The days passed, and the Lantern Rite finally arrived in earnest.
The greatest joy of the festival was watching Lumine bustling all over the place making lanterns for others, just like Victor Wang had done back then. But the most meaningful part was…
"Lantern Rite, hey, that's Lantern Rite! It's the festival to honor heroes. Do you think anyone will honor our great hero~?"
"Are you stupid? When you use 'honor' for a person, it usually means they're dead. The great hero of Dihua Marsh is still alive, so how could you say honor him?"
"Oh—! That's right, it's those who've passed away being honored, isn't it? Hah, my memory. Such a pity they died though. Must be that their strength wasn't as great as our hero's~"
"Haven't you had enough? Every Lantern Rite you pull this stunt. I don't know if it tortures him, but I'm sick of hearing it."
"What, you want to fight?"
Only within Xiao's vision did several clumps of black mist clash violently, and only when one of the voices yielded did this nonsensical squabble come to an end.
"Hmph! Next Lantern Rite, if I see you lot jumping about again, I'll beat you every time I see you!"
"We won't dare next time~"
"Xiao, I have fought alongside those heroic souls who sacrificed for Liyue. I acknowledge their strength and effort, and I also acknowledge the meaning of Lantern Rite. Let me help you suppress these abominations. You can rest easy and go."
Despite the repeated invitations of Lumine and Victor Wang, Xiao remained unmoved.
"Come on! That 'Skywalker' or whatever was your friend, wasn't he? This is the festival commemorating his heroic death. How could you dare not go?"
"Tch! Idiot, you slipped up. That guy was called 'Skybracer.' Should've never pinned my hopes on you!"
"I knew this brainless thing would mess it up. Can't endure even a moment, can't even remember its lines. And here I wasted my time acting with you~"
"I meant go to Lantern Rite! Go to Liyue Harbor! If I stay in this godforsaken place any longer, I'll suffocate! I want to meet fresh humans! I—I'll definitely pet them gently with goodwill, please, Xiao dear~"
Xiao sighed with his eyes closed. "I don't like crowded places, especially on these days."
"Then how about… we bring Lantern Rite here instead?"
Knowing Xiao's temperament, unless someone like Hu Tao came to drag him, he would never go to Lantern Rite. Victor Wang cut straight to the chase, saving Lumine a long conversation.
"What the hell are you? I'm going to Liyue Harbor for Lantern Rite! I will! Don't listen to him, listen to me! Damn it, it's your fault for ruining my plan. I'll tear you apart!"
Only in Xiao's vision did a black mist stretch claws toward Victor Wang, but unfortunately, it didn't make it far before dissipating and returning to Xiao's body.
"What a dumbass. Exposing your true desires like that is just begging to be used."
"Rip this idiot apart already. The next one will definitely be better~"
There was no reply. Instead, the clumps of black mist clashed once more. The one that had pretended to be righteous screamed in agony, and this time no one held back—it was truly torn to pieces.
The many mists chewed it up, then each extracted a share, condensing it into a new entity.
"Kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill!"
"Try again, always trust the next one~"
"Morax… humans… slaughter… blood… corruption… Morax… humans… slaughter…"
"Try again, I don't believe it!"
"Hahaha! Serves you right for striking too quickly. With lunatics like you, getting even one that can talk normally is already a blessing."
Listening to the resentments, cries, roars, and temptations always buzzing in his ears, Xiao said helplessly, "Bring Lantern Rite here? Must humans act so strangely? What meaning does it have for you?"
"Lantern Rite is for all of Liyue. We want you to be part of it too. If it's only because you can't be near crowds, don't worry. Leave it all to us."
That became the most meaningful thing during the festival.
They also pulled in Jiangxue and Yanxiao to set up a small dining table. But on the evening of Lantern Rite itself, they returned to Liyue Harbor, and with their friends—after their annual reunion dinners—released countless lanterns into the sky.
Then, among the sea of lanterns filling the heavens, the 'Big Xiao Lantern' in the likeness of Skybracer once again rose before Victor Wang's eyes and exploded brilliantly.
Happy times are always short. Some things block the road ahead, impossible to avoid.
"Lantern Rite… is over. The Alcor should set sail soon. Raiden Shogun…"
Back at Wangshu Inn, Victor Wang began to ponder. After all, the problem was already right in front of him.
Should he replace Lumine's role in the main story, take on the responsibility of waking Raiden Ei, and then use the chance to make his request…?
But something was suspicious. The first time Ei confronted them while rescuing Thoma, she pulled Lumine into the 'Plane of Euthymia,' fought her directly, and after knocking Lumine unconscious, didn't pursue further. If Lumine gaining elemental power from touching the Statues of The Seven had secret ties to the Archons, or if Ei already knew her identity, then if it had been him instead, the result might have been very different.
