I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 108

Asta and Alan had been waiting on the platform for some time.

Asta knew Herta's personality well. She disliked large welcoming parties and preferred simplicity, so Asta had only brought Alan with her.

"Ms. Black Tower, welcome back to the station," Asta greeted with a smile.

Herta surveyed her "ATM" with satisfaction.

"Hmm. Hmm. Is the food ready? I'm starving."

Asta chuckled. "Of course. We've prepared a new dish—Icefield Deer. I got one to try. Topaz says it's a delicacy."

Herta's interest piqued.

"Oh? If I remember right, that was bought from Yuri by the little girl in Belobog?"

"That's correct," Asta confirmed.

"Well then, let's go taste it."

Herta strode toward her lab, with Asta and Ruan Mei following.

"Ms. Ruan Mei, welcome back as well," Asta said, extending an invitation. "I've prepared your favorite osmanthus cake."

Ruan Mei's eyes lit up. "Osmanthus cake? Well, thank you, Asta. I appreciate it."

As they approached the lab, Idiot No. 1—Herta's latest creation—trailed behind, oblivious.

Black Tower turned, intending to speak with Ruan Mei, but Idiot No. 1 failed to stop in time and crashed into her feet, nearly toppling over.

"Tch." Herta looked at the machine, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right. Asta, I brought you a gift—Idiot No. 1, a warp carrier."

Idiot No. 1, still dazed, whined softly. Black Tower gave it a swift kick.

"Get to work."

Idiot No. 1 scurried over to the platform and activated a retardation ray. In the astonished gazes of the onlookers, a massive starship—almost as large as the space station itself—began materializing.

Asta's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"This... this is incredible!"

Herta explained nonchalantly, "It's part of Idiot No. 1's factory blueprints. As long as you have the materials, you can fold it out."

Ruan Mei eyed the machine curiously.

"Fascinating... if this were a living creature, I might be tempted to dissect it."

Within ten minutes, the aircraft carrier was fully unfolded. Asta could hardly contain her excitement.

"Thank you, Ms. Black Tower!"

Black Tower waved dismissively. "It's nothing."

She had recently read a book titled How to Control Your Wallet. It emphasized the importance of giving occasional rewards rather than just taking. She had taken that lesson to heart.

"Alright, take me to dinner."

Despite her eagerness to explore the new ship, Asta sighed and complied. "Of course."

At the dining hall, Black Tower and Ruan Mei sampled the Icefield Deer. Black Tower took a generous bite.

"This venison is fantastic. Asta, any more of this? I'll take some to go."

Asta hesitated. "I only managed to buy one. Only forty were available, and I was lucky Topaz sold me one."

Herta smirked. "Oh, you got one? Then I'll eat this for the next few days."

Asta sighed in resignation.

Herta took another bite, savoring the rich flavor. "This is definitely Yuri's work. Kevin kept raving about it before—I rarely agree with that fool, but this time, he might be onto something."

Ruan Mei looked intrigued. "Yuri?"

Herta nodded. "A supplier. You might like his shop."

"Can you take me there sometime?" Ruan Mei asked.

"Sure. After we finish debugging the simulated universe."

Ruan Mei nodded. The conversation shifted, and the trio continued their meal in lively discussion.

Mondstadt – Outside Angel's Gift

Venti and Feixiao stood in the crowd, listening to Diluc's announcement.

A while back, Jean had purchased a wine-making recipe from Yuri. The first batch was finally ready, and the raw ingredient prices had skyrocketed, thanks to Neuvillette's influence.

Diluc, ever the businessman, had secured all of Jean's first batch and was now selling it across nations.

If you bought it in Mondstadt, it was sold at regular price. But anywhere else? The price soared. Business was business.

With a practiced motion, Diluc tapped a barrel, releasing a wave of intoxicating aroma that filled the square.

"This is Spirit Wine. A single glass costs 888 Mora. If you'd like a taste, Angel's Gift is open for business."

A murmur swept through the crowd. 888 Mora per glass? Pricey.

Diluc remained unfazed.

"It's a fine vintage, difficult to craft. Once you taste it, you'll understand its worth."

With that, he turned and entered Angel's Gift.

His staff stayed behind, offering small sample cups to the gathered crowd. A sip, just enough to tease the senses—a clever promotional strategy.

Venti took his sample, swirling the amber liquid in the light. "Ahh, now this... this is what I call divine inspiration."

The launch of Spirit Wine had begun, and Mondstadt's finest were already singing its praises.

Venti and Feixiao received their own sample of Spirit Wine.

After just one sip, they were captivated. The wine was smooth on the tongue but packed a powerful kick, leaving an endless, lingering aftertaste. It made them feel bold and invincible.

Venti rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a handful of scattered Mora.

After counting, she realized she only had 2,000 Mora—just enough for another round.

This was troubling. She had promised to treat Feixiao today.

Originally, she had planned to earn money by singing yesterday. But, as fate would have it, she had drunk too much the day before and slept through the entire day. When she finally woke up, intending to perform at the bar, the enticing aroma of wine had lured her right back in.

Venti sighed and decided to go inside first.

