimon, let it go. I should have expected this. It would have been stranger if he actually brought money," Lumine said.
"Uh... esteemed guests, sorry for butting in, but are you planning to offer these flowers to Lord Rex Lapis?" the boss asked.
"That's correct," Lumine replied.
"Ah, you should have told me earlier. After the Rite of Descension, I also heard some bad news. I won't say any ill omens, but I have been worried about Lord Rex Lapis, worried if that news is true. If it's for Lord Rex Lapis, I won't charge you for these flowers. Just bring a token of my goodwill," the boss said.
"No charge? Is that really appropriate?" Lumine asked, a bit surprised by the boss's offer.
"Look at what you're saying. Without Lord Rex Lapis, there would be no place for someone like me, a commoner, to live. If it weren't for Lord Rex Lapis composing the poem back then, the value of these precious Qingxin Flowers wouldn't be so high," the boss explained.
"Wow, I've heard a lot about Liyue's customs and traditions on our journey, many of which were directly influenced by the gods at some point," Lumine commented.
"Anyway, thank you, boss. You have resolved our urgent matter," Lumine said.
"Hmph, it's Zhongli's fault for forgetting to bring money again!" Paimon exclaimed, annoyed, as she looked at Zhongli.
"Ah, it's just a small gesture," the shopkeeper said, handing over the flowers they needed to Zhongli.
"Zhongli, we've got the flowers, but how do we make the incense?" one of them asked.
"It would be best to find someone experienced in making incense. However, among those I know, very few have firsthand experience in making incense themselves."
"Hmm, sounds like they're all wealthy folks."
"Lumine, since Zhongli doesn't know, why don't we ask around?"
"Alright, let's keep walking and asking people as we go."
"I'll wait for you near the Seven-Star Sacred Statue. Once the incense is ready, let's meet there." With that, Zhongli took his leave.
"Lumine, do you think there might be suitable candidates at the Adventurers' Guild? Let's go there first," suggested Paimon.
"Why don't we ask Sister Lan first? I remember, she's the branch president of Liyue."
"Then let's go to the Adventurers' Guild first."
A while later... Lumine and Paimon arrived at the Adventurers' Guild. After climbing the stairs, they spotted Sister Lan. She was indeed there.
"Sister Lan, we need your help."
As soon as Paimon saw Sister Lan, she quickly spoke up. Sister Lan saw Lumine and Paimon arriving and thought they were there to post a request.
"I've not taken requests for a long time, I'm sorry. Please find another adventurer," she said immediately.
"No need for a request, it's a very tiny matter."
"Hmm? Sister Lan, you smell very nice." Sister Lan looked a bit shocked at Lumine's words.
"Uh..."
"Let me confirm, are you making fun of me? Or are you being sarcastic?
I'm often out and about, and while I try to take care of myself, to say that I 'smell very nice'..."
"But Sister Lan, you do smell nice! If it's not incense, what could it be?" Hearing Paimon's words, Sister Lan sighed in relief.
"Now that you mention it, there does seem to be a fragrant smell... Let me think."
"Oh, could it be the Qingxin flowers I picked last time when I was back? I've been carrying them around with me."
"Eh? So that's it, Sister Lan has a taste for picking flowers along the road."
"Hmm... They are just medicinal."
"Let's stop this meaningless conversation. If you're asking about incense, you should ask Qiqing."
"Qiqing? Is she the fortune teller sister? Hmm, she indeed gives off a fragrant impression."
"We should go now, thanks for the information, Sister Lan!"
"Lumine, let's go find Qiqing."
Sister Lan gave Lumine and Paimon the directions to Qiqing's location. A while later... Lumine and Paimon found Qiqing, the fortune teller sister.
Upon seeing Lumine and Paimon, Qiqing asked, "Hmm? What can I do for you?"
"Miss Qiqing, if you're not too busy, we'd like to ask you a question."
"Miss Qiqing, you smell very nice."
"Ah... um..."
"Sorry, I didn't expect you to be so straightforward." Qiqing blushed, lowering her head, too shy to look at Lumine.
"Although, I don't know you very well."
"Hmm? What we meant to ask is if you use incense regularly."
"Ah... um, about the incense, I don't use it anymore." Hearing what Paimon said, Qiqing laughed awkwardly.
_____
"Why do you smell so nice then?"
"That's because I carry a scent of rouge on me. It might have led you to a misunderstanding," Qiqing explained.
