2. Liwal Uplink (1)
The Liwal Uplink was originally planned with a small number of personnel.
The reason for requiring a large number of personnel for the Uplink in the first place was because it required a significant amount of manpower to escort the cargo.
Including top officials, people to pull the cart, escort personnel, and even the odd jobs that managed their daily lives, the scale of the operation inevitably grew larger.
But I didn’t need all that. If I put it in my backpack, it wouldn’t be too heavy, and I didn’t need to worry about the volume. And there was no need for anyone to think that I had cargo.
On the contrary, if I were to lead a large number of people in this state, it would give the impression that I was someone important and attract unnecessary trouble like treasure hunters.
That’s why even though Lumine emphasized “safety”, I had requested a maximum of three escort personnel from the Adventurers’ Guild.
To be precise, if they were junior-level adventurers, three people, and if they were senior-level, about two.
But due to the threat of the Wind Dragon, the request board at the Adventurers’ Guild was filled with jobs day by day. It wasn’t feasible to meet my requirements, and only one senior adventurer named “Pisil” ended up being assigned to me.
So suddenly, I found myself embarking on a journey with this pretty and cute but somewhat strange girl.
No, strictly speaking, it wasn’t just the two of us. There was a talking raven next to Pisil.
“Oh, my servant Oz, has the place of the prophecy of the wings of the night sky not been found yet?”
“Yes, miss. Unfortunately, it seems we still have a little way to go before we reach our camping spot.”
As always, Pisil and Oz exchanged enigmatic words.
It had already been a whole day since I had been with this strange duo. I thought I had gotten used to it a little, but there was still something that I couldn’t get used to.
Finally, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity and spoke up.
“Well, then… Oz, was it?”
The one I directed my question to was not Pisil, but the raven called “Oz.” I couldn’t possibly guess the true identity of this talking raven.
But Oz, seemingly unconcerned about that fact, simply replied in a courteous tone without any flaws.
“Yes, Lord Xiu. Please go ahead.”
Even the voice was quite pleasant. Unbelievable. Not only can crows speak, but their voices are also delightful. I felt the urge to wrap my face in my hands.
“I might be intruding, but are you a crow?”
“Yes, that’s correct. I am Miss’s loyal servant and a member of the crow family.”
“But can you speak?”
At that, Oz looked at me with a puzzled expression, then burst into a somewhat amused laughter.
“hahahahaha, Lord Xiu also has a quite innocent side. Speaking crows are not that unusual, don’t you think?”
Is that so? I awkwardly scratched my head at Oz’s nonchalant attitude.
Well, this is the continent of Tibet, so common sense here might differ from what I know.
As I was trying to accept and move on, what caught my attention was the voice of Fiesel.
“Humph, Oz is not an ordinary crow. Recognizing that, it seems he has the minimum qualifications to serve the princess.”
Fiesel, with her usual arrogant tone and nasal voice, said so.
“His true name is ‘Ozvaldo Hlafnavains.’ A wretched sinner of a fate wandering through the twilight court, and the king of the black crows. His pledge of allegiance to the princess…”
“Um, Fiesel? Sorry, but I’m not particularly interested in that part.”
“Ugh!”
Interrupting her story and my words, Fiesel bit her lip as if annoyed. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction.
One of the things I noticed spending a day with Fiesel is that, despite being a bit strange, she isn’t a bad person.
Surprisingly cautious, she was conscientiously guarding me in the direction where there might be a threat from approaching enemies.
At the moment, Fiesel was walking, blocking the path to the forest. The plain was not easy for enemies to ambush, so it was to be prepared for sudden attacks from the forest.
Come to think of it, did she mention that the forest is called the ‘Wolf’s Forest’? Wolves are adept at surprise attacks, so Fiesel’s judgment seemed excellent in various ways.
And one more thing, Peesl was able to tell from her nature that she wasn’t a bad person.
Even now, in a situation where the client is teasing her, she doesn’t threaten or harm, she just puffs up a little. I am much weaker than Peesl, after all.
