Harlan Flint hastened his steps back to Galehaven Comics, the cool night air of Mondstadt brushing against him as he reached the familiar back alley with a brisk stride.
He didn't head straight inside, his senses prickling as he paused and cast a sharp glance toward a shadowed corner near the shop's entrance.
"Come out—I know you're there," he called, his voice steady and firm, cutting through the stillness like a blade.
A cheerful giggle answered, followed by a blonde figure and a small floating companion emerging from the dark, their outlines sharpening under the faint glow of a distant lantern.
"Boss Harlan, good evening!" Lumine greeted, her tone sheepish as she rubbed the back of her neck with an awkward smile.
Paimon bobbed beside her, waving a tiny hand, her usual pep dimmed by a flicker of unease at being caught.
Harlan's brow lifted slightly, surprise tugging at him. "You two—shouldn't you be at Diluc's tavern by now?"
In the game's storyline, Lumine and Wendy would've fled there after the Sky Lyre heist, not lingered near his shop like stray cats.
Lumine sighed, stepping closer as she launched into an explanation, her golden eyes glinting with a mix of pride and exasperation.
She recounted their night—sneaking into the Favonius Cathedral with Wendy to nab the Sky Lyre, only to clash with a masked woman in a tense showdown.
Thanks to her Wind-Wind Fruit powers from One Piece, she'd overpowered the foe and claimed the lyre, a victory that felt sweet until the fight's noise drew the Knights' attention.
Without her wind abilities—kept under wraps to avoid outing herself—they'd bolted, splitting up when Amber and a blue-haired knight closed in.
"We shook them eventually, but now the city's crawling with patrols, and we've got nowhere safe to crash," she finished, her shoulders slumping slightly.
Paimon nodded vigorously, her tiny fists clenched. "Yeah, it's a mess out there—too many Knights to dodge!"
After debating their options, they'd landed on Galehaven Comics—a haven of mystery and power, with Harlan as their best bet for refuge.
"Congrats on your new wanted status," Harlan quipped, a smirk tugging at his lips as he crossed his arms.
Paimon puffed out her cheeks, stomping a foot in midair. "It's all that Songster's fault—Wendy tricked us into this!"
Lumine's face twisted in distress, her voice tinged with regret. "I just wanted to help with Stormterror, and now I'm a fugitive—how did it come to this?"
She'd vowed, after reading One Piece, to steer clear of Luffy's bounty-ridden fate—yet here she was, the irony stinging like a slap.
"Please, Boss Harlan, let us hide out here—just for tonight," Paimon pleaded, her eyes glistening with a pitiful shimmer.
"We'll pay—ten thousand Mora each!" she added, clasping her hands as if bargaining for their lives.
Harlan stayed silent, his gaze flickering between them with a faint, amused smile—he wasn't fazed by the Knights' pursuit.
Even if Lumine were a true criminal, not just a pawn in Wendy's Stormterror scheme, his shop's power made him untouchable.
He waited, curious to see how far Paimon's desperate pitch would climb, her antics a small entertainment in the night.
"Twenty thousand Mora?" Paimon ventured, her voice rising as she tested the waters, glancing at him for a reaction.
Harlan's expression didn't budge, his silence a wall she couldn't crack with her first hike.
"Thirty thousand?" she tried again, her tone wavering as she shot Lumine a nervous look, hoping for backup.
Still no response—Harlan's steady stare held, his grin teasing at the edges, egging her on.
"Fifty thousand Mora!" Paimon blurted, then leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper. "I've got tons of cute Lumine clips on my camera—worth it, right?"
"Deal," Harlan agreed instantly, his tone crisp as he finally broke his silence, pocketing the offer with a nod.
Not that he cared about Lumine's videos—perish the thought—he'd never peek, purely taking pity on two stranded souls.
Lumine exhaled, relief washing over her as Paimon sagged, the tension draining from their frames.
"That blasted bard—I'm billing him for this later," Paimon grumbled, her foot-stomping resumed with renewed vigor.
A hundred thousand Mora—two comics' worth—down the drain because of Wendy's scheming, a grudge she'd nurse for days.
Harlan collected their payment, then ushered them inside Galehaven Comics, the door creaking shut behind them with a soft thud.
Paimon's eyes darted to the shelves, lighting up as she spotted new additions among the familiar spines.
"Boss, you've got new comics?!" she squeaked, zipping over to inspect the expanded lineup with childlike glee.
"Yep, five total now," Harlan confirmed, leaning against the counter as he watched her excitement flare.
"Yay, more comics to read!" Paimon cheered, only to deflate a second later, her joy snuffed by a grim realization.
"But your one-book-a-day rule—ugh, so strict," she muttered, pouting at the limit that caged her bingeing dreams.
"Pick any room upstairs except the middle one," Harlan said, gesturing toward the stairs with a casual wave.
Lumine nodded, her exhaustion evident as she tugged Paimon along, eager for rest after their chaotic night.
Harlan retreated to his own room, leaving them to settle—he'd need his energy for the shop's opening tomorrow.
Lumine and Paimon claimed a cozy side room, the soft quilts a stark upgrade from their usual wild campsites.
"Wow, this bed's like a cloud—way better than sleeping on dirt!" Paimon exclaimed, flopping onto the covers with a happy roll.
"Sleep now," Lumine urged, her voice heavy—she'd fought Stormterror at dawn, cleared temples by noon, and heisted the lyre at dusk.
Tool or not, her day had wrung her dry, and she sank into sleep without a second thought, shaking off the weight.
Morning broke, and Harlan awoke to Paimon's eager face hovering near, her voice bubbling with impatience. "Boss, I wanna read comics!"
She'd endured a night of dodging Knights—surely a story was her reward for surviving such a slog.
"Paimon, back off—we've got to fix this mess first!" Lumine snapped, yanking her companion away with a scowl.
Wanted posters loomed in her mind—lingering to read could mean capture, dragging Harlan into their trouble too.
"Fine," Paimon relented, her shoulders drooping as the gravity sank in, her comic dreams deferred.
"We'll swing by later, Boss," Lumine promised, shooting Harlan a tired but grateful glance.
"Go handle it," Harlan replied, nodding as he polished off a quick breakfast with them—bread and jam, simple but filling.
Lumine and Paimon scarfed theirs down, then darted off to find Wendy and untangle their Sky Lyre mess.
Harlan swung the shop door wide, settling behind the counter to await the day's influx, Jean's buzz likely drawing a crowd.
The alley stirred soon after, footsteps echoing as new faces approached—his next wave of customers had arrived.
***
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