Under Teyvat's starry sky, constellations charted everyone's fate.
Even an outworld Traveler had a place among Teyvat's stars.
Reisen Riou didn't know what humans were like without their constellation's guidance.
But Yae Saiguu, cut off from hers, was a total slacker fox. Tiger-Devouring Chiyo, with a near-identical experience, was doing way better.
Her constellation's stars were nearly dormant, yet she brimmed with energy, training daily with her blade, full of zest.
"So, Saiguu's just lazy," Reisen scoffed.
Relieved by this intel, he stopped worrying about the Sky-Veiling System.
Losing a constellation's guidance caused changes, but they were minor—more like unleashing suppressed traits than a full shift.
Reisen, after spending ages in the system, still slaved away at experiments, barely affected, like Chiyo.
Raiden Ei and Raiden Makoto were also unfazed.
But Reisen's astrology revealed Makoto's fate line was completely severed.
To Teyvat and the World Tree, Makoto was deader than dead, not a shred of soul left.
"Reisen, picnic time. You in?" Ei asked.
"Hell yeah, why not?" Reisen replied.
Back in Makoto's day, high-level incognito outings and picnics were common.
Now? Rare. One, state affairs kept everyone busy. Two, Ei's martial nature left her no time for fun.
Unlike Makoto, who loved a crowd, Ei cared about combat and military prep, not festivals or picnic spots.
Still, she occasionally made time for incognito outings and picnics.
It was a chance to hear the people's voices, understand civilian and samurai needs, and relax—a balance of discipline and ease, good for her martial path.
So, Reisen dropped his experiments, and he and Ei went picnicking.
It was just the two of them—everyone else was swamped, and Ei didn't want to bother them.
They didn't head straight to the picnic but hit a festival to shop.
Kannazuka Island, off Narukami's Byakko Plain and Hanamiita, had some of the best scenery.
Makoto had held dozens of picnics here back in the day.
Big festivals, like the Harvest Festival, often took place here too.
This time, it was the Narukami Birth Festival.
"Narukami Birth Festival, huh?" Reisen rubbed his chin, eyeing Ei. "If I'm not wrong, neither your nor Makoto's birthday is today."
"It's Inazuma's founding day," Ei explained. "Since the Narukami Grand Festival got canceled a few times, the Birth Festival just kinda took off."
"A replacement for the Grand Festival? Gotta soak it in then," Reisen said.
Truth be told, Reisen never vibed with the Narukami Grand Festival.
It started to reassure Inazuma's people by flexing military might.
But as the army reformed and civilian powerhouses grew, Reisen suggested to Makoto that they ditch it.
Makoto said the timing wasn't right, but they toned down its extravagance.
Later, the Narukami Archon stopped showing up entirely. Then Makoto went to Khaenri'ah, and when Ei returned, no one had the heart for it.
Two years ago, they officially canceled it for good.
But the people and shrines started holding the Narukami Birth Festival in its place, turning a once-a-decade event into an annual one.
This was the second Birth Festival, and any Narukami-related fest in Inazuma was always a blast.
Especially big ones like this—food was about 20% off, same great taste, honest vendors.
Look at that blond guy chowing down over there.
Wait—why's that blond so familiar?
Reisen, munching on tricolor dango with Ei, studied the foreign Traveler thoughtfully.
Following his gaze, Ei spotted the blond.
"That guy looks… dangerous," Ei said, frowning.
"Seems like a foreigner. I'll check him out," Reisen said.
Both had a hunch about the guy's identity but kept it quiet.
With Tenryou Commission Doushin and Yashiro Commission agents keeping order nearby, and the Traveler's minor fame, Reisen quickly got the scoop.
"He's a warmhearted Traveler," Reisen said. "Searching for his sister, taking on monster-slaying and odd jobs."
"Heard he soloed a big Hilichurl tribe. Bit of a known powerhouse," Reisen summed up. "Just your typical adventurer. No need to stress."
"Oh, supplies ready?" Ei asked, sensing Reisen was scheming but letting it slide to change the topic.
Ei loved picnics but had no clue what to prep—Saiguu and Makoto always handled that.
"Got it covered," Reisen assured her.
"Let's find a scenic spot then. Saiguu's last pick or Makoto's from the time before were solid. Which one?" Ei asked.
"Saiguu's spot," Reisen decided.