We didn't even make it a few steps away from the place where Hat Guy vanished before Lumine spoke.
Which was weird.
Because she was literally right beside me.
I slowed to a stop and turned my head. "Blondie. You know we can talk normally now, right? Like, using mouths. Revolutionary concept. Highly recommend."
Her voice answered inside my head instead.
"Shigeru, let me handle this."
I froze mid-step. "…Oh. Telepathy again. Cool. Love that we're just doing this without warning now."
Greg flicked my ear with his tail, sharp and precise, like he was disappointed I hadn't caught on faster.
"Ow. Rude," I muttered. "At least say it with feeling."
Nilou's voice followed, calm and soothing, the tone she used when she was gently trying to stop a wild animal from biting someone. "It's better this way. If you start explaining first, everything will derail in five seconds."
I gasped, scandalized. "Excuse you, Goddess. I derail with purpose. There is a method to my madness."
Greg flicked my ear again.
Traitor.
Before I could defend my wounded dignity, Lumine continued, her tone sharpening—no jokes, no room for chaos.
"Nahida… we'll explain everything that happened inside Irminsul."
The connection tightened. I could almost feel it—like invisible threads wrapping around our thoughts, pulling us into the same current.
"He created a barrier," Lumine went on. "With barely any power left. It isolated us completely. Unstable… but strong enough to hold."
Nilou added softly, "Inside, Irminsul showed him the truth. About Tatarasuna. About Niwa."
Lumine picked it up again, steady and precise. "Niwa never betrayed him. The device. The furnace. The deaths. It was all manipulated by Dottore from the beginning."
Nilou's voice wavered just a little. "We saw it as he did. Every memory. Every lie. That was when he understood… he was never abandoned."
The silence that followed felt heavier than Irminsul itself.
Then Nahida's voice came through—quieter than usual.
"…I didn't think he'd be capable of something like that with so little power left."
That alone made my chest tighten. Nahida didn't doubt easily.
"Did he keep some of his power hidden when he was defeated? Or… did he achieve something beyond his abilities, and it took everything he had…?"
Paimon burst in, guilt spilling over every word. "Where the heck did he go!? It's our fault! We were supposed to keep an eye on him… Sorry, Nahida…"
Nahida answered immediately, firm but kind. "Don't be. This isn't your fault. Please let me handle this from here… even if I'm not sure I can solve it."
That line hit harder than it should have.
Nahida rarely admitted uncertainty.
"We're running out of time," she continued. "Follow my lead and leave Irminsul as soon as possible."
The world folded.
Light bent.
Sound disappeared.
And then—
We were out.
Paimon flailed midair. "We're out! And we're at… uh… an inn? Or something? Why does everything smell like tea?"
Greg scanned the area, tail flicking once, alert, then twice—satisfied.
Nahida's voice echoed again. "This is an emergency. I'll have to ask you to stay here for now. Everything's arranged. Nobody will disturb you."
Lumine clenched her fists. "No. We want to help you."
Nilou stepped forward, worry plain on her face. "Isn't there anything we can do?"
"I'm sorry," Nahida replied gently. "But this isn't something I need your help with. Leave this one to me."
Paimon hovered anxiously. "An emergency? How bad is it? Nahida… will you be okay?"
A pause.
Then, steady but distant, "If my assessment is correct, there may be minor disturbances—but not a disaster. Please rest and recover your strength until I say it's safe."
Silence.
Paimon hugged herself. "…Her voice is gone."
She sniffed. "Paimon really doesn't like this feeling. Something really big happened. What do you think he meant? And why did he suddenly grab onto you before he left?"
That was my cue.
I exhaled slowly and finally spoke out loud. "Alright. Time to stop pretending I'm just comic relief."
Everyone turned toward me.
Greg straightened, posture serious. Business lizard mode activated.
"He's not running," I said. "He's rewriting."
Lumine's eyes narrowed. "Rewriting… himself."
"Yep," I nodded. "Irminsul. Records. Identity. If he erases the version of himself tied to Tatarasuna, the world adjusts around it."
Nilou gasped softly. "So he believes… those people will live if he disappears."
"Bingo," I said. "Heroic. Stupid. Very him."
Paimon spun in panic. "That's insane! You can't just erase yourself!"
Lumine exhaled slowly. "My assumptions were the same."
Nilou blinked. "You thought that too?"
She nodded. "Irminsul governs memory. History. If he alters himself at the root… the consequences ripple outward."
Nahida's voice returned briefly, surprised. "Shigeru… this goes beyond speculation. Are you certain?"
