He changed Tiwat

Throughout the journey, Han Fulai did not take advantage of anyone's misfortune. He did not look at what he should not have looked at or touch what he should not have touched, fully conforming to the moral integrity of a "knight of honor".

Yura didn't really know what she was thinking or what she was expecting while she was pretending to be asleep, but when she heard him leave, Yura found herself secretly relieved.

She was truly not mentally prepared for anything to actually happen. If Han Fulai were to become obsessed and do something out of line, the "Ice Seal" might just slap him in the face.

Looking at the dark ceiling, Yura recalled the moments she had spent with him over the past few days.

He said he genuinely wanted to help himself.

He said that nothing in this world is predetermined, and even if there are gods in heaven who want to manipulate people's fate, people can change it through their own efforts.

He said that he, like her, wanted to fight against a massive system and was willing to fight alongside her as her comrade-in-arms.

He also said that as long as she persists on her path, she will always see hope.

Because the wind direction changes, and one day it will blow in a brighter direction.

So, will he be the wind that represents change?

She remembered that night when he promised to help her, asking for a "ritual dance" in return.

I remembered the magic trick called "Love" that day, and the story of "The Girl and the Sun".

She remembered the poem he had given her today.

She liked all three poems very much.

Yura finally remembered Joel, whom she had met in the snowy mountains, and the way she knelt down in front of Joel to receive the adventurer's pocket watch.

"As expected, people who like children are good people. I didn't trust the wrong person." Yura rolled over in bed and came to this conclusion.

Hmm, he is indeed a good person, but... Yura had just a tiny, tiny doubt in her heart—or, is it that I lack charm?

Chapter 251 "I Want to Be the Witch's Dog" [4k]

The comfort of the sofa in the hotel lobby was naturally not as good as the soft bed in the suite, and the hangover from drinking also affected Han Fulai's sleep quality, so he got up at almost dawn.

Mondstadt's wine is like the wind. A little bit is like a gentle east wind, blowing on your face without feeling cold, like a willow swaying lightly; too much is like a howling north wind, cutting your face like a knife, and it still gives Han Fulai a headache.

That's just how alcohol is; a good drink may feel great for a moment, but a hangover will lead to disaster.

Although he is now a demigod, ethanol doesn't discriminate between gods and immortals. Without using his power to force the alcohol to dissipate, even the true demon Barbatos would become a drunkard.

Han Fulai repeatedly warned himself never to drink too much again, and then asked the hotel waiter for a cup of coffee to sober him up.

It has to be said that Mondstadt people are quite adept at dealing with hangovers. The combination of ice, sparkling water, and coffee creates a very impactful taste. How to put it? The taste is bitter, novel, and slightly rebellious. It's hard to say whether it's good or bad, but it is definitely refreshing.

After washing up in the lobby's restroom, his mind finally cleared up again.

Yura should still be fast asleep. Han Fulai was afraid that meeting her in the hotel room would cause an awkward situation, so he simply told the hotel staff to bring her a cup of "Yuanjiao Floating Foam" when she woke up, and then he left.

At this time, most bars in Mondstadt had just closed, and most restaurants and shops were still closed. The city's residents were mostly still fast asleep, and there were hardly any people on the streets. But the person Han Fulai was looking for must have already gotten up by now—astrologers have a tradition of early morning study, and observing the stars in the morning was a habit Mona had maintained for many years.

Mona opened the door and saw Han Fulai. Her face was full of surprise: "Why are you up so early today?"

Han Fulai was equally surprised: "Why can't I get up this early?"

Mona really wanted to say, "I divined that your 'fiancée' would sleep in your room last night. You left your beautiful wife in your room and came to find me so early in the morning. Isn't something a little off?" But she held back her urge to complain and let Han Fulai into the room.

The first thing Han Fulai saw when he entered the room was the "Satisfaction Salad" on Mona's table.