Rather, her puffed-up appearance, with the cuteness that a girl her age would show, made me want to tease her even more.
What can I say, it was an irresistible instinct.
Peesl seemed to know that I had no ill intentions with my pranks, so she didn’t resist much. No, it seemed to make her even more upset.
“…Hmph, hmph. This servant is quite rude. How dare you interrupt the princess.”
Could anyone resist the thought of retaliating when seeing the girl who had just puffed up her cheeks now acting so chic and pretending to be nonchalant?
But perhaps because I had teased her too much today, Peesl was sticking out her tongue and fervently appealing that she was upset.
I could hear her muttering. “How dare you refuse the honor of hearing the princess’s story….” or something like that.
Her appearance was quite cute to watch, but since I would be with Peesl for a while longer, I decided to calm her down for today.
“Peesl, is there something you want to eat?”
“Huh?”
Peesl, who had been muttering for a long time, seemed taken aback by the sudden question and stumbled over her words. Then, as if she realized something, she quickly regained her composure.
Seeing her sudden change, it seemed like she understood that I was offering to treat her with a gesture of apology.
“Are you trying to appease the princess’s anger by offering a sacrifice? Hmph, it’s too late. You have already bought the princess’s wrath.”
“By the way, the young lady often makes toast.”
However, Peesl’s counterattack was immediately thwarted by Oz’s additional remark.
“Oz!”
Peesl yelled in frustration, but it was already too late.
It seemed that Peesl expected me to be at a loss. But unfortunately, since I had already heard Oz’s answer, I had no reason to show such a reaction.
“Do not be mistaken about it, Cha! Food is merely a means to sustain the illusion of the flesh, and there will be no occasion for the princess’s heart to be moved by such an offering!”
Peysel shouted again, seemingly angry, but neither I nor Oz paid much attention.
Yeah, she’ll realize that if we just wait.
I was confident that, like any child her age, Peysel’s heart would be eased if she ate something delicious. Despite Peysel’s mature appearance, she was still mentally immature.
So, she hasn’t outgrown the adolescent syndrome yet.
Since her mind was not much different from that of a middle school student, I believed that feeding her something she liked would significantly improve her mood. Taking Oz into consideration, I decided to maintain a friendly relationship with the client who would be with us in the future, knowing that it would be beneficial.
Unaware of the secret alliance formed between Oz and me, Peysel glared at Oz with eyes full of betrayal.
It didn’t take long for me to make an impression on Peysel with my cooking.
That night, I took out cooking utensils from Oz’s scouted campsite.
The dish I was going to prepare today was called ‘Adventurer’s Egg Bread,’ one of the new recipes I had learned from a recipe book.
The way I obtained this recipe was a bit peculiar. My famous stall in Mondstadt suddenly closed, and my reputation spread throughout Mondstadt.
It became like a legendary dish that can no longer be tasted.
Suddenly, the golden light returned to the recipe book I had, and a new recipe was added.
It seemed to be related to my reputation within Mondstadt, and I realized that there was some restriction on learning recipes.
Even among the many recipes introduced in the recipe book, only a few were added to my ‘cooking’ function. This also made me think that there might be some ‘restriction.’
Anyway, this ‘Adventurer’s Egg Bread’ reminded me of the ‘Eggs Benedict’ in the real world.
In simple terms, it was a dish where toast was baked, and on top of it, eggs and ham were placed. The tooltip also mentioned ‘adventurers love it,’ so Peysel seemed likely to enjoy it. It could be considered a kind of toast, and I thought of it that way.
I immediately spread butter on the bread and started baking it, then began making the egg. Making the egg was a bit challenging due to the degree of doneness and shape, so it usually required various auxiliary tools. However, my body was proficient enough to make eggs without the need for such tools.
Then, I grilled the ham and made mayonnaise, stacking them carefully on top of the bread. Ham on the bread, egg on top of that, and mayonnaise on top of it.
