After organizing the information, Lumine asked Tighnari about his plans.
Tighnari decided to stay and care for Haypasia.
"If you need any help, just come find me."
After Tighnari left, Lumine and Paimon both turned to Chu Xi.
"Eh? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Chu Xi, we're going to the Desert to find someone who can help. What about you?"
"I'll come with you... uh, if that's okay with you guys..."
Lumine was delighted. "Of course it's convenient for us!"
With their plan settled, the trio wasted no time and set off immediately.
Along the way, Lumine questioned Chu Xi about Silaya. Except for what Chu Xi had promised not to reveal, she shared everything she knew.
Lumine noticed that Chu Xi became noticeably more talkative when discussing Silaya, much like Collei had behaved when talking about Amber.
"Chu Xi, do you know how old Silaya is this year?"
"Hmm... I think she's... eighteen."
Lumine immediately pressed further:
"Then do you know when Silaya's birthday is?"
Paimon now understood what Lumine suspected. Come to think of it, Silaya was quite peculiar in many ways. Could she also be a Person of Pure Soul?
"I don't know," Chu Xi replied, leaving Lumine and Paimon somewhat disappointed. It seemed they would have to ask Silaya directly.
Chu Xi continued, "Silaya is an orphan. She's been alone since she was conscious. Kaveh later adopted her, and her life gradually improved. She... doesn't know her own birthday."
"Ah, so that's how it is... Poor Silaya," Paimon sighed sincerely.
Having to live alone from such a young age... No wonder Silaya always seemed so capable when we saw her.
The trio traveled from day to night, eventually deciding to spend the night in the Serenitea Pot and continue their journey the next day.
Inside the Serenitea Pot, Lumine had prepared a kitchen with plenty of fresh ingredients. She personally cooked, showing off her culinary skills.
While her dishes couldn't compare to Xiangling's or Yuna's, having a warm bed and a hot meal under these circumstances was already an extraordinary blessing.
The Serenitea Pot truly was incredibly convenient!
By mid-morning the next day, the trio arrived at Caravan Ribat.
Paimon bounced excitedly. "We've finally reached Caravan Ribat! It looks pretty lively around here. Should we find a place to pig out before continuing our journey?"
Lumine retorted, "When have I ever denied you food?"
Paimon clasped her hands behind her back, deliberately acting cute.
"Hehe~ Speaking of which, beyond that wall lies the Desert, right?"
"I remember that wall being called the 'Wall of Samiel.' It's supposed to block out the desert winds and sand. Such a massive structure must be a 'Divine Miracle' created by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, right?"
"It's truly magnificent," Lumine said, "absolutely breathtaking."
Chu Xi shielded her eyes from the sun, tilting her head back to gaze at the colossal Wall of Samiel.
All three of them were in the same pose, necks craned upward, when a tall man suddenly strode through their midst.
"...Stop dawdling here. Come on, keep up with me."
Paimon clenched her tiny fists behind her back, leaned forward, and her eyes widened. "Eh...?"
"Alhaitham..." Lumine murmured.
When did he get here?
Chu Xi had never met Alhaitham, but she had heard about him from Silaya.
So Silaya's teacher is this young?
From her complaints, I'd imagined him as some old fossil...
Alhaitham sprinted ahead, and the trio quickly followed.
They stopped at a slightly higher vantage point, where Alhaitham gestured for Lumine to look below while taking cover.
Several Eremites had been tailing them the entire time. Lumine was astonished that she hadn't noticed them at all.
"You were far too careless. Those Eremite trackers were quite clumsy; you should have noticed them."
"Spare me the thanks. I have no interest in keeping score of favors owed or received. I simply help people correct their mistakes when I see them—a habit I picked up at the Akademiya."
Alhaitham turned to the unexpected presence of Chu Xi.
"Why is this young lady traveling with you?"
He had returned to the Akademiya briefly and, though he left quickly, he recognized Chu Xi. She was a Liyue guest staying with Silaya, and the two seemed to have a close bond.
Because of Silaya's connection to Alhaitham, Lumine instinctively trusted him somewhat, but she still withheld the full truth. She merely explained that they had taken on a quest from Chu Xi and had jointly provoked the Akademiya, which was why Chu Xi was accompanying them.
Alhaitham understood her hesitation and didn't press further.
He then explained his own presence in the area: he was continuing his investigation into the Canned Knowledge of the Divine. However, upon seeing Lumine and her companions here, he decided to alter his plans.
During their stakeout of the Eye of the Sands Eremite camp, the Boss uttered a cryptic phrase before the Akademiya Matra took him away. Lumine's expression turned complex as she sank into deep thought, as if she knew something significant.
Lumine explained that the situation was complicated and it wasn't the right time to elaborate.
Alhaitham agreed, and when he learned that Lumine and her companions were heading to the desert without a clear plan, he suggested they visit Aaru Village first.
As they approached Aaru Village, the landscape transformed into something completely different, leaving Lumine, Paimon, and Chu Xi in awe.
"This terrain is so unique! It looks like a really interesting place. Let's go explore right away!" Paimon exclaimed.
While the group—except for Alhaitham—were marveling at the scenery, a young man suddenly leaped down from the towering cliffs above, his uniquely shaped spear aimed directly at Alhaitham.
Lumine reacted swiftly, drawing the Unrelenting Will in an instant to block the young man's strike. With a swift sword swing, she forced him back.
The young man regained his footing and charged again, this time lunging straight at Alhaitham.
Alhaitham swiftly drew his weapon. This self-proclaimed frail scholar was now locked in fierce combat with the strongest Matra. The battle was evenly matched, a spectacle of raw power and tactical finesse.
"...Cyno?"
"If my memory serves me correctly, you and I rarely crossed paths at the Akademiya. Does a chance encounter warrant such excitement, General Mahamatra?"
"Dodging that spear doesn't mean you'll escape the Trial, Alhaitham."
"Trial? Given your earlier actions, was that truly a Trial or merely a Purge?"
"I wasn't using my full strength. Otherwise, this Traveler wouldn't have stood a chance against me."
Though Lumine desperately wanted to avoid getting involved in their exchange, she couldn't resist chiming in:
"I've fought Stormterror and even sparred with the Electro Archon!"
Cyno stared blankly.
"My point is, I held back, Alhaitham. What looked like an assassination attempt was merely to ensure the target lost the ability to resist or flee. You should know this is standard Matra procedure."