Genshin Impact: I Can Obtain Adventure EXP

On their return trip, Nolan and his group decided to travel by land instead of sea. The main reason was to fight some monsters and search for treasure chests along the way.

Having enjoyed the sights of the sea and underwater scenery, they thought it would be a good idea to experience the land as well.

This route took a little longer than sailing would have, as monsters and treasure chests on land were not as immediately apparent as those at sea. Still, they successfully made it back to Ritou within two days.

Over these two days, since fighting monsters was more of a side activity, they only battled when they came across them, otherwise skipping any unnecessary detours. As a result, Nolan gained about 20,000 Adventure EXP, bringing the total to 150,000.

During this time, Nolan also practiced his swordsmanship whenever he had the chance, hoping to develop his own swordsmanship philosophy and raise his "My Style Swordsmanship" to the secret art level technique.

He even used this sword technique to defeat the monsters they encountered. Unfortunately, these ordinary creatures were so weak that even a few random swings could easily defeat them, leaving little room for actual improvement.

At night, Nolan also helped Lumine complete her Level 80 ascension.

The process was a bit noisy and took some time. In fact, Mona, who was sleeping in the next room, couldn't stand it anymore. Blushing furiously, she teleported back to Fischl's place.

When she returned the next morning, Lumine had only just barely completed her ascension.

After all, the higher the ascension level, the more energy it required. It was only thanks to Nolan being a "human battery" that he could provide her with the energy needed for the breakthrough.

The upside was that this saved time searching for ascension materials and Mora, which would have been costly and time-consuming.

The downside, however, was that Lumine had to rest for most of the day before regaining her strength.

On the morning of the third day after leaving Watatsumi Island, Nolan and the others finally returned to Ritou. Since the ports were guarded by Shogunate soldiers, they snuck in using invisibility.

Once back in Ritou, they first went to the Kanjou Commission and met with Hiiragi Chisato. They informed her that the Fatui would no longer be coming to the commission to demand crystal marrow. They also advised her to convince her father to correct his mistakes as soon as possible.

This would help reduce any blame from the Shogunate should consequences arise later.

Hiiragi Chisato agreed. Knowing that the Fatui's Delusion Factory had been destroyed, her father would likely take corrective actions even without her urging.

After resolving things at the Kanjou Commission, the group visited the International Trade Association and informed Kurisu that the current tax laws should return to normal soon.

With this, the commission entrusted to them by Thoma was officially completed.

With Ritou's matters settled, the group made a formal visit to the Kanjou Commission to request travel permits from Hiiragi Shinsuke.

After all, they needed these permits to legally enter Inazuma City. Otherwise, their foreign appearances might draw suspicion from Shogunate soldiers on the streets.

If they were caught without proper documentation, they might be deported or even accused of violating the Sakoku Decree and become wanted criminals.

Nolan was determined not to let Lumine face the same troubles as in the original storyline, where she was repeatedly wanted wherever she went.

At this time, Hiiragi Shinsuke was still unaware of the Delusion Factory incident. However, after being startled by an assassin a few days earlier, he was in poor mental health.

When he heard that the Traveler group was here to request permits, he pretended to be ill and refused to meet them, asking them to come back another day.

After all, he had promised the Fatui Harbinger La Signora that he would find a way to stall the Traveler group in Ritou.

Nolan hadn't expected this old schemer to pull the same tricks as in the original storyline.

With no other choice, they turned to Hiiragi Chisato for help.

Her assistance was straightforward: while Hiiragi Shinsuke was napping, Nolan, using invisibility, snuck into his office with Chisato and found the documents for the travel permits.

They then had Chisato personally stamp them with the official seal.

Since Chisato was destined to take over her father's position at the Kanjou Commission, this made the permits legally valid.

With everything resolved, Nolan took the permits and discreetly arrived at the checkpoint between Ritou and Inazuma City. After the Shogunate soldiers verified the documents, they successfully left Ritou.

"Phew, we finally got out. If it weren't for Chisato, this wouldn't have been so easy," Paimon said, exhaling in relief as they walked several hundred meters down the road, glancing back at Ritou.

