Chapter 6: Sending Out the Invites
Inside the cozy, retro-lit lounge of the Random Play video store, Belle and Wise sat around the coffee table, thoroughly engrossed in the feast Lumine had sent over. Since Wise couldn't perceive the multiversal chat group himself, he had to rely entirely on his sister's live commentary and the tangible, mouth-watering evidence sitting right in front of him.
The culinary delights from Teyvat carried a distinct, almost magical freshness. Belle picked up a Jade Parcel with her chopsticks, marveling at the translucent, cabbage-wrapped dumpling. She took a bite. The rich, savory broth exploded across her taste buds, a stark contrast to their usual diet.
Life in New Eridu typically meant surviving on high-calorie, deep-fried fast food or sugar-loaded desserts. Anything resembling a properly balanced, gourmet meal cost an arm and a leg. Ever since they lost their legendary Phaeton proxy account and were forced to start over from scratch, their proxy income had taken a massive hit. Add in the exorbitant electricity bills racked up by Fairy, their newly acquired AI, and their wallets were practically weeping. Trips to the famous hotpot restaurant in Lumina Square were a luxury of the past.
"Wise, you have to try these Jade Parcels!" Belle mumbled around a mouthful of food, her eyes sparkling with delight. She practically shoved a dumpling toward her brother's face. "They aren't just pretty to look at. The flavor profile is insane! The broth is so rich, but it doesn't feel heavy at all. Lumine's cooking skills are absolutely off the charts!"
Meanwhile, inside the dimensional chat interface:
[Administrator · Stelle]: "@Everyone Do you guys know how to actually invite people? I already told March 7th and Dan Heng about the group, but they look at me like I've lost my mind."
[Administrator · Stelle]: "I even pulled out the local Teyvat specialties Lumine dropped in the group warehouse and shoved the food right in their faces. They still don't believe me!"
[Administrator · Stelle]: "I refuse to accept this slander. Just wait until I drag them in here. Let's see what they have to say then."
Back in their respective worlds, Belle and Lumine heard a sharp [Ding!] chime in their minds. Realizing someone was pinging the group, they temporarily shifted their consciousness back into the virtual interface.
[Administrator · Belle]: "So you have friends you want to bring in too, Stelle? Lumine and I were actually just discussing the invitation system a little while ago."
[Administrator · Belle]: "According to the system announcement, we currently have a maximum cap of five regular group members. As administrators, we can bypass the usual requirements and send direct invites."
[Administrator · Belle]: "As for how to do it, it should work just like the basic UI functions. You just focus your thoughts and operate it with your mind."
[Administrator · Lumine]: "The only reason Belle and I haven't invited anyone yet is that we were waiting for you to come online. With only five slots available, it's a bit tricky to divide them evenly among the three of us."
[Administrator · Stelle]: "Oh, is that how it works? How many people were you guys planning to invite?"
[Administrator · Belle]: "For now, I only need one slot for my brother, Wise. He worries about me way too much, and honestly, his analytical brain is already dying of curiosity."
[Administrator · Lumine]: "I also just want to invite Paimon first. We're currently traveling together, and my other reliable friends are scattered across different nations. It's not easy to contact them on short notice."
Reading their messages, Stelle's golden eyes lit up. 'Wait a second. If they only want one slot each, doesn't that leave three empty spots? That means both March and Dan Heng can join!'She paused, a brief flash of hesitation crossing her mind.'Is it greedy if I take two slots when they're only taking one?...Whatever, I don't care. I'll just shamelessly beg for them. The trailblazing trio cannot be separated!'
[Administrator · Stelle]: "Um, excuse me, is it okay if I invite two people? I promise they're both amazing!"
Lumine and Belle naturally had no objections. Lumine had just set foot in Natlan and hadn't established any deep connections there yet. Her oldest, most reliable allies were oceans away, and she refused to drag them into a multiversal anomaly without explaining it to them face-to-face first.
