41. The Necessities of Everyday Life

Little Paimon scratched her head and giggled, "Hehe, he is pretty impressive, but his situation isn't quite the same as Aether's. Aether just doesn't want to recruit people, while he is just plain unlucky and can't find any teammates. His name is Bennett, and he's Mondstadt's most famous jinx."

At this point, her delicate little face suddenly turned serious. She waved her small hands, gesturing emphatically as she warned, "Nana, if you ever see him, you must stay far, far away! He’s so unlucky! He’ll drag everyone else down with him! Your health is so fragile; if you can't even get away in time, you might just die by accident!"

Pei Nana felt a bit shocked. She instinctively looked at Aether, and seeing that he was actually zoning out, she gave his arm a gentle pinch to remind him.

Aether blinked, returning to his senses. Recalling their conversation, he said hesitantly, "Bennett... he is indeed quite unlucky. But he is a very reliable person. Brave, passionate, and he never gives up. If I’m not home and you need something done, you can directly post a commission at the Adventurers' Guild. If the item isn't one-of-a-kind and it gets accidentally damaged, there are ways to remedy it—like gathering certain materials—and you can specifically request Benny's Adventure Team."

"There might be some twists and turns, and it might waste a bit of time, but Bennett will surely overcome every difficulty to help you complete the task."

Pei Nana asked, "You seem to think very highly of him?"

Aether replied, "He is truly a good guy, just a bit unlucky and prone to encountering unexpected dangers."

Yet, who could not admire his indomitable spirit, his refusal to bow to fate? It could be said that as long as he didn't meet an untimely end, that guy Bennett would surely achieve great things in the future.

Pei Nana asked with curiosity, "Is he your friend, too?"

"No, not exactly." Aether’s expression became subtly complex, as if recalling something. "I’ve only heard of him and learned a few things about him through other channels. If there’s an opportunity later, I’ll tell you more."

...

The three of them wandered through most of Mondstadt, checking off the major landmarks, and didn't head home until dusk. The sunset painted the sky in warm shades of orange, stretching their shadows long across the ground.

Pei Nana intentionally stepped on Paimon’s shadow, causing the little sprite to shriek and chase after her, trying to swat her. Pei Nana refused to yield, laughing as she ducked behind Aether. The two of them used Aether like a central pillar, chasing and dodging, circling him with laughter.

Dizzy from being circled by the two, Aether tried to play the role of the poor, well-meaning mediator, but to little effect. Passersby who saw them couldn't help but see the image of a humble, beleaguered father caught between his wife and daughter—and since this "father" was a young, handsome boy, the sight of his mature, resigned patience was particularly amusing. Almost everyone who passed by would instinctively turn their heads for a second look, then share a knowing, oddly benevolent smile.

On the red-tiled roof where the glow danced, a blonde girl in white stood behind a chimney, watching their silhouettes fade into the distance.

...

Back home, they were surprised to find Hilly at the door, accompanied by a plump, middle-aged woman.

Pei Nana was taken aback. "Hilly? Who is this..."

"It’s a housewarming gift from Master Diluc! Ta-da! Look! A lady with a wealth of experience in household management!" Hilly was triumphant, clapping her hands like a lively actress in a play, proudly and dramatically introducing the plump woman behind her.

The three travelers: "..."

According to Hilly, the woman’s name was Daina, and she was a maid introduced by Master Diluc. Her family had originally worked in Diluc’s vineyards, but after the storm, parts of the vineyards had collapsed, and they needed other work to supplement their income. Seeing that she was honest, hardworking, and reliable—and that she was strong and a great cook—Diluc simply recommended her to Aether as a live-in housekeeper.

The thoughtfulness was so overwhelming it was almost embarrassing.

Upon hearing this, Pei Nana’s face flushed red. It wasn't because of shy delusions, but shame. She realized that after a week of living here, her image as a "useless person" must have been firmly established in Mr. Diluc’s mind.

...Though the situation felt slightly delicate, Aether glanced at Pei Nana and decided to accept, offering Auntie Daina 40,000 Mora a month.

