Deep within a certain Abyss base near Mondstadt—
Lumine was already laughing so hard he had collapsed over his stone throne.
"Hahaha— my trashy little sister… I'm dying—!"
"I want to be Kamisato Ayaka's dog!"
How did Lumine even come up with that?!
And regardless of whether the clip was real or not, it was now exposed to all of Teyvat.
From now on, everyone would know that the Traveler… was actually super trashy (in a good, chaotic way).
Delicious.
Absolutely delicious.
"Heh… Lumine, you finally lived long enough to see this day~"
Lumine was so delighted he almost wanted to jump into the chat group and brag.
But then he remembered his sister's terrifying combat strength… and all the past "traumas."
A cold shiver hit him instantly.
"Nope. Absolutely not. I still can't reveal myself."
"Damn it, why can't this chat group hide real names?!"
"Even that bird-app on that one planet had private mode!"
He groaned.
He could mock his sister, he could laugh at her misery…
But he couldn't let her know he was watching.
That was torture in itself.
Still, Lumine continued watching, giggling like a little gremlin—
on the left side of the screen, his sister's humiliation;
on the right, the chat reactions.
He was so invested, he didn't even realize his Abyss subordinates were watching him with dead fish eyes.
The Prince of the Abyss, who didn't dare face his own sister and hid in the shadows to watch drama…
How trashy.
The perfect sibling pair.
Of course, they would never dare say that out loud.
Even a flicker of emotion might get them obliterated.
Meanwhile, outside Mondstadt, at a Hilichurl camp—
"Hahaha— Lumine! I didn't expect you to have this side of you!"
Amber had lost all composure.
She had never seen anything this funny.
The Traveler… was truly a walking circus.
Paimon was the same, except she was desperately clenching her cheeks to stop herself—
her stomach, tears, and sanity all warring inside her because of food survival instincts.
But she couldn't hold it anymore—
pfft—
Paimon burst out laughing so hard she hugged her belly mid-air.
"Hahaha— Lumine, I'm sorry! I normally don't laugh— but this one… I really couldn't hold it—!"
"'I'm Kamisato Ayaka's dog'— ahahah— my stomach hurts—"
Lumine's face cracked.
"AAAAAAHHHHH—!"
She wanted to die.
Actually, no— she wanted that narrator guy dead first.
"That wasn't me!"
"It wasn't! I swear it wasn't!"
"My entire heroic reputation—!"
She swung her sword angrily for a few seconds, then collapsed onto the grass like a corpse.
Done.
Finished.
Utterly ruined.
Compared to "insulting gods," "assassinating Archons," or "being wanted worldwide"—
this one line was more lethal than all combined.
People wouldn't think of "Honorary Knight,"
"Friend of the Adepti,"
"Captain of Swordfish II,"
or "First Sage."
They'd think:
"Oh, the one who wanted to be Ayaka's dog."
Every. Single. Time.
Even if they didn't say it out loud, they'd think it.
She could feel it.
Her soul died a little.
"I even thanked that man earlier…!"
"If I meet him, I'll show him the power of Ayaka's— no— I mean, MY wrath!"
Her emotional roller coaster wasn't even slowing down.
But Lumine was still Lumine.
Not so easy to defeat.
She suddenly sat upright and typed furiously:
[Transcendent Chat Group]
**[Lumine]: W-wait! Don't say anything yet! Let me explain— no— defend myself!"
**[Lumine]: This must've been a voice actor. A CV. Not me!"
**[Lumine]: You can't confuse the CV with the actual person!!"
The chat went silent.
People actually paused to think about it.
Lumine perked up.
Is this… a chance?!
But—
**[Ayato]: Traveler, does the one speaking in the video sound like you?"
**[Lumine]: …Yes."
She wanted to lie.
She couldn't.
The voice was identical.
If she didn't know better, she might have believed she truly said it.
**[Thoma]: Traveler, does the one in the video look like you?"
**[Lumine]: It's chibi, but… yes."
**[Ayato]: Then it's obviously you."
**[Ganyu]: Eh? Is… is that how it works?"
**[Yoimiya]: Kinda… makes sense?"
**[Paimon]: Actually… it does make a bit of sense…"
**[Lumine]: N-No—!! That was BaoBao's fault! The CV's fault!!"
**[Lumine]: STOP mixing up the CV with ME, damn it!!!"
Lumine collapsed dramatically.
The more she defended herself, the more suspicious it sounded.
Her will to live was dropping rapidly.
She no longer wanted to visit Mondstadt.
Or Liyue.
Or Inazuma.
Or anywhere.
Just bury her alive in a hole.
But—
Someone finally stepped in.
**[Ayaka]: Brother, Thoma, everyone— please stop."
**[Ayaka]: I… do not keep pets. Traveler is simply a person with a slightly unusual personality.
I believe this is merely a joke."
**[Ayaka]: The narrator already said the footage contains exaggerations. We should not take such things at face value."
**[Ayaka]: Traveler has helped Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, and Fontaine.
Someone who shoulders so much cannot be a bad person."
**[Ayaka]: Therefore, I believe in the Traveler."
**[Ayaka]: It is improper of us to tease her like this after all she has done."
Her words swept through the chat like a warm breeze.
What a noble lady.
What a princess.
What a lifesaver.
Even Ayato sighed.
**[Ayato]: My apologies, Traveler."
**[Thoma]: Sorry, Traveler, that went too far."
**[Yae Miko]: Aiya~ Lady Ayaka is truly admirable."
**[Yoimiya]: Hehe, that's our Shirasagi Himegimi! Traveler, come visit Inazuma anytime!"
**[Itto]: Wahaha! That's right! Traveler isn't that kind of person!"
**[Shinobu]: Agreed."
The atmosphere completely shifted.
Lumine froze.
Then—
Tears welled in her eyes.
"Ayaka…!"
In this world of betrayal, teasing, humiliation, and Paimon abandoning her for food—
Ayaka stood by her.
Warm. Gentle. Graceful.
Lumine immediately typed furiously:
**[Lumine]: Ayaka, thank you— I really— really—!"
**[Ayaka]: There's no need to be so emotional."
**[Lumine]: Ayakaaa— so moved—!"
**[Ayaka]: Truly, there's no need—"
**[Lumine]: White Heron Princess is the best—!"
**[Ayaka]: …It's fine."
**[Lumine]: Ayaka, I want to be your—"
**[Ayaka]: …?"
**[Lumine]: —dog—"
Chat Group:
...
The entire group froze.
The atmosphere shattered instantly.
Even Ayaka needed three seconds to process what just happened.
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