Lumine could now control the air around her with ease. It was no different from how she was in the game. Yes, I expected this to happen, but seeing it with my own eyes made me realize just how absurd it actually was. She was practically defying the very system of Teyvat.
While I watched her in awe, Lumine turned to me and asked:
"Is there something on my face, Kane?"
I must have stared a bit too long.
"No. …It's just a little strange that you suddenly started using the Anemo element like that."
Lumine averted her gaze and answered,
"For some reason, I just… suddenly could."
She doesn't want me to know she can do something like that? …Or worse, does she think I'll get suspicious of something bigger if I do? Why would she think that?
I guess I'll be getting pretty close to Lumine. Maybe she'll be the key to changing something about myself.
For now, I'll pretend like I'm not suspicious of anything.
"I see. By the way, what are we doing right now exactly?"
I kept asking questions I already knew the answers to—just to probe her reactions.
As she walked beside me, she glanced over and replied:
"I'm looking for my brother. …Before he disappeared, we fell down here togeth— I mean, he disappeared."
Weird. From what I know, Lumine doesn't slip her words like that, nor does she worry about such tiny details.
A few differences are understandable but… whatever.
"I have an idea. If you're looking for your brother, wouldn't it make sense to put up missing posters in the city?"
Lumine looked back at me and gave me a warm smile.
"That makes a lot of sense. You're amazing, Kane."
…I'm not used to girls complimenting me.
"It was just a simple idea. …No need to thank me, really. …Also, the city isn't in that direction. Follow me."
I took the lead, and Lumine and Paimon followed behind.
I took out my map and compass. Once I got our bearings, it was easy to figure out where the city was.
In the past few days I'd had to learn a lot of things just to stay alive.
As we continued walking, a faint uneasiness came over me. I turned to Lumine, and her brows were slightly furrowed as well.
"You felt it too, didn't you?"
She asked me that before I could speak. Yes, something felt wrong. Even Paimon sensed the danger and hid somewhere.
A few seconds later, more than 30 Hilichurls burst out from the bushes and trees around us, charging straight at us.
"Shit!"
Even though I had my armor and gear on, I wasn't prepared for a fight this big.
And even worse—this time the Hilichurls were actually coordinated, rushing us from all sides.
Lumine was calmer than me. I needed to calm down too.
Instead of fear, my blood felt like it was heating up.
I quickly came up with a plan and called to Lumine.
She didn't have her dull blade yet anyway.
"Lumine! I'm throwing a water bomb at them. I need you to use wind to spread it onto as many as possible. Just make sure it doesn't splash onto us."
"Leave it to me."
She sounded completely confident.
I threw the Hydro element bomb at the Hilichurls, and Lumine immediately used a wind vortex to spread the water over most of them.
Without wasting time, I threw the Electro bomb as well. They were instantly shocked.
Because the voltage spread between so many targets, they didn't die instantly—but they took massive damage.
Controlling their twitching muscles would be impossible for the moment.
I gripped my axe and started swinging it at the weakened Hilichurls' necks.
One, two, three—
I could clearly feel the effects of consuming Dvalin's Tear.
Lumine supported me from behind. She was pulling the Hilichurls together with wind currents.
Since she didn't have a sword yet, this was the best she could do.
Honestly, we made a pretty good team.
After a short while, we managed to kill them all.
I took a deep breath and tried to gather myself.
Lumine quickly ran to my side and checked on me.
"Are you okay?"
I smiled and answered,
"Thanks to you. We actually made a pretty good team."
She giggled lightly at my unserious answer despite the situation.
For some reason she looked particularly attractive in that moment.
"Cracking jokes now? I like that."
As I kept looking at her, I noticed a red fireball forming behind her.
My body moved before my mind could—I grabbed Lumine by the waist and pulled her to the side.
But the fireball still hit my back.
"Shit! Gghhk—"
It burns it burns it burns!
I could feel my skin searing.
I let go of Lumine and turned around.
And there it was—floating, protected by a fiery shield, about the size of a Hilichurl Shaman but more sinister.
An Abyss Mage.
The sharp pain in my back continued as the Abyss Mage prepared another spell.
"Lumine! If you don't break its outer shield, you can't hurt it. Use the wind element to break it!"
I gave the order like a commander.
Lumine didn't have the chance to worry about my injury—she did exactly as I said and she unleashed wind attacks toward the Abyss Mage.
Because of her winds, the mage stopped its own attack and switched to defense.
I took out my last hydro and electro element bombs and hurled them at it.
The hydro hit the fire shield first and evaporated instantly. The shield clearly weakened.
Then the Electro bomb hit—and the shield shattered completely.
The mage dropped to the ground.
Knowing it was my chance, I rushed toward it and brought my axe down on its neck.
I couldn't put my full strength into the swing because of the pain, but it was still more than enough to kill an Abyss Mage.
Lumine rushed to my side and examined my back.
"This wound looks serious. Why did you do that for me?"
I don't know either.
My body moved on its own.
But that's not something she'd want to hear.
"I didn't want you to get hurt."
…She froze for a moment, probably unsure what to say.
Then Paimon finally returned, flying anxiously around us.
"Traveler, Kane! Are you two okay??!"
As you can see, I'm not, Paimon.
Lumine answered for me.
"I'm fine. Kane took a fireball to the back to protect me."
Is the wound really that big?
The pain had already begun to fade.
No way the fireball pierced my armor that deeply.
Even though it felt nice having them worry about me—it wasn't what I wanted.
"There's someone in the city who can heal this wound. And after that, we can put up a missing poster for your brother, Lumine."
"…You're a strange man, Kane. Your wounds should be the priority right now. We can handle the rest later. Let's go."
…Was Lumine always like this?
Thinking about it… most of Lumine's personality in the game was just text.
Maybe I don't know her as well as I thought.
But this…
Felt nice.
After Lumine's words, we headed toward the city.