Chapter 149: The Traveler: That Will Cost Extra!

"Anyone who obtains a Vision possesses the potential to ascend to godhood. That is why they are called Genshin by the world. And Chen Motong—she must be the very first Genshin of our world now, right?"

After listening to Lu Mingfei's introduction, Constantine rested his chin on one hand and spoke.

"Yes, she is the first Genshin," Lu Mingfei replied.

"Wait, if I'm the first, then what were the things you guys used before? Were they different from mine?" Chen Motong asked with a puzzled look.

"Delusions are like that. Visions only need to bind to their host to function, acting as an external magic organ, but it's not always certain who might use a Delusion," Lu Mingfei thought for a moment before answering.

"In other words, Delusions don't have a binding function? And Visions are just a more advanced version of Delusions?" Chen Motong's eyes lit up, a smile spreading across her face.

"No, Delusions aren't bound, so anyone can use them. I was just worried that if you got into a fight with someone, your Delusion might get snatched away halfway through, leaving you in an even worse position. That's why I made a Vision that can bind to its user," Lu Mingfei sighed in response.

Chen Motong's smile instantly froze.

The smile transferred to the faces of Norton and Constantine. They smiled politely without making a sound.

Soon, the cute little boy Constantine smoothly changed the subject. "Since Delusions are called Delusions—carrying that ominous word—there must be some danger in using them, right? Not having a binding function might not be entirely a good thing."

"Delusions do have their drawbacks," Lu Mingfei nodded.

Chen Motong's expression improved slightly. If the only difference between a Vision and a Delusion was the binding feature, she would have felt utterly humiliated, as that would imply preferential treatment for the weak.

"What kind of problems?"

"I didn't place any output limits on Delusions, but I did build binding restrictions into Visions. A Vision's efficiency will never exceed the user's limit, but a Delusion... if you don't use it well, it can actually kill you," Lu Mingfei said solemnly.

"Truly worthy of being called a Delusion—appropriately sinister," Constantine nodded slightly with a hint of emotion.

Chen Motong puffed out her chest, a trace of a smile returning to her face. As expected, Visions were indeed much stronger than Delusions.

Watching the changing expressions on their faces, Norton and Constantine, Lu Mingfei continued, "However, you don't need to worry. You've both studied alchemy for years and have exceptionally high mental strength, so you'll be fine."

"Oh?"

"Although I didn't set output limits on the Delusions, they are still alchemical artifacts. The materials determine that they cannot output power infinitely. Your upper limits of mental strength are higher than the material limits of the Delusions, so you can use them freely without needing to switch to a Vision with more complex craftsmanship," Lu Mingfei explained further.

"I see," Norton acknowledged.

"Damn it!"

Chen Motong's face turned dark once more. It turns out she was the one with weak mental strength, which was why using a Delusion posed a danger to her. People with high mental strength like Norton and Constantine didn't need Visions at all.

How utterly infuriating!

***

Inside the City of Fontaine

Today, Fontaine welcomed a young boy dressed in black formal attire. He walked gracefully down the street like a youth who had been cooped up indoors for a long time, carefully observing everything around him and recording it in his mind.

He glanced at a cake shop from afar, unconsciously licking his lips. Desires springing from the depths of his heart erupted—he wanted to go inside and eat a small cake.

However, she was merely a spiritual entity.

She was Focalors.

It was already fortunate enough that a spiritual entity could be seen by others. To actually eat something physical? How could that even be possible? Focalors could not consume real food; she could only watch. Just watch. She couldn't even smell the aromas, relying entirely on imagination for scents.

For a brief moment, she wanted to forge a brand new physical body for herself and then feast to her heart's content in Fontaine. But if she did that, where she would store her physical body became another problem altogether.

After all, she didn't possess a Plane of Euthymia capable of storing her own physical form like the Raiden Shogun.

Sigh~

"Pardon me, is there anything I can help you with?"

A crisp voice rang beside her ear. Turning her head, she saw a lovely blonde girl accompanied by a small, floating, white, flying fairy-like creature.

Ah, the Traveler.

Focalors understood instantly. She smiled and replied, "I don't need any help. You must have much more important things to do, right?"

"Call it intuition, but helping you is precisely what I need to do right now," the Traveler answered.

"Help... me?"

