After settling into their rooms, everyone set out towards Wangshu Inn. On the way, Kitayuu’s group met up with Keqing, Fischl, Aether and another boy who placed 3rd in the class, Xiao.
Ayaka; “Hey guys”
Keqing turned her head and waved before walking towards them.
Fischl; “Well well! Isn’t it Raiden! How is this team working out for you?”
Raiden clenched his fists
Fischl proceeded to come closer, “Someone’s a bit grumpy today!” She giggled.
Raiden; “Leave me alone, you’re damn annoying”
Fischl felt insulted and taken back by his response, “Excuse me! You don’t talk like that in my grand presence!”
Keqing put an arm in front of her when she tried coming closer, “Just stop…”
Raiden gave both of them a dirty look before walking off, “I’m not interested in speaking with any of you, I’ll meet you at the inn”
Kitayuu; “So what have you guys been doing today?”
Keqing replied, “Oh nothing much, we only arrived in the afternoon and decided to take it easy by doing food deliveries, cleaning all that simple stuff.”
Ayaka; “Huh, complete opposite for us, Raiden made us get up early and take out a Hilichurl camp as soon as we got here.”
Keqing; “Explains why you guys look a bit battered up”
Xiao came forward, “Well I’m surprised about that since Raiden was with you guys” he said with a raspy and cold voice.
Bennet; “And what makes you think he helped?”
Xiao; “As expected he’s useless. How disgusting, he should just perish.”
Kitayuu and Ayaka stayed quiet whilst Fischl chuckled a bit.
Keqing; “Damn”
Xiao; “To put it in short, I don’t care about him.”
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As everyone chatted away about their day, Kitayuu noticed Aether staying a little further from the crowd. From the looks of it he was quite reserved. However, what caught Kitayuu’s attention was the strange energy coming from him, it wasn’t normal. Kitayuu began thinking to himself, ‘I wonder if anyone else has noticed… I can’t put it together but this strange energy feels familiar… nevermind, I’m probably going crazy’
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Everyone eventually arrived at the inn on top of a tall tree.
Kitayuu; “Wow the view is amazing here”
Ayaka nodded, “sure is!”
Everyone looked around until they spotted Zhongli and Raiden, sitting at a large round table.
Everyone greeted Zhongli as they approached and sat down next to each other.
Zhongli; “Be free to order whatever you like”
Bennet’s ears twitched
“Anything???”
Zhongli smirked, “Yes… anything…”
20 minutes later the whole table was filled with so much delicious food and dirty plates, “Bennet’s face and hands were filthy with gravy as he furiously ate the food with no sign of slowing down.
Kitayuu; “Tsk, you’re such a greedy pig you know that?”
Bennet; “Shut up, you have no idea how much I’ve been craving food from this place.”
Everyone except Raiden and Xiao chuckled at his response. Raiden didn’t eat much and was sitting quietly, he decided to take out the scroll that he got after he fought the Abyss mage and opened it. Raiden leaned closer to inspect the contents on scroll. Zhongli raised an eyebrow after noticing and in the blink of an eye, Zhongli was now standing behind him with the scroll in his hand.
Raiden; “Where did it-“
He turned around to find Zhongli reading the contents and muttered under his breath, “Could it be?”
Suddenly everyone noticed and began questioning.
Fischl; “Woah what is that?”
Zhongli; “I better get going… sorry for leaving you guys, but it’s urgent.”
Keqing eyed him before he left before speaking out, “Is it that?”
Zhongli nodded and walked down the steps from the restaurant.
Raiden also stood up after Zhongli left, “I’m gonna go as well… do whatever you want. I couldn't care less. I’ve got my own business to sort out.”
Everyone sat there quietly, unsure of what to think of the current situation. After a few more minutes the food was finished and the final bill was given out, “ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND MORA!?” They all screamed at once.
Bennet; “DAMMIT WHAT IF RAIDEN AND ZHONGLI JUST LEFT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANNA PAY THE EXPENSES!?”
Keqing shook her head, “That’s not the case for Zhongli and I believe it’s the same even for Raiden.”
She sighed and put 50 000 mora on the table.
Bennet; “Woah! You’re rich!”
Keqing; “I’ve covered half the expenses with all I have on me now, I’m sure if the rest of you all combined the mora we got from the commissions it should be enough.”
Everyone agreed and pulled out their mora which managed to cover the bill.
Fischl; “Euuggghhh, now I have to work for it all of that again!”
Xiao; “Quit complaining”
Fischl rolled her eyes, “hmph! You should be thanking me, you should’ve seen how much Oz and I helped with the deliveries!”
The electro bird suddenly came out of thin air, “Was I called?”
Xiao turned around and headed down; “I’m tired, I’ll see you guys back in the city.”
Bennet; “Keqing you’re such a life saver!”
Keqing got up from her seat and got ready to leave, “No thanks needed, I’ll also get going. Have fun you all.”
Kitayuu; “I think we should all get back as well. I’m exhausted from waking up so early and clearing out that camp.”
Bennet yawned, “Dammit and Raiden will probably get us up early again”
Ayaka responded, “Don’t make me think about it” she sighed and stood up from the table. Everyone soon followed.
After getting ready to go down the steps Aether finally spoke, “Well good luck guys”
Everyone looked at him surprised
“What?” He said in response
Fischl; “HE CAN TAAAALLLKKKK!!!”
Aether felt embarrassed seeing all the eyes on him and started walking ahead.
Fischl; “Anyways let me catch up to Keqing, I’d hate to get lost here” she then ran off into the distance and slowed down, joining Aether who was walking towards Keqing and Xiao further up ahead.
As soon as Kitayuu got back he dived into the bed in his room without even taking his socks off and fell asleep immediately on the spot. Bennet did the same and unlike the other two Ayaka decided to take a shower first.
Despite being back early, Raiden was still awake in his bed thinking to himself;
‘That Abyss Mage and the scroll… no, the map… what could they be hiding?’
