Player World.
Chen Xiyao, forced to remain on Ritou, had originally intended to follow the main storyline. But then a comment flashed across her live stream:
[Host, Host! Go to the beach on the right side of Ritou now! It'll trigger a hidden plotline!]
Chen Xiyao might have missed this comment, but other viewers noticed it and began sharing it widely.
Eventually, Chen Xiyao saw the message and deviated from the main plot, heading to the beach on Ritou's right side.
Sure enough, arriving there immediately triggered a new questline.
"Holy crap! Mihoyo really knows how to hide things!" Guojia exclaimed, realizing the main storyline had completely changed. Instead of heading to the Tri-Commission, the narrative now revolved around interacting with a mysterious girl.
[Why can't I find her? I'm here, but there's no one on the beach!]
[It seems you have to be at this specific point in the story. Also, Yuna's so cute!]
[Ha ha! Over on the other stream, they're already delivering the letter, while we're still having a barbecue!]
-
As Lumine and Paimon approached, they discovered the source of the aroma: a young girl was grilling meat skewers.
She was petite, wearing a white and green dress, barefoot, and adorned with anklets.
At first glance, she seemed like a quiet and demure girl, radiating a simple charm.
Paimon, ever the first to arrive, locked her big eyes firmly on the meat skewers sizzling over the Charcoal fire, dripping with savory oil.
"Hehe, hello there! What are you doing here all alone, grilling food?"
Yuna turned her head casually, feigning indifference.
"You're a... flying pixie?"
"No! I'm not some 'flying pixie'! I'm Paimon, the legendary Paimon!"
Paimon puffed up with pride, leaving Yuna momentarily speechless. Who introduces themselves like that?
Fortunately, Lumine arrived just then.
"Hello! I'm Lumine, and this is my companion, Paimon. We smelled something delicious coming from here and came to investigate."
Yuna scrutinized Lumine and Paimon.
"Judging by your attire, you don't seem to be from Inazuma, do you?"
"We're Travelers from another nation," Lumine explained. "We only arrived in Inazuma today."
There was no need to hide anything, so Lumine told Yuna everything.
Though they had only just met, Lumine felt an instant connection with Yuna, a natural sense of warmth and kinship.
"You're from another country?!" Yuna's eyes lit up instantly, mirroring Paimon's expression when she first saw the grilled skewers.
"Mm-hmm, what's up?"
"Then you must have traveled to so many countries!" Yuna's wide, sparkling eyes gazed at Lumine, her expression practically pleading: I'm so curious! Tell me everything!
Lumine cleared her throat, casting a resentful glance at Paimon, who was drooling over the skewers. "Well, that's a long story..."
"That's okay! It's still early. Let's sit down and eat first, and you can tell me all about the other countries!"
Having come with exactly that intention, Lumine and Paimon naturally accepted.
The three settled onto the beach together.
Yuna handed the freshly grilled skewers to Paimon, who finally got her long-awaited treat and couldn't have been happier.
The grilled skewers burst with savory juices the moment they hit Lumine's mouth, the meat perfectly tender and not at all dry. The seasoning, whatever it was, had completely melded with the meat, creating an utterly satisfying bite.
"Delicious!" Paimon exclaimed, her small face glowing with delight. She had never tasted skewers this good before.
Lumine shot Paimon a disdainful glance. Is it really that amazing?
She picked up a skewer and took a bite. In an instant, she understood why Paimon looked so ecstatic.
This is unbelievably delicious! Even better than Xiangling's cooking?!
Yuna watched their expressions from the side, her heart swelling with pride.
She loved cooking, not just for the pleasure of eating her own creations, but even more for the joy of seeing the blissful expressions on her diners' faces.
"Hmph! Let me tell you, I, Yuna, am the best cook in all of Inazuma! Everyone knows it!"
Yuna's boast wasn't far from the truth. Many wealthy families in Inazuma had tried to hire her to prepare meals for them.
Even Lady Guuji Yae of the Shrine would invite her over whenever they met, though Yuna suspected the real reason was less about hospitality and more about getting her to cook delicious meals.
She was far too clever to fall for such a trick.
"Come, come! These are grilled too. Paimon, eat up! Getting a meal I made in Inazuma is quite the rare treat."
Paimon held several skewers in one hand, alternating bites from the left and right, devouring them with relish.
"Yuna, Yuna, you should eat too!"
Paimon offered the right-hand skewer to Yuna.
Yuna flipped the skewers over the fire, replying, "I've got plenty here. I prepared a lot—there's more where this came from."
Lumine, chewing, asked, "By the way, Yuna, why are you grilling here alone?"
Yuna explained, "I was originally preparing this for everyone in the Arataki Gang, but the Boss got arrested by the Commission Office today, and everyone else is away. I was going to take it to Sayu—I heard she came to Ritou—but when I couldn't find her, I didn't want the food to go to waste, so I decided to grill it here."
"Luckily, I ran into you guys. These ingredients wouldn't stay fresh until tomorrow."
Lumine remembered her promise to Yuna and, along with Paimon, began sharing stories from their travels.
Lumine's journey was full of excitement, and Yuna listened intently, her eyes sparkling with longing.
"Yuna, have you never been to other countries?"
"I've always been in Inazuma. I was just about to venture out when the Sakoku Decree suddenly closed the borders."
Yuna sighed wistfully. She had indeed longed to explore other nations, but forgetting the decree's timing had dashed her plans.
This meant she never got to meet her other identities.
It's a shame, she thought.
"Oh, Lumine, do you two drink?"
"Drink?" Lumine and Paimon exclaimed in unison, startled. Yuna looked so young—could she really be drinking?
Yuna retrieved a jar and several bowls from her Vision Space.
Lumine watched Yuna's preparations, recognizing the casual drinking style favored by sailors on their ship. I didn't expect Yuna to be so... laid-back, she mused.
Just as Lumine was wondering if this was all a bit too reckless, Yuna had already poured three bowls.
The milky-white liquid in the bowls neither looked nor smelled like wine.
"This... is alcohol?" Paimon picked up a bowl and sniffed cautiously. There was indeed a faint alcoholic aroma, but barely noticeable.
She took a sip. Sweet!
"It's Sweet Rice Wine Soup... no, without the glutinous rice balls! It's just the Sweet Rice Wine!"
Lumine also picked up a bowl and drank. The chilled Sweet Rice Wine was incredibly refreshing, especially when paired with grilled food!
And this "wine" tasted even better!
After the barbecue, the three friends lay sprawled on the beach, their stomachs full of "wine" and grilled delights. Paimon, the smallest of the group, nestled between Lumine and Yuna.
Burp!
Paimon let out a satisfied burp, her little body shaking with the force of it. Yuna and Lumine burst into laughter at the sight.
"Lumine, weren't you planning to leave Ritou? Come on, I'll take you!" Yuna offered.
"But don't we need special permits?" Lumine asked.
"Pfft, that's nothing! I'll just get my sister to pull some strings. She's super resourceful!"
Paimon, still lying down and stuffed to the brim, asked, "But what about the guards? They won't let us through!"
Yuna grinned mischievously. "No problem! Just watch me!"