"Hrk—!"
Lumine had gotten so worked up that her food went down the wrong way.
She coughed and clutched at her throat in a small panic.
Su Xuan silently slid a glass of water toward her.
She drank in hurried gulps— glug, glug, glug—
"Ahhhh… I really thought I was about to choke… Thanks, Su Xuan. The water came at just the right moment."
Paimon floated beside her with a long-suffering look.
"Lumine, can you slow down? I'm not stealing your food…"
But then Paimon noticed the open Diary on the table.
Her eyes widened.
Her spoon froze.
She slowly turned toward Su Xuan.
Her gaze was the look of someone who had just learned the world was a lot larger—and scarier—than expected.
Su Xuan simply lifted a shoulder.
"It happened exactly as written.
Your brother was named Crown Prince of Khaenri'ah by the last king, Irmin.
After the nation fell, he placed the blame on the Seven Archons who destroyed it.
So now he seeks vengeance against the Seven Nations."
Lumine listened in stunned silence.
Su Xuan continued:
"But as for his strategy…"
"Frankly, I've never understood what goes on in that man's head."
He took a sip of his drink.
"He has Stormterror.
He has the Abyss Order.
And yet he chooses to send… hill—churls."
The silence that followed was indescribable.
Lumine wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.
This was not the reunion she imagined.
Not even close.
She opened her mouth—then closed it.
If Su Xuan revealed this publicly, Mondstadt would absolutely turn all suspicion onto her—the sister of the Abyss Prince.
Leaving Mondstadt would avoid that.
But if she left, she might lose her chance to ever cross paths with Kong.
Su Xuan saw her thinking.
"There's no need to worry. Only Diary holders know the truth.
And Barbatos knows, of course."
Lumine's head snapped up.
Su Xuan smiled faintly.
"The bard following you yesterday? That was him.
But he has no intention of harming you. His goal is simply to convince you to help save Dvalin.
He very clearly distinguishes between you and your brother."
Lumine's tense shoulders loosened by a fraction.
"And the other Diary holders won't attack you either. At most, they'll keep an eye on your movements.
Nothing more."
For the first time since arriving in this world, Lumine realized—
Aside from Paimon,
aside from the vague trace of her brother,
Su Xuan was the only person she could genuinely place trust in.
It took her a long moment to steady her breathing.
And when she finally spoke, her voice was soft—but clear.
"If you are certain… then I'll believe in your words."
But then Lumine's gaze sharpened.
"However… you've said before that you don't like involving yourself in others' affairs.
Why tell me my brother's situation at all?"
Su Xuan looked at her calmly.
"Telling you is not the same as fixing it.
I didn't bring him to you. I didn't intervene.
So it isn't 'helping.'"
Lumine blinked.
Su Xuan continued:
"Even if you met him now, you wouldn't be able to reach him.
What you should focus on first is recovering your own strength… and learning how to live within this world."
He pointed toward the small building beneath the city gate.
The Adventurers' Guild.
"They assign commissions.
Do work, earn Mora.
Start grounding yourself in this land."
Lumine followed his gesture.
She understood.
He wasn't rejecting her.
He was telling her how to move forward.
After a long breath—
Lumine raised her head.
Her golden eyes were clear now.
"I recall you said your purpose was to travel.
I… currently have nowhere I must go."
She placed her Diary beside his.
"So—would you allow me to travel with you?"
Paimon perked up like she'd been waiting hours for this moment.
Lumine continued:
"I'll earn my own Mora. I won't be a burden.
I only ask that, when you leave Mondstadt… you tell me."
Her voice didn't waver.
"I want to be your traveling companion."
Advance Chapters available on P@treon
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