Rewards in Pages

Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance, suspicion flickering in their eyes as they studied the boy behind the counter.

"Just an ordinary comic shop keeper?" Lumine murmured, her voice tinged with doubt that mirrored Paimon's furrowed brow.

Harlan Flint leaned forward, gesturing to the shelves with a casual sweep of his hand. "We've got two comics right now: One Piece: East Sea Saga and Cardcaptor Sakura's Magic—want to give them a try?"

He flashed a subtle smile, adding, "Anyone who reads one gets a guaranteed reward pulled straight from its pages, no exceptions."

Letting them spend Mora on his books was the goal, though he kept his true reasons—knowledge from another world—locked tight behind that easy grin.

"By the way, comics are books with vivid pictures and just enough words to pull you in," he explained, anticipating their confusion in a land of novels and bardic tales.

Lumine's brows lifted, disbelief painting her features as she processed his claim about rewards tied to reading.

"You're saying we can gain power just by flipping through these pages?" she asked, her tone sharp with skepticism honed by Teyvat's harsh lessons.

Paimon crossed her tiny arms, muttering under her breath, "This guy's spinning tales wilder than a bard—how could comics do that?"

Harlan's dark eyes glinted as he leaned closer to Paimon. "There's a magical item in one called the Gourmet Tablecloth—name any dish, and it appears from thin air."

Paimon's jaw dropped, her voice rising with sudden glee. "Whoa, really? Endless food just by asking?!"

She pictured mountains of sticky honey roast, her mouth watering until Lumine shot her a look of weary exasperation.

"Paimon, you're too easy to sway," Lumine sighed, hands on her hips as she watched her companion's resolve crumble at the promise of a feast.

Harlan took a slow sip of his tea, the steam curling upward as he fixed Lumine with a steady gaze. "If you want to find your brother, your current strength won фер't enough—not even at your peak—against foes that dwarf your imagination."

Lumine's breath caught, her golden eyes widening as she stepped closer. "You know where he is?"

Her heart thudded with a desperate hope, the shop's quiet walls seeming to pulse with secrets only this stranger could unravel.

"Travel the Seven Nations, and your paths will cross in time," Harlan replied softly, his words a gentle nudge rather than a revelation.

He knew the tale—her twin, Aether, was already woven into Teyvat's fabric—but he cloaked it in vagueness, letting fate play its hand.

Lumine fell silent, her mind churning as she weighed his cryptic advice against the mystery of the boy before her.

"How much for a comic?" she asked at last, curiosity outweighing caution as she sensed Harlan's depth beyond his humble claim.

"One hundred thousand Mora per person, one read per day," he answered, his tone as calm as the tea in his cup.

Paimon's eyes bulged, her voice spiking in outrage. "A hundred thousand Mora?! That's a fortune for a book!"

She could already taste the feasts that sum would buy in Mondstadt's taverns, her tiny fists clenched in protest.

"But if that Gourmet Tablecloth is real, we'd never go hungry again—even in the wild," she added, her resolve wavering as temptation crept back in.

Lumine let out a quiet sigh, understanding now why Galehaven Comics stood empty in its shadowed alley.

The price was a wall few would scale, a gamble on rewards no one could prove until they paid.

Still, Harlan's quiet confidence gnawed at her, hinting at truths she couldn't dismiss.

"I'll try it," she declared, pulling 200,000 Mora from her pouch and sliding it across the counter with a determined glint in her eye.

Harlan tucked the coins away, his movements smooth and unhurried. "The books are on that shelf—pick whichever calls to you."

Two customers secured meant a new comic draw was his, though he held off, savoring the moment as the shop's magic began to stir.

Lumine approached the shelves, Paimon trailing close, both drawn by the vibrant covers that seemed to hum with unseen energy.

She lifted One Piece: East Sea Saga, its promise of pirate valor tugging at her adventurer's soul.

Paimon snatched Cardcaptor Sakura's Magic, her fingers trembling with excitement at the thought of mystical treasures within.

Unlike novels with their sparse sketches, these comics wove art and words into tight grids, dialogue bubbling from the characters' lips.

"This is so different—it's like the story's alive on the page," Lumine murmured, her voice soft with wonder as she traced a panel.

Paimon nodded eagerly. "Yeah, let's each read one and swap stories after!"

They settled onto the shop's plush sofa, the cushions sinking beneath them as they dove into their chosen worlds.

Lumine's eyes followed Luffy's reckless grin, the sea's wild call echoing her own restless heart.

Paimon giggled at Sakura's gentle courage, imagining herself wielding a staff against Mondstadt's winds.

The shop faded around them, its silence swallowed by the rustle of pages and the pull of tales from beyond Teyvat's borders.

Harlan watched from the counter, his tea cooling as he observed the first threads of his grand design take root.

Lumine's focus sharpened, her breath hitching as the comic's energy seemed to seep into her, a faint glow brushing her fingertips.

Paimon clutched her book tighter, a spark of anticipation lighting her wide eyes as she neared the end.

The price had been steep, but the promise of reward loomed closer, a tangible hum in the air that neither could ignore.

Harlan set his mug down, a faint smile curving his lips as Galehaven Comics began to weave its spell over Teyvat.

***

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