Chapter Text
“Whew.”
Bathed under the flare of the sun, Lumine wiped the heel of her palm against her slick forehead. Natlan’s climate proves to be a challenge, rivaling the Sumeru Desert that just annoyed her beyond what Aether was capable of.
Just one more Archon to go, and maybe, all of her and Paimon’s efforts will bear fruit!
Like these cabbages and carrots she helped Ororon harvest.
“Where are you guys heading to next?” Ororon, walking over with a tray of cold beverages, asked as if on cue.
“Ooh!” Paimon floats closer with sparkling eyes. “Our next destination is supposed to be Snezhnaya, but a friend of ours sent someone to give us a message. So now, we are going to Nod-Krai!”
“Nod-Krai? I heard from Mr. Zhuoxin that it’s a famous place for adventurers, since it has a couple of otherworldly places that you won’t see from anywhere else.” The young man placed the now empty tray on a log, “Is this friend of yours also there?”
Lumine takes a sip from the straw, her exhausted face mellowing. “Yep. He’s from the first nation we’ve set foot on, which is Mondstadt.”
“Oh! Now that I’ve thought about it, didn’t Venti also asked us to look for someone? A pale man with yellow eyes!” The white-haired pixie reminds her after obnoxiously sipping her drink.
Lumine’s eyebrows went up to her hairline at Paimon’s words, her eyes going wide and drink spilling from the rim. “Oh shit, he did! It almost slipped out of my mind!”
“Granny will scold you if she heard you say that.” Ororon, bless him, just shook his head and thinks nothing of their topic.
…
“What kind of god is the Tsaritsa?” Lumine, with her golden gaze drawn to the patch of grass, asked as part question and her own musing.
“Ah…” The bard before her smiled, but his grin was held back with something deeper than he’d like to admit. “How should I put this?”
Venti summoned his lyre, his fingers delicately plucking the strings. “Five hundred years ago, I knew her well. But I can’t say the same is true now. After a certain catastrophe, she cut off all ties with me.
“She perhaps did it out of grief. And with how things went with her parents, isolation was the best choice for her.”
Lumine folded her arms to her chest, “Archons can have parents?”
“Hahaha! Not all of us, of course! The Tsaritsa’s case was just unique!”
“Then… Are her parents still alive?” Now hesitant, Lumine uncrossed her arms, suddenly unsure of what to do with them.
Venti’s expression, somber and lacking their brightness, shook his head. “Only one is alive, but even I can only keep my hopes up for him. And if the time comes that you set foot in Nod-Krai, can you check on him for me? He has eyes with the color of two waning suns, and long, dark blue hair. You’ll probably recognize him. He’s the Queen Mother, after all.”
…
That wasn’t the most reassuring description Lumine could ever demand out of Venti’s mouth, though.
When she asked Zhongli about it, the retired Archon first shook his head before sighing.
“I cannot say for certain that you will be able to find him that easily, as time can change even gods. As for where he is, I apologize once more.” And that was all she could gather from him.
However, when Lumine interrogated Childe at Inazuma, the young man gave them a weird look and said:
“Uhh… The Queen Mother? Why are you asking about the Tsarina? Are you looking for a swift death right now, Traveler? Nah, I’m kidding! Truth is, no one really talks about the Tsarina blatantly without getting a slap on the wrist! So, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you guys!”
That damn carrot… he and Zhongli both.
Now walking next to Ineffa who’s carrying five stacks of heavy crates, Lumine is already itching to ask. If what she has assessed on Ineffa is true, her data bank surely has someone of that description, right? They can’t really just dive down blindly and start ramming through Nod-Krai in search of someone that involved.
“Hey, Ineffa?”
The ship they are on continues to drift undisturbed, the current rolling in small swells. It doesn’t take Ineffa another minute to answer with an elegant and mechanical bow.
“How can I assist you today, Traveler?” The robot’s eyes gleamed, locking with Lumine’s smoothly.
Paimon bobbed on thin air, “We were just wondering if you know someone that a friend of ours is looking for.”
Without wasting a tick of the clock, Ineffa opened her mouth. “Please state the description of this person and I’ll try to search through my stored data.”
