"Pork bones, bring them for braising, you forgot to wash the eggs again~♪"
"But I… cooked a pack of instant noodles~♪"
CLANG!
In the main hall of the Dark Gold Hut, Lumine had just constructed a temporary stove using rock-element constructs. Humming a tune, she busily began preparing tonight's meal for everyone.
Since drawing Amber last night, life for Renjiro had leveled up once again. The arrival of this pyro-elemental character had brought convenience and warmth to the little team.
Yet…
Why, even after leaving Teyvat, am I still the one responsible for lighting the fire?
Well… it was partly because this fiery archer, like Ningguang, had been one of the few four-star characters whose affection Renjiro had maxed out. Yet when she was summoned for the first time, her initial gaze fell upon Lumine, who wore an expression of "utter contempt" while pointing toward the stove and the pile of firewood beneath it.
From his vantage point, Renjiro (Aether) saw it clearly: Amber's previously cheerful expression froze instantly, and even her red hair accessory drooped.
Sigh. Two wonderful things had come together, the reunion with an old friend and the start of a new adventure, and yet…
"By the way, based on my travel timeline, tonight on my home planet, Earth, is Christmas Eve."
Ah yes, the season to irritate white knights.
At this moment…
"Riveria-sama, here's the mustard flour noodles you requested."
"Much appreciated."
"Bete, here's your wild mushroom and chicken skewer."
"Thanks."
"Tiona, your grilled ribs."
"Yay~!"
The little barefoot angel bounced over to Lumine, eagerly accepting the fragrant dish. She sniffed the aroma, then asked with curiosity:
"Lumine, what song were you humming just now? I've never heard it before~"
Seeing this question, Lumine continued preparing other dishes while answering:
"It's an Eastern song. Renjiro once heard someone sing it and found it beautiful, so he taught it to me and Traveler."
"This song… in my view, encourages people not to be bound by past pain, not to give up easily, to overcome hardships, strive forward, grow stronger, while always keeping a gentle heart."
At that moment…
Not be bound by past pain?
Bete, who had just grabbed a handful of wild mushroom skewers and was walking away, paused.
Grow stronger?
Ais glanced over. Tione seemed to have a thought, touched by the sentiment. Finn and Riveria exchanged a look.
Only Tiona…
"Huh? A very beautiful song?"
Her simple nature meant she didn't overthink, it just piqued her curiosity. She leaned closer:
"Lumine, will you sing it for me too?"
"Ah, um…"
Lumine instinctively glanced at Renjiro (Aether) seated not far away. Seeing him shrug with an "not my problem" expression, she sighed in resignation. Turning back to Tiona, she said:
"Let me finish dinner first."
"Oh, okay~"
Dinner time…
"I've long known the reason to grow stronger~♪"
"Here and now, lead me forward, together we shall march~♪"
…
It had to be said, having seasoned adventurers leading the team made everyone braver.
Though the 50th floor was a safe floor, it still belonged to the deep dungeon region, and plenty of monsters roamed about.
Only the top-tier familias, like Freya and Loki, had the ability to reach this floor without mishap.
In previous official expeditions, blacksmiths in the Loki familia would be hard at work, hammering and forging. But now, humming a song was entirely permissible.
Finn, Riveria, and others were genuinely interested in this song, which made it even more acceptable.
Riveria aside, Finn, usually sharp and intelligent, had his own soft spot for romantic things.
When truly moved, he became a little slow to react… and impulsive.
This trait, paired with his faux-child appearance, allowed him to bond with the younger adventurers effortlessly.
At that moment…
"Compared to flowers born beautiful, those branches that bloom proudly despite hardship are truly more dazzling~♪"
Renjiro, always prone to long-range reflections, noted that Lumine's casual humming was merely a harmless little interlude.
But…
Seems like there's a lot of room for follow-up here.
Before crossing over, Renjiro had been exposed to Demon Slayer. It was rare to see a quality anime series emerge after the "Great Works Barrier."
Demon Slayer's story could actually tie in with the 'Outlier' incident.
Once the thought arose, it would not leave. Renjiro began to consider many feasible plans for what could come next.
Thus now…
"Crimson lotus, bloom proudly, illuminate destiny~♪"
Lumine wasn't completely on pitch. As one of the Twin Travelers, she excelled at everything, but singing wasn't her forte.
To compensate, she used Genshin Summon to bring out Barbara. Though Barbara hadn't awakened her consciousness, Renjiro had recently taught her a skill:
"By consuming magical energy, assist in singing to generate background music from memory."
As expected from Renjiro, always thinking ahead and full of tricks, this playful idea had paid off.
Unfortunately…
Songs of this fiery style still suit Xinyan better.
Renjiro (Aether) thought silently.
As for Tiona and the others…
CLAP~ CLAP~ CLAP~ × N
When the short song ended, everyone, except Bete standing by the door, including Ais, applauded.
"So this is an Eastern song, so rare to hear."
"Lumine, amazing!"
"The lyrics are really meaningful too."
Finn, Tiona… even Riveria were all seriously commenting.
Oh, one thing left unsaid…
Lumine's singing, while far from professional, was naturally pleasant to hear, a bonus no one else could replicate.
=============
129+ Advance Chapters Available on Patreon! Patreon.com/Veltoria