Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Short-Statured Ornamental Fish

Shen Liang was looking at the white fluffy ball's waist. Perhaps due to her diligent exercise, Kiana had an excellent figure, with no excess fat around her waist. Even in everyday life, it was noticeable; wearing a slightly thick maid outfit, she still looked as slender as an elf or fairy from an art book.

"I haven't gained weight... Why are you looking at me like that?" Kiana stared at herself up and down suspiciously. "Although I've been eating a lot of junk food lately, I've been exercising a lot and I've kept my weight at around 90 pounds."

Since arriving at Shen Liang's house, she's been busy moving and handling paperwork at St. Freya Academy, so she's been eating out most of the time. To save money, she usually goes to McDonald's, which is high in calories and she eats a lot of it. Seeing Shen Liang's expression, she couldn't tell whether he was appreciating her or disliking her.

“It’s beautiful, and it suits you very well,” Shen Liang said.

Kiana was visibly pleased, but then she realized something was off and pouted, "Who wants to be suitable for me! I'm not your maid. I'm just showing you to satisfy your despicable tastes, landlord! You can only look, don't get the wrong idea that I'm going to serve you!"

"You can't have that illusion." Shen Liang walked over to look at her skirt. "Isn't it a little long?"

“It’s true, it’s inconvenient to walk around.” Kiana complained, lifting her black and white maid dress.

Shen Liang immediately saw Kiana's beautiful legs covered in white stockings under her skirt. The stockings were fastened with garters deep inside the skirt, making them incredibly attractive. He instantly understood the beauty of maid outfits.

"This is a Victorian-style maid outfit, combining beauty and practicality. The skirt is ankle-length, but if you don't like it, sir, we can alter it to above the knee. Or we have many other styles to choose from," the lobby manager said. She probably guessed that these people buying maid outfits weren't for anything serious... Honestly, go buy those kinds of clothes at an adult store in Akihabara! It's such a waste to buy such well-made ones from us!

"No, no need to change it so much. Just change it to the calf part, as long as it doesn't hinder walking." Shen Liang decisively changed her mind. "And while you're at it, add a buckle to the garter belt to hold a dagger or a dinner knife."

Are you kidding me? What's so great about those maid outfits that show off your thighs? They're so frivolous! Are you trying to steal the mistress's man?! Real maids wear long dresses like that!

"Put on a dagger..." The lobby manager was clearly stunned.

"Give me another pocket watch, I'll go learn how to stop time." Kiana got excited too, "I also have white hair, so I can cosplay with soul!"

Shen Liang's heart stirred slightly. He hadn't expected Kiana to actually respond to his joke. Generally, apart from silly netizens, few people in real life would use such game jokes, especially since Kiana was clearly a noble lady from Europe.

"Your family is a long-established family, do you have maids? Are these maid outfits authentic?"

"Don't even mention it. They definitely exist, but I've never seen them and can't give you an opinion." Kiana shrugged. "I'm actually not familiar with the Shaniat family. In fact, I'm quite unfamiliar with them. Don't ask me why."

She was unwilling to reveal anything about the Shaniat family, and Shen Liang felt that she wasn't lying; she was indeed unfamiliar with the Shaniat family.

Shen Liang even felt that Kiana didn't seem like a young lady who had received an upper-class education. If he didn't know that she was indeed the daughter of the Shaniat family, Shen Liang would not have sensed any "delicate" aura from her at all.

There is no such thing as a pampered young lady in reality. Even if a person is pampered from childhood, they will still have an unconscious air about them, commonly known as "putting on airs".

But Kiana really doesn't put on airs.

Sometimes Shen Liang felt that her carefree image didn't match her beautiful face, and it was really a waste of her talent.

"This is it!" Shen Liang decided.

"Hey, do you want to buy it? Just so you know, I won't wear it for you normally, you can keep it as a keepsake, don't count on me!" Kiana said hurriedly. Although she was very satisfied with how she looked in it, this kind of dress was still too embarrassing, and she didn't want to wear it at home even once.

"Don't worry, the task I asked you to do is complete." Shen Liang beckoned to the lobby manager. "This one—Kiana, how tall are you?"

