It was currently raining heavily in Sumeru… and a small house stood in a rainforest outside Gandharva Ville.
Inside the house…
"Paimon: Qixuan-jie, this ability is really practical! Now I'm not afraid of sleeping outdoors anymore!"
"Lumine: The soup is ready. Come try it."
Paimon quickly scooped a bowl of soup and drank it.
"Paimon: Phew~ Delicious! Drinking a hot bowl of soup on a rainy day is just too blissful."
"Qixuan: As expected of Lumine."
"Lumine: Not… not really."
"Paimon: Speaking of which, Sumeru's weather is almost as bad as Inazuma's. How did it end up raining again!"
"Qixuan: Alright, alright, go rest. It's getting late."
"Paimon: Okay~"
Then Paimon and Lumine went to sleep. That's right, they were currently outside Gandharva Ville in Sumeru. As for the reason…
A few days ago… Paimon and the Traveler were getting ready to pack their things and head to their next destination. Before that, Yae Miko had talked a lot with them.
"Yae Miko: Hehe… Little ones, are you ready to depart? I'll miss you~"
"Paimon: Eh~~~ No, thanks."
"Yae Miko: Sigh~ How sad. Alright, alright, Traveler, do you have anything else to ask? I can tell you anything."
"Lumine: I have a question. After the Vision Hunt Decree was abolished, Inazuma got a lot of Fatui soldiers. Are they after the Gnosis?"
"Yae Miko: You're quite perceptive. That's right, leading these Fatui is the Fatui Harbinger, Balladeer, the Sixth of the Harbingers under the Cryo Archon. Ei had already given that thing to me for safekeeping, and to get rid of the Fatui, I handed it over. But I didn't expect another Harbinger to come after Balladeer left. It seems to be the one you met in Mondstadt."
"Paimon: It's La Signora!"
"Lumine: Why did you give it to them?"
Yae Miko glanced at Qixuan and said: "Hmm… The Gnosis is useless to me, Ei, or Makoto. Inazuma just recovered recently. Although we're not afraid, we don't want too much trouble. That La Signora seemed very angry after hearing that I gave the thing to Balladeer, and then she left."
"Paimon: Ugh… How can everyone be so outrageous? But if the Gnosis is useless to the Archons, then why does the Cryo Archon want to collect them?"
"Lumine: Venti seemed to say… the Gnosis is a tool to connect to Celestia."
"Paimon: Huh? Does that mean the God of Anemo, God of Geo, and God of Electro have all cut off their connection with Celestia?"
"Yae Miko: Hehe… Who knows? Do you have anything else to ask?"
"Lumine: About my brother…"
"Yae Miko: Hmm… I'm sorry. I used all the resources I could, but I didn't find your brother. However…"
"Lumine: However?"
"Yae Miko: Heh… This is also what Makoto told me. She seems to have seen your brother, but it's very blurry. The last time was during the destruction of Khaenri'ah."
"Paimon: Is… is that the nation destroyed by the Seven Archons?!"
"Lumine: Brother…"
"Qixuan: Alright, alright, we'll definitely find your brother."
"Lumine: Mm!"
"Yae Miko: Hehe, so full of vitality."
"Paimon: So, our next stop is?"
"Yae Miko: After leaving Inazuma, I think… going to Sumeru would be more convenient."
"Paimon: Sumeru, huh? We've met many scholars from Sumeru along the way."
"Yae Miko: Yes, Sumeru is the nation of the God of wisdom. Their pursuit of wisdom and knowledge is endless, but this persistence often gives rise to some perplexing things. For example…"
"In Sumeru, knowledge is managed as a resource."
"Paimon: Knowledge? Also a resource?"
"Yae Miko: Yes, I just don't know whether it was those sages or Lesser Lord Kusanali who made this decision."
"Paimon: Lesser Lord Kusanali? What a cute name."
"Yae Miko: Eh? You still don't know? Lesser Lord Kusanali is the deity worshipped in Sumeru, an affectionate name Sumeru people have for her. I suppose you also have things you want to confirm with her, right? I wish you good luck."
"Paimon: Ugh… The other day I read in a novel that a god was imprisoned because her subordinates thought she was too immature. I just have a feeling the journey to Sumeru will be very dangerous."
(Qixuan: Prophecy faction, time to cut it out.)
