The late afternoon sun filtered through the single window of Galehaven Comics, casting straight lines of light across the shop. The shelves were full, slightly disorganized, and heavy with books. The usual smells lingered—tea on the counter, old paper, and grilled meat from outside. Harlan Flint leaned back in his chair, one hand on his teacup, the other resting on the counter. The system flashed in his mind—[18/30 customers].
The door opened. Diluc stepped in, his red coat swaying behind him. He paused just inside, observing the shop carefully. His eyes scanned the shelves, the posters, the messy stack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards on the table. The place didn't scream power, but something told him it mattered. He had seen what came out of it—Barbara's freezing attack, Jean's unexpected strength, Lumine's wind powers.
He noticed Wendy, also known now to him as Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. That a god spent time here wasn't something he could ignore. Wendy was acting casual, flipping through comics, but Diluc watched closely. Then his eyes locked onto Harlan.
"No aura. No energy flow. Looks like a normal guy," Diluc thought, but he stayed cautious. He knew power could hide in plain sight.
"Welcome, Mondstadt's Dark Knight—Diluc, right?" Harlan said from behind the counter. His tone was casual, familiar.
Diluc paused. "Dark Knight?" he asked. The name was too close to local rumors about him. It annoyed him slightly, but he brushed it off.
"100,000 Mora a book. One per day," Harlan said, standing now, ready to deal.
Diluc reached into his coat and dropped a pouch of Mora onto the counter. "Fine. I'll take one."
He joined the others. Paimon grabbed Digimon: First Frontier instantly, already squealing with excitement over Agumon. She had seen Nyaromon thanks to Barbara and now wanted her own creature.
Lumine hovered near the shelf, considering her options. Her wind powers from One Piece had been useful, but she wanted something different today.
"Try Cardcaptor Sakura, Ying! It's got great magic," Paimon said, peeking over her comic.
Lumine nodded, pulled the book down, and headed to a couch with Paimon.
In the corner, Sarah read Little Master. She flipped pages quickly, eyes wide. The food in the comic practically glowed. Liu Maoxing's story grabbed her—his fight to save his family restaurant, his battles with dishonest chefs, the insane dishes he created. She was impressed.
Paimon floated over, curious. "You're here too?"
Sarah nodded. "Couldn't resist. This comic's wild—look at this tofu! Glowing like it's alive."
"Glowing food?" Paimon's eyes lit up. "What's it called?"
"Little Master. You'd love it."
"I'm reading that one tomorrow," Paimon declared, floating back to Lumine with her mind already on golden egg rice.
Across the room, Wendy browsed the shelves. He passed by Digimon—he'd already gained Maine Coonmon—and picked up Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! without much thought. "Looks funny," he muttered, settling into a chair.
Jean arrived last. Only two comics were left. She picked up the same one as Wendy—Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!—recalling Barbara's comments and Harlan's earlier hints about its power. She trusted their instincts and sat beside Wendy to start reading.
Diluc was the last to pick. Only One Piece: East Sea Saga remained. He remembered Barbara's ice powers and Jean's new strength—both came from this comic. It made sense to try it for himself. He took the book and sat near the window.
The shop grew quiet except for the sound of turning pages. Sarah muttered about tofu, Paimon whispered about food, Wendy chuckled, and Jean read in silence. Diluc frowned occasionally, but kept reading.
Harlan leaned back behind the counter, watching it all. His tea sat forgotten. [18/30], the system reminded him. More progress. He glanced at each of them—Paimon dreaming of food, Diluc reading about pirates, Lumine trying out magic.
"Stormterror's gone," Harlan thought. "And they're still coming back."
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Reflection :Diluc joined the others, confirming his interest after seeing Barbara and Jean's results. Paimon chose Digimon with hopes of a digital partner, while Lumine shifted to Cardcaptor Sakura for magical abilities. Sarah's excitement over Little Master caught Paimon's attention, setting her goal for tomorrow. Jean and Wendy both picked Chuunibyou, trusting Barbara's earlier praise. With 18 customers reached, Harlan's influence in Mondstadt continues to grow.