Chapter 026: Tales from Another World

Shao Yun's hand instinctively reached for his revolver. Without even needing to activate his Dead Eye skill, he pulled back the hammer in an instant, pointing the gun directly at Lisa's forehead.

Lisa was startled by Shao Yun's sudden movement. In her eyes, she hadn't even blinked before Shao Yun had drawn his weapon on her.

If Shao Yun had truly been an enemy and fired, she wouldn't have had time to dodge or even react. She would've been dead before she knew it.

Despite the shock, Lisa's composure remained intact. Her heart raced, but she kept her calm demeanor. After all, she wasn't an enemy. Her earlier ambiguous words had simply triggered a defensive reaction in him.

Lisa pouted slightly, her alluring eyes narrowing with a hint of reproach. She gently ran her fingers along the barrel of Shao Yun's revolver.

"You're no fun. Pointing a weapon at a lady isn't very gentlemanly, you know."

Shao Yun's heart skipped a beat as he realized what he'd done. He had drawn his gun completely on reflex.

Realizing how inappropriate his actions were, he quickly lowered the hammer and holstered the revolver, apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry, Lisa. I was just a bit on edge."

He touched his lips, trying to come up with an excuse. After all, he couldn't let this slip-up derail the plot.

"Also, I'm not sure what you're talking about. What's this about Angel's Share? I've never heard of it."

His excuse was weak and unconvincing. If he didn't know about Angel's Share, why had he drawn his gun?

Lisa rolled her eyes, a rare display of exasperation. She couldn't believe how flimsy his lie was.

But she still had questions. Her curiosity needed to be satisfied.

Lisa pushed Shao Yun back into his seat, placing her hands on his shoulders and leaning in close to his ear.

"There's no need to hide anything. We're on the same side. This morning, Master Diluc from the Dawn Winery sneaked into Acting Grand Master Jean's office. It was about the stolen Skyward Harp, wasn't it?"

Feeling the tension in Shao Yun's body, Lisa continued calmly.

"Relax. I'm just curious. What could the former Cavalry Captain have to discuss with our Acting Grand Master?"

Lisa's eyes sparkled mischievously as she began to spin a wild theory.

"Could it be that Master Diluc is planning to ask Jean out on a date? After all, the Gunnhildr and Ragnvindr families are quite well-matched. And with their talents and looks, they'd make a perfect couple."

To avoid causing any issues, Shao Yun decided to play along with Lisa's fabricated romance.

"You're absolutely right. I even heard that Master Diluc plans to take Jean to Cape Oath to confess his feelings."

(TL/N: what the heck cape oath?)

From what Shao Yun knew, Jean was a romantic at heart. It wasn't far-fetched to think she might have feelings for someone like Diluc, who was both her senior and a prominent figure in Mondstadt.

Lisa was stunned. She had only been joking, but now Shao Yun had spun an entire love story. If this got out, Jean would definitely cancel their afternoon tea sessions out of sheer embarrassment!

"I already told you, there's no need to be nervous. I understand now."

Lisa quickly steered the conversation back, hoping to get Shao Yun to spill the truth.

"If you already understand, why are you still asking me?"

Lisa was at a loss for words. Shao Yun was like a tough nut to crack. She wasn't an enemy, so why was he being so secretive?

"How boring…"

Lisa pouted and lightly tapped Shao Yun's cheek, pretending to be upset.

"You ate my food, yet you won't tell me anything. How stingy."

Shao Yun was taken aback. Did she really think a simple afternoon tea was enough to trade for secrets? Was her cake made of gold, or her tea brewed with gold leaves?

"I thought this was your way of repaying me for the potion."

Lisa frowned, looking slightly offended. Did she really come across as that stingy?

"What? Your potion was so valuable. How could I repay you with something so trivial?"

Hearing this, Shao Yun's interest was piqued. Was she really going to give him a new outfit?

"So, Miss Lisa, what are you planning to give me?"

Shao Yun looked at her expectantly. The only decent thing he had was his Gunslinger outfit. While it had great stats, wearing the same thing every day was getting monotonous.

Lisa smiled confidently, her hands still on his shoulders. "Let's not rush things. There's something else I want to discuss."

Shao Yun had no idea what Lisa was up to, but he wasn't about to let her off the hook. He had traded a high-grade potion for this gift, and he wasn't leaving empty-handed.

"Alright, what else do you want to talk about?"

Lisa took a deep breath and leaned closer to Shao Yun's ear, her voice clear and firm. "You're not from this world, are you?"

(TL/N: gosh.. i feel so cringe at this moment)

Instead of the tension or panic Lisa expected, Shao Yun burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! My goodness, Miss Lisa, I had no idea your imagination was so vivid."

Watching Shao Yun laugh, Lisa frowned and pulled out the potion from yesterday, waving it in front of him.

"The ingredients in this potion don't exist in Teyvat. That's how I know you're not from here. So just admit it."

Shao Yun's expression remained calm, like a still lake without a ripple. A confident smile played on his lips, as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

"My ancestors were from Fontaine. I spent some time in Liyue as a child, and after that, I've been wandering around."

