Wendy’s Woe

Paimon burst through the door of Galehaven Comics, her voice ringing with excitement. "Boss Harlan, we're back!"

Wendy trailed behind Lumine and Paimon, his bardic eyes sweeping over the shop's modern decor with quiet wonder.

The sleek shelves, cozy sofas, and vibrant wall portraits struck him as a stark contrast to Mondstadt's rustic charm.

As Barbatos, his divine intuition tingled—a subtle, potent force hummed within these walls, hinting at hidden power.

Troublemakers here might meet a swift end, he mused, though he harbored no such intent himself.

Harlan sipped his tea, his smile calm as he greeted them. "Welcome back, and hello to our new guest."

Lumine stepped forward, curiosity lighting her gaze. "Boss, we saw Barbara leaving with a fluffy white creature—was that a comic reward?"

Paimon nodded eagerly, her hands clasped. "Yeah, it was so cute—no girl could resist something that adorable!"

Harlan set his cup down, his tone steady. "That was Snowballmon, an infant Digimon Barbara got from reading Digimon: First Frontier."

He explained it casually, knowing intrigued customers were more likely to return for more.

"Digimon: First Frontier?" Lumine echoed, her voice rising with interest at the new title's arrival.

Paimon's eyes sparkled, her excitement bubbling over. "A fresh comic in just half a day—I need to see it now!"

Their eagerness dimmed as they recalled Harlan's rule—one book a day—leaving them sighing in unison.

Paimon darted to Harlan, her face pleading. "Boss, I brought you a new customer—can't you bend the rules so we can read more?"

Lumine nodded swiftly, adding, "The stories are too good to limit—please, just this once?"

Harlan pinched Paimon's cheek, his refusal firm. "No exceptions—that's the system's law."

He'd love for them to linger daily, racking up rewards, but the rules bound him as tightly as they did his guests.

Paimon pouted, her expression sour, though her cheek's softness amused him as he turned to Wendy.

"Welcome, Mondstadt's finest bard, Wendy," Harlan said, meeting the green-clad figure's assessing stare.

He'd noticed Wendy's scrutiny but shrugged it off—within Galehaven Comics, he was untouchable.

Wendy offered a warm grin, his tone light. "I've heard your comics are a treat, so I thought I'd drop in."

Beneath his ease, doubt swirled—Harlan bore no elemental trace, just an ordinary man by all appearances.

Yet this shop's miracles defied that facade, suggesting a strength beyond even a wind god's grasp.

Harlan gestured to the shelves. "We've got One Piece: East Sea Saga, Cardcaptor Sakura's Magic, and Digimon: First Frontier—100,000 Mora per read, once a day."

Repeating the pitch for every newcomer was growing old, sparking a fleeting thought of a sign or helper.

Wendy's jaw dropped, his voice cracking. "A hundred thousand Mora—just for one read?!"

Paimon hadn't mentioned the price in the square, leaving him blindsided by the steep cost.

"It's a problem now," he groaned, rubbing his temples as the reality sank in.

True, 100,000 Mora for a mystery reward wasn't outrageous—Lumine's wind powers proved its worth.

But as Barbatos, Wendy's pockets were perpetually light, his bardic earnings squandered on tavern rounds.

Leaving empty-handed stung, though—the comics' allure tugged at his storyteller's soul.

And then there was the Gourmet Tablecloth, a prize Paimon had dangled like a golden apple before his eyes.

If he snagged that, meals and drinks would flow free—no more scraping for Mora at Angel's Share.

By that math, 100,000 Mora was a steal, a one-time cost for a lifetime of bounty.

"Am I really going to busk my way to this?" Wendy wondered, his hand cupping his chin in mock despair.

Lumine tilted her head, watching his theatrics with a faint smile, sensing a tale brewing in his hesitation.

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