Massively Raising Favorability, a Satisfying Return

Yae Miko listened to Wang Lei's words and took back the Gnosis, half-believing and half-doubting as she carefully checked it for damage.

But she soon stopped doubting Wang Lei, because Raiden Ei had truly come online.

Raiden Shogun's expression suddenly changed from cold and impassive to animated. With a hint of anticipation, she said, "Wang Lei, I haven't come out in centuries. If your food fails to satisfy me, you will be punished. Also, your Space Power was likely granted by the Gnosis. While I can easily cut through space to travel, I cannot freely open space as you can."

The moment Yae Miko saw that Raiden Ei had truly emerged from the Plane of Euthymia, she pounced on her and hooked her arm around Ei's. "Ahhh, Ei, you little traitor! I tried entering the Plane of Euthymia to see you, but you refused to let me in every single time. Now that you have a new retainer, not only did you let him in, you even came out for him! Boohoo, I'm jealous."

Raiden Ei wore a helpless expression. She knew that if she did not placate Yae Miko now, Miko would definitely make things difficult for her later. Besides, she had indeed neglected her friend for centuries. So she explained patiently, "Wang Lei is not my retainer. I truly did not grant him those powers. However, he proved his piety to me. According to the old rules of worship, if a god hears a worshipper's request and it is reasonable, it should be accepted. He wished to show me the offerings passed down through his family, and I had no reason to refuse. Upholding the rules is also the practice of The Eternal Way."

Unfortunately, Yae Miko was not so easily placated. She said Raiden Ei had to be kidding. If she had not granted him that power, how could Wang Lei, an ordinary God's Eye holder, possess the ability to manipulate space? Even among gods, such an ability was exceedingly rare.

Moreover, she had examined Wang Lei just now, and he had not awakened any godly bloodline. He was still human. The Gnosis existed solely to serve gods. She had held onto it for so long without gaining the slightest benefit from it. Therefore, the only possibility was that Wang Lei had become Raiden Ei's new retainer.

To be honest, Yae Miko's reasoning was so well-founded that Raiden Ei herself almost believed it. Had she truly granted Wang Lei the ability to slice through space by accident? And had it been bestowed through his God's Eye, causing Wang Lei's power to change according to her own state?

However, Wang Lei had no intention of answering those questions. Seeing Raiden Ei and Yae Miko begin their best-friend squabble, he informed them before having Kujou Sara take him to the kitchen.

Kujou Sara looked at Wang Lei with a face full of envy. She truly believed that Wang Lei had become Lady Raiden Shogun's new retainer. Otherwise, how could a person undergo such a tremendous change in just one or two seconds?

As a result, Kujou Sara now spoke to Wang Lei with honorifics, making him rather awkward. He said there was no need to be so respectful. Whether they were friends or not, they were at least acquaintances. Since Kujou Sara had been willing to defend him before the Shogun, he was determined to make her his friend.

Kujou Sara became embarrassed at those words instead. She had defended Wang Lei purely out of her sense of justice. Of course, having a favorable impression of him was one of the reasons too. Still, she had not expected him to be this grateful.

But after talking things through, Wang Lei and Kujou Sara officially became friends. Well, ordinary friends—purely platonic friendship.

After bringing Wang Lei to the kitchen, he found that it lacked enough ingredients. So, he sent the original kitchen staff out to gather supplies while he cooked and chatted with Kujou Sara.

Wang Lei might lack confidence when it came to other matters, but regarding the culinary skills he had honed with the system's help over the past eight years, he dared to compare himself directly with Xiangling from Liyue's Wanmin Restaurant and Yanxiao from Wangsheng Inn.

Wang Lei had long since mastered the dishes from Genshin Impact and Star Rail, even creating new variations of them. After all, aside from gaming, he had spent most of his years researching cooking. In the myriad worlds, there might be a shortage of anything, but there would never be a shortage of foodies.

Thus, for the banquet dedicated to Raiden Ei, Wang Lei decided to make Kaiseki Cuisine better suited to Inazuman tastes. Naturally, he would replace the original ingredients with locally available Inazuman foods. Still, Tricolor Dumplings and Fukumen Udon absolutely could not be left out.

At the same time, Wang Lei repeatedly emphasized the importance of the serving order to the attendants. He made a little extra for every course, letting Kujou Sara "test for poison" while having the attendants rehearse the serving process. Whenever they made a mistake, he corrected them immediately.

Fortunately, these attendants were professionals, and Inazuma itself had been designed with Japan as its model. So they learned quickly.

Throughout the meal, there were no issues whatsoever on Raiden Ei and Yae Miko's side.

Raiden Ei even stated that what she liked was the Zen-like spirit of Kaiseki Cuisine, definitely not the Tricolor Dumplings within it.

Likewise, after eating the Fukumen Udon, Yae Miko immediately demanded a second bowl, claiming one bowl was nowhere near enough. She wanted all the following dishes replaced with Fukumen Udon.

However, Wang Lei decisively refused Yae Miko's unreasonable demand. It would disrupt the carefully arranged Zen atmosphere. He merely had someone relay a message to her: if she wanted to eat it, he could find another opportunity to let her have as much as she wanted. For now, she would follow his rhythm.

The sheer force behind Wang Lei's words made even Kujou Sara, who had not stopped eating beside him, feel pressured. It was as though a king were declaring that his territory was inviolable.

This made Kujou Sara quietly resolve that she must never oppose Wang Lei in matters concerning cooking. In the kitchen, he was like she was in a military camp—his word was absolute.

Besides, Kujou Sara was completely indebted to him for the food. Wang Lei claimed he was having her test for poison, but she was not foolish. He was simply finding a reasonable excuse to circumvent the household rules and let her taste food offered to a god. He was doing her a favor.

Furthermore, even Kujou Sara, who was not particularly greedy for food, felt that eating such cuisine only once would be far too regrettable. She decided that she would definitely find an excuse to have Wang Lei cook for her again someday.

In any case, after that meal, Raiden Ei and Yae Miko completely acknowledged Wang Lei's culinary skill.

Raiden Ei even changed her tune, telling Wang Lei that he could frequently offer dishes within the Plane of Euthymia. She also gave him a token bearing a strange magatama pattern and the character for lightning in its center. According to Kujou Sara, that token represented the will of the Raiden Shogun. With it, Wang Lei could enter virtually anywhere in Inazuma.

Wang Lei thought that Raiden Ei really did believe he was incomparably devoted to her. Otherwise, how could she dare give him such a token?

Yae Miko, meanwhile, immediately demanded that Wang Lei stay at the Grand Narukami Shrine for a while. It was obvious that she wanted him to be her personal cook.

However, Wang Lei directly asked Raiden Ei for permission to return to Liyue once. Too many things had happened today. He needed to go home, settle everything properly, and then return.

Raiden Ei felt that this was only natural, so she ignored Yae Miko's objections and agreed immediately.

That night, Wang Lei naturally took Yae Miko to the kitchen and properly fed the Scum Fox until she was full. The next day, after bidding Kujou Sara farewell, he opened a rift and returned to the Statue of The Seven on Kannazuka where he had first arrived, choosing to return to the Super God Universe.