Because of the incident at the Rite of Descension, the entirety of Liyue Harbor had been placed under martial law by the Millelith.
Therefore, after leaving Bubu Pharmacy, Velina and Hu Tao returned straight to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Xiangling also returned to Wanmin Restaurant carrying the unfinished Hotarubi no Mori e.
From the conflicted expression on her face at the end, it was not hard to guess that she was currently struggling over whether or not to read the final ending.
Inside Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
The employees who had been discussing the death of the Archon, upon seeing Velina, all simultaneously cast their gazes toward her, looking as if they had a thousand words they wanted to pour out.
Velina returned their gazes with a gentle smile.
“Looks like everyone really likes the novel Velina wrote?” Hu Tao asked with a cheerful grin.
“If only the ending had been changed to something else, it would have been even better.”
A female attendant whose eye circles were a bit red sighed and said this.
These words resonated with quite a few employees, who all nodded in agreement.
“That’s right, that’s right.”
“When I saw Gin disappear at the end, I felt like my heart had completely shattered.”
“Little Hotaru waited for so long.
They had clearly made a promise.
Velina, how could you be so heartless!”
“Yeah, Velina, how could you be so heartless…”
Watching the content of the discussion shift from the ending to a denunciation of herself, Velina felt she should clarify a bit.
“Tragedies often leave a deeper impression on people than comedies, don’t they?”
Everyone froze for a moment.
“Think about it.
If it had ultimately been a perfect ending, perhaps after reading it you would forget this novel before long, just like most of the stories you’ve read before.”
“But now?
The story of Hotaru and Gin is not perfect, yet it will be firmly remembered in your hearts.
A story that can be remembered is a good story, isn’t that right?”
The main hall of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor fell into a brief silence.
“Why do I feel that what Miss Velina said makes a lot of sense?”
One attendant scratched his head and said with a strange expression.
“It does have… some sense!”
Finally someone reacted.
“Didn’t you all see that when she and the Director just returned, the way she looked at us was like she was holding back laughter?”
“Miss Velina isn’t as… as cruel as you say, right?
She’s usually so gentle.”
“Not necessarily…”
Velina did not know about the discussion among the crowd.
She had already returned to her own room, eagerly closed the door, and prepared to test just how much her elemental power had increased.
Velina had not forgotten the scene when she had just transmigrated to Guili Plains, when she could only cover a Hilichurl’s face with sand before hurriedly running away.
She raised her hand.
Invisible energy gathered in her palm and transformed into a pale cyan flowing light.
“Anemo.”
She softly murmured.
Thus the energy transformed into an invisible wind blade, letting out a fine whistling sound as it sliced a Sunsettia on the fruit plate into several pieces.
“Mm, not bad.”
Velina nodded in satisfaction, pinched a piece, and sent it into her mouth.
From now on when cutting fruit, she would no longer need to look for a fruit knife.
Very convenient.
Who said elemental power could only be used for fighting?
That was prejudice!
Velina raised both hands again and vigorously rubbed them together. New chapters come out on g.com first.
The originally pale cyan elemental power turned into a bright yellow.
When she spread her palms, a sparkling stone had already appeared in her fair palm.
Velina looked at that stone and felt it was very miraculous.
To her as a transmigrator, this was completely no less than creating something from nothing, yet it truly conformed to the “rules” of this world of Teyvat.
Currently Velina could only use these two types of elemental power.
It should be because her power was still too weak.
“If I write another novel, maybe I’ll be able to unlock a new elemental power.”
“When that time comes, I’ll be Elemental Power, Stage Three!”
Velina clenched her fist.
She was a bit expectant.
After all, at present, Anemo and Geo, aside from combat, had truly not many opportunities to be used in daily life.
She was still thinking of creating some life-type magic.
When that time came, she would be the founder of lazy-person magic!
Speaking of which, Teyvat seemed to have a witches’ association?
Velina tried hard to recall.
Then she gave up.
This organization was mysterious and secretive, and it had not appeared too many times in the early plot.
When asked, the answer was just “I quit the game.”