"Not even 1.7 meters tall, maybe around 1.69 meters, why?" Kiana asked, puzzled.

"Make this dress ten centimeters shorter, and make the bust smaller, since the person actually wearing it isn't as perky as her." Shen Liang thought about it based on the image of Coral Palace Xin Hai and gave his opinion. "Yes, the person actually wearing it is Asian, remember to change the stockings, her legs aren't as long as Kiana's."

Shen Liang was so engrossed in speaking that he didn't notice Kiana's expression gradually turning cold as she listened. Rosalia and Lilia simultaneously covered their faces, feeling both pity and anger at Kiana's lack of self-control.

"Mr. Shen, are you sure... are you sure you want to change it this way?" The lobby manager wiped away her cold sweat, glancing between Shen Liang and Kiana, wanting to smile wryly but not daring to. Kiana's icy gaze made her completely afraid to do what Shen Liang said. Good heavens, in all her years in this job, she'd never seen anyone with such exceptionally low emotional intelligence!

"Confirmed." Shen Liang still hadn't noticed Kiana.

"Mr. Shen, I advise you to reconsider. The craftsmanship of our clothes is very high, and they are very suitable for Miss Kiana. They shouldn't be altered..."

"It's not like it's for her to wear, so why would it suit her?" Shen Liang signed the bill and gave her a strange look.

"because……"

"So, you called me here, you stinky landlord, just to be a clothes hanger for your girlfriend who's nowhere to be found?" Kiana said with a forced smile, holding a clothes hanger in her hand. "You're really good to her."

“She’s not my little girlfriend,” Shen Liang said.

"Heh." Kiana chuckled coldly, but her expression softened slightly.

“She is my personal maid,” Shen Liang said matter-of-factly.

Kiana's expression looked like someone had stuffed a clothes hanger into her mouth.

She ripped off the clothing tag and threw it at Shen Liang, yelling, "Trash! Pervert! Lecherous brat! You're not as big-breasted, as slim-waisted, or as long-legged as me! It's ridiculous! No wonder you like this short, stocky body!"

Kiana lifted her skirt and stormed off angrily!

Shen Liang was astonished!

He touched the clothing tag on his face, genuinely baffled as to why Kiana was angry, just as he could never understand why Bronya was always arguing with him.

Can't you show some respect for your elders?! You've gone too far, I'm telling you!

That's not right either, it seems like the eldest brother is just a peer?

"Crazy," Shen Liang muttered, glancing at the lobby manager, "I'll call her back, and you can alter the clothes according to my instructions..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw the lobby manager's disdainful expression.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shen, Ms. Kiana has already removed the tag, so the item is considered to have left the store and we will no longer provide tailoring services." She pursed her lips. "That one already belongs to Ms. Kiana. If you want it, you can only buy another one. If not, thank you for your patronage, and goodbye."

Shen Liang took a deep breath, wondering which deity he had offended.

This is not just going too far, it's outrageous!

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Modern Human God Priestess

Upon returning to the Coral Palace, Shen Liang deliberately chose a relatively secluded corner of the mansion to avoid running into anyone.

But she had only been back in her bedroom a short while when the courtyard gate was pushed open, and Coral Palace Xin Hai came running in, her wooden clogs clattering. As soon as she saw Shen Liang, she was furious. "Liangzi, where have you been all these days! And the gatekeeper said he hadn't seen you, so how did you get back?"

Shen Liang had anticipated that this would happen.

Time flows in the same direction in Teyvat as on Earth, so if he returned to Earth and stayed for a few days, the Coral Palace definitely wouldn't be able to find him. But there was no reason to tell Xin Hai about this, so he didn't bother to think of a reason.

"Watch your language, woman." Shen Liang once again played the role of the ill-tempered traveling merchant.

Although it wasn't exactly acting, his personality was always terrible.

"The way to address her..." Because several days had passed, the little shrine maiden took a while to react, stomping her little feet in white knee-high tabi socks, "But we... we've only been playing the master-servant game for the first day!"

“The fourth day,” Shen Liang said.

The phrase "master-servant game" is quite erotic, much more so than the master-servant relationship itself.