The well-beaten egg covered the bread and ham warmly. The homemade mayonnaise added a kick to the somewhat heavy dish with its exquisite blend.
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[Perfect]
[Tasty Adventurer’s Egg Bread] x3
As the savory and delicious smell filled the air, Peasle’s attention was already focused on me even before the dish was fully prepared.
Pretending otherwise, she swallowed her saliva with anticipation for the taste of the dish she would eat after walking all day.
Even the smell was this good, so it was a natural reaction.
I took out a plate, a knife, and a fork from my “backpack” and served the food.
Peasle seemed eager to eat right away, but she held back and spoke to me in her haughty tone.
“Hmph. This princess only eats to maintain her physical body, which is nothing more than a shell. I have no interest in food itself, but I will graciously accept it as a tribute to your efforts.”
While saying that, she skillfully sliced the “Adventurer’s Egg Bread” into a size that was easy to eat with a knife, without losing her pretentious demeanor.
Then, the yolk of the egg burst out with a sound.
As she put the egg bread in her mouth, with the yolk well mixed, Peasle’s eyes widened.
The flavor of the yolk, the fluffy white, and the savory bread enhanced by the ham and butter. It was enough and more to delight the taste buds on its own, but the perfectly blended homemade mayonnaise sauce added a tangy and savory taste that pleasantly stimulated the palate.
It was a strong flavor. Yet it was restrained. This contradictory expression was as true as when I described the taste of my “Adventurer’s Egg Bread” that I made. From flavor to taste, nothing was lacking in intensity, but everything harmoniously came together in the mouth without anything overpowering.
The speed at which Peasle’s fork and knife moved increased as she took her first bite. Her eyes were sparkling.
Oh my, my cooking skill was quite good, even in my own opinion. When I used to sell food at the stalls in Mondstadt, I often heard evaluations like “the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten in my life.”
At the very least, my cooking skill should be in the top tier on the Teyvat continent, right?
Of course, it was thanks to the adjustment of the “cooking” function, but in any case, it was clear that for most ordinary people, the chance to taste such a delicious dish was rare.
Moreover, for Peasle, who was used to ordinary breakfast substitutes like toast, it was obvious that this was a taste she had never experienced before.
Peasle, forgetting to keep up appearances, exclaimed in a voice filled with happiness.
“It’s delicious…!”
It’s fortunate that it tastes good. It seemed like he had even forgotten the fact that he should give me a hard time, just by looking at him.
The gazes of Oz and I discreetly met.
Nodding, both of us silently nodded and started our meal.
After all, with a little one, taming through food was the answer.
***
After finishing the meal and setting up the tent, I organized the sleeping bags.
As always, the meal was satisfying. Oz, lacking hands, almost ended up with a funny sight of pecking at the ‘Adventurer’s Egg Bread’ with his beak. However, I had already carved Oz’s portion with a knife, avoiding such mishaps.
After all, cooking is not just about preparing food but also serving it considering the eater’s mood.
Already, it was nighttime, and the campfire was crackling.
Oz was scouting the surroundings from the sky. It seemed more efficient than standing guard, judging by the circumstances.
Oz, being a magical creature, apparently didn’t need to sleep every day. But why bother with meals?
Being a creature full of mysteries, but with the precedent of Paimon, I decided to accept it.
So, in the campsite, there were only Paimon and me.
I maintained the fire with twigs, expecting the canyon area to appear soon. It was getting quite chilly, probably the wind from the canyon.
It was a peaceful night, considering it was a night outside.
“…By the way, the sinner of fate. I heard your companion is an ‘Honorary Knight’ of the Favonius Knights.”
At that moment, when only the sound of the crackling fire could be heard, Fischl asked me.
I glanced at Fischl. She seemed somewhat embarrassed, lowering her gaze. Even in the firelight, Fischl’s face was still pretty. Not as much as Lumine, but still.