The blonde watched as Paimon’s small face scrunched up in contemplation. “Long, blue hair… eyes that uhm- yellow but kind of not? He’s also called ‘Queen Mother’ which really didn’t make any sense to Paimon.”
“Someone close to the Tsaritsa!” Lumine snapped her fingers. “He’s probably kind, too. Supposedly not in the land of the living, but we aren’t sure.”
That familiar gleam in Ineffa’s eyes returned, her blank face suggesting the robot collecting and analyzing what Lumine and Paimon provided.
“One individual has appeared in my search result. His real name is not well known, but has been mentioned several times five hundred years ago and prior.” Ineffa moved, shifting to better face them on a moving ship. “Accessing data… Access denied. Insufficient permission from Mr. Flins.”
“Who’s Flins?”
“What?! How?” Paimon, being the loudest, darted to the robot. “Well- uh… Is he at least alive?”
Ineffa only stares at her. “Insufficient permission.”
Grabbing Paimon like a huffing stuffed toy, Lumine crowds Ineffa with haste. “Who’s Flins? Why do we need permission from him to know more about this person?”
“To answer your question, Mr. Flins is a ratnik from a faction called the Lightkeepers. His explicit permission is required for this sensitive information as the main contributor.”
“How is he the main contributor? Does that mean he’s some sort of consultant? A history nerd? Someone who lived for so long that is now disguising himself as a humble mortal?” Why does this feel so familiar?
It’s as if Zhongli donned a new identity just to mess with them! But he probably won’t, since that old lizard won’t leave a certain Snezhnayan alone even if it cost him his own life.
“I have no comments to offer.” Said Ineffa with a cold core for a heart.
Since she knows Varka can wait if he went to a long-ass Expedition for something important, might as well play the part of an alien-tourist—Lumine thought, a beat before they stepped out of the boat.
She watched as Paimon’s eyes went to place after place, stall after stall until they’re standing at a balcony of sorts.
“Wow,” Paimon inevitably pulls Lumine out of her thoughts. “Nasha Town actually looks pretty big from here! Feels a bit different than what Paimon imagined, though…”
Sweeping her gaze across the scenery, Lumine can somewhat agree. If Nod-Krai was described as an adventurer’s paradise, then shouldn’t there be breath-taking and mind-boggling things to find? The place looks built on hardship and years of hard-won victories—where not a speck of luxury could be seen.
When Ineffa asked Paimon which part deviated from her expectations, the latter said exactly what was occupying Lumine’s mind. A picture-perfect paradise.
Ineffa listened at first, before turning to glance at the whole of Nasha Town, her gaze looking past the view.
The robot mindfully speaks, “It was paradise. Where even Legend says that the enigmatic Lantern Fae, a Tale still told today, has done a lot of good deeds for Nod-Krai to keep it that way. The Frostmoon Scions—an indigenous group at Hiisi Island—even holds records of their contribution, especially the Lightkeepers who revere the legendary figure.
“The Lightkeepers’ nightly lantern patrols are also a tribute to their memory, for helping the Torchforger and many others. But then…”
“Then?” Paimon tucks her hands to her back, head tilting with intrigue. “What happened next?”
Ineffa’s eyes made a subtle glow, which Lumine recognized as the same one that made her say ‘Access denied’.
Could it be connected to the Queen Mother? She anticipates.
Before Lumine’s theory could be tested, Ineffa blinked and opened her mouth. “After exhausting all of their powers, the Lantern Fae extinguished their light. The Abyss was given the chance to engulf the land they cherished in darkness. Nowadays, the term ‘paradise’ is more of an aspiration—or a bitter irony.”
“Oh…” The pixie deflates, and what was left of her hope of hearing a good ending was like a splash of Dragonspine-cold water.
“Today, no official authority governs Nod-Krai.” Ineffa continues, as if consoling Paimon. “Even if beliefs of the Queen Mother’s presence here is widely accepted, it is still a place a person can do as they wish, like living in a fairytale.”
“The Queen Mother…” Lumine whispered in wonder. So, they are on the right track.
