Collei had already dispelled her magical girl transformation.
She now knelt on her bed, holding the Hairpin of Darkness between her palms, infusing it with divine energy through prayer.
Now that she was a devout believer, the charging process went much faster.
Then, suddenly, the phone beside her bed rang—playing Mr. Xia's song.
Collei opened her eyes, glanced at the caller ID, and quickly answered.
"Hello? Lady Lesser Lord Kusanali?"
"Collei, return to Gandharva Ville immediately."
"Huh?"
"The Traveler is currently resting there. Once you arrive, find her and invite her to join your investigation."
"Lady Lesser Lord Kusanali… I'm not very good at talking. I might not be able to convince her…"
"She came to Sumeru precisely to meet me. Tell her that once this incident is resolved, you'll take her to see me personally. She'll agree."
"…Understood, Lady Lesser Lord Kusanali."
"Be careful on the way."
"Yes, ma'am."
Collei hung up, glancing at her nearly fully charged Hairpin of Darkness.
She thought for a moment, then resumed her prayer.
No rush.
After all, Gandharva Ville was quite far from here.
She'd need her transformed powers to travel quickly anyway.
---
Gandharva Ville.
Inside a modest wooden treehouse, a blonde-haired girl sat propped up on a bed, one hand pressed to her forehead, her expression faintly weary.
Her eyes gleamed gold, and in her hair—near the crown—were two luminous Intivat flowers, their white centers glowing softly. By her ears hung small feathered ornaments.
Floating beside the bed was a tiny, mysterious creature—a small, fairy-like girl with short white hair, a dark blue cloak patterned like a starry sky, and a golden halo hovering above her head.
The Traveler, Lumine.
And her partner, Paimon.
"Hey, are you okay, Traveler?"
Paimon flitted from left to right, worry etched on her tiny face.
"You look awful!"
Lumine forced a faint smile. "I'm fine, Paimon. Don't worry."
"Are you sure? You don't feel sick anywhere?"
Lumine thought for a moment. "My mouth tastes really bitter…"
"Oh, that's the medicine Tighnari made!" Paimon said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "He fed you some while you were unconscious."
"No wonder…"
"It worked, though! You woke up not long after he gave it to you. Oh—right! Tighnari said you'd need to take another dose once you woke up. But then Haypasia came to question us and I totally forgot! Wait here, Traveler, I'll go get him!"
And just like that, Paimon zipped out of the room.
Lumine watched the door close and grimaced slightly. The bitter taste still lingered on her tongue, and she wasn't exactly thrilled at the thought of another dose.
But for her health's sake, she'd have to endure it.
Still… what had caused her to faint in the first place?
Haypasia had said she'd been meditating in the forest using incense from a plant to calm her mind.
Tighnari explained that while harmless for most, the scent could overstimulate a small number of people. Apparently, Lumine was one of them.
But could it really be that simple?
And that dream—
the red sky, the enormous tree reaching to the heavens…
When she told Haypasia and Tighnari about it, both of their expressions had shifted slightly.
They clearly knew something, but neither intended to tell her or Paimon.
Were they hiding something?
Tighnari had said the incense caused severe hallucinations, and that her current mental state was unstable—she needed to stay in Gandharva Ville for observation.
But was it really a hallucination?
That crimson sky… it looked eerily like the one over Khaenri'ah—
a world on fire.
Lumine rubbed her temple, feeling her thoughts spiral.
Just then, voices came from outside.
Moments later, Paimon and Tighnari entered.
Carrying a bowl of steaming medicine, Tighnari said, "Here you go. Drink this."
Lumine hesitated briefly before taking it and downing it in one go.
So bitter.
She grimaced, setting the bowl down—but her mind felt noticeably clearer afterward.
"Good," Tighnari said, collecting the empty bowl. "Now lie down and rest."
"Um, Mr. Tighnari," Lumine asked, "how long do I need to stay here for observation?"
"I initially thought another bowl would have you ready to leave," he said, studying her expression, "but your hallucinations seem stronger than expected. Hard to say for now."
Lumine straightened. "Mr. Tighnari, I swear—what I saw wasn't a hallucination."
Tighnari sighed. "Everyone who eats the wrong mushroom insists their dancing little men are real. But trust me—they're not. Still, if you want proof, smell this."
He pulled a small sachet from his pocket and held it out to her.
A strong scent wafted out.
Lumine's vision blurred, her body swaying slightly.
"Ugh—!"
"Whoa! Are you okay?!" Paimon cried in alarm.
Tighnari quickly pulled the sachet away. "That feeling—it's the same as when you fainted, isn't it?"
Lumine pressed a hand to her forehead and nodded faintly.
"Many rainforest plants release similar fragrances," Tighnari explained. "Even if you seem lucid now, if you leave too soon, you might collapse again somewhere unsafe. The jungle is full of beasts and hazardous terrain. You might not be as lucky next time."
"That sounds scary…" Paimon murmured.
"So," Tighnari continued, looking at Lumine, "take your medicine daily and don't wander off alone until your body adapts to the scent. Understand?"
Lumine paused, then nodded. "Alright… Thank you. Sorry to trouble you and the others."
"It's no trouble," he said, shaking his head. "Just rest. Someone outside ate bad mushrooms; I need to prepare their remedy. If only Collei were here to help…"
He left, bowl in hand.
Collei?
Lumine blinked toward the door.
That name… sounded familiar.
She was sure she'd heard it somewhere before—but couldn't quite recall where.
Maybe it was the lingering fog in her mind.
Where had she—?
Paimon fluttered around the bed, sighing.
"Ugh, what a mess. We just got to Sumeru and already something like this happens…"
"Traveler, I know you're eager to meet Lesser Lord Kusanali, but you really should focus on getting better first."
"…Hey! Are you even listening to me? I'm worried about you!"
Lumine blinked back to awareness and looked at her. "Sorry, Paimon. I was thinking."
"About what?"
"Tighnari mentioned someone named Collei. I feel like I've heard that name before, but I can't remember where. Do you?"
"Collei?" Paimon tapped her chin. "Hmm… actually, yeah, it does sound familiar… Collei… Collei…"
She thought hard for a moment—then suddenly clapped her hands.
"I remember now, Traveler! Back in Mondstadt! Amber told us about her! She said Collei was one of her best friends—and that she'd introduce us someday!"
"So that's it…"
"Wow, it's been ages. I kinda miss Amber now. I bet Mondstadt's Windblume Festival was super lively this year."
"Sorry, Paimon…"
"It's fine! You've got more important things to do. Besides, the Windblume Festival happens every year! And I heard Sumeru's Sabzeruz Festival is really lively too!"
"That's still a few months away."
"It'll fly by before you know it!"
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