She led Feixiao into the bar and took a seat in front of Diluc.

"Uncle Lu, give us a glass of Spirit Wine each," Venti said, placing the Mora on the counter.

Diluc collected the coins and swiftly poured three glasses of wine.

He handed one to Feixiao and then placed two in front of Venti.

"This extra glass is for General Feixiao. Mondstadt must show proper hospitality."

Venti was stunned. They were treating Feixiao, but what about her?

"Uncle Lu! That's not fair!"

Diluc smirked, seeing right through her.

"Oh? And you expect me to treat you to a drink? Bartender, bring me Venti's tab."

The bartender handed over a thick ledger, which Diluc promptly opened.

"On xxx/xxx/xxx, Venti accrued a debt of 53,200 Mora...

xxx/xxx."

Diluc continued reading, and Venti quickly panicked.

"Uncle Lu, stop! I'll pay for it! I'll pay for this drink myself!"

Diluc shut the ledger and handed it back to the bartender.

"Make sure to keep this safe. It's a valuable asset to our tavern."

Venti was speechless. An important financial item? Had she really accumulated that much debt?

She patted her pockets, deep in thought.

"Grandpa Lu, let's make a deal. I'll pay for this wine in Stellar Jade. How about it?"

Diluc shot her an exasperated look.

Stellar Jade? You're using such rare currency to buy wine? That's exactly like you, Venti.

With a sigh, he relented. "Fine. 1 Stellar Jade per cup. Pay first, then I'll pour."

Venti generously slapped down 100 Stellar Jade.

"Give me 100 cups! And throw in some snacks, will you?"

Diluc pocketed the payment and signaled the bartender to serve.

At the Knights of Favonius Headquarters

Jean and Lisa were enjoying a rare moment of peace.

Mondstadt had been relatively quiet lately, leaving Jean with more time to relax and chat over tea.

Lisa sipped her tea and asked, "Jean, what do you plan to do with the 350,000 Stellar Jade we acquired this time?"

Jean replied, "I want to invest in an advanced skill beyond the Wind Spirit Art. Now that we've refined the ranks of the Knights, those who remain have already mastered it to the highest level. We need new techniques to further strengthen our forces."

Lisa nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. Let's prioritize skill upgrades, shop for supplies, and set funds aside for emergencies."

Jean agreed without hesitation.

Liyue Harbor

Ying was behind the wheel of his RV, driving onto a ferry bound for the Death Star.

That's right.

She was heading to Inazuma.

First, for the adventure. Second, for business—Asmodeus had assigned him as an inspector to oversee the affairs of various nations and improve living conditions.

In exchange, Ying would receive 100 Stellar Jade per month.

Ying had agreed instantly. 100 Stellar Jade!

Once on board, she carefully maneuvered the RV onto the Death Star's deck.

Fortunately, the deck was sturdy. Otherwise, the sheer weight of the vehicle might have been a problem.

As she parked, Beidou approached, curiosity written all over her face.

"Ying, what is this thing? I've never seen anything like it."

Ying opened the door and stepped out with Paimon.

"Big Sister Beidou!" she greeted cheerfully.

The two had met through Ningguang's introduction.

With the Sakoku Decree in place, merchants had been stranded in Liyue. Ningguang had sent Beidou to retrieve them, and Ying had tagged along for the ride.

Beidou examined the RV with intrigue.

"This thing runs by itself? Incredible."

Ying grinned. "It's an RV. It's both transportation and a home. Want to check it out?"

"Can I? Then let's go!"

Inside, the RV was fully furnished. Ying had installed a TV, a computer, and various comforts.

Beidou marveled at the setup while Ying poured them orange juice.

Meanwhile, her first mate directed the crew to set sail.

The Death Star began its journey to Inazuma.

Nightfall

Standing on the deck, Ying felt a pang of hunger.

Usually, Yuri and Xiangling would have already prepared something by now.

She had spotted Paimon, who had just finished a bag of chips and was about to grab more.

"Paimon! Where's the pickup card for the Golden Trash Can from last time?"

Paimon dug into her bag and retrieved a stack of nine cards.

"They're all here! I kept them safe while you were busy with your title."

Ying flipped through them and found the one for 100 tons of beef.

Glancing at the hardworking crew, she figured she should treat them. After all, they'd been kind enough to let her tag along.

He materialized 100 kilograms of beef and called out to Beidou.

"Beidou! Let's have a feast!"

Beidou stared at the fresh meat.

"Ying... where did you get so much beef? And why is it so fresh?"

Ying held up the pickup card. "This. I still have nearly 100 tons stored away. Eat as much as you want!"

Beidou was stunned. "How can so much beef fit in such a tiny card? Is this some kind of Adeptus magic?"

Seeing her confusion, Ying realized Ningguang hadn't told her about Yuri's shop.

Beidou wasted no time summoning the ship's chef to start cooking.

Then she turned to her crew and shouted, "Listen up! We're feasting tonight—Ying's treating us to fresh beef!"

The sailors erupted in cheers. Fresh beef was a rare luxury on a ship, and they were more than eager to dig in.