Is that enough confirmation that the Queen Mother is alive, though?
“Oh, he’s… injured?! What?! The Grand-” Lumine was quick to cover Paimon’s mouth, preventing her from doing a full outcry.
Lumine threw the tavern owner a sheepish smile, “Excuse me- but can you clarify that? How? Did he leave anything? Told you anything?”
The robot on their side was quiet, while the man from the counter scratched his nape.
“It’s not really public knowledge that he’s injured, I was just informed by Jahoda specifically.” He replied with a tone that suggested he isn’t certain. “She instructed me to rely it on Ineffa once she returned.”
That’s actually understandable, since if a lot of people knew about the Grandmaster of Mondstadt being mortally injured, it would only spread doubt and fear among the public. Lumine gave Ineffa a cautious glance, finding the robot in her usual blank state.
“Mr. Demyan, is there any update of Mr. Flins’ condition? Was he seen walking around?” Ineffa searched the man, eyes shifting here and there.
Demyan, who’s currently stricken with a more honest uneasiness, has him stopping his practiced wiping of the glass.
“Ah… the Lightkeepers are keeping his state private, and I’m pretty sure the Curatorium of Secrets is handling the fall-out.” Then, leaning closer and waving them with a hand, Demyan lowered his volume. “I also saw a Harbinger around Nasha Town recently, and she seemed to be in contact with the Curatorium. ‘Guess the Fatui is also in on it.”
“The Fatui?” Paimon gasped, hands covering her mouth as she slightly retreated. “How could that be?! I mean, not all Harbingers are cruel cruel- but still… how much is the damage if even the Fatui is involved?”
“In my opinion,” Demyan whispered with knitted eyebrows. “The Fatui is only involved because of the Queen Mother—which supported the rumors about her that had been circulating since I was a kid. They’re just there, careful and not doing anything else other than minding their own stuff.”
Fatui just being there and not doing anything. It sounds as absurd as Paimon ignoring free food to Lumine’s ears. Out of all the possibilities, this isn’t what she expected most—didn’t even think of something to this scale at all.
Varka injured, the Fatui being unusually active and not…harmless, and then a Harbinger walking around carrying out tasks.
“Traveler.” Ineffa’s voice thankfully dragged her out of her thoughts, “Can I invite you and Paimon to join me on a visit to the Curatorium?”
Lumine was quick to nod her head, sensing something she doesn’t like; ozone, before a storm. She wouldn’t admit to anyone how it made her skin crawl, because the fact that the Grandmaster of Mondstadt is mortally wounded meant that whatever is inside Nod-Krai must be stronger than what Lumine has ever faced.
But before they could step out of the Flagship—which contained almost up to five patrons for the one and only tavern—the pair of doors was opened to spit out a blur of pink and yellow.
The blob of pink practically shoved herself to Ineffa’s arms, while the other almost ran Paimon over, causing the two to release an undignified screech after a dull and violent thud of foreheads knocking.
“Ah! No, no, no! I’m very, very sorry!” The blonde girl exclaimed as she rose to her feet, hands flailing over to Paimon from where she’s was picked up in Lumine’s arms. “I was in a hurry and being a complete idio- Ineffa?! Oh my gosh!”
On the other side, Ineffa is taking the brunt of one very angry kid, watching her flap her long sleeves at the robot repeatedly.
“What took you so long?!” She complained with a few hiccups interrupting her words, “Mr. Flins- he… He hasn’t visited and Uncle Varka-hic.”
Whatever she intended to say, it was shattered into the tears of a child who couldn’t understand how the world just doesn’t go her way. Lumine was mindful enough to leave them be, her face wincing from sympathy of a long-awaited reunion.
Ineffa can only comfort her through the gentle cradling of her arms, carrying the girl and embracing her without saying another word. It was a heart-warming sight that can make someone yearn for their family member that one haven’t seen in years, and if Lumine hugged the dizzy Paimon tighter in an unconscious response to the pang in her chest, she kept it to herself.
