Su Xuan understood what Lumine meant.
Her request to be "traveling companions" wasn't about sticking to him every second—just that:
They would journey together from nation to nation.
But once settled in a city, each could act independently.
And before Su Xuan left for the next region, he'd notify her so she could depart together.
In short, the time they would truly travel side by side would be on the road between nations.
Which was perfectly fine for Su Xuan.
And also—Lumine was one of the people he intended to win over eventually.
"Of course. You and I both come from outside this world. Traveling together means the road won't be lonely,"
Su Xuan agreed without hesitation.
Lumine visibly relaxed, the tension in her shoulders dissolving.
"Then it's settled!"
Paimon cheered, arms flailing excitedly.
Su Xuan continued:
"Since you'll be staying in Mondstadt for now, I'll show you around first and help you find an inn.
As for Mora—don't worry. Pay me back once you earn some."
Lumine nodded seriously.
"Of course. Once I learn the city layout, I'll take commissions right away."
Su Xuan simply gave a small "mm," not pressing the issue.
As expected.
Lumine really was built differently—landed in Mondstadt for ten minutes and already planning how to grind commissions.
Under Su Xuan's guidance, Lumine and Paimon quickly familiarized themselves with the city.
But when they reached the plaza beneath the Statue of the Anemo Archon—
They saw a crowd gathered around a green-clad youth in white stockings, animatedly telling some dramatic tale.
Paimon blinked hard.
"Look! It's that bard who was tailing us yesterday!"
Both she and Lumine turned to Su Xuan.
They remembered clearly what he had said—
That this was no mere bard.
This was Barbatos, the Anemo Archon himself, here to coax Lumine into helping him save Stormterror.
Paimon whispered:
"Uhh… Su Xuan? Aren't you going to… say something?"
The Diary flickered to life.
[Life is hard. Even a god has to busk for tips.]
[Live performance: Barbatos selling songs for spare change.jpg]
[He's telling the legend of Stormterror, hoping to spark Lumine's curiosity.]
[He'll try to move her—'the dragon is suffering; only you can save him.']
[Then he'll leave a poetic line, so she chases him.]
[The original plan was for Lumine to arrive yesterday, fight Stormterror, earn honor as a Hero of Mondstadt, and then join the rescue mission.]
[But since I interfered, the gears of fate have shifted.]
The onlookers reading their copies of the Diary nearly choked.
Yes.
The savior of Mondstadt was supposed to enter yesterday.
But because of Su Xuan, Lumine delayed, Mondstadt got wrecked harder, and Barbatos's carefully prepared "dramatic emotional appeal story event" was now useless.
Lumine looked at Su Xuan.
"You mean… if we just turn around and leave, he'll chase us?"
Su Xuan smirked.
"He'll cling like wet rice."
Lumine doubted—but curiosity won.
So the three turned around.
And before they made it ten steps—
"Please wait!"
Paimon and Lumine exchanged looks.
"…He really chased."
Wind whipped.
The bard appeared before them, smiling too brightly.
"Ahaha… travelers from afar! Do you not wish to hear the tale of the Sky Dragon?"
Su Xuan stared at him very seriously.
"Your story can wait. Right now, I just think you're very suspicious."
The bard froze.
Then smiled anew.
"I am Venti—three-time champion of Mondstadt's poetry contests!"
Su Xuan nodded politely.
"Noted."
He turned around and walked away.
Leaving Barbatos standing alone
in a breeze that suddenly felt very cold.
A new Diary entry flickered:
[As expected—if Lumine didn't approach him, Barbatos would come crawling over.]
[Don't mistake it for shamelessness. This is Barbatos.]
[He already knows I disrupted his plan.]
[Next, he'll likely try to talk to me alone—to ask me not to influence Lumine.]
[But I don't control her. Lumine walks her own path.]
Lumine laughed softly.
"Your last sentence is wrong.
Helping others or choosing not to help has nothing to do with moral purity.
Everyone is allowed to choose."
Then she lowered her gaze.
"I would save Stormterror. Especially after knowing my brother is tied to his suffering… but…"
Paimon jumped in:
"But it's a quest! If we did it through the Adventurers' Guild, it'd pay a lot of Mora!"
Lumine snapped her fingers.
"Right! We could ask Barbatos to pay us."
Both looked at Su Xuan proudly—as if they had just invented capitalism.
Su Xuan's face slowly froze.
Paimon blinked.
"Huh? Why that expression?"
Su Xuan sighed deeply.
"If you ask Barbatos for compensation… the negotiation ends right there."
Lumine: "Why?"
Su Xuan:
"He doesn't have money."
Silence.
Paimon: "No way—he's the Anemo Archon!"
Su Xuan:
"Yes.
And he steals wine because he's broke."
Lumine & Paimon: "EH!?"
Advance Chapters available on P@treon
patreon.com/lucarioTL