The moment the man appeared, Nahida, Alhaitham, and Cyno went on high alert, their faces hardening with suspicion as they stared at the uninvited guest.
Alhaitham and Cyno couldn't detect anything unusual about him; he seemed like an ordinary person. But the lack of any discernible threat was the greatest threat. After all, he had appeared before them through a spatial portal—a feat mastered by only a handful of beings.
Nahida's perception was far more acute. She sensed an intensely evil and twisted aura emanating from him.
She had already deduced his identity: he was clearly an Abyss Monster in disguise!
An Abyss Monster in Sumeru City? she thought, her heart pounding. Is the Abyss Order planning to attack Sumeru?
The thought sent a fresh wave of anxiety through her.
Meanwhile, Enjou was internally cursing the Electro Abyss Herald eight hundred times over.
Couldn't you have made the coordinates a little less precise? he fumed. I wasn't ready at all!
Enjou glanced at the distance between the portal's opening and Lumine's position—less than ten meters. His eye twitched violently.
Damn it all! he screamed inwardly. Are you trying to get me killed faster?!
"Is this Apostle trying to get me killed?!"
It was hard to believe the Electro Abyss Herald hadn't done this on purpose, but Enjou couldn't recall ever having any conflict with him.
Enjou stared at Lumine, who stood a short distance away with a bizarre expression on her face, and felt like he was about to vomit.
Seeing that Lumine hadn't quite processed the situation yet, Enjou quickly forced a laugh.
"Hey, you all chatting?"
"You're busy, you're busy, I won't disturb you. I'm off now, ha!"
After speaking, Enjou reached out to hold open the Abyss Channel before it could fully close, preparing to make a quick escape.
But the next second, the cold glint of a Dull Blade was pressed against his neck.
Enjou hesitated for only 0.0001 seconds before immediately dropping to his knees.
"I, Enjou, have wandered half my life, lamenting that I never found a worthy master!"
"If you would not cast me aside, I, Enjou, wish to pledge my loyalty to you as my liege!"
Lumine, who had drawn her sword instinctively without even thinking of what to say, was left speechless: "..."
The other three stared, their pupils constricting in shock. He made such a grand entrance, so why did he grovel so quickly?
They tacitly sheathed their weapons, feeling a bit foolish for their own reactions.
Once the initial shock subsided, Lumine immediately began interrogating Enjou, demanding to know why he had appeared in Sumeru City.
"Princess, I came to pledge my allegiance to you!" Enjou replied, his tone almost fawning.
It wasn't that he lacked backbone; the Dull Blade was still pressed against his neck. How could he possibly act tough?
Hearing Enjou address Lumine as "Princess," Nahida and the others couldn't help but glance at her with renewed curiosity.
Lumine grew angry. In her eyes, Enjou was spouting complete nonsense. She tapped his cheek with the flat of her Dull Blade, and his body instantly tensed even further.
"Princess, I'm telling the truth!"
"Ever since you defeated me last time, I've dreamed of your noble figure every night. Not long ago, I finally realized I've been captivated by your unique charm. That's why I brought all my belongings to pledge my allegiance to you today. Please, don't scorn me!"
With that, Enjou showed Lumine everything he had packed.
Seeing that he had indeed brought all his possessions, Lady Nahida was even more stunned. She looked at Lumine with an incredibly complicated expression.
At this point, even Lumine was starting to believe him. After all, who would travel with all their belongings for no reason?
But soon, she shook her head and came to her senses. This guy works for my brother. Why would he suddenly defect to me?
How dare he try to trick me!
Lumine's gaze turned vicious. She once again used her Dull Blade to mercilessly beat Enjou.
"Spill it! Now!"
"If you don't talk, don't blame me for being cruel!"
"Stop hitting me! Ouch, stop!"
"You're going to kill me!"
"I truly came to pledge my allegiance to you, Princess! You have to believe me!"
-
Alhaitham watched the scene unfold with a strange sense of déjà vu. As the Dull Blade rose and fell, his own muscles tensed in sympathy.
After a brutal beating, Enjou finally realized Lumine was trying to force an answer out of him. His composure shattered.
If you have a question, just ask!
Lumine's expression turned odd, her face flushing as she resumed her interrogation of Enjou with another round of blows.
