"News about your brother…"
Taro rubbed his chin. "I don't know what kind of poisonous pep talk Khaenri'ah poured into your brother's ears."
"They actually had him first downgrade himself, just so he could shoulder Khaenri'ah's fate."
"And then, by having him absorb the Abyss, they completed his 'promotion'."
"Right now, he's the Prince of the Abyss."
"He commands the Abyss, plans to overturn the Heavenly Throne, and even wants to revive his nation."
"Is that the brother you remember?"
To be honest, this whole operation from Khaenri'ah was downright shameless.
They took advantage of Aether's existence as a Descender.
First they made Aether voluntarily lower himself, forcing him to carry Khaenri'ah's destiny on his back.
Then, using both Aether and the power of the Abyss, they tried to drag Khaenri'ah's entire fate upward along with him.
The goal was to use this method to completely tear Khaenri'ah's fate free from Teyvat's shackles.
He had to admit, the move itself was pretty slick.
If it had worked, they might really have been able to wrestle with the Heavenly Order for real.
Unfortunately, they failed to keep the Abyss under control and ended up dooming themselves.
Not only did Khaenri'ah fail to ride the Abyss the way Nibelungen did, they even let their own homeland get swallowed by it.
They couldn't even manage the power of the Abyss, yet they wanted to skip all the steps and rule it outright?
Even Nibelungen can't fully control the Abyss.
But Khaenri'ah had the guts to try.
If they didn't die, who would?
The textbook definition of "eyes higher than the sky, life as fragile as paper."
"Abyss… Prince…"
Paimon's eyes went wide on the spot.
She even forgot to keep eating the fruit in her hands.
She stared at Lumine in sheer disbelief.
Wait—Lumine's brother is the Prince of the Abyss?
He has the Abyss Order in his hands?
That horrifying non-human monster organization scattered all over Teyvat?
Oh no… does that mean all those awful things were—
"For real?"
"You're not messing with me this time?"
Lumine had already known this wasn't going to be good news.
But when she actually heard it, she still felt like her brain crashed and her heart stopped.
The Prince of the Abyss?
Ruler of the Abyss?
Trying to revive his nation?
Planning to overturn the Heavenly Throne?
If she weren't reasonably sure that Taro probably wouldn't lie to her…
If it were anyone else talking such nonsense right in front of her, Lumine would have slapped them across the face without a second thought.
This was supposed to be her brother?
What utter nonsense was this?
Her brother was such a gentle person—how could he have fallen to the Abyss?
What kind of joke was that!?
We're talking about the Abyss here. The Abyss Order.
Was it really her brother who had been pulling the strings behind the scenes, corrupting Dvalin with the Abyss Order, and directing their monsters to assault Mondstadt?
No wonder… no wonder she'd felt that strange jolt in Stormterror's Lair back then.
She understood. She understood everything now.
Her brother had definitely been in Stormterror's Lair at that moment too, right?
Why didn't he come see her?
Why did he do all of this?
Khaenri'ah. Khaenri'ah. It was Khaenri'ah again.
Just who had the two of them managed to offend?
Why did it feel like everyone in the world lined up to scheme against them?
Had they violated some heavenly taboo?
Did they eat someone's rice for free?
Damn it!
Why had they come to Teyvat in the first place?
Something about having a mission?
Searching for a new home?
That sounded about right.
But now, none of that mattered.
Lumine gave a bitter smile. Suddenly, she didn't feel like moving at all.
Why had she ended up like this?
Why had her brother ended up like that?
This Teyvat really wasn't friendly to outsiders at all. There wasn't even a shred of respect for them.
"Right."
Taro snapped his fingers and asked:
"Are you planning to go back to Mondstadt?"
Back to Mondstadt?
Oh, right. She almost forgot.
There had been a report of someone suspiciously like her brother appearing there.
And her brother had indeed showed up in Stormterror's Lair before.
"Why are you asking?" Lumine lifted her head to look at Taro, listless.
To be honest, she'd learned so much in less than half an hour that her spirits had nearly been crushed.
"It has to do with your brother."
Taro slowly stood up and reminded her:
"The guy mentioned in the Mondstadt intel is the captain of Khaenri'ah's royal guard, the Twilight Sword—Dainsleif."
"He's the other half of your brother's journey. He traveled with your brother through four nations."
"In the end, in Sumeru, because of a certain person from Khaenri'ah, the two of them parted ways."
"That's when your brother joined the Abyss and became the Prince of the Abyss."
"He definitely knows why Aether joined the Abyss."
"You… don't plan to go ask him?"
To be honest, Taro was very curious about that turning point too.
What exactly had Clotar Alberich said to Aether?
What was in that bowl of poisonous pep talk, down to the last word?
Taro was extremely interested.
"Heh…"
Lumine blinked, then suddenly clenched her fists.
"So it's Khaenri'ah again."
"I was actually planning to go take a look, but now I don't feel like it anymore."
That country was truly toxic.
What in the world had happened back then?
The only thing she remembered was that when she woke up, Khaenri'ah was already in ruins.
Her brother hadn't told her anything—he had just single-mindedly tried to take her away from Teyvat…
Every last problem traced back to Khaenri'ah.
If she couldn't afford to offend them, couldn't she at least avoid them?
As long as Aether was fine.
As long as she knew he was still alive, that was enough.
"Don't be so absolute."
Taro raised a finger and wagged it.
"If you go this time, you might actually get to see your brother."
"Let's say there's a ninety percent chance."
"I'm not lying to you."
"Ninety percent…"
Lumine sprang to her feet without hesitation.
"Aether will show up in Mondstadt again?"
"Fine, then I'm going!"
Aether was free.
He wasn't imprisoned by any god.
He wasn't sealed away, and he hadn't lost his power…
He'd become the Prince of the Abyss and taken command of the Abyss Order.
So why hadn't he come to find her?
Why hadn't he come face to face with her?
She was going to ask him all those questions properly.
They were siblings.
What could they possibly have that couldn't be said out loud?
"Paimon, are you coming with me?"
Lumine turned and looked at Paimon.
"This time might be dangerous."
"Of course I'm going!"
Paimon immediately dropped her fruit and declared solemnly:
"We're the best of partners. Don't you dare think about leaving me behind!"
"Alright."
Lumine nodded lightly. "I know."
As she finished speaking, Lumine's gaze returned to Taro.
"Thanks for the intel."
"I'm going to ask that guy what the hell is going on."
"And also… forget it. If I manage to come back, I'll talk about it then."
"See you."
After saying goodbye—
Wind swirled around Lumine's body.
She scooped Paimon up in one hand, turned into a streak of motion, and shot off into the distance.
Straight toward the teleport waypoint outside Chihu Rock.
Plans? Rest? Tomorrow?
She didn't want to wait another second.
All she wanted now was to hurry up and see Aether, grab him by the collar, and demand answers at the top of her lungs.
She would ask every single question she had.
He was going to give her answers.
Otherwise, her dear brother was going to have to taste his little sister's furious iron fists.
"She just left like that, huh…"
"Looks like it'll be a long while before we hear the rest of the story."
Watching Lumine vanish toward Chihu Rock, Huoliya stretched lazily and turned back with a smile.
"Boss, is this girl really that miserable?"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Yingda stared at Taro with bright, curious eyes.
"I'm super curious too."
"Sir, why don't you tell us the details?"
"…"
Taro fell silent.
(End of Chapter)
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