章 19: One's true self
The moment Yae Miko entered through the door, she instantaneously noticed the abrupt change in her surroundings.
Just a moment ago, she was at the peak of the Mount Yougou. Then at the next moment, she was somewhere else.
Scanning the new environment, she quickly looked around. She saw all the manner of decorations around the new location and the items that were from various nations.
Looking outside, the sky was dark and it was raining heavily.
She then turned her head and looked to her right and saw a man sitting down on a chair looking at her with an unassuming smile.
"..." Yae Miko quietly looked at Isaac who was behind the counter. After a few moments, she opened her mouth.
"I believe you already know how I got here?"
'...as expected of a novel addict.' Isaac maintained his courteous smile. He then responded, "An astute guess, Guuji Yae."
Hearing this, Yae Miko's lips slightly curved upwards. She then crossed her arms. "I'm guessing you also won't say anything regarding how you did it, no?"
Isaac didn't answer and merely gave her a relaxed smile, with his deep amber eyes looking at her figure nonchalantly.
He was acting like a charlatan!
Seeing that Isaac truly didn't want to say anything, Yae scoffed. She then walked over to the counter and sat down on one of the chairs. She then smiled. "Fine, if you don't want to say anything about it, I won't probe further. But do indulge my curiosity, why choose me?"
"According to a couple of novels I've read, it's either that I'm randomly chosen or that I possess an item related to you." She added while also maintaining her mischievous smile.
"It's random, that you can believe." Isaac shrugged his shoulders in a leisurely manner. He then decided to ask her, "Moving on, Guuji Yae, what would it be for you? Coffee or Tea?"
'So he's keeping himself mysterious.' Yae Miko softly sighed. With her relaxed tone, she responded, "...Green Tea would be preferable."
Isaac wrote it down on his notepad before looking back at her. "Other than that?"
"Hmm... Do you perchance serve tofu?" Yae Miko asked. Truth be told, she was just about to have lunch, and she was craving her favorite tofu.
'Oh! I've actually been wanting to cook one!' Isaac lightly nodded his head in affirmation. "Would Agedashi Tofu be fine?"
Agedashi dōfu is a hot tofu dish. It is made with soft or medium-firm silken tofu that was cut into cubes, before being lightly dusted with potato starch or cornstarch and then fried until golden brown.
It is often paired with Dashi sauce which is made by combining soy sauce, sake, and a pinch of sugar.
"That would be of no problem." Yae Miko tilted her hand in agreement.
Isaac nodded before leaving the room to brew and cook in the kitchen, leaving Yae Miko by herself.
Yae Miko, who was now left alone, soon started looking around. She then saw a bookshelf not far away. 'So there is a source of entertainment here...'
Looking at the kitchen door and seeing Isaac busy, Yae Miko decided to take a look.
She stood up and walked over to the bookshelf containing the different mangas Isaac bought.
Standing in front of the bookshelf, she took out one and looked at the contents. 'To Your Eternity... The title alone reminds me of that shut-in of an Archon...'
With a manga in her hand, she decided to read it.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kitchen.
Isaac, who was frying a pair of tofu he bought from the system, nodded lightly.
'Too bad I'm not too proficient in using chopsticks... It would've made my immersion better.' He lamented to himself. 'But it can't be helped. The best I can do is this.'
After a few minutes of frying the diced tofu, Isaac saw them turn golden brown so he decided to take them off and set them aside for now.
He then made the sauce. In a separate saucepan, he combined dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and a pinch of sugar. He then lowered the heat and brought it to a gentle boil.
The scent of Isaac's cooking drifted from the kitchen to the outside, bringing itself into Yae Miko's nose.
Yae Miko, who was actually enjoying what she was reading, smelled the scent coming from the kitchen, and her eyes couldn't help but look over. 'He might actually make something I haven't tasted before...'
Returning to the kitchen, Isaac finished making the sauce and decided to combine everything. However, his movements soon suddenly stopped. 'Wait no! I know the perfect way to entice Miko with this...'
Soon, a conniving smile appeared on his face. He decided to prepare everything in front of Miko all at once.
Setting aside the Agedashi Tofu, Isaac moved on to the tea. As usual, he took out a green tea bag and waited for the water to boil.
On a teacup, he placed the green tea bag before pouring it into the boiling water. Afterward, he let it sit there for a while.
After a few minutes, everything was finally finished.
Isaac then carried everything on a silver plate, carefully balancing it.
Appearing on the counter once more, Isaac looked at Yae Miko who was reading a manga while sitting in front of the counter.
"Your meal, Guuji Yae." Isaac carefully placed down the silver plate in front of her.
After doing so, he then opened the bowls that were covered with a small plate, revealing the contents inside.
In one bowl, four pieces of golden brown tofu were seen. Just from its appearance can tell its crispiness and the tenderness inside.
Isaac then picked up the Dashi sauce and carefully poured it into the bowl containing the tofu.
The sauce interacted with the tofu, coating the latter with its glistening luster, yet not covering its appeal.
Yae Miko watched everything silently as her eyes slowly constricted. 'It... Actually looks enticing...'
Isaac then took out a pair of chopsticks from under the corner and placed it on the silver plate. "Do enjoy, Madam."
"Oh...? How interesting." Looking at the Agedashi tofu that Isaac made, Yae Miko's languid ears couldn't help but sway a bit. She then looked at him with a curious and amused smile. "You're really reaching for my interest in all directions. First, you summon me now you serve me a dish that smells great..."
