Outside Poisson, on a higher mountain slope, the town's refugees had gathered. By the time Lumine, Navia, and their companions arrived, a rudimentary settlement had already taken shape.
"Young Miss, you're here," Silver greeted them.
"Silver, what... what's happening here?" Navia asked.
"It's like this, Young Miss. Shortly after you left yesterday, the Fatui arrived. They offered us a large supply of provisions, claiming it was a gift with no strings attached. I inspected the supplies myself and found no issues. Given our dire need at the time, we accepted them."
"The Fatui..." Navia said, her tone surprised.
After discussing the Fatui's actions during their absence with Silver, Navia instructed the guards to move the supplies to the designated area. She then ordered Melus and Silver to inventory the goods while she, Lumine, and their companions headed toward the Fatui's location.
Sure enough, they found the Fatui Harbinger, The Knave, waiting for them.
Paimon: "The Knave! So it really was you! Thank you for bringing supplies to everyone in Poisson."
The Knave turned to face the approaching group of four.
"I've already heard about what happened in Poisson. I'm deeply saddened by what befell Fidelle, the Hydro Archon's guard."
Navia: "On behalf of the residents of Poisson, I thank you. We're immensely grateful."
The Knave: "Mutual assistance is a fundamental law of harmonious development. These are just routine operations for Fontaine—nothing more than a helping hand."
Navia: "My subordinates have reported seeing Fatui soldiers rotating shifts to monitor the water's surface and record parameters. They've also stockpiled disaster relief supplies... I must admit, I'm quite surprised."
The Knave: "Fontainians live by the water, and they also suffer because of it. No wonder people say prophecies represent cause and effect. Unfortunately, I've never been fond of such views."
Navia: "You're someone who can change things, aren't you?"
The Knave: "Of course. That's why I'm headed to the House of the Hearth now. There are still matters to attend to, and the children need looking after."
Before leaving, The Knave shared a crucial piece of information with the group.
"We all know something is wrong with the Primordial Sea. The malfunctioning Sea Gate in the Fortress of Meropide and the fluctuating water level in Poisson are clear warning signs. I want to share the latest intelligence from the House of the Hearth's intelligence network..."
The Knave explained that during a recent investigation, the children of the House of the Hearth had discovered ancient ruins near Poisson. Dating back to a distant era, the site held significant value for exploration.
She speculated that, based on the timing, the ruins might be connected to the prophecy and the impending disaster.
In these critical times, any related intelligence was invaluable.
The Knave proposed entrusting the quest to investigate the ruins to Lumine. As a guest of the House of the Hearth and a trusted companion of Lyney, Lumine had earned their confidence.
After a moment's thought, Lumine agreed to accept the quest.
Navia also insisted on joining, bringing the team to four members, including Chu Xi.
-
Following the Knave's directions, the group of four arrived at a set of ruins.
"Is this the ruins the Knave mentioned? Whoa... it's so desolate..." Paimon exclaimed.
Navia agreed, "It has such an ancient feel to it."
"Let's go inside and take a look," Lumine suggested.
"Okay, but be careful."
The four ventured into the ruin, cautiously exploring its depths.
As they ventured deeper, they discovered that many areas within the ruin were contaminated by Primordial Sea water. Monsters lurked near these tainted pools.
"Primordial Sea water contamination here too!" Paimon exclaimed.
"Yes, and the contamination is quite severe," Navia observed. "If a Fontainian were to fall in, they'd likely dissolve instantly."
Lumine turned to Navia, concern etched on her face. "Maybe you should stay outside, Navia?"
Paimon chimed in, "Yeah, there's Primordial Sea water here. You can't risk falling in! Staying here won't help much anyway, and it could be dangerous..."
Lumine glanced at Paimon, who immediately realized her words had come out wrong and frantically waved her hands, trying to explain.
"A-ah, I didn't mean to say Navia was useless! It's just, it's just..."
Seeing Paimon rack her brains for the right words, Navia nodded understandingly.
"It's alright. You're right, given the current situation, there's nothing I can do here. You can leave this to us."
Lumine: "Judging by the terrain, it doesn't look like there's any way back now."
Chu Xi: "Agreed."
Navia: "This makes things difficult. Does that mean we have no choice but to press forward?"
Paimon suggested, "Why don't you wait here for us, Miss Navia?"
Navia: "The water level in the Ruins isn't stable; it could rise at any moment. It's not safe for me to stay here."
Chu Xi stepped between the group. "I'm not afraid of water. If danger arises, I'll protect you."
Navia: "Thank you, Miss Chu Xi. But it's alright, I'll be very careful."
-
The four continued forward, soon reaching a bridge spanning waters thick with highly concentrated Primordial Sea water.
As they stepped onto the bridge, it began to creak and groan ominously.
"Wait! This bridge is unstable! Run!"
The group sprinted frantically toward the other end. Paimon flew ahead, followed by Lumine and Chu Xi, with Navia trailing behind.
The bridge crumbled faster than they could run. Navia's foot slipped, sending her plummeting toward the Primordial Sea below.
"Navia!"
Lumine skidded to a halt, her feet digging into the ground and sending sparks flying.
Her eyes narrowed as two wings erupted from her back. Moving at blinding speed, she swooped down, caught Navia in a princess carry, and soared back up.
"Are you alright, Navia?!"
Navia's heart pounded like a drum. She stared at Lumine's face, now mere inches away, and swallowed hard.
I knew the Traveler was strong, but I never imagined she was this strong!
"Thank you, Traveler!"
On the other side, Chu Xi froze, stunned by Lumine's sudden burst of speed. I never thought she could be faster than me...
-
Player World.
[ "Aaaaah, this is my Lumine! ! !" ]
[ "Why doesn't my Traveler have wings? Strong demand for Mihoyo to implement this! Look how cool Lumine is right now—totally badass, right?" ]
[ "For a moment there, I almost fell in love with the Traveler!" ]
[ "I'm different. I've always loved Lumine. The more I see her, the more beautiful she becomes, and the more my heart races!" ]
-
Inside the Ruins:
"It's good you're alright."
"Uh... Traveler, could you put me down now?"
Lumine quickly released Navia, setting her down.
Chu Xi: "Miss Navia, are you blushing?"
"Ah, am I? Sorry, it might be from being scared."
Chu Xi: "But I don't think so. It seems more like..."
Paimon, arms akimbo, interrupted Chu Xi before she could finish: "Hey, Chu Xi, you've been acting kind of strange lately, you know?"
Chu Xi blinked, confused. "Have I?"
Paimon: "Of course... Eh?! Neuvillette, when did you get here?"
Paimon stared with her mouth agape at Neuvillette, who had materialized without anyone noticing.