The Court of Fontaine.
The sky didn't just change, it groaned under the weight of a new horizon. A massive Floating Island had materialized out of thin air, a jagged crown of stone and earth suspended above the city.
Thanks to the system's earlier broadcast, the citizens didn't panic. They didn't scream or run for the shelters. Instead, they stared.
They wondered why it was here, of all places. The island hung motionless, casting a heavy shadow over a specific cluster of residential houses.
"No way... is it actually happening?"
"Does the Reincarnator, Mr. Kael, live right here in our city?"
The whispers spread like a wildfire through the streets.
"It has to be true. When Lord Barbatos received his reward, it appeared right beside him. This can't be a coincidence."
"He's here. Kael is in the Court of Fontaine."
"Should we go look for him?"
"Are you insane? If we're caught bothering him without an invitation, the system will skin us alive. Remember the rules about disturbing others' lives?"
"True... even Master Neuvillette hasn't made a move. He knows better than to intrude."
"Wait, look at where it's hovering... isn't that next to..."
"It's Lady Furina's new place! Good heavens, is the Hydro Archon neighbors with the Reincarnator?"
Lumine and Paimon stood among the crowd, necks craned toward the sky. They had rushed out the moment the shadow fell over the city.
"Look, Lumine!"
Paimon pointed a small, trembling finger.
"The island is moving... it's heading toward the open sea."
Lumine didn't hear her at first. Her mind was a storm of flickering images and sudden, sharp clarity. The memories of her past life had finally returned.
'So that's why I acted like such a lovesick fool in those videos,' she thought, her heart hammering against her ribs. 'It wasn't my fault. How was I supposed to resist that?'
Kael hadn't just cared for her. He had worshipped her.
He treated her like a fragile treasure, something to be shielded from the very air they breathed. During their journey, he had been a whirlwind of devotion. He cooked elaborate meals every night, squeezed fresh juice from exotic fruits, and even hauled water to heat for her baths.
He was handsome, radiant, and utterly obsessed with her happiness.
'Who wouldn't fall for that? I'm only human... mostly, anyway.'
But it wasn't just the pampering. Kael had made her the center of his universe. He had bled for her search, scouring every corner of the world for Aether.
When they discovered Aether had joined the Abyss Order, her world had shattered. Kael hadn't left her side for a single second. He absorbed her rage, her tears, and her crushing despair without a word of complaint.
Then came the one memory that made her teeth ache with frustration.
His final choice.
He had gone to face Aether alone. He had sacrificed himself to Celestia.
'What did he think I was? Some damsel who needed to be left behind for her own good?'
The thought burned. Partners were supposed to face the end together.
A soft chime echoed in the air. Six wings of pure, blinding light erupted from Lumine's back. With her strength restored, the Wind Glider was a useless toy. She didn't need the wind anymore.
She owned the sky.
"Lumine? What are you doing?" Paimon squeaked, nearly getting knocked over by the sudden surge of power.
"I'm going after that Floating Island. Kael is on it. I know he is."
Lumine puffed out her cheeks, her eyes narrowing with determination. He had promised to give her his address. Then, the moment he got his shiny new reward, he had vanished into thin air.
'Think you can just hide from me? Think again, you idiot.'
"You're being a dummy, Lumine!"
Paimon zipped in front of her face, waving her arms frantically.
"He's definitely not on that thing yet!"
"Why not?"
"Because it's just a giant, empty rock right now! What would he even do up there? Sit on a pebble?"
The Floating Island and the Reunion
"Just lying on the ground, soaking up the sun?"
Lumine paused. Paimon's words felt a little too specific. She turned a suspicious gaze toward her floating companion.
"Paimon... you..." Lumine narrowed her eyes. "It sounds like you know exactly what's happening on that Floating Island."
Paimon froze mid-air. She performed a dramatic, tactical lean back, her eyes wide with feigned shock. Then, she quickly began scratching the back of her head, a sheepish grin spreading across her face.
"Hehe! Well, I am your guide, after all. A little mystery like this is nothing to the great Paimon."
She gestured toward the sky with a tiny hand.
"That Floating Island is a reward. It's brand new. Didn't you see? When it flew up, there wasn't a single building on it. I bet Kael's actual house is right there, directly below where the island first appeared."
***
Inside Kael's home.
Furina sat as stiff as a board. She was waiting for Lumine's arrival, her mind racing through a thousand different scripts. What should she say? How should she act? Every scenario ended in a disaster of awkwardness.
Kael, meanwhile, was busy examining his new rewards.
"I see."
