As a gentleman, Orion naturally wouldn't refuse an invitation from a beautiful lady.
Orion proactively helped Lisa carry her package. Although it was just fragments of dragon scales, it's important to remember that the crowned Dvalin is now a 350-meter-long giant dragon. This size sounds like it could coil up in a playground, but a legendary Godzilla is only over a hundred meters tall, and a legendary Ghidorah is only 150 meters.
Just looking at the length data, Dvalin is undoubtedly a colossal beast with a strong sense of oppression.
And its scales would naturally not be small. In fact, Lisa had specifically chosen smaller fragments to bring back, but with her delicate arm strength, they still felt a bit heavy.
However, for Orion, this weight was as good as nothing.
Opening the door, Orion followed Sister Lisa into her workshop.
Calling it a workshop, it was actually two rooms in her house that had been knocked through, with reinforced walls, to create a laboratory.
Originally, given Lisa's lazy nature, she had even considered living in the library and digging a laboratory next to it, so she wouldn't have to walk far for daily necessities, food, and experiments.
But Jean rejected it, citing concerns about blowing up the library. After all, unlike Albedo's Geo element, the Electro element is too flammable and explosive.
Orion placed the dragon scales on the experimental bench, then touched the wall panel next to it.
It was fire-retardant and non-conductive, but he didn't know if its fire and explosion resistance were sufficient. From a modern perspective, many experimental environments in Teyvat actually don't meet safety standards; the fire department would find violations immediately.
"Let me reinforce it for you." Orion placed his hand on the wall, and before Lisa could react, Orion had already upgraded the laboratory's materials.
Lisa stepped onto the fire-resistant, anti-static floor, looking at the brand-new laboratory, her beautiful eyes filled with unstoppable curiosity and surprise.
"Is this a degraded version of the Human Transmutation Circle from before?" Lisa asked.
Orion neither confirmed nor denied.
He always felt that if he used the phrase "neither confirmed nor denied" too much, some karma would befall him, and he'd soon be at the third stage of Dou Qi.
Lisa walked over to Orion, her beautiful eyes sparkling with brilliance, finally turning into a sigh: "If I had met you a few years earlier, would I have had a lot more time?"
Her voice was very soft, but it still reached Orion's ears.
Lisa really dislikes moving; she is a genius, but heaven envies talent.
She obtained a Vision simply because she wanted one. So, Celestia, what was the price?
The answer was her lifespan.
Lisa Minci, the Witch of Roses, a genius graduate from the Sumeru Akademiya, seen only once every two hundred years, a genius among geniuses.
It's common knowledge that this small patch of Mondstadt is full of hidden talents: a Wisp of the Thousand Winds, the True Pyro Archon of Natlan, one is the descendant of a witch, another is a product of Calx.
This darn Knights of Favonius has nothing, yet relies solely on Lisa and Albedo to support the entire scientific research power of Mondstadt City.
One could say she's a poet of the Maeve's Court (in a good way).
And the price Lisa paid was her lifespan.
Her Constellation—Sagitta Minor, the Little Arrow—every advancement, every achievement, would come with an equivalent amount of lifespan falling like grains of sand through time. Lisa's lifespan was like a flickering candle in the wind, extinguishing itself without a blow.
Therefore, Lisa acquired a trait: laziness.
If she could lie down, she wouldn't sit; if she could sit, she wouldn't stand. She spoke slowly and acted leisurely. When Orion first started playing Genshin Impact, he didn't dare use her to climb mountains, fearing she'd disappear halfway up.
Now, Lisa turned to Orion: "Speaking of which, this time I was also inspired by your actions and suddenly got the idea to bring back some dragon scales. These scales still have blood on them, and I've seen that it's also been purified.
I'm thinking, perhaps these dragon scales can bring some new inspiration to my research?"
Orion looked down at Lisa: "Lisa, you are..."
"Sister Lisa."
"...Alright, Sister Lisa, what are you going to research with the dragon scales?"
"...Of course, I'm going to research whether I can make some recovery potions, attack and defense potions, and also make some weapons and armor for everyone in the Knights of Favonius." Lisa replied with a smile.