And that path required a straight-up one-on-one victory against The Fair Lady. Honestly, that had a lot of risk, too unstable.
Or he could step back, support Lumine as best he could, wait until she built a good relationship with Ei, then work on befriending Yae Miko, and have them plead with Ei on his behalf… whether Ei would agree would still be uncertain. And he'd end up with two more people knowing his Hilichurl identity right from the start.
Or he could go all-in, throw himself at Ei's leg, and if she dared refuse, just shout 'Phanes'!
"Hehe…"
That one was too much, the most entertaining option, but also the riskiest.
The most imaginative scenario: defeating Ei head-on, proving himself through sheer strength, and making her help.
"Ahahahaha… Might as well hijack Tomoki's stall. Once Ei's tasted 'Dango Milk,' I could just blackmail her with it, that'd be way more practical…"
After all, Ei was one of the Seven Archons, the Raiden Shogun, a true ruling sovereign of a nation. She resided deep in Tenshukaku, unreachable to common folk. Before her awakening, she was stubborn and terrifying in her resolve.
The crucial thing was that Raiden Makoto had died five hundred years ago in the Khaenri'ah War, alongside Fox Kitsune Saiguu who perished in the black calamity tied to 'the Golden One,' and Mikoshi Chiyo who lost her mind in that same darkness. So how would Ei regard the remnants of Khaenri'ah?
Lumine's Inazuma arc—pull Ei out of her seclusion. His own Inazuma arc—max out Ei's favorability!
After recalling every piece of related story, voice line, data, and character lore, a rough plan took shape in Victor Wang's mind.
First, he couldn't rely on luck—he had to seize every opportunity. Anything that could aid his goal must be pursued. Yae Miko had to be won over, Dango Milk had to be secured. Full development, advancing on all fronts.
Second, 'When in doubt, sleep it out!'
Nap after nap. No notice of the Alcor setting sail came, but instead, an invitation from Lumine arrived—Crux Clash Tournament, a contest where Visions are banned, and is more focused on pure martial competition.
Moved by Victor Wang's diligence in sword practice, Lumine, at Beidou's request, joined the tournament and didn't forget to call him along to spar.
"You can sign up, of course, but you need a loud and resounding title."
"Um, Victor's title…" Paimon blurted out, "Great poet, famous author, inventor of bubblegum!"
No, he didn't even need others to reject it—he could tell it didn't fit.
"The inventor of bubblegum—the one who stirred the entire Teyvat market with his own hands, completely changed the fate of slimes and the prices of monster materials, and even partnered with Lady Ningguang?"
Victor Wang blinked. "Was I really… that impressive? Why don't I know this?"
"Mm… but no, even though that's amazing, it's only in commerce. If we also add famous author… Could it be? Could it be that you're the author of The Butterfly Lovers, the very work that made some weep to death, some reform their lives, and some ascend to immortality on the spot?"
Zhuhan, in charge of Crux Clash Tournament registrations, grew more and more excited as she spoke, clasping her hands to her chest, bowing slightly. "Dust Sensei, I'm your fan!"
"Please keep your composure, you're on duty… And surely that title won't work either."
"…Indeed. There are two conditions to enter: no Vision, and having genuine skill instead of just making a scene. Sadly… those titles can't convince the crowd."
"No problem. Paimon was only joking just now. Just register me as: 'Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius, Lumine's student.'"
"You mean you're a student of the great hero who repelled a god?"
Zhuhan looked to Lumine for confirmation. Lumine smiled. "Then let me see his growth in this tournament."
"Oh? Victor too? This tournament just got even more exciting."
The sound of high-heeled boots on soft sand drew every gaze. Beidou, carrying her overwhelming presence, strode toward the registration desk.
"Beidou, sis, didn't you say we'd set sail after the festival?"
"Hahaha, I didn't explain clearly last time. That 'festival' meant Mondstadt's Windblume Festival. 'When the spring wind blows open the first flower of the new year, the prelude to Windblume begins.' It falls in early February, not far from Lantern Rite. What I was waiting for is the new wine brewed by Dawn Winery during Windblume."
"Wine?"
"Not just because I want to drink it. Our fleet risks much sailing to and from Inazuma—we need to make money. Dawn Winery's wine is famous already, and with Inazuma under isolation, the demand far outweighs supply."
It took Paimon some effort to understand. "So, Victor's also boarding the Alcor to Inazuma?"
"Mm. To cure my 'illness.'"
"That's tough…"