Paimon floated in midair with her hands on her hips, a look of disdain on her face.
"Oh, you talked such a big game, but it turns out you're just a married-in son-in-law."
Ye Xuan wasn't bothered in the slightest. He replied leisurely, "What's wrong with being a married-in son-in-law? I achieved financial freedom as soon as I got here. Unlike a certain someone who was once fished out of the water. Aren't you embarrassed?"
Paimon bristled instantly, kicking her little feet wildly in the air.
"Don't call me a white floating spirit! I'm going to give you a super nasty nickname!"
Ye Xuan turned his head. "Ronava, if she dares to swear, take care of her on the spot."
"Yes, master," Ronava answered, her face expressionless.
Paimon's bluster immediately shrank by half, but she still refused to back down. After struggling for a long while, she finally burst out indignantly, "You stinking married-in son-in-law!"
Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow. "You thought for that long, and that's all you could come up with?"
Paimon blinked. "I just insulted you. Why aren't you angry at all?"
"What adult gets angry with a child?"
"But you just said you'd have her attack me!"
"Someone truly lacking in manners doesn't count as an innocent child. If no one's going to discipline them, they can reincarnate and get a different set of parents to do it."
Paimon realized she was no match for him in an argument. She turned around, presenting her back to everyone as she muttered under her breath.
Just then, an icy voice came from the doorway.
"Amber, why are you here? Who are they?"
Everyone turned to look. Eula stood at the restaurant entrance, her blue hair swaying slightly with her movement as she surveyed the room. She walked slowly over to Amber's side.
Ye Xuan glanced at her. Now those were a fine pair of legs.
"What are you looking at? Lawrence isn't on my list of families I'd consider marrying into."
Eula frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Just the truth. A fallen noble family, always clinging to the past. In Mondstadt, the Lawrence family has long since lost its standing. If I were really looking, Gunnhildr and Pegg have deep pockets and come with less trouble."
Paimon, who had been sulking, spun around. "Wait! Don't tell me you've already investigated every rich family in Teyvat?"
"No, I just know a little." Ye Xuan spread his hands. "I simply think every beautiful girl deserves a good match-someone like me, for instance."
In that instant, the same thought sprang into Lumine's, Amber's, and Eula's minds: Scumbag.
Eula snorted. "By your reckoning, Jean and Barbara are better than me? I'll remember this. Amber, stay away from people like him from now on."
"I was only talking about family backgrounds, not the individuals."
Ye Xuan touched his face. "Wait, am I not good-looking?"
His looks had always stood out. In his previous life, he had attracted attention wherever he went at school.
It was precisely because of this face that his brothers had grown jealous and ostracized him at every turn.
If their descendants inherited this face, it would presumably be quite interesting.
Unfortunately, it seemed he wouldn't get to see it.
Eula's expression was cold. "A pretty face and nothing more. Gold and jade on the outside, rotten cotton within."
"Still got a sharp tongue, I see. Ronava, teach her a lesson."
"Both of you, please calm down."
Jean hurried into the restaurant, with Kaeya following behind her, looking somewhat guilty. Clearly, he was the one who had gone to fetch reinforcements.
"Eula is just straightforward. She means no harm, so please forgive her," Jean said softly. "The Knights of Favonius will pay for today's meal. I've made the arrangements for the shop. Would you two like to go take a look?"
"No need." Ye Xuan waved a hand. "Manage the shop as usual and let me know when everything's ready. While you're at it, find a group of people familiar with Mondstadt's funeral arrangements and have them on standby. I'll just come collect the money afterward."
He paused, his tone turning cold. "Taxes will be collected as usual, and wages paid at the normal rate. But if anyone dares pocket a single Mora-"
"Then Mondstadt can prepare to be pronounced dead."
Eula slammed a hand on the table. "Such arrogance!"
"Eula!" Jean immediately spoke up to stop her.
Eula turned to Jean. "He just said he wanted to marry into the Gunnhildr family. Are you really involved with him?"
Jean fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
"Jean, why aren't you saying anything?"
Ye Xuan answered for her. "She's wondering whether what I said was true, calculating how much Mondstadt could gain from it."
"Now it seems you really don't measure up to her, Eula. It looks like Acting Grand Master Jean is already prepared to sacrifice herself for Mondstadt."
Eula frowned. "Jean, who exactly are they?"
"Simple." Ye Xuan leaned back in his chair. "A Descender unbound by this world, plus a Ruler. Varka took a large number of the Knights of Favonius' elites with him on his expedition, leaving Mondstadt's defenses empty."
"And we're enough to fill that gap, even make Mondstadt leap to become the strongest nation in all of Teyvat."
Lumine looked up sharply. "A Descender? Don't tell me you're also..."
"That's right. The Fifth Descender, Ye Xuan. Greetings to my senior, the Fourth Descender."
Lumine stared at him. "So you really are from beyond this world, just like me."
"Not quite." Ye Xuan shook his head. "You're trapped here, while I can come and go as I please. You carry a heavy mission and stumble along the way; I only need to do as I please and play my way through the world."
"Getting beaten black and blue everywhere you go-that's your fate, Lumine."
It sounded hopeless, didn't it?
But that was the reality Lumine had to face.
As the mute bride and innocent prison girl, she was basically wanted by the authorities once in every nation she visited.
Anyone who wanted that kind of life could have it.
It was precisely because of this that Lumine and Paimon had forged such a deep bond.
And that was why junior sister Va got beaten so badly.
Poor Ronava.
At that thought, Ye Xuan glanced at Ronava.
Ronava shivered.
She sensed deep malice-could it be Asmoday, secretly watching her?
For the first time in hundreds of years, she sensed that woman's presence.
As expected of the Archon of the Void, she was as good at hiding as ever.
Eula also sensed something was amiss. "You're the Descender... then who's the Ruler?"
Ye Xuan extended a hand in a welcoming gesture. "Come, introduce yourself, my little maid."
Rอนava stepped forward, the hem of her skirt shifting slightly. Her voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly throughout the restaurant:
"My name is Ronava. I was once Celestia's Ruler of Death-you may also call me 'Ronova.'"
The restaurant fell silent for three seconds.
The chicken butt in Paimon's hand fell onto the table.
Eula's expression froze on her face.
Only Jean took a deep breath and slowly bowed. "I am Jean Gunnhildr, acting grand master of Mondstadt. On behalf of Mondstadt, I welcome you both."
Ye Xuan leaned back in his chair, watching the scene with a smile.
Mm, that worked well.
"Eula Lawrence, you're my number two maid in Mondstadt now. Surely no one would dare object, would they?"