"Lumine: Alright, Paimon, how could such a thing happen? I told you to read fewer novels. We have nothing else to ask."
"Yae Miko: Is that so? Alright. Oh, by the way, do you still have the omamori I gave you before?"
"Lumine: You mean that night of the Summer Festival? Of course, I'll keep it safe."
"Yae Miko: Eh? Is that all? I thought you would hang it in the most prominent place on your chest and tell everyone you meet that it was given to you by the wise and beautiful Lady Yae Miko."
"Lumine: …"
"Yae Miko: Hehe… Alright, alright. Then I wish you all the best on your future journey to witness extraordinary stories."
"Qixuan: Get ready, let's go."
Under Yae Miko's gaze, Paimon and the Traveler shimmered with light around them, then disappeared from where they stood.
On a distant mountain peak…
"Makoto: Are you still worried about them?"
"Ei: …Phew, I can't say."
"Makoto: Sigh, I know you well enough. Alright, alright, their future journey will definitely be smooth."
"Ei: (May the lightning clear all obstacles for you.)"
Back to the present…
Lumine was already asleep. In her dream, she seemed to encounter…
Lumine slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a city. A towering giant tree in the distance supported the place where the Sumeru people lived. She found Paimon and Qixuan, and then learned that they had arrived just in time for the Grass God's birthday, commonly known as The Sabzeruz Festival. The people of Sumeru were all busy preparing for it.
Just as Lumine wondered why they weren't in a rainforest, how… Before Lumine could wrap her head around it, she heard the voice she had longed for.
"Aether: Lumine, why are you spacing out? Are you thinking about something?"
Lumine turned her head and saw Aether's figure appear before her. Her hands trembling, she rushed over and embraced Aether.
"Aether: Hmm? What's wrong? Did someone bully my sister!"
"Lumine: No… nothing. I… just want to hug you."
"Qixuan: What's wrong?"
"Paimon: Lumine has seemed off since the beginning. Maybe she ate something bad for dinner last night?"
"Qixuan: I told you not to let Lumine eat your special Paimon cuisine, but you never listen."
"Paimon: I… I did succeed once, didn't I?"
"Qixuan: You still remember it was only once?"
After Lumine recovered, she realized that Qixuan and Paimon didn't seem surprised by Aether's appearance, so she asked: "Aren't we here in Sumeru to find my brother? What's going on?"
Aether was confused at this moment.
"Paimon: Huh? What do you mean 'find your brother'? Hasn't Aether been traveling with us all along?"
"Qixuan: That's right, what's wrong with you today?"
Lumine was even more bewildered now. What did she hear? She had been traveling with her brother all along? Wasn't this a bit… off?
"Aether: Lumine, if you're tired, go rest first. We'll go help prepare for The Sabzeruz Festival."
Aether took Lumine back to their lodging and then went to help prepare for The Sabzeruz Festival.
"Lumine: This… what exactly is going on? No, this is completely wrong. I must find out."
She then left her lodging, but just as she stepped out, she bumped into Qixuan, who was returning.
"Lumine: Qixuan-jie, I have something to say."
Lumine seemed very anxious.
"Qixuan: What's wrong? Take your time and tell me."
"Lumine: I… I don't know if there's something wrong with me or… In short, in my memory, we've been searching for my brother all the way from Mondstadt. We were resting outside the rainforest in Gandharva Ville just before."
"Qixuan: What are you talking about, Lumine? Haven't we always been together? And your brother, you must be too stressed. If you're really too idle, come help out!"
"Lumine: But… but."
"Qixuan: Oh, alright, alright, no more 'buts,' let's go!"
Before Lumine could say anything, Qixuan pulled her towards the site of The Sabzeruz Festival.
…
"Look, this is it," Qixuan said.
Lumine looked around. There were colorful flowers and busy people. The most striking thing was the flower float in the center of the area.
"Qixuan: Tomorrow, we need to place the flower float in the designated position, and then wait for Lesser Lord Kusanali to return. Oh, do you still remember your lines?"
"Lumine: Hmm? Lines?"
"Qixuan: Welcome back, our God."
"Lumine: Hmm… Okay, I remember it."
After all these things, she seemed to truly believe all of this. (Immerse yourself in endless illusions!)
