This bonus chapter is a small gift—may it bring you a touch of tranquility.
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"It's you…"Eula felt the voice was familiar and quickly looked up toward the cliff.
At the edge of the steep cliff, Lou Qing sat leisurely, a mint leaf dangling from his mouth, exuding an air of relaxation.
"Did you…"
"Yes, indeed."
Lou Qing chuckled softly, leaping down gracefully from the cliff. He casually patted the massive rock spine pinning the Stonehide Lawachurl to the ground and remarked in a calm voice, "So, how about it? Mine's big enough, right?"
"…"
Though Eula had no clue what exactly Lou Qing was implying, the smug look on his face told her all she needed to know.
This guy was definitely taking advantage of her.
"Counting this time and the last, Miss Eula, you owe me two lives now."
Lou Qing crossed his arms, a smirk on his face reminiscent of a certain merchant from Sumeru.
"How do you plan to repay me?"
"Hmph…"
Eula snorted softly, crossing her arms as she looked away, wearing a disdainful expression directed squarely at Lou Qing.
"I could've handled them myself even without your intervention. Sure, it would've cost me more effort, but still…"
She hesitated, then added, "And when exactly did I owe you two lives?"
"Two lives, indeed."
Lou Qing moved a bit closer, his head tilting as he grinned meaningfully.
"Surely Miss Eula hasn't forgotten that time your little guerrilla squad tried to finish me off while I was gravely injured?"
"That was…"
Eula tried to justify herself but was swiftly interrupted by Lou Qing.
"Did you really think a Harbinger of Snezhnaya would just let it slide after you merely tickled my feet and forced me to play guide? A simple scratch and it's all forgiven?"
Truth be told, Lou Qing understood well enough that Eula and her group had likely just wanted to capture him and take him to Mondstadt for interrogation.
But at that time, he had been barely clinging to life after Raiden Shogun's blade had left him hollowed out—an ultimate "one HP" situation.
If it weren't for the miracle elixirs he had, even sparring briefly with Eula's squad might've cost him the critical window for treatment. Bleeding out wasn't exactly far-fetched.
"…"
"So, with this time and the last combined, it's two lives. How does Miss Eula plan to repay her debt?"
Lou Qing snorted, his face assuming the expression of a debt collector.
"I…"
Eula felt a wave of frustration. While the situation just now had indeed been dire, she still had her Vision. At the last moment, she could've summoned Cryo energy to create an ice wall, blocking the Stonehide Lawachurl and its Hilichurl companions' assault.
But before she could act, Lou Qing's massive rock spine had crashed down, solving the problem in an instant.
Did that really count as him saving her?
"I could've handled it myself. Besides…"
She looked away awkwardly and mumbled, "You've already taken two of my swords. What more do you want?"
"Oh?"
Lou Qing feigned surprise, summoning the two greatswords from his system inventory with a thought. He planted them in the ground, fiddling with them dramatically.
"So, according to Miss Eula, these two greatswords are as important as your own life?"
"I…"
Eula stared at her former swords in Lou Qing's hands, her heart aching as if it were bleeding.
"Would Miss Eula like to reclaim these two greatswords?"
Lou Qing trailed his fingers along the blade's edge, his tone tempting. "If you agree to do something for me, you can take one back. How about it?"
"You…"
Eula scrutinized Lou Qing from head to toe, wondering how someone so brazenly irritating had managed to become a Harbinger.
"What do you want me to do?"
"First, say whether you agree or not."
"…"
Eula gazed at the Song of Broken Pines he held, deliberating for a long time. Finally, she crossed her arms and said haughtily, "Let me make this clear: I won't do anything unethical or immoral."
"Of course~. Now, for the first task…"
Lou Qing smiled mischievously, his tone light.
"Miss Eula, would you perform the Ritual Dance for me?"
"What…?"
Eula was momentarily stunned. She had expected him to demand secrets about Mondstadt or some similarly egregious request.
Her plan had been to scold him harshly, declare her noble knightly spirit, and make it clear she would never compromise with the Fatui.
Then she'd turn on her heel and storm off in defiance.
But he only wanted her to dance the Ritual Dance?
Hmph…
It was just a dance. Surely it wouldn't endanger Mondstadt in any way, right?
"Are you serious?"
"Dead serious~."
"…"
Eula gulped, her gaze drifting reluctantly to the greatsword in his hand—her beloved weapon.
It was only a dance. Performing it for him… shouldn't be that big of a deal, right?
After wrestling with her thoughts for a while, Eula finally sighed, her cheeks tinged red. She muttered softly, "Where do you want me to dance?"
"Right here~."
"Now?"
"Now."
"…"
Eula glanced behind her, ensuring no reinforcements from the guerrilla squad were in sight, and took a deep breath before stepping back a few paces.
"I'll only do this once."
Closing her eyes, she raised her arms gracefully.
Without any accompanying music, Eula began to dance, her movements elegant and captivating. Her lithe form swayed like a deep-blue spirit, her curves mesmerizing even in the silence of the moment.
Lou Qing had seen Nilou dance often during his time in Sumeru, but Eula was different. Nilou, for all her grace, was still a girl. In terms of sheer physical allure, she couldn't compare to Eula.
Even without music, Eula's dance left Lou Qing utterly spellbound.
His gaze naturally fell to where it should—her soul… or was it Mondstadt's rhythm? Wait, neither of those sound right…
The dance ended quickly.
Eula exhaled deeply, her face slightly flushed as she looked back at Lou Qing.
"I've done the first thing. Now…"
"Miss Eula, your dance was truly remarkable. It's clear you've practiced a lot," Lou Qing clapped lightly, his expression one of genuine appreciation.
"My sword."
Eula ignored him, her focus entirely on her reclaimed weapon.
"Here you go."
Lou Qing casually lifted the White Iron Greatsword from the ground and tossed it to her.
Eula eagerly caught the sword, giving it a light swing to confirm it was indeed her own. Then, her eyes returned to Lou Qing, her expression impatient.
"What's the next task?"
Though the White Iron Greatsword was nice, it paled in comparison to the Song of Broken Pines. She was eager to complete the next task and reclaim her treasured blade.
"Well, since Miss Eula seems so eager, I suppose it's fine…" Lou Qing grinned slyly, enunciating each word clearly.
"The next task is…"
"Just say it."
"Promise me three more things."
"…?"
[Frustration +1 from Eula]
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Ah, Reader. You've stayed for the bonus chapter—how delightful.
Even amidst the quiet of eternity, there's joy to be found in shared moments like this.
If you wish to offer your strength, step forward: [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Each effort helps to shape a world where such moments can thrive.
— Ei