Nagami could clearly sense Lumine's thoughts and emotions.
He lifted his gaze toward Aether, his smile still warm and gentle, but his eyes carried a faint trace of sorrow and pity.
"Hello. My name is Nagami. You could say I'm the one closest to Lumine in this multiverse."
Still smiling, Nagami nodded politely to Aether.
His tone was calm, but every word carried an undeniable weight.
"…Huh?"
Aether glanced at Lumine's calm, unreadable face.
His own expression slowly grew more serious as his sharp eyes shifted toward the boy with the sunny smile.
His brows furrowed.
It wasn't jealousy—not at all.
Ordinary brothers might worry about their sister's love life, but Aether had traveled through endless ages with Lumine.
That protective, possessive bond had long since shifted into something different.
Come on!
She's practically a fossil at this point!
If he didn't find someone to entrust his ancient, single sister to, was he supposed to keep her at home forever like some pampered old maiden aunt?!
Aether had absolute confidence in his sister's beauty—flawless skin, snow-pale shoulders, elegance that carried the chill of winter itself.
Words like "radiant," "ethereal," "flawless" could all be piled on without exaggeration.
And across the countless worlds they had visited, Lumine had never lacked suitors.
In fact, the number she'd rejected could probably form a line long enough to circle all of Teyvat.
As her brother, he was more than ready to marry off his long-overdue bachelorette sister—but he wasn't reckless.
If she wasn't truly interested, Aether wouldn't push her.
How could he tell if she was serious?
Because after traveling together for millennia, they knew each other's habits better than they knew themselves.
And now… Lumine hadn't argued back against Nagami at all.
Aether could feel the subtle atmosphere between them.
Yeah, he knew the signs.
Everyone who had immortality eventually became an expert at this kind of thing.
At first, he hadn't noticed.
But now? He could see it—his sister had changed completely.
And this change…
Well, he was already half-tempted to gift-wrap her and deliver her straight to Nagami himself!
Still, there were things he needed to clear up first.
"You just said… multiverse? You're not from this world?"
Of course, he had no complaints about the guy's reliability as a potential brother-in-law—but he still had to know who exactly he was entrusting his sister to.
Even Venti, who'd been sitting on the sidelines pretending to just watch the drama, narrowed his eyes.
After speaking with Nagami earlier, he was sure this boy had nothing to do with Celestia, but that didn't explain what he was.
"That's right. I come from another branch of the Imaginary Tree."
Nagami spoke in that same calm, earnest tone as he and Lumine walked side by side toward Aether, as if to ease his suspicion.
Still, Nagami found Aether's attitude odd.
His gaze felt strangely grateful, like Nagami had just saved his life or something. And his tone was almost too gentle.
Wasn't this the point where a brother usually pulls out the metaphorical shotgun and says, "Stay away from my sister"?
But instead, Aether looked like he was brandishing that shotgun while also strapping Lumine to Nagami's back, then chasing him down shouting, "Run faster! Don't drop her!"
…Yeah, this was weird.
Nagami shook his head and decided to just stick with his own plan for now. Everything else could wait.
As the two drew closer, Aether's expression briefly darkened.
He knew that divine title. But just as he was about to press further, his sister's behavior caught his attention.
From the moment he appeared, Lumine had kept her head bowed, her face hidden beneath her bangs.
Even when she occasionally looked up, her expression stayed blank.
Aether wasn't too worried—after all, right now, his brother-in-law-to-be was more important than his sister's sulking!
He could always comfort Lumine later.
But the wedding? That had to happen immediately.
The Abyss Order could wait until after the ceremony!
And yet…
When Lumine finally raised her face, she greeted him with a dazzling smile, radiant as sunlight breaking through clouds.
Her golden hair gleamed, and her pale skin seemed to glow as if she were an angel in bloom.
That sweet, heavenly smile made Aether instinctively step back. A chill raced down his spine like a lightning strike.
'Danger.'
'Danger.'
'Danger!'
He backpedaled quickly, retreating from his spot.
"You just realized it's too late, Aether! This time, you'll taste my wrath for real!"
Lumine's clear, ringing voice carried a sharp edge of fury.
As she spoke, the water of Nyannyan Spring erupted around her.
At the same time, Yukari Yakumo's signature gaps tore open in front of both Lumine and Nagami.
On the other side of the rift hovered Long-ge in midair.
And through that portal, every last cursed drop of water surged out—only to drench Aether completely.
His face twisted darkly.
He'd been on full guard against Lumine from the start.
Especially after realizing that Lumine actually knew he was now the leader of the Abyss Order, Aether had already made up his mind: the next time he met her, he'd keep at least ten meters between them at all times.
