I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 84

As the night lanterns slowly rose into the sky, laughter and cheers filled the air. The festival was in full swing, and joy spread like wildfire among the people. The celebration only grew more lively as the night deepened, reaching its peak as the clock struck midnight.

Zhongli raised his glass, his golden eyes reflecting the warm glow of the lanterns.

"Everyone, Happy Lantern Festival!"

Glasses clinked as a chorus of voices echoed his words.

"Happy Lantern Festival!"

The next morning.

Furina lay sound asleep on the soft bed, the warmth of the sunlight creeping through the window. Outside her room, two Lancelot Knights stood guard, their expressions unwavering as they kept watch.

The golden rays illuminated the room, and Furina stirred. The brightness coaxed a small frown from her before she finally opened her eyes, still drowsy from the night before.

She sat up, stretching with a satisfied sigh, then turned to look at the vast blue sea outside the window.

"That was the best sleep ever~"

She made her way to the window, where the cool morning breeze caressed her face. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply, savoring the crisp sea air.

Last night had been an unforgettable one. Under Ningguang's arrangements, she and the others had spent the night on the second floor of the Treasure Ship. Everyone had been given their own rooms, and she had rested like royalty.

Her gaze then fell upon the two tall figures standing at the door, and she couldn't help but smile.

This time, she had truly secured herself a formidable team.

Returning to Fontaine would be much easier now.

Back home, some had questioned her identity, doubting her strength because she had never fought in public. She knew whispers had spread, undermining her authority. But this time, she had a plan.

Local legend, just you wait! When I return, I'll wipe you out with my own hands!

Furina envisioned the moment vividly—the awe, the fear, the undeniable proof of her power. With the Lancelot Knights at her side, no one would dare doubt her again. If her subordinates were this strong, then what did that say about her?

After dressing, she stepped outside. The knights immediately saluted, swords raised in unison.

"My Lord, good morning."

Furina nodded in satisfaction. "Good morning, my loyal knights. Are Kevin and the others up yet?"

She had spent the entire night getting to know Kevin, March 7th, and the rest. They had agreed to visit Liyue Harbor together today.

One of the knights responded, "My Lord, Miss Kevin and Miss March 7th are having breakfast on the first floor."

"Got it." Furina gave a small nod before making her way downstairs.

The first floor was alive with festive decorations. The walls, windows, and doors were adorned with red couplets and golden blessing characters, filling the space with an air of celebration.

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As she stepped into the lobby, six small figures carrying bowls of porridge walked past her. Klee waved enthusiastically, her face beaming with excitement.

"Good morning, Sister Furina!"

Furina smiled warmly. "Good morning! Where are you all off to?"

Klee grinned. "Klee wants to have breakfast outside!"

Furina stepped aside, allowing them to pass, then continued toward the dining area. She spotted Kevin and March 7th sitting together, with Kevin wolfing down a massive bowl of white porridge.

Noticing Furina's arrival, Kevin set down his empty bowl and stood up to get more. "Furina, you're finally up! We tried to wake you earlier, but your two little guards wouldn't let us in."

Furina rubbed the back of her head, chuckling. "I told them to stand guard."

March 7th handed Furina a bowl of porridge. "Eat first. After breakfast, we're heading to Liyue Harbor. There are a ton of fun things happening today!"

Furina took a spoonful of the warm porridge, enjoying its comforting taste. "Where exactly are we going?"

Hu Tao grinned mischievously. "We'll just explore the harbor and see what fun stalls are set up. I'll be your guide."

At that moment, Xiangling chimed in. "Oh, by the way, I checked today's dungeon. It's a small game called 'Mario.' Should we go try it first?"

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "Mario? What's the reward?"

Xiangling thought for a moment. "Only 100 Stellar Jade for clearing the level."

Kevin immediately lost interest. "Only 100? Nah, let's just enjoy the harbor."

"Himeko just went back to work on a new carriage with Pom," March 7th added. "It should be ready today. Once it's done, we'll move on to our next destination."

Kevin looked puzzled. "Aren't we supposed to participate in the grand tournament?"

March 7th looked annoyed. "Did you forget that I would be participating Kevin...?"

Kevin sheepishly scratched his head. "Not at all!..I uh...just...I don't know..." Kevin promptly gave up.

Furina, however, was confused. "The Grand Tournament?"

March 7th turned to her. "It's a competition that will be held by a major power in our world."

Furina blinked. "Your world?"

March 7th nodded. "Yeah. I forgot to mention—Kevin, Seele, and Qingque aren't from your world."

Furina's eyes widened. "Wait, what?!"

Kevin then recounted their journey, explaining how they had arrived in Teyvat and their adventures along the way.

By the time he finished, Furina was in awe.

"That's amazing! Traveling through the galaxy on a train, saving worlds along the way... That's so cool!"

A new dream sparked in her heart.

"Kevin, how do I join the Nameless?"

Both Kevin and March 7th were momentarily stunned.

"Wait... You want to be a Nameless?"

Furina nodded eagerly. "Yes! Is that not possible?"

Kevin scratched his head. "No, it's possible. Pom always says the train welcomes anyone who truly wishes to be a Nameless."

He then hesitated before adding, "But... aren't you the Hydro Archon? What about your country?"

Furina grinned. "Not now, of course! But after I've taken care of things in Fontaine."

Kevin shrugged. "In that case, go talk to Himeko. She's our navigator."

Furina tilted her head. "Navigator?"

"Basically, she's the boss. If you want in, she's the one to convince."

Excitement bubbled in Furina's chest.