I shrugged. "I'm still the same idiot. But I've told you before. I just… know things sometimes."
Greg flicked my shoulder like a stamp of approval.
Lumine sighed. "Annoyingly, he's right more often than he should be."
Nilou smiled faintly. "If both of you reached the same conclusion… then it must be true."
Nahida fell silent for a long moment.
"Then we must speak again soon," she said. "This cannot be ignored."
"But for now… rest. I'll handle what I can."
The connection faded.
I leaned back, hands behind my head, staring at the ceiling and forcing a grin despite the weight pressing on my chest.
"Well," I muttered. "Destiny's doing backflips again. Someone tell it to stretch first."
Nilou sighed softly. "You're smiling at a time like this."
"Hey," I replied. "If the world's about to change, might as well face it with style."
Greg flicked his tail in agreement.
Lumine shook her head—but a small smile slipped through. "Idiot."
"Your idiot," I shot back.
And for now… we rested.
****
I do not fall asleep right away.
That is a lie.
I absolutely fall asleep right away.
The moment my head hits the pillow, the exhaustion finally stops pretending it isn't there and just knocks me out cold—no countdown, no dramatic fade, just lights out. If sleep were a professional boxer, I'd be on the floor before the bell rang.
But right before that—right before the world dims and my thoughts start doing that fuzzy, half-melting thing—I turn my head slightly.
Greg is already there.
He has claimed the pillow like it is his ancestral throne. Belly down. Chin resting comfortably. Tail curled just enough to say I live here now, and you will respect it.
I stare at him.
He stares back.
There is a long, profound silence between two beings who currently share exactly one brain cell—and it is clearly buffering.
"You know," I murmur, voice low, more thought than sound, "despite knowing what happens next… I'm still excited."
Greg blinks.
Slow.
Measured.
Wise.
"I know," I continue, lips tugging into a grin. "I don't really have to change much here. Could take the shorter path. Skip a few beats. Let destiny do its thing."
His tail flicks once against the pillow.
Agreement.
"But this?" I whisper, eyes half-lidded. "This part is exhilarating. Like watching the universe trip over its own shoelaces."
Greg blinks again.
There it is.
Validation.
I chuckle quietly. "You get me. I knew it."
He responds by shifting half an inch closer and stealing more pillow.
Rude.
I roll onto my back, hands folding over my chest, grin still lingering as sleep finally drags me under.
***
When I wake up, the world smells like warm bread and tea.
That is how I know Nilou is already awake.
My eyes open slowly. Ceiling first. Familiar. Peaceful. No glowing roots. No cosmic whispers. No divine software updates installing in my head.
Good start.
I blink once more just to be sure.
Yep.
Still alive.
I turn my head.
Greg is still there—except now he's sitting up, alert, eyes sharp, posture straight. A tiny, scaly bodyguard who absolutely takes his job too seriously.
"Morning," I mumble.
He flicks his tail once.
Then—without warning—flicks my forehead.
I groan and clutch my face. "That was unnecessary violence. I haven't even committed a crime yet."
He does not apologize.
Across the room, Nilou hums softly as she prepares breakfast. The sound is gentle, grounding. She moves with quiet confidence, hands practiced, expression calm in a way that makes the world feel less like it's about to implode.
Paimon is slumped on the table.
Face-down.
Arms spread.
Dead.
Or at least pretending to be.
Lumine sits nearby, elbow on the table, chin resting in her hand. She stares at nothing in particular, eyes sharp despite the early hour.
Ah.
She's thinking.
Which means she's thinking about him.
Definitely the idiot.
Or the Balladeer.
Honestly, those two categories overlap a concerning amount.
I sit up and stretch, joints popping dramatically. "Ahhh. New day. Still alive. Always a pleasant surprise. Ten out of ten, would wake up again."
Nilou glances over her shoulder, smiling softly. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock," I reply. "A very handsome rock. Possibly legendary."
Greg nods solemnly, as if confirming my rock status.
Paimon stirs.
There is a small sound.
Then a bigger one.
Then—
"…Um…"
She lifts her head slowly, blinking.
"Umm…"
Lumine turns toward her immediately. "Paimon? What's wrong?"
Paimon hovers upright, tiny hands fidgeting. "…Mm? Huh…"
She looks around.
Looks at the table.
Looks at Nilou.
Looks at me.
"…What are we…" she pauses, brow furrowing. "Wh—What was Paimon supposed to be doing just now?"
I freeze.