Enjou couldn't take it anymore. He abandoned all pretense and hastily confessed that after losing to Lumine last time, her brother had expelled him from the Abyss Order.
"I served the Abyss Order tirelessly and devotedly, yet this is how I end up!"
As he spoke, his eyes filled with deep confusion and misery. His figure seemed forlorn, like an abandoned little animal.
Seeing Enjou's pitiful state, Lumine couldn't help but feel a profound sense of sympathy... not!
From Enjou's initial reaction upon seeing her, it was clear his appearance here was a complete accident.
Besides, his first instinct had been to flee. There was no way he had come to pledge his allegiance to her.
This guy can't speak a single honest word!
At this thought, Lumine swung the Dull Blade, cracking the air like a whip. The sound made Enjou's scalp tingle with fear.
Enjou retreated two steps, a flicker of retreat in his heart. But he felt something press against his back. He couldn't help but turn, only to see Alhaitham and Cyno standing there, both pointedly looking away.
Damn it! I have no quarrel with you two!
As Lumine's menacing figure loomed larger in his vision, Enjou's mental defenses finally crumbled. He spilled everything in a torrent of words.
"So, you've been resentful ever since you lost to the Traveler last time?" Cyno repeated Enjou's confession.
Hearing this, Lumine drew the Dull Blade again and pressed it against Enjou's neck.
"No! Not at all!" Enjou shrieked. "I accept my defeat! I truly do! Some asshole with no eyes must have spread that rumor about me to the Prince! I've been framed!"
Alhaitham stepped forward. "If your goal was to defeat the Traveler, then your plan is completely exposed."
"You intended to feign allegiance to the Traveler, then strike when she lowered her guard, completing the mission the Abyss Prince assigned you."
At Alhaitham's words, the Dull Blade, which had moved slightly away from Enjou's neck, pressed closer again. This time, Enjou felt a sharp sting.
"No! I never had such an idea!" Enjou protested.
"I know my own limits! The Traveler's strength was already far beyond mine before. Fighting her again now would be suicide!"
"I, Enjou, am not afraid of death, but I fear a meaningless death! The Abyss Order still needs me to shine and contribute... Oh gods, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die..."
Enjou's righteous speech immediately crumbled as the Dull Blade pressed against his neck. He reverted to his true self, begging Lumine for mercy.
Seeing Enjou so utterly spineless, Lumine found it hard to strike him down.
"Traveler, is he really from the Abyss Order?" Nahida asked.
Although Nahida could sense the intense distortion emanating from Enjou, his understanding of the Abyss Order was vastly different from what she knew. Thinking of the fanatical members active across Teyvat, Nahida began to doubt Enjou was truly one of them.
Becoming an Abyss Herald only required a certain level of distortion in one's being; it wasn't exclusive to the Abyss Order. Nahida suspected Enjou might be such a case.
Lumine shook her head helplessly at Nahida. Unfortunately, the pathetic creature before them was indeed a member of the Abyss Order.
No wonder her brother kicked him out of the Abyss Order, Lumine thought. If it were me, I'd expel him too!
Enjou: ?
"Please, Traveler! If you reject me too, I'll truly have nowhere else to go!" Enjou pleaded.
"Just let me join you on your journey! I'm incredibly hardworking and resilient!"
"In winter, I can heat water for your baths! In summer, I can start fires for your barbecues!"
Hearing Enjou's pitch, Nahida and Alhaitham silently turned their heads away, unable to watch the cringeworthy display.
However, Lumine was genuinely tempted!
She realized she did lack a convenient, all-purpose fire starter by her side!
"Just think of me as that little white spirit you have... Hey, where is that little white spirit?"
Enjou suddenly noticed Paimon's absence and his expression stiffened. He looked at Lumine with confusion.
Enjou's question plunged Lumine into silence.
Paimon had fallen from her and been taken away. Guilt flooded Lumine's eyes.
Seeing the self-blame on Lumine's face, Enjou realized he'd said the wrong thing and quickly shut his mouth.
"Traveler, I have an idea," Alhaitham suddenly said to Lumine.
"This time, we can have him go to the Akademiya and deliver the item for us."
"With his Abyss Order identity, he'd attract even less suspicion from Great Sage Azar if he brought the item to the Akademiya than I would."
