"Diluc?!" Kaeya stared in surprise at the man who had just appeared.
Diluc ignored him entirely, walking straight up to Shen Qin. "How about this? Partner with Dawn Winery to manufacture this flying board. I'll provide all the funding and materials. You can contribute the technology as your share, and we split the profits fifty-fifty."
Kaeya scoffed. "Wow, you're as tactless as ever."
Diluc stroked his chin, as if seriously considering something. "Hmm… Mondstadt is too noisy. If you don't mind, you can move to Dawn Winery. It's much quieter there. Perhaps we could even head to the winery now, have a drink, and discuss business."
Shen Qin couldn't help but laugh at Diluc's blatant disregard for Kaeya. Spreading his hands in resignation, he said, "You must be Lord Diluc of Dawn Winery? I'm honored to, uh, have caught your attention. But you see, all the materials used to develop the flying hoverboard were provided for free by the Knights of Favonius. I imagine they'll want a say in this as well."
Diluc thought for a moment and nodded. "Naturally."
Kaeya shot Shen Qin an approving look, but Diluc's next words immediately shattered his composure.
"Then I'll allocate 10% of my 50% share to them. But they're not allowed to interfere in the operations. Otherwise, even selling Dawn Winery wouldn't cover the losses they'd cause."
It was an obvious joke, but his aversion to working closely with the Knights of Favonius was clear.
"Ugh, I don't know why you're always so stubborn," Kaeya sighed as he walked forward. "I understand your concerns. Only a few trusted members of the Knights will be involved in this project."
Diluc finally glanced at him, his tone indifferent. "How surprising. I thought the Knights of Favonius would be greedy enough to monopolize this."
"This is about more than just profit," Kaeya said seriously. "If Shen Qin's data is accurate, the board could revolutionize the Knights' combat strategies. The Wind Glider simply can't compare to it."
"Moreover, if this device is released to the market, we'll cap its performance at half or even a third of its potential. Otherwise, it could be weaponized by Mondstadt's enemies and used against us."
"I have no objections. Those are the concerns that you, Knights of Favonius, should handle. As long as my Mora isn't affected, do as you wish."
Shen Qin chuckled inwardly. Diluc's words might sound cold, but veteran players who knew him well recognized this as his signature tsundere behavior.
After all, Diluc, the Darknight Hero, Protector of Mondstadt had always defended the city in his own way, allowing no one to harm it.
Oh, and he once confessed to raising a pet turtle as a child. Shen Qin guessed this revelation was just a tactic to redirect attention from Jean, who had a similar childhood story.
Feeling mischievous, Shen Qin said, "How about this? Kaeya, you report the hoverboard to Acting Grand Master Jean and see if she's willing to represent the Knights in negotiations with Lord Diluc."
Kaeya gave Shen Qin a surprised look, then glanced at the ever-unflappable Diluc. A smirk played on his lips. "Not bad. What do you think, Lord Diluc?"
"It's irrelevant to me." Diluc's tone remained flat. "Would you like to test the board's performance? Shen Qin doesn't seem to be showcasing its true potential. Kaeya, why don't you give it a try?"
Kaeya exchanged a smile with Shen Qin and shrugged. "Fine, I'll give it a shot."
Mimicking Shen Qin's earlier movements, Kaeya stepped onto the skateboard. After getting used to the controls, he gradually increased the speed. Within three to four minutes, he was confidently zipping around the plaza at roughly 50 kilometers per hour.
Shen Qin watched with envy.
People familiar with Wind Glider flight naturally adapted to the flying skateboard faster since its operation was much simpler.
Kaeya landed gracefully in front of them, still brimming with excitement.
"This hoverboard is incredible! The controls are so intuitive. Give me another 30 minutes to practice, and I could reach speeds of 100 kilometers per hour!"
He raised one foot. "At first, I thought I'd get flung off at high speeds, but once you reach a certain velocity, the skateboard locks onto your shoes!"
"And a few times when I felt I was losing control, it automatically adjusted its posture to stabilize. Is that one of its unique features?"
"Yes" Shen Qin nods, before explaining the hoverboard's special functionalities. "Once the speed exceeds 10 kilometers per hour, the skateboard generates a strong suction to keep your shoes firmly attached."
"It also has an intelligent stabilization system that monitors the rider's center of gravity. If it predicts the skateboard is about to lose control, it intervenes to maintain stability. This feature can be toggled on or off, primarily for beginners' safety."
"Interesting." Diluc turned to Kaeya. "What's your assessment of it?"
"It far outperforms the Wind Glider," Kaeya said enthusiastically. "Most importantly, its ease of use makes it accessible to the average person. The only drawback is its bulk compared to the Wind Glider, making it less portable in certain situations."
Overall, Kaeya gave the flying skateboard high marks, even suggesting it could completely replace the Wind Glider.
"Actually, I've already addressed the portability issue," Shen Qin said, flipping a switch. The skateboard began following him automatically, maintaining a one-meter distance.
"I've also designed a 'Squad Mode' for the Knights. In group operations, activating this mode allows all skateboards to replicate the leader's movements, flying in a neat formation and conserving the team's energy."
"That's brilliant!" Kaeya gave him a thumbs-up. "The Knights often have stragglers during urgent missions. This feature would eliminate that problem entirely!"
Diluc watched the skateboard, his expression unreadable, though his mind was far from calm.
He had noticed Shen Qin's nocturnal activities in Mondstadt over the past few days. Initially, he thought the hoverboard was merely a Wind Glider substitute. But seeing it in action tonight made him realize it was a completely different beast.
After learning about its full capabilities, he understood it had utterly surpassed the Wind Glider.
"It seems I underestimated its technical sophistication." He turned to Shen Qin. "I'm willing to give you 60% of the profits, leaving 40% for Dawn Winery and the Knights to share. What do you say, Kaeya?"
"No complaints at all."
Kaeya cared little about how much profit the Knights received. He was more concerned about maintaining order and ensuring the skateboard's proper management.
"Let's leave it here for tonight. We'll discuss the details tomorrow."
Diluc departed, while Kaeya, eager to keep playing with the skateboard, offered to escort Shen Qin back to the alchemy workshop. Along the way, he zoomed around Shen Qin in circles, snickering.
"Tsk, tsk. Didn't you say the hoverboard has an intelligent stabilization system? Then why did you fall earlier when I showed up?"
"My Respected Cavalry Captain," Shen Qin retorted, "would I have fallen if you hadn't startled me by suddenly jumping me out of nowhere?"