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***

Meanwhile, Yomite’s group was resting in Hu Tao’s room, being encouraged to take as long as possible before returning home, as it was getting late.

The room wasn’t anything special and was simply decorated, with only the basics included to make it cozy.

Classic wooden furniture adorned most surfaces: such as a nice wood coffee table with some potted plants. Two silk lanterns hanging near the ceiling and delicate curtains that could be drawn and opened as required.

In fact, everything about it was barebones, unlike something you’d expect for the residences of those who lived extravagantly wealthy.

The one thing that caught everyone’s attention was the bed…or rather…the absence of one.

Instead, a large wooden coffin lay dormant in the middle of the room, inscribed with the name ‘Hu Tao’, using calligraphy elegantly rendered.

The glossy wood reflected small waves of sunlight of the setting sun brilliantly from time to time.

“Say…Paimon is wondering if anyone else sees this huge and creepy coffin just casually sitting there with no real explanation?” Paimon murmured faintly, tilting her head with a glance upon the group. She seemed disturbed.

“You know, I’ve just been thinking about that…I wonder how many Paimons would fit inside…I would say about fifty.” Yomite whispered with a creepy grin, startling the little fairy.

He saw Paimon roll her eyes slightly, almost helplessly…

“Hey! You shouldn’t joke about that! Or else something bad might happen to Paimon! Besides! You can’t get multiple Paimons! There is only one Paimon!”

“Well, if it ever comes to it, I can fish out another drowning Paimon from a lake.” Lumine added with her smile showing.

She was referring to their first ever meeting, where Lumine was starving and tried out fishing for the first time in her life, only to be disappointed to catch Paimon instead of a fish…

“Not you too! Why did you betray Paimon! Paimon thought we were allies!”

“This Prinzessin declares that if something ought to happen to the Flying Emergency Sustenance, her wrath would definitely burn Liyue to ashes,” Fischl chimed in a stern voice as she crossed her arms. It sounded serious, but it also carried an edge of playful smirk.

“…You know, Paimon was almost touched by your kindness for a moment…before you called Paimon by that…weird nickname… you’re bullies…” Paimon flickered out quickly and vanished into thin air before anyone could hear her final remark, similar to the way she liked to fade away during a battle.

The cute voice of Paimon’s complaints made Barbara’s mood significantly improve.

While the situation with Barbatos was still clouding her mind, and she was contemplating about her life decisions, one thing that she found calming was the short while she spent with this adventuring group that treated her kindly and openly.

Back home, there wasn’t anyone she was particularly close to, only a few nuns she talked to regularly, but they all seemed distant from her and acted professionally at all times, which she found suffocating sometimes.

There was, however, one nun, that was completely… special.

Rude, unkept, and lazy. A woman with so many negative characteristics, that it was a miracle she was still alive.

She was scary to approach at first though.

That woman taught Barbara about afternoon naps and ways she could skip work instead of working diligently for each task that needed to be done.

And yet, she enjoyed talking with her all the same.

She even dared to share with her the reason she was taking a break for a while.

(I wonder how Sister Rosaria is doing…We haven’t talked in a while. I miss her so much.)

***

Mondstadt.

Within the halls of the Favonius Cathedral, managed by the Knights of Favonius, stood two nuns.

“Sister Victoria…I told you many times over. I am simply unfit to sing in a choir… it’s a pain in the ass. Spare me of this shit…”

The nun that spoke first, was known as Sister Rosaria.

Rosaria was somewhat intimidating woman who had a rather unorthodox idea of piety…

She was a tall adult with ghostly pale grey skin. Some people assumed she might have been a partial Zombie, or a so called “Vampire” from legends but either way, she hadn’t fed on any human beings or creatures ever, so those claims were deemed false.

She had wine-colored hair cut short in the back, with some strands of her bangs colored a darker red. Noticable heavy eye bags under her eyes implied she didn’t get much sleep.

Her pure black dress flaunted great beauty in proportion and silhouette as it hugged her slender, yet curvy figure; black pants covered her legs flawlessly, as did high heels which supported her taut frame perfectly.

If one looked at her, they wouldn’t think she was a nun but some sort of mercenary. Instead, the image one would get would be of a beautiful mature woman with grim outlook on life.

An evil prodigy princess waiting to eliminate the world…

Even someone like Sister Victoria had a problem not averting her gaze when looking at her due to her obscene choices of clothing…

“Watch your language! You’re on the Holy grounds! How can you even utter such words…and please…change your outfit… I am sure you’re aware of your “charms” but we can’t have the men visiting the Church oogle you at all times…It’s a sin …Sister Rosaria… please visit me later.”

Rosaria clicked her tongue impatiently and left the church immediately afterward.

“When sin comes knocking, judgement will soon follow. Take what I’ve said as a warning. Repent and you shall be forgiven. Lord Barbatos is merciful!”

She heard Victoria’s voice behind her in the distance.

“Dress code heh, as if someone actually looks at me during the visiting hours…Choir this, praying session that…without her, my work has trippled…I swear to Barsibato…I will strangle that little midget Barbara, and her stupid boyfriend once she returns!”

Though the former couldn’t help but look forward to meeting with Rosaria again, the latter was looking forward to seeing Barbara for a completely different reason…