The Aranara of Sumeru were too tormenting.
Even Furina of Fontaine—she had only brushed past quite a few secondary creation videos.
The matter of elemental power was temporarily set aside for now.
Velina sat down at the desk, prepared paper and pen, and began conceiving a new story.
Two hours passed in the blink of an eye.
Velina raised her head, looked at the sunlight outside that was no longer bright, then lowered her head and looked at the manuscript paper in front of her that now had quite a few doodles.
She tossed the pen aside.
Not writing anymore.
Hotarubi no Mori e had only just gone on sale.
What was she in such a hurry for?
Talk about it tomorrow.
The scene of the Archon’s death had already been performed.
She also did not know what Zhongli was doing.
Thinking of this, the curiosity in Velina’s heart gained the upper hand.
She decided to go out and take a look.
“Velina, how is the new novel coming along?”
In the main hall of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, the idle Hu Tao greeted Velina when she saw her.
In front of her was an opened Hotarubi no Mori e.
“Still in the conception stage.
Haven’t you already finished reading it?” Velina asked.
“I’m thinking of reading it a few more times to see if I can discover any foreshadowing you left in the story.”
If she had glasses right now, Hu Tao would probably push them up.
“Mm-hmm.
By the way, where’s Zhongli?”
“The Consultant?
He’s in the study.
What do you need him for?”
“Isn’t Consultant Zhongli a professional?
He’s read a lot of books.
I want to hear his opinion so I can improve the next one.”
Velina answered. The source of this chapter is g.com.
This was not a lie.
“Velina, you’re just being modest.” Hu Tao shook her head.
“Your novel is definitely read more by young people.
As for the Consultant…”
“Director Hu, what did you call me for?”
Zhongli’s voice suddenly rang out.
He had appeared without a sound.
“We were saying that you are widely read and wondering how you would view Velina’s novel.” Hu Tao said with a smile.
“An excellent work of the highest quality.” Zhongli looked as if he had long had an answer.
“Mr.
Zhongli is too kind.”
Velina was a bit embarrassed by this straightforward praise, especially under the premise of knowing the other party’s true identity.
“Life is inherently impermanent.
All manner of things, separation is ultimately an unavoidable topic.
I saw these things in the book.”
Zhongli’s expression remained indifferent throughout, but when speaking these words, his tone carried a slight fluctuation.
“By the way, Director, are there any spare copies of the novel left?”
“What for?”
“Later I will go meet a friend.
She might be interested.”
Zhongli answered.
“There are, there are.
Not bad, Zhongli.” Hu Tao patted Zhongli’s shoulder.
“Velina’s novel is in your hands.”
If the Traveler saw the novel, that would mean she might bring the novel to other nations.
When that time came, even more people would know of Velina’s novel.
Dong dong dong.
The door of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was suddenly knocked upon.
As a shop that handled funeral matters, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor did not open during the day.
If there was a commission, one would take a wooden plaque from the rack beside, write on it, and stuff it into the door crack.
In the evening an attendant would naturally go handle it.
“The appointed time has arrived.
Director, I shall take my leave first.” Zhongli said a word to Hu Tao and then left Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
…
Liuli Pavilion.
Under Childe’s introduction, Lumine and Paimon met Zhongli at the dinner gathering.
If Lumine wanted to investigate the cause of Rex Lapis’s death, she had to see the Archon’s immortal body.
Because of the obstruction of the Tianquan Ningguang, the only remaining method was through Wangsheng Funeral Parlor organizing the Rite of Parting.
“You two go ahead first.
Don’t mind me.
I plan to continue drinking a few more cups here… and while I’m at it, further familiarize myself with the usage of chopsticks.”
Childe bid farewell to the two.
Zhongli nodded, then stood up and handed a book to Lumine.
“Traveler, upon our first meeting, I gift this item to you.”
“This is?” Lumine accepted it in confusion.
Paimon also curiously leaned in and read the words on the cover one by one.
“Hotarubi no Mori e?
What a strange name.”
“A novel written by an old friend.” Zhongli said.