Lydia watched Lumine and Paimon, their eyes gleaming with golden light and drool nearly dripping from their mouths. A sudden chill ran down her spine, and she instinctively took two subtle steps back.
Their gazes were... too intense.
It was as if they wanted to devour the Primogems in the chests whole, their very breaths radiating a palpable heat of "desire."
When Lydia was a child, the first time she saw a "Primogem"—a stone that should have only existed in a game—she was captivated by its iridescent glow and unique beauty. Coupled with the bittersweet memories of her past life, she began her collection journey.
Primogems were already a rarity in Teyvat; most native residents might never see a single one in their lifetime, let alone two chests piled high like small mountains.
These treasures were her painstakingly saved collection, accumulated bit by bit since childhood. She still had five or six more chests hidden under her bed.
Just last year, she had gritted her teeth and spent half a year's worth of Mora—including every bit of pocket money earned from delivering food for Sara and watering flowers for Flora—to buy an entire chest of Primogems from a merchant.
At the thought, Lydia's mouth twitched uncontrollably. She had impulsively brought out two chests, but now that she'd calmed down, she realized how reckless it had been.
As a former Genshin Impact player, when had she ever witnessed such an extravagant display?
Giving away 20,000 Primogems in one go... If it were her past self, she'd probably jump for joy on the spot and wake up laughing from her dreams.
If Lumine and Paimon found out, they'd definitely pester her for Primogems every single day, and she didn't have nearly enough quests or commissions to give them.
Imagining that troublesome scenario, Lydia quickly suppressed the thought of her "stash at home."
Besides, that "family fortune" was a secret little Easter egg Lydia had reserved for the players. She couldn't possibly reveal it ahead of time.
"Stop staring at the Primogems," Lydia said, clearing her throat.
She pulled a neatly folded materials list from her pocket and handed it to Lumine, her fingertips still smudged with fresh ink.
"As long as you help me gather the last two materials, these two chests of Primogems are all yours—I give you my word!"
Lumine and Paimon snapped back to reality, immediately leaning in, their heads pressed together as they scrutinized the list.
It was densely packed with items needed for the birthday party: fifty Windwheel Asters, ten barrels of Cider, ingredients for Sticky Honey Roast...
Most of the items were crossed out with bold lines, with the names of the helpers noted beside them—"Flora sent the Windwheel Asters," "Sara provided the ingredients."
Clearly, the helpful citizens had already taken care of most of the list. Only the last two items—Scarlet Quartz and Starsilver—remained, the spaces beside them completely blank, untouched by ink.
"Scarlet Quartz and Starsilver?" Lumine frowned, her fingertip gently tapping the empty space on the list. "Aren't those only found on Dragonspine? Albedo spends most of his time there; he should have some in stock. We could just go ask him for help."
Lydia nodded, but her voice held a faint, almost imperceptible note of disappointment. "I sent a letter via messenger pigeon early yesterday morning, asking Teacher Albedo to send some over, but I haven't received a reply... He's probably busy."
When she was younger, whenever she asked Albedo for some small research gadgets, he would always reply the same day and even bring extra little trinkets.
This time, the prolonged silence made her feel a little panicked, though she didn't want to voice it and worry everyone.
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance, both seeing the same concern reflected in each other's eyes.
There had been too many anomalies on Dragonspine recently: monsters appearing where they shouldn't, strange Abyss Rifts, and... Albedo Jr.'s horrifically mangled corpse.
Could Albedo be in trouble?
At the thought, Paimon couldn't help but float to Lumine's ear and whisper, "Lumine, do you think something happened to Albedo? Should we go to Dragonspine to check on him first?"
"I doubt it..." Lumine shook her head.
Though she had never witnessed Albedo's strength firsthand, the fact that the Knights trusted him to be stationed alone on Dragonspine meant he was definitely not to be underestimated.
Unaware of their thoughts, Lydia pouted and muttered under her breath, "If I'd known, I would've grabbed some stones last time we were on Dragonspine. Then we wouldn't be in this mess. Damn it!"
She had been so focused on repairing the Holy Lyre der Himmel back then that she hadn't even considered needing these materials for her birthday party. Now, the regret made her want to stomp her feet.
Suddenly, Lumine remembered something and looked at Lydia with confusion. "Don't you know where Albedo's camp is? You should know the way well."
It wasn't that Lumine didn't want to help; she just found it strange. Lydia used to be brave enough to charge into Hilichurl camps, so it made no sense for her to be afraid to go alone now.
Lydia's cheeks instantly flushed red. She scratched her head sheepishly, her voice growing softer. "Last time on Dragonspine, I ran into that impostor... and he injured my shoulder. Since he still hasn't been found, I don't feel safe going alone."
Suddenly, she looked up, her gaze fixed on Lumine. "But with you and Paimon, it's a whole different story! With such amazing adventurers by my side, my sense of security will be off the charts!"
At her words, Lumine and Paimon were instantly puffed up with pride.
Paimon struck a pose in mid-air, hands on her hips, her tail nearly pointing straight up. Her voice rose several pitches. "Of course! We're the greatest Traveler and guide in all of Teyvat! Leave this little task to us!"
Lumine couldn't help but smile, patting Lydia's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll definitely help you gather all the materials so your birthday party won't be delayed."
Hearing this, Lydia beamed, her eyes curving into crescents. She grabbed Lumine's wrist and started running toward the city gates, her snow-white ponytail bouncing wildly behind her.
"This is great! Let's head to Dragonspine right now! We'll try to get all the materials today, and then we can celebrate my birthday properly!"
She ran so fast that she didn't notice the look Lumine and Paimon exchanged. Beyond their craving for Primogems, their eyes held a hidden worry about the anomalies on Dragonspine.
The mountain had been far too unstable lately. This trip, they feared, would not be so smooth.
-
Far away in Wyrmrest Valley, Lu Qiuyun had just finished issuing a quest to the Earth players via the System when she saw the Emotion Points on her panel begin to spike wildly.
When the players saw that completing the quest would reward them with 20,000 Primogems, their Emotion Points surged in like a tide, replenishing much of the previously depleted reserves.
"Haha, you really do have to offer a little bait first to reel in the big fish later," Lu Qiuyun's spirit body mused, floating in mid-air. She watched the rising Emotion Points with glee.
She turned her gaze toward Durin's heart. The massive organ had stopped beating, and two humanoid figures were gestating within it. With every bit of their growth, the Abyssal aura on the heart's surface intensified, causing even the surrounding air to tremble slightly.
"The show in Mondstadt is about to begin," Lu Qiuyun's laughter echoed through the cavern, tinged with a hint of madness.