As for Belle, she and Wise were actively trying to keep a low profile in New Eridu. Exposing a reality-breaking chat group to random Proxies or Hollow Raiders would instantly paint a massive target on their backs.
[Administrator · Lumine]: "Go ahead, Stelle! But can we keep that final fifth slot reserved for me? I have a very reliable friend I want to invite, but he's currently out of reach."
[Administrator · Lumine]: "He's the retired Geo Archon of Liyue. Not only is his combat strength absolutely ridiculous, but he's basically a walking encyclopedia. He's the most dependable person I know."
[Administrator · Lumine]: "The group rules mentioned we might get inter-world missions eventually. If we ever run into something we can't handle, he definitely can."
Belle readily agreed to the proposal. Since Stelle had already scored two slots, she was too embarrassed to ask for any more and was more than happy to support Lumine's reservation.
[Administrator · Belle]: "No problem at all! Don't stress about the slots anyway. The system announcement mentioned that the group will expand and unlock more member capacity after it upgrades. We just have to wait a bit."
[Administrator · Belle]: "By the way, I noticed we can edit our display names. Should we change them? If Wise sees my current title, he is absolutely going to laugh at me."
Lumine nodded vigorously in the real world, fully agreeing with the sentiment. Her default administrator title felt way too absurd and severely threatened her dignified image as the Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius.
[Administrator · Lumine]: "Agreed! I'm a respectable hero who has saved five nations. How do I change this thing?"
[New Eridu - Belle]: "Just focus on your avatar icon, open your personal profile, and edit the text field."
[Teyvat - Lumine]: "Done! Oh, this looks so much better. Stelle, aren't you going to change yours?"
[Administrator · Stelle]: "Nope. I refuse. I think Administrator Stelle is a fantastic title. It commands respect."
[New Eridu - Belle]: "Are you sure? If you leave it like that, every single new member who joins is going to ask for your actual name and background."
Stelle blinked. The thought of having to introduce herself over and over to every newcomer sounded exhausting. Reluctantly, she opened her profile settings.
[Astral Express - Stelle]: "Fine, you win. Honestly, I wanted to change it to Galactic Trash Can King, but it's too long and a hassle to explain. Simpler is better."
[Astral Express - Stelle]: "Alright, let's get these invites out! I cannot wait to see the looks on March and Dan Heng's faces."
[Astral Express - Stelle]: "Wait, no, I need to record this! A historical moment like this demands to be captured on camera. Here I go!"
The three girls logged off the interface simultaneously to handle their respective invites.
Back in the parlor car of the Astral Express, Stelle's eyes snapped open. She crossed her arms, lifting her chin with a smug, exaggerated aura of superiority.
"Ahem. You may thank me now," Stelle declared, pointing a dramatic finger at her two companions. "I, Stelle, have graciously secured two ultra-rare, invite-only VIP spots for you."
March 7th planted her hands on her hips, ready to scold her friend. 'Stelle, you don't have to commit this hard to the bit, you know—'
[Ding!]
A crisp, mechanical chime echoed directly inside March's skull.
[System Prompt: Respected Dimensional Chat Group Administrator Astral Express - Stelle invites you to join the group. Do you accept?]
March jumped, her eyes widening to the size of saucers. "Ah! What the heck?! Dan Heng, did you just hear a ding in your head? It says Stelle is inviting me to a group!"
Dan Heng let out a long, weary sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yes. I received it too. It appears she wasn't hallucinating after all."
He gave Stelle a resigned look. "Let's just accept it for now. We can't let her wander around in some unknown dimensional space completely unsupervised. Who knows what kind of trouble she'll cause."
Inside the chat interface, two new notifications popped up in rapid succession:
[Ding! Astral Express - Stelle has invited Shutterbug - March 7th to the group. Welcome the new member!]
[Ding! Astral Express - Stelle has invited Cloud-Piercer - Dan Heng to the group. Welcome the new member!]
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