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Soon, Timmie's pigeon flew away again. However, this time it was followed by a bustling crowd, leaving him no choice but to stand silently amidst them.
Assuming there would be ample sunlight and anchor points here, they expected their devices to charge quickly. As conversations ensued, they naturally began discussing their phones—the very reason they had gathered.
"Did you record Miss Barbara's song? Can you play it once so I can capture it too?"
"No way! Still recording songs? With all these features, why focus just on that one?"
"I'm playing Tetris; it's quite interesting. You should give it a try—fill up rows, and they disappear, earning you points."
"That game is too simplistic. In my opinion, Plants vs. Zombies is far more engaging; it requires strategy!"
"Pfft, Spirit Knight is much more thrilling. The characters are even better than Westerly Knights! If only we could use those weapons for real..."
"I discovered that Spirit Knight allows two players to team up and battle side by side!" someone exclaimed excitedly upon making this surprising find.
The crowd immediately gathered around, confirming his discovery—it indeed enabled cooperative gameplay. Everyone started searching for teammates, as tackling challenges alone seemed impossible!
A flash of white light illuminated the area as Paimon and Lumine appeared before the crowd. Everyone was momentarily taken aback, then burst into praise.
"As expected from the Traveler! Truly amazing, able to go anywhere at will!"
Paimon looked puzzled; why were there so many people here? Usually, only one or two passersby would be around.
"Huh, strange. Why isn't Timmie upset this time?" Paimon glanced quizzically at Lumine, as every previous visit had elicited Timmie's complaints.
Yet, despite the larger crowd, Timmie remained surprisingly quiet.
"Hmph, he just picks on those weaker than him, Traveler. Let's ignore him from now on!" Paimon declared angrily, hands on her hips.
"Indeed, just like you, Paimon - running away at the sight of Hilichurls but eager to catch Slimes for a snack!" Lumine teased with a smile.
"W-what?! No way!" Paimon scratched her head, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Get in there already! What are you doing, hiding behind me? I'm already dead!" suddenly, a loud shout erupted nearby.
"Oh my, what's going on? You scared poor Paimon half to death!" Paimon patted her chest, visibly shaken by the sudden outburst.
"You scaredy-cat! Let's go ask them; maybe they have some quests for us. That way, Paimon can afford better meals." Lumine smiled and approached with Paimon.
"Hello, excuse me..." Before Paimon could finish, she was interrupted.
"Don't bother me—I'm having a terrible time!" The person spoke loudly without even looking up from their phone, clearly agitated.
"That guy seems really mean. Let's not provoke him. Instead, let's ask this one!" Paimon pointed at a frail-looking man and flew over to him.
Lumine facepalmed, knowing it had to be Paimon—her knack for picking easy targets was truly impressive.
"Hi there, I'm Paimon, and this is the Traveler!" Paimon politely introduced herself and Lumine before asking curiously:
"What are you all doing here? It looks like everyone's playing games, but why are they getting so angry?" Paimon was puzzled, wondering why someone would curse others after losing.
The man gave an awkward smile and sheepishly admitted, "They're cursing at me. We were playing a team game, and I messed up quite badly."
"What kind of game is it? Can I take a look?" Even as Paimon asked, her head already leaned towards the phone screen.
"This is Spirit Knight; you can do this... like this, and then this to form a team." The person didn't hold back any information, readily explaining it to them, as there was no secret involved.
"Traveler, let's give it a try! I'm incredibly skilled at games; I'll protect you!" Paimon cautiously held out her phone, seeking Lumine's agreement.
"Alright, but don't hide behind me later," Lumine acquiesced, somewhat resigned, and took out her own phone, conveniently ready for charging.
"I wouldn't dream of hiding! Paimon is your best companion!" Paimon crossed her arms, sounding quite proud.
"No, you're Emergency Food!" Lumine chuckled, emphasizing her point, which made Paimon fly around indignantly.
"I am not Emergency Food, I'm Traveler's absolute best partner!" Paimon huffed softly, looking utterly adorable.
Following the instructions from the stranger, they began setting up their game. In no time, they entered Spirit Knight, indeed playing as two characters.
"Paimon, choose the cleric to heal me!" Lumine promptly selected the knight class, knowing its shield would be invaluable.
"Paimon wants to fight monsters too, I'll play as a mage..." As she spoke, Paimon confirmed her choice. They both settled down on the ground, eagerly starting their gaming session.
***
Lin Feng woke up, opened his eyes, and immediately noticed Eula, filling his heart with warmth.
"You're awake. Next time you go wandering off recklessly, don't expect anyone to save you!" Eula's tone was icy, but internally she felt relieved.
"It won't happen again, cough...cough..." Lin Feng let out two coughs, with snot streaming down, clearly indicating he had caught a cold.
"Are you sick?" Eula finally looked away from her phone and turned towards Lin Feng.
Sniffing back his runny nose, Lin Feng managed a weak smile. "I'm fine, just a bit of a sniffle. My body can handle it."
Eula then started searching through a cabinet and quickly found a box. After rummaging for a moment, she pulled out a bottle, only to discover that the pills inside had melted.
Frowning slightly, Eula walked over to Lin Feng and said, "Get up, I'll take you to Mondstadt for treatment!"
"No need, it's just a minor cold. A good night's sleep should do the trick!" Lin Feng shook his head, his lips appearing dry and pale.
"Could you please get me a cup of hot water? I think that should help!" Lin Feng asked tentatively, his voice sounding somewhat weak.
Eula silently turned to search for a cup. However, as this was only her temporary residence, she didn't have extra cups available and had to use her own, adorned with Baron Bunny.
As Lin Feng took the cup, he couldn't help but glance at Eula, noticing a slight blush on her face. The mug was a gift from Amber, which indeed seemed quite out of character for Eula.
Lin Feng gently sipped from the cup; surprisingly, the tea tasted slightly sweet. Perhaps it was just because Eula had poured it, giving him a psychological boost.
Watching Lin Feng's lips touch the rim of the cup, Eula debated internally whether she should stop using it. Although not overly germaphobic, the thought felt akin to their lips touching, causing an indescribable shyness.
In the end, considering it was a gift from Amber and she did like the cup, she decided to continue using it. Nonetheless, she mentally noted this 'cup-sharing' incident.