Lumine blinked as Lucian vanished—what's going on?
A beautiful girl sitting beside you, and you just disappear without a word!?
Before she could get angry, Lucian returned, but now with an extra beautiful girl at his side.
Furina waved: "Yo, Traveler, Paimon."
Now Lumine knew what Lucian had gone to do—he had gone to 'catch a chick.'
She had just thought to say something when Lucian vanished again; soon after, Hu Tao, Ayaka, Shenhe, and others appeared one after another.
Anyway, now that things were settled, bringing everyone over to join the fun posed no danger.
It could also help block others' views around Furina.
The only issue was getting 'greeted' with Hu Tao's 'fighting techniques.'
One had to say, Lucian as a 'mode of transport' was truly convenient—back and forth in minutes, the bosses' personal chauffeur.
He had originally wanted to grab Mona too, as 'employee benefits'—after all, she'd been a maid for so long—but he couldn't find her.
As for Shenhe, she unconditionally supported Lucian; for all the activities he organized, Shenhe had never refused.
As long as it was something her junior brother proposed, she wouldn't refuse, so she naturally came along.
After Lucian's several round trips, little Lumine was already numb—what more could be said.
But someone was even more numb than her: Arlecchino!
She was watching from the shadows; she had only just arrived on horseback not long ago, and when she saw Lucian suddenly vanish, her heart skipped a beat—good thing he came back.
She had thought connecting with Lucian wouldn't be a difficult task, but unexpectedly, it was this hard!
If she'd known, she wouldn't have competed with Rosalyne back then—just let her have it.
Speaking of which, you've brought so many people running around everywhere—why can't you take me along too?! I'm not that tsundere Rosalyne; I wouldn't refuse!
Arlecchino: "Where's Scaramouche?"
Dottore: "No idea—the tool we picked up will scrap itself after being discarded; no need to mind it."
Arlecchino: "..."
Getting along with this inhuman guy really wasn't pleasant; it made her recall unpleasant things.
Arlecchino even somewhat missed Tartaglia and Signora.
Those two were noisy, sure, but far more likable than the Doctor.
A distance away from the several Harbingers, Ei said flatly, "You're here—why not go over?"
Zhongli chuckled lightly: "I'm not suited to such occasions. And you?"
Ei blinked and said nothing; the reason she hadn't gone over was actually because she felt she didn't fit in such a scene either.
But not responding was rude, against her disciple's teachings; after thinking, Ei said, "I understand five hundred years of loneliness well—let her celebrate with her friends."
After ending her seclusion herself, hadn't she also had a good time with Yae Miko, Lumine, Lucian, and the others?
That feeling had been wonderful; watching the fireworks before her now, Ei even unconsciously recalled those memories.
Perhaps this was 'fireworks fade easily, but bonds endure'—people always get sentimental at such sights.
"Young friend Lucian has truly made quite the spectacle." Zhongli smiled.
This incident had somehow brought a 'international brigade' from the seven nations—wasn't that a big spectacle?
Ei nodded: "I hope next time he'll invite me proactively."
Ei's reason for thinking this was partly worry that Lucian would drag himself into so many big events.
The other part was purely because it was interesting; such fun things were gradually piquing the interest of this shut-in.
Ever since her sister Makoto returned, Ei had been growing freer; the Shogun position could no longer restrict her.
What? Because I only know play and no work, you're firing me?
Really!? It's a deal!
Ei truly wanted to hand the position to her sister; she herself could revert to being the shadow warrior from before, practicing martial arts every day.
Unfortunately, her sister wouldn't allow it, so she could only be forced to learn state affairs.
Fortunately, Ei's mindset had changed; if it were the previous Ei with her sister still around, she wouldn't have deigned to care about such things.
Now, though she still didn't like it much, she was at least trying to learn—just that progress wasn't very encouraging.
"You've truly changed." Zhongli smiled.
Seeing the 'god of eternity' change was truly something worth remembering.
Ei knew she had changed, so she didn't deny it.
Ei: "Haven't you as well?"
In Ei's view, this Morax had changed the most.
She had seen Zhongli at the gathering of the Seven back then; that Zhongli... how to put it—his eyes alone had made her restless.
That was a warrior's intuition; she could sense the strength of the person before her, a strength that even excited her.
But now? Zhongli had taken out a camera to snap photos, saying on his lips, "I'll show this to Xiao and the others when I get back."
"Guizhong asked me to bring back some novel trinkets... novel trinkets, hmm..." Zhongli stroked his chin in thought. "Does Buer count?"
Ei was helpless: "No way to think of bringing her back."
Zhongli laughed—a small joke, that's all.
Ei also took out a camera and began snapping some photos, to show her sister and the others when she returned.
The camera truly was a wonderful thing—capturing beautiful moments to make them 'eternal.'
A century from now, when these people are gone, Nahida could still look at the photos and reminisce.
Unlike Ei—back then, they hadn't even left photos.
Fortunately, the Ei of now had let go; watching the lively scene in the lens, she even revealed a faint, imperceptible smile.
When she had gathered with Lucian and the others back then, quite a few photos had been taken too—snuck by Yae Miko; Ei didn't mind such records.
So for the matter of Lucian secretly (openly) photographing her tearing up, Ei actually didn't object.
Lucian's lens had practically been shoved in Ei's face; if she weren't willing, it definitely couldn't have been captured.
And at this moment, in Ei's lens appeared Venti; he waved with a full smile.
"Yo ho~ The world's greatest bard's performance is over—care for a drink?"
Ei looked at the Wind God before her; if anything, he seemed to be the one who hadn't changed much.
"What's up, staring at me like that? Did you secretly get drunk? No smell of alcohol? Shall I blow some wind for you? Whoosh whoosh~"
Venti seemed very happy; in his lively state, words flowed nonstop.
If speaking of getting drunk, Ei recalled the last gathering where he had been glared at fiercely by her sister for chugging wine like mad.
Recalling all sorts of things, Ei increasingly felt that this was pretty good—everyone could gather now and then to read books together.
Speaking of reading books, now the Sumeru people could finally see the prophecy book too.
When Lucian's book updated next time, it would be their first time seeing the real prophecy book.
Before, they had only heard merchants describe it orally; they hadn't even seen the thing—this time, they could finally see how miraculous it was.
In comparison, the desert, abandoned by the Grand Sage, actually had prophecy books circulating early on—leading by a wide margin.
Unfortunately, literacy rates in the desert were low; the prophecy books circulated, but few could read them.
The end result was that in Sumeru, whether rainforest or desert, the prophecy books had little presence.