Just as the people of Mondstadt pursue freedom under the guidance of the Anemo Archon, and Inazuma clings to eternity under the Raiden Shogun's iron rule, Liyue—under the contracts of Morax—regards agreements as sacred.
The Geo Archon is even known as the God of Contracts.
This deeply rooted belief reminded Nagami of a country from his past life, where a culture of vows and brotherhood had also become ingrained in civilization—things like solemn oaths, sworn brotherhood, or legendary alliances.
Apprenticeship was one such form of contract.
Many knew the saying: "Once a teacher, always a father."
A master imparts knowledge and skills, even helps with life's problems.
In return, the student serves with loyalty, shows filial respect, cares for their master in old age, and after mastering their craft, devotes years in service.
A contract not just of words, but of depth and devotion.
And above that stood an even holier vow—marriage.
A bond sealed by two people, swearing to stay together forever, never to part.
In the distant past, long before her endless journey through the stars, Lumine had once been a girl who dreamed like any other.
As a beautiful young maiden, she had fantasized about meeting her future partner, even walking together into marriage.
But those dreams had long since slipped away, like grains of sand through her fingers.
From a smiling, innocent girl to a traveler of galaxies.
Lumine had come to understand deeply that while the sea of stars was vast and filled with wonders, the bustling warmth of mortal life was never truly hers to hold.
And so she carried on, her outlook calm, almost detached.
Loneliness became her eternal companion, a quiet thread woven through her existence—perhaps destined to follow her until the stars themselves went dark.
Of course, she never forgot her brother.
Aether remained her pillar of strength.
Without him by her side, her journey might have ended long ago.
The same was true in reverse—they had only survived this far by leaning on each other.
But sibling love could not fill every void in the heart.
Now, Lumine—who had already grown into the mentality of one who lives beyond time, hardened into the carefree, sharp-tongued traveler others half-jokingly called "Gremlin Lumine"—rarely lost herself to loneliness anymore.
And yet…
Her golden eyes widened as she gazed at the radiant ring glimmering under the sunlight.
Her lips parted slightly, her dazed and bewildered expression making her look irresistibly cute.
But that wasn't the point—or at least, not the whole point.
What shocked Lumine was the flash of emotion she had felt from Nagami's heart just moments ago.
It hadn't needed words.
It had slipped past her defenses, striking directly at the calm, unshaken waters of her soul.
A strange warmth surged within her chest.
Nagami's usual gentle smile faltered for a moment before lifting higher, unstoppable.
At that instant, their souls had brushed together—and just as Nagami had suspected, the bond between them as interdimensional counterparts was something special.
The "Soul Fusion" skill drew strength from the union of two spirits, birthing higher-dimensional power.
But he and Lumine were, at their core, the same being across worlds.
Which meant their fusion wouldn't create a third will.
It would remain in the hands of either him or Lumine.
Nagami didn't trigger the skill.
Instead, he used this rare chance to sense, map, and measure his own soul.
If he could learn to use this ability at will, he'd qualify to stand among those who battled across the Quantum Sea and the Imaginary Tree.
Time passed quietly on the breeze, carrying drifting leaves.
The strange resonance faded, and Nagami slowly returned to himself.
What met his eyes was the girl before him.
Her golden hair glowed, adorned with tiny blue-and-white flowers like something from a fairytale.
Her lashes trembled, and for once, her flawless face bloomed with the faint blush of true shyness.
Her heart thundered like a storm.
Flustered, Lumine tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, unable to meet his gaze.
Truthfully, if Nagami had made a move on her—or even dragged C.C. into one of his bizarre "special routines", she wouldn't have felt half as embarrassed as this.
"…The Serenitea Pot… turned into a ring?"
Yanfei's voice finally broke the charged atmosphere, shattering the tension that lingered between Nagami and Lumine.
For some reason, the big contract job she'd been offered to prep someone for Liyue's Law Exam suddenly felt meaningless.
First she'd been roped in as a glorified errand-runner, collecting materials for them.
Now? The precious items she'd worked so hard to gather weren't even needed.
And to top it off, she'd just been force-fed a giant mouthful of "mud."
'Can these two not?!'
The sight of the two before her reminded Yanfei of her parents.
Her father, after fighting alongside Rex Lapis in the war, had immediately gone home to marry.
After she was born, he left her in Granny Ping's care, then ran off with her mother to travel the world, living in blissful seclusion and leaving her completely behind!
Yanfei had long since realized she was nothing more than an "accident" born from their love story.
