Liyue Harbor
"Boss Yang! Three candied hawthorn skewers!" Bonanus stood before a burly man a full head taller than her.
The stall owner, his skin tanned dark from the sun, looked honest and simple. He wore rough cloth clothing and sported a short crew cut.
Boss Yang was no stranger to Bonanus. They had met before, and she had always thought his candied hawthorns were the best.
As a foodie, she couldn't resist. She would often bring her little brother along to buy some.
"Coming right up! You sure do love these, don't you?" Boss Yang said with a hearty chuckle. Having an adeptus buy from his stall had boosted his business significantly.
Candied hawthorns didn't make much profit, but it was already more than he used to make.
"Hehe, it's all thanks to your skill!" Bonanus took the skewers and praised him with a smile.
"Oh, and about the payment—" Just as she was about to remind him to bill Childe, Boss Yang cut her off.
"I know, I know. Put it on the Snezhnayan diplomat's tab." He waved his hand, signaling he understood.
"Wow, you've got it down!" Bonanus rubbed her head. He had already said everything she was about to say.
Just then, a very lively voice called out to her from behind.
She didn't even need to guess who it was. She had been waiting for them.
Turning around, she saw the two protagonists of this world. She grinned at them.
"Long time no see! Welcome to Liyue. Have you found your brother yet?"
Seeing that Bonanus still remembered them, Paimon relaxed and flashed her signature silly smile.
"Not yet. We came to Liyue to ask the god of this nation about the Traveler's brother." Paimon shrugged, indicating the search was far from over.
"Perfect timing. The Rite of Descension is today. You'll get to meet Rex Lapis. It's quite lively!" Bonanus nodded.
"But since you're new here, it's easy to get lost with all the crowds. Let me guide you."
She handed the extra candied hawthorns to them, her expression warm and inviting.
Without hesitation, Paimon took both skewers, handed one to Lumine, and took a big bite.
So sweet! This red ball is delicious!
"This is great! Thank you so much!" Paimon kicked her feet excitedly, savoring the sweet and sour taste.
Paimon really was adorable at this point.
It was a shame she would turn into a brat later on.
"Thank you. Please lead the way." Lumine pressed her hand to her chest, offering a calm smile.
Bonanus didn't waste any time and led them toward the ceremony site.
...
As they walked...
"Paimon, how is Noelle doing?" Bonanus asked curiously.
Even though they kept in touch through letters, she wanted to hear it firsthand.
"Noelle? She's a very hardworking knight! Jean gave her a mission once, and the Traveler and I helped her complete it!" Paimon recalled, rubbing her chin.
"Noelle must have been thrilled, getting a mission from her idol." Bonanus said, surprised. Jean rarely assigned tasks to trainees.
"Of course! She was excited all day. She kept saying she was finally being recognized." Paimon remembered Noelle's goofy grin.
Paimon and Bonanus chatted more and more, while Lumine, walking behind, stayed quiet like an outsider, listening.
"Say, why is the Traveler so quiet?" Bonanus tilted her head. Since you're not mute in this world, join the conversation!
"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something." Lumine made up an excuse. She hadn't been thinking about anything at all.
"If you have questions, just ask." Bonanus smiled. She wouldn't mind giving Lumine a few hints about her brother.
Just small, unimportant details.
Lumine rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then looked at Bonanus with eager eyes.
"When we were in Mondstadt, I felt like you knew something. Can you tell me about my brother?"
"Well..." Bonanus dragged out her words, almost to the point of torture.
"Your brother, the one named Aether... let's just say he's not very friendly to us." Bonanus put her hands down, speaking calmly.
Hearing the name she had longed for, Lumine immediately lost her composure. Her eyes widened, and her words came faster.
"You've seen my brother? How is he?"
"Please, tell me!"
"And—"
Seeing Lumine about to ramble, Bonanus raised her hand to stop her.
"Hold on. I can't tell you about your brother if you keep interrupting."
She sighed helplessly. One mention of her brother and she completely loses control. That girl really loves her sibling.
She felt like Aether and Lumine could star in an anime called The Lumine of Aether.
Realizing her outburst, Lumine coughed and waited for Bonanus's answer.
"To put it simply, the Abyss Order you encountered in Mondstadt has a prince. That's your brother."
"He's been in Teyvat for a long time and opposes Celestia. He's doing fine, so don't worry."
Bonanus spoke calmly, then stopped. She only knew the general plot anyway. She hadn't finished the story before she kicked the bucket.
Might as well be a riddler. It was a miHoYo tradition, after all.
"And then? Where is he now?" Lumine grew anxious again when Bonanus stopped.
"He'll be waiting for you at the end of your journey." With that, Bonanus continued leading them toward the Rite of Descension.
Lumine: ...
She was frustrated. What was this? Half answers?
Seeing Lumine's sour expression, Bonanus nodded. Being a riddler felt great.
"Miss Fashui seems to know a lot! You must have met the Traveler's brother!" Paimon said in surprise.
"Yes and no." Bonanus nodded, then shook her head. She had only seen him in the game, after all.
"Paimon feels like she doesn't understand half of what you're saying. My head hurts." Paimon rubbed her head.
"Hehe, I'll treat you to something delicious later. That'll clear your head." Bonanus played along. She pointed ahead and continued.
"We're almost there!"
Looking ahead, they saw a massive crowd gathered. That was their destination, and the true beginning of Liyue's story.