Genshin Impact: I'm The Envoy of Snezhnaya
Chapter 452: This Time, Don't Put It on Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's Tab
Just as Zhongli had predicted, it wasn't long before an irresistibly appetizing aroma drifted out of the kitchen.
The sweet fragrance blended perfectly with the scent of roasted meat, making even Zhongli's mouth water.
It seemed Xiangling had truly gained a great deal from her trip to Mondstadt.
"Mr. Zhongli, please enjoy."
Before long, Xiangling set a plate of golden, crispy roast meat on the table.
Zhongli first closed his eyes and inhaled its aroma, then couldn't help but praise it.
"Excellent. Any sweeter and it would become cloying; any less and something would be missing. The heat has been controlled to perfection, allowing the honey glaze and the boar meat to merge so seamlessly that they seem as though they were always meant to be one. Master Xiangling's culinary skills are truly unparalleled in this world."
"Oh, it's just a simple roast. You're giving me far too much credit."
Zhongli's praise left Xiangling feeling a little embarrassed.
She knew that this dish had turned out so perfectly largely because of the two exceptional ingredients she had used.
Unfortunately, she had already used up that special Sunsettia.
Who knew if she'd ever be able to recreate a dish like this again?
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
After taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat, Zhongli picked up a slice of meat with his chopsticks and took a bite.
Just as he'd expected, the explosion of flavor instantly overwhelmed all of his senses.
However...
The explosion was not quite what he'd anticipated.
The very instant he bit into it, a single person appeared in his mind.
Bai Luo.
"...This..."
What's going on? Why does it taste like this?
"Is something wrong?"
Seeing the strange look on Zhongli's face, Xiangling quickly asked.
"The roast is rich without being greasy, crisp without being burnt. One could say it has achieved perfection."
"...It's just..."
"Just...?"
"It reminded me of someone."
After a moment's hesitation, Zhongli picked up another piece and put it into his mouth.
That overwhelming sourness completely filled his mouth, making him question reality itself.
There's no mistake.
This is definitely that fellow's fruit!
He swallowed the meat in one gulp, then looked at Xiangling.
"Master Xiangling... did you happen to add a Sunsettia to this roast?"
"Wow! As expected of Mr. Zhongli! You even figured that out!"
The reason Xiangling hadn't mentioned the Sunsettia was because she wanted Zhongli to guess the ingredients after tasting the dish.
After all, every previous time he'd correctly identified not only every ingredient and seasoning, but even their precise proportions.
She had originally hoped that this special Sunsettia might finally fool Zhongli's refined palate.
"Did you happen to meet someone while you were in Mondstadt?"
"...?"
Isn't that a little excessive?
Figuring out I used a Sunsettia is already unbelievable.
Now you can even tell that I met someone?
What's next? Are you going to ask whether this fruit was given to me by someone named Bai Luo?
"Was this fruit given to you by someone named Bai Luo?"
"..."
Although Xiangling said nothing, the answer was written all over her face.
Zhongli could now say with absolute certainty.
Bai Luo was in Mondstadt.
Taking another sip of the slightly bitter tea to wash away the intense sourness lingering in his mouth, Zhongli maintained his usual calm and dignified appearance.
Yet Xiangling could already sense that something about him had changed.
A change she couldn't quite put into words.
Unfortunately, Zhongli had not yet relinquished his position as the Geo Archon.
He couldn't simply set foot upon that land of freedom whenever he pleased.
Otherwise...
He could hardly suppress the urge to fly to Mondstadt immediately.
"Please wrap the rest up for me."
After only two bites, even the Geo Lord himself had reached his limit.
After another mouthful of tea to clear away the lingering taste, Zhongli made his request.
"Wrap it up?"
Xiangling blinked in surprise.
Zhongli had been dining at Wanmin Restaurant for a very long time.
He always finished every dish before offering his comments.
But asking for a takeaway...
This was the first time he'd ever done so.
"Yes. It's such an exquisite dish that I'd like a friend of mine to experience it as well."
"Then the usual? Shall I put it on Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's tab?"
Bringing over the ledger, Xiangling asked.
"No."
"This time, put it on the Northland Bank Childe account."
. . .
Bai Luo had no idea what was happening back in Liyue.
Nor did he know that the Sunsettia he'd assumed Xiangling would turn into jam for some unfortunate taste-tester had ultimately ended up in Zhongli's mouth.
Otherwise...
There was no way he'd be as relaxed as he was now.
At the moment, Bai Luo was walking across Dragonspine with the cat in his arms.
Before leaving, he had promised Silver that he would visit regularly.
Judging by the time that had passed, it was about time for another visit.
Without alerting the nearby Fatui soldiers, he made his way alone toward the cave.
From a distance, he spotted a pitch-black cat lazily lying in the snow outside the cave entrance.
The cat basked in the sunlight while leisurely licking its fur.
Although the sunlight wasn't particularly warm, for Sharaf—who hadn't seen the sun in a very long time—it was something to be cherished.
It wasn't that he had never considered escaping.
But in his current state, let alone leaving Dragonspine, he probably wouldn't make it very far before freezing to death.
Even if he somehow survived the cold, his black fur made it nearly impossible to hide in the snowy mountains.
More importantly, if he transformed back into a human, he had no idea whether the organs he'd lost would return.
All things considered...
Being a cat wasn't so bad.
Halfway through grooming himself, he noticed the sunlight had suddenly been blocked.
And whatever was casting the shadow was far thicker than a cloud.
Instinctively looking up, Sharaf's fur instantly stood on end.
T-That man!
"Where's Silver?"
Looking at the black cat before him, Bai Luo asked.
"Meow..."
Letting out a timid little cry, Sharaf weakly raised a paw and pointed toward the cave behind him.
Bai Luo paid him no further attention and walked straight into the cave, still carrying the cat in hand.
The moment he stepped inside, he saw Silver standing at a workbench conducting an alchemy experiment.
However, compared to the Silver in Bai Luo's memories, his alchemical skills seemed to have deteriorated.
He looked unusually flustered.
Several times, while adding ingredients, he accidentally knocked over nearby containers.
"What are you making?"
Normally, interrupting an alchemist during an experiment was one of the biggest taboos.
Speaking to them unexpectedly—especially from behind—could distract them enough to ruin the precise ratios of their ingredients, potentially causing all sorts of accidents.
But Bai Luo knew Silver well.
Although he often appeared clumsy, he was actually an absolute veteran when it came to alchemy.
Forget casual conversation, even if Durin himself suddenly woke up in the middle of an experiment, Silver wouldn't lose his concentration until his work was finished.
And yet...
The Silver standing before Bai Luo now… was clearly different.
Something was wrong.