Pei Nana stood to the side, twisting her fingers, head bowed and blushing. She didn't want to be a burden and wanted to say she didn't need a housekeeper, but the house was so large that she was indeed a bit afraid to live alone, and she might not be able to manage it all. She had no choice but to add another entry to her list of debts and accept their kindness.

Once things were settled, she said softly and hesitantly, "Thank you."

Aether found it amusing and was about to brush it off when he noticed the hidden, scrutinizing gaze of Hilly, who was watching from the side. He immediately raised a mental question mark and grew alert.

Once they saw Miss Hilly off, he couldn't wait to ask Pei Nana, "It’s strange. Diluc’s maid. Did you get that feeling?" He was certain he had no interaction with Miss Hilly, so her peculiar reactions had to be related to either Nana or Diluc.

Feeling guilty, Pei Nana’s heart tightened instinctively. Then, her eyes darted around, and she smiled brightly, joking, "She was probably checking to see how you are better than her master!"

Aether: "?"

Pei Nana covered her mouth and giggled. Not wanting to keep him in suspense, she explained, "Because of your request, Mr. Diluc took extra care of me. And when I suddenly fell ill, he might have felt he hadn't taken good enough care of me and felt guilty, which made him even more attentive. Miss Hilly must have misunderstood, thinking her master had taken a fancy to me. Then you came back, and I immediately ended up with you. So, naturally, she’s feeling aggrieved on her master’s behalf and doesn't like you."

...

This was also a chance to plant a seed of precaution for Aether, aiming for a favorable first impression—better safe than sorry.

She laughed, clearly not taking it to heart. But when Aether recalled how Diluc had sent clothes, a house, a maid, and even helped with the cleaning himself, he couldn't quite laugh. He couldn't just say it was all for his sake; he hadn't even received such treatment himself.

And as for Diluc? He was wealthy, powerful, handsome, suave, and capable—a high-quality marriage prospect.

Aether’s expression remained calm and gentle, a light smile on his lips as he asked curiously, as if in idle chatter, "And what do you think? About Mr. Diluc?"

Pei Nana felt a slight jolt in her heart. She spread her hands in a gesture of resignation and said, "He’s a good person. It’s a shame, really, it’s just a misunderstanding. I’ve been Mr. Diluc’s neighbor for nearly a week, and we’ve barely spoken seven or eight times, mostly just polite greetings. If he were really interested in me, would he be so calm? Wouldn't he find excuses to talk to me? Let’s not talk about this anymore; it makes me sound so narcissistic. Let’s talk about Al—Albedo, is that his name? It’s been so long, the time you agreed upon must be approaching, right? When will Mr. Albedo arrive? We’re going to invite your friends over for dinner and announce our relationship by the way; what kind of feast should we prepare? How much food and wine? Does anyone have any dietary restrictions? Should we cook ourselves or order in? If we cook, Auntie Daina can help a lot, but how many ingredients do we need?"

Pei Nana’s rapid-fire questions left the traveler stunned. Aether’s gentle smile stiffened at the corners of his lips, his eyes lost their luster, and he finally felt his composure crack.

Even though he knew clearly that she was impatiently changing the subject, and even though such tasks were usually trivial matters he could handle in his sleep as part of his commissions, hearing about these mundane, domestic trifles still made him feel inexplicably dejected. It was strange—if someone had posted a commission like this at the Adventurers' Guild, he would have completed it with enthusiasm. But because it was his own life, he found himself mysteriously lacking the motivation... he just didn't want to get involved.

Pei Nana narrowed her eyes, a hint of danger appearing in her expression as she suspected, "You didn't... actually do anything, did you?"

Aether: "Haha... how could that be? For a qualified adventurer, gathering information on the fly is a professional habit; who knows when it might come in handy? I already know the preferences and taboos of my friends by heart, including Mr. Albedo’s hobbies. I’ve already asked around."

However, he was wise enough to stop asking her for her opinion on "Mr. Diluc."