"I usually set up my stall near the dock, and I wouldn't want any unsavory sailors attracted to the scent."
"Ah, what a shame then." Paimon said, disappointedly.
They thought they had found someone who could make incense, but it seemed that Miss Qiqing wasn't the one either. They would have to keep looking.
"But speaking of incense, haven't you ever heard of Ying'er's Handmade Incense?"
"Ying'er? Do you mean... Ying'er from "Spring-Scent Kiln."?"
"Yes, many daughters of well-to-do families ask her to make incense. It's said that the quality of her handmade incense is better than the ones sold in the market."
"That's great, thank you for the information, this lead should be a good one."
After thanking Miss Qiqing, Lumine and Paimon continued on their way. They set off for Scent of Spring to find Ying'er. When Ying'er saw Lumine and Paimon arrive, she gave a small smile.
"Ah, you finally found me. I've been waiting for you for a long time." Hearing Ying'er's words, both Paimon and Lumine were a bit stunned.
"Huh? How did you know we were coming?"
Ying'er, smiling, looked at Lumine and Paimon, "I just heard that two people are going around the city looking for someone who smells nice. I was worried you wouldn't come. In a way, this is a test of my charm."
"'Looking for someone'? That makes us sound like we're dangerous!"
"Misunderstandings can lead to rumors. You should be more careful with your actions. Don't worry, I know why you're here. You want me to help you make incense, right? What kind do you need?"
"We want the kind you use."
"Hehe, I don't use any incense at all."
"Could it be that you're captivated by my natural scent? That would be quite troubling."
"Hey, what are you guys talking about? Lumine, quickly bring out the three types of Qingxin Flowers!" Paimon, not understanding the conversation between Lumine and Ying'er, decided to interrupt.
"Eh? You want to make three types at once?"
"To think that someone so young could have such a big appetite. The rumors weren't true, were they? Are you looking for someone to gift the incense to?"
"Uh.. I want to offer it to Lord Geo."
"Pft, you came up with such an excuse in a rush? Even if it's an offering to a god, you don't need so many varieties, right? Your lie is full of holes."
"Hmm. Zhongli did mention that this tradition has been forgotten for a long time."
"Anyway, 'flowers are made for plucking, do not wait until no flowers are left and you pluck an empty branch', who can say that what you're doing is wrong?"
"Eh, Paimon doesn't understand again."
"It's fine, I'll help you. Come be my assistant. During the time we're making the incense, your mind must be focused on me alone."
"Uh.. alright." Lumine was completely unable to handle Ying'er's way of speaking. But as she was asking for help, she had to agree.
"So, where should we make the incense?"
"Why not go to Xiangling's kitchen?"
"It's nearby anyway."
"Xiangling's kitchen, Wanming Restaurant would be good too. Let's go there then."
Upon arriving at Wanming Restaurant, Lumine and Paimon greeted Master Mao.
"Master Mao, hello."
"Ah, you're friends of Xiangling. Are you here to see her today, or are you here to eat?"
Master Mao greeted Lumine and Paimon with a smile. His daughter's friends were here, and since Xiangling wasn't home, as her father, he felt obliged to make them feel welcome.
"Master Mao, we came today to borrow the kitchen to make some incense."
"Of course, Master Mao, we will pay you for using your kitchen."
"Haha, you are friends with Xiangling, you're only borrowing the kitchen, why should I take your money?"
"Go ahead, use it." Master Mao shook his head with a smile. He didn't want his daughter to come back and blame him for this.
"Master Mao is really nice, Lumine let's get started."
"Okay."
"Now that we have informed Master Mao, let's get to work."
"Are you ready to take responsibility for me?"
"Huh?"
"Miss Ying'er, I don't quite understand what you mean." At this point, what could Lumine do? She could only play dumb.
"I mean, take on the responsibility of being an [assistant], haha."
"While I'm preparing for the production, can you help me get some water?"
"Alright, Miss Ying'er, please wait."
Lumine nodded, and then found a bucket of water behind Wanming Restaurant. She brought it over.
"Hmm, the water quality is not bad."
"Next, I need your help at the crafting table to extract the essential oil from the Qingxin Flowers."
"The method of making incense is quite different from that of alchemy. Let me show you how to do it. Like this, gently, gently grip the pestle, make sure your palm is firmly against it, this way it won't slip off."