Just a little.
Greg's tail stiffens.
Paimon rubs her head. "Paimon was, um… talking…? Huh. Paimon suddenly can't remember what she was talking about. What was it, again?"
The room goes very, very still.
Even the kettle seems to stop.
Lumine straightens. "You were getting really worried about the situation with…"
She hesitates.
"…with The Balladeer," she finishes carefully.
Paimon tilts her head. "Hmm?"
A beat.
"The Balladeer…?"
Another beat.
She brightens suddenly. "Is that a food, too?"
My heart sinks.
"Huh… weird name, though…" Paimon mutters.
Nilou pauses mid-motion, spoon hovering. She frowns faintly. "I think it's a name. Or a title for a person. But… I'm not sure either."
Lumine's eyes widen.
Slowly.
Carefully.
She turns to me.
I meet her gaze.
And nod.
Once.
Yes, Blondie.
He pulled it off.
The silence that follows is heavier than any argument.
Lumine exhales through her nose. "So it's already happening."
"Looks like it," I say lightly, even as something tightens in my chest. "Fast worker, that one."
Paimon floats closer, confused. "Happening? What's happening?"
Nilou gently sets a plate in front of her. "Let's eat first."
Paimon immediately accepts. "Okay!"
Greg watches her, tail swishing slowly, eyes thoughtful.
I stand and stretch again. "Alright. New day, new mission."
Lumine snaps her gaze back to me. "Mission?"
I grin. "Time to go back to Nahida."
Her glare could cut steel.
"I know you know what happened," she says flatly. "Aren't you even a little concerned about our friends in Inazuma?"
I step closer and ruffle her hair.
She sputters. "Hey—! Don't—!"
"Relax," I say. "They're fine. World hasn't exploded yet."
She narrows her eyes. "You're sure."
"Positive."
Greg flicks his tail twice.
Confirmation.
Nilou looks between us. "If you want to confirm it yourself…"
I nod. "Why don't you head there with Paimon? Check on things. Goddess and I—and Greg—will handle Nahida."
Lumine hesitates, biting her lip.
Then sighs.
"…Fine."
Paimon salutes enthusiastically. "Inazuma food tour!"
Greg flicks his tail approvingly, then flicks it again like don't bring back snacks without me.
As they leave, I watch the doorway, my grin softening just a little.
Destiny's still doing backflips.
But for now… we move.
***
Greg is on my shoulders again, which means two things.
One, I am clearly trusted.
Two, I am about to say something incredibly stupid and he is here to judge me for it in real time.
He adjusts his grip slightly, claws careful, tail draped across my head like a living warning label.
Yep. Supervised idiot mode.
We walk through Sumeru at a leisurely pace, the Sanctuary already in sight, sunlight filtering through the trees in that calm, scholarly way that makes everything feel deceptively normal. Too normal.
And I am doing what I do best.
Blabbering.
"So you see, Goddess," I say, waving my hand around like I'm presenting a thesis instead of verbal nonsense, "Irminsul isn't just a tree. It's like… a library, but alive. And also judgmental. Like the kind of librarian who remembers every book you didn't return on time."
Greg flicks the top of my head.
"Hey! I'm building suspense."
Nilou walks beside me, hands folded, listening with that soft smile of hers. The kind that makes me feel like everything I say matters, even when it absolutely does not.
"And if you erase something from Irminsul," I continue, warming up now, "it's not just deleting a page. It's like convincing the entire world that page never existed. No footnotes. No errata. Just… collective gaslighting on a divine scale."
Nilou hums thoughtfully. "That sounds terrifying."
"Oh, it is," I nod. "Efficient. Elegant. Horrifying. Ten out of ten system design. Would not recommend for mental health."
Greg's tail tightens slightly. Agreement… or concern. Hard to tell with lizards.
"And Hat Guy," I say, lowering my voice dramatically, "basically went, 'You know what? I'll become a typo.' Boom. Gone. Except not really gone. More like… aggressively rewritten. Like when you delete a save file but the game still remembers you existed."
Greg flicks my head again.
"Hey! This is important. Also tragic. Also very philosophical."
Nilou hums again. "Mm-hm."
"And somehow," I add, frowning in thought, "this reminds me of a sandwich. Don't ask why. Brain associations. Very complex. Probably dangerous."
Nilou nods like that makes perfect sense.
That's when I stop walking.
I look at her.
"…You're still listening."
She looks back at me, smiling brightly. The kind of smile that says she has already accepted her fate and decided it's a pleasant one.
