???: "The stars always decide to bring us together, and destiny applauds us when our paths cross, and it is then that I, the eternal princess, declare myself on good terms with the fairies for having led me to your path."
Paimon froze.
Paimon: "...Huh?"
A second voice, deeper and more composed, followed immediately.
???: "What she means is that she's delighted to see you again."
Aether turned around.
Behind them stood a young girl with long blond hair, dressed in a dark outfit adorned with mystical symbols, and a raven with violet feathers perched on her shoulder. The girl's single eye shone with dramatic pride.
Aether: "Fischl… Oz."
Fischl: A mysterious girl who calls herself "Prinzessin der Verurteilung" and travels with a night raven named Oz.
Fischl placed a hand on her chest.
Fischl: "I am delighted to see that the winds of fate have brought you back to these blessed lands."
Oz inclined his head slightly.
Oz: "What she means is, we are happy to see you again, Aether, Paimon."
Paimon smiled broadly.
Paimon: "You haven't changed either!"
Fischl gave a satisfied smile.
Fischl: "For such is the constancy of the chosen of the stars."
Oz: "What she means is, she's returning the compliment."
A few moments later:
A few moments later, Aether and Paimon continued their walk through the cobblestone streets of Mondstadt.
The sun was now higher in the sky, bathing the city in a soft, golden light.
The shadows of the buildings stretched across the ground, mingling with the silhouettes of passersby.
Tap tap tap tap tap
Under their feet, the cobblestones clattered softly, while the wind made the ribbons and draperies hanging from the balconies dance.
Laughter rose here and there, mingling with the sound of water from the central fountain.
Aether walked calmly, observing every detail.
Aether: "Every street… every stone… nothing has changed."
Paimon floated beside her, twirling lazily.
Paimon: "Mondstadt is still as lively as ever!"
"Paimon loves this city!"
They turned the corner of an alley leading to the main square.
Aether: "...."
Just then, two familiar figures appeared before them.
A woman with light brown hair and green eyes, with an upright and elegant posture, was talking to another woman dressed in purple with pink trim and tights along her legs, a book held casually against her chest.
Beside her stood another woman with blue hair, dressed in a black and white outfit that was almost form-fitting, and long boots that concealed most of her legs.
She had the same posture but wore a serious yet calm expression.
The two seemed engrossed in a quiet conversation.
Aether stopped abruptly.
Aether: "Eula... Lisa."
Lisa: The languid but knowledgeable Librarian of the Knights of Favonius, deemed by Sumeru Akademiya to be their most distinguished graduate in the past two centuries.
Eula: The Spindrift Knight, a scion of the old aristocracy, and the Captain of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company.
The reason why a descendant of the ancient nobles might join the Knights remains a great mystery in Mondstadt to this very day.
Before he even had time to say a word—
Lisa turned her head.
Her eyes lit up instantly.
Lisa: "Oh?"
"Aeth..."
The next moment, she dropped her book, which fell gently against her side, and began to run toward Aether.
Lisa: "AETHEEER!"
Her boots struck the ground in a light rhythm, and without warning, she literally leaped at him.
Her arms They wrapped themselves around his neck, embracing him enthusiastically.
FWUMP
Aether staggered slightly from the impact.
Aether: "Lisa!"
Lisa laughed softly, her face close to his.
Lisa: "I missed you so much~"
Aether felt his heart skip a beat.
Lisa's warmth, her light perfume mingled with the scent of old pages, completely disarmed him.
Aether: "Always so... unpredictable."
Paimon burst out laughing.
Paimon: "Lisa!"
"You're going to smother him!"
A few steps away, Eula watched the scene.
She stood straight, arms crossed, but her cheeks had flushed slightly pink.
Her gaze followed Lisa's every move, every second she clung to Aether.
Eula: "This Woman…"
She looked away slightly, annoyed… but unable to ignore the scene.
Eula: "Lisa Minci… one of the smartest women in Teyvat, and she's acting like…"
Lisa finally released Aether, setting her feet on the ground. She gave her a teasing smile.
Lisa: "You look great."
"I hope you haven't forgotten Mondstadt."
Aether caught his breath.
Aether: "Impossible."
Lisa: "And me?"
"You've forgotten me?"
Aether: "..."
Eula approached in turn.
Eula: "Glad to see you again, honorary knight."
Aether inclined his head slightly.
Aether: "Me too."
The group formed naturally, attracting a few curious glances from passersby before moving off towards a quieter area of the square.
FFFFFFFFfffffffffffffff
The wind blew gently between them, stirring a few dead leaves.
Lisa spoke again, her tone becoming slightly more serious.
Lisa: "Mondstadt has been rather quiet lately…."
Aether spoke again.
Aether: "For our part, we went through Liyue… then Inazuma."
Lisa opened her eyes slightly.
Lisa: "Oh?"
"Inazuma, really?"
Paimon crossed his arms.
Paimon: "Yes!"
"We saw the Electro Archon!"
"She's super strict!"
Eula raised an eyebrow.
Eula: "The Electro Archon…"
Aether: "She's… inflexible."
Paimon immediately turned to Eula.
Paimon: "Hey!"
