This Is... My Sister

The trail had not gone cold yet.

Rita thought again of the man and woman she had seen at the merchant guild earlier.

No matter what, she should first try to gather some information from those two.

Come to think of it, Rita believed one thing Yelan had said—people who could leisurely pay for groceries even in the middle of a crisis probably were not spies or infiltrators.

At most, they might be locals who knew a few things...?

They did not seem like bad people, either.

"They left?"

After learning the whereabouts of those two from Kiana, Yelan stretched lazily. The smile on Rita's face did not change.

Well, it was Kiana, after all.

Rita had built up some resistance to it by now.

"That works out nicely." Rita rested her chin on her hand and pondered for a moment before turning to Yelan. "Ms. Yelan, could you recommend a suitable gift?"

"Ah... it's already on the news."

On the bus, the radio was broadcasting news about the Honkai incident at the Liyue Merchant Guild in the Sky Dome Zone.

"The commotion was pretty huge, after all." Guinaifen still looked shaken. "It feels like you're really good at attracting trouble, Boss Liu."

"It had nothing to do with me, okay?"

Liu Bai rolled his eyes.

It was just that the World Serpent faction storyline happened to be there, wasn't it?

If he had started out as a regular World Serpent member, Raven might have already dragged him onto the battlefield as a low-level combatant.

So World Serpent's quest line was probably about capturing Valkyries?

It felt like there was some kind of flirtatious, lewd vibe in the group, but when he thought about how the current Serpent's Master was still Cold Mei... well, that was a little terrifying.

"Forget it. Let's head to the next stop—the library."

"...You're still wandering around everywhere, Boss Liu?" Guinaifen stared at him blankly.

"Uh... I really have to go there."

The Sumeru Library sold skill books and crafting recipes.

Likewise, Mondstadt's Bar sold all sorts of buff foods.

At Inazuma's shrines, you could pay to pray, with a chance of getting buffs or items.

The Fontaine Opera House, meanwhile, was a dating spot. Taking romanceable characters to see the appropriate shows came with huge affection bonuses.

Of course, characters like Yelan could generally only be found at headquarters. Seeing her at a branch here was probably just for the sake of the plot.

...Though calling it a plot in the real world was pretty strange.

"So we didn't actually have to go to the merchant guild?"

Guinaifen had discovered the key point.

This Is... My Sister

"What a reassuringly ordinary face..."

Liu Bai glanced at the utterly unremarkable administrator behind the counter and finally let out a sigh of relief.

If something happened again, he would really start doubting his luck.

"Come with me."

Liu Bai took Guinaifen to apply for a library card at the counter, successfully unlocking faction reputation with the library.

"Let's go, Little Gui. We'll just take a look around. The books on the first floor can be bought, while the books on the second floor can only be borrowed. Though there aren't any particularly good books to borrow here."

The higher-grade the book, the more faction reputation it required.

"Found it. Basic Physical Training."

Liu Bai picked up an A4-sized magazine from the magazine section.

Basic Physical Training Book (Book/Magazine): Gain Physical Fitness levels according to reading progress. Upon fully reading it, Physical Fitness can be raised to a maximum of level 3. Studying this book slightly increases other attributes.

It was from the Attribute Book mod.

It added basic skill books to the library, so he would not have to slowly raise his attributes through practice alone.

Beside Physical Training, Liu Bai also found Basic Agility Training and Basic Strength Training.

Each volume was fewer than a hundred pages.

Intermediate-level training books and above could only be obtained from headquarters.

"Whoa, Boss Liu, why are you buying such expensive magazines?"

Guinaifen, who was also browsing magazines, turned and jumped in surprise when she saw the magazines Liu Bai put into his bag.

"You get what you pay for. Is there anything you like?"

"This one, this one."

Detailed Explanation of Liyue Opera Singing, Issue 21 (Book/Magazine): Upon fully reading it, gain a small amount of Singing skill experience.

It was a very ordinary skill book—though from Guinaifen's and any normal person's perspective, it was simply an ordinary opera magazine.

"This one, then..."

Just as Liu Bai finished checking its attributes, someone beside him took a copy as well.

Then Liu Bai felt that person's gaze fall on him.

"Um... sir, are you a fan of traditional music?"

That feeling of trouble sticking to him again...

"No, I'm not." Liu Bai put the magazine into his bag and shook his head.

