Chapter 30: The Hunter’s Reward

She spoke as her bright eyes quickly and discreetly scanned the unfamiliar face, revealing a hint of amazement and curiosity.

Paimon immediately fluttered forward, smiling warmly. “Hello there, Miss Sarah! We just recently went to the snowy mountains, so we haven’t been too busy. How about you? I see the restaurant’s business is thriving. Has it returned to its previous level since the Dragon Crisis ended?”

Mentioning the Dragon Crisis, Miss Sarah’s cheerful mood dimmed considerably, and she sighed regretfully. “The Hunter’s Lodge has basically recovered. We only hope Lord Tevalin will recover soon as well. I heard the Knights have begun restoring the Eastern Wind Dragon’s rituals, which is somewhat of a satisfying conclusion. Speaking of which, we truly owe a great thanks to the Traveler for helping us find Lord Tevalin!”

She continued, “Before the incident was resolved, the diplomatic corps from Snezhnaya and the Fatui demanded control over the Anemo dragon’s fate. Thankfully, the acting Captain refused. Otherwise, if we had only learned that the ‘Anemo dragon’ was Lord Tevalin after it was dealt with, the consequences would have been unthinkable. So, truly, thank you both, Traveler and Paimon.”

‘Tevalin’ was the name of the main figure in the Dragon Crisis—a sapphire-blue sky dragon who attacked Mondstadt and was defeated by the Traveler and the Knights of Favonius. Afterwards, people discovered that this mischievous Anemo dragon was actually the forgotten Eastern Wind Dragon, a divine being revered by the people of Mondstadt as one of the Four Winds’ Guardians and the chosen of Barbatos, the Wind God.

Centuries ago, this dragon fought to protect Mondstadt from a great evil but was cursed and forced into a slumber. Upon awakening, the very people it once protected had forgotten it and branded it a demon dragon. Its story was truly heartrending.

The ‘Anemo Dragon Assault’ was the biggest news in Mondstadt recently, and perhaps for years to come. Haili had mentioned it multiple times, so even Penana, an outsider who had never been there, was quite familiar with it. Hearing it mentioned now, she couldn’t help but sigh.

Miss Sarah suddenly turned her gaze toward them, her interest piqued. “And who might this be?”

Paimon quickly flew back to Penana’s side, proudly announcing, “This is Nana! A good friend of mine and the Traveler’s!”

She tapped her finger, adding, “She’s from Liyue and it’s her first time in Mondstadt, so she doesn’t know many of our customs. Miss Sarah, if you ever meet her, please help her out!”

Miss Sarah immediately smiled and gave a proper knightly salute, “Yes! It’s my honor!” But she broke into laughter before finishing, her eyes sparkling. “I’ve heard that the South District recently got a great beauty living in Angel’s Share. It must be Miss Nana! Just as beautiful as the rumors say.”

Penana blushed faintly and whispered, “Thank you.”

Miss Sarah spoke frankly, “Such a beauty staying cooped up in her room every day is such a waste! You’ve come all the way to Mondstadt—what’s the point if you don’t go out and see things? So, would you like to work at the Hunter’s Lodge? We offer good pay, booming business, a great reputation, and the Knights often dine here, so it’s safe and reliable. If you join us, you’ll quickly become familiar with everything in Mondstadt! What do you say? Want to give it a try?”

Her eyes gleamed with a strange excitement.

Penana instinctively hid behind Kong, clutching his short cloak tightly.

Kong stepped forward half a step and, using his not-so-tall stature to shield her, smiled modestly. “Thank you, Miss Sarah, but that won’t be necessary. She’ll be joining my adventuring party soon and traveling with us elsewhere. Are there seats available upstairs?”

Miss Sarah clicked her tongue softly, looking regretfully at the beautiful face before murmuring, “So stingy!” If this young lady were willing to become the restaurant’s star, the Hunter’s Lodge’s business would surely soar to new heights. Its reputation would grow even larger. The Hunter’s Lodge and Angel’s Share lead Mondstadt’s dining scene, but while Dawn Winery’s drinks have become famous throughout the continent, the Hunter’s Lodge’s culinary delights remain known only within Mondstadt. It’s truly frustrating.

But since she declined, there was nothing more to do.

Miss Sarah said, “There are seats upstairs. You can go to the second floor. It’s not crowded, with a gentle breeze and a view of the stars.”

The Traveler replied, “Thank you. Please prepare three servings of honey-glazed carrot steak, one special Mondstadt grilled fish, two Mondstadt flatbreads, one satisfying salad, one fruit platter, one vegetable soup, and three glasses of apple juice. Thanks.”

“Very well, that will be 70,000 Mora.”

Penana: “...”

The three went upstairs and took their seats. Peeking out cautiously and seeing no one paying attention, Penana whispered, “So expensive.”

Apart from the steak and grilled fish, the other dishes hardly counted as expensive fare.

Seventy thousand Mora could buy half a cart of apples at the street stalls downstairs.

Paimon whispered too, “This is the most popular restaurant in all of Mondstadt!”

Penana: “...True.”

Soon the food was delivered. Even before it was placed on the table, Paimon’s mouth was practically watering, her eyes fixed intently as she held her knife and fork.

Penana couldn’t help but smile. When a large plate of steak was set before her, its rich aroma wafted up. She inhaled deeply and praised, “It smells wonderful. It does seem excellent.”

Paimon beamed with pride. “See? I, Paimon, am the greatest foodie in all of Teyvat!”

The Traveler replied dryly, “Yeah, and your wallet is almost empty because of it. Just wait, one day when you have no money left for food, I’ll stew you.”

“Traveler!” Paimon snapped angrily, stomping her foot, “Paimon isn’t food!”

Penana quickly intervened, “Our little Paimon is a tiny gourmet! Don’t mind him! Look, I cut it up for you!”

She swiftly sliced the large steak into bite-sized pieces and placed them in front of little Paimon.

Paimon was instantly touched, snuggling close and cooing, “Wow—Nana, you’re so kind! I really like you!”

“Hmph.” The Traveler cast them a disdainful glance and scanned the table, noticing three plates of desserts they hadn’t ordered.

The desserts were soft, bouncy, and a glowing shade of green.

He quickly called the waiter over. “We didn’t order these three desserts. Did you bring the wrong dishes?”

The waiter smiled warmly and cheerfully replied, “No mistake at all! Traveler, this mint jelly is a complimentary dessert from our landlady. We are very grateful for your help and delighted you brought friends to dine with us. It’s just a small token of appreciation—please accept it!”

The Traveler said, “...We accept it, and please convey our thanks. But I hope next time the landlady treats us as regular customers. Otherwise, we’ll be too embarrassed to come again.”

“Ha ha!” The waiter laughed heartily. “Understood, sir. I will pass along your message. Now, please enjoy your meal with your friends!”

After the waiter left, the Traveler turned his head to see Paimon hovering beside Penana, mouth wide open, while Penana, smiling gently, fed her a piece of steak.

“Ah!” With one bite, the steak disappeared into little Paimon’s mouth.

The Traveler was speechless. “Little Paimon, I thought you were useless enough already. Now you can’t even feed yourself? Good grief, are you really just an emergency snack?”

Between bites, Paimon shot him a glare. “You’re the useless one! Paimon is the best guide!”

Before finishing, another piece of steak was offered to her mouth. Paimon eagerly opened wide and bit down, ignoring the Traveler.

The Traveler couldn’t stand it any longer and advised Penana, “Don’t mind her. You should eat too!”