Paimon scratched her head, her round little face scrunched in confusion. "Knowledge… is a resource too?"
Her big, expressive eyes blinked rapidly, clearly trying to make sense of this unfamiliar concept.
Yae Miko gave a slight nod, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.
A gentle breeze stirred her silken hair, strands glinting with a faint violet sheen in the sunlight. Her eyes shimmered with untold secrets, pulling others in with the allure of the unknown.
"Hmm… I wonder whether this decision was made by those 'Sages'… or by the Lesser Lord Kusanali~."
Her voice rang like silver bells, lazy and teasing.
Paimon blinked again, her curiosity practically glowing. "Lesser Lord Kusanali? What an adorable name~" she chirped with genuine interest.
Yae Miko blinked in mild surprise, then brought a hand to her mouth in a graceful gesture, as if she had just discovered something amusing.
Elegant and charming, she could enchant with the slightest movement.
"Oh? So you two don't know yet. The Lesser Lord Kusanali is the god worshiped in Sumeru—just a beloved nickname used by its people."
"I'm guessing you've got a few questions you're hoping to ask Her too. Best of luck~"
Her words carried both blessing and expectation, as though cheering Lumine and Paimon on in their journey.
Then, as if remembering something, Yae Miko reached into her robes and retrieved several items.
Her movements were gentle and reverent, like handling rare treasures.
"Oh right, Traveler, here's the omamori I promised. One for Paimon too, and one for Shajin~"
Lumine and Paimon beamed as they accepted the charms, joy lighting up their faces.
Lumine's golden hair shimmered under the sun, her eyes brimming with gratitude.
"Thank you, Miko. We'll take good care of them."
Her voice was clear and resolute, full of sincerity and determination.
Yae Miko dabbed at the corner of her eye, mock-dramatic.
"Take good care? That's it? I was hoping you'd wear it proudly on your chest and boast to everyone, 'This was given to me by the beautiful and wise Lady Yae Miko herself!'"
Her teasing tone drew a laugh.
Nearby, Shajin examined his omamori with a skeptical frown.
"Hey, little fox… you're not trying to bug me with this thing, are you?"
His eyes narrowed in suspicion, as if scrutinizing a covert device.
Yae Miko averted her gaze slightly, a flicker of guilt slipping through her serene mask.
"Hehehe… of course not. It's just a souvenir, nothing more. Unless…"
Her flustered tone only made the charm's purpose more suspicious.
She glanced sidelong at Shajin, her lips curled with mischief.
"Is our dear Gambler afraid, perhaps?"
Her gaze sparkled with provocation.
Shajin narrowed his eyes but quickly shook his head, calm and unbothered.
"Nice try with the baiting. But thanks anyway."
His voice was steady, filled with self-assurance.
He gently clipped the charm beside his Vision, treating it with care and reverence.
His eyes softened, the gesture holding an air of solemn gratitude.
Yae Miko's expression wavered for a moment. She parted her lips slightly, as if wanting to say something—but ultimately fell silent.
After fastening the omamori, Shajin turned to Lumine.
"Lumine, your fate will likely keep trying to drag you back to your original path. Be extra careful during your time in Sumeru."
Lumine tilted her head, her golden hair catching the light like threads of sunlight.
"You're not going for Sumeru's Gnosis?"
Her voice was tinged with confusion, like a deer lost in the woods.
Shajin shrugged with a faint sigh.
"My colleague in Fontaine's run into some trouble. I need to see what's going on over there."
"So Sumeru's in the hands of the Sixth Harbinger, Scaramouche, and the Second Harbinger, Dottore."
"You've already met Scaramouche—that little puppet's pretty dangerous for you. As for Dottore… let's just say he's a madman obsessed with 'slicing' himself."
His tone turned sour with disdain, leaving a lingering chill around this so-called Dottore.
Lumine scratched the back of her head, clearly lost.
"Slicing… himself?"
In her mind, she couldn't help but imagine a horrifying image of someone carving themselves into pieces. She shuddered.
Shajin twitched at the corner of his mouth. He could guess what the blonde was picturing.
He stepped forward and lightly knocked the back of Lumine's head. "When I say 'slicing,' I don't mean literal dismemberment. It's more like… cloning. He has the power to split different versions of himself from various time periods."
The explanation was simple but clear, offering a first glimpse into Dottore's disturbing ability.
Lumine's eyes lit up with awe, as if discovering a shiny new gadget.
"That sounds super convenient!"
Her tone was filled with admiration, entirely missing the implications.
"Ah!!! Shajin!!!"
Shajin withdrew the fist he was about to use for another bonk, his expression darkening.
"There are… side effects, okay? And the relationship between 'slices' is fragile. If it weren't for one of his prime-era segment holding things together, the Fatui would've descended into civil war by now."
His voice turned serious, underscoring how dangerous this Dottore really was.
Lumine wiped the cold sweat from her brow, glad she didn't have that kind of power.
"Heh… yeah, no thanks. The idea of yourself wanting to kill yourself is terrifying."
His voice trembled with disgust, once again casting a shadow over Dottore's twisted research.
"And Dottore has researched my Imaginary element. I don't know what he found, but… better stay alert."
Lumine just waved it off casually, her golden hair fluttering in the wind.
"But you'll be there, right?"
Her tone was filled with trust and reliance—genuine and kind.
Shajin spread his hands, a wry smile on his face.
"Sadly, I probably won't be part of your Sumeru journey this time~"
_
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