Facing Makoto's question, Lisa slowed her steps.
"Makoto, Alice asked me to deliver a message to you."
"Her exact words were: 'On the day of the Windblume Festival, I want Makoto to see fireworks even more spectacular than Inazuma's Fireworks Festival! Just you wait!'"
As her words fell, Makoto finally understood that Lisa's outing this time was to deliver a message on behalf of Alice.
Since both of them were Witches, it wasn't strange for Lisa to help Alice.
Makoto didn't speak; he was carefully recalling the details of the Inazuma Fireworks Festival.
He remembered that on the night the fireworks display was perfectly completed, Alice looked at the fireworks' effect against the night sky, shook her head, and wasn't satisfied.
She murmured to herself that the fireworks still needed further improvement.
The day after the Inazuma Fireworks Festival ended, Alice returned to Mondstadt alone.
It turned out that from that moment, Alice already had a plan in her mind: she wanted to release the improved fireworks high into the sky on the day of the Windblume Festival.
To ensure Makoto didn't miss the fireworks, Alice specifically entrusted Lisa to deliver the reminder.
Makoto could imagine Alice's determined and stubborn expression while she was researching the fireworks.
She was clearly a Witch who had lived for hundreds of years, yet her personality was like a willful little girl.
Because the fireworks effect wasn't perfect, she stubbornly insisted on improving it to perfection.
Perhaps Klee's love for exploding fish, even if it meant being confined to the Forbidden Room, was inherited from Alice's stubborn genes?
Recalling his thoughts, Makoto nodded: "I understand. I will pay close attention to the sky on the night of the Windblume Festival."
He paused, then asked a question: "But… isn't Alice currently locked in the Forbidden Room? Can she participate in this Windblume Festival?"
Makoto had originally thought Alice would regret missing this year's Windblume Festival.
But hearing Lisa say this now, it seemed there was a turn of events.
Lisa responded with a light laugh: "The Forbidden Room? That kind of place can only hold ordinary people. How could it possibly hold Alice?"
"Please don't underestimate a Witch. No Witch should be underestimated."
Makoto thought about it and felt it was true.
Given Alice's destructive power, she could even turn Stormterror's Lair into Stormterror's Lair. How could a small Forbidden Room possibly hold her?
"In that case, why has Alice been staying in the Forbidden Room all this time?"
Facing this question, Lisa pondered for a moment: "Perhaps it's because the Forbidden Room is quite sturdy. Alice has turned the Forbidden Room into a laboratory."
"People often hear explosions coming from the Forbidden Room; that's actually Alice testing bombs."
At this moment, the two had already arrived at the entrance of the Knights of Favonius, and Lisa did not continue the topic.
"Alright, I've delivered Alice's message. Now I need to go to the library… Little Cutie, do you want to come up and sit for a bit?"
Facing Lisa's invitation, Makoto considered for a moment.
He still had to guide Eula in swordsmanship later, and the timing clashed.
"I'd better not. I still have work to do later."
Hearing Makoto's words, Lisa smiled, her eyes fixed on Makoto; "Work is endless. Why not chat with your big sister instead?"
"Is it chatting or helping you with your shift?" Makoto retorted.
He wouldn't fall for Lisa's trick.
Lisa smiled, said nothing, and turned to walk up the steps of the Knights of Favonius.
The crisp sound of high heels echoed in the wind.
"Lisa…"
At this moment, Makoto's voice rang out again.
Lisa stopped, turned, and looked at Makoto behind her: "What is it?"
"Don't use element power anymore."
Makoto noticed that when Lisa was playing with the children, she deliberately released electric arcs from her fingertips to make them happy.
If it were Yae Miko or other Electro element characters doing this, Makoto wouldn't say anything.
But if it was Lisa doing it, Makoto couldn't stand idly by.
Because according to Lisa's information, releasing element power would consume her life force.
That's why Makoto specifically reminded Lisa not to use element power before they parted ways.
Facing Makoto's sudden words, Lisa was stunned, clearly a bit surprised.
Was Makoto's reminder a coincidence or intentional?
The once-in-two-hundred-years genius from Sumeru was now a bit confused.
After a long while, Lisa softly said: "Understood."
She continued to walk slowly up the steps in her high heels, the crisp sound echoing all around.
She looked no different from usual, elegant and dignified, composed and graceful.
Only this time, her footsteps were slightly more hurried.
After entering the library, Lisa's first action, as usual, was to brew tea.
Watching the red tea leaves slowly unfurl, Lisa smiled: "Makoto… is an interesting person."
...
