Herta watched the scene unfold with a small smile. This lively atmosphere was a refreshing change, especially rare in the logistics department, where managing supplies and heavy loads left little room for such moments.
And this guest from Mondstadt… Herta couldn't help but feel he had the strange charisma of a leader among children.
Even if his combat style was undeniably wild.
Herta smiled on the surface but was secretly sweating inside.
As the captain of Mondstadt's Sixth Squad, his instincts told him that having such extreme emotional polarities coexist within one person might not bode well.
Faced with Paimon's questioning, Gu Sanqiu adjusted a pair of nonexistent glasses.
"I'm merely stating a fact. Think about it: you're currently earning money through the Knights of Favonius, and Klee is a titled Knight. Calling her your 'sponsor mom' isn't entirely out of line."
"Hey! That's totally out of line!"
Paimon stomped her foot. "Who goes around calling a little kid their mom?!"
Klee looked up earnestly. "But Klee likes moms a lot! In the future, I want to be reliable like Mommy too, bringing joy to the Knights and everyone in Mondstadt!"
Paimon's eyes sparkled, and she covered her mouth with both hands, overcome with emotion.
S-So cute!
"Gold… Gold…"
Paimon slapped her cheeks hard with her palms.
No, no! I won't let that annoying guy drag me into his weird logic!
As the group continued their verbal sparring, Aether finished his task and wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel slung over his shoulder.
"Good work, Traveler. Here's your reward."
Herta smiled as she retrieved a small pouch of Mora from a nearby storage locker and handed it to the golden-haired youth.
"This is Mondstadt, the city of freedom. As long as you're willing to work hard, you'll never go hungry here. If you've got the energy, I could even introduce you to some other opportunities."
Gu Sanqiu noticed a glint of drool at the corner of Herta's mouth.
…
Good grief.
The foreigner with golden hair—fit physique, pure gaze, warm smile—had an irresistible allure.
No wonder he caught the eye of single women like Herta, who spent her days managing supplies and dealing with rugged, muscle-bound men.
By this logic, the 'job' Herta mentioned probably wasn't entirely legitimate. Most likely, someone was willing to pay handsomely just to have a meal with Aether, charmed by his looks and presence.
Gu Sanqiu stroked his chin thoughtfully. Trying to lure an old-young hybrid like this into such dealings was technically a crime. Then again, the golden-haired youth certainly had the charm to back it up.
But here's the thing: if someone actually tried to coerce him into such arrangements, wouldn't the high-ranking officials currently playing chess be furious?
One day, sometime in the future, the mysterious woman (or man) who invited Aether to dinner was struck by multiple elemental surges. After extensive investigations, the case was ultimately closed as a suicide.
With a smile on his face, Gu Sanqiu placed a firm hand on Aether's shoulder.
"Sorry to disappoint, but this guy is with me for the foreseeable future."
!!!
Herta and the golden-haired youth were stunned. Even Paimon looked at Gu Sanqiu with a "you're actually this kind of person" expression.
Gu Sanqiu glanced at Paimon indifferently. "What's with those looks? Do you have something else planned?"
I-I sense hostility!
Paimon swallowed hard. "Uh, planned? Not really… I'm just curious about what you want with us."
Noticing Herta's still-confused expression, Gu Sanqiu suddenly decided to tease her further.
"Oh, nothing much."
Gu Sanqiu threw an arm around Aether's shoulder, leaning in so close their faces almost touched.
"I just want to play some games with this guy—sweaty, exhausting, and fun games."
As he finished speaking, Gu Sanqiu shifted back but made sure to blow gently on the golden-haired youth's neck.
"Right~?"
!!!
Herta looked utterly horrified, then glanced at Klee, who was tilting her head with a finger pressed to her lips, visibly puzzled.
Is it really reliable to leave Klee in Mr. Gu Sanqiu's care?
The squad captain began to consider reporting today's events to the acting Grand Master.
Wait a second.
This scene seemed… oddly entertaining?
Hehehe…
As Herta's thoughts drifted into wild scenarios, drool started to pool at the corner of her mouth again.
Paimon was equally horrified, though her train of thought differed. She couldn't shake the feeling that Gu Sanqiu's behavior resembled a predator sniffing its prey before devouring it.
A monster's going to eat my companion!
The golden-haired youth, however, remained oblivious to the implications of Gu Sanqiu's words. Instead, he looked at him with innocent confusion, silently asking a question through his eyes.
Aether: What do you need from me?
Gu Sanqiu: …
Damn it. How could the target of his teasing fail to understand anything? The sheer frustration weighed heavily on the incense-wielding man.
"Nothing much. I just needed to discuss something with you guys. That's all."
Herta covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a somewhat inappropriate grin.
Something to discuss?
The specifics remained unclear, but it was undeniably intriguing. Heh heh heh.
Sensing Herta's mental shifts, Gu Sanqiu sighed.
The ones who should be overthinking weren't, and the ones who shouldn't were already mentally scripting a two-hour-long drama.
What a shame.
Wait.
Gu Sanqiu thought of a solution. Isn't the golden-haired youth essentially a Liyue version of Chongyun?
If Chongyun could be influenced by him and Xingqiu—two walking pollutants—why not Aether?
As the saying goes: Extreme ailments require extreme cures! (scratch that).
When this guy eventually visits Liyue, maybe Xingqiu can give him a crash course in the "basics."
No hands-on practice, of course—Young Master Xingqiu is all talk anyway. Besides, dragging Aether to such places would likely result in them both being thrown under Guyun Stone Forest to reflect on their actions.
Once Aether could understand his jokes properly, that'd make teasing him so much more fun.
Or perhaps corrupting innocent people was the fun part all along.
Gu Sanqiu threw an arm around Aether's shoulder and dragged him along. The golden-haired youth, unaccustomed to this level of physicality, attempted to resist but was utterly powerless against Gu Sanqiu's monstrous strength.
Tsk. What a poor, drained kid. Once, he was a man who could take on such powerful opponents in the heavens.
Trailing behind the two were a pair of chattering little companions. Seeing Klee's radiant smile, Paimon could only pout and begrudgingly accept the tiny backpack-wearing girl who kept calling her a little kid.
A gentle breeze swept through.
Barbatos stood in midair alongside a shrunken-down Dvalin. Watching the quartet head out of the city, Venti couldn't help but smile.
"Your expression looks like that of a proud father seeing his introverted child make friends," Dvalin remarked dryly. "Don't forget, that Gu Sanqiu kid is someone he values highly. Are you planning to steal a 'son' from Morax?"
"Oh, don't be silly. Gu Sanqiu is my dear nephew," Barbatos chuckled. "Companionship always brings excitement and joy, don't you think?"
---
T/N: why is herta me LMAOOO
...
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