"This is…"
Eula's eyes widened as she scanned the dining room.
There were so many unfamiliar faces: a woman who looked remarkably similar to Makoto, but with small horns atop her head; a gentle-looking white-haired lady; and… a child?
Wait, a child? Could that be Luo Qing's kid?
Surrounded by so many strangers, Eula froze in place, unsure of what to do.
"You're just in time, Miss Eula!"
Makoto approached her warmly, placing both hands on Eula's shoulders and gently steering her toward the dining table.
"I was just about to send Rosalyne to fetch you. Did you sleep well last night?"
"Last night…"
Eula's gaze instinctively shifted to Luo Qing, Furina, and Focalors.
They all looked bright-eyed and refreshed, without a hint of exhaustion.
It seemed she had been the only one kept awake by that.
"It was… alright, I guess," Eula replied, her cheeks flushing faintly. She didn't dare bring up the sounds from the room above.
"I really need to head back and reunite with my squad," she added hastily. "I don't want to interrupt your meal, so I'll be leaving now…"
She turned, eager to flee this minefield of a household and erase all memories of the previous night.
But before she could take a single step—
"There's no need to rush, Miss Eula."
Makoto caught her hand, holding a piece of parchment in her other hand. Her smile remained warm, though there was a subtle firmness behind it.
"I've already contacted the Knights of Favonius," she said. "They've confirmed that your squad has safely returned to Mondstadt. In fact, they were grateful for what Luo Qing and I did to save you."
"Also," she added, "I told them you sustained some serious injuries and needed a few days to recover. So why don't you stay here and rest a bit longer before heading back?"
"W-What?!"
Eula snatched the parchment, scanning its contents.
The letter bore the official seal of the Knights of Favonius, and the handwriting unmistakably belonged to Jean herself.
The message confirmed that her squad had indeed returned safely and thanked Luo Qing and Makoto for their assistance. Jean also entrusted Eula's recovery to them, requesting that she take her time to heal.
"…"
Eula was stunned.
How did this Makoto woman manage to arrange everything in just one morning?! Even Jean signed off on it?!
"So, Miss Eula…"
Before Eula could gather her thoughts, Makoto gently but firmly guided her toward a chair at the dining table.
"Your injuries haven't fully healed yet. Take this time to rest and recover properly. Once you're feeling better, you can return to the Knights."
"But…"
Eula faltered, her words trailing off as she glanced around the room.
All eyes were on her. The pressure was immense.
When she looked up at Makoto, the woman's warm, half-closed smile radiated kindness, but there was an undeniable aura of authority beneath it. Eula felt as though any attempt to refuse would be futile.
"…Alright," she mumbled. "Sorry to trouble you."
She reluctantly picked up a fork and knife.
"That's the spirit~!"
Makoto patted her shoulder encouragingly before returning to her seat, settling into one of the closest spots to Luo Qing at the head of the table.
"Well then, let's eat!"
As the meal began, the women around the table casually enjoyed their food, chatting among themselves.
Eula, on the other hand, felt completely out of place.
The table was laden with an array of dishes, but she couldn't decide what to take. Her hesitation was only compounded by the sheer number of people around her.
As she deliberated, the purple-haired girl sitting next to her leaned over and placed a slice of roasted meat onto her plate.
"Th-Thank you…"
Eula nodded politely, but the girl didn't stop there.
She leaned in close, her face just inches from Eula's, and asked in a low voice, "So, you're the one Lord Luo Qing brought back last night?"
"Lord…?"
Eula blinked in confusion.
"You know, Luo Qing," the girl said casually, motioning toward him with her fork.
She then whispered conspiratorially, "By the way, what's your Vision's element?"
"Huh?"
Eula was caught off guard by the abrupt question.
"I-It's Cryo… Why?"
"Just as I thought!"
The girl leaned back triumphantly, her gaze toward Eula softening, as if she had just confirmed some unspoken truth.
Sensing her confusion, Eula asked, "Is there something wrong with having a Cryo Vision?"
"Well…"
The girl smiled knowingly and leaned in again, whispering into Eula's ear.
"See that woman with the bangs? And those two wearing qipaos? Even the scary maid… Guess what their Visions are?"
"Cryo?"
"Bingo."
The girl gave her a sly grin.
"Now, can you guess what their relationship with Luo Qing is?"
"…"
Eula fell silent.
After a moment, she murmured, "The maid… is probably just a maid. But the others… Are they also…?"
"Exactly!"
The girl beamed, patting Eula's shoulder.
"Except for the kids and a few older ladies, almost every girl in this house has a Cryo Vision. Funny coincidence, huh?"
"…"
Eula's unease grew. A strange, ominous feeling crept into her heart.
In a last-ditch effort to find something normal, she glanced at the girl.
"What about you?" Eula asked cautiously. "Do you have a Vision?"
"Me?"
The girl leaned back dramatically, her tone light and nonchalant.
"I'm different from the rest of them. I don't have a Vision."
"…"
At least someone's normal, Eula thought, breathing a small sigh of relief.
But then, the girl added in a low, mischievous voice:
"After all, I earned my place by licking Lord Luo Qing."
"?!"
Eula's eyes widened in shock.
Her hands trembled, and the knife and fork slipped from her grasp, clattering onto her plate with a sharp sound.
The entire table turned toward her.
"S-Sorry!" she stammered, quickly picking up the utensils. "I-I dropped them by accident…"
At the other end of the table, Makoto shot a warning look toward the girl.
"Theresa, if you keep talking nonsense, I'll deal with you myself."
"Don't be mad, big sister!"
The purple-haired girl—Theresa—jumped out of her chair and ran to Makoto's side, clinging to her arm and pouting.
"I wasn't saying anything bad! I just wanted to introduce our new sister properly~! Forgive me this once, please?"
"New… sister?"
Eula froze, her mind reeling.
Did this girl just include me in their household?
---
T/N: oml i pray
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it… or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Heads up—Patreon's 50% off for all tiers during May. So if you were on the fence? Now's the time.
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf