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Shao Yun rode swiftly across the desert night, the rhythmic sound of hooves echoing through the still air as he headed toward the Bimarstan.
The Bimarstan lay south of Aaru Village. Once, it had been a research facility used by the Akademiya to study Eleazar.
But those days were long gone. Now, the building stood abandoned—its shelves empty, its walls scarred by years of wind and sand, exuding an unsettling, eerie atmosphere under the shroud of night.
When Shao Yun arrived, he saw from afar Lumine, Paimon, and Alhaitham sitting idly on the steps outside, passing the time.
They had already scoured every corner of the forsaken hospital and found nothing of value. Now, they were merely waiting—waiting for that strange, mournful crying sound the villagers had spoken of to echo again.
As the familiar sound of approaching hooves drew near, Lumine instinctively looked up. Her gaze met Shao Yun's.
Seeing him, her face remained clouded with worry. "Shao Yun, you're here…"
Hearing her voice, Shao Yun dismounted quickly and strode toward her. "I heard from Cyno that you were here, so I came as fast as I could. Is there anything I can help with?"
After speaking, he glanced toward the decrepit Bimarstan, tilting his chin slightly as he asked, "You came here looking for a cure for me? I think you're wasting your time."
At that, Lumine paused, then explained, "We're not just here for that. The villagers said strange crying sounds come from this place. We wanted to check that out too."
"As for wasting time—I don't think so."
Shao Yun sat down beside her. If not for Alhaitham and Paimon—those two ever-present lamps—he might have already pulled Lumine into his arms.
Though he tried to act natural, a faint heaviness lingered between them, born of his illness—a quiet tension neither could dispel.
He took a deep breath, then asked, somewhat hesitantly, "If I remember correctly, this place was once used to treat Eleazar. Do you think that's what I have?"
Lumine sighed, nodding slightly. Her tone was calm but weighted. "It's just a theory for now. Since you refuse to tell us the details of your condition, we have no other clues to go on."
"The only thing that makes sense to me is what happened back in the Gandharva Ville. That Withering Zone… You must have gotten sick because of that."
Her guess was close, yet far from the truth. Shao Yun lifted a pale hand to his forehead, replying weakly, "What I have… isn't Eleazar."
Lumine turned her gaze to his profile, her voice rising with frustration. "Then why did you suddenly collapse on the road? Eleazar makes people lose control of their bodies. And Candace said your symptoms have lasted for some time. That must mean you got sick back in the Deserted City."
Candace again… Shao Yun fell silent, unsure how to respond.
Seeing his silence, Lumine's voice softened but trembled with pain. "Why won't you tell me what illness you have? You take care of me—why won't you let me take care of you?"
Shao Yun pinched his knee lightly and forced a laugh. "Let's not talk about this now. Once the Irminsul's problem is resolved, my body will recover naturally."
He knew full well that revealing any more would only cause trouble. Some truths were best left buried.
But Lumine wasn't easily fooled this time. She shook her head, disappointment clouding her golden eyes. "The problem with Irminsul… isn't that what causes Eleazar? Maybe you've just got a different strain of it."
Faced with her persistence, Shao Yun hesitated, then decided to show her something—just enough to calm her worries.
Rolling up his sleeve, he revealed his forearm. "See? No purple-black scales. So really, don't worry too much about me."
The moment he said that, Shao Yun seemed to realize he had let slip too much. He slapped his forehead, quickly changing the subject. "Anyway—do you need me for anything right now?"
Lumine, frustrated by his evasiveness, lowered her head. "No… You should go back and rest."
Shao Yun exhaled softly. He knew she only meant well. "Alright. But if you need anything, call for me. I can still fight."
With that, he stood, adjusted his coat, and turned to leave.
Lumine, Paimon, and Alhaitham watched as his figure grew smaller under the moonlight.
Lumine's eyes lingered on his retreating back, filled with unspoken emotion.
…
When Shao Yun was finally gone, Lumine drew her knees up and buried her face in them, letting out a sigh heavy with sorrow and exhaustion.
"Ugh… Why has everything been going wrong since Inazuma…"
Alhaitham, who had been quietly reading nearby, closed his book and asked suddenly, "May I ask about your story with him?"
Lumine looked up, surprised. "Hm? I thought you weren't interested in trivial personal matters."
Alhaitham stroked his chin thoughtfully. After a brief silence, he replied, "Because it seems the two of you are lacking rational communication. And right now, you're not thinking clearly. Perhaps, if we go over your past, you'll find clarity—and a way to reconnect. Don't you agree?"
Lumine blinked, then nodded in reluctant agreement. He was right—she was too emotional about this.
"You're right. So, what do you want to know?"
Alhaitham thought for a moment, then posed his first question.
"First, forgive my bluntness—but do you believe Shao Yun lies?"
Before Lumine could answer, Paimon immediately cut in, waving her hands. "Lies? Who doesn't lie sometimes!"
"Like me! Sometimes I tell Shao Yun I'm out of Mora so he'll treat me to a nice dinner—and then I sneak a little extra allowance from him, hehe!"
"So yeah, he probably lies sometimes too!"
Lumine's eye twitched at the confession, her expression caught between disbelief and exasperation. "I didn't expect that kind of revelation today…"
Realizing she had said too much, Paimon quickly clapped both hands over her mouth—but it was already too late.
She gave an awkward giggle. "Mmm… hehe…"
Meanwhile, Alhaitham caught something important from her rambling. He nodded slowly. "It seems you three share quite a close bond."
Paimon perked up proudly. "Of course! Shao Yun's the best! Every time we arrive in a new nation, he finds us a comfy, safe place to stay."
"So far we've only been through four nations, counting Sumeru—but he's always looked out for us!"
As Paimon chattered on, Alhaitham's calm expression didn't change. He merely continued, "Then perhaps you could tell me more about your experiences together. We might uncover clues from them. Maybe his illness didn't start here in Sumeru at all—maybe it only manifested here."