After parting ways at Dawn Winery, Yu Jin and Lumine leisurely walked along a small path in Mondstadt.
"You said you're traveling to find your brother? And you were stopped by an unknown god when you were trying to escape this world?" Yu Jin was secretly astonished when he heard Lumine's reason for traveling.
If that's the case, Lumine and her brother's strength must be terrifying. After all, being able to escape this world and provoke an unknown god to personally intercept them implies immense power.
"But what's with your strength? I don't think you're very strong right now." Yu Jin glanced at Lumine. Being able to control elemental power without a Vision was indeed very mystical. It didn't seem like an ability someone from this world could possess.
"I slept for a very long time and just recently woke up. Even Paimon, I only met her a short while ago." Lumine walked along the path, not shying away from the fact that her current strength was weak.
"Indeed, if Lumine hadn't fished me out, I probably would have drowned by now." Paimon circled Lumine twice, chuckling.
It's so great to have met Lumine! She has someone to play with every day, and she gets to eat so many delicious things!
Yu Jin looked at the 傻笑 Paimon and immediately spotted a blind spot. He asked, "Paimon, don't you fly? How did you fall into the water?"
"Hmph, your trick is too amateurish. It might fool Lumine, but it won't fool me!" Yu Jin thought with confidence.
"Uh..." Paimon touched her cross-shaped hair clip with one hand, and a look of confusion even appeared on her face.
Yu Jin was right. She could fly, so why would she fall into the water?
"I think it might be because I wasn't full at the time and fainted from hunger!" Paimon quickly came up with a reasonable explanation.
She spread her hands, feeling that this idea must be close to the truth, even though she couldn't remember anything that happened before that.
"Hahaha! That really suits Paimon's personality." Lumine couldn't help but laugh when she heard Paimon's explanation. Traveling with Paimon would definitely never be boring!
"What's so funny! I can't even beat a wild boar, so of course I'd faint from hunger if I only ate Sunsettia!" Paimon stomped her foot in the air, not at all ashamed that she couldn't beat a wild boar.
Yu Jin looked at the fuming Paimon and the laughing Lumine, shaking his head slightly. What was wrong with him? These were clearly two adorable little ones, and yet he was so suspicious.
"So, if you're looking for your brother, aren't you destined to confront a certain god?" Yu Jin looked at Lumine; her future was surely filled with many hardships and obstacles.
Lumine heard Yu Jin's words and her smile faded. Her clear, pale yellow eyes dimmed slightly, but she quickly cheered up again, putting her hands on her hips and confidently declaring:
"If I have to confront them, then so be it. I'm definitely going to find my brother! Even if it means becoming an enemy of the gods, I won't hesitate!"
"Don't forget me then, I'll definitely be cheering you on from the side!" Paimon also waved her tiny fist, deliberately putting on a fierce expression.
Unfortunately, Paimon's fierce expression, coupled with her petite size, didn't make her seem very fierce; instead, it made her even more adorable.
Lumine's proud, head-held-high demeanor, combined with Paimon flitting around her, collectively painted a picture of a hero about to leave the village to slay a dragon.
Seeing this, Yu Jin smiled and said, "If you get beaten badly then, just call my name, and I'll definitely get you back and beat her up!"
"Hmm? Are you that amazing?" Paimon stopped circling. She came to Yu Jin's side, her small eyes filled with suspicion.
Although she had indeed heard everyone at the Mondstadt Adventurers' Guild talk about how powerful Yu Jin was, she had never seen it herself.
Moreover, he said he would beat up a god. That's a god! Why did his tone make it sound like no big deal?
"Heh, looking down on me, are you?" Yu Jin felt insulted. You could question his character, or doubt his intelligence. But when it came to strength, Yu Jin had absolute confidence.
"I'm also from outside this world!" Yu Jin's single sentence shocked the two women—no, girls—for three years.
"What? You're also from outside this world?" Lumine felt incredibly shocked. She had thought that she and her brother were the only outsiders in this world, but she never expected Yu Jin to be another one.
"Indeed, but I haven't been here long, just playing around." Yu Jin nodded.
Besides himself and the Lumine siblings, Yu Jin also suspected that the Great Adventurer Alice from the Adventurers' Guild was an outsider.
