Dragonspine.
Wrapped in a thick, heavy coat, Aether shivered amidst the snow. Paimon huddled tightly on his back, poking her head out from his clothing.
Even with a blazing fire nearby, the relentless chill seeped in from every direction, piercing right through clothing into their bones.
"It's so cold... Maybe we should head back," Paimon chattered, teeth rattling.
"No! We don't have enough Mora yet!" Aether shook his head stubbornly.
They'd only been exploring Dragonspine for two days, barely scratching the surface, but they'd already stumbled upon several treasure chests hidden beneath layers of ice and snow. With effort, they'd managed to pry them open, gathering some decent items and even a fair bit of Mora.
Though he now had enough Mora to pay off his immediate debts, it still wasn't sufficient to support both of them—especially since he had a ravenous little companion to feed.
Besides, traveling from Dragonspine to Liyue Harbor was still a long journey, requiring Mora for meals and lodging along the way. Once they reached Liyue Harbor, expenses would only climb higher.
Determined not to let a single Mora trouble Mondstadt's Honorary Knight and resolved to secure their future living expenses, Aether extinguished the fire once they'd rested enough and pressed forward, braving the bitter winds deeper into the mountain.
"I really admire that adventurer, Cartis. It's freezing here!" Paimon lamented loudly.
Aether nodded in agreement. "Jiang Bai was pretty impressive too."
Reading the book was one thing, but experiencing Dragonspine firsthand made them truly appreciate how challenging it was to explore here. Both Cartis, the first adventurer to find a path to the summit, and Jiang Bai, who had successfully found Cartis's remains, were incredibly brave.
Slowly ascending, the snowstorm gradually eased.
Through the falling snow, Aether could faintly see a figure standing motionless ahead, seemingly indifferent to the harsh conditions.
"Hey, there's someone up ahead!" Paimon pointed excitedly.
"Let's go check it out."
Approaching cautiously, Aether soon realized that the figure wasn't simply standing idly.
In front of him stood an easel, and in his hands were a palette and brush. He was painting serenely, entirely unaffected by the swirling snowflakes.
Curious, Aether asked, "Isn't it too cold to be painting out here?"
The figure turned slightly at the sound, giving Aether a quick glance. "Wait just a moment, I'm nearly done."
With focused, deliberate strokes, Albedo added the finishing touches to the painting—a vibrant plant standing out vividly against the stark white backdrop of snow.
Even in the relentless cold, the flower bloomed gracefully, full of vitality.
Aether didn't interrupt further, turning his attention to the canvas instead.
In Albedo's eyes, the painting was almost complete. Yet to Aether, an outsider, it seemed unfinished. The flowers and leaves were detailed and lifelike, but some branches were rendered only with a few simple strokes.
Placing the final brushstroke, Albedo lowered his brush.
He closed his eyes gently, raised one hand, and murmured softly, "From ashes of life between the universe and earth, I grant thee new life."
A bright, vivid flower, identical to the one he'd just painted, blossomed in his open palm.
"Whoa!"
Paimon's eyes widened in amazement, completely forgetting about the cold. She wriggled out from under Aether's coat for a closer look.
"It's real!"
"Is this some kind of magic?" Aether was equally astonished, witnessing this sort of creation from nothingness for the first time.
"Magic?" Albedo tilted his head, intrigued by the unfamiliar term.
"It's a form of trickery that achieves seemingly impossible feats through visual deception—like pulling a pigeon out of an empty hat. In reality, the pigeon was always there, just hidden from view."
"I see. That sounds fascinating. However, this isn't magic—it's alchemy."
"Alchemy?" Aether knew of alchemy, having used alchemy crafting tables before. But directly creating a flower from nothing clearly went beyond ordinary alchemy.
"Alchemy is the art of uncovering the mysteries of all things. Creation is merely one stage within it."
Albedo handed the flower to Aether and introduced himself calmly. "Greetings, Honorary Knight. I am Albedo, Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius."
Aether accepted the flower, puzzled. "I don't recall seeing you around before."
This person knew him, yet he had no memory of meeting this alchemist.
"I've heard about you and your companion, Paimon, from Klee," Albedo explained with a slight smile.
"Klee? You know Klee?!" Paimon squealed excitedly, thrilled at recognizing a familiar name.
"Yes, I'm Klee's older brother." Albedo offered politely, "Would you two like to rest at my campsite?"
"Yes, please!" Paimon cheered enthusiastically, only to sneeze abruptly and hurry back beneath Aether's coat.
Albedo quickly gathered his painting supplies and led them through winding paths toward his campsite.
"What brings you both to Dragonspine? Wouldn't it have been easier to stay in Mondstadt City a while longer?"
Albedo knew they were travelers from beyond this world—he had even caught the faint scent of stars on Aether. But at this point, they were still mostly strangers, and he felt no urgency in pursuing deeper research.
Paimon explained eagerly, "We planned to go to Liyue for the Rite of Descension, but there's still some time left before it happens. We had nothing else to do, so we came here treasure hunting."
"We read a book about this place, so we got curious," Aether added.
Albedo instantly realized which book they referred to—after all, he'd personally designed and illustrated its cover.
"Dragonspine does indeed hold many hidden treasures. Because of the harsh climate, groups like the Treasure Hoarders rarely come here, and adventurers seldom venture this far. If you're lucky, you can find something quite valuable."
"Does that mean you know where all the treasures are hidden?" Paimon asked eagerly, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"I'm afraid not," Albedo chuckled apologetically. "I haven't thoroughly explored specific treasure sites myself."
Seeing how Albedo navigated the winding snowy paths with ease, Paimon couldn't help but ask curiously, "You seem quite familiar with Dragonspine—and you don't seem bothered by the cold."
Compared to their thick, cumbersome clothing, Albedo wore far lighter attire, showing no signs of discomfort from the cold.
"Resistance to cold is a basic skill for any alchemist."
Albedo said it lightly, almost casually, but it left Paimon feeling as though she'd just experienced some high-level bragging.
Considering his ability to create life out of thin air, though, she couldn't really object.
"If only I didn't feel the cold either…" she mumbled enviously.
Albedo glanced thoughtfully at Paimon, genuinely curious about her reaction.
"Ordinarily, elemental beings have no concept of cold. You don't seem to be an animal, nor an elemental being, nor even human... What exactly are you?"
As the words left his lips, Albedo couldn't help but wonder:
Why do I feel like I've experienced this moment before?