Eleutheromania (Various Genshin x Reader)

Three Pretty Perfumes -34-

Quick Warning: An NPC gets a bit freaky in this one.

In complete fascination, you gently ran your fingers over the delicate petals of the Glaze Lily. The softness felt nice against your fingertips, the light blue color quite pleasing to the eye. "It's a beautiful specimen, no?" The suave voice of Zhongli echoed from behind your crouched form, "I often find myself entranced by their beauty, waiting for them to bloom each season when the time comes."

You hummed, standing up with a nod of agreement. "They do have a pretty color," you confirmed. A ghost of a smile crossed his face, looking between you and the Glaze Lily. With your Anemo aesthetic, it matched you quite well. Perhaps he could buy it for you, making the flora look twice as lovely with you than it did by itself. Ah... wait, he didn't bring his mora did he...

The shop itself was a cute little area tucked away in a lower level of the harbor just by the seaside. Eventually the flower stand owner finished with his current customer before moving over to your group with a smile. As always, Paimon took charge. "Hey boss. Do you sell Silk Flowers here?"

Bolai raised an eyebrow but still kept a serene look. "Silk Flowers? We certainly do! Which kind would you like?" He questioned, gesturing towards the boxes of flowers behind him. Not expecting the question, Paimon sweat dropped. "Which kind...? The, uh... the good kind. The best kind. ...Remind Paimon what kinds there are again?"

Suddenly, Bolai's smile dropped into a look of annoyance. "Ugh," he groaned, "You ignorant shoppers, always coming in here with your stupid questions..." You and Aether gave him a side eye.

Thankfully, the all knowledgeable Zhongli intercepted. "Golden House Maiden, Valley Weaver, and Fate's Yearning. One of each to start with, if you don't mind," he requested calmly.

The shop owner's eyes widened in an impressed manner. "My goodness! This gentleman is quite the connoisseur!" He complimented before his eyes shifted over to your little group of three, "You all must be his servants. Please refrain from any further attempts to contribute."

You moved to reach for your dagger with a blank look, Aether quickly moving to place his hand over your's to guide the knife back into its holder. Buzzkill.

Bolai turned back to the funeral consultant with a grin. "Now then... Please peruse at your leisure. Do let me know if you have any further thoughts."

Zhongli stroked his chin. "Silk Flowers exhibit different properties based on how their environmental conditions differ from their ancestral habitat... Nevertheless, these are fine specimens. Excellently preserved. Just look at the abundant foliage here," he said gesturing towards the stand, "And these stamens, glamorous as a maiden of the Golden House. This strain is an evergreen, and mostly grows under complex hydrological conditions. By contrast, this variety thrives in any dark, damp location, often in large clusters. Morphologically, it is distinguished by the profusion of petals and densely packed stamens, though its powerful scent gives it away just as easily. Lastly, this strain is quite the recluse. Unlike its exuberant cousins, flowers and foliage are minimal, and when in season, it has a subtle yet enduring scent. It was first discovered by the ancients when they scaled the mountains in search of the adepti. Silk Flowers have all but disappeared from the wild today, due to geographical changes over Liyue's history. Most are now grown by horticulturalists."

The four of you blinked at the old soul. "Geez," the little pixie eventually breathed out, "and Paimon thought Y/N rattled off. Mr. Zhongli just took it to an extreme."

Bolai just clasped his hands in delight. "Wow. A true connoisseur. Most of that was news even to me!" He chuckled. Zhongli grinned. "I possess but a smattering of trivial knowledge. My traveler friends are the ones to watch — they are on track to set foot in every corner of the world."