Chapter 417: Friends Arriving Late
"Yes, yes, yes! A banquet is definitely happier with more friends! You must invite little Soukaku!" Paimon cheered, doing a joyful, looping flip in the air. Her tiny boots kicked enthusiastically as she pumped her fists. Even though they had only crossed paths once, the floating companion had already formed a stellar impression of the Oni girl. Anyone willing to happily share their snack stash was an instant ally in Paimon's book; the sacred bond between true foodies established itself with lightning speed.
Lumine, Stelle, and the rest of the Astral Express crew exchanged amused glances, nodding their agreement. They welcomed the idea not just out of a shared sense of gratitude, but out of genuine respect for the social network Wise and Belle had cultivated in their own world.
A comfortable, grounded confidence settled over the group. Now that the Hollow Evacuation Operation had transitioned into a permanent fixture, the multiversal power of the Chat Group could anchor itself here long-term. Wise and Belle's safety net was now forged from indestructible steel.
"Thank you, everyone!" Wise and Belle smiled in unison.
Back at the port, their main bodies immediately pulled out their devices and began firing off messages to their allies.
Nicole Demara naturally accepted without a second of hesitation—the Cunning Hares' leader would never pass up a completely free, high-quality meal. Von Lycaon also responded promptly, accepting the formal invitation on behalf of Victoria Housekeeping with his usual immaculate courtesy.
Caesar King, however, sent a quick voice note warning that the Sons of Calydon might be running slightly behind schedule. The moment Burnice heard the word 'banquet', the energetic anomaly had sprinted off to mix a massive batch of her highly volatile Special Fuel Drink, completely ignoring Caesar's attempts to slow her down.
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of Hollow Special Operations Section 6, Tsukishiro Yanagi stared blankly at her glowing personal terminal.
The screen was agonizingly empty, save for a few sparse lines of a preliminary action report draft: Bringer transformed into a Sacrificial Ghost. Large-scale Void anomaly occurred. Primary crisis resolved.
Yanagi let out a long, exhausted breath and scratched at her pink hair, ruining her usually neat style. A detailed action report? How was she supposed to write that? Was she supposed to officially document that they encountered the primordial entity of the Eulogy Society? Should she type out that Bringer fused with a monstrous aberration to become a near-perfect Sacrificial Ghost?
More, how could she possibly explain Wise and Belle's bizarre friends? People who manifested glowing weapons out of thin air, used elements without Ether gear, and swung a world-shattering flaming sword that seemed to incinerate the very air? Not to mention the man who casually summoned a black hole to devour all surrounding energy.
"...Forget it," Yanagi muttered to the empty room. She reached out and decisively closed the document. The cursor vanished. As for the report... that was a problem for tomorrow's Yanagi.
She needed to let her overworked brain decompress for as long as physically possible. Perhaps, if she was lucky, she could casually extract some 'reasonable' inspiration to pad out her report by listening to the idle chatter of those mysterious friends at the banquet.
Mind made up, Yanagi picked up her communicator and dialed Hoshimi Miyabi, Soukaku, and Harumasa, the latter having just wrapped up his preliminary post-combat physical examination.
Back inside the sprawling warehouse base, preparations were hitting a fever pitch.
While the Z-Treasures provided by the Chat Group's system could have easily automated the entire setup process with sterile efficiency, Stelle had immediately vetoed the idea. The Trailblazer had jumped onto a crate, brandishing her baseball bat like a conductor's baton. "A venue only feels like a real party if you set it up yourself! The joy of celebration must be built with your own two hands!"
The chaotic proposal received immediate, enthusiastic backing from the majority of the room.
Thus, Venti and Hu Tao proudly appointed themselves as the official Atmosphere Group. Venti perched himself on a high stack of crates, lazily tuning his wooden lyre. He plucked out a few light, melodious chords, occasionally humming extemporaneous, breezy verses that drifted pleasantly through the drafty space.
Hu Tao, using her usual brand of cheerful necromantic flair, somehow produced dozens of uniquely shaped paper lanterns and long streams of crimson silk. The lanterns emitted a soft, warm, ghostly glow as she bounded around the room, enthusiastically draping them over exposed steel pillars and dark corners.
Zhongli stood nearby with his arms crossed, sipping from a teacup he had materialized moments prior. He offered the occasional calm pointer, ensuring Hu Tao's decorations maintained their elegant Liyue character without clashing too violently with the industrial aesthetic of the warehouse.
Over at the makeshift beverage station, Welt and Himeko were organizing the drinks. Welt carefully selected an array of low-alcohol beverages, fresh juices, and specialty teas sourced from both the group's dimensional warehouse and the Astral Express's private reserves. Beside him, Himeko hummed a quiet tune as she unpacked her premium coffee beans and a high-end portable brewing machine. Welt eyed the coffee setup with a subtle, nervous twitch of his brow.
