Just as Bennett was hesitating, a tall figure suddenly appeared before him and said carelessly, "Kid, you're Bennett, right?"
"I'm Arataki Itto, the Oni King of the streets of Inazuma."
"Since you don't have a seat, come sit next to me. What, you don't want to bring me bad luck?"
"Hahahaha, I'm an oni! How could I be afraid of bad luck?"
Itto laughed heartily as he extended his invitation to Bennett.
Before Bennett could agree, Itto was already patting him on the shoulder, half-pushing, half-pulling him toward the table in the corner.
He made Bennett sit down beside him.
Bennett was very happy.
"Thank you! Next time I find treasure, I'll give it to all of you."
Besides the Traveler, Klee, and a few other friends, this was the first time others weren't afraid of his misfortune.
Itto laughed loudly. "I don't care about treasure! What I love most is sumo wrestling and beetle fighting. By the way, do you know how to sumo wrestle? Do you know how to fight beetles?"
Bennett looked confused. "Sumo wrestling?? Beetle fighting??"
Itto grinned. "Hahaha, looks like you don't know anything about them. Let me tell you all about sumo wrestling and beetle fighting!"
With that, he reached into his pocket and rummaged around for a while before pulling out a lively Onikabuto that was scrambling around in his palm.
He began explaining sumo wrestling and beetle fighting to Bennett.
Just then, little Paimon suddenly said angrily, "Idiot, Bennett isn't a street thug. He's an excellent adventurer."
"Why are you teaching him beetle fighting?"
"Don't lead Bennett astray!"
Little Paimon flew in midair with her hands on her hips, looking like she wasn't someone to mess with.
But Paimon was too small.
She couldn't intimidate anyone, let alone Arataki Itto.
Itto said dismissively, "Hey hey hey, what do you mean by that? You're saying I'll lead Bennett astray? Are you picking a fight?"
Paimon said matter-of-factly, "I'm telling the truth. Everyone knows you're an idiot."
Hearing this, Itto didn't get angry.
Instead, he thought for a moment and said, "I'm an idiot? Then you're a small lavender melon!"
Hearing this, Paimon flew around in a rage.
Small lavender melon.
Small lavender melon.
She had always been this small since the day she was born.
Was that her fault?
Paimon flailed her arms and legs in anger. "Small lavender melon! That's such an ugly name! It's making me so angry—I'm going to give you an even uglier nickname!"
"I'll call you Cow Herder!"
"Cow Herder, you think you're so tough, don't you?"
Itto looked confused. "Huh? Cow Herder? Have I ever herded cows before? I don't remember doing that."
"Small lavender melon, explain yourself!"
Paimon was furious. "Cow Herder! You're a Cow Herder!"
Itto: "Small lavender melon! Small lavender melon! Hey, speaking of small lavender melons, I'm suddenly hungry. If there were a lavender melon here, I could roast it over a fire."
"I'm great at roasting lavender melons!"
As he spoke, Itto turned his gaze toward Paimon.
Paimon was startled. "Ahhh! Cow Herder, I'm not a lavender melon! You can't roast me!"
...
Watching Itto and Paimon bicker, everyone else was speechless.
Beidou: "Have they always been like this?"
Lumine: "Yes."
Kazuha: "…"
Suddenly, someone's stomach growled.
Xiangling laughed. "You must all be hungry. I have some spicy meat buns here. Would anyone like one?"
At the mention of food, Itto and Paimon, who had been arguing just moments before, immediately stopped bickering.
They both turned their gazes toward Xiangling.
Paimon: "Ooh, spicy meat buns! I want some!"
Itto: "Finally, some food! I'm starving! Small lavender melon, don't fight me for them! You can't beat me!"
Paimon: "Cow Herder, I won't lose to you!"
Hu Tao: "Oh, stop arguing. Xiangling already said there are several spicy meat buns."
Xiangling: "I'll get them for you right now."
But just as Xiangling reached into her small backpack to get the buns, she looked down.
She saw little Guoba.
Xiangling said in confusion, "Guoba, what are you doing?"
Paimon: "Ah, is he eating the spicy meat buns?"
Itto: "What? My food was stolen by this little guy?"
Xiangling quickly opened the backpack and looked inside.
It was completely empty.
There wasn't even a single crumb left, let alone any spicy meat buns.
She said angrily, "Guoba, those spicy meat buns were for everyone! How could you eat them all yourself?"
Guoba: "Lulu lu—"
Paimon: "Ah, no food again. I'm so hungry!"
Itto: "I... I can hold on a little longer."
Seeing this, Keqing smiled. "Since everyone's hungry, let's order some dishes."
Hu Tao said in surprise, "Order dishes? I heard the food at Wangshu Inn is really expensive. Just one dish costs as much as a coffin."
"Two dishes cost two coffins."
"Three dishes cost three coffins."
"Think of how many coffins this one meal would cost!"
As the director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao had to spend a lot of Mora to keep the parlor running. She knew how hard it was to earn Mora.
Keqing: "…"
Itto: "Coffins? What kind of new dish is that?"
Xiangling: "Don't talk nonsense, Hu Tao. We're eating food, not coffins."
Beidou said generously, "This meal is on me. Order whatever you like."
Itto: "Then I won't hold back. Innkeeper, I want Almond Tofu, Stir-Fried Meat Slices, Grilled Tiger Fish, Mora Meat, Lotus Crisps..."
Paimon said angrily, "You! Cow Herder! Why are you ordering so many dishes by yourself?"
Itto said matter-of-factly, "Because I have a big appetite!"
Paimon: "…"
Keqing: "I'll have Golden Shrimp Balls."
Shenhe: "I'll have Mountain Delicacy Hot Noodles."
Hu Tao: "I'll have Boiled Black Bass."
Kazuha: "…"
Lumine: "Bennett, what do you want to eat?"
Bennett: "Anything with meat. That'll give me enough energy."
Everyone named dish after dish, listing more than a dozen items. The innkeeper was all smiles, jotting down every dish name in his little notebook.
Before long, one steaming dish after another was brought to the table.
Just as the innkeeper was about to leave, Zhongli, who had been sitting in another corner, suddenly stood up and walked quickly to Hu Tao's table, blocking the innkeeper's way.
Hu Tao said in confusion, "Zhongli, did you need something over here?"
Zhongli said flatly, "Nothing much. Just a small matter."
Hu Tao: "???"
Zhongli said flatly, "Please put the bill for this table's meal on Tartaglia's tab."
Hu Tao beamed. "There's such a wonderful thing?"