A few days later, the most noteworthy event during this time was that Lumine obtained the Serenitea Pot.
With the Serenitea Pot in hand, Lumine no longer had to endure the hardships of sleeping rough during her adventures.
Thus, Lumine immediately set off on her journey. After asking Lucian about her brother, she was determined to depart.
Lucian originally wanted to tell her that the story about her brother would be released in a couple of days, but Lumine couldn't wait.
Lucian had no choice but to suggest that Lumine ask Lan at the Adventurers' Guild if there were any recent intel on the Treasure Hoarders.
If there wasn't any, it meant the timing wasn't right yet, and she'd have to wait a little longer.
The reason Lucian didn't tell Lumine directly was that he didn't know the exact location of the ruins where she would encounter Dainsleif.
The real Teyvat was vast, and the location he knew from the game would translate to a very large area in reality.
Moreover, the ruins in reality were quite well-hidden. Rather than conducting a carpet search, it was better to wait for Ganyu's intel.
But Lumine couldn't wait. She took on every Treasure Hoarder-related commission from the Adventurers' Guild, regardless of whether it was relevant to her goal—she just wanted to help out.
In a short time, she wiped out countless Treasure Hoarder camps and finally obtained the intel she needed.
Shortly after she got the information, Lucian's new book was released.
"What a coincidence," Lucian sighed helplessly. He had just stepped out when he received a message from Guizhong and the others.
"It's fine! Since you're with us, it's just like we've already read the book," Paimon said.
That's right—this time, Lumine had dragged Lucian along.
Because it concerned her brother, Lumine was worried she might miss some crucial clues, so she insisted on bringing Lucian. She just didn't expect the book to release right after they set out.
The Treasure Hoarders probably had something to say too: "I just started my operation, and you're already here? Isn't this a bit too fast?"
Lucian didn't mind accompanying Lumine on her adventure. To him, it was just Lumine playing an "action-adventure game" while he played a "detective game."
In simpler terms, one handled the combat, and the other handled the clues.
Now, Lumine had essentially outsourced two organs—Paimon was her external mouth, and Lucian was her external brain.
This adventure was truly effortless for Lumine. All she had to do was focus on the thrill of battle, while Lucian took care of finding clues and navigating.
As for social interactions, Paimon handled those.
In gaming terms, it was like having an auto-pathfinding feature and a skip-dialogue option.
The only downside was that Lucian didn't summon more help—otherwise, even the combat could've been "fully automated."
Now, back to Lucian's new book: "Chapter I: Act IV - We Will Be Reunited"
However, before this story began, there was a prelude—"Bough Keeper: Dainsleif."
The reason Dainsleif's story was included here was that his quest and "We Will Be Reunited" were narratively connected.
The "Bough Keeper: Dainsleif" quest could also be considered the prologue to Chapter I: Act IV.
Releasing them together made it easier for readers to understand, ensuring they wouldn't forget who Dainsleif was by the time they reached the main story.
Moreover, Dainsleif's quest was full of cryptic dialogue on its own—it paired much better with "We Will Be Reunited."
Speaking of Dainsleif's quest, aside from the three questions and the final illustration Lucian drew of Aether secretly watching his sister, there wasn't much else to discuss.
As for Dainsleif's three questions, they were like a hundred Hamlets in a hundred readers' minds—everyone had their own answers.
First question: "Who was the key to ending the Stormterror crisis?"
The Traveler? The Anemo Archon? The united people of Mondstadt? The Prophet?
Some believed it was the Traveler, as her contributions were the most visible, and her arrival marked the turning point.
Others thought it was the Anemo Archon—while he seemed to be slacking, he intervened at every critical moment.
Naturally, some credited the collective efforts of the Knights of Favonius and the people of Mondstadt.
Meanwhile, those outside Mondstadt often believed it was the Prophet, since the entire resolution process had been spoiled by her prophecies, making it easier to handle.
Yet, it seemed everyone had played a part, making it hard to pinpoint a single key figure. Perhaps they were all crucial cogs in the machine?
Second question: "Now that they have lost their deity, who will protect Liyue Harbor?"
This was also difficult to answer. Even among Liyue's citizens, some sided with the Adepti, while others supported the Qixing.
The debate between the Adepti and the Qixing was like the age-old sweet vs. salty argument—neither side was wrong, but it was hard to convince the other to agree.
The third question was the heaviest of all:
"In this world, there are those who have received Visions and those who have not."
"In your opinion, which of these two types holds greater importance in the eyes of the gods?"
The first two questions had already sparked heated debates, but this one unleashed a storm of controversy like a "tornado demolishing a parking lot."
Countless Visionless individuals felt they had been overlooked by the gods.
To them, it seemed only those with Visions were deemed important by the divine.
As for themselves? They were insignificant, no matter how hard they tried—they would never earn the gods' gaze.
Pantalone was one such person. Staring at this question, he fell deep into thought.
The same went for Teppei—how could he not yearn for the gods' attention?
But even those with Visions were puzzled. Were they truly more valued by the gods?
Did obtaining a Vision mean everything was settled, that they were winners in life?
Kaveh looked at the Vision in his hand. It had come far too late—far, far too late.
It had appeared only when he personally shattered his "palace," as if a "wish" had been born from the fragments of his broken dreams.
His wish seemed to have drifted further away, yet "wishes" now seemed to manifest before his eyes.
Were those with Visions truly the ones the gods valued?
Kaveh wasn't the only one questioning this. The people of Inazuma also doubted—if that were truly the case, why had the Shogun issued the Vision Hunt Decree?
Kazuha held his friend's Vision. "Which is more important to the gods—those with Visions or those without? Perhaps neither matters at all."
As for Furina, she believed that whether one had a Vision or not, they were equally important in the eyes of the divine.
"If only I were a true god..." Furina lamented. If she were a real deity, she could answer this question.
The gods knew—the distribution of Visions had little to do with them. Thus, to them, both types were equally important. Visions weren't granted based on who was more valued.
With the three questions answered, the Traveler and Dainsleif embarked on their journey. At the very end, Aether received a brief mention.
Readers were excited—this was only the second appearance of the Prince of the Abyss since the end of the Mondstadt arc, and it had been far too long.
Yet, the mention of Aether was merely a fleeting glimpse of him watching his sister from afar. It was disappointing.
Without any major revelations, even Charlotte had hoped Lumine would reunite with her brother. Instead, this "reunion" was just a fragment of memory from her blood kin...
Hopefully, in future stories, the Traveler would finally meet her brother.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice - Keqing: Regarding the "Third Question"
"You're asking me? The thoughts of the gods are beyond my understanding. But if I had to say... Does it really matter whether the gods see you as important or not?"