Chapter 9: The Safest and Most Trustworthy Tavern

Paimon stood with her hands on her hips, indignant. "What are you talking about! The Traveler is not that kind of person! Nana is just exhausted and fell asleep! How could this be human trafficking?"

"Exhausted, is she?" Charles’s tone was laden with hidden meaning. He flashed a peculiar smile and continued his劝慰. "Although Mondstadt is the City of Freedom, and by rights I shouldn't interfere in your affairs, for the sake of the long term, I suggest, my dear sir, that you... perhaps exercise a little restraint."

His gaze flicked toward the unsightly red marks, then quickly retracted, feigning uprightness.

*(Quite intense, aren't they... typical of the young.)*

Aether: "..."

*(...Restraint, my foot! Get those thoughts out of your head!)*

Aether remained expressionless. "She is simply tired from mountain climbing. Please do not misunderstand. Furthermore, she comes from a strict upbringing and is a very dignified and reserved young lady; I would not wish to hear any strange rumors. Also, please help me open a room. Thank you."

"Cough, cough! O-oh, is that so? I understand! Please, follow me!"

Charles’s face flushed red instantly. He hurriedly called a servant over to take his shift, grabbed the keys, and headed toward the third floor.

*Angel's Share* was a tavern, famous throughout Mondstadt. It was not primarily an inn, and Aether himself did not usually stay there.

By rights, he shouldn't leave a young, beautiful woman in a den of drunks. But he clearly had his own reasons for doing so.

Although *Angel's Share* was merely a tavern, its owner was a well-known tycoon in Mondstadt, effectively one of the most powerful local power brokers. More importantly, this tycoon was not only formidable in strength but also remarkably upright and reliable—and he harbored a deep, deep dislike for the Knights of Favonius, the city's administrators.

This tycoon was also very approachable and kind, often posing as a bartender to listen to the patrons' chatter. This led to a direct result: while *Angel's Share* might have been expected to be a chaotic tavern, it actually had an "S-rank" safety rating, and its atmosphere was quite proper.

Any sort of illicit or messy business was absolutely impossible under Diluc’s watch.

Mondstadt’s spirit of freedom was wonderful, but it had to be said that scumbags existed everywhere. In a free and open city like Mondstadt, things could inevitably become more chaotic.

Miss Nana was beautiful, delicate, and lacked any means of self-defense. Without connections here, she wouldn't know how to call for help if something happened. When he could not spare the time to watch over her himself, there was, without a doubt, no place safer than under the nose of the upright, brave, wealthy, and well-connected Master Diluc.

Furthermore, placing her with Master Diluc had another benefit. Because of his well-known dislike for the Knights of Favonius and his immense influence, the Knights and Master Diluc always kept each other at a respectful distance, aiming to stay out of each other's way as much as possible.

Keeping Pei Nana at Diluc’s stronghold could effectively prevent her from being targeted or interrogated by the Knights, which might otherwise lead to her saying things she shouldn't.

The only problem was that *Angel's Share* was not a proper inn. Although there were a few guest rooms on the third floor, one look at the exorbitant price—enough to deter most prospective guests—showed that Master Diluc was not truly in the business of lodging.

In fact, he wasn't.

The few guest rooms on the top floor of *Angel's Share*, aside from the one reserved for Diluc’s personal use, were kept for emergencies or for entertaining friends.

If an ordinary passerby came here looking for a room, the staff would advise them to go elsewhere.

But as a friend of Master Diluc, the Traveler was not among those discouraged. It was just that Aether didn't usually come here.

Charles led the three of them to the third floor and chose a sun-drenched room. He pulled back the curtains and asked, "Sir, what do you think of this room?"

Aether placed the slumbering Pei Nana on the bed and walked to the window to look out.

Outside the window was a small balcony with a set of table and chairs. The wicker furniture and railings were decorated with fresh flowers, a very thoughtful touch. A small door led to the balcony, and from the window and the balcony, one could overlook the prosperous city of Mondstadt and its bustling streets. Amidst the forest of spires, the six-armed windmills turned slowly, bringing in fresh air and an exotic flair.

Paimon: "Wow—this feels amazing! Traveler! I want to stay here too! This feels way better than the inn we stayed at before!"

