An illustration depicts Kamisato Ayaka standing in a stream, her paper fan unfolded as she gracefully assumes the starting pose of a dance.
Kamisato Ayato carefully tears off the illustration, thinking, Something's wrong—terribly wrong, even twelve times out of ten.
Turning the page, Ayato finally witnesses the extent of Lucian's "devotion." The next page is yet another illustration, and several more pages after that are the same.
Lucian had essentially used a sequence of panels to sketch out Ayaka's dance, nearly turning the illustrations into a manga.
Once the dance concludes, the story ends with a "mute humming a tune."
"Grus Nivis Chapter: Act I: The Crane and the White Hare's Tale, End."
Beneath the final scene, some are captivated by the "Shirasagi Himegimi," growing fond of this young lady.
If only she could debut alongside Mondstadt's Barbara and Liyue's Yun Jin, they muse.
Kamisato Ayaka covers her blushing face with her paper fan—these images have now been seen by all of Teyvat...
Fortunately, her mental fortitude is strong. Though embarrassed, she doesn't react beyond that.
If this were Sucrose or Collei, they'd probably be "steaming" by now.
"You danced wonderfully," Yae Miko says with a sly grin, already plotting whether she should find an opportunity to make the young lady of the Kamisato clan don shrine maiden attire and perform a ceremonial dance.
Perfect—just like that fish from Watatsumi Island. A match made in heaven.
Yoimiya finishes reading the book as well. Though she doesn't fully grasp the intricacies of the dance, she does understand festivals.
"Ayaka participating in a festival... Hmm, I'll have to put serious thought into the fireworks," Yoimiya mutters, rolling up her sleeves, determined to create something unforgettable for Ayaka.
===✧✦✧===
The people of Inazuma continue their lives as usual, as if the wave of resistance against the Vision Hunt Decree sparked by Teyvat's Strange Tales had never happened.
But that isn't the case. Everyone simply understands that opposing the Vision Hunt Decree won't be resolved overnight. The resistance must go on, but so must daily life.
If the resistance grows too fierce, it would devolve into nothing but rebellion.
Thanks to Ayato's deliberate suppression, though the voices of dissent are loud, their intensity remains controlled.
In terms of a certain Paradox game, it's as if the populace opposes the decree, but the radicalism cap is locked at 50%.
In other words, the number of radicals is rising, but it won't escalate into outright rebellion.
After all, Ayato wants a better Inazuma, not a paralyzed one. If everyone rebelled and abandoned their duties, what would become of Inazuma?
Thus, like the people of other nations, the citizens of Inazuma find time to read the next book.
"Carassius Auratus Chapter: Act I: The Eternal as Transient as Dreams and Lightning."
The cover features Yoimiya, so she's particularly excited, curious about what adventures her in-story counterpart will experience.
This is the difference between extroversion and introversion. While Ganyu and Ayaka fret and blush, Yoimiya feels only anticipation and curiosity.
Who knows how a certain "outgoing introvert" of a bird—who blends the traits of many—would react?
Yoimiya's story begins with the Traveler, Lumine, exploring and journeying through Inazuma until she arrives at the seaside.
There, a group of children ask her if she's ever seen the "Great Bake-danuki."
[Matsuzaka: "It's a super powerful and cunning youkai! It can transform into all sorts of things, appears and disappears mysteriously, and loves tricking people!"]
According to the children, the "Great Bake-danuki" is a mischievous youkai.
Adults, however, know the "Great Bake-danuki" is just a tale to keep children from wandering out at night and to make them return home early.
But in reality, the children are right—the "Great Bake-danuki" is a trickster youkai, though it hasn't been seen in ages.
The Traveler and Paimon tell the children that the "Great Bake-danuki" doesn't exist and that they shouldn't bother searching.
The kids refuse to believe it, insisting they'll ask "Big Sis Yoimiya"—because she told them the "Great Bake-danuki" exists, and she wouldn't lie to them.
At this point, Yoimiya scratches her head awkwardly, thinking, Oh no, Big Sis Yoimiya's 'credibility' is about to take a hit.
Luckily, the children in the story are still young, barely able to read—they probably won't pick up this book.
When the Traveler catches up to the kids in the story, "Mother Mode" Yoimiya is already comforting them.
[Yoimiya: "Don't be sad, don't be so sad! They were just teasing you—how could the Great Bake-danuki not exist?"]
["No need to rush, no need to lose heart. To become a great hero, you'll need patience and wisdom too."]
["Light the special fireworks I made, and no matter how powerful the Great Bake-danuki is, it'll be scared away!"
"The things at home, the crops in the fields, even Mom and Dad—it's up to you to protect them now!"]
This girl knows exactly how to handle children.
Even the five-star oni Arataki Itto can't help but comment, "I feel like I could be friends with her."
And it's not just Itto—if possible, even Arlecchino would want to recruit her into the Hearth.
After soothing the children, Yoimiya in the story finally speaks with the Traveler.
It turns out she also thinks the "Great Bake-danuki" is just a made-up tale—but she never exposed it.
Because in her eyes, even if the story is fabricated, it's not her place to shatter the illusion.
Besides, for children, believing and enjoying it is enough. Truth and fiction don't matter so much.
Now even Tartaglia regards Yoimiya in a new light. Normally, he has no interest in those lacking combat prowess.
But because her words align with his own philosophy, he finds himself intrigued by this girl.
The dreams of childhood are the most fragile. So as long as they believe and enjoy them, truth and fiction don't matter.
Like Yoimiya, he strives to preserve children's "dreams"—even those woven from lies.
[Yoimiya: "The things you believed in as a child, the experiences you had—they'll slowly become irreplaceable treasures."]
["Didn't you believe in heroes who defeated evil dragons or holy swords that cleaved through darkness? I think it's the same thing."]
Now even Dehya is moved. The story has only just begun, yet more and more people are drawn to Yoimiya.
When Dehya was little, she grew up listening to her father's fairy tales.
Those tales—stories of heroes fighting dragons—were childish, but she truly believed in them.
That's also why she left in disappointment upon learning her father's true identity. In the stories, she always played the "hero," while her father and the others were the "dragons"—yet in reality, her father was a "dragon."
Her father's stories influenced her deeply, making it impossible for her to become a "dragon," so she left the "dragon's lair."
"This Yoimiya… I feel like you two could be great friends," Dunyarzad remarks.
"Yeah? If she ever comes to Sumeru, definitely," Dehya replies, eager to meet her.
Perhaps all Pyro wielders are this bright and endearing? Right, Diluc?
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice-Over: Dehya - About Yoimiya
"Her? She's such a fun girl. To still hold onto childhood fairy tales even after growing up… Honestly, she's stronger than me. I'd love to be friends with her someday."