The bottom of the plate is lined with a ring of green cabbage, like a sky shrouded in stars; in the center are thinly sliced ​​apples and cooked potato chunks, shaped like stars and the moon; the two golden, runny eggs must be the sun, looking absolutely delicious...

This is a masterpiece by a great astrologer, and its greatest feature is that this dish is incredibly filling.

Mona named it "Supreme Wisdom," in parentheses, wisdom of life, inverted parentheses.

Han Fulai's throat bobbed slightly. "This must be Miss Mona's cooking, right? She truly deserves to be called a great astrologer. Even the salad she makes subtly incorporates the sun, moon, and stars. It makes one really want to explore the secrets of the stars..."

Mona, who always mooches off others, was mooched off by someone else for the first time in her life.

The most satisfying aspect of a "satisfying salad" is its feeling of fullness. The fiber from fruits and vegetables, the starch from potatoes, and the protein from eggs can give even the poorest astrologer a full dose of energy for the day.

After breakfast, Mona brought out a stack of books from her room.

There were eleven books in total, piled up on the table more than a foot high. The purple covers were printed with roses, a witch's hat, and a dog.

"The Dog's Half?" Han Fulai read the title aloud, puzzled, along with the recommendation from Inazuma "Yaedo" on the cover: "Some emotions are like summer showers, arriving without reason and catching one off guard. A nostalgic summer tale from a distant aristocratic era unfolds from here..."

Mona patted the stack of books and said proudly, "This is the romance novel that Lisa secretly wrote, which I told you about yesterday. Look, the cover has the symbol that represents the 'Rose Witch'."

As luck would have it, when Mona returned to the library the day before yesterday, she saw Lisa coming out of the library with a book in her hand, as if she was going to see the piano troupe leader.

Mona didn't think much of it at the time, but after entering the library, she found a large, already opened envelope on the librarian's desk. The envelope was from Yaedo, the famous publishing house of Inazuma.

Since it was during a holiday when the library was closed, no outsiders would enter. Lisa hadn't kept the letter safe, which allowed Mona to discover this little secret.

The librarians of the Knights of Favonius often collect publications from various countries in Teyvat, and it is common for them to receive publications from publishers in other regions. However, this letter was addressed to the author of the book.

In the letter, the editor from "Yaedo" praised the author's superb skill in ending chapters, saying that all the editors were eager to know what exactly happened between the witch and her loyal dog that night, and that ending the chapter here was truly making readers scream and scratch, so they earnestly begged the author not to delay any longer...

In addition, they also enclosed several newly printed sample copies with the letter.

That publication was the one Lisa had given to the piano troupe leader, "Dog Halfway Through".

Even if Lisa secretly writes romance novels, it's not a big deal. Everyone has personal hobbies, right?

It's quite normal for Lisa to have a girlish heart yearning for love beneath her mature appearance... I guess.

But the fact that Mona would tell him this secret so solemnly, and even bring out the whole set of books to show him, means that—

"...Does this set of books also contain the history of Mondstadt?" Han Fulai asked.

Mona nodded, but her expression was somewhat hesitant: "To be precise, it doesn't have much to do with the history of Mondstadt. Although the story is set during the reign of the Lawrence family, and the protagonist is the heir of the Lawrence family, what she's actually talking about might be... about that person. Anyway, you should understand after you finish reading it."

She pointed to the ceiling above her head.

Han Fulai understood immediately and silently opened the set of books.

As is well known, the Lawrence family is a notorious noble family.

The nobles did not engage in production, but maintained an extremely luxurious lifestyle by exploiting the common people.

His rule was brutal, his life dissolute, he oppressed the people, and he committed countless evils; his crimes are too numerous to recount.

The people were extremely dissatisfied with the nobles' insatiable greed, but they dared not speak out against it.

Odirich was a nobleman's son.

However, because he was still too young, he had not done anything heinous, and his swordsmanship was even considered superb among the nobles.

If I had to nitpick, it would be that he has a bad temper and thinks he's the center of the universe, with everything revolving around him. Of course, this is a common problem among aristocratic young men and isn't a big deal.

