Speaking of which, the reason Momo helped Lyudmila so much was because she was also an orphan, adopted by the Yashiro Commission's "Hundred Blossoms."
To be reasonable, both Lyudmila and Momo were orphans, and the two girls even looked so similar; plus, Lyudmila was from Inazuma—could it be they're sisters?
Regardless of whether they were sisters or not, at least the Traveler caught up to Lyudmila's little boat; she hadn't left yet, and she could still live that "Inazuma Life Starting from Zero."
Lyudmila was persuaded by the Traveler; from now on, she was no longer Lyudmila Snezhevna—she was Hyakume.
The omikuji in Lyudmila's hand:
["Soar, drift, cross the great sea, journey to the distant lands..."]
["But one day, you will no longer drift."]
["One day, you will surely become the person you wish to be."]
The final scene was of Hyakume in her shrine maiden attire, her smile so gentle, without a trace of falsehood this time.
["If there's anything you want to confide or discuss with someone, I can listen too."]
This was the person she wished to become: an utterly ordinary shrine maiden who listened to confessions and bestowed blessings.
Arlecchino fell silent. If it were the previous "Knave," facing such betrayal, she would mete out punishment and then hand her over to "The Doctor" for human experimentation.
But Arlecchino was different; she would also mete out punishment to the other party—the content of the punishment being to drink the "Fire in a Bottle," forgetting all memories of life in the House of the Hearth, and from then on, living as an ordinary person.
"Congratulations, Hyakume—you've found your 'home.'" Arlecchino revealed a barely perceptible smile.
Finally, let me, this "Father," see off my grown daughter.
Arlecchino toyed with the flame in her hand; just as Lucian said, this flame was both a "curse" and a "salvation."
On the Inazuma side, Yae Miko was already searching for traces of Lyudmila—a shy shrine maiden was just her type; she liked them the most.
She had teased all the shrine maidens at the Grand Narukami Shrine; it was time to "refresh the stock."
But she couldn't end up like with Sangonomiya Kokomi or Kuki Shinobu—only able to look, not claim.
After finishing Lyudmila's story, it was time to talk about the next book; this one was about the Black Serpent Knight.
The second book Lucian released simultaneously: Requiem of the Echoing Depths.
In this book, the Black Serpent Knight who killed Katarina would become the "protagonist."
At the beginning of the story, after resolving the matter with Lyudmila, the Traveler returned to Liyue. Just then, while passing by the Adventurers' Guild, she was stopped by Katheryne.
It was this familiar setup again; the readers had already anticipated it—there was definitely some event that ordinary people couldn't resolve, to be handed over to the Traveler.
Unexpectedly, this time it wasn't; Katheryne stopped the Traveler purely because she was happy.
She had gone to Inazuma to draw a fortune slip, and the slip said it was suitable for "unexpected reunions" lately, so now she was happy to see anyone.
One couldn't help but wonder if the shrine maiden she encountered while drawing the fortune was Hyakume.
Speaking of which, Miss Katheryne had met the Traveler in Liyue, but she had just returned from drawing a fortune in Inazuma? Wasn't that a bit too fast?
At this speed, even if Wind God Barbatos came, he'd have to take a commission from her before leaving; Thunder God Balzebul? She'd take two!
But even at such speed, she couldn't finish her lines in front of the Traveler—it seemed the Traveler still had the edge.
But this was still quite exaggerated; one could only say: Snezhnayan technology, shocking to the heart.
Neither the speed of wind nor thunder could escape, and naturally the Traveler couldn't escape either; Katheryne really did hand Lumine a commission casually—it was posted by a miner, to investigate The Chasm.
One could only say that even passing by a dog would get a commission handed to it.
The Traveler's previous visit to The Chasm had been a special investigation; she could enter The Chasm, but ordinary people couldn't.
After the Traveler's investigation, surveying, mapping, and clearing, The Chasm was now fully open; miners could enter too, of course, only the shallow layer area.
[Katheryne: "Mm, Ad Astra Abyssosque... Uh, this time it really seems to be toward the 'abyss'—wishing you two good luck."]
"Abyssosque and 'abyss'? I didn't expect Katheryne to tell cold jokes too." Cyno pondered.
"I'll explain: the charm of this joke lies in its implication—it's saying The Chasm's 'abyss' is like..."]
Tighnari covered Cyno's mouth with a forced smile: "It's nothing; everyone continue reading."
"Mm, very interesting, hahaha." Katheryne's voice came from behind the group; Lucian was standing beside her.
Everyone was startled: How could Katheryne be here? Speak of Katheryne and she arrives? Her speed really that fast?
Lucian, standing beside Katheryne, said: "Then do you all know why the little Dendro god often stays up late?"
Cyno was puzzled: The Dendro god stays up late often, and you know that too?! As expected of the prophet!
Tighnari was even more puzzled: Where did you pop out from? And how are you with Katheryne? You're not an adventurer either?
Katheryne was similarly puzzled: I do stay up late often, and it's not strange you know that, but is this something worth mentioning?
Even Alhaitham was drawn to pay attention to Lucian, thinking the astrologer might have some profound insight.
Lucian said mysteriously: "Because she's Buer (night owl)!"
The others were stunned, momentarily not understanding the pun in this cold joke; instead, 'Katheryne' understood, nodding: "I see—very funny."
"The punchline of this joke is in..."
Tighnari inwardly screamed for help: It was already hard dealing with one Cyno—how did two more suddenly appear?
"Oh! I get it now—that's why it's funny, hahaha." Kaveh laughed as he said it.
He still didn't know that Lucian was playing a pun on the Archon's name, and even the Archon herself was 'translating' the joke.
Alhaitham lowered his head to continue reading the story: He hadn't expected the prophet and Cyno to be on the same level; Kaveh... might even be a level lower.
Back to the content in the book: The Traveler arrived at The Chasm to find the miner who posted the commission.
After some questioning, she learned the reason the other party hired adventurers: while working in the shallow mining area, they discovered hilichurls in a dazed state.
Discovering hilichurls wasn't strange, but these hilichurls' conditions were truly odd; those hilichurls looked dazed and didn't attack them at all—they didn't even glance at them as they entered The Chasm.
This was very strange: It didn't attack me? How could it not attack me? On what basis does it not attack me!?
If you don't attack me, then I'll attack you—the Traveler, go check out what's going on.
Actually, there was something even stranger: the hilichurls that went inside never came back out.
This matter reeked of something eerie, to the point that the miners didn't dare continue working, so they sought adventurers to enter The Chasm and explore.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Nahida: About Lucian's Joke
"Mm, very interesting—if you didn't get it, I can explain it to you."