If Nagami remembered correctly, back in the Terra world the Doctor had once asked him the exact same kind of question—comparing his own body with… well, himself.
Alright, fine. Even if there was a strange consistency when it came to "himself," there were still some undeniable differences in how men and women thought about these things.
———————————————————————
[Looks a bit smaller than C.C.'s… As for how it feels… why don't you let me test it properly tonight?]
———————————————————————
Honestly, a lap pillow was nothing for Nagami.
He'd experienced every kind of "play" one could imagine.
But since it was Lumine offering this little perk, it carried a unique flavor all its own.
C.C.'s lap pillow, for example, always came with their dual-sensory link.
But since he and C.C. were essentially the same person, it felt no different than resting his arm across his own leg.
No intimacy, no thrill—just normal.
But with Lumine, it was entirely different.
He could feel her heart skip a beat, the faint trace of excitement, and even the tiniest sense of guilty rebellion at being touched by "herself."
Right now, Nagami was lying on his side with his face turned toward her stomach, his warm breath brushing against her skin.
The sensation spread like ripples, tickling her nerves and, through their linked minds, resonating inside his chest as well.
'Crap. Crap, crap, crap!'
'If this keeps going, I'm going to lose every last shred of decency I have left!'
Her pale hands froze mid-massage.
Golden eyes widened slightly, panic flickering inside them. Nagami's unfiltered thoughts and images had flowed straight into her mind, staining her flawless features with a sudden blush.
The next moment, Lumine shoved Nagami off her lap with both hands and scrambled back, putting as much distance between them as possible.
The farther they were apart, the weaker their telepathic link became—close enough to sense each other's location, but far enough to block stray thoughts.
She had to admit it—this time, she was a little embarrassed.
After all, the images Nagami imagined were… far too vivid.
But that wasn't the real issue.
The problem was… for just the tiniest fraction of a second… she'd felt her heart skip.
For someone with a lifespan as long as hers, finding a true partner was rarer than finding a needle in the bottom of the sea—unless the bond had been forged before becoming immortal.
And if that partner was "herself"? She had never even considered such a possibility before.
But now that it was in front of her, she couldn't deny it felt impossible to refuse.
Still, letting Nagami "win" so quickly would make her seem way too easy, wouldn't it?
…Then again, was there even a point in playing coy? They were both "her," after all.
Nagami watched Lumine's thoughtful expression but didn't pry into her mind any further.
He couldn't stop his lips from curving into a smile, though—she was just a little too slow at hiding her fluster.
For an instant, his dark eyes met her shimmering golden ones, and a thought stirred inside him.
He suppressed it immediately.
Lumine truly had no resistance toward him—toward herself—but she still clung to that maidenly side of hers.
There was a reason she was still an eternal virgin, after all.
Nagami felt oddly grateful for their one-in-a-million connection across worlds.
Without it, there was no way he could've gotten close to the Traveler on charm alone.
"Alright, alright. Enough messing around. Let's talk business."
Nagami patted the spot where Lumine had been sitting, gesturing for her to come back.
She crossed her arms with a sharp huff, lips jutting out as if to declare she'd never sit there again.
Nagami could only sigh and glance meaningfully in another direction before standing and taking Seele's hand, leading her over toward Venti.
Listening to the great Anemo Archon spin his honeyed words to his people was bound to be entertaining, after all.
Noticing his look, Lumine frowned curiously and followed his gaze.
There, on a nearby bench, C.C. sat with her smooth, porcelain-like legs crossed elegantly.
Tilting her head in a deceptively cute gesture, she raised one pale, delicate hand in a beckoning motion.
Her silky green hair swayed like a flowing river with the movement.
The meaning was clear: This time, I'll be the one offering the lap pillow and massage.
Lumine gave a dismissive little snort.
And then promptly dashed over, plopping down with an eager grin.
Her shoulder-length golden hair spilled like soft sand across C.C.'s thighs, her expression shifting visibly as the plush warmth cradled her head.
When those gentle fingers began to stroke her hair, she couldn't help but close her eyes in bliss.
———————————————————————
[So… how far is it from Mondstadt to Liyue, anyway?]
———————————————————————
If there was any news about the Treasure Hoarders, Wang Xiaomei would usually inform Lumine through a letter.
But if the message got delayed during travel, they might miss the Abyss Herald entirely… Wait a second.
