A chat group linking countless parallel dimensions was, without question, a miracle—one that blurred the line between science and magic.
Still, the group wasn't that large—barely a dozen members.
Once everyone got familiar with each other, the chat's atmosphere shifted.
It wasn't as noisy as before, but it felt natural, cozy even.
The awkward distance of strangers had long faded.
Almost all the members were chaotic memes incarnate—"infected by the pathogen," so to speak—but each of them had their own "main storyline" to handle in their own world.
Everyone was busy.
Sometimes the group went quiet for hours. But today?
Nagami's unexpected message set it on fire.
There was drama. There was gossip.
Time to grab popcorn.
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[Shiraori]: What?! Nagami and Lumine are alternate-universe versions of the same person?!
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"These people really are a bunch of busybodies…"
Nagami sighed as message notifications flooded in faster than he could blink.
In seconds, the unread count had hit 999+.
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[Nagami]: Ahem. Everyone, calm down for a sec. I'll explain briefly. What we call 'alternate versions' or 'counterparts' are technically known as High-Dimensional Projection Entities Across the Multiverse."
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The moment that string of academic jargon and formulas appeared in the chat, everyone froze.
Even in a group of geniuses, that was too much. Two whole seconds of stunned silence followed.
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[Hakurei Reimu]: Sensei! Please stop, Sensei!
[Kiana Kaslana]: …
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Kiana inhaled sharply, leaned back in mock shock, her mind spinning.
Wait—did that mean Lumine was also… her sister-in-law?
Curiosity piqued, she clicked open the "Genshin Info Pack" Nagami had uploaded and scrolled through a collection of Lumine's photos.
Okay, not gonna lie… that was totally acceptable.
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[Akemi Homura]: I have no idea what you just said, but it sounded super impressive.
[Aether]: No wonder those two always act in sync… I knew something was up.
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Even if most people couldn't understand Nagami's explanation, a few sharp minds did.
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[Blank @Shiro]: Basically, Nagami-nii and Lumine's souls are one object existing in a higher-dimensional space.
What we see in each universe is just that same object's shadow cast onto different 'planes.'
Each plane is a universe, and each shadow is a version of their soul.
Because a soul exists across dimensions, it's not bound to linear space—it's extended.
So, the connection between the 'object' and its 'projections' isn't like what ordinary people can imagine.
[Blank @Sora]: So in conclusion—alternate versions are, in essence, the same person.
[Nagami]: Perfectly explained. For people in this dimension, that's about as close to perfect as it gets.
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As expected from the blank who could defeat God on chess.
Without her unique eyes, even Nagami admitted he might not have understood that logic at all when they first met.
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[Hakurei Reimu]: Ahem… Okay, you can stop now. I totally get it.
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Truth be told, she didn't understand a single word.
But in Gensokyo, even the fairies probably got the gist by now.
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[Hakurei Reimu]: But what does any of this have to do with me helping you… negotiate with that old—cough, I mean, with Yukari?
[Nagami]: Lumine will bring… one ton of gold bars.
[Hakurei Reimu withdrew a message]
[Hakurei Reimu]: Nagami! How could you be so formal with me?!
We're all family here—closer than blood!
And as the group admin, you're basically our brother—no, our father figure!
As your dear daughter, how could I possibly say no to helping you out?
Don't you trust the Hakurei shrine maiden?!
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Her righteous tone practically radiated holy light.
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[Itsuka Kotori]: Don't drag the rest of us into your shamelessness, you hypocrite!
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In seconds, a flood of members who'd been quietly lurking popped up to roast Reimu's overflowing moral flexibility.
"Daughter, huh…?" Nagami chuckled.
He wouldn't even be surprised if Reimu actually called him Dad one day.
When it came to ethics, one thing was certain—if you paid well enough, Reimu's shame had a price tag.
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[Nagami]: You're right, it's my fault for hurting my precious daughter's heart. Tell you what—Lumine will bring two tons of gold instead.
[Shiraori]: ???
[Hakurei Reimu]: You could never be wrong, Father— NO Daddy!
Everything was my fault!
Don't worry, Daddy~ I'll personally drag Yukari—Mommy—here if I have to!"
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Since it was already established that Nagami and Lumine were the same person, it made sense for Lumine to call him "Mom," right?
Right…?
"Hmm-hmm~♫"
The crisp sound of crystal heels tapping on the floor echoed lightly.
Lumine, lips curved in a shy smile, happily skipped over to the soft couch in the entertainment room.
Flopping down lazily, she opened a notebook she'd just found on the shelf. A faint blush dusted her pale cheeks.
Her golden eyes scanned Reimu's latest messages, and she blinked blankly, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.
The little ahoge on her head bobbed up and down as more and more messages filled the group chat.
Then she shook her head firmly, closing the chat window altogether.
Her thoughts were complicated.
"Does this… count as me being… cheated on?"
The young lady was lost in a train of thought so deep it could rival life's ultimate questions.
