"To wield elemental power… without a Vision?"
Watching the blonde girl battle monsters in the mountains, the Raiden Shogun's eyes glimmered with curiosity.
Aside from Archons or beings of divine blood, no ordinary mortal should be able to freely command the elements.
Yet this girl was no god.
The world truly held wonders beyond imagining.
"Why are you so fixated on this one girl?"
She had traveled all the way from Liyue Harbor just to see this little blonde?
"Because her bad luck is downright absurd.
No matter where she goes, disaster follows.
In Mondstadt, she ran into the Stormterror dragon.
In Liyue, she'll soon face a god.
In Inazuma…"
"…Never mind that!"
Ei's curiosity flared higher, only to be doused with cold water.
"So if she comes to Inazuma, she'll bring trouble there too?"
Her homeland was peaceful now.
How could chaos arise?
Could it be… brought by this girl?
"You wouldn't mind if I killed her, would you?"
To eliminate future dangers, Ei was inclined to strike down this blonde now, before she could threaten Inazuma.
"If you don't mind the Abyss Order's mad revenge, then sure, think that way."
The girl might oppose the Abyss, but their leader was her brother.
If Aether learned of her death, he might lose all reason, hurling himself at Inazuma without care for his life.
For Khaenri'ah, he had already defied Celestia.
For blood kin—what might he not do?
"She's connected to the Abyss?"
Shock flashed in Ei's eyes.
The Abyss was the sworn enemy of all life in Teyvat.
"Not exactly.
But the Abyss Order's leader is her brother."
The girl herself was no creature of the Abyss.
And the Order was not the Abyss itself.
They were merely exiles, whose home had been destroyed, forced to embrace that darkness.
Still, their power was not to be underestimated.
"Come. Let's meet them."
—
Having just cleared a band of monsters, the Traveler was gathering loot from the battlefield.
These could be exchanged at the Adventurers' Guild for Mora.
"What a haul this time!"
Hovering like a little sprite at her side, Paimon's eyes gleamed at the glittering spoils, drool threatening to spill.
"Finders, keepers—friends share alike~!"
The sudden voice made Lumine whirl around, instantly on guard.
Two strangers stood behind her.
"Who are you?"
Deep in the wilderness,
to encounter unknown figures usually meant trouble— bandits, perhaps.
"No need to be so wary.
I think you've already met the Lady and Childe, haven't you?"
Su Ran raised a calming hand.
Not that caution would help.
"You're with the Fatui?"
Their clothes… didn't quite match.
One bore no features of Snezhnaya, and the other was dressed in Inazuman garb.
"Yes. And I'm a Harbinger myself~."
Lumine froze.
Just her luck.
To stumble into a Harbinger in the middle of nowhere?
Was Teyvat really this small?
"Which rank are you?"
He seemed friendly enough, no bloodlust, no overt hostility.
Surely not one of the higher, crueler seats…
"Second."
Misjudgment. Abort mission. Run!
As a seasoned Traveler, the instant she heard "Second Seat," her instincts screamed retreat.
The Ninth, the Lady, had already been beyond her ability.
The Second?
He could probably kill her three times over in a minute.
But just as Lumine turned to flee with Paimon—
"I hear you're searching for your blood relative?"
Her whole body froze.
"You know where he is?"
"Take a guess."
Guess your head!
Finally finding a glimmer of hope, only for this man to toy with her?
She despised riddlers the most!
"…What do you want?"
Lumine forced herself calm.
This was no ordinary opponent, but a Fatui Harbinger.
So far she had met three of them— the Lady's arrogance, Childe's dubious kindness, and now this one— unassuming, mysterious, and infinitely more dangerous.
"A promise."
"A… promise?"
Her expression twisted.
Did he really expect her, an upright soul, to pledge herself to a Fatui Harbinger?
"When I'm in dire straits, I hope you'll lend me a hand."
That was it?
"You're a Second Seat Harbinger.
What could I possibly do if you are in danger?"
Just hearing Jean and Lisa's worries back in Mondstadt was enough to know how terrifying these figures were.
If someone like him was cornered, what could she do?
"With courage, anything can be overcome.
When that time comes, I hope you'll help me."
Su Ran's tone was sincere— more sincere even than Childe's had ever been.
"Then why are you so certain you'll find yourself in danger?"
If he could foresee it, why not just avoid it altogether?
"Because I'm already trapped in it.
Coming to Liyue is only temporary.
Soon, I'll be dragged back."
Ei's brows knit with doubt.
With her around, who could seize Su Ran?
The so-called Star God?
Or that mysterious "club"?
"…May I ask, who's trying to take you?"
A faint dread crept into Lumine's chest.
"Inazuma's Raiden Shogun."
Ei: "???"
Fine, fine! So that's how you want to play this, huh?
Very well.
Tonight, you're coming back to Inazuma with me!
"Ra… Raiden Shogun?!"
Lumine was dumbstruck.
She had barely arrived in Liyue, yet she was already hearing of Inazuma's Archon?
If she caught this man and handed him over to the Shogun…
wouldn't the reward be extraordinary?
~~--------------------------------------
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