The blonde newcomer silently reached out to guide Ineffa by the back, apparently coming to a conclusion that the tavern is too much of a public space for something deserving privacy. The robot, following the girl’s herding, continued to rub the smaller’s head as her tiny shoulders shook with the weight of worry.
“Hey, uhm… I’m Jahoda, and she’s Aino.” The blonde mumbled as they walked, the stuffy air of the Flagship vanishing behind them. “Heading to the Curatorium, yeah?”
After recovering from their collision, Paimon returned to floating. “That’s the first place Ineffa told us when we heard about…”
She consciously takes a peek from her shoulder as she floated closer to Lumine in an effort to anchor herself. “What’s going on anyways?”
Jahoda offered them a shrug with her pointer pressed to her lips. “A lot, but I’ll fill you guys in once we’re alone.”
‘Figures.’ Lumine only had to glance around the place teeming with curious, side-eyeing locals to agree.
The Curatorium, against her expectations, turns out to be pretty decent for what Nasha Town’s environment could afford. Snoozing on the counter from their right is a black-coated cat with golden accessories, whom seem to prefer its comfort rather than bothering to greet them.
“Ashru, is the boss back?” The younger blonde extended a hand with practiced ease and caressed the feline’s head.
It responded with a pleased meow, but Lumine’s gaze was focused on the farthest couch, where a figure made out of pure blue flame appears to be…sitting. It lingers there, with a pair of pale gently upturned crescents that makes it look like it has its eyes closed.
Its form resembled a human’s, regardless of how the tip of its fire danced upward in formless waves.
“H-Hey, Jahoda?” Paimon whispered, head popping from Lumine’s shoulder. “Who- or what is that?”
As if she wasn’t used to seeing it, a shiver climbed its way up to Jahoda’s head as she froze, eyes darting to the figure.
“Huh?! Why is he here?!” Mustering up the courage needed for the confrontation, Jahoda marched towards the flame with fingers closing to fists. “Mr. Wisp! Haha! Sho-shouldn’t you be resting in the room Boss Nef provided?”
From how Ineffa didn’t react to the entity’s presence and instead placed Aino on the first sofa, Lumine tailed after Jahoda. Eventually, the more she got closer, the more details emerged, such as how it- he appears to have either a long scarf or hair.
“Mr. Wisp? …Hello?” When that didn’t get her a reaction, Lumine turned to Jahoda. “Is he supposed to be hidden?”
Jahoda almost rolled her eyes, “No one is supposed to see him. Illuga just dropped him here without so much as an explanation, asking the Curatorium to watch over him for any changes.”
Returning to her observation of Mr. Wisp, Lumine narrowed her eyes and leaned closer, which has Paimon “eek”ing and covering her face from anticipation. There’s nothing really terrifying about him, and she couldn’t sense any malice. If there’s anything to be scared of, it’s the way he looks… eternally burning—as if he can scorch anyone that touched him.
Strangely, the furniture beneath him looks completely fine.
“What if we just talk here. That way, we can keep an eye on him.” She calmly suggests and slightly moved backwards.
“I guess.” Jahoda sighed, slouching in defeat. “Anyways, you’re here because of the knights from Mondstadt if I heard correctly.”
“Grandmaster Varka asked me to escort them to Nod-Krai.” Ineffa answered for Lumine, voice slightly raised to be heard from where she sat.
“Okay, so…” The blonde paused with a hand to her chin, “Something happened near the Fatui’s Design Bureau, but only Boss Nef, the owner of this place, knows about it.”
Taking a seat across from Mr. Wisp, Lumine carefully digests the story as she kept her mouth shut, studying Jahoda’s interesting collection of expressions instead.
“Is the news about the Grandmaster being injured true, then?” Paimon was the one to inquire as she nervously hovered near her companion’s shoulder.
To that, Jahoda shakes her head, her looped braids dangling. “Not sure, but from how the knights are acting all jittery—it must be. Rumors about the Sightless Lightkeeper being missing for a suspicious amount of time is also tied to this and…”
From where she’s standing, Jahoda seemed to think twice with how she didn’t speak for a few, tensed seconds. Lumine was about to assure her to not push herself when the girl opened her mouth, where a flurry of sentences resembled the continuous pattering of the rain.