The Traveler remained expressionless. "It's fifty thousand Mora a day; how could it not be amazing?" Though the safety rating was certainly worth the price.

He looked around the room—tidy, spacious, bright, and clean. It had all the necessary furniture and daily amenities, and a few pots of flowers were placed about to decorate the space.

He nodded immediately, praising, "It couldn't be better! Please thank Master Diluc for me later."

Charles said happily, "I'm so glad you're satisfied! So, sir, how long do you intend to stay?"

Aether pondered for a moment and said, "A week.

I intend to look around during this week and buy a permanent property. By the way, Charles, you are a local, and you hear quite a bit of news in the tavern. Do you have any suggestions regarding houses for rent or sale?"

"Houses, you say..." Charles thought for a moment. "With the dragon disaster in Mondstadt a few days ago, some residents have listed their houses with us for sale. If you buy now, you could get a very low price. So, what are your requirements for the house?"

Aether looked at the girl lying on the bed and said, "I likely won't be home often; it will mainly be for her to live in. Therefore, the requirements are that it should be suitable for one or two people, have convenient transportation, be close to daily necessities, and, most importantly, be in a place with excellent public security.

—Ideally, a place where even a thief wouldn't dare show their face!"

Charles: "..."

*Good heavens, "two people" living there...*

*You blondie, you've finally stopped pretending...*

Charles gave the "Honorary Knight," who looked like a minor, a meaningful look, with various conjectures forming in his mind.

*(The Traveler just said this young lady has a strict upbringing; could she be some noble lady with a lot of rules? Her state certainly doesn't look like that of someone from a poor family. Is the Traveler doing what they do in those romance novels—meeting true love on a mission and running off with a delicate young lady?)*

*(Hmm, thinking about how he said she was tired from climbing, it’s not impossible.)*

*(Is it that romantic? Isn't this more interesting than a bard's song? No, wait. The Honorary Knight and the Stormterror have already written a legendary poem. This is like witnessing a poem in the making... I want to see how this turns out.)*

As if a legend had stepped into reality, a mysterious sense of mission stirred inside Charles. He grew serious and offered helpful advice, "Sir, if you value safety so much, then why don't you look near the Knights of Favonius headquarters? With your status and contributions, Acting Grand Master Jean shouldn't refuse you, right?"

*That’s true, but the people there are also full of dirty tricks!*

*Like that Kaeya Alberich!*

*Like that Lisa Minci!*

*Pei Nana might not be able to handle them.*

*(No, she definitely couldn't handle them!)*

Aether had met many people, and although he hadn't spent much time with her, he had already discovered that Pei Nana had a very soft temperament. While her mind was clear enough, if someone was forceful, loud, or stern with her, she would shrink back in fear, unable to resist at all.

This kind of person was very easy to get along with because she was submissive; you didn't have to worry about her opinions, and she was easy to bully.

—She was probably the kind of "soft girl" often described in books who, if she were ever forcefully taken by someone and no one came to save her, would simply accept her fate and bear children for them. The perfect target for a scumbag's manipulation. Her greatest act of courage might just be ending her own life.

In short, it was incredibly frustrating, pitiful, and sad.

But she was also very easily hurt.

Because of fear, she was even more sensitive.

Being submissive didn't mean she didn't have her own thoughts; it just meant she swallowed her grievances and dared not express them, keeping everything buried inside.

Aether had no doubt that if she were constantly around people who were too forceful or aggressive, she would gradually fall into depression and eventually either wither away or break down and turn dark.

The person from the Knights of Favonius that left the deepest impression on Aether was Kaeya Alberich. That man appeared cheerful, hearty, and generous on the surface, but he was full of aggression. Even Aether himself sometimes felt threatened and offended by him.

If Aether felt offended or threatened, he would strike back directly to let the other person know he wasn't to be trifled with. But Pei Nana? She would only weakly retreat step by step until the other person pushed her into a dead end.

Weak, incompetent, fragile enough to break at a touch, yet she carried a secret that no one would easily let go of—and one she couldn't speak of.

What was the difference between putting her in the Knights of Favonius and sending her to an interrogation?

One of the reasons he had sent Pei Nana to *Angel's Share* was precisely to prevent the Knights from coming into contact with her.

Therefore, the area around the Knights of Favonius—the safest and most reliable place—was the first to be crossed off the list.