"Tell me, who or what are you exactly?" She said with a faint smile. "I believe that if my curiosity isn't fulfilled, I don't think I can bear the cliffhanger and therefore can't enjoy my meal..."
'Lady, don't even try to guilt-trip me...' Isaac smirked. He then moved his hands and took off his apron before taking a cup not far away and filling it with coffee.
He then sat down opposite Yae Miko and drank his cup of coffee. Afterward, he looked at her with his luminescent amber eyes that seemed to reflect a sea of embers. "Truth be told... I'm no one of importance."
"No one of importance?" Yae Miko probed further as she picked up her chopsticks.
Isaac lightly nodded.
"An everyday spectator that is just a witness to a much grander story." He said with a light smile. He then tapped the counter with his index finger lightly. "Guuji Yae, you might think of me as some mysterious entity that harbors enigmatic intentions... But really, I only have one sole goal in this life."
'This life...' Yae Miko's eyes slightly constricted as she noticed Isaac's emphasis on this word. She then lifted her hand and rested her chin on it. "Then who are you, really? And what is your so-called sole goal?"
'That's...' Isaac paused for a moment as he peeked at the window that showed the outside world. He saw the rain ceasing and the rays of sunlight penetrating through the dampened world.
'That's right... I often question that myself.' Isaac sighed to himself internally. 'I am Isaac... But there's something else inside me.'
Truth be told, Isaac started being aware of his other self. His other self can't seem to stop once he starts getting thrilled. A dangerous personality, if you will.
'I know that I possessed another person's body, but I never really looked at it more. Just who was the previous body?' He started to ponder more. 'I don't think there was such a character in the game...'
'Am I Isaac, a person who enjoys the tranquility of a gentle moment, or someone who's obsessed with simulation...' Isaac's eyes began to dull before shaking his head with a smile on his face. He then sighed internally. 'No... Whatever it is, I am still me.'
Gently tapping his index finger two times on the wooden counter, Isaac scoffed lightly at himself before looking back at Yae Miko. "My goal had been quite simple and straightforward from the beginning."
"To ensure that those who visit this humble cafe would take a moment to relax and relieve their minds of worries." Isaac let out a soft sigh. "A tranquil sanctuary for their thoughts where they won't be judged of who they are, what they're going through, or what their upbringing is."
"A momentary... Serenity." Isaac smiled amusingly at his last sentence. He then closed his eyes as if clearing his mind before looking at Yae Miko once more. "Right..."
"Let me reintroduce myself." He said with a gentle bright smile. "I am Isaac Alder, the owner of Le Souffle du Silence situated in Fontaine."
"Someone who enjoys the quality of the moment and never forgets favors, likewise, never forgets remorse."
"And..."
"A traveler who is a witness to a grand story." He finished with this sentence.
'That's right. That's who I am.' Isaac relaxed his body as he leaned back in his chair. 'I am not just a soulless entity that appeared in this game world— I am a breathing human currently living in it.'
'I am me. And there's no other me. All my imperfections are part of me.'
Soon, silence descended upon the two of them as none of them spoke.
Yae Miko, who heard his speech, turned silent momentarily as she stared at him as if analyzing him.
She then opened her mouth, "My, this certainly wasn't in my expectations."
"Hm?"
'What does she mean?' Isaac saw her eyes looking at something else. He then followed where she was staring and looked at his empty cup of coffee that was resting near his groin.
'What...?'
When he saw what it was, his eyes could not help but widen. It was something he never would have thought he'd see in his life. 'No way... It can't be... Right?'
There, resting on the empty coffee cup, a faint luminescent glow was emanating from a circular orb.
The light emanating from the mysterious orb then began to shine brighter, revealing a symbol in its center— the Dendro Symbol!
"Congratulations, Sir Traveler." Seeing Isaac's perplexed face, Yae Miko saw this as an opportunity to tease him. She was still a Fox, you know? She needs to take chances. "It seems like the Gods have looked down upon you and graced you with their power..."
"From now on, you too wield a Vision." She added with a teasing tone. She then looked at the orb he had received from seemingly out of nowhere, and smiled once more.
"The elements of this world responded to your ambitions and I think that's a lovely sign."
---
A/N:
Just some frequently asked questions:
1. Have you read Lord of Mysteries? Yes. I've already completed it. However, I'm currently rereading it because I love it.
2. Have you played Bloodborne? Yes. It's been months since I finished it. I then proceeded to never open it again for months.
3. Are you caught up with the Archon Quests? Yes. I'm caught up with everything. I love Fontaine. I also love Furina.
4. Is Isaac inspired by the novel 'I Became Professor Moriarty's Probability'? Yes. If that wasn't obvious enough. Even his name is the same, but his last name is slightly altered.
5. Is this a Harem? Hard to say. I've never been a fan of harems. Well, let's just wait and see. After all, this fic is inspired by the novel mentioned above so my thoughts might change at any moment.
6. Does Isaac have his own lore? Yes. Moreover, it's not too far from the story in-game. In fact, the reason for his transmigration aligns with Genshin's lore. Although he's a self-insert, I want to make him feel like he's part of the world and not just a character there to inject ourselves in.
7. Seggs? Yes. Seggs. Seggs scene in the future. As with whom? Wait and find out.
Well, that's about it. Those titles I mentioned above are what inspired me to make this fan fic. I just basically stripped all the good parts from them and transferred them here in my own story.
That's it, then.
See ya.
週次パワーステータス
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