"Did he leave?"
Seeing Rowan fall silent, Paimon blinked and floated out, looking around curiously.
"He left."
"This guy's so mysterious—always talking in riddles."
"When we run into him again, you'll know who he is. That guy's a total show-off."
Rowan nodded, then looked at Lumine and noticed how she seemed like she wanted to say something but held back.
"I know what you want to ask, but Lumine—there are some things you have to experience yourself before you'll understand why."
"Even if I told you now, you might not believe it, right?"
"Hearing isn't believing. Seeing is believing."
Lumine blinked and nodded, signaling she understood.
When Rowan and Dainsleif had been talking just now, he'd kept looking at her—clearly hinting that the other man was connected to her brother.
You could even say he knew where her brother was.
That was why Rowan had said those seemingly out-of-nowhere words.
He was reminding her that if she met that man again in the future, she needed to be more cautious.
Some things really did need to be seen with her own eyes—taking only someone else's one-sided words was never a good idea.
"What are you two even talking about?" Paimon asked in a daze, watching Lumine suddenly nod while Rowan spoke in riddles too. "What is this supposed to mean?! I know every word you're saying, so why can't I understand it when you put them together?"
"You don't need to know," Rowan said.
"It's got nothing to do with you."
Rowan curled his lip at Paimon, then walked over to Klee.
Dainsleif had casually slapped the Abyss Mage to death.
So now, nobody knew where that Abyss Mage's nest was—unless it somehow came back to life.
But an Abyss Mage revived from the Ley Lines would only be an empty shell.
It wouldn't have its old memories anymore—probably wouldn't even be able to talk.
Klee stared at the crater, looking pitifully miserable without saying a word.
That heartbreakingly adorable sight made Paimon's heart overflow. She flew right up in front of Rowan and pleaded.
"Rowan, you should have a way, right?"
"Just help Klee out!"
Klee just wants to blow up some fish—what bad intentions could she possibly have?
Lumine rubbed her forehead, speechless.
She could tell Klee was completely playing the victim.
In reality, she was just waiting for Rowan to feel sorry for her.
Otherwise, with Klee's personality, she would've already run back to Mondstadt to act cute with Albedo, or go find Sucrose.
If the stuff was gone, it was gone—Klee wasn't incapable of making do.
At worst, she'd be sad for a bit and then bounce right back.
This act was obviously just to make Rowan pity her.
As for how Rowan would "pity" Klee… Lumine had no clue.
Looks like this fellow "otherworlder" had plenty of secrets too.
"Rowan-nii!"
Hearing Paimon speak up for her, Klee first stifled a giggle—then instantly fixed her expression.
Thinking of the thing that made her saddest, her eyes quickly filled with tears.
Then she raised her head to look at Rowan with a pitiful, watery stare.
At this point, forget Rowan—even Lumine felt her heart soften.
Not to mention Rowan, who treated Klee like his own daughter.
"Alright, alright, I'll get you more."
"Sigh…"
Rowan couldn't stand seeing girls cry—especially not Klee.
So he surrendered without a fight.
And the moment Rowan agreed, Klee—right in front of Lumine and Paimon's stunned faces—put on a masterclass in instant face-changing.
She sprang up, beaming, and wiped the tears clean.
Then she shoved her little backpack in front of Rowan.
"Rowan-nii, you're the best! Hehe—put them in here."
"Make sure it's totally full, okay?"
Paimon, Lumine: ...
Liar!
Who knew Klee, at such a young age, could have acting skills this terrifying?
She'd fooled both Paimon and Lumine completely.
Rowan didn't go back on his word, and he didn't act surprised at all by Klee's lightning-fast switch.
Because he knew Klee couldn't be that heartbroken.
It was just some bombs—if she really wanted them, she could go act cute to Albedo for a while and he'd definitely give her some.
In all of Mondstadt, there wasn't a single person who could resist Klee'sa dorable pouting.
Not one.
Rowan lifted a hand under Paimon and Lumine's watchful eyes and activated Tōei Majutsu (Projection Magecraft).
Freshly "made" Jumpy Dumpty bombs dropped into the backpack one after another.
Before long, the backpack was packed completely full.
Klee happily slung it onto her back and immediately dashed off toward Cider Lake without another word.
When she reached the hillside, she turned around and waved at Rowan with a bright grin.
"Rowan-nii, Klee's got bombs now!"
"Hurry up and come over—Klee's gonna go fish-blasting! Today's my treat!"
"You go ahead. I'll be there in a minute," Rowan replied with a smile, waving back.
Klee turned around and kept running toward Cider Lake.
She couldn't wait to start blasting fish.
"What, stunned?" Rowan said as he turned back and saw Paimon's mouth hanging open, frozen in shock.
"This is what happens when your compassion overflows."
Just a moment ago she'd been talking so passionately—so where'd all those words go now?
Helping Klee speak up, too. She really had no idea how crafty that little gremlin could be.
Klee wasn't just "a little clever."
On the surface she really did look adorable and innocent—a pure, bright little kid.
But you couldn't forget who Klee hung out with when she had nothing to do.
Kaeya—Mr. Freeze-a-Bridge-and-Walk-Across-the-Sea.
That guy was famous in Mondstadt for being slippery as hell—talking one way to people, another way to ghosts, he'd done it all.
Before Rowan ever came to Mondstadt, Klee even had a little notebook.
It was filled with "Kaeya quotes," which told you exactly how close they were.
Getting influenced by him a bit was totally normal.
Rowan had found that notebook when he was messing around with Klee.
Even so, Klee was still that "runaway sun"—his favorite daughter.
"Uh..."
"I really didn't think Klee was faking it."
"Sorry…"
(End of Chapter)
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