"You! Forget it, I don't care anymore!" Coral Palace Xin Hai gritted her teeth. She had mentally prepared herself countless times over the past few days, constantly encouraging herself not to let Shen Liang laugh at her. So now she was reckless, or rather, fearless. "Master!"

"Don't be so gritting your teeth, like you're going to eat me alive."

“Young Master…” Coral Palace calmed herself down. Calling someone “Master” was nothing; she had already prepared for far worse. “But please remember, Master, this matter is not yet public. This agreement is only known to the priestesses of Coral Palace, so please give me…”

She found it difficult to say, "Give me some face, I still have to continue my duties as a shrine maiden a year from now."

"Isn't it said that only pure women can become priestesses?" Shen Liang suddenly had a brain fart.

Coral Palace Heart Sea's face instantly turned ashen.

The topic suddenly became very sensitive, and the two of them tacitly decided to skip it.

"What's the rush?"

"Regarding the seawater rice that the young master mentioned, I have already reported it to the Palace Master." Coral Palace Xin Hai changed the awkward "master" to the less jarring "young master" and continued, "The advisors are very excited, believing that this is essential to saving Coral Palace from the exploitation of the shogunate. The Palace Master sent someone to invite you to meet, but they came twice and didn't see you. Ruko thought you had just made empty boasts and run away..."

Shen Liang didn't expect that his absence these past few days would have such a significant impact.

"what about now?"

"The Shogunate army declared war again two days ago, and the Palace Master has gone to the battlefield in person. He hasn't returned yet." Coral Palace Xin Hai said with some worry, "The war has started again, and everyone is starting to care about the war again. People's livelihood issues will have to be postponed again. I really want everyone to know the importance of seawater rice, but now it's all urgent reports from the military, and Aunt Palace Master won't listen to me anymore."

"The war has started again?"

“Winter is halfway over. The coldest days on Haigi Island are from late winter to early spring. The shogunate clearly wants to achieve results before the end of winter and has already launched several urgent offensives.” She spoke quickly. “However, we have always had the upper hand in terms of casualties, and our morale remains high. If the shogunate does not dare to send a large army to invade, we can still survive this winter.”

Shen Liang suddenly felt a little curious to see what the war in Teyvat was really like.

But before he could make a request, he heard the door being suddenly smashed open, followed by the sound of military boots treading on the stone pavement.

A slightly taller young man in military uniform with dog ears and a dog tail walked in. He looked at Shen Liang with sharp, knife-like eyes. Shen Liang met his gaze, and both of them were somewhat surprised.

"This is outrageous! The war isn't even over yet, and you've sent me to find this fame-seeker... You must be Mr. Shen Liang?" The beast-eared boy was taken aback. "You're back today?"

Goro really didn't expect that the merchant who was praised by Lord Kōji as one of the best in the world and who could save Haiji Island was actually such a beautiful child. He was often teased as a general who would never grow up, so what should this one be called?

"I thought 'sir' referred to a man, but it's an honorific... I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry for offending Miss Ryoko. I'll go out now. Oh, by the way, my name is Goro. Nice to meet you." Goro blushed a little and scratched his head as he left. Only when he saw Shen Liang's long black hair did he realize that he had been very presumptuous to intrude into her bedroom.

"Do you believe I'll beat you up?" Shen Liang narrowed his eyes.

"No, isn't she a girl?" Goro exclaimed in shock.

"This is extremely rude, General Wulang!" Coral Palace Xin Hai couldn't stand it anymore. "This is my young mistress... our distinguished guest, Mr. Shen Liang, a distinguished guest of Haiqi Island, who is undoubtedly a man!"

"I'm so sorry!" Goro hurriedly bowed his head, his animal ears swaying with his movements.

So there are beastmen in this world?

No, judging from his appearance, he gets along very well with other humans, which means that beastmen and ordinary people are treated equally in this world. Perhaps "beastmen" are just a branch of "humans".

"I haven't asked you what's wrong yet?"

"Oh, right!" Goro suddenly realized the important matter and said, "The situation at the front is critical, Mr. Shen Liang, Lord Gong Si has something important to ask you!"

This is the third time the chief priest has invited me, isn't it?