'This is basically a custom-made retirement plan.'
[Floating Island: A private sanctuary. Entry is restricted solely to those permitted by Kael.]
In simpler terms, the Floating Island was now his absolute domain. The only way to reach it was through a specific spatial teleportation skill, a "key" that Kael had to personally grant to others.
The island was currently a blank slate. It was small and empty, but he expected future rewards would flesh it out.
As for why there was no power boost? The system had likely judged his current strength to be at its peak. There was simply no room left to grow.
Ningguang: "It really is a shame. A name like Kael sounds so much like it belongs in Liyue. Why did he have to end up in Fontaine?"
Keqing: "A loss for our nation, certainly. But Kael, does your island require construction? The Liyue Qixing are more than willing to provide assistance."
Ningguang: "Indeed. Do not be polite. We can even front the Mora for the materials."
Kael: "I appreciate the offer. For now..."
Kael: "Hold on. I have company."
A sharp knock at the door cut his conversation short. Furina swallowed hard, her expression tightening with visible nerves. Kael, however, didn't seem bothered. He walked over and pulled the door open.
Lumine stood there, breathless and flushed. Behind her, Paimon's head popped out from over her shoulder.
"Yo! Finally, we meet, Kael..."
Paimon didn't wait for an invitation. She zipped into the room, circling Kael like a curious bird.
"You're even more handsome and sunny than you were in the video."
She stopped in front of his face, crossing her arms.
"But that doesn't change the fact that I was cut out of the story! I didn't get to travel with you and Lumine. Even Barbatos got a reward, and I got nothing."
Paimon huffed, looking away.
"I thought about it the whole way here. To make up for it, I've decided..."
"I'm going to eat 300,000 Mora worth of your food every month."
"That's not too much to ask, right?"
'I brought your wife right to your doorstep, after all. If you say no, you're just being stingy.'
"Paimon!" Lumine hissed, trying to grab the floating guide. "What are you even saying?"
Kael chuckled. "It's fine. I think I can afford that."
"But we shouldn't stand in the doorway. Come in, let's talk inside."
Kael reached out, naturally taking Lumine's hand to lead her into the room. The familiarity of the gesture sent a jolt through her. Her face turned a deep shade of crimson.
In their past life, there hadn't been a Paimon acting as a third wheel. Having an audience for this kind of intimacy made her heart race with embarrassment.
But as soon as she stepped over the threshold, Lumine's nose wrinkled.
The air carried a faint, floral fragrance. It wasn't Kael's scent.
She went on high alert.
"Hi, Traveler..."
Furina gave a weak, awkward wave from the chair.
'Oh no. What was I supposed to say?'
The scripts she had practiced vanished from her mind, leaving nothing but a blank, panicked void.
Lumine stared.
Paimon blinked, her jaw dropping. "Furina?"
The little guide leaned forward in shock, then slapped a hand to her forehead.
"Kael, what is going on here?"
Lumine remained silent, her gaze fixed on the "Hydro Archon." Paimon, sensing the tension, stepped into her role as the group's spokesperson.
"You know I've lived in Fontaine for a long time," Kael explained smoothly.
"Before I was chosen as a Reincarnator, I was a fan of the Hydro Archon. I didn't realize we were neighbors until recently. When the Reincarnation videos started, I invited her over to watch."
"Oh! That makes sense."
Paimon nodded vigorously, turning to Lumine.
"Lumine, don't overthink it. Kael has a point. He didn't have his memories back then."
'Holy crap.'
Kael wanted to give Paimon a thumbs-up. She wasn't just a "God of Mouths," she was the ultimate wingman.
'Overthink it?' Lumine thought, rolling her eyes. 'As if I'm some petty, jealous woman.'
She looked at Furina again. The awkwardness radiating off the girl was palpable.
Lumine's mind drifted back to the Trial.
The citizens of Fontaine only knew that Furina had been judged as a pretender. But Lumine had seen the truth. She had seen the final tears. She knew the history of those 500 years of isolation and crumbling sanity.
Guilt gnawed at her.
Kael's explanation was perfectly logical. If she got angry now, wouldn't she just be an unreasonable shrew?
Besides, Kael had given everything for her in their past life. He had sacrificed so much. She didn't want to make things difficult for him now.
Lumine shot a pleading look at Paimon.
Paimon caught the signal instantly.
"Kael, I assume your memories are fully restored now, right?"
"You must have a ton of things to say to Lumine."
Paimon gestured toward the back of the house.
"Don't just stand there. Go find a quiet spot and finish your private talk."
~✦~ End of Chapter ~✦~
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