"People are boring, empty and worthless. The only thing that justifies their existence is what people eat, which means my wonderful dishes will not be wasted!"
Xiangling has been following this rule since she first tried to cook — and she was forced to stand on the small bench at that time to reach the kitchen fire.
But Xiangling appreciated and respected those who love to eat: if the stomach on legs eats little, then why is it needed in this world at all?
However, sometimes there were heads among the walking stomachs. For example, Lumine. When everyone in Teyvat hunts for Mondstadt dandelion seeds, which are used to make many magical potions, or collects its flowers to make wine, Lumine suggests collecting snow-white fluffy dandelion umbrellas to make sprinklings for pink river shrimps. The taste turned out great! And the shrimp looked adorable. But Lumin did not stop there, but offered to put each shrimp in a small shortbread dough basket with the funny name "tartlette". And every shrimp got a bed of finely chopped green pot herbs was supposed to be. It's delicious and beautiful!
Xiangling immediately offered to roll up the baskets from smoked lizard skin and make the bed from mango baked with paprika. And Lumine straightaway realized that it would be a masterpiece! The smart girl.
Xiangling was satisfied and told her that if you want to travel around Teyvat without unnecessary trouble, you need to sell food to the Abyss mages. They always pay with real money and Enhancement Material, not like robbers or Treasure Hoarders. These people always give fake money and materials. Therefore, as soon as you see robbers or Treasure Hoarders, you must immediately, without wasting time on any conversations, hit them in the forehead with a halberd. And then, when you make sure that they are definitely dead, you need to rummage around under their shirt — they carry real money and Enhancement Material there. What's in their belt purse and in their pockets is meant to deceive suckers.
But Abyss Mages are a different story. All the Abyss inhabitants have forbidden any personal pleasures, but they are people also and want tasty treats. Therefore, they often run away for a short walk in places where they can eat well. And because their appearance is too exotic for taverns, the Abyss mages pay double the price for those cooks and merchants who are not afraid to do business with them. And if you discreetly take a double print of the mage's aura — one to show to the Abyss mage, the other to send to the post office with the order to put it on the public message board, if the control letter does not arrive in time — then the Abyss mage will protect you while traveling through dangerous places, help with the magical craft. The Abyss inhabitants face very severe punishment for buying pleasures for themselves, so if you have a mage's aura imprint, he will be very obedient. And if you reward him for good work with something tasty, then he himself will look for you and ask for tasks.
Of course, the right girl always walks with a weapon and knows how to turn enemies into minced meat, but if there are more than five of them, then the transformation process becomes too troublesome. And in general ... A girl should be practical! Why waste time fighting when there are more rewarding and enjoyable things to do along the way? Gathering rare ingredients, photographing beautiful landscapes... And the fact that the Abyss is evil isn't scary: if the best fertilizer for the fields is made from shit, then why not use the Abyss? You don't force its inhabitants to harm good people.
Lumine was a really smart girl, so she agreed with Xiangling. And she asked if the Abyss inhabitants could take on a human form for at least six hours.
The question was good. Xiangling began to think, began to remember all her contacts with the Abyss, all the visitors of the taverns where she was the chef. The Abyss inhabitants, as far as Xiangling knew them, had to order the best dishes if they could come to the tavern. Or such ones, you need a special oven for cooking. Or those from its for which delivery isn't possible, these dishes must be eaten on the spot, immediately after cooking.
"Yes," she said. "Some they may. I didn't notice it before, but now I'm sure of it."
And in gratitude for the fact that clever Lumine told her a new opportunity to get aura prints, Xiangling taught her how to take these same prints, even took her to the nearest lair of the Abyss mages so that Lumin would practice — Xiangling had enough mages tamed that some could be shared.
Lumine mastered the new skill admirably. But she asked if the members of the Abyss Order were in Liyue.
"They fill the western part of the country," Xiangling said. "And they are not available in all other regions. This is terribly uncomfortable! And Mondstadt is very good in this regard. And not only in this. There are many advantages compared to other countries. I'm buying a tavern and a house in Mondschatdt. Even if the locals don't understand anything about cooking, they are like pigs, they just want to fill their stomachs with something, but they are well-training. And everyone is well versed in the food in Liyue, but the people there are mossy! Holding on to their Thousand Canons of the Eight Sides, Liyue doesn't want to know anything new. There is no development. And there is one in Mondstadt."
"And don't you think that Mondstadt is dying?" Lumine was surprised.
"It's just updating. But change for the better."
"And you are not afraid that the Abyss Order will conquer Mondstadt?"
Xiangling burst out laughing in response. And laughing, she said:
"A country in which an ordinary citizen cannot buy tasty treats at any corner is only capable of petty mischief at the borders, and then only to make it more difficult for its citizens to escape from it."
Lumine was indeed smart therefore she agreed with Xiangling.
And then she asked if Xiangling wanted to make some love.
It was very by the way. Xiangling once again congratulated herself for being able to choose her friends well. Lumine is simply a treasure! She knows how to take pleasure in life and not create problems for herself or others.