Focalors tilted her head in confusion, resting her chin on one hand as she asked, looking exceptionally cute.

Crucially, she was currently borrowing Luminous's appearance.

"You knew I had important things to do, which means you must know a great deal of things, right? I'd like to get some key information from you," the Traveler said candidly.

"Then why did you say you were helping me?" Focalors continued to ask.

"Because you seemed to have something on your mind and looked like you needed our help, so I came over."

"Then how did you figure out that I was unusual?"

"Your attire," the Traveler replied simply.

"Attire?"

Focalors instinctively looked down at herself, then glanced at the citizens of Fontaine. The clothes she wore were indeed slightly different from those of the people in this world, but to conclude that she was extraordinary based solely on that seemed a bit arbitrary.

She looked earnestly at the Traveler and pressed on, "Is it... really just because of that?"

"Also, you don't have a shadow. You're like a ghost." The Traveler elaborated.

Focalors felt a sense of release. Ah, of course. She was indeed a spiritual entity—visible to others, yet lacking a shadow of her own. Since this wasn't her mental world, she was merely a visible phantom, not a genuine living person.

For someone observant, it wouldn't be hard to tell her apart from ordinary people.

"You probably aren't from this era, right? I'm guessing you understand a lot of things—like Fontaine's history and culture. We can chat while we walk," the Traveler said with a smile.

"Very well, let's walk," Focalors nodded slightly, thinking to herself: Why is the Traveler so clever? I never noticed it before. It's almost as if she suddenly awakened.

'Because Primogems have arrived, recharging your IQ.'

Abruptly, such a voice echoed in her mind. Focalors was startled instinctively, thinking to herself: Why would I have such a thought? Could it be that Primogems can stimulate the Traveler's potential?

She didn't dwell on self-doubt, simply walking alongside the others as she said, "If I give you a hundred Primogems, can you let me hug Paimon?"

"No way. Paimon is my most important companion; how could I easily hand her over for others to hug?" the Traveler answered with absolute firmness and decisiveness.

"Oh," Focalors nodded.

"As expected of the Traveler, you're the best, hehee—" A look of satisfaction appeared on Paimon's face as well.

"That'll cost extra!"

The Traveler smiled faintly, gently pinching two fingers together as she looked at Focalors.

Focalors: (⊙o⊙)

Paimon: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ Traveler... you?

"How much more?"

"At least twenty Primogems!"

"Traveler, in your eyes, is Paimon really only worth a hundred and twenty Primogems?!" Little Paimon shouted, stamping her feet furiously in mid-air.

"Well..."

The Traveler paused for a moment. Seeing Paimon's angry expression, her eyes revealed an appearance of utmost difficulty before she finally forced out, "I'm sorry, I suppose Paimon can't be sold off like this after all."

"Now that's more like it~"

"To hug her will cost at least a hundred and thirty! Not a single Primogem less!" the Traveler declared righteously.

"Traveler! When all is said and done, you only added ten more Primogems?! Ahhh! You're infuriating!" Little Paimon flew about in furious circles.

Focalors gently covered the corner of her lips, displaying a feminine smile through Luminous's body. She looked like a pure and lovely young maiden, causing the hidden Luminous within her to feel his vision suddenly go dark.

Damn it, why are you using my body to make expressions like that? This is utterly exasperating!

"Then... then a hundred and thirty-five Primogems? Will that do?"

"Ahhh, why did you add even less?! It was ten Primogems just a moment ago! In your eyes, is Paimon only worth—no, wait, wait, wait! How can Paimon be measured in Primogems anyway?! Whew—almost got tricked by you again. Hmph! Bad Traveler!"

"Hehe?"

"What does 'hehe' even mean?!"

Watching the Traveler and Paimon frolic and bicker, Focalors felt her mood lifting steadily. Who knew that a journey in company could be this joyful? If she also had someone important accompanying her on her travels, it would surely be a delightful feast!

Wait, no, "delightful feast" probably wasn't the right way to describe a journey... Oh well, never mind. As long as I understand what I mean! Hehe, how wonderful!

Idiot! Fool!

"Huh, why do I feel like someone is scolding me?" Focalors looked around, her expression growing increasingly perplexed.

"One hundred and sixty Primogems, not a single one less!" The Traveler's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. She wrapped her arms around the struggling Paimon and pushed her toward Focalors, her gaze filled with absolute resolve.