Come to think of it, they didn't actually need to fight an Abyss Herald just to draw out Aether right now.
C.C. lowered her lashes, her curled lashes trembling slightly as she gazed at the blonde girl's soft, rosy lips that glimmered faintly under the sunlight.
Golden eyes flickered with hidden light as she used the sentience authority to completely shield her current thoughts.
Honestly, was there a more convenient method than this~?
The sudden lack of C.C.'s mental activity made Lumine's eyes flicker open with faint suspicion.
But under the girl's radiant, flower-like smile, she quickly brushed off the thought.
———————————————————————
[It won't even take that long. Did you forget this world has teleport waypoints? They're ridiculously convenient.]
———————————————————————
A surprised look flashed across Lumine's face as she glanced up at the green-haired girl, who was staring blankly in shock.
After all, the knowledge about Genshin Impact came from Nagami uploading data into the chat group. Wasn't this common knowledge?
———————————————————————
[Wait—what?! Are you telling me Teyvat in reality also has those teleport waypoints like in the game?!]
———————————————————————
C.C.'s golden eyes widened, blinking in astonishment.
She hadn't imagined such things could truly exist.
Weren't they just a player convenience in the game? Why would they appear in reality?
———————————————————————
[Well…]
———————————————————————
Reading her thoughts, Lumine frowned slightly.
———————————————————————
[They're not exactly the same as the game's waypoints.]
[Real waypoints do exist, but their numbers are scarce.]
[In fact, the entire continent of Teyvat doesn't even have as many as Mondstadt does in the game.]
———————————————————————
As if sensing C.C.'s shifting mood, Lumine grew serious, locking eyes with those dazzling golden irises.
———————————————————————
[I've searched through ancient texts for information.]
[No one knows when waypoints first appeared.]
[They're connected to the ley lines, so it's possible they've existed since the very beginning of the world.]
[In fact, the Seven Nations all originally developed around existing waypoints for the sake of transportation.]
[Even though borders and cities have shifted since then, none of them ever stray too far from one.]
[One difference though: in reality, there's no such thing as the 'portable waypoints' you see in the game.]
———————————————————————
Her eyes narrowed as she explained, her voice calm yet measured.
C.C. fell silent, tapping her temple lightly with one finger, her expression thoughtful.
———————————————————————
[Then how much do you know about ley lines?]
———————————————————————
While kneading Lumine's soft, pale cheek with her hand—savoring the delicate texture—C.C. sorted her thoughts before continuing.
[The ley lines… they're like a conceptual network linking everything in this world.]
[Different elements flow through them, and every event in history is recorded within.]
[I never found any concrete records in ancient texts.]
[I once told Venti about this.]
[Judging by his reaction, he was shocked I even knew that much.]
[When I tried to press him further, he brushed me off with nothing more than a cheeky "eh-he~."]
———————————————————————
Lumine showed little reaction to having her cheeks kneaded—after all, she also enjoyed playing with other girls' faces.
And besides, even though Nagami was technically "another her," the feeling of his touch was completely different.
———————————————————————
[Barbatos, huh… Fine. Then did you ever ask Rex Lapis?]
[Zhongli was even more blunt. He flat-out refused to answer, telling me not to pursue knowledge about the ley lines further—otherwise it could bring disaster.]
———————————————————————
Lumine, with her vast experience, wasn't the type to recklessly push forward.
Since Zhongli himself had warned her that investigating the ley lines was dangerous, she naturally stopped.
After all, with Aether's unparalleled standing in the Abyss Order, if there were truly some existential threat, he would step in to prevent it.
She might not know exactly what Aether was up to now, but in this one thing, she had absolute faith in him.
Her task was simple: slowly gather the seven elemental powers and restore her sealed strength.
———————————————————————
[Oh? That's the kind of answer Zhongli gave you? Interesting.]
———————————————————————
C.C. arched a brow, then shifted her gaze back to Lumine's slightly parted, soft red lips.
After a moment's hesitation, she reached out and slipped a finger into the blonde's small mouth.
"Mm—!"
Lumine let out a muffled sound, eyes narrowing as if she were about to glare.
But then, remembering it was C.C., she only gave a small huff before allowing the gesture without resistance.
———————————————————————
Daily Uploads!
Unlock bonus chapters by reaching specific milestones with [Power Stone] votes!
Go to p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL to access more than 50 advanced chapters.