28 The Adorable Trio

(Well, of course, he is the protagonist after all; how could his journey ever be as smooth as a normal person’s!)

Pei Nana felt even more ashamed. She buried her flushed cheeks into Paimon’s soft, pillowy neck, dragging out her voice in a mournful plea, "I’m sorry... I told you I was just being impulsive earlier. I shouldn't have lost my temper without asking anything. Little Paimon, Aether, please forgive me, won’t you?"

The sweet, slightly husky tone at the end of her sentence was drawn out, soft and long, like a feather lightly brushing against skin, or a pampered little kitten rubbing against your ankle, begging pitifully—how could anyone refuse that?

"Hmph!" Paimon, intoxicated by the woman’s spoiled, sweet words, felt her confidence swell infinitely. A wave of affection surged within her. She stood akimbo, chin held high with a chubby, adorable face. With a body only half a meter tall but the presence of someone six feet tall, she waved her 'big' hand like a heroic protagonist, "Since it’s your first time, and we weren't entirely in the right either, we'll forgive you this once! But there better not be a next time!"

"That’s right, we’ll forgive you this once!" Aether chimed in, sounding exactly like a bootlicker cheering on Paimon. Even though he could have spoken normally, he had this cheeky, aggravating vibe that made one want to smack him.

Pei Nana couldn't help it; she lifted her face and shot him a secret glare.

Aether caught her red-handed. He couldn't help but chuckle, cleared his throat, and finally returned to his normal demeanor, saying, "Besides, there’s one thing I’m really angry about. How could you doubt me? Didn't you say I was the one you trusted most?"

"I am the Traveler, the 'protagonist' of this era! Since I promised to take you with me, how could I ever abandon you? You really hurt my feelings by thinking that!"

"I’m sorry..." Pei Nana let go of Paimon and nestled up to him, acting like a devoted little maid serving her master, diligently kneading his shoulders and tapping his legs.

This time, Aether was prepared and didn't have the same intense, bristling reaction as before. With her gentle, attentive, and stunning presence—if not for Aether’s youthful appearance—it would have truly been a wonderful indulgence.

Little Paimon was incredibly thoughtful too. Seeing this, she immediately flew to Aether’s other side, mimicking Pei Nana by pounding his shoulders. While buttering him up, she sweetly spoke on her behalf, "Traveler, Traveler, don't mind it! Nana didn't mean it! Nana isn't as capable as you, so she was definitely scared when we left her alone~ We were in the wrong too, so let's call it even, okay?"

"Yes, yes, I was just too panicked~ I didn't mean it. I apologize!" Pei Nana was deeply moved. She blinked at Paimon several times and secretly used two fingers to make a gesture of gratitude. "You are a person of great stature, I beg you? Let's just let it go~ shall we?"

"—Shall we~?"

"Hmph!" Aether tilted his head with feigned arrogance. With one on each side, he crossed his arms, looking terribly pleased with himself. But he couldn't keep up the act for more than a few seconds before his smugness gave him away. "But, like Paimon said, we were also at fault, and considering it's your first offense, we'll forgive you this time! But no next time!"

After the playful exchange washed away the awkwardness and turmoil of their reunion, Aether’s expression turned serious. He gazed into Pei Nana’s reddened eyes and vowed solemnly, "I promise you, even if you were to be kidnapped or trafficked one day, I would definitely come to save you, no matter who the culprit is. After all..."

He smiled, lifting his chin proudly.

"I am the 'protagonist,' aren't I?"

"If a 'hero' doesn't save the 'princess,' wouldn't his character design fall apart? The developers would be cursed by the players!"

"So, if we are ever forced apart, don't worry, don't be afraid. Just live in peace, as you did this time. Protect yourself well and wait for me. Because even if the path ahead is a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, I will definitely come to save you."

Pei Nana felt a lump in her throat and nodded vigorously, tears spilling from her eyes once again.

The Traveler smiled and gently wiped away her tears. "So you must always believe in me. You cannot betray me."

Because, after all, only I will save you without a second thought.

...

The Traveler and Paimon had returned, so they couldn't just go to sleep. Pei Nana shooed the Traveler out and went to pick out clothes for their outing with Paimon.

Pei Nana’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Actually, I’ve been curious about the outside world for a long time, but I never dared to go out. I was just waiting for you two to return." She opened the wardrobe. "Little Paimon, the best guide in the world, come help me see—what should I wear?"

Inside the wardrobe hung several dresses, each one beautiful and made of fine material.