"Actually, you're a bit like her!"
A silence fell.
…
Eula blinked.
Eula: "What do you mean?"
Paimon smiled mischievously.
Paimon: "Same stern look, same coldness, and always talking about serious things!"
Eula gritted her teeth slightly.
Eula: "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
"Speak."
Paimon raised a finger.
Paimon: "And above all!"
Eula took a deep breath.
Eula: "Vengeance will be mine."
Paimon: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA."
Paimon burst out laughing because Eula had just proven her point.
Paimon: "There you go!"
"Exactly!"
Eula turned to Paimon, clearly stung.
Eula: "Are you making fun of me?"
Paimon: "A little!"
The two began bickering, their voices overlapping.
Eula: "I'll make you pay for this insult!"
Paimon: "Paimon's too scared!"
Lisa watched the scene with amusement, a playful smile on her lips.
Lisa: "Still as lively as ever."
While Paimon and Eula continued their animated exchange, Lisa discreetly approached Aether.
She gently placed the palm of her hand on the left side of her chest.
Thump thump
Aether immediately felt her heart race.
Aether: "Lisa…?"
Lisa tilted her head slightly, her smile softening.
Lisa: "You know… your heart beats differently."
Aether: "She noticed…"
FFFFFFFFFFFffffffffff
The wind blew harder, and for a brief moment, Paimon's laughter and Eula's voice seemed distant.
Lisa wore an innocent smile, tilted slightly to one side, her half-closed eyes shining with a mischievous, calculated glint.
Lisa: "Well, since we've run into you, you can help me tidy the library."
Aether: "...."
Eula: "...."
Paimon: "....".
Time seemed to stand still.
Aether blinked once.
Then a second time.
Aether: "Huh?"
Eula slowly turned her head toward Lisa, frowning, clearly convinced she'd misheard.
Eula: "Huh?"
Paimon froze in mid-air, her mouth wide open.
Paimon: "Huh?!"
Lisa put a finger to her lips, feigning thoughtfulness.
Lisa: "Come on... you're not going to refuse to help a poor, overworked librarian, are you?"
Aether felt a chill run down her spine.
Aether: "Oh, the trap."
Eula crossed her arms.
Eula: "I don't see how this concerns me."
Lisa inclined her head slightly toward her.
Lisa: "Oh?"
"Yet, I thought the Knights of Favonius had Mondstadt's best interests at heart."
Silence.
Eula looked away, visibly annoyed.
Eula: "...Revenge will be mine."
Paimon sighed.
Paimon: "Paimon knew it would end like this."
10 minutes later:
The heavy doors of Mondstadt's library opened slowly.
The ancient wood creaked softly.
CRRRREEEEK
Inside, the air was fresh, heavy with the distinctive scent of old paper and ink.
Sunlight filtered through the large stained-glass windows, casting colorful shapes on the floor.
Aether stopped abruptly.
Her eyes widened.
Before them lay methodical chaos… or rather, utter chaos.
Dozens of books were piled one on top of the other on long wooden tables.
Some stacks leaned precariously, threatening to collapse at the slightest movement.
Other books were simply placed on the floor, open, abandoned, sometimes even upside down.
A book slowly slid from a stack.
BAM
Paimon watched the scene, horrified.
Paimon: "I-Is this… the library?"
Lisa: "Yes."
Aether remained silent for a moment.
Aether: "How is this possible…?"
Eula narrowed her eyes, analyzing the situation like a battlefield.
Eula: "It's a disaster."
Lisa entered quietly, her hands clasped behind her back, perfectly relaxed.
Lisa: "Oh come on, it's not that bad."
Eula turned abruptly towards her.
Eula: "It's not put away."
Lisa: "It's... being put away."
Another book fell.
BAM
Paimon pointed at the pile.
Paimon: "Lisa, how long have you been saying that?"
Lisa looked away slightly.
Lisa: "Hm~ time is a very relative concept."
Aether ran a hand behind her head.
Aether: "Is there really that much work...?"
Lisa approached a table, lightly running her fingertips over the covers.
Lisa: "Let's just say I've... fallen a little behind."
Eula: "Because you're lazy."
Lisa smiled.
Lisa: "Because I'm prioritizing my energy."
A heavy silence followed.
Aether observed the knights of the Order of Favonius already present in the library.
Some were diligently sorting books, others were trying to rearrange entire shelves.
A knight passed by with an oversized stack.
SCRASH
The books crashed to the floor.
Knight: "A-Ah!"
"Sorry!"
Paimon jumped.
Paimon: "It's going to collapse!"
"Everything's going to collapse!"
Lisa gently placed a hand on the knight's shoulder.
Lisa: "Calm down, darling.
"Knowledge requires patience."
Eula watched Lisa with a mixture of fascination and incomprehension.
Eula: "How can such a brilliant woman be so... casual?"
Lisa then turned to Aether and Eula.
Lisa: "Very well, let's divide the tasks."
She indicated the shelves at the back.
Lisa: "Aether, you can take care of the basic books."
Then another section.
Lisa: "Eula, the military archives."
Eula raised her chin.
Eula: "I'll take care of them."
