❝𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐄❞

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧

chapter thirty-four: “mate.”

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     “TSUNOTARO IS ACTING WEIRD AGAIN.”

THE FLOATING CHILD uttered, staring at the unpleasant look on (Name)'s face. She was glaring at Zhongli as he repaired the broken Guizhong Ballista. Lumine was questioning why the tension between the Queen and the consultant was either tense or loving. There's also somehow a sense of guilt on Zhongli's part...

     "It is done. The Guizhong Ballista is more intricately designed than I thought," the brunette told the females before backing up.

     "WOO!" Paimon cheered. "Now, how do we turn it on?" She questioned.

     "It's easy enough. We simply need to do this..." Zhongli said while guiding Lumine. "Look, it even has a scope."

     Both Paimon and Lumine started to use the scope as Zhongli and (Name) were glaring in the background, "... Over here we have nothing... And over there we have nothing," the child said while searching for “Cocogoat”. "And here..."

     "HEY! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" A treasure hoarder appeared as the Guizhong Ballista's scope went to stare at them. All of them went into a fighting stance, "So you've fixed the turret... Because you're planning what exactly?"

     "How rude," (Name) scoffed before summoning a catalyst.

     "Indeed it is rude. Do learn this turret goes by the title Guizhong Ballista. Also, kindly state your name before you ask a question. It's just good manners," Zhongli said with a firm tone.

     "Hah! Are you blind or something? You're looking at the leader of the Treasure Hoarders, you old hags!" The treasure hoarder exclaimed and earned an annoyed twitch from both (Name) and Zhongli. "This area's supposed to be chock-full of hidden treasures, but you can't get anywhere near them with this thing keeping in the watch. It might look like any mechanical device, but trust me, it got a mind on its own!"

It's said they have been entering this mountain and attacking some of them, leading them to destroy the ballista. It explains why it was broken in the first place since they destroyed it. Now that they've returned to gather some materials and to their dismay, the said group managed to fix it with ease...

     "The only thing you'll be repairing next is your faces!" The leader exclaimed as many treasure hoarders appeared. "That is if you get out of here alive."

     A thorny spiky almost hit them that's coming from the Queen's catalyst, "Enough nonsense. You children deserve it for stealing what isn't yours," she remarked. "I'll make sure you won't even manage to repair that sharp tongue of yours." Lumine and Paimon were panicking as green flames erupted from the catalyst.