Meanwhile, back with Makoto,
After watching Lisa enter the Knights of Favonius, he returned to the inn himself.
His original plan was to guide Eula in swordsmanship, but Little One first wanted Makoto to help guide her with the Bone Whistle.
After a night of practice, Eula had already mastered the basic techniques.
The little girl picked up the Bone Whistle and successfully mimicked a dog's bark.
Taroumaru heard the sound of its kind and immediately raised his head, vigilantly looking around.
This bark is so strange; it has at least twenty grammatical errors, but why does it sound so offensive?
Who is cursing?
Come out and fight me!
What kind of skill is hiding?
Faced with Taroumaru's confusion, Little Eula would always smile, her eyes curving, looking like she had successfully pulled a prank.
Every time Taroumaru turned to look at Eula, she would discreetly put away the Bone Whistle.
When Taroumaru's gaze shifted away, she would take out the Bone Whistle again and mimic a dog's bark.
Repeating this several times completely baffled Taroumaru.
He felt the presence of a companion, and it was close by,
But why couldn't he find it?
This was truly maddening for a dog.
Makoto stood quietly by, watching. Eula's progress speed was beyond his expectation.
In terms of the Bone Whistle, this little girl indeed possessed extremely high Talents.
After this, Eula looked at Makoto and humbly asked: "Brother Makoto, how should I improve my technique next?"
Makoto offered advice: "You can apply powdered ice mist flower to the Bone Whistle; that will make the sound clearer."
"ice mist flower? Okay, I'll go find that thing right now!"
Hearing Makoto's guidance, Eula immediately prepared to leave without a second thought.
Seeing this, Makoto quickly pulled Little Eula back: "Little girl, ice mist flower is quite rare. Do you know where to find it?"
As his words fell, Eula thought for a moment, then shook her head.
She only knew that ice mist flower could improve the Bone Whistle's sound but hadn't thought much beyond that.
In fact, Eula didn't even know where ice mist flower grew, let alone what it looked like.
Makoto sighed, as if he had anticipated this situation.
Little Eula acts on whatever she thinks of, without fully considering things.
"ice mist flower is blue all over and grows in extremely cold regions, especially in Dragonspine."
Makoto patiently explained information about the ice mist flower to Eula.
He paused, and continued; "Eula, even if you find ice mist flower, harvesting it will be difficult."
"ice mist flower is different from ordinary flowers and plants; harvesting is relatively complex, and a slight mistake can cause frostbite."
Hearing Makoto's explanation, Eula finally understood that harvesting ice mist flower was very complicated.
"Brother Makoto, what should I do then?"
She still wanted to use ice mist flower to improve her Bone Whistle technique. Now, it seemed her plan might fall through?
"Simple, just buy it from a merchant."
"Although ice mist flower is precious, at least there are merchants who sell it."
As he spoke, Makoto handed the pouch containing Mora to Eula.
"Consider this Mora a loan from me. You can pay me back when you have money later."
Eula glanced at the full money pouch, hesitated for a moment, then shook her head vigorously.
"Brother Makoto, it's not about whether you lend me money or not. Those merchants won't sell ice mist flower to me…"
"Even if I have Mora, they won't be willing to sell to me because I am a descendant of the Lawrence Family…"
Little Eula looked downcast, her chubby face filled with frustration.
Because of the Lawrence Family, she would face prejudice and exclusion wherever she went in Mondstadt City.
"Foolish!"
Seeing this, Makoto reached out and ruffled Eula's hair.
"Why hang yourself on one crooked tree?"
"If Mondstadt merchants won't do business with you, does that mean merchants from other nations won't either?"
"I have a good friend named Liben; he would definitely be happy to sell ice mist flower to you."
"Let's go, I'll take you to meet him."
"Oh, oh, okay."
Eula nodded repeatedly, obediently following behind Makoto.
As she walked, Eula pondered Makoto's recent words.
Yes, the entire continent of Teyvat doesn't just have Mondstadt merchants; there are merchants from other nations too.
They wouldn't have prejudice against Eula because of Lawrence; they might not even know what Lawrence is.
Makoto's casual words suddenly cleared Eula's mind.
If there's no place for me in Mondstadt City, then should I go live in another city?
Eula silently considered this question in her heart.
...
Sorry, sorry, I'm late.
First, happy birthday to Ningguang!
Both Ningguang and the current Tianquan Star, Ningguang, are characters the author deeply loves.
Ningguang's side story is already in preparation, but it won't be released now; it should be after the Mondstadt storyline concludes.
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I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right nobut who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/TripleCrown
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"