But just now—because of Nagami's presence—he had let his guard down.
And seriously… who would ever suspect a water bottle?!
Too careless!
"Lumine, you were planning to… what is this—ugh!?"
The moment the words left his lips, Aether knew something was wrong.
That voice…
Soft and melodious, like the chime of wind bells, flowing like a spring—gentle, beautiful, sinking straight into the heart.
The special glass bottle slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor with a crisp sound.
The Abyss Mages he'd brought with him, hiding in the shadows, all exchanged confused looks.
The one standing closest to him froze instantly, moving like a robot whose joints had rusted.
"Waaah?! What kind of water is that?!"
Paimon blinked blankly, her mouth blurting out an oddly cute sound effect.
"Hiss—!" Venti sucked in a sharp breath.
Nagami was just as stunned.
After taking several deep breaths to steady himself, he turned his gaze toward Lumine, his expression dazed.
Lumine's eyes were wide, lips slightly parted.
She stood frozen for a long moment before snapping out of her shock.
Slowly, her mouth curved upward into a manic grin, and her eyes lit up with the kind of predatory gleam one might expect from a mad stalker who'd finally found their prey.
She looked seconds away from drooling.
Her face was flawless—snowy white skin smooth as jade, her golden hair, once braided, now cascading down like a shimmering waterfall.
And Aether… was wearing the same Traveler outfit she had.
His toned midriff was exposed to the air, his slender figure outlined perfectly.
Golden-orange eyes paired with soft pink lips, that blank and confused expression only amplifying the striking beauty of his new form.
This was… Aether-chan.
Terrifying didn't even begin to cover it.
"Oneee-chan~~"
The sweet, girlish tone—completely unfeigned—stabbed right into Aether's memory.
The last time Lumine had used that voice must've been tens of thousands of years ago.
With the eagerness of a fangirl spotting her idol, she lunged at him.
Lumine tackled her stunned, rigid sibling and rubbed her face shamelessly against Aether-chan's chest, soaking in the moment.
But just as quickly, she darted away like a ghost—better to run before the punching started.
Because these days, her brother really didn't hold back anymore.
And it wasn't like Lumine ever reflected on the fact that she was the one hitting harder each time.
Aether lifted trembling hands to his chest, feeling the unfamiliar weight there.
When his other hand reached lower and found nothing where something should be—
"LUMINE!!!!!!!"
The scream ripped out of his throat, high-pitched and ringing, but in the clear voice of a girl it lacked any real intimidation.
"What the hell did you do to me?!"
(°Д°)
As if an emoji of despair had appeared above his head, Aether felt his sanity crumbling.
He forced himself to hold it together, glaring at his sister and—of course—her partner-in-crime.
He hadn't missed it: they were both the ones who splashed him with that cursed water.
And that strange spatial trick? Definitely Nagami's handiwork.
So that's why he gets along with Lumine—he's just as reckless! The kind of guy who'd get beaten into the ground for his antics!
"Onii—oh wait, guess I should call you onee-chan now~."
Lumine snatched a pair of black sunglasses from Nagami, put them on with a smug snap of her finger, and grinned ear to ear.
"See? You look gorgeous like this~."
"Agreed. Big Sis looks great."
Nagami put on matching shades and nodded blankly.
Since he and Lumine were essentially two sides of the same being, that technically made Aether his sibling too… well, sister now.
"Don't be mad, sis~"
Swaggering over with the confidence of someone who owned the world, Lumine tilted her brother's chin with a slender finger, squinting as she leaned close to his furious face.
"That spring was called the Nyannichuan. It carries a special curse—anyone splashed with it turns into a beautiful girl.
For a long time after, if you touch hot water you'll change back, but if you touch cold water you'll turn into a girl again."
Aether's face instantly lit up in relief. If it could be reversed, then there was hope!
He quickly summoned both Hydro and Pyro energies.
The water that formed was hot, steaming—perfect.
But when it splashed over him, droplets sliding down his pale skin… nothing changed.
"…I knew it."
Slapping a palm to his forehead, Aether looked like a bullied schoolgirl whose whole life had collapsed. "Why would I ever believe your nonsense?!"
Nagami could almost see black flames of rage leaking out of her back.
"Ah, but Lumine wasn't lying, Sis. I… reinforced the spring. You'll need water at about four thousand degrees Celsius to break the curse."
Aether's eyes shot wide.
Venti, staring at the black-haired boy in sunglasses holding the empty bottle, froze like he'd just seen a ghost.
"…WTF?! Are you kidding me?!"
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