Lumine considered Alhaitham's words for a moment, then nodded. It was a good idea.
"Wh-what's going on?!"
Enjou suddenly panicked as everyone turned to stare at him like a pack of wolves eyeing a lamb. He hugged himself tightly, biting his lip, looking utterly weak, pitiful, and helpless.
"Nothing much," Cyno said to Enjou. "Your 'Princess' just has a little task for you."
"Didn't you say you came to pledge your loyalty to the Traveler? Now's your chance to prove it."
Hearing this, Enjou's panic intensified.
A task that even Lumine finds troublesome? If I take it on, I'll probably end up dead!
"I think... I came at a really bad time..." Enjou whimpered, looking like he was about to burst into tears.
"No," the group replied in unison, their spirits lifting. "You came at the perfect time!"
The original plan had been fraught with uncertainty. Alhaitham couldn't guarantee that after they feigned capture, Great Sage Azar wouldn't resort to extreme measures.
If Azar turned out to be a psychopath who didn't play by the rules, they would be completely powerless to resist.
But now that Enjou had suddenly appeared, it was perfect. As a member of the Abyss Order, they wouldn't feel the slightest bit guilty even if something unexpected happened to him.
After all, the Abyss Order was universally despised across Teyvat. If it weren't for the fact that Lumine and Enjou seemed to be on relatively good terms, the group would have already eliminated this scourge from the continent.
As for whether Enjou would cooperate... they hadn't forgotten that Lumine's brother was with the Abyss Order. Although they didn't understand why he had allied himself with them, having that connection was a significant advantage. They were confident Enjou wouldn't dare deceive them and try to escape, not even if he had ten times the courage.
Alhaitham quickly explained the plan to Enjou—though he deliberately omitted certain details.
After hearing Alhaitham's words, Enjou shook his head so vigorously it resembled a rattling drum.
"No way! Absolutely not!"
"That's the Akademiya! The seat of power in Sumeru! It's crawling with danger—a death trap!"
"If you want me dead, just say it! No need for these roundabout schemes! Ptooey! Shameless!"
Lumine once again pressed her Dull Blade against Enjou's neck. He flinched but still refused to yield.
"Go on, do it! I'm dead either way. I'd rather die by your hand!"
"The Dendro Archon is stationed at the Akademiya! I'm afraid the moment I step inside, I'll be instantly annihilated—vaporized without a trace!"
"After I die, I'll return to the Abyss Consciousness and be reformed. In eighteen years, I'll be a glorious Apostle once more!"
Hearing Enjou's words, the group exchanged glances, their expressions turning strange.
Then, Cyno cleared his throat in front of Enjou and spoke.
"Allow me to introduce you. This is Lesser Lord Kusanali, the Dendro Archon of Sumeru."
Cyno gestured toward Nahida.
But Enjou didn't believe a word of it.
"Hah! Do you really think I'm that easy to fool?"
"I've seen the Adventurers' Guild's Katheryne before."
Just then, a brilliant green light erupted from Enjou's eyes, and his mouth dropped open into an "O" shape.
"Green... green, green, green... It's green!"
"You're really the Dendro Archon of Sumeru?!"
Nahida smiled and nodded.
Enjou stared blankly at Nahida, who was now radiating a dazzling green light. Though she occupied Katheryne's body, Enjou knew that only the Dendro Archon of Sumeru could wield such power.
Realizing that the Dendro Archon he had feared was actually on his side, Enjou immediately understood what a colossal fool he had been.
"Leave this matter to me! I'll handle it perfectly for Her Highness the Princess!"
Enjou pounded his chest resoundingly, his face brimming with confidence as he declared to Lumine.
"Princess, you can always count on me, Enjou!"
"The mere Akademiya! Without the Archon's protection, I can waltz in and out as if it were completely deserted!"
"Just watch, Princess! I'll charge in there, slaughter my way through seven times over, and perfectly complete the mission you've entrusted to me."
"So... can you move the sword from my neck now?"
As Enjou's figure retreated into the distance, Nahida could no longer hold back. She turned to the other three and asked, "Are we really not going to tell him about Dottore?"
Faced with their simultaneous headshakes, Nahida finally set aside her worries.