In the center of the room, Dan Heng and Stelle were wrangling the furniture. Dan Heng moved with quiet, fluid efficiency, piecing together scattered wooden tables into a massive, long banquet setup, while arranging several smaller round tables for more intimate conversations.
Stelle, meanwhile, was in charge of what she proudly called 'violent adjustment.' This primarily consisted of her dragging heavy chairs across the concrete floor and shoving tables an inch to the left whenever the feng shui didn't feel quite right. She occasionally knocked over a chair Dan Heng had just perfectly aligned, earning a long, long sigh from the archivist. However, under March 7th's bubbly supervision and constant photographic documentation, the trio managed to create a layout that felt casually inviting rather than chaotic.
As for the actual catering, the kitchen was left entirely to the true professionals.
Lumine naturally took the helm. Tying a crisp white apron around her waist, she began skillfully prepping a massive feast featuring delicacies from all six nations of Teyvat. Knives flashed, pans sizzled, and the rich scent of spices quickly overpowered the smell of old concrete.
Belle rolled up her sleeves and eagerly jumped in to assist. Having practiced her culinary skills extensively back on Sixth Street, she was eager to expand her repertoire. She shadowed Lumine closely, watching the Teyvat-style cooking techniques and complex plating arts with wide, fascinated eyes, firing off rapid questions about heat control and ingredient substitutions.
Paimon, naturally, appointed herself as the supreme supervisor and head taster. She buzzed frantically between the different work zones. One minute she was hovering by the bard. "Make it more cheerful, tone-deaf bard! This is eating music, not sleeping music!"
The next second, she was critiquing the funeral director. "Move that red lantern a bit higher! No, the other left!"
Finally, she would attempt to stealthily dive-bomb the cooking station to dip her finger into a freshly simmered sauce, only to receive a swift, practiced tap on the forehead from the handle of Lumine's wooden spoon.
The cold, empty warehouse was rapidly transforming. Bathed in warm light, filled with music, and thick with the mouth-watering aroma of roasting meats and sweet pastries, the space finally felt alive.
Not long after, the heavy sound of footsteps approached the exterior of the inconspicuous old warehouse at Epis Port.
The Cunning Hares arrived first, closely followed by the operatives of Section 6. Victoria Housekeeping and the roaring engines of the Sons of Calydon pulled up right on schedule. Shortly after, the familiar silhouettes of Zhu Yuan and Qingyi appeared at the edge of the intersection, their badges catching the dim streetlights.
Nicole planted her hands on her hips, her emerald eyes scanning the dusty, peeling exterior walls of the tiny, dilapidated building. She raised a skeptical eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing on her lips.
"Rope Master, you're pulling our legs, right? This is your grand 'base'?" She leaned forward, eyeing a rusted pipe. "It looks... a bit too 'simple,' doesn't it? Considering you guys pull high-tech oddities and magical artifacts out of thin air, this architectural art style is a massive downgrade."
Yanagi frowned, crossing her arms as she looked at Wise and Belle. Her silent stare spoke volumes: Didn't you assure me this place was 'handled'and had'plenty of space'?
Lycaon stepped forward, his tail swishing once in a polite, measured arc. He bowed slightly to the siblings. "Lord Rope Master, if this facility requires thorough sanitation, structural repairs, or complete space-planning services, Victoria Housekeeping would be more than delighted to assist you. The current state of the premises is indeed... lacking in hospitality."
The wolf's tone was perfectly respectful, but the underlying message was crystal clear—this dump was no place to host a victory banquet.
Facing the collective wall of doubt and mild concern from their allies, Wise and Belle exchanged a wry, knowing glance. They quickly raised their hands in a placating gesture.
"Everyone, hold on, you're misunderstanding! It's not what it looks like!" Wise called out, his voice carrying a mix of apology and mysterious amusement. "The situation here is a bit complicated. This base is... special. We'll explain the exact details once we're all inside. It'll be much easier to digest over food."
Belle stepped up, her smile bright and infectious. "Yep! Don't judge a book by its peeling paint. Here, everyone take one of these first."
With a swift mental command, Belle sent a 'Temporary Visitor' team invitation to every single guest through the Chat Group's interface, granting them localized spatial permission.
The next second—save for Miyabi, whose fox ears twitched as she instantly sensed the subtle shift in the surrounding Ether—the entire crowd gasped. Out of thin air, palm-sized, heavy metal plates materialized, floating gently in front of each guest's chest.
The design of the plates was elegant yet ancient. The front bore their respective names and faction insignias, while the back was etched with a string of flowing, shimmering runes. A small line of standardized text at the bottom read: Temporary Visitor Permission.
"What in the world is this...?" Miyabi murmured. She reached out and grasped the floating plate. The metal was cool against her skin, yet it pulsed with a strange, welcoming warmth that connected with her very soul.
"It's an identity plate," Wise explained, gesturing toward the rusted, dented warehouse door. "Only by holding that token can you perceive and enter the 'true' version of our base. Think of it like... needing a specific encrypted authorization to bypass a high-level Hollow barrier."
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