As for why? Well, of course, Alice's behavior was out of place in this world, just like his.
"What were you and your brother doing before?" Yu Jin patted Lumine's shoulder, calling her back from her shock.
"Hmm... traveling. My brother and I traveled through various worlds." Lumine recalled. Everything was fine until they stumbled in this world.
"Traveling? Do you know what I do?"
Yu Jin was met only by two small, shaking heads.
"Fighting! I fought my way through an entire world before coming here to retire." Actually, Yu Jin had originally wanted to say "killing," but seeing Paimon's innocent little eyes, he temporarily changed "killing" to "fighting."
"Wow! That's amazing!" Paimon immediately believed him. Her eyes lit up as she scrutinized Yu Jin, wanting to see what difference there was between such a powerful person and herself.
"Fighting..." Lumine savored Yu Jin's words. She wasn't as young as she appeared on the outside.
Innocence, more often than not, was just a facade she liked to maintain.
Lumine had experienced more and thought more. She was pondering the deeper meaning of what Yu Jin had just said.
"That's not right, I don't think you're that amazing."
"Why?"
"Shouldn't a powerful person have three heads and six arms, capable of smashing a mountain with one punch?"
"How about I smash the mountain and then compensate you to Acting Grand Master Jean?"
...Lumine listened to Paimon and Yu Jin's absurd conversation, her lips twitching slightly. She had truly overthought it; perhaps Yu Jin simply wanted to show off.
She shook her head, stepped forward, and said, "Alright, Senior, and Paimon, let's stop chatting. It's almost dark. If we don't head back now, it'll be too late."
With that, she tugged on Paimon's starry scarf and started walking.
It would be dark soon, and she didn't want to spend the night outdoors. Soon, with the trio's speed, it indeed began to get dark.
"Oh dear, it looks like we'll be sleeping on the streets tonight." Lumine looked at the sky; the sun had already disappeared, leaving only a faint fiery glow emanating from the west.
"Is that so? I don't think so." Yu Jin's body stiffened, as if he had sensed something.
"Oh? Are you going to fly us again? No thanks." Paimon turned around and said expressionlessly.
Does flying while being dangled by a rope really count as flying? Paimon didn't think so.
"Alright, hurry up and gather some firewood, or you two will freeze to death tonight." Lumine saw Yu Jin and Paimon still standing 傻站著, holding firewood, and grumbled.
However, neither Yu Jin nor Paimon moved. Paimon because he was a mascot, and Yu Jin because his eyes were fixed on the direction of the nearby forest.
A woman wearing a golden coronet and a white, light-gauze dress emerged from the woods.
Most surprisingly, two enormous dragon horns grew from the woman's head, making her look like both a mythical beast and a mistress presiding over a ritual.
"What a strange person..."
"You... hello."
Lumine and Paimon watched the woman approach them, lifting her long skirt, both feeling a little reserved. This woman looked like some noble young lady, making them proceed with caution.
"King." Lanssangx came before Yu Jin and knelt on one knee.
"Hmm? What's going on? I remember you weren't like this, were you? Did Vyke's matter hit you so hard you went silly?" Yu Jin's first sentence made Lanssangx unable to maintain her composure.
She had originally intended to be more ladylike and leave a good impression, seeing that Yu Jin had company. But now, it seemed entirely unnecessary.
"It's nothing, just a little excited to see the King." Lanssangx rolled her eyes. All these formalities were truly for naught.
"You've come at the right time. Stop with this human form; transform back into a dragon and carry us back!" Yu Jin helped Lanssangx up, then pulled Lumine and Paimon, who were still trying to understand the sudden turn of events, and ran into the distance.
Lanssangx in the distance heard Yu Jin's words and felt that she had truly made an unnecessary effort. She should have just come in her dragon form.
After a brief silence, a deafening thunder suddenly roared within the somewhat dim forest.
Amidst the rising red lightning storm, a pure white Ancient Dragon with four wings and four legs descended upon this place!
----------------------------------
I've already posted 30 new chapters on Patreon!
If you like the story and want to reaad more, please visit my patreon. Every support is very meaningful!
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you very much!