57 Miko's thoughts

Isaac held the cup of tea in one hand and the tea bag in the other. With careful precision, he poured a bit of the boiling water into the teacup.

He then circularly swirled the cup before deciding to toss out the water inside.

After doing all this did Isaac finally poured a lot of hot water and added the tea bag, letting it settle.

While waiting for the tea to settle, Isaac moved around the kitchen and took one porcelain plate. He brought it back with him and patiently waited for the tea bag to set.

Isaac wasn't in a hurry.

He merely sat down and absorbed the moment.

Reaching for his inventory, Isaac took out the tea he brewed for himself for occasions like this.

Cling*

Soon, a teacup with a small porcelain plate appeared and Isaac held them.

The tender rays of light coming through the windows, as well as the distant noises of his peculiar customers, gave Isaac a chance to immerse in his own thoughts.

"I haven't had a slow morning like this for a while now..." He sighed to himself. "What a fine morning..."

Isaac missed moments like these.

Due to his need to finish his main quests, he had been running around and doing all sorts of things that would normally sit beyond his range of comfort.

And although it was rewarding, it ultimately took the thing Isaac valued the most—

His own leisurely time.

Lifting his green tea and cradling it, the soft and fresh aroma drifted over to his nose. Smiling, Isaac closed his eyes and slowly drank the tea he was holding with a smile— letting the mildly grassy taste drift over his mouth.

"Yeah..." As if making up his mind, Isaac opened his deep amber eyes and thought inwardly. "For the time being, I'm holding off from doing any quests."

"What matters right now is..."

He then looked over the lavender he made for Xiao. Right now, it was exuding a fresh floral aroma.

"The serenity of someone who needs it."

Isaac was foolish. He was blinded by his greed and all he thought about was receiving benefits— without even looking at Xiao as a person but a mere benefit for him.

He was deeply ashamed of himself.

He swore to give everyone in this land with a troubled mind a haven to rest— not a place for him to exploit them.

Once more, Isaac's hypocritical side reared its head.

"I have to change..." Isaac mumbled under his breath as he looked at the window of his kitchen where a soft ray of light was entering the room. "I can't go on like this..."

As Isaac said this, he suddenly felt something. He lowered his head and saw that his Dendro Vision, which he always keeps in his pocket, was glowing.

"Huh..." Looking at the vision's strange behavior, Isaac was intrigued. He then took it out. "Did you resonate with my thoughts?"

Saying these words, Isaac brought the vision close to him and held it tight. "Don't worry. My conviction on the day I received you is still as strong as it was back then."

"I swear..." Looking at his vision, which was the proof of his ambition, Isaac smiled softly. "This time..."

This time, he won't make the same mistake.

---

"—have you gotten all that?" Meanwhile, while Isaac was busy contemplating himself in the Kitchen, Yae Miko was explaining to Xiao about his situation.

"I have, I'm grateful." Xiao nodded his head as he spoke to Yae Miko. "Though it is strange, with Isaac's behavior until now, then I can only trust you."

"Very good," Hearing this, Yae Miko smugly smiled. "Although Isaac doesn't admit it, the three of us so far who he invited know that he is inclined to help us as if burdened with a glorious purpose."

"So no matter how manipulative he is most of the time, his goal of helping our troubled minds never once left that skull of his." As Yae Miko spoke, she smiled as if remembering something from not too long ago. "So rest assured."

"Do you really trust him that much?" Xiao, who was innately cynical due to his vast experience on the battlefield, asked. "You are openly aware of the various façades he wears, yet you still trust he doesn't have any hidden motive against you."

"Are you not skeptical?"

Hearing Xiao's words, Yae Miko's ears swayed as if they were amused. What came after was a charming soft smile— a specialty of the Shrine Maiden of Inazuma. "Of course I'm skeptical..."

Until now, Yae Miko still believes that Isaac wasn't an ordinary being. To be capable of summoning various people from all over Teyvat wasn't a normal power, after all.

So although she would tease and secretly watch Isaac while he sleeps sometimes, she would never have any malicious thoughts about him.

She knew that beneath those various masks he buried himself in, there was a "true" face she still hadn't seen.

She wants to find out what it is— his true self.

And so, as skeptical as she is of Isaac, her curiosity about him ultimately overshadows this.

"I'm skeptical..." Having thought of all this, Yae Miko brought her hand close to her face and hid her amused smile. "However..."

"Teasing him is more fun." The sadistic Kitsune of the Narukami Shrine giggled to herself as she said this.

Xiao observed her and saw her genuine smile as if she truly meant it.

Her impression of Isaac gave Xiao all he needed to know about this enigmatic person who summoned him from Liyue.

'A multi-faced man who is shrouded in mystery... Yet cares for those around him.' Xiao thought as this description matched another person he knew. Having thought of this, he opened his mouth, "If so... Then I'll have to adjust my assessment of him."

Despite such things, he did not dare to let his guard down one bit. Who knows if that man named Isaac still had other things kept secret from them?

Just then, while Yae Miko and Xiao were in the middle of a conversation, Isaac walked out of the kitchen.

This time, he was holding a white porcelain plate with a teacup on top. On the side were three tofus and a pair of chopsticks.

Watching Isaac, Xiao couldn't help but notice something about him. 'His temperament changed?'

Previously, the reason Xiao became hostile towards Isaac was because of his predatory eyes— those deep amber eyes looked like they wanted something from Xiao.

But now, those vibes vanished.

"Your order, sir." Approaching Xiao, Isaac placed the porcelain plate down and slid it over to him. "One lavender tea with a squeeze of lemon, and tofu on the side."

"If you didn't mind, I added a few of my recommendations," Isaac spoke softly in an unrushed tone with a smile. "I hope it's up to your liking."

"Bon appétit."

"Hmm..." After saying these words, Isaac turned his head and shifted his attention to Yae Miko. "By the way... Where's Klee?"

"She went upstairs after finishing her cheesecake," Yae Miko said earnestly as she smiled mischievously. "She was pretty excited about it, so I didn't stop her."

"..."

At that moment, it felt like time stopped. Isaac, who was in the midst of a tranquil state, couldn't help but stagger down when he heard this. "Say... What?"

"She went upstairs." Once more, Yae Miko spoke bluntly and watched Isaac's actions with an amused smile. "If you want to stop her from blowing things up, you better get moving."

Hearing this, Isaac's eyes widened and he quickly straightened his posture. He then looked at Xiao, "I'll be back shortly. Please, enjoy your meal."

Having said this, he quickly left the counter and rushed upstairs. While running, he was mumbling something under his breath. "My figures... Oh no...!"

"Haha," Yae Miko chuckled to herself watching Isaac run in a hurry as if his life was on the line. She then turned her head to Xiao. "Didn't I tell you? Silly acts like that is what makes my time here worthwhile."

"He always acts posh in front of his customers..." Having said this, Yar Miko stood up. "But I know he's the complete opposite of it."

"That's what I love about Isaac."

With those words, Yae Miko followed Isaac and also went upstairs. She couldn't hope to possibly miss seeing a scene of Isaac trying to stop a terrorist from destroying his stuff.

As such, now that the three of them left, it was now only the Conqueror of Demons left in the cafe.

He was now left with his own thoughts, as well as the aromatic lavender tea in front of him.

In such a situation, there was only one thing left to do.