"Then, stir at a rhythm you're most comfortable with until the juice of the Qingxin Flower..."
As Lumine listened to Ying'er's words, she watched the movements of Ying'er's hands. Although she didn't fully understand, she had a strange feeling about Ying'er's method.
It seemed... It seemed...
Seeing that Ying'er intended to continue speaking, Lumine quickly nodded her head, "Miss Ying'er, I understand, I know how to do it, you don't need to continue."
"Mmm~ You really have a knack for this, understanding so quickly."
"Take these to the nearby crafting table and give it a try?"
'Remember, you need to make all three types, even though they look similar at the essential oil stage, but once they're made into incense, I'll help you put them in different boxes.'
Lumine and Paimon went to the nearby crafting table and quickly produced three types of essential oils. Afterwards, they returned to Wanming Restaurant and handed over the essential oils to Ying'er.
A while later...
"Mmm, this is really nice Qingxin Flower essential oil, now for the most crucial part. I will put it into the water and simmer it over a slow fire until the water is almost evaporated. The heat here is very important, if the fire is too strong, it will affect the scent. Please pay attention to controlling the fire of the stove, this is the last step."
'The juice of these Qingxin Flowers must be completely used up.'
After a while, the incense was finally finished. Ying'er put the three types of incense into the prepared boxes and handed them to Lumine.
"Alright, the incense is ready, I have put them in three different boxes."
"All three types of incense were successfully made, assistant, you did a good job.
Hehe, this shows that you are a person who is willing to work hard for your feelings, that's rare."
"I was thinking about you just now."
"Oh, you actually remember the promise I made in passing?"
"You're more likable than I expected, even I might be moved if I'm not careful, haha."
"Alright, alright, do you want me to introduce you to these incenses? It could help you find the right one."
______
"Paimon wants to hear too."
"This first incense paste gives a sweet and dreamy sensation, it's the favorite of little girls. The second one smells rich and imposing, loved by daughters of wealthy families. The last one gives off a gentle scent that lingers for a long time, like dim daylight shrouded in mist, favored by mature women. Do you remember? Don't use them in the wrong occasions."
"I... I remember."
"Okay, so is that all you need my help with?"
"Well then, I'll give you one last piece of advice."
"If you wish to juggle three boats, you better decide which foot to lift first.."
Listening to Ying'er's words, Lumine was even more speechless.
"Hehe, come visit Spring-Scent Kiln and keep me company sometime?"
After finishing the task at hand, Ying'er left. Next, Lumine and Paimon had to go find Zhongli.
"Alright, Lumine, let's hurry to the Statue of The Seven. Mr. Zhongli must have been waiting for quite a while."
"Okay."
Lumine nodded, then left Wanming Restaurant, found a corner, took out her sword, and flew to the location of the Statue of The Seven where Zhongli was.
As soon as they arrived near the Statue of The Seven, they saw Zhongli as if lost in thought.
"Zhongli, we're here."
"Ms. Zhongli, you were staring at the statue. Did we keep you waiting too long?" Paimon was waving her little hand in the air.
Upon hearing Paimon's voice, Zhongli turned around: "Oh, you're back. I didn't wait for long. Compared to the vigil of the stone statue of the Geo Archon, it was but a brief moment."
"Haha, how can people compare to a statue?"
"That's true. So, did you bring the incense paste?"
"Three kinds of incense paste, none missing!"
"You two worked hard, let's try to offer them one by one."
Lumine nodded, then took the lead to offer the first incense paste "Golden House Cang Jiao".
While Lumine was making the offering, Paimon explained to Zhongli: "This is the first type of incense paste. Miss Ying'er said it's sweet and dreamy, favored by little girls."
Next, Lumine offered the second incense paste "Shanyin Brocade Cluster".
"This is the second type of incense paste, supposedly rich and imposing, loved by rich ladies."
Then, they offered the third incense paste "Mist Fairy Fate".
"The third type of incense paste, the scent is gentle but lingers, like misty haze..something like that, favored by mature women." As soon as the third type of incense was offered, everyone noticed a glow from the Statue of The Seven.
"Eh? What was that?" Paimon was surprised at the sight.
"It seems the Geo Archon is quite pleased. It appears the answer is the third type of incense." Lumine saw it too, and she said.
"That's the type favored by mature ladies, right?"
"Could it be that the Geo Archon is actually a 'big sister'?"
Listening to the conversation between Paimon and Lumine, Zhongli couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahaha... Perhaps."