Orion stared directly into Lisa's eyes: "Do you want your body to recover its health?"
Lisa's smile stiffened, but she quickly reacted: "I won't experiment on my own body. Stories of experiments failing and turning one into a half-human, half-ghost are abundant in novels. I cherish this beautiful body of mine very much."
Orion shook his head: "That's not what I meant. I have a way to increase your lifespan and heal your body."
"But you can't even solve your own curse."
"Those are two different things. A curse is a curse, and lifespan is lifespan."
Orion organized his words, then played it safe: "Don't you dare say I'm sexually harassing you!"
Then he explained the effects of his Crystal Creek Valley power within the human body.
After he finished, he looked at Lisa again, only to find half of Lisa's face had turned dark: "Who was it?"
"Huh?"
"Who did you test it on?"
"Uh, no, it wasn't..."
Before Orion could explain, Lisa quickly rattled off a long list of names, then observed Orion's expression as he heard each name.
"Amber, Barbara, Jean, Eula, Lumine, Skirk, Rosaria, Clara, Venti..."
"Why is Venti on there?!"
"Alright, I know." Lisa nodded, her smile quite sinister: "Judging by your expression, it was Jean and Eula, right? Something also happened with Barbara and Amber, but the extent doesn't seem to exceed Lumine and Clara too much. On the other hand, you haven't even touched Skirk."
"Does touching her waist count?"
"You even touched her waist?!" Lisa didn't know why she was doing it, but she suddenly reached out and smacked Orion's waist.
Lisa rarely had such strong emotional fluctuations, her chest heaving with anger, and Orion's eyes also fluctuated.
Lisa glared at Orion again, then thought for a moment and asked: "Does it help you?"
"What help?"
"The curse, can this cure the curse? Alright, no need to say it, it must be useful, only those stubborn ones like Jean and Eula would help you."
Lisa sighed. If it was just for herself, Lisa didn't want to add to Orion's psychological burden, but if it could lift the curse, it would be a win-win.
Lisa glanced at Orion again: "What's your physical condition now?"
"I'm very strong, super strong."
"Can you suppress it? To roughly the level of an ordinary person."
Orion had a face full of question marks. What did she mean?
Then he saw Lisa flip over and sit directly on the experimental bench.
"Time for an experiment, shall we?" Electric arcs flashed around her legs: "Let's see if you can withstand electricity!"
He was electrocuted numb.
Lisa, by herself, triggered an Electro-Charged reaction.
But that was an hour ago. After confirming that her body had truly improved, Lisa suddenly lost interest in the dragon scales.
So, after another hour, Lisa was using both her hands and feet.
They even swapped positions, with Orion sitting.
They engaged in some (humiliating) inter(action), thoroughly scolding Orion, using such harsh language that one could say she showed no mercy with her words.
She collected a lot of experimental materials.
"Cough, cough." Lisa coughed, drinking water.
Looking at the experimental bench filled with bottles and jars, various beakers and petri dishes, Orion was in great pain.
Even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs!
Lisa waved her hand: "You go first! It's almost dawn, and Lumine and the others haven't seen you yet; they might be worried about you."
"I bet they're definitely sleeping."
The increasingly energetic Lisa became much livelier: "Alright, alright. Oh, wait! Once a week...twice? Let's say twice. Once is fine too. Pick a day when no one has plans and come over. I'll help you lift the curse. There's strength in numbers."
Orion: "...Thank you."
"You're welcome~"
Stepping out of the house and onto the street again.
It was six o'clock.
It was only an hour until seven. The Church of Favonius held morning prayers from seven to eight, and after eight, he would have to go find Amber and Barbara for matching.
It was a continuous cycle.
Lumine also went to the church around seven to practice her Purple Demon Eyes, so if he went back now, he would run right into Lumine waking up.
The thought of Lumine mercilessly lecturing him in front of Clara and Paimon, and Skirk staring at him with cold eyes until he finished morning training with her at eight before he could escape.
Orion covered his face and hid by the roadside.
"Don't want to go home..."
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