But his surname—Lawrence—predetermines that he will be categorized as a scoundrel.

Now, this scoundrel has decided to do the first truly outrageous thing he's ever done in his life.

Earlier, he had skipped the Archmage's Elemental Theory class, intending to travel outside the city. But while passing through the commoner's district, he encountered a blonde, blue-eyed girl.

Odierich couldn’t describe the emotions that surged through him at that moment; he only felt that his heartbeat had never been so loud and uncontrollable.

"That's probably the kind of feeling my mother has for her cat."

Odiere thought to himself, and couldn't help but walk toward where the girl was.

Unfortunately, the commoner girl showed no interest in him. Even after he revealed his identity, she remained calm and showed no emotional fluctuation. So he decided to abduct this ungrateful girl that night.

"After you catch her, put her in a cage! Just like Mother did with those disobedient cats."

The young master of the Lawrence family in the first volume of the story clearly fits the stereotypical image of Mondstadt people. The content of the novel itself isn't particularly remarkable; it's a fairly ordinary opening to a romance novel.

Liyue's romance novels also follow a similar formula, such as an ordinary girl suddenly encountering a handsome young man from a wealthy family, and the two secretly pledging their lives to each other and embarking on a love-hate entanglement... To put it bluntly, they are all "domineering CEO falls in love with me".

However, the Lawrence family in Mondstadt is clearly portrayed as even more domineering, directly abducting women—uh, could this story turn into a "marriage of convenience followed by love" trope? Will the young girl use the power of love to make the wayward young master turn over a new leaf?

Han Fulai gained a new understanding of Lisa—she was ruthless in her criticism of the Lawrence family, which was somewhat influenced by the personal grudges of the court mage Mintz family... Well, the Lawrence family was indeed quite scoundrels in that era, so stating the facts can't be called criticizing.

If there's anything else worth noting here, it's that the book mentions the young master of the Lawrence family receiving "the Elemental Theory Education of a Grand Magus." This means that even mortals without the Eye of God could learn to use the power of the elements through education in that era.

However, this was no secret to Han Fulai. On the continent of Teyvat, humans could actually use "human power" to gain extraordinary strength, and he himself was a typical example of this.

Han Fulai finished reading the second volume, which tells the story of the female protagonist, Frey, who arrives in Mondstadt as a wandering scholar from the Sumeru Order. Frey seems to possess some mysterious power; she is beautiful and wealthy... but that's about it.

"...This book will definitely flop in Liyue." Han Fulai shook his head.

The entire two volumes have absolutely no connection to the title, *The Dog and the Half*, and the male and female protagonists barely interact at all. The detailed account of the Lawrence family scion's abduction of a woman—a detail readers are most interested in—is completely absent. With such a slow-burning pace, readers are bound to abandon the book. It seems reading a lot doesn't necessarily mean you can write well…

Mona seemed to have anticipated Han Fulai's reaction, after all, she herself thought the book was nothing special when she first started reading it.

“Keep watching,” Mona said simply.

Han Fulai picked up the third volume and started reading... He began reading one book after another.

"The male lead raids the female lead's house at night, and the female lead reveals her identity as a witch, uses magic to hypnotize the male lead, feeds him drugs, and puts a collar around his neck?"

"Even canines can learn a few things like aristocratic etiquette—taught by a lady tutor from outside!"

"Be my dog ​​well! There might be no reward for good behavior, but there will be punishment for bad behavior!" the dark-skinned witch laughed.

"What do you mean 'Dog Half'? This book should clearly be called 'I Want to Be the Witch's Dog'..." Han Fulai couldn't help but complain.

"Ahem." The witch Mona, sitting opposite him, reminded the reader not to speak carelessly.

This time, Han Fulai gained a completely new understanding of Miss Lisa—this witch's unknown side wasn't that of a girl yearning for love, but rather a super sadist! No wonder she didn't want others to know that she had written this book.

