This guy...
He's completely just worried about his own collaboration falling through, isn't he?
Watching Childe put on that expression of deep concern for Liyue, Kaito couldn't help but think exactly that.
If Childe had given some other reason, Kaito might have at least entertained the possibility that he meant it. But this particular reason — worrying about Liyue — he didn't need even a single second to know that wasn't what Childe was actually thinking.
That said, he understood that from anyone else's perspective, this scenario really was plausible. And he couldn't very well counter it with the fact that he knew Mobius would never do something like that.
After all, as far as everyone else knew, he wasn't Mobius. How could he possibly be certain about what she would or wouldn't do?
Even though he was, in fact, Mobius — and Mobius was, in fact, him — he obviously couldn't say that out loud.
Still, even so, he had his own way of handling this.
"Then what if I stay behind and draw her fire? In case Mobius really does decide to do something directly to Liyue at the time."
Just as Kaito was about to lay out his approach, Miko suddenly spoke up.
Hm?
He glanced over at Miko, genuinely surprised she'd chimed in — and even more surprised by the solution she'd offered.
Draw her fire? How exactly would that work?
Kaito turned it over in his mind, and before he could ask, Childe had already voiced the question out loud.
"Draw her fire? I'd love to know how you plan to do that, Lady Miko." Childe hadn't expected Miko to speak up either, and he wanted to hear the specifics.
Whatever the case, his priority was still to keep Kaito in Liyue for now — at least until he managed to find Miss Mobius again.
"Why, by stepping out and absolutely roasting her, of course — right when she's about to do something to Liyue."
Under the gaze of everyone at the table, Miko said it in the most cheerful, unbothered tone imaginable.
Kaito: ???
He hadn't expected Miko's grand plan to be mocking Mobius. His mind went completely blank.
He desperately wanted to know just how, exactly, Miko intended to go about roasting Mobius.
And more than that, he was curious — why was Miko so utterly confident that Mobius would take the bait?
"Mock Mobius? But... how would you even do that?" Lumine spoke up too, equally eager to hear Miko's answer.
"Exactly — what if Mobius simply ignores you, Lady Miko?"
Picking up from Lumine, Childe pressed Miko to elaborate.
"Simple. I'd mock her for knowing Kaito all this time and still failing to make him fall for her — while I've only known him for such a short while and have already left her in the dust by a mile."
Under everyone's gaze once more, Miko laid out her plan.
Kaito: ...
Having heard Miko's full explanation, Kaito suddenly didn't know what to say.
Though almost immediately, a thought crossed his mind — maybe he should actually let Mobius surface so Miko could roast her like that, and then have Mobius drag Miko off or something.
He had to admit: Miko had sparked some interesting new ideas.
"Lady Miko's approach is... hmm... how to put it. Quite unique." Childe had not expected Miko to go in that direction, and he couldn't help feeling a little lost for words.
But he had to admit — that particular jab really might just break Miss Mobius.
After all, from that brief encounter he'd had with her before, he'd gotten a very clear sense of just how singularly she treated Kaito.
"Exceptional people deserve exceptional treatment." Miko smiled lightly and replied to Childe with an easy, unhurried air.
Miko actually thought of something like this...
Sitting quietly beside them, Lumine couldn't help but think exactly that.
If it had been up to her, she genuinely wouldn't have come up with something this good.
Although — this approach was still pretty risky. If Mobius flew into a rage right then and there, they'd be done for.
"No, this is too dangerous." Even though Kaito had already thought through what Mobius might do if she really did get roasted by Miko, he still said it was too risky.
Whatever the circumstances, this was the kind of dangerous thing he couldn't just let Miko walk into.
Even if he knew it wasn't actually dangerous — he was the only one who knew that, so of course he had to say something about how dangerous it was.
"Oh come on, you'll be right there, won't you? Kaito, what's there to be afraid of?"
Miko brushed off his concern entirely, pointing out that he'd be there — so what was the worry?
"Me? So your plan is that the moment Mobius comes at you, I come rushing over immediately?"
"Of course. In that kind of situation, you can't get there fast enough?"
Miko looked at him, waiting for his answer with calm expectation.
She knew how capable Kaito was. She was certain he could pull it off.
The only question was whether Kaito had enough confidence in himself to do it — that part, she couldn't be sure of.
"Of course I can. It's not like I'd actually be leaving Liyue for real, but—"
"Then it's settled." Knowing what he was about to say, Miko cut him off.
If he could do it, then there was nothing to worry about.
"...Alright."
Faced with Miko's unwavering confidence in him, Kaito didn't push back any further.
After all, she'd already placed that much faith in him. He couldn't very well keep waffling about it.
And more importantly — he knew that none of this was actually dangerous.
"Then I'll stay behind with Miko."
Just as Kaito was about to say something else, Lumine spoke up — announcing that she was staying too.
"Hm? You want to stay as well, Lumine?"
Miko was a little surprised to hear that.
Though she had a feeling she knew why — Lumine was probably following her lead.
"If we mock Mobius together, the two of us, she'll definitely be more drawn in by us."
Feeling the eyes of everyone on her, Lumine offered her explanation.
Kaito: ...
You two...
You really want to roast Mobius that badly, huh...
He hadn't expected Lumine to volunteer herself as well, and a strange feeling washed over him.
Because when they mocked Mobius — they were, in effect, mocking him.
Fine.
I'll just give you both a little show of getting my feelings hurt when the time comes. Something to enjoy.
Since he'd already said yes to Miko, he obviously couldn't refuse Lumine now — that would just make her feel like he was playing favorites, and that wouldn't do.
Even if this wasn't really anything beneficial — and even looked genuinely dangerous from the outside — he still had to be fair about it.
"Haha — I didn't know Lumine had such a mischievous side."
After hearing what Lumine said, Miko couldn't hold back a laugh.
"I'm definitely not as bad as Mobius." Lumine didn't deny it — she just pointed out that at least she wasn't as bad as Mobius.
Where's Mobius bad?
She's perfectly lovely...
Feeling his own reputation being quietly dragged, Kaito felt he really ought to set the record straight.
Of course, he could only do so in his own head.
"To think that the two of you would go this far for our friend Kaito — I'm truly impressed!" With that, Childe rose to his feet and gave Miko and Lumine a respectful bow.
He knew it was going to be very difficult to find another reason to talk Kaito out of his fake departure now. But what Lumine and Miko had offered — he genuinely admired it.
At the same time, he couldn't help feeling a little envious that Kaito had two such remarkable women in his corner.
"No wonder Mobius has been so fixated on our young friend Kaito. It seems like Kaito is truly..."
"Hey, hey, hey — stop there, I'm actually starting to feel embarrassed." Listening to both Childe and Zhongli, Kaito was in genuinely high spirits — though there was a real thread of embarrassment mixed in there too.
"Don't be embarrassed — we're not doing this to make you feel that way, Kaito."
Miko hadn't expected Kaito to actually get bashful, and she voiced her mild displeasure.
Right now, Kaito should be feeling proud — not embarrassed.
"Ahem — just kidding. If there weren't so many people here right now, I'd honestly want to give you two a hug."
Noticing Miko's slight unhappiness, Kaito quickly said exactly that.
And he meant it, of course — it just wasn't the right moment.
"No need to worry about that, young friend Kaito. Childe and I can step outside for a moment."
With that, Zhongli stood up and walked toward the door.
"Go get 'em, friend." Childe followed right behind him.
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