Not long after, Yichen returned.
Cradled carefully in his hands was a small oil-paper packet, still steaming, releasing a sweet aroma of butter, caramel, and honey.
"Here, Eula."
He stopped in front of her on the bench and offered it to her.
"Freshly baked pancakes—loaded with honey and topped with Valberries! Everyone was fighting over these, so I grabbed the best ones for you!"
Eula froze.
She hadn't expected him to actually come back.
After a brief hesitation, she accepted it.
The warmth seeped through her gloves—slightly hot, but comforting.
"…Thank you."
They sat side by side at the edge of the celebration, the small paper packet between them.
Cheers and music roared in the distance. Here, it felt like a tiny, quiet world.
Eula delicately opened the packet, revealing golden, fluffy pancakes dotted with bright red berries.
She stared at them silently for a moment.
"So… 'Mondstadt's Number One Devoted Man,'"
"Having completed your grand campaign for the Acting Grand Master—who's the next 'lucky' target of your hundred confessions?"
Yichen, who'd been watching Jean laugh among the crowd, turned back without hesitation.
"No idea," he said plainly, even yawning a little.
"Haven't thought about it yet."
"What matters most right now is buying my own house! That's my dream—super important!"
"Dream…"
Eula echoed softly, turning to look at him.
Sunset light softened his features.
"…First time I've heard you use that word."
Yichen nodded vigorously, eyes fixed on Mondstadt's rooftops, as if seeing through them into the future.
"My dream's simple. Buy a big house. Live a peaceful life. Get off work on time. Cook what I want. Lie in my yard and soak up the sun…"
"…Then marry someone I like. Have a few lively kids."
He sniffed exaggeratedly, suddenly emotional.
"…And on the day my daughter gets married, I'll cry my eyes out at her wedding! Like—waaah! Just thinking about it… yeah. Perfect."
Eula: "..."
She fell completely silent.
Holding the warm pancake, she stared at the man who had just created the most extravagant confession in Mondstadt's history—now describing the most ordinary, even embarrassingly simple, dream imaginable.
Peaceful life. Marriage. Kids. Crying at a daughter's wedding.
What kind of dream is that?
She felt like laughing—and somehow, like crying.
Looking at his pure, stubborn yearning for mundane happiness, she suddenly thought—
This man's heart was far more difficult to understand than she'd imagined.
And absurdly… soft.
She opened her mouth to tease him—That dream's too plain, or crying at a wedding is pathetic—but all that came out was a soft sigh.
She finally took a bite.
Sweet. Warm.
It reached a place in her heart that had been frozen for a very long time.
"…Idiot."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"Nothing," she replied quickly, chewing.
"…Eat yours. It'll get cold."
The next day, under a perfect sky, Yichen's leave request passed unbelievably smoothly—thanks to outsourced workloads and an Acting Grand Master in exceptionally good spirits.
He followed Eula to Mondstadt's western district—the quiet land shadowed by Lawrence history.
Yichen scanned the villas like a spotlight.
Then—
"Eula! I want that one!"
She slapped his hand away.
"That's my house. Not for sale."
"…Oh."
He deflated instantly like a soaked dog—
then quickly recovered.
His gaze settled on a nearby villa—older, spacious, with a wide courtyard and even training posts.
"This one!"
"Training grounds?" Eula scoffed.
"When have you ever needed that? Aren't you the 'Elbow King of Mondstadt'?"
"Hey!" Yichen protested.
"Don't underestimate me!"
"I'm a deeply hidden sword master! Theoretical experience—off the charts!"
Light flashed from his Vision.
The Black Gold Ancient Blade appeared in his hand.
Epic BGM erupted from nowhere.
🎵 'Carrying it close—!' 🎵
He struck a dramatic stance.
"Well?! Impressed?!"
Eula stared.
"…Why does your weapon have background music?!"
She drew her sword.
"Then let the Guerilla Captain test this 'sword master.'"
They clashed.
And moments later—
"STOP! I'M DYING!!"
Eula sheathed her blade.
"…You're the kind of sword master who dies before the enemy?"
Yichen took critical emotional damage.
"DON'T SAY IT OUT LOUD!!"
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