"Traveler..."

Paimon stopped struggling, tears welling up in her eyes like some emergency food about to be placed on a dining table.

"Fine, then one hundred and sixty Primogems it is." Focalors took hold of Paimon and gave her a practiced hug, feeling no discernible difference from the texture in her dreams.

"Ehehe! Primogems secured!"

Having been hugged, Paimon suddenly zipped away, all traces of depression instantly swept from her face. She floated back to the Traveler's side and declared with supreme confidence, "Look, look! Aren't I amazing at raising the price?! Hehe, a whole forty Primogems more! You've got to reward me with something delicious for this!"

"Alright, alright. I'll make pizza for you," the Traveler said with a smile, patting Paimon's head.

"Yay!"

Beside them, Focalors wore a very complicated expression after hugging Paimon. She felt as though she had been conned by the two of them, but her mood at the moment was so pleasant that she didn't want to bicker over such minor details. After all...

She had been prepared to spend a thousand Primogems anyway.

A hundred Primogems was merely an unreasonable price she had thrown out out of fear of being overcharged; she had even braced herself for exorbitant counter-offers.

Yet none of that happened. The Traveler gave off the impression of someone who had never laid eyes on a Primogem before, desperately craving them no matter the quantity.

╮(︶﹏︶)╭

Although she was only a spiritual entity, she still possessed a tiny stash of savings. Primogems weren't particularly scarce resources to her—nor were they to most people in Teyvat. Someone with such an obsession for Primogems as the Traveler was truly a rarity.

Perhaps Primogems served some special purpose for her? Maybe?

Still, it felt less practical than Mora.

"Oh right, do you happen to know anything about Il Dottore? I urgently need information on him right now. I'll do whatever you want in return," the Traveler said with a bright smile.

"Three hundred and twenty Primogems."

Focalors thought for a moment before replying.

"!!!"

The Traveler was instantly dumbfounded. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected this entity to demand Primogems outright. She actually wanted her precious Primogems as payment for a quest.

You're taking my life here!

"Is there any other way to exchange for it? I can help you gather all sorts of materials, or do all kinds of tasks for you, but anything except Primogems!" the Traveler looked at her with tear-filled eyes.

"Uh..."

Focalors was slightly surprised. She hadn't anticipated such a dramatic reaction from the Traveler; it seemed this girl truly loved Primogems.

However...

She genuinely didn't have anything she needed the Traveler's help with. After all, she was usually just a spiritual entity cooped up inside the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, unable to go anywhere or play with anything. She had no material desires and didn't need the Traveler to do chores for her.

How about having the Traveler craft a fishing rod device to strap onto Paimon, hang a fragrant roast chicken from the hook right in front of Paimon's eyes where she could see it at all times but never eat it, and maintain this setup for an hour?

Such a thought suddenly popped into Focalors' mind, and she started in shock. *Why would I think of something like that? Am I a demon? Or have I been influenced by Luminous's mindset bleeding into mine?!*

Luminous: *Could it be... am I about to be found out?*

Focalors sighed inwardly, muttering to herself: *It's all his fault. I'm clearly not that kind of person; why would such a thought cross my mind...*

*At most—at most, I'd just have Paimon sit down and share a meal with Il Dottore and The Knave alone. I'm a very kind person, after all; I can guarantee neither The Knave nor Il Dottore would hurt her.*

Luminous: *Holy crap! You're even more demonic than I am!*

"How about this, Traveler? As long as you're willing to build a fishing apparatus attached to Paimon, hang a fragrant roast chicken on the hook right in front of her eyes so she can see it constantly without being able to eat it, and keep it that way for an hour," Focalors said with a smile.

"What?! Are you a demon?!"

Paimon cried out in absolute shock and dismay.

"Hehe?"

Focalors blinked and smiled.

"What does 'hehe' even mean?!"

Paimon stomped her feet in mid-air, turning her tearful gaze to the Traveler. "Traveler..."

"Sigh, there's really no helping you~"

The Traveler stroked Paimon's little head, then produced her Primogems and said, "As much as I like bullying her too, there has to be a bottom line to bullying among friends. Doing this would hurt Paimon's feelings, so... I'd rather pay you the Primogems."

"Paimon is my companion, after all!"