Meanwhile, Nagami had casually conjured up several tons of gold and gems, tossing them into one of the villa's rooms.
Standing there for a moment, he hesitated as though contemplating something.
Slowly lifting his head, he broke into a radiant, sun-bright smile.
His eyes gleamed with something unreadable.
"W–Why are you looking at me like that?!"
An alarm rang in Paimon's head. She instinctively floated away from Nagami, scanning the area for any sign of Lumine.
Help! Traveler!
Your emergency ration is about to be eaten!
"Relax, little Paimon," Nagami said warmly.
But to Paimon, that gentle smile looked more like the grin of a suspicious uncle trying to lure a kid with candy.
"Don't look at me like that. Even if I did eat you, I wouldn't eat you raw," Nagami added with mock innocence.
His kindly tone didn't calm Paimon at all; she drifted back another meter, choosing action over words.
Nagami kept his smile, still watching her intently. "How about coming with me to another room? There's something really good inside."
"Hmm?" Paimon, who'd been ready to scream for help, blinked in surprise. "What room?"
"There's a special snack room I built in this villa," Nagami explained with a spring-breeze smile. "All kinds of delicious treats inside. Want to try?"
"Delicious treats!?"
"That's right. Snacks from other worlds you've never even tasted before."
"Otherworldly snacks!?"
Paimon's mouth watered; she wiped at the corner of her lips but still shook her head. "No way you're this nice."
If someone could be Lumine's companion, they had to be at least a little sketchy.
There's no way he was suddenly this generous, right?
Paimon was smart!
"It's my way of thanking you for taking care of Lumine all this time," Nagami said, his words sounding sincere.
The justification was barely enough for Paimon to accept.
She tapped her chin, thought for a moment, then decided that good food was more important.
"Alright! Thanks, Nagami! As I thought you're a nice person!"
She completely forgot how not long ago he'd joked about steaming her.
Nagami led Paimon to a more secluded part of the villa.
As the door closed softly behind them, his face was briefly shrouded in shadows that hinted at something chilling.
Paimon, of course, didn't see it.
"This is paradise!"
Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the rows upon rows of snacks, desserts, and cakes.
Her delicate little face was filled with bliss.
"Nagami… huh? Nagami? Where'd you go?"
Sniffing the rich scent in the air, Paimon decided to ignore his disappearance for now. Food first, questions later!
Nagami, meanwhile, was already on his way to enjoy a "different kind of delicacy."
Surely no one would seriously think of eating the emergency ration, right?
Nagami's real target had always been Lumine.
He opened a door, and his gaze fell upon the blonde girl sprawled on a large sofa, scrolling through… less-than-wholesome images.
Her translucent blue jacket hung loose, revealing a delicate collarbone and pale curves from Nagami's angle.
Her long, ivory-smooth legs stretched out under the sunlight, gleaming like fresh cream, the knees tinged with a faint blush from the cool breeze.
Her slender, flawless feet dangled lazily in the air.
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[Nagami]: Practicing new poses, are we?
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Nagami flopped down beside the golden-haired girl, squeezing his head next to hers to peek at her screen.
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[Lumine]: "…"
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The blonde fought to keep her expression neutral, her amber eyes darting to the black-haired boy's face.
She batted her long lashes, tilting her head coyly.
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[Lumine]: ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
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"Huh? Wha—"
Nagami's eyes widened in shock as Lumine, soft and supple, suddenly curled into his arms, hugging him tightly.
Maybe he'd been too straightforward lately, because Lumine had clearly learned how to play this dangerous game herself.
This golden-haired "grandma" had always been shameless, but only because she was new to these kinds of feelings.
Once she got used to it… in the world of teasing and seduction, Nagami was the rookie.
And not just a rookie—a rookie's rookie.
As for what Lumine actually whispered?
Well, let's just say the degenerates reading along probably have a good idea.
Lumine admired Nagami's stunned expression with a tiny, satisfied smirk.
She lifted her delicate hands onto his shoulders, tilted her head back slightly, and kissed him.
…
Meanwhile, somewhere else:
"You're not leaving until you pay your bill!"
The teahouse owner slammed his hand on the table, glaring at the two freeloaders trying to skip out.
"This isn't an attempt to dodge payment," said Zhongli calmly, his posture refined despite the onlookers' whispers. "Please, just send the bill to the Northland Bank."
"Sorry, house policy," the owner said, folding his arms. "No tabs, no exceptions."
He eyed the two well-dressed men who clearly didn't look broke but still kept his stance.
"Hey, hey~ haven't you been here before?" Venti whispered, cupping a hand to Zhongli's ear.
"No."
His tone was perfectly confident. Real-world Liyue was far larger than the game, and naturally there were many teahouses.
"If you're wandering the mortal world, you must try them all," he said serenely.
Venti slumped over the wooden table, staring longingly at the door.
'Nagami, Lumine… please hurry back!'