Lisa lifted her glass and took a small sip.
"This wine is… mn, acceptable."
"It's nothing special," Su Xuan replied casually. "I just asked the bartender to mix whatever he thought of. I don't really care about taste."
Lisa's lips curved in a languid, amused smile.
"I have far better wine stored in my place. Would you like to try some?"
Su Xuan glanced up at her — calm, unreadable — but with a flicker of interest.
"You're not worried I might be… unpleasant to drink with?"
"Pfft—" Lisa couldn't help laughing.
"Someone with your level of power, worrying about alcohol tolerance? Now that would surprise me."
Her voice softened, airy:
"And telekinesis relies on mental focus. You would need an entire city's worth of alcohol to even begin affecting that."
No need to argue — a beautiful woman invites, Su Xuan does not refuse.
A short walk later, they were inside Lisa's home — though home was generous.
This was closer to an underground laboratory, sealed beneath stone and enchantment.
Good thing, too — the dragon's rampage hadn't reached here.
Lisa selected a vintage from a glass cabinet and set two cups on the table.
"I suppose," she began lightly, "you already know why I came to you."
Su Xuan didn't hesitate.
"You want help handling Mondstadt's dragon crisis."
He said it plainly — because he had already written it in his diary.
Lisa nodded, but her gaze was steady.
"There is more."
She crossed her legs slowly — unhurried, elegant.
"And before we speak of that—there is a situation you did not account for."
Su Xuan's brows lifted slightly.
Lisa continued:
"The yellow-haired traveler mentioned in your diary — she did not arrive in Mondstadt today."
Su Xuan paused — then reached out with his telekinesis.
A distant sweep of awareness —
Yes.
No trace of a blonde traveler or her floating companion anywhere in the city.
He widened the search outward — and found them instead on a forest path leaving Mondstadt.
With a certain small green bard fluttering above them, trying very hard to be stealthy.
Su Xuan chuckled.
"No wonder Mondstadt's damage is worse than expected. Without her intervention, Stormterror must have had a very pleasant time."
As for why the Traveler avoided Mondstadt—
He could guess.
She was wary of him.
[It seems the plot has shifted.]
[The blonde traveler did not enter Mondstadt. She and Paimon are currently walking away from the city.]
[Without her intervention, even Barbatos will be forced to kill Stormterror rather than cleanse him.]
[Because in this world, only I and the blonde traveler can purge Abyssal corruption.]
[Oh — and Barbatos is following them right now.]
[If they look up, they'll find a green, white-stockinged bard perched on a tree branch.]
[That's Venti, the "wandering musician."]
[Triple champion of Mondstadt's annual amateur poetry contest.]
Outside Mondstadt, on a moonlit forest path.
Paimon and the Traveler both froze.
The yellow-haired aunt Su Xuan mentioned…
Was her.
A sudden chill ran up Lumine's spine.
Because if Su Xuan knew that much —
Then he also knew exactly where she was.
If he wished, he could seize her with telekinesis this very moment.
No escape. No resistance.
Paimon's voice broke into panic:
"L-Lumine! He's tracking us! We can't hide—!"
But—
The words twisted in her throat, dissolving into nonsense babble.
"Eh?"
Paimon blinked, confused.
Lumine understood instantly.
The diary's laws —
They could not speak its contents around someone who did not possess a copy.
And someone was very clearly eavesdropping.
Lumine lifted her gaze sharply.
And saw them.
White stockings.
A lyre.
A smug little pose.
A bard perched in a tree like a decorative bird.
Venti froze mid-inhale.
"Ah… haha.
You noticed me."
He hopped down, attempting a disarming grin.
"No need to be nervous! I'm just a harmless bard~"
Lumine and Paimon stared at him.
Silent.
Expressionless.
Venti's smile twitched.
"…Could you at least say something?"
Lumine let out a slow breath.
"Paimon.
We're going back."
Paimon nodded.
Running was pointless.
If Su Xuan was a threat, there was no escaping him.
If he wasn't…
He might know where her brother was.
So the two turned back toward Mondstadt.
Venti stood there, baffled.
"Eh—!?
Wait! Don't ignore me!
At least ask my name!—"
They didn't.
They walked.
Back toward the city.
Back toward Su Xuan.
And toward the truth.