Lisa's expression tightened with a rare seriousness as she processed Barbara's reward in Galehaven Comics, her librarian's mind spinning with historical echoes. "Changing a region's climate—that's a feat worthy of a god's title, no question about it!"
She knew Mondstadt's lore by heart—how Barbatos had swept away ice and snow to birth its verdant plains, a divine act etched into the land's memory.
That kind of power, wielded by the Seven Archons, had always come through brutal demon wars, their might forged in blood and chaos across Teyvat's ancient days.
Yet here was Barbara, a healer with no battle scars, claiming a slice of that godlike strength just by flipping through a comic—how could such a shortcut exist?
It might not rival an Archon's full might, but it dwarfed the Eye of God's gifts, elevating this little shop into something far beyond ordinary in her estimation.
A wild thought struck her—could Harlan Flint, this unassuming shopkeeper, be more than he seemed, a figure tied to forces older or greater than the Seven themselves?
Across the room, the Lady's heart thundered in her chest, her corner seat no shield from the conversation she'd overheard between Barbara, Lisa, and Harlan.
"Such a discovery demands the Tsaritsa's ear—she'd crave a place this potent for her grand design," she mused, her mind racing with icy ambition.
If every Fatui soldier could wield power like Barbara's Freeze Fruit, Solstice's dream of dominion might crystallize without needing the Gnoses at all.
She exhaled sharply, her resolve hardening—she'd report this to the Queen, framing Galehaven Comics as a strategic gem worth any price to claim.
Lisa, meanwhile, turned her attention to her own reward, her curiosity piqued as she hefted the yellow-and-green laptop now resting in her hands.
"Koshiro's laptop—I remember this from Digimon: First Frontier," she said, recalling how it had guided Taichi's crew through every crisis with its digital wisdom.
That tiny device held a treasure trove of knowledge, a perfect fit for her—she lived for unraveling secrets, even those from a comic's alternate world.
Harlan nodded, stepping over to demonstrate. "It's packed with data on the Digimon realm—let me show you how it works since tech like this is new here."
He powered it on, the screen flaring to life with profiles of Digimon—attributes, evolutions, quirks—each entry a window into a strange, vibrant universe.
"There's a ton in there," Lisa observed, her eyes lighting up as she scrolled, fascination blooming at the detailed breakdowns of Armor, Super, and Ultimate forms.
She'd found Digimon intriguing in the comic—now this laptop offered clarity, a scholarly playground she couldn't wait to explore at her leisure.
"Just a heads-up—its battery's finite, so you'll need to manage its power," Harlan added, recalling how he'd tweaked Paimon's camera to run endlessly.
Unlike that gift, this was a raw artifact, not system-enhanced—its limits were real, and Lisa would have to reckon with them.
"Battery?" Lisa blinked, tilting her head with a playful squint, then grinned. "Oh, I'll juice it with some Electro—should keep it humming, right?"
Harlan's brow quirked, his expression caught between amusement and intrigue—could Teyvat's elemental logic bend science that way? It just might.
Her idea was wild but plausible—the elemental forces here defied physics; maybe her Vision could spark that laptop back to life when it dimmed.
With their rewards in hand, Lisa and Barbara stepped out of Galehaven Comics, satisfaction radiating from them as they left the alley behind.
Lisa cradled her trove of Digimon lore, eager to dive into its depths, while Barbara felt the icy pulse of her new power, a thrill she couldn't wait to test.
"Sister Lisa, I'm heading outside the city for a bit—I won't swing by the Knights just yet," Barbara said, her voice brimming with excitement as they parted ways.
"I'll tag along," Lisa offered, her protective streak flaring—Barbara's healing role rarely took her beyond Mondstadt's walls, and trouble could lurk out there.
"No need—I'm not the same fragile me anymore; this Freeze Fruit's got my back," Barbara countered, puffing out her chest with newfound confidence.
Lisa tapped her forehead lightly, chiding herself with a grin. "Right, I forgot—you're a walking ice storm now; the hilichurls should be the ones quaking!"
She relented, trusting the fruit's might—Barbara could freeze threats solid before they got close; she'd be fine on her own.
"Alright, off you go—just don't stay out too late," Lisa said, waving as Barbara dashed off, her steps light with the joy of her unleashed potential.
"Then I'm off to dig into this data," Lisa murmured, turning toward the Knights' headquarters, her laptop tucked under her arm like a prized tome.
Not long after they vanished, a cluster of figures emerged at the alley's mouth, their chatter cutting through the quiet as they squinted at the shop's sign.
"Is this the spot that bard was hyping up?" one asked, craning his neck to catch sight of the Galehaven Comics lettering tucked in the shadows.
"Looks like it—I glimpsed the name inside; we've finally tracked it down," another replied, relief mixing with impatience after their winding search.
"This place is way too hidden—took forever to find!" a third grumbled, kicking a pebble as they shuffled closer, drawn by Wendy's tales.
"I hope the comics are worth it—trekking out here better not be a bust," the last one muttered, skepticism warring with a flicker of hope.
They'd caught wind of Wendy's plaza pitch—rewards for reading, a cat called Digimon—and curiosity had dragged them to this remote nook.
"Let's check it out—move it!" the first urged, excitement overtaking doubt as they piled toward the door, arms linked in eager solidarity.
***
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