“And a lot suspects that the Sightless Lightkeeper has fallen, while others think that he’s the one behind the Grandmaster’s injuries after being possessed by the Wild Hunt. And Mr. Wisp, he appeared when the Sightless Lightkeeper vanished—often seen flying around and helping the ratniki from the constant Wild Hunt attacks after the Grandmaster’s situation started spreading.” Her voice changed along with her face, a far-cry from her first chaotic impression. “It has been a month and two weeks, everyone’s confused, and the Wild Hunt is stretching the ratniki thin.”
Both Paimon and Lumine’s eyes almost instantly resembled two pairs of round bulle fruits at the words retreating out of Jahoda’s mouth. There are some unrecognizable terminologies, to which her best travel guide wasn’t able to process in such a fast-paced, information dump.
When a few seconds passed without anyone looking like they’d like to ask or put their own cents, Jahoda came to and glanced back and forth between them.
“Ah, you probably don’t know, but the Sightless Lightkeeper is the code-name for Mr. Flins. A-And the Wild Hunt, you’ll know soon enough!” The girl winced, voice dropping to a flustered whisper.
“Huh…” Paimon hums, fingers on her chin and brows knitting. “So one of them is the truth, while the other a lie—but Paimon thinks it’s neither and that we shouldn’t believe any of them!”
Lumine, half a plan forming in her mind, slowly mumbled. “Where can we find Varka?”
Because there’s no way in Teyvat that he’s incapacitated just like that, right? Surely, a human of Varka’s caliber would take the most brutal of battles anyone has ever seen to…leave him this vulnerable—that’s, of course, if what Mondstadt told him the man is capable of are all true.
Before they arrived in Nod-krai, Lumine was even thinking that things would be much as ‘calm’ as it can be in Teyvat. Now, however…
After leaving Aino and Ineffa to stay and keep an eye on Mr. Wisp, Lumine and Paimon was escorted by Jahoda to a pale-looking island. The Curatorium’s employee was quick on her feet while unconsciously being the second person for today to steal Paimon’s job.
“This is Hisii Island, home to the indigenous group worshipping the Moon Goddess, or otherwise called the Frostmoon Scions.” The blonde provided, although the balance in her tone is off-ish and stiff. “Uhm- I think Ineffa already told you guys about them and the legend stuff, so I won’t bore you with the details.”
“Like the Lantern Fae legend.” Lumine smiled with a nod, “I did wonder how and why the Frostmoon Scions contains records of them. Wouldn’t it make more sense if the Lightkeepers were to have them instead?”
Paimon, flew past them and twirled around, waving her tiny arms. “Maybe because it’s safer? Or maybe this legendary fae is more involved with the Scions than they are with the Lightkeepers?”
“Mhn,” The traveler proceeds to walk, gaze climbing the statue of the Seven—or what resembled one. “Good point, Paimon. Seems like you do qualify as a detective.”
The white-haired pixie squawked something rightfully angry at her jab, and while she did, they can finally steal a glimpse of the Frostmoon Scions’ territory. It turns out to be an encompassing pale land, with silhouettes of hills and what looks like a giant, floating rock at the distance.
They were greeted by people in blue-ish robes, while a couple of reindeers followed their small group of three with their uncanny gazes. An animal thing, Lumine assumes.
But something seemed… Lumine halted, her left foot scraping against the ground in a dull tack. She followed the source of the strange concentration of Cryo and something else, eyes stopping at the structure on their right.
When the Traveler doesn’t respond and instead kept her attention on the place, she blinked several times the moment someone blocked her sight—their shadow enveloping her frame. All she sees now is a lean waist and the person’s chest staring back at her.
“Excuse me.” The same person mumured with a pleasant, feminine voice. “But may I know the purpose of your visit- ah, Miss Jahoda? I did not expect you here, is Nefer doing alright?”
Lumine’s brain stuttered at the impossibility of stepping away to allow the two the space to talk—not when her face grew so hot and every nerves in her system is screaming from the sheer embarrassment of reacting too late.
