The Traveler's Skills
Setting Alhaitham aside for the moment, Xiayu sketched out a rough plan for what came next. "First, Lisa, you'll stay at Beika Library and keep watching the director. I want to know exactly where his drugs are coming from. If I remember right, there's a case on Tsukikage Island coming up that's also tied to narcotics, and I suspect the director has some kind of connection to the island — maybe his supply is even being shipped in from there."
Xiayu's mission was to keep the balance of power between the Red and Black factions. Judging by the plot of the anime from her previous life, the Red side was probably the stronger of the two, which meant that sooner or later she would inevitably end up helping the Black side. But she had no intention of doing anything truly wicked, and drugs above all sickened her. If she ever came across that trade, she wanted to stamp it out as thoroughly as she could.
Besides, it couldn't be all about propping up the Black faction. If they grew too strong down the line, she would need to shift her support to the Red side — and that was exactly why a gray organization belonging to neither camp was so necessary.
Lisa looked at Xiayu, understanding perfectly well why she felt this way, and agreed with a gentle look in her eyes.
"What about me? Traveler, what do you need me to do?" Xiangling raised her hand to ask.
Xiayu met Xiangling's curious, expectant eyes and paused before answering. "Xiangling... your main job is just to run the restaurant well. Once business picks up, more people will come through — and more people means more gossip. Keep an ear out for what the customers are talking about and gather up whatever information you can."
Privately, Xiayu worried that running the restaurant would be too much for Xiangling to handle alone, and she briefly considered hiring someone to help — but she didn't want a stranger living in her home. In the end she shelved the problem, hoping she might pull someone suitable from the gacha later to lend a hand. If nothing turned up in the near future, she'd have no choice but to hire from outside.
"Mm-hm, got it!"
"As for me — well, my next step is to get close to the main cast and clear as many missions as I can, rack up Primogems, and pull more characters to help out. I mean, an organization whose entire membership you can count on one hand? That's just embarrassing."
"I'll adjust the plan once I've pulled more members and can see how things stand. Ugh, right now our organization has plenty of money and not nearly enough people."
Lisa smiled. "Someone's working very hard, isn't she? I always knew my little cutie had wonderful organizational skills and follow-through. Keep it up~"
Xiangling nodded along eagerly. "Yeah, yeah! The Traveler is amazing!"
Being praised by the two of them made Xiayu squirm with embarrassment — she could feel her toes trying to dig themselves a two-bedroom apartment into the floor. After all, in some sense they *were* her, which made this the equivalent of listening to herself compliment herself. It felt awfully narcissistic.
At that moment Paimon popped up, putting on an air of great seriousness. "Ahem. True, true. Traveler, you're doing reasonably well so far. Of course, there's still a bit of a gap compared to Paimon, and room for improvement. From now on you should consult Paimon often — Paimon will give you proper guidance!"
Xiayu's mouth twitched into a flat half-moon glare. 'Well, thank you *so* much, Paimon.' She put the full weight of sarcasm on the "so."
Paimon completely missed the subtext and floated there, delighted with herself. "Aw, no need to be so formal! Paimon is the Traveler's best companion, after all — of course Paimon will help you lots! Haha."
"Oh, right — cutie, there's something I've been meaning to ask. Have you tried it recently? Can you still use elemental power?" Lisa's question cut abruptly through the banter.
"Ugh—" At the mention of it, Xiayu slumped over the table with a groan of regret. "I have tried. You probably already know this, but I tested it the moment I arrived in this world. I can't use elemental power."
The more she dwelled on it, the more bitter she felt, and she sat back up to lodge her complaint. "It's not fair! Why can all of you use it and only I can't? Is this discrimination against the Traveler?"
Ever since she'd pulled the Genshin Roleplay System, Xiayu had secretly been dreaming of what it would look like when she wielded elemental power herself. When her experiments failed, she'd assumed it was because the Conan world was a mystery anime with no magic in it — hence the inability.
Then she'd learned that every character she pulled could use elemental power just fine — only she couldn't — and the resentment had set in. She'd tried her best not to think about the sore subject, consoling herself that at least she'd gained this incredible physical condition. But the moment Lisa brought it up today, the wound tore right back open.
Far from comforting the sulking Traveler, Lisa burst out laughing. Only when Xiayu shot her a look of wounded reproach did she hastily stifle her giggles. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just — the way you were acting was so, so adorable. Like a little child, honestly."
"Lisa!" Xiayu went red with humiliation and fury.
"Ahem. Well then, back to business." Lisa composed herself. "You haven't tried since you started pulling characters, have you, cutie? Why not give it a go right now? Who knows — it might work this time!" She said it encouragingly. She remembered that the Traveler was supposed to wield elemental power even without a Vision, so there was no reason the pulled characters could use it while she herself couldn't. Maybe there was some condition to it. At any rate, there was nothing to lose by trying.
"Huh? Now that you mention it..." Xiayu thought it over and realized she really had only tried that one time at the very beginning.
A spark of hope kindled in her chest. Just like Lisa said — maybe this time it would work.
Xiayu walked over to the open space beside the table and began reaching out, trying to resonate with the elements. And suddenly — she really did feel it. Traces of the elements, faint and blurred, half-glimpsed, flowing all around her, present everywhere, permeating everything.
Some instinct told her that this time she could grasp a part of it. She extended her right hand and tried to speak to the elements within it. In a flash, a current of breeze welled up in her palm, stirring softly against her skin — Anemo! She could use Anemo.
She pressed on immediately, testing the other elements, but apart from Anemo only Geo and Dendro answered her call. It wasn't every element — but to be able to use elemental power at all left Xiayu giddy with joy.
So *this* was what it felt like. It was as if the power had been hers from birth: the moment she resonated, she simply knew how to use it, as naturally as breathing. A flicker of intent, and the element answered.
She reported her results to Lisa and Xiangling.
"Just as I thought — our little cutie can use elemental power after all." Lisa's eyes glinted as she analyzed it. "So far you've pulled me, Xiangling, and Alhaitham — from Mondstadt, Liyue, and Sumeru respectively. And those are exactly the nations whose Archons' elements you can resonate with. It seems the elements you're able to awaken correspond to the nations of the characters you've pulled. If you ever draw someone from Inazuma or Fontaine, your repertoire will only grow."
"Sounds about right," Xiayu agreed with Lisa's theory.
Lisa stepped forward and patted her head. "That means big sister can worry about you a little less, hmm? This world is crawling with murderers — and some of them carry guns. Fists and footwork alone just aren't enough to keep my cutie safe."
"Lisa..." Xiayu stared at her, stunned. She'd never expected Lisa to say something like that so suddenly, and for a moment she had no idea how to answer.
"Lisa, Xiangling—"' and Paimon too,' she added silently in her heart — and made them a promise. "Don't worry. I will protect myself. I'm the Traveler, after all!"