The future had never looked more thrilling.

Kevin and the others continued to eat, finishing their breakfast quickly.

After the meal, the group boarded the ferry to Liyue Harbor.

Xianyun called his two good disciples, Ganyu and Shenhe.

"Ganyu, take Shenhe to Liyue Harbor for a stroll. Shenhe has rarely interacted with human society in recent years, so help her get familiar with it.

Ganyu nodded and took Shenhe's hand. "Yes, Master. I will take good care of my junior sister."

Xianyun nodded with satisfaction, then turned and walked back onto the Treasure Ship to continue studying the assembly of computers.

Ganyu turned to Shenhe with a gentle smile. "I'll take you to Liyue Harbor, and we'll buy you some new clothes for the New Year."

Shenhe nodded slightly.

Ganyu took Shenhe's hand, and together they boarded a ferry to Liyue Harbor.

Ningguang had arranged ten ferries from the Treasure Ship to help with everyone's travel. Since today was the Lantern Festival, everyone would stay in Liyue Harbor for another day.

Just as Ganyu was about to tell the boatman to set sail, a voice called out.

"Ganyu! Wait for me, take me along the way!"

Ganyu turned around.

Asmodeus and Silver Wolf were approaching with Nahida in tow.

Ganyu was curious. "That's unexpected..."

She smiled awkwardly, realizing that Asmodeus's reasoning was, well, very characteristic of her.

Meanwhile, Kevin, Hu Tao, and Furina had already arrived at the port.

As soon as they stepped onto the dock, they were enchanted by the bustling scene before them.

The square was packed with countless vendors selling food, entertainment, drinks, clothes—you name it, it was there!

Paimon took a deep sniff, her eyes shining. "Mmm~ It smells so good! Ying, let's buy some more food!"

Ying rolled her eyes. "You just ate, and you're already hungry again?"

Paimon shrugged. "I can't help it! The food smells way too good!"

March 7th laughed. "Let's buy some snacks to eat while we explore. Walking around without food in hand is no fun."

Everyone agreed, and they set off in search of something to munch on while they wandered.

As they strolled, March 7th suddenly caught sight of two familiar faces. At first, she thought she was imagining things, so she rubbed her eyes and looked again.

"Isn't that Topaz and Jade? Why are they running a stall here?"

Kevin and Hu Tao followed her gaze and saw that she was right.

Curious, the group walked over to Topaz and Jade's stall. They had set up a large turntable, surrounded by various prizes.

Topaz stood in front of it, holding a sign.

Kevin, licking his popsicle, glanced at the board.

"One Stellar Jade per spin, nine Stellar Jade for ten spins... Gambling with Stellar Jade?"

Topaz noticed Kevin and grinned. "Hey, Kevin, March, Hu Tao! Want to try your luck? The prizes are fantastic!"

Kevin spread his hands. "I don't have anything except more than six million Mora."

Topaz's eyes gleamed. "I'll take 100,000 Mora for a spin. How about it? Wanna try?"

Kevin hesitated. 100,000 Mora was enough to support a family for a month, but... a gamble was a gamble.

"Alright, let's do it."

Kevin handed over the Mora, and Topaz gestured for him to spin the wheel.

Kevin glanced at the prize list:

[100 jin of high-quality rice, 10 pieces of silk, 3,000 sheets of paper, a calligraphy set, a box of bread, a basket of fruit, an iron sword, a donkey, and a fine horse.]

Kevin frowned. "Topaz, these prizes are kinda... basic."

Topaz smirked. "You can't think like that. If you win the fine horse, you'll make a fortune! Look at it, isn't it beautiful?"

He pointed to a majestic white horse nearby.

Kevin had to admit—it was a fine steed. Snow-white, bright-eyed, and powerfully built.

"Alright, let's spin."

He grabbed the handle and gave the wheel a strong turn.

Topaz, ever the showman, produced a gong and struck it. "Step right up, everyone! Try your luck at the prize wheel! Only one Stellar Jade per spin! Today's grand prize is a fine horse! Don't miss out!"

The crowd's attention shifted toward them, curiosity piqued.

"What's this? Looks fun!"

"That horse is gorgeous!"

"Wait, is the horse actually a prize?"

Topaz beamed. "Of course! And look at this fine lady spinning right now! Do you want to try?"

Kevin glared at Topaz for using him as a marketing ploy.

Jade chuckled and slipped 100 Stellar Jade into Kevin's hand on the sly.

Kevin smirked knowingly. "Oh? This is kinda fun. I wonder what I'll win."

March 7th and Hu Tao exchanged glances, sighing.

"Kevin's greed is still as strong as ever," Hu Tao muttered. "He was bribed with just 100 Stellar Jade. If it were me, I'd demand at least 200!"

March 7th raised an eyebrow. "200? I'd ask for 300."

Ying waved her hand dismissively. "1000!"

Thanks to Kevin and Topaz's little performance, more and more people gathered, eager to try their luck.

Many secretly regretted selling their Stellar Jade to Ningguang earlier, but luckily, travelers from other regions still had some on hand.

Slowly but surely, people started placing bets, spinning the wheel, and hoping for that grand prize.

Jade handled the prizes, while Topaz worked the crowd. Their business was booming.

Kevin, satisfied with his contribution, received his reward—a basket of fresh fruit. He rejoined March 7th, Hu Tao, and the others to continue their exploration.

Jade, seeing how large their group was, generously handed them an extra basket.

Each person grabbed a piece of fruit, happily munching as they strolled through the lively festival streets.