Court of Fontaine.
"Lumine."
"Do you think we really missed him?"
Paimon put her hands on her hips. She looked thoroughly annoyed.
What a Reincarnator.
After carrying Lumine off, he immediately planned to take her to Mondstadt.
So, who was going to save her from drowning?
Who was going to fix Paimon and Lumine's friendship?
"I don't think so."
"When Kael and I head to Mondstadt, we'll just fish you out of the water then."
Paimon kept her hands on her hips. She shook her head.
"But right now, my biggest worry is actually Aether."
"Aether?" Paimon's eyes lit up. "Isn't that your brother?"
"Yeah. But I'm worried. If the System exposes my link to the Reincarnator, it might also expose his ties to the Abyss Order."
"Only Dainsleif knows. He's an old friend of Aether's."
That was a serious problem.
Paimon rested her chin on her hand. She started to think.
If people found out the brother she searched for was actually the Abyss Prince...
It would only bring her trouble.
"Don't worry, Lumine."
Paimon's eyes lit up. She had a perfect excuse. "If it gets out, we'll just say it's from one of his past lives. Not this one."
Lumine's eyes widened. A spark of hope flashed in them. "As expected, Paimon is the most reliable."
"Hehe, of course! I'm way better than Kael." Paimon proudly put her hands on her hips again. "That guy actually claimed he got Elemental Power from a Slime."
"I'm really worried. Is he actually clueless, or is he just messing with you?"
"Letting him guide us will only get us lost."
But as soon as she said it, Paimon frowned again. "But wait. He really can use multiple Elements. Reincarnators are so weird, aren't they?"
[The next day.]
[Kael left early to wait for Lumine to finish changing.]
[With everything ready,]
[the two of them set off on their journey to Mondstadt City.]
["Perfect. Along the way, I can show you how to experience the Elemental Power of this world."]
["In forests like these outside Mondstadt, you'll often encounter creatures similar to monsters."]
["Once we catch their attention, they'll actively attack us."]
[As they walked, Kael continued to share his understanding of this world with Lumine.]
[Occasionally, he'd recount some amusing experiences from his past, drawing out laughter from Lumine from time to time.]
["You actually went and stole food from Hilichurls?"]
["Aren't they basically monsters? Can humans even eat what they eat?"]
[Lumine transformed into a curious little bundle, actively striking up a conversation with Kael.]
["It's fine. Even though Hilichurls are monsters, I feel they exhibit many human-like behaviors."]
["They have their own tribal language. I was bored before, so I observed them and even tried learning how to pronounce their words."]
["They can understand it."]
["Plus, they set up their own cooking pots and make their own meals."]
["The ingredients they use are all common in human diets, so there's no need to worry too much."]
Lisa: "Pfft! Kael is so amusing. He actually went and learned the Hilichurl language?"
Alhaitham: "That kind of thirst for knowledge is a rare and commendable spirit."
Keqing: "Boredom and a thirst for knowledge shouldn't be conflated."
Barbara: "I'm a bit worried. Do you think if the Reincarnator masters Hilichurlian, he might disguise himself as one and do something terrible?"
Yae Miko: "Oh my, I doubt it. Besides, they're just Hilichurls. How much harm could they really cause?"
Furina: "Exactly, exactly. Isn't the most important thing right now the interaction between the Reincarnator and the Traveler? I can see their relationship growing much closer than when they first met."
Lumine: "Furina! Aren't you supposed to be busy outside? Do you really have time to think about this?"
Kael's home.
Furina couldn't help herself. "Now that things are like this, have you remembered anything?"
"Like, what happens between you and the Traveler later on..."
"Is there a romantic love story?"
Right now, Kael and Lumine were getting closer.
They might even fall in love later.
Reincarnation stories were way better than any play.
A romance between the Traveler and someone from across Teyvat?
Just thinking about it made Furina giddy.
"I don't know," Kael said casually. "Just keep watching."
Suddenly, Furina remembered something.
Her face dropped. "Wait. What if you two actually get together?"
"Wouldn't it look bad if I'm here at your house?"
"The Traveler and Paimon are still in Fontaine. What if they come looking for you?"
That was a real problem.
Kael fell silent. He thought it over.
Wherever there are multiple women, drama is guaranteed.
But soon, Kael sighed. "That's not a problem for this life anyway."
"Besides, the broadcast is only showing my story with Lumine right now. Maybe it'll show others later."
"What if it shows you too?"
Eh?
Furina's face turned red.
She waved her hands fast. "No, no, no. That won't happen."
She paused. Then she gave an awkward smile. "Actually, it's completely impossible."
'After all, I'm just a human vessel. Focalors split me from herself five hundred years ago. My true form is just an Oceanid. There's no way I'd be part of a Reincarnation story.'