Current funds: 4,500 Mora.
Cheapest available room: 3,000 Mora.
Conclusion: Just enough for one night.
"I'll take a room, please." Su Mo handed over the coins to the innkeeper, who accepted them with a knowing smile, clearly thinking, Ah, youth.
The three of them then headed upstairs. Mondstadt was, after all, a city of freedom. Young couples renting rooms to discuss "life and philosophy" was hardly unusual. Of course, if Su Mo had walked in with just Paimon, things might have looked… sketchy, even by Mondstadt's standards. No law anywhere could justify sharing a room with a floating childlike creature.
"Ahh, I'm beat!" Paimon immediately threw herself onto the bed the moment they stepped inside. The fluffy mattress was a dream compared to the makeshift beds they'd grown used to out in the wild. She buried her head into the pillow, unmoving.
"The room's decent," Su Mo noted, glancing around. There was only one bed—Mondstadt's inns didn't exactly offer luxury suites—but everything else was well-furnished: a writing desk, a small dining table, a proper bath… Even for the cheapest option, it was larger than the average inn back in his previous life.
"Way better than camping outside," Lumine said, brushing off some dust from her outfit. She wasn't paying attention to the furnishings. For her, as long as there was a bed and a bath, it was practically paradise.
Seeing the grime on herself, she flushed slightly and looked to Su Mo. "I'll take a quick shower then!"
Though they'd grown used to roughing it in the wild, being inside a proper enclosed space made the atmosphere feel oddly intimate.
"Sure," Su Mo nodded. "I ordered some takeout from downstairs too—it should arrive once you're done."
After weeks of eating survival-style meals, it was finally time to indulge in something normal. Though his own cooking had improved over time, it still didn't compare to a professionally prepared meal.
Lumine's eyes sparkled slightly at the mention of food. While she didn't show it often, she was definitely a hidden foodie—just like Paimon. At the thought of a good meal, she dashed into the bathroom without another word.
Water began to flow from the bath. Mondstadt's iconic windmills pulled water directly from Cider Lake into the city's supply, providing running water even in inns like this.
Su Mo, meanwhile, had no odd habits about listening to girls shower while eating. He simply opened the window and looked out over the street below, passing time while waiting for their food.
This part of Mondstadt was set slightly back from the main avenue—just a short walk from the Adventurers' Guild. From this angle, he couldn't see the guild counter or Katheryne, who was likely still working diligently.
Moving his gaze forward, his eyes landed on a familiar shop: With Wind Comes Glory, the souvenir store near the fountain.
He remembered the lore behind this place clearly. The owner, Marjorie, was the daughter of the local Adventurers' Guild branch leader. Most of her merchandise came from her father's expeditions—priceless trinkets collected during his travels. A shop run purely from passion, not for profit.
Which also meant most items couldn't be bought with Mora.
Instead, purchases here required Anemo Sigils—tokens commonly earned by adventurers in the field.
During their month-long journey, while they hadn't collected much Mora, they had gathered quite a few Anemo Sigils. Maybe tomorrow, they could stop by and exchange some for gear or supplies.
Su Mo made a mental note of it, but his eyes were soon drawn to a structure partially hidden behind a tall pointed rooftop: the Alchemy Table near the plaza fountain.
His interest was piqued.
"Alchemy, huh..." he murmured.
It was one of the few disciplines the other versions of himself across worlds had strongly urged him to master. While elemental powers in this world weren't particularly unusual, alchemy stood apart—especially in Mondstadt.
Much of Mondstadt's renown in alchemy came from one man: Albedo, the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius. His methods didn't stem from any of the known traditions of Teyvat's seven nations. Instead, his roots traced back to Khaenri'ah, a long-destroyed ancient civilization.
Unlike conventional alchemy, Albedo's focus leaned toward the creation of life and the pursuit of ultimate truths.
If Su Mo could learn the depths of this alchemical art, perhaps he could one day create creatures from other worlds within this one—or even allow his counterparts from other realms to replicate Teyvat's elemental lifeforms.
Creation-type abilities were always among the rarest and most powerful across every universe.
"I remember Albedo may be aloof, but when it comes to teaching, he's actually very generous," Su Mo mused. "He never held back from tutoring Sucrose or Timaeus."
As long as one showed sincere effort, Albedo wouldn't reject them. And Su Mo's own scientific knowledge from his past life might even serve as a valuable bargaining chip.
Unfortunately, Su Mo didn't know much about Albedo's personality beyond that. Though he'd drawn Albedo in the game before transmigrating, he'd never really invested in raising his level.
What a shame... Just assisting the maid Noelle in battle—essentially being a battery to recharge her abilities. Su Mo wasn't sure if, given his current standing, he could approach her successfully.
As he mulled over these thoughts, he suddenly heard Lumine's voice from the bathroom.
"Su Mo~"
Her tone was nervous, tinged with a hint of embarrassment.
"What is it?" Su Mo asked, puzzled.
"Um…" Lumine's flushed face peeked out from behind the bathroom door as she spoke in a small voice, "I forgot to bring my change of clothes. Could you… help me get them?"
In her rush to finish bathing and eat before the food got cold, she had forgotten to grab her fresh clothes. Now that she was done, she realized it—only to find Su Mo still in the room. It wouldn't be appropriate to just walk out like that. She had no choice but to ask for his help.
"Hmm…" Su Mo fell silent for a couple of seconds.
Then he said, "For some reason… I really feel like refusing right now."
If he did refuse, wouldn't Lumine have to come out herself to get the clothes? That wouldn't be too bad, would it? After all—self-reliance builds character.
"No way! You're not allowed to refuse!" Lumine snapped back, clearly flustered. It was rare to see her like this, and Su Mo decided not to tease her further. He passed the clothes over to the door.
Though she had called them a change of clothes, it was really just a simple white nightdress they had bought earlier in a shop. Since they finally had a proper bed to sleep in, there was no need to wear their usual travel gear.
That said, between the food and accommodations, their Mora was nearly drained.
Su Mo turned his back to give her privacy. Lumine cracked the door open just slightly and, like a thief, quickly snatched the nightdress inside. Thankfully, Su Mo didn't peek, which made her feel a lot better.
When she stepped out, her damp hair still clinging to her cheeks and dressed in the simple white nightdress, Lumine looked unusually soft and feminine—very different from her usual stoic adventurer self. Su Mo couldn't help but smile and tease, "Thanks for the treat."
"???" Lumine tilted her head, completely missing his implication.
Just then, a knock came at the door—it was the food delivery. Startled, Lumine quickly dashed back into the bathroom. Clearly, she didn't want anyone else to see her like this. Why she didn't mind Su Mo seeing her, however, was a question she never thought to ask.