Furina actually isn't very picky about her food.
While she has always had a refined taste for exquisite pastries and gourmet meals, that was mostly because those things aligned with the persona she had to maintain.
For her, as long as something could satisfy her hunger, it was enough.
The news of Furina and Sushang's departure, along with the sheer spectacle of Sushang's entrance, had spread with startling speed.
After all, in a place like Orario, which was already teeming with oddities, the two of them were undeniably special—a perfect conversation starter for the gods, who were always hungry for a bit of entertainment and novelty.
Since Furina wasn't particularly fussy about dining, and since Sushang was treating, they naturally returned to the place she had just left: The Hostess of Fertility.
Returning right after walking out might have been awkward for some, but Sushang didn't mind at all.
As for how they traveled... Sushang had toyed with the idea of simply picking Furina up and carrying her back to save time, but Furina had firmly resisted.
Even if she didn't care much about maintaining the dignity of a god at the moment, she at least refused to be carted around like an inanimate object in broad daylight.
With no other choice, the two had to walk, though it was a fair distance.
It turned out to be a stroke of luck, as there was plenty to talk about.
Or rather, Furina had no shortage of burning questions that served as perfect conversation fodder—it not only satisfied her curiosity but also helped kill time on the journey.
"Sushang, may I call you that? Or is 'Miss Li' more appropriate?"
"Just call me Sushang. 'Miss Li' sounds way too formal."
It sounded like they would be spending quite a bit of time together, which meant she probably wouldn't be returning to Teyvat anytime soon.
"Miss Sushang, how do you intend to send me back to Teyvat?"
"Uh... I'm not entirely sure about that part myself. But as long as we stay together, I'm certain that when the time is right, you'll be able to head back to Teyvat."
So, the other me didn't reveal the method... Does she have to anchor my location through her connection with Sushang, and then pull me back using some technique beyond my current understanding?
"If that client entrusted you with this task, she must have complete faith in your abilities, right?"
"Of course! Don't you worry—no matter what happens, I'll keep you safe, Miss Furina!"
Furina remained skeptical about that promise to handle anything that might happen, especially since the girl before her clearly had just arrived in this world and knew precious little about it.
Wait... if she really thought about it, she was someone the other version of herself had scouted.
Since the other version was the true Focalors, she should be capable of sending someone over, and it would be unlikely that she would send someone here completely clueless.
If she chose this girl despite the circumstances, perhaps she was more reliable than she looked.
That reliability couldn't just stop at "her personality is so simple that she'd never discover our secrets."
Remembering how Sushang had descended from the sky, Furina's confidence in her strength rose a notch.
Wait a minute.
A thought suddenly struck Furina.
Perhaps her arrival here wasn't just some random accident. If this girl was sent by Focalors specifically to protect her, then is it possible that she was sent here by Focalors for a reason?
Gods, Familias, adventurers, blessings, strengthening one's power.
Furina's mind quickly connected the dots. When she really thought about it, this place was practically tailor-made for a normal person to grow stronger.
And to have someone sent to guard her almost immediately after her arrival? If Focalors had sent her here to train and improve, it all made perfect sense!
If that were the case... shouldn't she consider joining a Familia?
Furina frowned, lost in thought.
"Is something wrong, Miss Furina?"
Sushang couldn't read minds, so she naturally didn't know what Furina was pondering, but she was good at reading expressions.
Besides, Furina had been so focused on her internal monologue that her composure had slipped, and her facial expressions were hardly perfect.
"Instead of 'Miss,' just call me Furina."
The white-haired girl was shaken from her train of thought, but she wasn't annoyed. In a place where no one knew her, she felt surprisingly at ease.
Especially since she realized that Sushang didn't know about her identity as the Hydro Archon—likely because Focalors hadn't mentioned it.
And if she hadn't mentioned it, it probably wasn't a major issue, right?
Though she couldn't afford to be completely reckless on her adventure, there was no harm in letting her guard down a little, right? She was a stranger from another world, after all.
"We seem to be spending some time together, so constantly calling me 'Miss' is just plain weird," she said, matter-of-factly.
"Besides, I'm calling you Sushang now. Even though we just met, we're both newcomers to this strange world—I suppose you could say we're companions on this journey."
"Alright then! I'll just call you Furina. Hehe, that's much easier."
Sushang, naturally, had no objections.
The two chatted as they returned to The Hostess of Fertility. Mia looked surprised at Sushang's quick return, apologetically explaining that the original meal had already been served, so it would have to be remade.
Sushang understood perfectly well. She had hoped to exchange a few more words with Syr, but she learned from Mia that Syr had just headed to the warehouse to organize stock and wouldn't be back for a while.
Mia showed no intention of charging Sushang, and it seemed the meal Syr had promised remained valid in Mia's eyes.
This made Sushang feel even more embarrassed; since the person who had actually offered the treat wasn't here, she couldn't even deliver her gratitude and praise.
It was a shame, but there was nothing to be done. The person who treated her would have been happier if she had enjoyed the food, after all.
Furina was surprised that Sushang had been treated to a meal so soon after arriving, and Sushang, equally surprised, could only guess that they shared some kind of fated connection.
That has a distinct Liyue flavor to it, Furina noted to herself.
"I still want to know more about this world. How much do you know about this place, Furina?" Sushang asked suddenly at the table.
Furina: ...Is it really okay to be talking about "this world" so openly?
"Ah, don't worry. Others won't be able to hear our conversation. It's just a little... trick I picked up from my training," Sushang whispered, noticing the other girl's eyelid twitch.
She wasn't some schemer plotting treason in a public square; she knew better than that.
"They can't hear us?" Furina glanced around skeptically. It was true—not many people were looking their way, and even the ones who did seemed more struck by their appearance than suspicious.
This "otherworldly" girl certainly had plenty of mysterious tricks up her sleeve.
Furina didn't understand it, but she was deeply impressed.
Without further ado, she began to recount everything she had witnessed over the last two days in a hushed tone.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL