The moment Hat Guy froze, the air in Irminsul shifted.
Not gently. Not mysteriously.
Nope.
It shifted the same way a room does when someone says "We need to talk."
One second he was walking forward like the world's grumpiest tour guide, the next he just… stopped. Completely still. Like someone unplugged him from the cosmic outlet.
Greg blinked on my shoulder.
"Yeah buddy," I whispered. "Here we go. Trauma time. Brace your nonexistent ears."
Greg flicked his tongue—agreement with a side of pity.
Then Hat Guy laughed.
Not the regular 'I hate you all' laugh.
No.
This was the full-on, dramatic villain-origin cackle. The type you hear at the end of a thunderstorm, right before some guy removes his mask and reveals a tragic backstory.
"Oh boy," I muttered. "He finally snapped. Knew this day would come. I should've bought popcorn."
Paimon flinched mid-air. "Hey! Are you all right!? Why are you laughing like that!?"
He clutched his head, voice cracking as he shouted, "...Dottore? Hahaha… Dottore!!!"
Nilou covered her mouth, eyes wide with worry. "He sounds… distressed…"
"Distressed?" I whispered. "Goddess, that's not distressed. That's 'I'm about to write a 50-page complaint letter.'"
Greg slapped my cheek with his tail.
"Okay, okay! I'll behave. Probably. Maybe."
But Hat Guy went silent just as fast as he started laughing.
Too silent.
The tree's hum changed pitch, like Irminsul itself went, "Oh no, he's entering his villain arc."
Paimon whispered, "Was that The Doctor? Did he… did he just turn into a broken robot!?"
Lumine frowned thoughtfully. "It sounded like him… The Doctor, I mean."
Nahida floated forward, serene as always. "I'm afraid so. He was behind the Tatarasuna incident. When I touched The Doctor to confirm he'd eliminated all his segments, I read this memory. It must be the truth."
Hat Guy didn't turn. His voice was cold. "Maybe so… but it means nothing."
Nahida gently responded, "Does it? This memory shows Niwa didn't betray you. He never meant for you to take the device into the furnace. You know what this means… even more than I do."
Scaramouche trembled.
His voice cracked like old glass. "…Dottore, you brazen-faced…! Niwa didn't run from justice… you killed him!"
Lumine inhaled sharply.
Nilou's eyes shimmered. "That's… horrible…"
Paimon floated back a bit, unusually quiet.
And me?
For once, I unplugged my telepathic mic. No commentary. No jokes.
This was his pain.
His story.
His centuries of unanswered questions crushing him all at once.
I whispered to Greg, "If I say something stupid now, I'll ruin his whole emotional redemption arc."
Greg whipped his tail lightly—correct.
So I stayed silent.
Strangely… it felt right.
The chamber stayed still. Quiet. Heavy.
Finally, after a long silence, I stepped toward him.
Just close enough for my voice to reach without breaking the moment.
"You done already?" I asked softly—soft for me, anyway. "Then get up. Time to face your reality."
He slowly turned. Not angry. Not mocking.
Just… raw.
"Heh. Fine," he said, voice low. "But don't think I need your pity."
I grinned. "Good. I don't pity you. It'd get in the way of your pride, ego, and the whole 'mysterious edgy antihero' brand you've got going on."
For the first time since the memory hit him, he scoffed.
Not cruelly.
Not defensively.
Just… tired.
But lighter.
He turned and walked forward.
This time, his steps didn't feel lonely.
Lumine walked beside me, whispering, "You handled that well… surprisingly well."
I puffed up instantly. "I'm a man of wisdom, Blondie. A scholar. A sage. A—"
Greg smacked my forehead.
"—fine, fine. A guy who didn't mess it up this time."
Nilou giggled softly, relief blooming on her face. "You really do care about him, Shigeru."
I shrugged dramatically. "I care about everyone! I'm the group's emotional support disaster."
Paimon crossed her arms. "More like emotional instigator."
"Semantics," I said.
Greg flicked my cheek—gently, like a punctuation mark.
And so, we followed him.
Hat Guy walked ahead.
But for the first time…
He wasn't walking alone.
***
Alright, before Hat Guy spirals into another emotional monologue deep enough to drown in, I clap my hands dramatically.
"Okay! Before we forget—plan? Trauma dump later, universal crisis first?"
My voice echoes through Irminsul like an idiot alarm.
Scaramouche shoots me the most irritated side-eye known to man, puppet, or divine mistake. "I know. Shut up."
Greg flicks his tail against my jaw.
Yeah, shut up.
I rub my cheek. "Betrayed by my own lizard… unbelievable. Revolting. Heartbreaking. I'm writing this in my diary later."
Paimon floats closer, squinting at Scaramouche. "That's a scary expression you're making."
He arches a brow. "Are you worried about me? If we didn't have such a complicated history, I'd almost think that qualifies me to be your friend."
Paimon immediately flies behind Lumine. "Paimon takes it back! Never mind!"
Lumine crosses her arms—protective, worried, but calm. "We just want to make sure this doesn't affect the plan."
"It won't," he says. "I'll keep my end of the deal."
A pause follows.
A heavy one.
The kind of silence you get when someone says they're fine but absolutely is not.
Nilou clasps her hands together gently. "We trust you."
Scaramouche glances away like the concept of receiving trust physically injured him.
I lean toward Greg. "He's experiencing emotions again. Nature is healing."
Greg flicks his tail onto my lips.
Message: Shigeru, please stop.
Paimon breaks the tension. "Hey, are you investigating the stuff we wanna know about?"
Wanderer turns slightly. "That's why we're here. But unfortunately… there's no information about the Descenders in Irminsul."
I whistle loudly. "Dang. Even the giant cosmic tree said 'lol who are you?' That's rough."
Paimon slumps mid-air. "So we're leaving empty-handed…?"
Before Lumine can respond, Nahida's gentle voice echoes across the glowing branches.
"If even he cannot find anything, then it's certain: Irminsul does not keep records on the Descenders. Those who come from beyond this world are not counted as part of Teyvat."
Lumine's expression tightens—but she nods.
Accepting.
Understanding.
Still hurting.
"…Not unexpected," she murmurs. "But still… thank you."
Scaramouche scoffs. "Don't thank me yet. You look upset. Heh. Since Irminsul was a dead end, I'll share something else that might interest you."
Paimon jolts upright. "Huh? About what!?"
Wanderer turns fully.
His expression sharpens—cold, but focused.
"The reason there are records about your brother in Irminsul… might be related to Khaenri'ah. Apparently, Khaenri'ah was his first destination when he arrived in this world."
Lumine freezes.
Her breathing hitches—just slightly.
Nilou quickly rests a comforting hand on her back.
Paimon squeaks. "K-Khaenri'ah? That place again!?"
Scaramouche continues. "And he only came to this world because the heavens responded to the summoning."
Paimon gasps. "The heavens… responded!?"
"The Jester told me this himself," Scaramouche says, tone steady. "He was a royal mage in Khaenri'ah. He lived with your brother for a time. You can take his word on that."
Lumine's brows knit together. "The Jester… another Harbinger. Why?"
He shrugs. "I don't know. It's up to you whether you want to believe me. All I can say is—I wouldn't lie about this."
Nahida's voice drifts in softly. "This is indeed astonishing news."
Scaramouche looks up, expression unreadable. "Does this information count toward my mission? It wasn't from Irminsul, but was it valuable?"
"Very valuable," Nahida replies.
"Good. In that case… I'll take some time for myself now."
He steps back.
Not dramatically.
Not with flair.
Just… quietly.
A lonely figure being swallowed by the glowing branches.
I move beside Lumine, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She turns her head slightly.
Her voice is tight—but strong. "Khaenri'ah… I… I should've known."
I give her a small, confident grin. "Trust the emo guy. For once, he's not being cryptic just to annoy us."
Nilou squeezes Lumine's hand warmly. "Whatever comes next… we'll face it together."
Paimon presses her forehead to Lumine's shoulder. "Yeah! Paimon's here too! And Greg. Though Greg will probably flick Shigeru before comforting anyone."
Greg flicks his tail at me.
Again.
I throw my hands up dramatically. "See!? See this betrayal!? My own lizard defects to the other side!?"
The three girls giggle softly despite the tension.
The tree hums gently—like the world is exhaling.
We stand there, in the glowing heart of Irminsul.
Watching Scaramouche fade into the light.
Letting him walk alone.
Greg taps my collarbone.
"…What?"
Be ready.
I nod.
A barrier snapped around us before I even processed the glow—thin, shimmering, dramatic, and absolutely unnecessary in the "I'm not emotional, YOU'RE emotional" kind of way Scaramouche does things.
Greg stiffened on my shoulder, tail straight up like an exclamation point.
Paimon yelped, spinning mid-air. "Huh!? What have you done!? Why are we in a glowing prison!?"
Scaramouche didn't even bother to look at her. "Lesser Lord Kusanali was right. My power's nearly gone. Even if I pour everything I have left into this, the shield won't last long."
I knew that tone. I've lived with that tone. The "I'm about to make a dramatic, irreversible decision and no one can stop me unless they physically tackle me" tone.
Ah yes. Peak-emo behavior.
He turned to Lumine, eyes sharper than usual. "Traveler, I shared a secret with you. Now you owe me. Answer a question for me."
Lumine raised a hand instinctively. "W-What do you want to know?"
But before she could touch him—
I grabbed his wrist.
Everyone froze.
Even Hat Guy blinked like did this idiot just interrupt my tragic anime monologue?
I smirked. "Oi. Hat Guy. I'll answer it."
Lumine stared. Nilou gasped softly. Paimon squeaked. Greg flicked his tongue.
Even Scaramouche narrowed his eyes with genuine surprise.
"I already know what you're thinking," I continued. "And yes. You can. Whatever you're planning—go for it. Will I support you? Probably. But changing the past doesn't magically fix everything. Don't expect some perfect new world waiting for you."
He stared at me.
A long, unreadable stare.
Then—slowly—he smirked.
"Heh. You really do know this world too well. As expected… idiot."
Paimon whispered, "Was… was that a compliment?"
Greg tail-slapped me.
I rubbed my cheek. "I'm taking it as one."
Scaramouche yanked his hand free—and the barrier cracked.
Not subtly.
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
Light split through it like glass.
"So long," he said. "You should leave. Quickly."
Paimon flew forward in a panic. "Where are you going!? Don't you dare run off! Didn't YOU say that to US!?"
Lumine reached out. "Balladeer! Stop!"
Nilou stepped forward too, voice soft but desperate. "Please wait—!"
He looked at us over his shoulder.
Sharp.
Resolute.
A little broken.
But steady.
"Fast reaction time," he murmured. "But we won't be seeing each other again."
Then—
He vanished.
His voice echoed through Irminsul, the tree pulsing as if reacting to his will.
"From this day forth, the names 'Balladeer' and 'Kabukimono' will cease to exist."
"Those who died in Tatarasuna because of me… deserve another chance."
Paimon shrieked. "Don't do anything stupid!!"
But his voice only grew farther.
"I never liked insects… But harmless ants shouldn't be crushed. Everything can still be set right. It's time to end this."
Then—silence.
A silence so deep it hummed.
Paimon spun in wild circles. "Balladeer!? Balladeeeer!! He disappeared! No no no—c'mon, we have to find him somehow!!"
I stepped forward and gently pinched her tiny shoulders. "Floaty. No."
She froze.
I softened my tone. "He's done it. This is his choice. Let him finish."
Paimon's lip wobbled. "But… but what if—"
Nilou stepped beside her, placing a gentle hand on her back. "Shigeru's right… He isn't running away. He's facing something."
Paimon swallowed hard. "...Right."
Lumine's fists slowly unclenched. She exhaled shakily. "Do you… really think he'll come back?"
I smiled. Not big. But real.
"Trust me, Blondie. That gremlin's too stubborn to disappear. We'll see him again. Better this time."
Greg nodded with a firm, decisive tail flick.
Seal of approval.
Nilou let out a breath of relief and squeezed Lumine's hand. "Then… let's return to Nahida. She should know what happened."
Lumine nodded. "Agreed."
Paimon hovered between all of us. "O‑Okay… but Paimon's still worried…"
Greg flicked his tail at me again.
"What!?" I yelped. "Why?! I said all the wise stuff today!"
Paimon narrowed her eyes. "Maybe Greg just knows you're about to say something stupid on the way back."
I gasped. "I would never—"
Greg flicked my mouth shut.
"—mmph."
Nilou giggled. Lumine cracked a smile.
And with that tiny bit of warmth easing the tension, we began walking.
Back through Irminsul's glowing paths.
Back through the branches whispering with memories.
The world around us shimmered, shifting—already rewriting itself.
I glanced back once.
The place where he stood… was already empty.
But somehow, it felt lighter.
"He'll be fine," I whispered.
Greg nodded.
And together, we stepped out of Irminsul—knowing full well nothing would be the same again.
_________________
End of Chapter 163
Quests Completed:
*Witness Hat Guy enter a loading screen of trauma and pretend you're not impressed by the drama.*Correctly identify Scaramouche's villain laugh as "the unstable origin story type."*Stay silent during a critical emotional moment. A miracle acknowledged by the Archons.*Get smacked by Greg for even THINKING of making a joke during tragedy hour.*Interpret Irminsul's sudden mood change like a pro: "Ah yes. Trauma."*Understand the Dottore lore drop without screaming. Barely.*Successfully deliver one line of emotional wisdom. Immediately ruin it afterward.*Touch Hat Guy's wrist mid-tragedy monologue, shocking everyone including yourself.*Convince Hat Guy to proceed without pity, ego damage, or need for therapy (temporary).*Observe Balladeer's self-deletion sequence without pressing any glowing buttons.*Stop Paimon from panic-diving into the memory river.*Hold Lumine together after the Khaenri'ah reveal. +1 Emotional Support Himbo.*Receive Greg's silent "brace yourself" warning before the barrier forms. Listen, for once.*Endure Scaramouche calling you "idiot" but with a hint of respect.*Let Balladeer walk away without chasing him — peak maturity unlocked.*Exit Irminsul with dignity (Greg ensured it was only partial).
Rewards:
*Primogems: +163 (cosmically symbolic, spiritually stolen).*Friendship EXP +150 with Nahida — for not destroying Irminsul during peak drama.*Friendship EXP +120 with Lumine — she saw you handle emotional stuff without jokes (mostly).*Friendship EXP +120 with Nilou — she appreciates your heartfelt side more than you do.*Suspicion EXP +20 from Paimon — she thinks you'll say something stupid any second.*Respect Fragment ×1 from Scaramouche — tiny, sharp, and hard-earned.
*Item: Greg's Trauma Sensor – Greg will tail-slap you 3 seconds before emotional disaster.*Item: Balladeer's Echo – A faint voice whispering "idiot" at random intervals. Cannot be sold.*Item: Irminsul Rewrite Residue – Warm, glowy, and scientifically concerning.*Item: Paimon's Panic Pebble – Emits alarm sounds when danger approaches. Or when you sneeze.
*Buff: Heroic Silence – Increases emotional intelligence by +20% and decreases joke output by -50%. Duration: 1 scene.*Buff: Emotional Support Disaster – Allies are calmer when you stand beside them. Duration: Until you speak again.
*+1 Greg Honor (Legendary) – He acknowledges your maturity… then tail-slaps you anyway.*+10 Wisdom Points – Enough to deliver one deep line every 3 chapters.*+3 Reality Acceptance – You accept that Balladeer can and will delete himself whenever he wants.*+50 Plot Awareness – You now understand Khaenri'ah a tiny bit more. Still confusing.
Achievement Unlocked:
"Witness of Unmaking"
-Watch someone erase their own identity in front of you and manage not to cry, faint, or scream.