All she can hear is Jahoda and Paimon taking turns explaining to the woman, their voices becoming static as Lumine does her best to stitch back her focus and search for the same Cryo energy circulating somewhere. Right as she was about to activate her elemental sight, Lumine found herself unconsciously responding to someone with a hum.
“-are the Grandmaster’s guests?” The tall lady softly exclaimed, “I offer my sincerest apologies for disrupting your visit, then. Please, allow me to guide everyone to the place.”
Paimon, replying for her currently distracted companion, lifted her arm and pulled. “C’mon, traveler! Stop gawking and keep moving!”
‘Was that Mr. Wisp?’
There, just above the building, an ominous and umoving presence is gazing back at her. Not warily, but out of the singular, detached intrigue of a creature who has seen many, invariable individuals toppling over themselves for righteousness.
She doesn’t know why the description she made sounds so specific yet fitting.
Lauma, the current Moonchanter as Jahoda introduced, is a lady of tall stature with a pair of antlers. She allows them inside a room where a very alive and blond, huge man is reclining against the gray wall while idly jotting down whatever he’s reading on a leather-bound journal.
While the journal is propped on his thigh, several spread scrolls and stone tablets are lying around the table next to him. His bare torso, which is riddled with scars, has a generous amount of bandages—wrapped specifically around his ribcage and right arm.
So, this is Grandmaster Varka of the Knights of Favonius, the Knight of Boreas that everyone from Mondstadt sang praises for. He looked young, reckless, and—for some reason—glowing.
“Yeah, I know, I know… I have visitors- just give me a moment to uh—be done with this.” His voice sounded rough, too. Scratched and deep. As for who he’s speaking to, Lumine can only stand there and guess.
“Hey!” Paimon, as if she couldn’t wait any longer, practically shouted. “Can you really see us? We’ve been standing here for ten seconds!”
“Hm?” Varka finally turned to face them, his blue eyes landing briefly on each of them. “Ah, Traveler, Paimon! We finally meet at last! Hahaha!”
With a loud laughter, too. Lumine counts, nails rubbing her own nape. She watched as Varka thanked both Jahoda and Lauma before rising from his spot with surprising ease.
He threw a furred, long coat over his shoulders, telling them to meet outside instead. When Lumine and the others walked out, she stole a quick glance at the top of the infirmary, only for her to see nothing else but the boundless, starless sky.
“This is not what I had in mind in terms of proper introductions.” Varka mumbled with a dry laugh, “Things went out of hand and...”
He stopped with his head lowered before moving it up again to gaze towards the moon taking refuge behind the clouds. Lumine whipped her head behind her to look for Lauma and Jahoda, finding them standing just a few steps away.
“I take it that you have questions?”
Lumine nodded even if the man can’t see it, “A lot, actually.”
“How about,” Paimon sing-songs. “We start with how you ended up like that? Look at you, no different from a mummy!”
“Have you even seen a mummy before?” The traveler raised an eyebrow at Paimon, whom gave her a small grin. Glancing back to Varka, Lumine fixed her own demeanor to a serious one. “Venti also has a little assignment for us that started way back, and I’d like your help on that.”
Varka released another weak yet rough chuckle, head shaking before facing them halfway. “Kind of a long story, honestly.” He shrugged.
“Then start talking, man.” Lumine shrugged back, hands still on her hips. “We have all day.”
It doesn’t take long for them to catch up on each other’s situation, and to summarize it in Paimon’s way: The Queen Mother is alive, secondly, one of the Five Sinner, Rerir, is hunting down the former—while Varka and the others are preventing shit from hitting the fan.
In other words, they are keeping Rerir from getting what he wants while protecting the Queen Mother from this Sinner. Lumine has heard of the five individuals that accepted the Abyss from Dainsleif back in Sumeru, but to face another after The Visionary?
Wait, pause. They have never encountered another Sinner since The Visionary, and with how Vedrfolnir could foresee the future from what he did in Fontaine... what they are capable of must be something else.
‘This is kind of overwhelming.’ Lumine pursed her lips while carefully piecing together the information she’s given.
