Standing with her hands on her hips, head held high, Istaroth mimicked Paimon's usual cocky demeanor, pointing at the utterly dumbfounded Paimon. "Hmph! An imposter is still an imposter. You couldn't even answer a single question!"
Internally, she was laughing hysterically. Among the Four Shades, Paimon was their eldest sister and had been designated in Phanes' plan to assist the fourth Descender in mastering the Seven Elements and Light Realm Authority to inherit the throne. To avoid suspicion from the Descender, Phanes had withdrawn Paimon's Authority and sealed her memories. And now, judging from her current state, even her intelligence had dropped several levels.
Paimon suddenly burst into loud sobs, clutching at Lumine's clothes. "Waaah! Lumine, I'm the real Paimon! Don't abandon meee!"
Lumine smiled mischievously, her face exuding an air of mockery, as she patted Paimon's head. "Don't worry. How could I ever doubt you, Paimon?"
Hearing Lumine's tone, dripping with sarcasm, Paimon shrank back in fear. "Lumine… y-you're scaring me…"
Istaroth, seeing this as an opportunity, added fuel to the fire. "Lumine, you should catch this imposter and interrogate her properly. She's definitely plotting something against you!"
Paimon, teeth clenched and fists trembling, stomped the air furiously. "You—you—you're the imposter! Wuuuu, Lumine…" Seeing Lumine's smirk, Paimon dissolved into tears again.
Lumine nodded solemnly. "You're right. We should interrogate her properly."
With that, she grabbed Istaroth as if picking up a doll, grinning mischievously. "Alright, tell me, fake Paimon, who are you? Why are you playing pranks on me? Or are you scheming something even worse?"
Both Istaroth and Paimon froze in shock.
Istaroth flailed her arms and legs in panic. "I-I'm the real Paimon, Lumine!"
Lumine let out a smug chuckle. "Hah! Paimon is so silly, so slow, and forgetful—she can't even remember what she ate yesterday. There's no way she could answer questions so quickly and accurately. So, the smart one must be the fake."
Paimon broke into a delighted smile. "Lumine, I knew you'd recognize me!" But then something clicked in her mind, and she immediately puffed her cheeks in indignation. "Wait a minute! I'm not silly, and I'm not slow!"
Lumine continued to stare down at the fake Paimon. "Alright, spill it. Are you working for someone else?"
It was odd. This fake Paimon was genuinely so tiny and identical, even her aura was nearly indistinguishable. If Lumine hadn't spent so much time with Paimon, she wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Istaroth, defeated, turned her gaze toward Noah with a pitiful expression. "I'm sorry, Noah… I couldn't fool her."
At that moment, Lumine's sharp gaze shifted instantly to the only unfamiliar young man present, prompting Lan to also look over.
Zhongli, however, remained calm. Internally, he was only puzzled as to why the Heavenly Principle was playing a prank on the fourth Descender. However, he didn't sense any malice. If the Heavenly Principle had intended to target the Descender, it wouldn't require such games. A single Divine Nail would suffice.
Meanwhile, Yae Miko's sly eyes twinkled with amusement as she glanced at Noah, her lips curling into a mischievous smile. Chuckling softly, she thought: So even the mischievous Lord Noah, who teases others endlessly, can have his plans backfire.
Seeing him taste a rare moment of defeat brought immense satisfaction to her heart.
Holding Istaroth firmly to prevent her from escaping, Lumine's sharp gaze locked onto the mysterious boy. "We're meeting for the first time, aren't we? Why did you pull this prank on me?"
She didn't feel any malice from him, so she was certain he wasn't trying to harm her.
Noah sighed dramatically, shrugging his shoulders. "Ah, I've been caught. What a shame—how disappointing that you didn't fall for it."
His expression shifted back to a cheerful smile. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Noah, the Fifth Descender. Seeing a kindred spirit, I couldn't resist having a little fun and leaving a memorable impression."
Lumine frowned in confusion. "The Fifth Descender? Kindred spirit?"
Istaroth, always ready to play the role of Noah's "hype-woman," explained enthusiastically, "A Descender is someone who comes from beyond this world, someone who holds the power to reshape its fate. You're the Fourth Descender, while Noah is the fifth."
Lumine's eyes widened in realization before shifting to surprise. "You're from beyond this world too?!"
Paimon, still fuming, pointed an accusatory finger at Istaroth. "Unforgivable! You pranked Lumine and me! And who even are you?! Why do you look exactly like me?"
Noah smiled brightly. "Her name is Istaroth. She's my flying companion and guide as the Fifth Descender. Every Descender is assigned a flying companion—it's standard issue."
Paimon's brain short-circuited for what felt like the millionth time in the last few minutes. She looked completely dumbfounded.
Istaroth nodded in agreement, chiming in, "That's right. Our race of flying spirits exists specifically to guide Descenders through the Seven Nations so they can complete their journey and leave Teyvat."
Lumine turned to Paimon. "Is that true?"
Scratching her head in confusion, Paimon muttered, "Why don't I know anything about this?"
Hands on her hips, Istaroth declared, "You must've fallen into the sea and lost your memory. Think about it—can you remember anything from before you met the fourth Descender?"
Paimon scratched her head harder, a frustrated pout forming on her face. "I… I can't remember…"
Istaroth spread her hands triumphantly. "See? I rest my case."
Lumine's gaze toward Paimon shifted, now filled with silent judgment that practically screamed: "You really are so unreliable."
But as someone who had traveled through numerous worlds, Lumine quickly pieced things together despite her temporary memory loss. "So that's how it works. Outsiders who come to this world must leave their mark in every nation to obtain proof of departure. Otherwise, leaving would be considered illegal."
It was just like trying to leave a country without proper customs clearance. That must've been why that mysterious god stopped her and her brother five hundred years ago.
Recalling something, Lumine asked, "I have a question. How is it that you seem to know so much more than me, even though you're the fifth Descender and I'm the fourth?"
Noah shrugged casually. "Simple. I may have arrived later, but I've already completed the journey through all Seven Nations."
"You know how it is. You bought a game but left it sitting on the shelf, while I bought it and played it through to the end."
Lumine nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, I see. So, since you've visited all Seven Nations, have you come across someone like me? A man—my brother."
Clicking his tongue, Noah replied, "Your brother? Oh, he's in trouble."
Lumine blinked. "What?"
Noah continued nonchalantly, "If this world were a country, your brother joined an organization notorious for murder, arson, and all sorts of crimes against humanity. He's killed people too. Basically, he's a wanted criminal."
Lumine's face twitched. Well, that explained everything her brother had said to her before.
So that's what he meant when he told her, "I've already completed my journey. You, too, must reach the end to truly see this world for what it is."
It all added up now. While she was in her slumber, Aether had traveled through all Seven Nations, obtained his proof of departure, and even joined a criminal organization. In the end, he had been apprehended and labeled a fugitive.
And when she last saw him in Mondstadt? That must've been because the Abyss Order had broken him out of custody.
Her brother, seething with resentment, must've been planning revenge against the authorities—hence his talk of overthrowing the Heavenly Principle.
Knowing her brother, she could easily picture him doing something .
"That idiot," she thought with clenched fists. "The next time I see him, I'll beat him into a pulp."
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40 Advanced Chapters Available on /DaoOfHeaven