Paimon gasped, "Wow! Nana, did you prepare these yourself? They’re all so pretty!"

Pei Nana shook her head. "You know, I had nothing when I arrived. How could I have prepared anything? These were all provided by that Mr. Diluc. He even arranged for a maid to take care of my daily life."

"Now that I’ve confirmed he really is Aether’s friend, we must thank him properly in the future."

It really goes to show how generous Master Diluc is. Aether had asked him to look after someone, so providing food and shelter would have been enough. Yet, Mr. Diluc not only sent a maid to handle her daily needs but also provided all sorts of convenient daily necessities. As for the clothes, Pei Nana hadn't even worn the same one twice in all these days.

Sometimes Pei Nana couldn't help but think: if she were a character in this game, the art team would be cursed by the modelers—do you think this is a dress-up mobile game?

Every time she imagined that scene, she couldn't help but giggle secretly.

*Ahem!*

Although Mr. Diluc didn't buy these things personally, he was the one footing the bill, wasn't he?

Pei Nana even suspected that Mr. Diluc’s business empire included fashion design.

Little Paimon looked at the beautiful clothes that had filled half the closet in just a few days and fell silent for a moment, wondering, "This Diluc... he’s really something else."

Could it be that he has a 'girlish heart' persona, obsessed with dressing up pretty girls?

*Ugh!* What a terrifying thought!

Paimon shook her head vigorously to clear those strange ideas, then asked, "Hey, Nana, since Master Diluc is so good to you, why do you still think he’s a bad guy?"

Pei Nana paused as well. "Bad guys don't write 'I am a bad guy' on their faces, do they? What if he’s trying to use sugar-coated bullets to win me over and lower my guard?"

"Little Paimon, let me tell you, there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Kindness without a reason is exactly what you need to be wary of."

"If I didn't know you two were the 'protagonist' group with guaranteed character, I wouldn't dare to trust him completely either. What do you think of this dress?"

She pulled out a long dress with black and red as the main colors and draped it over herself to measure.

It was styled somewhat like a *qipao*. According to Miss Herta, both the material and the style were from her 'homeland,' Liyue.

The fabric was soft and lustrous, with a beautiful drape. Yet the side slits were daring, cut all the way up to the thigh. Paired with a fur shawl, it would look dignified and elegant, with a touch of aloofness.

Paimon leaned in to take a look and shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, the waist is too tight. We’re going out to eat! If it’s too tight, you won’t be able to eat anything! Hmm, how about this one?"

"Hehe, at worst, we can just loosen the belt later!"

She flew into the wardrobe and took out a pink-and-blue fluffy dress with a satin lining. The inner layer of the hem revealed cascading ruffles, while the outer layer featured smooth, sleek satin—a design that clashed simplicity with complexity to create a sense of elegance.

She looked like a young girl appearing alone in a quiet garden: fresh, pure, tranquil, and beautiful.

Plus, with long stockings reaching up to her thighs, it was both safe and warm.

Most importantly, this was the first time Paimon had ever helped her pick out an outfit.

Pei Nana hesitated for a moment before changing into the dress. The cascading hem fell against her thighs, soft and smooth, making her involuntarily press her legs together.

Paimon then brought over the matching stockings. Pei Nana put them on; the gradient pink-and-blue stockings featured green vine patterns and reached mid-thigh, leaving only a finger’s width of space from the hem of the dress.

Pei Nana couldn't help but ask, "Will they fall off... or roll down or something? Is there any way to... keep them in place?"

Paimon was speechless. "They won't! Why would clothes fall off? That doesn't happen."

Pei Nana: "..." Is that reasonable?

Maybe this is just a 2D setting, like how you never have a wardrobe malfunction no matter how intense the fight is...

She wiped her face. Thinking of Aether’s protection, she figured it didn't matter how daring she dressed. She stopped worrying about it, quickly put on a pair of low-heeled leather shoes, tied her hair into a high ponytail, and carried Paimon out of the room.

Aether had been waiting for a while, resting his chin in his hand, watching the performance downstairs while bored. When Pei Nana and Paimon emerged, he turned around and froze. His listless golden eyes brightened by several degrees.

Pei Nana was very beautiful; at a glance, one could tell her features were excellent. But whether by luck or misfortune, Aether, the first person in this world to know her, had never seen her looking so neat, clean, and polished.

He had seen every one of her disheveled moments.

Seeing her suddenly so radiant and glamorous, it was an astonishing sight—almost as if she weren't real.