"Of course," she says. "You're explaining something important to you."
"That was at least sixty percent nonsense."
She tilts her head. "Maybe."
"That sandwich part was definitely nonsense."
"Definitely."
I grin. "Man. This is why I love you, Goddess. You listen to my nonsense without trying to stab me."
Her smile softens, gentler now, something warm settling in her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll be listening to you for the rest of my life. This much is nothing."
I freeze.
Full system halt.
Then, deadpan, "I genuinely cannot tell if that was a compliment or a threat."
Greg lets out a tiny huff, chest vibrating slightly.
That was absolutely a laugh.
"Traitors," I mutter. "Both of you."
We reach the Sanctuary soon after.
The familiar calm washes over me the moment we step inside, like the world lowering its voice out of respect. The air is cool. Still. Heavy with knowledge.
And there she is.
Nahida.
I beam immediately.
"Heya, little Radish!" I wave enthusiastically. "Time to talk about some real deals."
Nahida blinks, then tilts her head. "Hmm? What might that be?" Her gaze flicks behind me, then around the room. "And where are Lumine and Paimon?"
"Oh, them?" I wave dismissively. "They went back to Inazuma to confirm that Hydro Boba Daddy, the Cinnamon Roll Princess, their loyal Maid, and the Best Anemo Boy are still, you know… existing."
Nahida stares at me.
The silence stretches.
Nilou offers a polite, apologetic smile.
Greg straightens his posture like he wants plausible deniability.
"…I see," Nahida says at last, choosing peace. "And what did you wish to discuss?"
I grin wider.
"Oh right," I say casually. "You don't remember him at all anymore."
Her eyes widen—just a little. Enough to notice. "Remember… who?"
I lean forward slightly, hands on my knees, lowering my voice like I'm about to reveal a forbidden secret.
"The gremlin."
Nahida blinks.
"The menace."
She tilts her head further.
"The Hat Guy himself."
A pause.
Long.
Measured.
"…You're going to have to explain that," Nahida says gently.
I straighten up, grin sharp but fond, something heavier sitting beneath it.
"Yeah," I reply. "That's why I'm here."
Greg flicks my ear again, lighter this time.
"And don't worry," I add, holding up a finger. "I'll explain it slowly. Carefully. With minimal sandwiches this time."
________________
End of Chapter 164
Quests Completed:
*Exit Irminsul before reality finishes recalibrating itself.*Receive confirmation that Hat Guy successfully executed a full self-rewrite.*Detect memory desynchronization when Paimon forgets a whole person mid-sentence.*Confirm Lumine still remembers everything. Emotional damage applied.*Watch Nilou lose certainty but not compassion.*Correctly identify the rewrite as "fast, aggressive, and very on-brand."*Resist explaining everything immediately. Fail ten minutes later.*Allow Nahida to take control of the situation. Rare display of patience.*Accept that Irminsul edits faster than grief can process.*Put together the implications before Nahida finishes her sentence.*Split the party with confidence: Send Lumine and Paimon to Inazuma, keep Nilou and Greg close.*Trust Greg's double-tail flick confirmation system.*Walk through Sumeru while explaining world-altering concepts using sandwiches.*Realize Nahida no longer remembers "The Hat Guy."*Voluntarily choose to explain everything anyway.
Rewards:
*Primogems: +164 (suspiciously well-timed).*Friendship EXP +140 with Lumine — she saw you stay calm while the world rewrote itself.*Friendship EXP +140 with Nilou — she listened to nonsense and understood the truth anyway.*Friendship EXP +120 with Nahida — for realizing something is wrong before being told.*Confusion EXP +50 from Paimon — she does not like missing memories.
*Item: Irminsul Desync Residue – Warm to the touch. Proof that reality updated without notifying everyone.*Item: Forgotten Name Placeholder – A blank entry that refuses to stay empty.*Item: Greg's Confirmation Tail – Flicks twice when something Very Bad is definitely happening.*Item: Sumeru Tea of Cognitive Stabilization – Restores clarity after witnessing timeline nonsense.
*Buff: Early Realization – +25% chance to understand catastrophic events before they fully unfold.*Buff: Explainer's Burden – You are now the designated person who remembers what others don't.
*+1 Greg Trust (Rare) – He chooses your shoulders again. Judgment included.*+15 Existential Awareness – You notice when people disappear from history.*+10 Calm Under Rewrite – Slight resistance to panic during reality shifts.*+1 Sandwich Analogy Charge – Can explain one incomprehensible concept using food.