32 Yuheng Qixing

Keqing inspected the man in front of her quite keenly and silently, as if judging him.

He was wearing a tang suit and had darkish-brown hair, that is paired with the same color as his eyes. She made a rough guess that he should be around his early teens. As for his height, he was about around 180cm, roughly matching the age she speculated.

She then moved her eye to the person behind him. From his height, she guessed that he was around the age of fourteen to fifteen. He has raven-dark hair and eyes that have a tinge of golden color, quite a rare color of eyes. And hanging on his white dress shirt's pocket is a golden pocket watch but instead of a miniature clock, an electro vision was in place.

Keqing stood up after memorizing their appearance. "I'll get straight to the point." She said with an assertive tone.

Hearing this, Igarashi was a bit confused and pondered why she seem to sound... Unhappy? He doesn't know... Women are hard to understand. But that does not mean he cannot try to understand them.

"Err... What is it?" He asked, still keeping up his smile.

Keqing was silent for a moment and closed her eyes. She then opened them and spoke to him. "How did you do it?"

"...Huh?"

"I am asking how you managed to forge legitimate documents." She asked, with a slight frown

Igarashi was dumbfounded. He just realized it too. 'Is she... Suspecting me of forgery...?'

Then, the realization hit him harder than the vehicle that killed him.

'System... Please, for just this time, respond to me.' He thought internally. 'How were the documents for setting up the shop made? Was it your doing?'

He really never thought about it until now. He just received his shop from the system and did not question how it went under his name legitimately. He just assumed that the system took care of everything.

Noticing that the system won't be answering any time soon, he quickly made use of his A+ intelligence stat and thought of reasons to convince Keqing in under a few seconds.

He then kept his calm appearance and replied. "What do you mean? Of course I got them through legal means. And may I ask, why is this of concern to you?"

Although he already knew who she was, Igarashi still wants to keep his acting and act naturally in all situations. 'Gotta play it safe, after all...'

Keqing hummed with a frown and was about to say something but she was disturbed.

"This is Ms. Keqing. The current Yuheng Qixing of Liyue Harbor." Ganyu gave a brief introduction.

She was actually silent the whole time during their conversation. Ningguang gave her the task of coming here often to directly make reports to Ningguang. But after entering inside, she saw Igarashi and immediately racked her mind on how to come up with excuses.

Other than the people that work for the Qixing with her, no one else knows that she is a half-Adeptus. And it's been 1,000 years since she started working and she intends to keep it that way. But when she saw Igarashi again, she couldn't help but feel that something is... Off about him. He was a human, she knows that, but something about him somehow makes her curious. Both her Adeptus and human side were curious about him.

As such, her silent thinking continued until she finally snapped out of it and noticed Keqing accusing Igarashi of something, as such, she intended to calm the situation.

After hearing Ganyu's introduction, Igarashi still kept his calm and made a slightly surprised expression before nodding. "Ah, it was you from the other day!" He gave a surprised smile and replied to Ganyu.

He then shifted his attention to Keqing. "I apologize, I did not know that you are one of the Liyue Qixing." He said, keeping his calm while speaking with an apologetic tone.

However, beneath this calm surface, nervousness was brewing deep in his mind. 'System, please, help me on this one...!'

As if it was waiting for his begging, the system responded, much to Igarashi's relief.

[Identification, Registration, and Nationality documents are ready, would you like to purchase the aforementioned items for 60 System Credits?]

[Y/N]

'Yes, Yes! Do it!' Igarashi truly felt happy seeing the system's clutch at the moment.

[Confirmed]

Seeing the system's confirmation, Igarashi felt relieved. He checked his system inventory and found the items inside and internally sighed in relief.

As for Keqing, she did not faze at all and just gave a small nod. "I assume that you still have your documents?"

"Yes, I have." Igarashi calmly said, though, confidently.

Keqing nodded and stretched out her hand. "As the Yuheng Qixing, I request to analyze and determine its legitimacy."

Igarashi nodded and temporarily left them, leaving Sasori to accompany them. He went to the second floor and took out the files out of his system inventory and went back.

He then gave the papers to Keqing. "Here they are."

Keqing took them and inspected the papers. After a few minutes, she placed the papers down on the table and gave a small nod. "...They are admissible."

Seeing that she no longer suspects him, Igarashi felt relieved. 'At least my identity is solid as stone now...'

She then sat down again and crossed her arms. "Now then, for the other reason I am here."

"Yes?" Igarashi was taken aback for a moment. 'Her mood... Completely changed...'

"I heard that you are the source of the recent rumors around Liyue Harbor..." She started speaking. "...'A magical book that only lets those who bought it read it', stated by a youth at the wharf. Tell me what is it that they spoke of?"

Keqing already knows what they were. She has good information channels, and as such, she knows the recent talks in Liyue Harbor. So when she heard of such books being sold, she sent one of her assistants to buy a book. But when she tried to read it, it was just as the statements said. So, she intends to know the truth here and now.

Igarashi was silent for a mere moment before nodding. "Certainly."

He then gave a brief explanation of what a manga is and some of his works. Keqing just sat there listening to him and just nodded.

After Igarashi finished explaining, she digested the information in her mind and nodded. "Alright then, give me a recommendation."

"Of course." Igarashi nodded and went back to the other side of the wall, leaving Sasori once more to the ladies.

He then pondered what to give Keqing when a certain book caught his eyes. He picked it up and smiled. 'It's about time that you get sold...'

He then went back to their table and slid a manga on the table's flat surface. Keqing, Ganyu, and Sasori looked at the manga's cover and saw a bald kid with a blue arrow tattoo on his head wearing a monk's attire as he held a wooden staff. And behind him, four people were also present.

"This is?" Asked Keqing with slight curiosity.

"A new series of ours that we recently made." Igarashi replied. After that, he gave a brief summary of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Keqing listened to all of it and nodded again. "I see. I'd like to buy it." She then looked at Ganyu and asked, "Is your purpose here to buy a manga too, Ganyu?"

"Me? Oh, umm... Yes! I'd like to buy the... 'Your Name' one please." Ganyu said. She actually didn't know what to bit and just said the famous manga Igarashi jas made.

Igarashi showed a gentle smile and nodded. "Alright, please wait, miss Ganyu." After saying that, he left.

A few moments later, he came back with a 'Your Name' copy and handed it to Ganyu. "Here."

Ganyu accepted it and gave a low nod, hiding her flustered face, her act before made her feel like she was indecisive. She didn't say anything and just took out some money to pay for the manga.

Keqing also did the same and paid Igarashi Mora for the manga. But she also ordered a 'Your Name' manga, at the end. Her buying many things on a sunny day is a normal occurrence. Ningguang knows too that Keqing has a hobby of shopping, a good weakness she found from her.

And as a busy person, Keqing did not stay long and left with Ganyu who thanked Igarashi for the manga, to which the latter felt awkward because she doesn't need to thank him like that.

After they left, Igarashi and Sasori were left looking at the door. Just then, a smirk formed on his face. 'I wonder how many System credits I will get this time?'

(A/N: I apologize if the recent chapters seemed... Odd lately. Having only 4 hours of sleep for 2 days for my upcoming exam is not a suitable experience to write chapters... Good thing coffee exists. This chapter is fueled by caffeine, so it might have some errors.)