“...How were you injured, then? Was it because of Rerir?” The blonde looked up to Varka, who seemed unsurprised by her question.
His face, it’s as if it’s taking a lot for him to admit. The contemplative silence that ensued formed a thick atmosphere that just made Varka’s incoming answer feel heavy on their backs, like a confession that unraveled only the detriment that plagued others.
“No, not really.” He lifts a bandaged arm, rolling his wrist for display. “I was keeping something important safe, and he was onto me once he realized both of us—a friend of mine—was keeping it safe. That friend wasn’t exactly the one in control, so, during a critical moment, I was on his way.”
Varka avoided their expectant eyes by keeping his own on a peculiar pebble, his lips curving downward with his jaw locked tight. Another hushed moment passed, before the man drew a deep breath and exhaled the following words:
“We were so close to losing someone.”
“Losing someone...?” Lumine parroted, “Why? Who was it?”
“I gambled.” Varka replied, tone subtle as he chuckled without any merriment in it. “I lost, along with the chance to incapacitate Rerir and instead got myself bedridden for a few days.”
Lumine waited for her second question to be answered, and as she continued to subject Varka in her scrutiny, she realized that he avoided it on purpose. Pedalling backwards mentally, she thinks of another different thing to ask if she can’t drag a name out of him.
“I sensed Cryo before we crossed the room you were in. Was it the Queen Mother?”
“Oh, you’d be surprised, Traveler.” Varka casually smirked, his previous somber expression vanishing without a trace. “It’s not the Queen Mother, goodness no. But none other than ol’ Boreas, of course!”
“Boreas?!” Paimon flew higher above their heads, before lowering herself to Varka’s eye-level. “Like, Andrius from Wolvendom?!”
“No, no.” He waves a hand with an amused shake of his head. “They’re quite different, and you’ll see him soon once I- uh... Stop borrowing from him.”
Borrowing. Whatever it is that Varka’s borrowing from Boreas for the wolf to not appear, it must be taking quite a toll.
When it’s Varka’s turn to dig for intel, Lumine already had an inkling on what the blond would be dying to know.
“So, what has our local bard tasked you both with?”
She almost thought that Varka was in the know of Barbatos’ concerns and connections, but it seems like she’s wrong. But still, Lumine is inclined to tell him as she crossed her arms.
“The Queen Mother, he wants to check in on an old friend.”
But from how Lauma’s eyes widened, Lumine winced with her lips in a thin and tensed line. ‘She’s the leader of the Scions, so it must be alright.’ Is what she attempts to reason with.
And from how much Varka’s grin went wider, the man is practically trying not to laugh at her! Paimon, not aware of her surrounding, was overjoyed to be the one to provide Varka this information.
“Venti said to look for him by appearance wise. Like, how he has a pair of... what was it? Two uhh- yawning suns? But they must be pretty! And- and a long hair of blue!” Holding her head as if it’s heavy from too much thoughts, Paimon’s face scrunched again. “Ugh! It was a long time ago! Paimon can’t remember what he told us!”
While Lumine was too flabbergasted by what Paimon just revealed, Varka was too entertained for his own good, his laughter possibly reaching the peak of the mountains and disturbing someone’s sleep. On the other side, the Moonchanter has lost all of her color, while Jahoda was stammering out of sheer astonishment.
“Huh?” Paimon looks around, eyeing both Jahoda and Lauma’s weird expressions. “What’s wrong?”
“Is- is that true?” Lauma placed a hand to her chest, eyes casting downward as she breathlessly gasped. “By the Moon Goddess’ grace...”
Wanting to salvage the damage Paimon has done, Lumine waved both of her hands in the air to catch Lauma’s attention. “Nononononono! I-It’s one of the Queen Mother’s appearances! She take- no, she has plenty of vessels! That can’t possibly be the only one, right???”
‘Am I seriously just misgendering him at this point?!’ Mentally, Lumine is already tearing her hair off and shoving Paimon to a Paimon-shape hole on the ground. ‘No, this is someone—a god’s—identity we’re butchering!!!’
To whatever god can hear her, Lumine prays that the person they just outed would be merciful enough to forgive them.