"Mm." Lumine nodded in agreement. "According to Miss Chisato, it'll take about half a month to reach Inazuma City from here. Seems like we've got quite the journey ahead of us."

"According to the map, there's a place called Konda Village up ahead. If we cross the beach, we should be able to reach it before the day ends. We can rest there for a while," Nolan said, recalling the village.

He remembered there was a ruin beneath the village, accessible through a well.

Whether the treasure in that ruin had been looted by adventurers was unclear. When they reached the village, they could take a look, though the chances of finding anything valuable were slim.

After all, the ruin wasn't exactly hidden—anyone could enter it through the well. It was unlikely that no one had explored it by now.

As night fell, Nolan, Lumine, and Paimon successfully arrived at Konda Village. Since it was a necessary stop on the way to Inazuma City, the village remained prosperous despite the lack of foreigners due to the Sakoku Decree.

Even at night, the place was brightly lit and bustling.

"Lumine, my senses are picking up something unusual beneath this village. Do you want to explore a bit?" Nolan asked, holding Lumine's hand as they walked through the lively streets.

Having reached Level 80, Lumine was once again able to project her spiritual energy. She also noticed something unusual underground. As adventurers, they certainly couldn't pass up the opportunity to discover treasure.

Lumine blinked her amber eyes and nodded.

"Sure, it won't take too much time anyway."

With the ability to project spiritual energy, their exploration efficiency would skyrocket.

"Hehe, before we explore the ruins, let's try some local food first!" Paimon said excitedly, a big smile on her face.

"That makes sense," Nolan replied with a light laugh.

Since it was Paimon's suggestion, of course, they agreed. Not because they were also hungry after walking all day—definitely not.

This village, being a transportation hub, had a thriving food scene. It didn't take long for them to find a restaurant along the street.

The restaurant's sign read "Konda-ya", and the aroma of rice wafted out as they passed by, with a faint hint of vinegar mixed in.

"Let's go with this one—it smells like they've got something good!" Paimon said, pointing to the shop.

"Alright."

Nolan nodded and led Lumine and Paimon inside the restaurant.

The interior wasn't very large but was well-lit. Tables and chairs lined the walls on both sides, with two additional tables in the center.

A few scattered customers sat around the restaurant, creating a lively atmosphere.

One particular customer sitting in the corner caught Nolan's attention.

The most noticeable thing about her was the striking red butterfly knot on her back, making her hard to miss.

She was a girl with golden hair tied up in a ponytail that fanned out like a blooming flower. Just from her appearance, she seemed like a passionate and fiery person.

Nolan immediately recognized her. If there were no surprises, this girl should be Yoimiya, the current owner of the Naganohara Fireworks Shop and someone adored by the children of Inazuma.

What was she doing here? As far as he remembered, she should have been in Inazuma City. Why had she come all the way to this village?

Though curious, Nolan knew it would be awkward to approach her directly to ask, so he decided to focus on ordering food with Lumine and Paimon first.

The ordering counter was just ahead, and it didn't take long for them to place their orders. However, when they looked for a seat, most spots were already taken, so they had to sit at a dimly lit table on the left, not far from Yoimiya.

This part of the restaurant barely received any natural light during the day, and at night, even with the warm yellow candlelight, the corner remained somewhat shadowy.

Yoimiya's seat, in particular, was shrouded in darkness.

It was strange. Yoimiya was known to be a bright, cheerful, and lively girl—someone with a personality similar to Amber. People like her rarely chose such secluded spots to sit.

While sitting down, Nolan stole a glance at Yoimiya over Lumine and Paimon, his thoughts swirling with curiosity.

This subtle movement didn't escape Lumine's notice, as she was now able to sense such things with her spiritual energy. Her expression immediately turned disapproving, and she reached out with her left hand to pinch Nolan's waist.

—"Hiss!"

Surrounded by people in the restaurant, Nolan didn't dare make a sound and could only endure it, quickly withdrawing his gaze and vowing not to look at other girls again.

While they waited quietly for their food, two more customers entered the restaurant.

They were dressed in Shogunate military uniforms and looked relaxed—likely soldiers on patrol outside who had come in for a meal during their shift change.

