For the people of Liyue living on the continent of Teyvat, the Lantern Rite Festival is a holiday of profound significance.
It is usually held on the night of the first full moon of the new year and is a grand celebration in Liyue Harbor, one of the Seven Nations of the land.
Legend has it that as the festival approaches, people of Liyue Harbor begin preparing sky lanterns days in advance. They write their wishes on them and hang them beneath the lanterns, so that on the night of the festival, the lanterns will rise into the sky, carrying their hopes and memories.
At that moment, the floating lights above the ocean guide the souls of fallen heroes back to the land they loved and vowed to protect.
Perhaps they will see the happiness that now exists and know that their sacrifices were not in vain.
And at the same time…
Heroes should never be forgotten.
To do so would be a grave injustice—a desecration of all they gave.
Over time, forgetting the heroes would create a dangerous mindset among the living.
No one would want to become a hero.
And worse… no one would even aspire to heroism.
This is a frightening reality.
So, Renjiro believed heroes must be remembered.
They must be praised.
"Pass the flame, let virtue endure!"
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The Labyrinth City of Orario is not a coastal city.
Though located at the westernmost edge of the continent, the nearest port city, Melen, lies three kilometers to the southwest.
Half a month ago, when a Scorpion clone suddenly struck, that area remained unharmed, yet the devastation in Orario was clearly visible.
After all, fire under the night sky is impossible to ignore.
And that was before considering that the Babel, which covered the dungeon, had collapsed.
Many began to wonder: had the world truly come to an end?
But soon after, a golden pillar of light shot into the sky, dispelling the divine calamity raining down from above.
Only then did people realize: yes, the apocalyptic crisis did arrive—but it was confronted.
At the crucial moment… the hero appeared.
Just as the legends describe: powerful, reliable, and inspiring awe.
Yet, unfortunately… and regrettably…
No hero can save everyone.
No matter how strong, there is a limit to how far their hand can reach.
"Someone's here to offer flowers again today!"
"Mm."
…
They stood in Orario's First Graveyard, also known as the Adventurers' Graveyard.
A white-dressed girl with golden hair and eyes held a bouquet of white lilies with friends before several newly erected white stone graves.
Lumine had coincidentally met Riveria, Ais, and Lefiya.
She had been busy preparing for the Lantern Rite Festival, and only now had a moment to be alone.
Her first instinct was to come here.
To pay respects… to Anju, who used to complain about the hardships of traveling yet would be satisfied with just a good meal, occasionally mischievous in the bathhouse.
And…
To Claire, who occasionally scolded Anju as a reluctant older sister.
To Lloyd, who praised her cooking during their first expedition.
To Liza, who joked about her name and predicted she would become a top magician.
To Raul, who had long admired Anakitty but had yet to confess, planning to wait until reaching Lv.4.
They were all tired.
It was time for them to rest.
After placing her bouquet down, Lumine slowly rose from a half-squat on the grass.
It was her first time experiencing such a scene in this world.
And she knew one could never fully get used to it.
The girl fell silent.
So did the person beside her.
Ais didn't know what exactly she felt.
The bouquets offered at the time of meeting were now wilted—those people gone.
Perhaps, for those prone to overthinking, a thought might emerge: "If this is how it ends, maybe we shouldn't have met at all."
Bete, within the familia, never involved himself in such matters.
But…
"We'll attend the Lantern Rite Festival you're organizing tonight."
"Huh?"
Riveria's unexpected words left Lumine momentarily speechless.
She tilted her head slightly, noticing the elf royal's weary face now softened by a faint smile.
"I support what you're doing."
Because it was thanks to humans like them that some elves were willing to leave the forest.
Even if they fell along the journey, or never rose again…
Their memories would not betray them.
"Thank you!"
The soft reply inexplicably relieved Lumine.
In truth, as the initial joy from victory faded, one disaster after another had weighed heavily upon her.
Yes, this was a pressure unlike anyone else's.
Because…
There were those she could have saved.
But reality was cruel.
Only three Revive Dishes remained.
Who should receive them?
Who could?
In the end, Renjiro decided: only the most essential—those key gods—would receive them.
He knew this choice was not wrong.
Many lives lost were not his responsibility.
On the contrary, by stopping Antares disasters, he had saved countless others.
Yet…
Knowing this and understanding it did not ease the heart.
It had nothing to do with rationality; as long as one was human, with feelings, thoughts would inevitably wander.
After all, those familiar smiles could never be seen again…
Each vibrant life had become the past.
"I won't forget them."
As if making a vow, Lumine whispered softly.
In response…
"Yes."
Riveria sighed lightly, her gaze falling on even more graves ahead.
"We won't forget them."
Because, if one day in the future…
"We too, will never want to be forgotten."
These days, Bete had not stayed long at the Twilight Manor.
He knew all too well that at times like this, the atmosphere became unbearably heavy.
And he hated that.
Staying might mean saying a few careless words, creating unnecessary conflict.
When sober, Bete was fairly rational.
Yet…
"Lantern Rite Festival?"
"Yes. You'll write your wish too."
The location: the top floor of the Twilight Manor, in Captain Finn's office.
The diminutive hero, smiling, looked at the biggest troublemaker in his familia.
"Don't refuse, Bete."
He interlaced his fingers, sitting in a commander's pose, speaking leisurely.
"After all, this is a festival hosted by the savior. Since they saved us, the least we can do is show respect."
As Finn said—
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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