'The manifestations of the Geo Archon are countless, maybe there truly is such an image.'
"Pity, we've only seen that enormous dragon form, and..."
"I hope the Liyue Qixing can catch the culprit."
"Let those with power worry about these things, we just need to prepare for the farewell ceremony for the Geo Archon." Listening to Zhongli's words, Lumine fell into contemplation.
(What are the Qixing and Childe plotting?)
"So, we've completed another preparation. What's next?"
"Next... I hope the two of you can take me to borrow the 'Dust-clearing Bell'."
"Dust-clearing Bell?"
"Currently, the Dust-clearing Bell is being kept by a friend of mine, Madame Ping. She resides near the Jade Chamber, if you ask her, she will know."
"Alright... But, Ms. Zhongli, you are not accompanying us this time?"
"Yes, I have some reasons that make it inconvenient to show myself. I'm afraid I must trouble you both."
"Eh... Ms. Zhongli is being mysterious this time?"
Just as Lumine and Paimon were preparing to go find Madame Ping to borrow the Dust-clearing Bell, A visitor entered the New Century Comic Shop, a woman with long, blue hair gathered into a tail at the back of her head.
Atop her head was a single strand of ahoge, and on each side of her head grew a small Qilin horn, alternating in black and red.
A golden cowbell hung on her collar, the Vision of Frost was located in the middle of her waist knot. She wore a white short cheongsam with golden patterns, inside was a connected backless tight-fitting dress, black stockings were wrapped in it, with golden patterns on the stockings circle.
She wore white arm warmers on her hands, the cuffs were double-layered, with the gradually blue inner layer spread outwards. Her hands wore long black gloves, the forearm part color gradually turned blue. This was Ganyu.
For the seven stars who reside high in the Jade Chamber, Ganyu is not merely a star that serves them, but the coordinator of the intricate web of information and data in Liyue Harbor, the cornerstone of Liyue Harbor's administrative efficiency.
Complicated meeting minutes, cluttered data reports... Each day, a pile of documents flow like water, all sorted by her into clear and understandable text, assisting every decision and consultation of the seven stars, directing the flow of all departments.
Over thousands of years, the seven stars have changed continuously, only Ganyu has always been a witness to the prosperity of Liyue Harbor.
The human side of her bloodline makes her linger in the splendid lantern market, while her celestial nature makes her miss the tranquility of the Adepti Mountain and Cave.
"Is this the New Century Comic Shop that Lady Ningguang mentioned?"
"Since we're here, let's go in and take a look."
Ganyu took a deep breath, but there was a constant trace of sorrow on her beautiful face.
When Ganyu stepped into the New Century Comic Shop, She saw a man sitting at the counter. Next to the man, there was a girl.
But the girl's attire??
It looked like a maid's uniform... and judging by her hair accessories, she didn't seem like a Liyue native, more like someone from Mondstadt.
"Welcome to the New Century Comic Shop." Noelle greeted with a smile as she saw Ganyu's arrival.
She didn't recognize Ganyu, naturally, she could only address her as a customer.
"You... hello." Seeing Noelle's warm expression, Ganyu was a bit at a loss on how to respond.
Usually, her work involved dealing with intricate matters, she rarely had social interactions. Takarou also noticed Ganyu's arrival. Looking at Ganyu, she gave a slight smile. It goes without saying, Ganyu's beauty was truly high. And moreover, Ganyu took her work very seriously.
Since the Geo Archon created Liyue, Ganyu has been invited by the Geo Archon to come to Liyue Harbor to assist the Seven Stars of Liyue in managing Liyue Harbor.
It can be said that Ganyu has seen off many generations of the Seven Stars of Liyue. But most of the matters in Liyue Harbor could not be separated from Ganyu's contributions.
However...
Under the surface of quiet gentleness, Ganyu possessed a will as solid as rock.
The Geo Archon, who leads the Adepti, had long understood this. Hundreds of years ago, when the position of the "Seven Stars of Liyue" first appeared in Liyue, Ganyu became the secretary of the first generation Seven Stars. Over the years, the Seven Stars of Liyue have constantly changed, but Ganyu has always been there.
This also meant that the various documents and affairs of Liyue's departments have piled up over these years and eventually landed on Ganyu's shoulders. But even when faced with sevenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold workload, her sense of responsibility remained as steadfast as ever, never diminishing.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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