Lisa finally turned to Paimon.
Lisa: "And you, my little Paimon... you're keeping an eye on things."
Paimon: "Why is Paimon keeping an eye on things?!"
Lisa: "To make sure everything runs smoothly."
Paimon grumbled.
Paimon: "Paimon is being exploited."
Aether approached a collapsed shelf.
He picked up an old book, its cover cracked with age.
FLIP
The pages turned slowly.
Aether: "Even here… the dust just keeps piling up."
Eula, meanwhile, was methodically stacking military files.
Each of her movements was precise, disciplined.
CLACK
She placed a ledger on top of a perfectly aligned stack.
Eula: "At least that much I know how to do."
Lisa watched them both, leaning against a table, a discreet smile on her lips.
Lisa: "They haven't changed…"
The sun continued its journey through the stained-glass windows.
The library was gradually regaining a semblance of order.
But among the books, some titles seemed covered with a thin layer of frost… almost imperceptible.
Aether: "There are a lot of well-known titles."
The Boar Princess
Flowers for Princess Fischl
Hilichurl Ballad Selection
Aether, Eula, Lisa, and Paimon gathered briefly in the center of the library, surrounded by still-disordered piles of books.
The knights of the Order of Favonius continued their work in the background, leafing through books, moving crates, and murmuring amongst themselves.
Lisa clasped her hands, looking perfectly satisfied.
Lisa: "Very well, let's get a little more organized."
She raised a delicate finger.
Lisa: "Aether and I will put away the books that have already been returned."
Aether: "...."
Then she turned to Eula and Paimon.
Lisa: "And you two, you will list those that haven't yet been returned to the library."
Paimon blinked.
Paimon: "Why does Paimon feel like he's been given the most difficult job?"
Eula crossed her arms.
Eula: "It doesn't matter."
"I'll do it."
Lisa smiled gently.
Lisa: "Perfect."
The groups split up. Eula led Paimon to a large table covered with thick ledgers, while Aether followed Lisa to the side shelves, where recently returned books were piled high.
Aether stopped in front of a stack almost as tall as he was.
Aether: "This is going to take a while."
Lisa: "Don't worry, cuties, I'll help you."
He grabbed the first book and tucked it against his chest before heading to the corresponding shelves.
CLACK
Lisa stood right next to him, so close he could smell her light perfume.
She watched him out of the corner of her eye, amused.
Lisa: "You always know how to make me happy, Aether."
Aether took a step back.
Aether: "I... I'm just doing the right thing."
Lisa leaned forward slightly to grab a book at the same time as him.
Their fingers brushed against each other.
Aether froze for a split second.
Aether: "Calm down."
Lisa chuckled.
Lisa: "Oh?"
"Are you nervous?"
Aether looked away and placed the book on the shelf.
THUMP
Aether: "Let's focus on tidying up."
Lisa suddenly placed her hand on his shoulder, her fingers lingering there longer than necessary.
TAP
Lisa: "You've become more serious… it suits you."
Aether felt a warmth rising to his face.
Aether: "She's doing this on purpose."
He continued to shelve the books, one after the other, carefully avoiding looking at her.
FLIP
The pages rustled softly with each book he turned.
Lisa moved even closer.
This time, she stood on tiptoe to reach a book that was lying on a high shelf.
As she climbed down, she placed a light kiss on Aether cheek.
SMACK
Aether: "?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
Aether stopped dead in her tracks.
Her face instantly turned scarlet.
Aether: "L-Lisa, not here!"
Lisa smiled, delighted by her reaction.
Lisa: "Oh, come on."
"It's just to encourage me."
Aether: "Breathe."
"Don't react."
He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and went back to work, staring straight ahead.
Lisa: "You know…"
She leaned slightly towards him, her voice lower.
Lisa: "If you'd like to take a break, I could offer you a very… relaxing moment."
Aether almost dropped the book he was holding.
THUD
He caught it just in time.
Aether: "I... I'm fine."
Lisa observed his flushed cheeks, his determined gaze despite his obvious distress.
Lisa: "Such adorable self-control."
She placed her hand on his shoulder again, then slowly removed it.
Lisa: "Hehe."
A few minutes earlier, at the other end of the library:
At the far end of the library, far from the shelves where Aether and Lisa were busy at work, Eula and Paimon continued their methodical tasks.
The large wooden table was covered with open ledgers, stacks of worn books, and annotated parchments.
The light from the stained-glass windows fell softly on the pages, revealing the dust suspended in the air.
Eula held a quill pen between her fingers, her neat and precise handwriting gliding across the paper.
SCRATCH SCRATCH
Paimon hovered above the table, an open book in his hands, his legs dangling gently in the air.
Paimon: "This one hasn't been returned yet."
Eula noted the title without looking up.
Eula: "I see."
She turned a page in the ledger.
FLIP
Eula: "...There are a lot of delays."
Paimon sighed.
Paimon: "People always forget to return their books."
Eula closed her eyes briefly, as if lost in thought.
An image flashed through her mind:
Aether walking toward Mondstadt, tired but determined, returning from a journey far more arduous than simple patrols.
Chapter 2: Two beautiful women
The End