"So this is a teleport waypoint? Looks exactly the same as in the game."
After registering their usage record with the knight on duty and filling out the necessary user information, Nagami curiously examined the pillar-like device before him.
The stone pillar glowed with a faint sci-fi blue light.
Its surface was etched with countless intricate, ancient-looking patterns, weathered by the erosion of time as if it had stood there for tens of thousands of years.
"First time seeing one, huh~?" Paimon floated beside Nagami, hands on her hips with a smug little grin. "With this thing, we can just whoosh~ and appear in another country! Super convenient!"
She was brimming with energy, as if nothing had happened at all. Truly, Lumine's "memory deletion skill (physical)" was getting very refined.
"Then… can we go to Inazuma?"
"Uh… not Inazuma, no. They're under a lockdown policy right now. The ruler probably shut down their waypoints."
Paimon shook her head, raising her tiny hands helplessly.
Waypoints could be deactivated.
The Seven Archons, being Archons, naturally had the authority to do so.
In nations without their Archons—or where Archons kept their distance—enough Vision holders working together could manage the same.
"Alright then, let's go!"
The famed Honorary Knight of Mondstadt finished filling out Nagami's guarantor form and handed it back to the knight overseeing the records.
The knight didn't even bother looking at the paper and instead waved at Lumine in a familiar manner—proof of just how well-regarded she was in Mondstadt.
Those who used waypoints were usually Vision holders, wielders of power far beyond ordinary people.
Since waypoints were located near cities, to avoid trouble, every user had to log their information before teleporting.
For first-timers without connections, a written application was required well in advance, only usable after approval.
Lumine placed her pale, delicate hand on the pillar.
As elemental energy gathered around them, Nagami clearly sensed several glowing points of light flickering within his mind—destinations to choose from.
'This feels similar to the final phase of space-time positioning when I use the Herrscher of the Void's power for long-distance teleportation…'
Even without his Replication Eyes, Nagami's accumulated knowledge was already immense—enough to earn several doctorates if he wanted.
These eyes really were cheat-level.
Without their analytical ability, who knew how long it would've taken him to reach this point through sheer study?
With a thought, he chose the glowing point southwest—Liyue.
Just as Lumine was about to activate the teleport, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
"Traveler, wait! You promised to bring me along! Don't ditch me!"
The slightly frantic voice came from a green figure rushing through the air on Windglider wings.
"Venti?"
Lumine blinked at the sight of the carefree bard easily slipping past the guards, jogging toward them. Her expression turned a bit odd.
"Aren't you worried about Seele's powers? She's not with us, you know."
The implication: So why are you tagging along?
It wasn't that she disliked Venti—who would complain about a freeloading support tool, after all?
But since their goal was Aether, having him encounter the Anemo Archon could make things… complicated.
"How could I not trust you after you vouched for her?"
With a breezy smile that felt like spring sunshine, Venti patted his chest earnestly.
"I just wanted to go on a good old adventure! And being with the Honorary Knight makes things much safer, doesn't it?"
After spending some time with them yesterday, he could already tell who the center of this little group was.
When Barbatos actually stopped slacking and carefully probed Nagami, he discovered a power inside him similar to that of Celestia itself.
Only Nagami's perfect control kept it hidden unless actively used.
Even scarier—the green-haired girl had the same, and that strange one called Tokisaki Kurumi… she wasn't anything he had ever seen before, but she carried that same uncanny aura of "order."
It made Venti's scalp prickle.
Still, since Nagami and Lumine clearly had a special bond, and none of them showed the slightest malice, he let it go. At least outwardly.
Of course, he couldn't just leave it at that.
At the very least, he needed to keep them within his observation range—maybe even figure out who they really were.
This wasn't just about Celestia—it could very well concern the fate of the entire continent.
Hearing Venti's words, Lumine immediately placed her hands on her hips and pulled a pouty cat face. Her fair, pretty cheeks almost lost their usual stoic cuteness.
Safety?
Are you kidding me? A Archon of Freedom telling me he's afraid of danger!?
That's even more shameless than me!
Back when La Signora stole Venti's Gnosis, Lumine had been "captured" with ease by just two of her henchmen.
Of course, that was all an act.
Among the three important figures present, only La Signora had been serious—blustering with lines like, "So this is all a Archon amounts to?" and "Pathetically easy." The other two were putting on a show.
Venti had decided to slack off even after losing his Gnosis, and with Lumine's experience and slyness, she saw right through it.
Naturally, she played along.
'If he wants to tag along, let him. Hehe… though he'll find that spying on me comes at a price.'
Just as Lumine was about to think up an excuse to politely send Venti away, Nagami's voice stirred in her mind.
'Honestly, even the name "Venti" sounds embarrassing.'
Some wounds—like getting pounded into the ground by the Titan—just never heal.
"Of course, no problem!" Lumine nodded seriously, though a faint blush bloomed across her face.
The pouty expression melted away, replaced with a sheepish little smile.
"I almost forgot you said you wanted to come adventuring. Good thing you caught up!"
Acting? For Lumine—who had walked countless worlds and whose memories were remarkably intact—it was child's play.
She could rival Otto himself in performance.
Watching her expression shift so quickly, Venti felt a flicker of unease.
But when he recalled all the traveler's other odd behaviors, he decided to let it slide.
Maybe this was just one of her random quirks.
After all, this was the same girl who, despite never lacking Mora, had once turned Mondstadt upside down—digging through every nook and cranny for treasure chests—claiming it was the "minimum requirement for a true adventurer."
Lumine didn't bother with Venti's doubts.
She simply extended her elemental power, wrapping him into the teleportation field.
In the next instant, the group's figures vanished in a flash of light.
The scenery shifted seamlessly, without the slightest discomfort.
Their new location: a waypoint at the edge of Liyue Harbor.
At first glance, it looked nearly identical to Mondstadt's waypoints, with squads of Millelith standing guard around it.
But judging by how easily Lumine greeted the officers, it was clear there'd be no problems here.
"I" sure am popular, Nagami mused.
Of course, he suspected this had more to do with the Lantern Rite, where "he" had gone out of his way to help the people of Liyue. That would explain the warm reception.
Nagami could feel the Millelith's curious stares.
They weren't surprised because he was an unfamiliar face, but rather because the companion walking beside Lumine wasn't the usual pretty girl.
That left Nagami a little exasperated. His public image seemed… off.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on that.
It's not pure spatial teleportation, Nagami realized.
'It's more like converting matter into information, sending that data from Mondstadt to Liyue, and then reconstructing it back into matter on arrival…'
Even though his authority over space was still restricted, Nagami's deep understanding of such powers let him recognize the true nature of the transfer immediately.
Which confirmed it: this was all part of the Aether Anchor system.