He pointed to the potion in Lisa's hand. "As for the potion, an old man gave it to me as payment for helping him find something. His name was William. He claimed to be a botanist. Maybe he knows more than you do about herbs you've never heard of."

Shao Yun quickly added, "I'm not saying you're not skilled or questioning your expertise. But knowledge is endless. Isn't it possible that this potion is made from something native to Teyvat that you just haven't discovered yet?"

Throughout the entire exchange, Shao Yun's face remained calm and composed. For a moment, Lisa almost believed him.

Regardless of whether Shao Yun's story was true, it was logically sound. Even if Lisa was a once-in-two-centuries genius from the Sumeru Akademiya, what about five hundred years ago? A thousand? Two thousand?

After hearing Shao Yun's explanation, Lisa's expression turned complex. Her soft smile tightened into a straight line as she complained.

"You're really good at playing dumb. I didn't sense even a hint of emotion from you."

"Because I'm telling the truth."

Seeing that words weren't getting her anywhere, Lisa decided to bring out the evidence.

She tilted her head back, scanning the neatly arranged bookshelves for the book she had returned just yesterday.

As she searched, she explained to Shao Yun, "My dear friend, Alice, has been to another world. To us witches, other worlds aren't some taboo topic. They're fascinating, like how people in Mondstadt who love wine wonder why people in Liyue love tea."

Her fingers glided over the spines of the books, her brow furrowed as she tried to recall where she had placed the book.

"Let me think… where is it?"

Suddenly, her fingers stopped on the spine of a beautifully bound book. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she carefully pulled it from the shelf.

"Found it!"

Lisa happily carried the "evidence" over to Shao Yun.

"Here, take a look at this."

The book was exquisite, with gold embossing on the cover and intricate patterns on the spine. The edges were finely gilded, protecting the book from wear while adding a touch of elegance.

"Tales from Another World?"

Shao Yun read the title on the cover. Wasn't this just a three-star fodder item? But it looked so beautifully crafted!

He flipped through the pages. The story was about an ordinary person who died and found themselves in another world, a place filled with danger where steel monsters devoured thousands of people.

In this world, people could snap their fingers to make rooms warm in winter and cool in summer, or light up the night as if it were day.

...

"The story's interesting, but it's just fiction. It doesn't prove anything."

Using a novel as evidence to prove he was from another world was a bit of a stretch.

Lisa, however, seemed prepared for this response. She pointed to the book in his hands.

"This is based on Alice's personal experiences. She just tweaked the story, changing the protagonist to a third-person perspective."

Even though Lisa's argument made sense, as long as Shao Yun kept denying it, there was no way to prove he was from another world.

"That Alice lady must be incredibly talented to imagine all of this. She must be a great writer."

Even this didn't crack Shao Yun. His composure was unshakable.

"You're really a master at playing dumb," Lisa sighed, giving up on her questioning.

"Fine. You're not a threat, so I won't waste my energy trying to figure you out."

Lisa had mostly pieced things together, but since Shao Yun refused to admit anything, she decided to let it go.

Shao Yun looked down at the beautifully bound book. Honestly, it would make a great read for Paimon.

"Can I have this book?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Lisa snatched the book back and returned it to the shelf.

"No. Library books are for borrowing, not keeping. You'll have to return it."

Shao Yun shrugged. It was worth a shot. If he couldn't get the fancy edition, he could always buy a regular one.

He stood up. It was really time to go.

"Alright then. Thanks for the afternoon tea. I really should be going now. I need to cook for Lumine."

Cooking for Lumine was just an excuse. Shao Yun was still dodging Lisa's questions, avoiding any mention of the meeting at Angel's Share.

"Wait, I haven't given you your gift yet," Lisa called out, stopping him in his tracks.

Shao Yun's eyes lit up with anticipation. "What's the gift?"

Lisa walked over to her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a carefully prepared pendant.

"Here. This is a talisman I used during my student days. I always wore it when brewing potions, and it never failed me. I think you'll find it useful."

It was a simple pendant, but when Shao Yun held it, he saw its properties.

[Lisa's Alchemy Talisman: Doubles the yield of harvested plants.]

[Special Effect: Allows the user to discover plants unique to other worlds, usable for crafting potions.]

The effects were impressive. It would save him a lot of time when gathering materials. Plus, the special effect was a game-changer.

Shao Yun had been worried about running out of potions, but now he could craft as many as he needed!

"Thank you. This gift is truly precious." He carefully stored the talisman in his bag.

Lisa was surprised by how much Shao Yun seemed to appreciate the gift. While it had sentimental value, its practical use was limited. But for someone like Shao Yun, it was perfect.

"I thought you might find it a bit underwhelming. Since you think it's valuable, make sure to take good care of it."

If Shao Yun could hear Lisa's thoughts, he'd be confused. Even if the talisman had no practical use, he'd still treasure it as a unique keepsake. How could he possibly dislike it?

With the gift safely stored, Shao Yun took a step back, bowing slightly with a graceful wave.

"I'll take good care of it. Well then, until we meet again."