On the day of The Sabzeruz Festival…
All the Sumeru people cheered joyfully. Lumine and the Traveler had already changed into their costumes. Aether and Lumine each held out one hand to jointly support a wreath.
Then, led by the Grand Sage, a figure gradually approached from a distance, surrounded by many people. When she walked in front of them… Lumine couldn't see her appearance clearly no matter what.
"Aether: Lumine (whispering)."
Huh? Oh, Lumine reacted, then she and Aether took Lesser Lord Kusanali's hand together and said: "Welcome back, our God."
Lumine wanted to see what the Grass God looked like up close, but before she could look up, she heard a voice, seemingly saying: "Wake up… wake up…"
Lumine suddenly looked up, and then everything turned black and white. Everything seemed to disappear: Aether, Paimon, Qixuan-jie. Many images flashed through her mind: a giant machine, two identical figures, and… her brother standing opposite her, surrounded by a group of Abyss Heralds. He said to her: "Before the Abyss engulfs the throne, I and the Heavenly Principles still have an unfinished war. Don't worry, our time… is always enough."
Lumine wasn't foolish. Twice now, this meant her brother truly had a connection with the Abyss. She wanted to chase after him and ask for clarification, but then she heard that voice again… Wake up… wake up. Lumine's vision went black again.
…
"Paimon: Ugh… What should we do? Lumine is sweating so much. Is she having another nightmare?"
"Qixuan: Probably. I've already tried, she'll wake up soon."
Qixuan originally planned to see if Nahida's little familiars were there, but then she felt a clearance of dreams enveloping the area. Without a doubt, Nahida must have come to observe our pure Lumine. Qixuan quickly rushed back and woke Lumine from her dream, pushing Nahida's clearance back at the same time.
Inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana…
"Nahida: Hmm? Such powerful clearance. What is their purpose in Sumeru? Sigh… I'm still too weak after all."
…
Just as Paimon was about to start hitting her, Lumine woke up.
"Qixuan: You're finally awake, otherwise Paimon was going to…"
"Lumine: Hmm? What was Paimon going to do?"
"Paimon: Uh… I… I was just worried about you. I saw you sweating in the middle of the night and thought you weren't feeling well, so I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't wake up no matter what."
"Lumine: I… I seem to have had another dream."
"Paimon: Was it a nightmare?"
"Lumine: Not… not really? It was just a bit strange."
Lumine recounted her dream.
"Paimon: Ugh… It was certainly strange. I've heard of The Sabzeruz Festival too; it seems Sumeru is indeed approaching that festival."
"Qixuan: Hmm… In any case, this dream wasn't useless. At least it provided some useful information."
"Paimon: Huh? Where? I can't think of anything."
"Lumine: Because all you know is eating."
"Paimon: Waaaah! Hmph!"
"Qixuan: Haha, alright, alright, let's set off after breakfast."
"Paimon: Hehe, okay!"
…
After breakfast, everyone set off.
"Paimon: Since we've arrived in Sumeru, our goal is to go to Sumeru City and meet Lesser Lord Kusanali. Speaking of Lesser Lord Kusanali, we haven't gathered much information about her."
"However, Sumeru is also the nation of wisdom, so Lesser Lord Kusanali must have more information."
"Lumine: Mm."
"Qixuan: The Seven Archon Statue is just ahead. Let's try to get the Dendro element first."
"Paimon: Oh, right, right, let's go."
"Qixuan: There seems to be someone ahead?"
"Paimon: Great! This saves us the trouble of looking for directions everywhere!"
Paimon excitedly went forward to greet them, but the other party didn't seem to hear?
"Paimon: Hey—! Traveler ahead, excuse me, could you give us directions?"
The person ahead looked back, then walked away without turning their head again.
"Qixuan: It seems Paimon's idea is going to fall through."
"Paimon: Ugh… Seriously, they heard my voice but ignored me."
"Lumine: Don't be angry, maybe it's an isolated case?"
"Paimon: Hmph! But even though they ignored us, if we secretly follow them, we should be able to reach a populated area, right? Then we can ask others for directions."
"Lumine: I think that's a good idea."
"Qixuan: Then let's go, but don't get discovered."
Everyone quietly followed the person, passing through one forest after another.
Then Paimon and the Traveler saw the person enter a nearby small waterfall and disappear.
"Paimon: Ah! Let's hurry and follow!"