Daelan Ciro stared at the scrolling chat messages, lost in thought.
He was pondering one thing… why was his popularity so high?
By all accounts… a simple contrast persona shouldn't have reached this level. What kind of situation could've sparked such intense hype?
Daelan racked his brain for a while but couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation.
"Could it be… the Teyvat I'm in now isn't facing the same world I was originally from?"
With that thought, Daelan nodded to himself.
This was the most realistic hypothesis he could come up with so far.
"But a hypothesis is just a hypothesis… I don't know the real situation."
"Whatever, whether it's a parallel universe or some alternate world ID, I'm living comfortably in this world. Sure, I'm still a corporate slave at heart… but at least my status has leveled up."
Daelan nodded again, quite satisfied with his current life.
He'd even planned what he'd do after Fontaine's affairs wrapped up—how he'd ditch his responsibilities and travel to other nations.
After all, by then… Furina would no longer be the Hydro Archon. She'd officially move out of the Palais Mermonia, and as someone she'd personally promoted, Daelan…
"Would probably step off this stage, too, right?"
Daelan gave a soft smile, shifting his gaze to the light screen that had long since finished playing.
Of course, his focus wasn't on the pale, paper-white screen but on the line of black text displayed there.
["Real-World Footage EP1" has been fully viewed. Calculating relevant keywords and rewards, please wait…]
[Calculation complete. Current keywords: Beast Tamer, Gentle and Considerate, Kindhearted Person, Male Dehya]
[Popularity Points +1500, New item added to Popularity Points Shop: "HoYoLAB Forum Access Account"]
["HoYoLAB Forum Access Account": An account for accessing a certain three-character forum, allowing you to boost your popularity through alternative means]
Seeing this, Daelan's eyes widened instantly.
Wait a second?
Is this actually a parallel universe?
Daelan steadied himself, trying hard not to let his mind wander to overly fantastical ideas, then focused his attention on the so-called "shop" before him.
But when he saw the "HoYoLAB Forum Access Account" priced at 20,000 Popularity Points, he couldn't help but frown.
"That expensive…? That's enough for two chapters of my own story quest…"
Daelan was momentarily speechless, but then he thought… infamy is still fame.
Besides, a character like him, who seemed to exist outside the three realms and beyond the five elements, wouldn't appear in leakers' reports.
If he dropped some misleading riddles in every version PV… he might just ride that wave to boost his popularity.
With that thought, Daelan nodded, genuinely praising himself as a master strategist.
As a player, he knew exactly how to hype up a game character's popularity.
He didn't know if he'd ever get a banner or how strong he'd be, but he could control his narrative strength.
As long as he was impactful in the story, his Popularity Points would never dip.
Even if his banner ended up weak, it wouldn't stop him from raking in more Popularity Points.
After all, as he'd just noted, infamy is still fame.
With that realization, Daelan felt enlightened, as if the entire world had become crystal clear.
"Even if I have to leave Fontaine in the end… I can use participation in other characters' story quests as a way to keep gaining Popularity Points."
"As my 'persona' becomes more fleshed out in the 'players' minds… my Popularity Points will naturally skyrocket."
"Not a bad way to live a slacker life, and… it won't be boring."
A smile crept onto Daelan's face, as if he could already see that gloriously bright future.
Tired of the scheming and backstabbing of the so-called real world… he truly felt this world was his true home.
But just as he was basking in these thoughts, a slightly worried female voice reached his ears.
"Daelan? Daelan? Hey, why are you spacing out?"
Furina waved her hand in front of her advisor, her face tinged with a mix of tension and confusion.
After saying this, she glanced down at the mountain of documents piled on Daelan's desk, her lips twitching slightly.
"Have you been working too much lately? Do you need a couple of days off?"
Furina's voice was like some bizarre switch, instantly yanking him out of his mental spiral.
Looking at those beautiful eyes and the lovely face etched with slight worry, Daelan shook his head gently.
"It's fine, Furina. I was just thinking about some things."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Furina eyed Daelan suspiciously, glancing at the documents on his desk again before sighing softly.
"If you need a break… make sure to tell me in advance."
"As a divine being, I absolutely cannot allow my devoted… subordinate to have health issues."
Hearing this, Daelan shook his head lightly, reassuring her, "Furina, you don't need to worry about me. I know my own body. I was really just thinking."
Speaking of work… Daelan couldn't help but recall his dull, unrewarding corporate slave life from his previous world.
Back then, he wasn't earning a salary—he was earning frustration fees, medical bills.
He'd seen too many seniors, not even thirty, with health checkups lit up in red, looking utterly miserable.
But compared to his current self… he preferred this job.
First, he'd been handling these documents for over four hundred years. In terms of work proficiency… Daelan could practically do it with his eyes closed.
Second, there was the matter of rewards. He didn't get a salary, but all his food, clothing, and expenses were covered by the Palais Mermonia's budget, so… he didn't need one.
Finally… Daelan genuinely enjoyed the feeling of solving people's problems and earning better reputation and prestige.
As he mulled this over, in Furina's eyes, her advisor was spacing out again.
She looked at Daelan's unfocused eyes, sighed once more, and declared loudly,
"Daelan! In the name of Focalors, the Hydro Archon, I command you to have afternoon tea with me!"