At first, there was nothing noteworthy about them.

But out of the corner of his eye, Nolan noticed something peculiar.

As the two Shogunate soldiers entered, Yoimiya, who had been calmly eating her rice ball, suddenly lowered her head slightly, as if trying to avoid attention.

Nolan raised an eyebrow in surprise. Why would Yoimiya be afraid of the Shogunate soldiers?

As this question formed in his mind, the answer immediately followed. Yoimiya was a Vision bearer, and with the Shogunate enforcing the Vision Hunt Decree, it was natural for her to feel nervous upon seeing Shogunate soldiers.

Nolan's sharpened memory, a result of his increasing strength, made him realize this connection instantly.

At this moment, Nolan suddenly recalled that Yoimiya, as the owner of the Naganohara Fireworks Shop, was widely known to be a Vision bearer.

When the Vision Hunt Decree was first implemented, the Shogunate soldiers must have come to demand her Vision right away. If he remembered the storyline correctly, she had handed over a fake Vision to fool them.

She was probably just feeling guilty now, but for those who had already "surrendered" their Vision, the Shogunate soldiers likely wouldn't bother them again.

So, there was no need to worry about her.

While that seemed logical, Nolan's thoughts were too optimistic. Life often took unexpected turns.

Perhaps realizing her own uneasiness, Yoimiya shifted slightly in her seat, trying to adjust herself to appear as casual as the other customers.

However, her pale left elbow accidentally nudged the small pouch tied to her waist, causing its drawstring to loosen slightly, revealing the bright crimson Vision inside.

Damn it!

Both Nolan and Yoimiya felt their hearts skip a beat.

By now, the two Shogunate soldiers had reached the ordering counter, less than two meters away from Yoimiya. Any sudden movement on her part might attract their attention.

This left Yoimiya too nervous to tighten the drawstring of her pouch.

But if she left it as it was, once the soldiers finished ordering and looked for a place to sit, they would most likely notice the Vision in her pouch.

If that happened, it would spell trouble!

Yoimiya was panicking, her forehead damp with sweat. Losing her Vision would mean losing her dreams!

To Yoimiya, this was absolutely unacceptable.

She had already prepared herself. If the Shogunate soldiers discovered her Vision, she would immediately knock them out and then hide in the wild for a while, trying her best not to bring trouble to the fireworks shop or her family.

"Choujiro, where should we sit?"

The soldiers had finished ordering, but the food would take some time to arrive. One of them began scanning the room for a place to sit while asking his companion.

Yoimiya was tense to the extreme, feeling as though the soldier's gaze was heading directly toward the nearby left-hand side.

Is it time to act?

Yoimiya began channeling her elemental energy, ready to make her move. But just as she was about to strike, she glanced down at her pouch—and froze.

Her courage instantly drained.

The Vision in her pouch had vanished. Yet, she could still sense it there, in the same spot.

The weight of the pouch hanging at her waist hadn't changed either.

But from her perspective, the Vision was gone. How could this be? Was someone helping her?

Her instincts led her to glance at the people seated nearby—the golden-haired young girl and the floating little creature. (T/N: Flying Pokemon, you mean?)

The two seemed completely absorbed in chatting about the menu, giving no indication that they had acted.

At this point, the two Shogunate soldiers had found a place to sit and didn't appear to notice anything unusual about Yoimiya. She let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

Then, she turned her attention back to the young man sitting with the two girls.

Just as her gaze landed on Nolan, he seemed to sense it. He looked over at her, gave her a friendly smile, and nodded lightly.

Of course, the one capable of making an item invisible could only be Nolan. A moment ago, he had silently activated his invisibility domain, granting Yoimiya's Vision a state of invisibility.

Without anyone noticing, he had concealed her Vision from the soldiers.

It was you!

Realizing who had helped her, Yoimiya's golden eyes lit up with joy. As someone naturally outgoing and warm, she wanted to immediately introduce herself to the person who had helped her.

But with the soldiers still present, she knew she had to wait for the right moment.

[Yoimiya Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 420 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.3 (120/300).]

(End of Chapter)

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