He had only just gotten something to turn his fortunes around. He should not get dragged into some weird random event again... right?

The instant Liu Bai clearly saw the person beside him, he froze.

A young woman with waist-length red hair, dressed in casual white clothes, stood beside him. Her features and figure were flawless.

Was this person... Eden?

Behind Eden, Guinaifen also looked utterly at a loss, and... somewhat ashamed of herself.

"Not? Then you must be a listener." The young woman who seemed to be Eden did not look disappointed at Liu Bai's answer. "Sorry for speaking to you so suddenly."

The woman gave Liu Bai a slight bow in apology.

"...Are you a celebrity?" Liu Bai could not help asking the woman before him.

"Huh? Me?" The woman who seemed to be Eden was briefly stunned by Liu Bai's question, but then she showed a flawless, polite smile. "I certainly will be someday."

Eden Affection: 1517

So she really was Eden? A younger version from before she became famous? Her starting affection was 15—that was not bad.

"By the way, sir, are you a celebrity?" Eden seemed to have warmed up to the conversation and looked Liu Bai over curiously.

"No. I probably never will be."

Liu Bai answered in Eden's phrasing.

"That's truly a pity." Though Eden said that, her face still held an easy smile.

"Miss, you don't seem to be from the Sky Dome Zone?"

"Obviously." Eden brushed back her long hair. "I just failed another job application and am traveling to gain experience."

"An entertainment company? If I were your manager, I'd tie you down with an outrageously expensive contract."

Liu Bai's compliment brought a faint smile to Eden's face.

"It's because I can't accept those kinds of contracts that I'm unemployed and still haven't found work, sir."

Eden Affection: 1720

"However, this failed application had nothing to do with a contract."

"Oh?"

"You know that the Liyue Merchant Guild has a performing arts company under its name, right?"

"A performing arts company? Oh, you mean an opera troupe? The Yun-Han Opera Troupe?"

"I can't really tell the difference between the two."

Eden nodded as she replied. Clearly, the company Eden had failed to join was the Yun-Han Opera Troupe.

"This time, the head of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe criticized me for 'not understanding traditional music at all.'" Eden played with the unopened magazine in her hands.

"Opera singing and regular singing really are quite different—you agree, right, Little Gui?"

"Ah... uh... y-yeah, yeah, yeah!" Guinaifen nodded awkwardly.

I'm just a beginner too! Boss Liu, don't make things difficult for me!

"This young lady understands traditional music?"

"I... I'm only a beginner too." Faced with Eden, whose looks completely outclassed hers, Guinaifen was extremely reserved.

"I see... Ah, we've talked so much without introducing ourselves. My name is Eden."

"Liu Bai. This is my friend, Guinaifen."

"Boyfriend and girlfriend?" It seemed that even Eden had a bit of a gossiping streak when it came to trivial matters.

"No, just friends."

"I see... Then is the lady behind you your girlfriend?"

Eden pointed behind Liu Bai.

"Hm?"

Liu Bai turned around. A woman with short gray-black hair, dressed in a black leather jacket, stood motionless behind him, staring at him with a cold expression. She looked exactly like some underworld big sister.

Seeing that Liu Bai had noticed her, the underworld big sister—Raven—walked forward with a cold face and patted Liu Bai on the shoulder.

You brat, not bad.

I've been fighting for my life, terrified that someone might lure you away, and here you are flirting with girls?

And the girl you're flirting with is such... high-quality material.

I don't remember Highlord giving you mating rights!

When she saw Eden's appearance, Raven rarely felt a kind of inferiority that said, People like me should stay properly hidden in the shadows.

"I'm his relative. I'm responsible for looking after him in the Sky Dome Zone."

After repeatedly confirming that Eden was not a dangerous person on the list, Raven's face remained cold, but her tone toward Eden was fairly normal.

"...?"

Mr. Liu Bai... had not actually been kidnapped, had he?

Eden looked at Liu Bai and the woman claiming to be his relative in utter confusion.

To be honest, aside from their somewhat similar hair colors, she could not see any resemblance at all—she was very sensitive to people's appearances.

"Um... th-this is my sister, uh..."

"Natasha. Just call me Natasha."

"..."

Hey, hey, even your naming styles were completely different, weren't they?

A flawless, polite smile appeared on Eden's face.