"Interesting," Albedo remarked. "Then you must need more than just those things, right?"
"Yes." He nodded. "But the rest has nothing to do with any of you. Those are things I need to prepare myself."
"Clothes? Shoes? Hairpins?" Albedo casually named three items.
"Add little things like a comb to the list." Tang Wang made no attempt to deny it.
"How interesting. You don't seem like someone who lacks those things." As he spoke, his gaze swept over Tang Wang's companions.
"But since they're gifts for my family, I'd still like to buy a new set."
"...I'll go with you to pick that flower." Then Albedo suddenly made a remark that seemed to come out of nowhere.
"All right. We'll leave before dawn tomorrow." He nodded.
"What are you two being so cryptic about?" Eula asked in confusion.
"It's nothing." Albedo shook his head. "We're just having a serious discussion about how to save Mondstadt."
"Save it with a flower?" Diluc frowned. "Could this be the effect of your alchemy?"
"If you think relationships between people can be brought closer by certain reactants and catalysts, and that problems can be resolved as those relationships grow closer... yes, think of it as alchemy."
After Albedo finished his long, convoluted sentence, the large crowd went their separate ways and left the Cathedral of Favonius.
"Who exactly is he?" As Tang Wang and his companions headed toward the Goth Grand Hotel, Ronava was the first to speak. "Why does he look so familiar?"
In her memory, she should have known of this person's existence. Yet that part of her memory was like a coffin sunk beneath the water: she could see it from afar, but could not open it.
"His name is Albedo. He's a very capable alchemist," Tang Wang explained. "You should have some impression of that name."
"Because he's the child of Gold Rhinedottir, one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah."
"...Seriously?" Danika, who had heard the name "Rhinedottir" before, cried out in surprise.
"Why would I lie to you about that?" Tang Wang shrugged. "Albedo himself isn't particularly secretive about it, but most people just aren't close enough to him for him to tell them."
"But Albedo is actually a very nice person," Linaya added. "His paintings are beautiful, too."
"So, Mr. Tang Wang, all those things you wanted, from the flower to the desserts, are to welcome the Third Seat?" Danika seemed to have understood something.
"Tang Wang, is this so-called Third Seat really worth all that attention from you?" Ronava also asked quietly, sounding a little displeased.
"Of course." His answer addressed both questions at once. "She's worth doing this for."
"Worth it?" Ronava, whose tone had been a little sour, was startled by his choice of words. "I don't understand..."
Although she didn't know much about humans, she didn't think that word would be used to describe a relationship between friends, either.
"It's all right. You'll understand once we get to Nod-Krai."
What Tang Wang meant was simple: he knew the story of Genshin Impact, so naturally he was well aware that Columbina would one day become the "Moon Goddess."
That being the case, measured in terms of sheer strength, he had to establish a good relationship with Columbina and max out her favorability.
To that end, he had approached Diluc and exchanged a small bargaining chip for a great deal of information from within the Fatui. Then, with extraordinary persistence and his status as an S-rank adventurer of the Adventurers' Guild, he had finally made contact with Damselette.
He had even sparred with the Captain once... It had been a painful experience, but he had gained a great deal from it.
"Ah, everyone, I'm actually a very heartless person." He shrugged as if joking. "To me, there are only two kinds of people worth befriending."
"One kind is people I admire, and the other is people who are valuable to me... Don't worry, all of you belong to the first kind."
"Then the Third Seat belongs to the second?" Danika understood everything at once.
Tang Wang shrugged noncommittally.
"It seems your strengths go beyond your power and morals." Danika's tone suddenly betrayed lingering apprehension. "I'm glad we aren't enemies."
"All right, let's leave that aside for now... What are we eating tonight?"
"And Lili, could you help me look after Ronava tomorrow?"
Before long, it was early the next morning. At the gates of Mondstadt City, the blond youth had already made all his preparations.
Not long before, he had fished up a white flying object named Paimon. After a brief examination, Albedo had lost interest in this being he could not analyze. He had placed Paimon with the Knights of Favonius to ensure her safety.
Fate had gone off course in every respect, and so "Paimon," originally the most important companion on the journey, had lost the important place that should have been hers.
"I didn't expect you to be here so early." Looking at Albedo, Tang Wang smiled helplessly. "By the way, Albedo, have you seen a blond traveler anywhere in Mondstadt lately?"
"No." Albedo shook his head. "Why? Are you looking for a relative?"
"No, just asking."
"Then let's hurry to Starsnatch Cliff." As he spoke, Albedo put away his drawing board. "Have you developed any new uses for the Shadow Domain Authority you have?"
"No." Tang Wang shook his head. "Storing things and Shrinking the Ground to an Inch, the same two as always."
"It's a creation of some kind of pure technology. I'm at a loss when it comes to it, too." As they talked, the two had already flashed past Windrise and the Temple of the Wolf of the North.
"Still, if you get a chance to go to Snezhnaya, the researchers there might have some ideas about it..."
"Wait, have we gone the wrong way?" Looking at the Temple of the Thousand Winds before them, Tang Wang couldn't help furrowing his brow.
"No." Just then, a voice utterly familiar to him finally rang out from within the vast complex filled with crumbling walls and ruins. "It was the breeze that symbolizes hope that guided you here."
Before them, a youth in a green hat, green clothes, and white stockings played the lyre in his hands and smiled at them.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Venti, a bard..."
"Drop the act, Barbatos." Tang Wang mercilessly cut off his introduction. "I know who you are."
"Huh?" Now it was Venti's turn to be surprised. "Really? Then can you tell me... what my favorite thing is?"
"Apple cider."
"What about the thing I hate most?"
"I don't know what you hate, but I know you're allergic to cat hair."
After those two brief exchanges, Venti was already sweating buckets in the literal sense.
"My, my, Mr. Tang Wang, you're far better informed than I imagined."
"You're not far behind yourself." Tang Wang returned the greeting with a cupped-fist salute.
"Let's get straight to it. What do you want with me?"