The protagonist of this story is actually a "dark witch" whose real name is Nottfriars. Her body is inhabited by the soul of her younger sister, Madaline, which is the so-called "two souls in one body".

The older sister is skilled in "dark magic" and carries a bracelet that can transform into a giant python. She can use the power of darkness to hypnotize others, use shapeshifting, control other people's bodies, and so on; while the younger sister is skilled in "light magic," and can heal diseases and read other people's minds, and so on.

This witch came to Mondstadt to steal the Lawrence family's sword, which is inlaid with the "Eye of Night," and the jewel on the sword seems to be able to help her resurrect her sister.

After turning the Lawrence family's young master, Odietrich, who had attacked her at night, into a dog, the witch and the dog travel together, where various "training" and fan service scenes occur, making it a very classic romantic comedy plot.

The key point is... Lisa is an amazing writer, especially when it comes to how the young master Odierich, who has been turned into a dog, is completely educated into a "simp," how he enjoys being held in a girl's arms, what the girl's body odor smells like, and what it tastes like to lick the girl's jade feet... Hmm, truly worthy of being called a witch. Speaking of which, "Yaedo" has pretty high standards for censorship...

Seeing Han Fulai's smile grow increasingly suggestive, Mona couldn't help but remind him, "Hey, let me make this clear first, those are just made-up storylines. Witches aren't like that, you know? At least I'm not!"

Han Fu glanced at Mona, a hint of pity in his eyes—although they were both witches, Mona really couldn't let the puppy sink into the cleavage on her chest.

Mona seemed to read his mind, snatched the generously rewarded Volume 9 from his hands, and shoved Volume 10 into his grasp.

"The most important part is in this volume!"

The cheerful tone that preceded Volume 10 was replaced by a whole volume of flashbacks, recounting the tragic past of the witch sisters' childhood:

Long ago, there was a witch who gave birth to twin daughters.

However, witch families have never been able to leave behind two offspring at the same time. This is the price, the reward for powerful magic.

But this witch's mastery of dark magic had reached its peak; she sacrificed her own life force to protect her two offspring.

But her good fortune was short-lived; when the witch's life force was exhausted, it was destined to end in death.

The witch has been freed forever, while her surviving sister Nottfriga has taken the blame for everything, feeling that it was all her fault that her younger sister Madaline didn't survive.

Fortunately, Nottfriga inherited the witch's talent for dark magic. Using herself as a vessel, and with the aid of complex magic circles and obscure incantations, she extracted Madaline's soul.

She then searched through the animal-hide scrolls left by the witch within the tower, combining dark magic and alchemy to create a body. Resurrecting the soul by placing it into this new body was no simple matter, even within the forbidden arts of light magic, let alone since Nottfriga knew absolutely nothing about light magic.

Nottfriars's obsession with Madaline finally led her to a solution, which involved transforming her body into a snake bracelet on her wrist and embarking on an adventure.

“My dear sister, once all this is over, we will never be apart again…”

The last sentence of the book prompted Han Fulai to think deeply—

"After all, no one in this world can find liberation while still alive."

Chapter 252 No one can find liberation alive.

"After all, no one in this world can find liberation while still alive."

What does this sentence imply?

Can one find liberation in life, but in death?

Or is it emphasizing that "there is no escape in this world," but that one can find liberation in another?

Or is it that "humans" cannot attain liberation, but non-humans can?

And ultimately, what does "liberation" actually mean?

Based on the setting of this novel, this sentence is related to the story of the two witches. The so-called "liberation" here should refer to the liberation from the tragic fate of only one descendant of the witch family surviving.

In other words, it emphasizes the difficulties the female protagonist faces and her determination to revive her sister.

But Lisa is a true witch, just like Anders Dort, the fairy tale writer in the Witches' Guild, codenamed "M". There must be some secrets hidden in Lisa's work, which is not as simple as it is understood literally.

Perhaps an explanation will follow later?