Barbara almost ran out of the practice room.
Her slender fingers instinctively clutched the front of her priestess robe, as if that could somehow restrain the rebellious heart that felt ready to leap straight out of her throat.
She didn't even know where she was going.
She only knew she had to escape—
escape that space that had thrown her completely off balance,
escape that figure bathed in sunlight, his smile so dazzling it robbed her of the ability to think.
In the tall, empty corridors of the cathedral, only her hurried footsteps and uneven breathing echoed softly.
Colored light from the stained-glass windows swayed before her eyes, yet none of it reached her chaotic thoughts.
Her mind replayed the scene over and over, completely beyond her control—
The smug yet adorable look on his face when he lifted his chin to accept praise…
The smooth line of his jaw when he smiled sideways from the piano bench…
The gentle warmth in his eyes as he focused on playing, eyes that always seemed filled with sunlight…
And finally—
That perfectly timed beam of light, like a stage spotlight, lovingly tracing his profile, making him look like a hero stepped straight out of legend—radiant and unreal.
"…Mr. Yi Chen…"
The name silently rolled across her lips, carrying with it an unfamiliar, burning flutter.
Why was her heart beating so fast?
Why were her cheeks so hot?
Why did simply watching him smile make the very air feel sweet?
Why did she grow so nervous when he drew close, to the point she forgot how to breathe?
These strange emotions surged like a tide, leaving her flustered—yet unable to stop a quiet, secret joy from blooming inside her.
Barbara slowed to a stop and leaned against a cold stone pillar, breathing lightly, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
But the moment she closed her eyes, his smiling face appeared again, vivid and clear.
She remembered the first time he awkwardly used the wind to drive away insects and help her out…
Remembered how seriously—and mischievously—he pretended to be the Anemo Archon…
Remembered how that perfect sunset light gently outlined his flawless side profile…
He was always like this—
like a warm, free breeze that suddenly swept into her world, shielding her from troubles in his slightly scatterbrained yet utterly sincere way, bringing sunshine and… a feeling her heart didn't know how to name.
"Anemo Archon Barbatos above…"
She whispered an unconscious prayer, not even sure what she was praying for.
To calm this restless heart?
Or to… see him just once more?
The bold thought alone made her cheeks flare red again.
She quickly covered her burning face with both hands, feeling as though she might actually start smoking.
As a priestess, she knew she shouldn't be having such… unfocused thoughts.
Yet the desire to be close to him, the happiness sparked by a single smile of his, felt too real to deny.
Slowly, she slid down into the shadow behind the pillar, curling up with her knees drawn together, hiding her flushed face as her golden twin-tails fell to either side, concealing her red ears.
Inside her heart, two voices argued softly.
One said:
Barbara, you are a priestess of the Church of Favonius. You should focus on service and song, not these wandering thoughts.
The other whispered back:
But… Mr. Yi Chen is so kind… and when he smiles at me, I feel… so happy…
Sweetness tangled with unease.
Anticipation mixed with fear.
In the end, the softer voice seemed to slowly gain ground.
She peeked up through the gap between her knees, looking toward the sunlight outside, where his smiling eyes seemed to appear once more.
Without realizing it, the corners of her lips lifted—just a little.
A shy, sweet joy unique to a young girl quietly wrapped itself around her heart, like newly sprouted vines.
Maybe… just maybe…
Having a tiny, distracted thought that wasn't entirely devoted to prayer…
The Anemo Archon would forgive her… right?
Some time later, Yi Chen returned home, still carrying the tranquil atmosphere of the cathedral—and a trace of lingering confusion over Barbara's sudden retreat.
He opened the door.
Reality hit him instantly.
On the spotless living room floor, Lumine and Paimon were sprawled flat in matching starfish poses, eyes hollow as they stared at the ceiling—like two salted fish washed ashore after a brutal storm, utterly giving up on life.
The entire scene radiated an overwhelming sense of burnout.
Yi Chen blinked in disbelief, briefly wondering if he'd opened the wrong door and wandered into the aftermath of a crime scene—or some large-scale soul-draining ritual.
He carefully stepped around the two "human-shaped objects," crouched beside them, poked Lumine's cheek, then flicked Paimon lightly.
"Uh… you two…"
"You just cleaned the kitchen, right?! Why do you look like you've completely burned out?!"
Isn't this a bit dramatic?!
Paimon's eyes slowly rolled toward him. Her voice was weak, filled with grievance.
"…'Just' cleaning…? Mysterious Crash Man… you say that so lightly…"
She shakily raised a finger and pointed toward the kitchen.
"You have no idea… what we went through… That wasn't cleaning… that was torture… of both body and soul…"
Lumine stiffly turned her head as well, her eyes devoid of hope.
"…Black… sticky… smoking… wiped three times… still smelled…"
Paimon added, on the verge of tears.
"Paimon's little hands… are about to lose their skin… and Paimon's soul… has suffered irreversible contamination… requiring a lot of Mora to heal…"
Yi Chen twitched.
"Well, that's a bit exaggerated— I mean… cleaning up a little—uh…"
He recalled the thing he'd thrown up and the charred monstrosities on the table, his voice weakening.
"…a tiny failure, that's all!"
"Tiny?!"
"Failure?!"
Lumine and Paimon snapped up at the same time—only to slump back down from "weakness"—and roared in unison:
"That was rotten poison!!"
Yi Chen shrank slightly, finally feeling a twinge of conscience.
"…Alright, alright. You worked hard."
He grabbed one with each hand and hauled them up.
"To compensate for your wounded hearts and exhausted bodies—
Dinner at Good Hunter. My treat. Unlimited. How about that?"
"Really?!"
"Deal!"
The two who had looked ready to return to the Ley Lines instantly revived, eyes blazing with life.
Paimon spun in midair.
"Yay! Paimon wants Honey Roast! Sweet Madame! Fisherman's Toast! And—!"
"I think I can eat an entire boar," Lumine added calmly.
Yi Chen stared at the fully resurrected duo, three black lines sliding down his forehead.
"…You were totally acting just now, weren't you?"