Following the Millelith commander's order, the troops began closing in on Lumine and Paimon.
"Lumine, let's use the Anywhere Door! They'll never catch us!"
Paimon whispered urgently.
The door could teleport them instantly to any place they'd previously visited—just close it before the Millelith reached them.
"No need. For this little inconvenience? I don't need the Anywhere Door."
Lumine waved confidently.
Powerful tools were great, but she didn't want to rely on them for every problem.
Sometimes it was nice to handle things herself—unless she truly had no choice.
"Then… how do we escape?"
Paimon fretted.
There were too many Millelith. Forcing a path through them would be difficult—especially with the Liyue Qixing watching.
"You silly Paimon. We fly."
Lumine stared at her flatly.
"Oh! …Right!"
Paimon slapped her forehead. She'd forgotten Lumine could fly.
Ever since the roller skates came into play, she had subconsciously ignored that fact.
Wind swirled around Lumine as she gently rose into the air.
"Let's go."
Together, the two "arrogantly" floated right over the heads of the Millelith.
"Not good—those two can fly!"
The commander's face darkened.
People who could fly out of nowhere weren't common. He was practically helpless against that.
"Hehe~ That's what you get for not being able to fly!"
Paimon gloated.
But just as the two were about to leave—
A roaring electromagnetic blast ripped through the air beside them.
Crackling electricity flashed across the sky with terrifying power.
Paimon froze in horror.
"W–What was THAT?!"
"It came from below…"
Lumine's expression hardened. She turned to look.
There stood a woman with purple cat-like hair—
A coin spinning between her fingers,
Lightning crawling across her body.
Keqing.
"Since the Geo Archon has fallen, this matter is grave. I ask the two of you to remain and cooperate with the investigation," Keqing said firmly.
"If you're uninvolved, I will personally apologize afterward."
She had been watching from a distance during the Rite of Descension in case something went wrong— and something did.
Rex Lapis was dead.
The revelation stunned Keqing.
The Archon who had guided Liyue's fate for thousands of years—gone?
Though she often opposed the idea of relying on the Archon for decisions, her respect for Liyue's founder was unquestionable.
She never imagined the Rite would turn into this.
So when Ningguang ordered the lockdown, she didn't object—she cooperated.
The murderer must not escape.
Seeing the Millelith unable to stop Lumine, Keqing had stepped in herself.
She hadn't aimed to harm them.
Just… strongly encourage them to stay.
"Still… why do these two look familiar…?"
She frowned slightly.
Meanwhile, the warning shot had done its job.
Lumine and Paimon hovered in place instead of fleeing.
"Lumine, what do we do?"
Paimon whispered nervously.
She'd felt the blast's force—if it had hit them, they'd be in real trouble.
"…We'll go down and use the Anywhere Door to escape."
Lumine decided.
Sure, she could fly away.
But why risk being hit?
Better safe than sorry.
"Right! That's what I was thinking too!"
Paimon agreed.
"That's good," Keqing said with a relieved smile as the pair descended.
"As long as you're innocent, you won't be mistreated."
But then—Lumine and Paimon made another suspicious motion.
Keqing's eyes narrowed.
"Trying to run again?!"
A coin flicked upward—
Boom!
Another electromagnetic shot blasted toward the space above them, another warning.
Just then—
A figure came shooting toward them from afar, riding something under his feet.
It was Childe—on his solar-powered skateboard.
"Don't move! I'm here to save you!"
he declared dramatically, grinning as he soared into the air beside them.
After leaving the manga shop, he'd come here via skateboard.
He hadn't expected to stumble upon the Traveler— nor the chaos of the Archon's apparent assassination.
He was completely confused, but seeing the Traveler surrounded by Millelith?
For his plans to proceed smoothly, he had to intervene!
He struck a dramatic pose midair.
And that was the moment Keqing's second electromagnetic cannon arrived.
Childe didn't even notice it.
BOOOOM!!!
An explosion rang out.
Childe—and his skateboard—were blasted straight into the heavens.
Just like the criminals blown away by Misaka Mikoto in the anime—
He spiraled helplessly upward and vanished into the sky.
Leaving the entire crowd speechless.
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