"Come over here, Lumine. Standing that far away makes it look like we're deliberately leaving you out."
Miko said it out of nowhere, just as Lumine was still trying to process her surprise.
Leaving me out? I was about to head back to my room...
She answered Miko's remark silently in her head, but started walking toward her and Wendy all the same.
Might as well go over and see what Miko wanted to say next.
"That's more like it," Miko said with a grin once Lumine was standing in front of her. "If Kaito had seen us standing like that just now, he'd have come over to lecture us — and then probably teamed up with Wendy to actually leave you out."
It was clearly a joke, delivered with that characteristic light touch of hers.
"If it ever came to that, I'd definitely explain things on your behalf," Lumine replied earnestly.
She said it as though she hadn't caught the joke at all.
"Hey, why so serious, Lumine? I was just teasing."
Miko hadn't expected such a straight-faced response, and quickly clarified that she hadn't meant anything by it.
"Alright, little fox — weren't you supposed to be heading back? Let's go. We're returning to Inazuma together." Wendy had been standing to the side, and feeling that it was probably time, she gave Miko a nudge.
"Then I'll be on my way, Lumine."
With Wendy urging her along, Miko gave Lumine a small wave goodbye.
There had actually been something else she'd wanted to say — but the more she'd thought about it, the more she'd worried it might send Lumine's thoughts in the wrong direction. So she'd kept it to herself all this time.
And now that Wendy was pushing her to leave anyway, she decided to just let it go.
"Why the rush? Miko — aren't you going to wait for Kaito?"
Lumine was genuinely puzzled. She hadn't expected Miko to leave without him.
"I came to Liyue this time because of the whole Kiana situation. Now that that's been sorted out, I obviously need to go back and report in." Miko spread her hands in a helpless little shrug, as though she wasn't entirely thrilled about it herself. "Duty calls."
"I see," Lumine said, understanding now.
"So you'll stay on in Liyue with Kaito," Wendy added, thinking it over before speaking up. "Miko and I will head back to Inazuma first. You two can make your way back whenever the time comes."
"Wait — you're taking Miko back and then just... not coming back here?" Lumine hadn't expected that at all, and her surprise showed.
She'd assumed Wendy would simply drop Miko off in Inazuma and then return to Liyue. Apparently that wasn't the plan.
"That's right, I'm not coming back," Wendy said, shaking her head. "Kaito will be heading back to Inazuma soon enough anyway."
"Then... travel safe, you two."
Lumine gave a small nod and sent them off. She knew perfectly well that neither Wendy nor Miko was in any danger — but it was the right thing to say at a farewell.
"You should be saying that to this one right here."
Miko immediately chimed in from beside her, pointing squarely at Wendy.
"Watch it, or I'll toss you into the ocean for a swim," Wendy shot back.
These two...
Still at it...
Lumine watched them bicker and couldn't help feeling a quiet exasperation.
Then something came to her, and she spoke up quickly: "Oh — Wendy, when you get back, could you let Paimon know I'll be back soon? Tell her not to worry."
She'd been away from Inazuma for a few days now, and she'd been a little worried about Paimon.
Not about her safety, of course — that was the last thing she needed to fret over.
With Acheron and Kiana around, Paimon was about as safe as anyone in Teyvat could possibly be.
It was more that Lumine and Paimon were always together, and these past few days apart were unusually long for them. She couldn't quite shake the mild concern that Paimon might get up to something strange without her around.
"No problem. I'll tell her."
Wendy nodded — and then promptly bit back the commentary she'd been about to share.
Paimon is absolutely not worried about you, Lumine...
She's been eating her way through Liyue all week...
Living her best life...
With Kaito having brought Lumine along to Liyue these past few days, Acheron had been keeping Paimon company — and keeping her very, very well-fed.
But there was no need to mention that. No point in ruining Lumine's mood.
"Alright, Wendy — let's go."
"Mm, we're off then, Lumine."
With those parting words, Wendy and Miko vanished from Lumine's sight in an instant.
They're gone...
Lumine glanced around instinctively, and found herself in a surprisingly good mood.
For a little while, at least, it would just be her and Kaito in Liyue.
But it's so early... what am I supposed to do now?
Kaito isn't even awake yet...
Go back to my room and sit around?
There's nothing to do in there...
She stood there, momentarily at a loss.
It was still early, and she felt like she ought to be doing something.
Then it hit her.
I've got it!
A task materialized in her mind, and Lumine immediately set off toward the street.
Since Kaito wasn't up yet, she'd go pick up some breakfast and have it ready for when he woke up.
Oh, right — I wonder if there's a kitchen here...
If there is, I could pick up some groceries too and make lunch later...
With that thought settled, Lumine headed out.
She was quietly confident in her cooking. She'd done it often enough.
---
Inazuma. Inazuma City.
"Right then — I'll head back to the inn."
Having delivered Miko safely back to Inazuma City, Wendy promptly announced her departure.
Of course, her 'departure' was less of an actual goodbye and more of a setup — she needed to clear the stage for Acheron to make an appearance. She was fairly certain Miko would go looking for Acheron's side of things the moment she was back, so it was simpler to just engineer a casual run-in. That way Miko wouldn't have to hunt her down.
It was still morning, after all. Acheron heading out for breakfast and crossing paths with Miko on the way back was a perfectly natural sequence of events.
"Hey, little—"
Miko had been about to say something, but when she looked up, Wendy was already gone.
"...Fine. I'll go find Ei and fill her in."
Miko quickly got her bearings, then made straight for Tenshukaku.
She was a little worried that Ei might have been waiting impatiently, so she wanted to get there as soon as possible.
As for how Ei would react — well, that was anyone's guess.
Hm?
Midway there, Miko suddenly caught sight of a very familiar silhouette approaching from ahead.
Mei...
Up this early?
The moment she recognized who it was, Miko quickened her pace.
____
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