By the way, why did I become a ‘servant’ to the ‘sinner of fate’? It felt a bit lower in status, but I didn’t bother pointing it out. Anyway, considering Fischl’s vocabulary was quite arbitrary, I had already learned from experience that it could change depending on her mood.
In just one day.
“Well, yeah. Speaking of Lumine, I’ve been traveling with her.”
“If, if that’s true, is it also true that an honorary knight from the Favonius Order came from another world?”
In response to my answer, Fischl asked me with her eyes sparkling instantly. She tightly clenched both hands, leaned forward, and her upper body tilted, revealing an excited face.
Come to think of it, according to her ‘setting,’ Fischl also came from another world. Was it called ‘Inazuma’? I had no idea what kind of place it was.
I responded with a smirk, laughing at her reaction.
“Yeah, it’s true. If you think about it that way, I also came from another world, so what.”
“…Lies!”
I calmly stated the truth, but Fischl refused to acknowledge it. I shot her a somewhat puzzled look.
Fischl was trembling as if she were a child who didn’t want to believe the fact that Santa Claus didn’t exist.
“No, what’s the big deal about me? Even though I might look like a person from Liyue, I’m also from another world.”
“Hmph, it’s too early to deceive the true princess. After all, if you’re from another world, the culprits should have an unimaginable past and possess the power of a mysterious force!”
I rubbed my forehead with my palm. It was quite serious, and the fact that the concept of ‘another world’ actually existed on the Teyvat continent made my head ache even more. Wasn’t it proven with Lumine? The place that could project the fantasy of ‘another world’ into reality was none other than Teyvat.
“So, can you imagine my past? And I do have the power of a mysterious force. Haven’t you seen all the things coming out of my pocket?”
“…Ugh!”
Unable to find any rebuttal to my words, Fischl closed her mouth with a frustrated expression.
There was no false statement in my words. There was no way Fischl, a young man from South Korea who grew up enjoying the benefits of civilization, could imagine my past. Moreover, the game functions I possessed ultimately came from ‘another world.’
Fischl, who had been looking for arguments against my words for a while, soon quieted down and buried her face in her knees.
She seemed lifeless. Well, considering that ‘another world’ was an object of admiration for her, it was disappointing for an ordinary person like me to come from there.
Perhaps she had some sympathy for the fact that she also came from ‘another world’ according to her ‘setting.’ If so, she might not have realized it.
At this point, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her.
A faint voice flowed out from Pisel.
“So, what kind of place is this ‘other world’…?”
Blushing, she not only buried her knees but also turned her head away from me.
Ah, it seems she was curious about what kind of place this ‘other world’ actually is.
I pondered for a moment. It wouldn’t be difficult to honestly tell her, but I knew that it would only shatter Pisel’s fantasy.
Of course, Pisel will eventually outgrow her chuunibyou phase, but there was a part of me that wanted to protect her innocent heart.
As I contemplated inwardly for a while, I finally decided to settle for a compromise with a sigh.
Considering Pisel’s usual behavior and vocabulary, there happened to be a suitable topic.
“W-well, don’t mistake it. Even the princess herself came from this other world, so I just wondered if other worlds are similar….”
“In our world, there is a giant tree called ‘Yggdrasil’ that covers the heavenly realms. We call it the ‘World Tree.'”
Pisel, who mumbled excuses to an unknown person, turned her head towards me with her ears perked up at my following words.
Her eyes widened in surprise, but at the same time, they were filled with a strange anticipation. I couldn’t help but let out a smug laugh.
I knew she would react like that.
“The one who planted that tree is a god named ‘Odin.’ He is the king of the gods who sacrificed his eye to the Well of Wisdom to gain insight into the three realms….”
Pisel nodded eagerly, sometimes looking excited, sometimes looking thrilled, and sometimes looking dreamy, as she listened to my story with both hands clenched.
Yes, Norse mythology was just right for Pisel.
As we continued our journey like that, Pisel and I were slowly but surely getting closer.
And there was a decisive moment when the distance between Pisel and me narrowed. That event occurred when we reached the end of our journey to Riwal.