The air in Galehaven Comics still hummed faintly from Harlan Flint's display of power, leaving Amber wide-eyed as she clutched her comic on the sofa. "That pressure from the boss—wasn't it way scarier than Stormterror's roar?"
Barbara nodded beside her, her voice shaky. "I could barely breathe—it felt like the whole shop might collapse under it!"
Lisa leaned back, her usual nonchalance replaced by a thoughtful glint. "So this is the boss's true strength—no wonder he runs a place this extraordinary."
Fischl, ever theatrical, tilted her head with a flourish. "Such dominion—could he too hail from meine Nachtpureland, a shadowed lord akin to this Prinzessin?"
Amber's excitement bubbled over, her scout's instincts buzzing—she'd pegged Harlan as a hidden master, and now her hunch stood confirmed in spades.
Her admiration deepened, a quiet reverence settling in as she watched him sip tea behind the counter, unruffled by the chaos he'd unleashed.
Lisa's gaze lingered on him too, her mind turning—opening a shop this mystical demanded a terrifying presence, and the Fatui had just learned that the hard way.
The fools strutted into Mondstadt with their usual arrogance, expecting to bend Galehaven to their will, only to crash against an iron wall.
Even the Lady, a Harbinger no less, couldn't withstand Harlan's glance—proof enough of his might, Lisa thought with a faint smirk.
Luckily, Harlan's wrath had targeted Anastasia, leaving the Lady shaken but unharmed, a mercy that spared them worse fallout.
The Lady rose from her knees, composure fraying, and slunk to a corner seat, her defiance snuffed out by raw fear.
She dared not protest now, resigned to wait her turn, her pride swallowed by the reality of Harlan's overwhelming aura.
In her eyes, he loomed larger than ever—Jean's respect made sense; a being who could crush her so effortlessly was no mere shopkeep.
Could he be a demon god, a relic of Teyvat's ancient wars, or something loftier still, veiled in this unassuming guise?
"If he's this powerful, the comic rewards must be real—no one like him would peddle lies," she realized, a spark of anticipation cutting through her dread.
She cast a glance at the readers, eager to see what they'd claim, her own chance dangling tantalizingly close as she settled in.
Luke, meanwhile, crept to a chair, his bravado gone. "Guess arrogance only gets you so far—poor Anastasia's down for the count again."
Two days, two knockouts—she'd become a cautionary tale, sprawled outside while he nursed his own quiet awe of Harlan's might.
The tension ebbed as quickly as it flared, the shop's rhythm returning as readers sank back into their comics, a new respect coloring their glances at Harlan.
Half an hour ticked by, and Amber finished Cardcaptor Sakura's Magic first, her early start paying off as she closed the book with a satisfied huff.
"Wow, what a ride—I wonder what I'll get? A Wind Card would be perfect!" she mused, her voice brimming with hope as she clasped her hands.
A Fire Card might match her Pyro Vision, boosting her arrows' bite, but the Wind Card's flight promised freedom her glider couldn't touch.
She pictured soaring over Mondstadt's fields, unshackled by wind currents—ideal for scouting, a dream she'd nursed since joining the Knights.
The system chimed in Harlan's mind, its panel flashing: "Customer Amber completed Cardcaptor Sakura's Magic—Rewards: Sealing Key, Fly Card."
[Sealing Key: Crafted by Clow Reed, an eagle-headed staff that commands or seals Clow Cards with a peck of its beak.]
[Fly Card: Sprouts wings from the staff's tip, granting the wielder magical flight.]
Harlan's brow lifted, surprise flickering through him. "Two rewards at once? That's a first."
"System, explain," he prompted silently, curious about the anomaly as he sipped his tea.
"The Sealing Key pairs with the Fly Card—neither works alone, so they're bundled as one reward," the system clarified, its logic clicking into place.
Harlan nodded—wings without a staff were useless, and the key needed a card to shine; together, they formed Amber's prize.
"Boss, what'd I get?" Amber asked, her voice trembling with nerves as she leaned forward, eyes locked on him.
"You'll like this one," Harlan said with a grin, sensing her wind-fueled hopes aligning with what awaited.
Was it the Wind Card? Amber's pulse raced, excitement flaring as she braced for the reveal.
A radiant beam pierced the shop's ceiling, bathing her in light as the others—Lisa, Eula, Barbara, Fischl, even the Lady—looked on, curiosity piqued.
The glow faded, leaving Amber holding an eagle-headed staff and a card marked "Fly," its image a majestic white bird poised for flight.
"The rewards are real!" the Lady murmured, her excitement surging—her skepticism shattered, this was her shot at power too.
"Two rewards? Lucky little scout," Lisa teased, her smile warm as she eyed Amber's haul with a touch of envy.
Amber beamed, clutching her prizes—until she studied the Fly Card closer, a flicker of disappointment dimming her joy. "Wait, this isn't the Wind Card?"
"It's the Fly Card—pair it with the Sealing Key, and you'll soar just the same," Harlan explained, his tone steady as he bridged her confusion.
Memory clicked—Sakura gliding through the sky, staff aloft—and Amber's face lit up, the realization dawning that she'd scored her dream after all.
But then her gaze dropped to the Sealing Key, and her cheer faltered. "Boss, do I have to say… that line to make it work?"
She recalled Sakura's dramatic chants—cool in the comic, but mortifying to bellow herself, a cringe she hadn't braced for.
"Yep, it's the only way to turn the key into a wand," Harlan confirmed, a pang of sympathy tugging at him—not everyone could channel Fischl's flair.
Amber's shoulders slumped, her excitement warring with dread; shouting some over-the-top incantation in public felt like a social guillotine.
At least it wasn't a full-blown magical girl transformation—those frilly, sparkly ordeals Harlan remembered from old shows would've buried her in shame.
***
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