The more she thought about it, the more upset she felt.
"Although the Serenitea Pot is beautifully crafted, its size does make it inconvenient to carry around while traveling. If it got bumped or damaged, that would be troublesome. So, I reshaped it into a ring instead."
Nagami raised Lumine's delicate hand, studying the ring — primarily white with accents of gold and blue — then glanced at the girl's flushed cheeks.
"It suits you perfectly."
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[Nagami]: Save your words for tonight. We'll have plenty of time and room from now on
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The unabashedly suggestive remark made Lumine's already pink face instantly flare scarlet.
Of course she wasn't going to say no. After all, it was just herself, right?
"Granny, since these materials won't be needed anymore, I'll head back now. My law office still has a ton of clients waiting."
Yanfei, unable to endure having "mud" shoved down her throat, decided it was best to escape.
"Oh, right—Lumine, Nagami, keep those nameplates safe. When you two get married, you can always come consult me about the legalities."
She had taken two steps when the thought of it being a potential business opportunity made her turn back and wave.
"Go on, go on, back to your work, child."
Granny Ping nodded kindly, then turned her sharp eyes to Nagami. "Truly remarkable… just who exactly are you?"
She had sensed that the pocket realm she created with her adeptal arts had been effortlessly broken.
"Well, let's just say… consider me a friend of Morax."
Lumine's friends were Nagami's friends.
There was nothing questionable about that.
"I see… no wonder, then…"
Granny Ping seemed as though she had more to say, but then stopped short, as if recalling something.
It hadn't been that long since Rex Lapis had entrusted dreams to the Adepti.
Perhaps Nagami had some connection?
A being like this walking Liyue disguised as a mortal — there was no way the Geo Archon wouldn't know.
"In that case, this old lady won't intrude further."
Turning away, Granny Ping cast Nagami an enigmatic smile before departing.
Nagami watched her retreating back with a strange expression.
Was she… making a joke?
Was that supposed to be innuendo?
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[Lumine]: ...
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Lumine steadied her emotions with a few deep breaths, doing her best to suppress stray thoughts so Nagami couldn't read them.
Lifting her lashes, she cast him a half-reproachful, half-tender look.
"Can we enter this ring the same way we slipped into the Serenitea Pot before?"
Paimon clasped her little hands behind her back, leaning forward with curiosity.
"Of course."
Almost as soon as the words left his lips, the air around them rippled and distorted.
In the blink of an eye, they vanished.
When they reappeared, their feet sank into soft sand.
They stood at the edge of land and sea, the salty breeze rushing toward them.
"Whoa! This is… so beautiful! And so huge!"
Paimon spun around, stunned by the view.
Sunlight poured through drifting clouds, the endless blue sea and sky reflecting in her eyes.
High above, countless rocky isles floated in the heavens.
Sunlight. Beaches. Rolling waves.
And of course—one emergency food item.
Overcome with excitement, Paimon somersaulted through the air.
The wind roared in from the ocean, whipping Lumine's golden hair into a wild, shining dance.
Loose strands brushed her cheek, shimmering in the sunlight.
She tucked a soft lock behind her ear, her amber-gold eyes catching the smiling reflection of the black-haired boy before her.
The smile curving her lips was genuine—untainted by the playful mask she often wore.
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[Nagami]: That white traveler's dress looks lovely on you, but wearing it every single day seems like such a waste.
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With a crisp snap of Nagami's fingers, Lumine's signature white outfit dissolved.
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[Lumine]: If you wanted to see me in a swimsuit, you could've just said so. It's not like I'd ever refuse.
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Her cheeks glowed faintly red as she lowered her gaze to look over the swimsuit he had conjured.
Bare skin glistened under the sun, framed by a black halter strap looping around her pale neck.
The strap traced down over her delicate collarbone into a ruffled blue top that concealed — yet couldn't quite hide — her generous curves.
A matching short skirt, fluttering like ripples, barely covered the tops of her thighs, tied at the waist with a dainty bow.
Her left leg was bare and smooth, while her right thigh bore a taut ribbon set with a small gemstone, its tension pressing against her skin, adding an unexpected allure.
Her cuteness and beauty blended seamlessly with a touch of undeniable sensuality.
Lumine raised her slender arm, fingers twining with Nagami's hand as they slowly walked toward the shore.
This guy was already drifting toward thoughts unfit for Paimon's ears.
She had to divert "her" attention quickly.
After all, Paimon was still here…