Genshin Impact : Sorry can't be there till the end

The grilled fish had cooled down.

Lumine her snow-white cheeks and stared at the documents on the desk.

It was a prime sea bass, with the crispy skin fried to a perfect crunch, revealing the soft, glutinous, and tender fish meat. She had scored a cross on it with a knife to allow the flavors to penetrate more easily, and sprinkled a thin layer of sea salt on top. After spending several months with Seino Fugin, she had learned a lot about grilling fish.

Seino Fugin had taught her to remove the internal organs before grilling, to control the heat so it wouldn't be too high, and to take the fish off the grill promptly when the surface turned golden brown and started to drip oil—otherwise, the fish would burn...

When she first started grilling fish, her technique was truly terrible. She didn't remove the scales, and the fish ended up charred, but Seino Fugin still swallowed it deliciously. He was also very understanding and comforted her, saying that no matter how bad it tasted, it was still meat...

The wheel of fortune turns; such an insult cannot be tolerated.

From that moment on, Lumine began to practice diligently to master her skills.

To this apprentice knight of the Favonius, Seino's culinary methods were undoubtedly as exquisite as gold. Mastering this skill would surely sweep through restaurants across the land—trampling Good Hunters and punching Dawn Wineries. Lumine, as a master chef, would rise to fame, opening more and more successful chain stores, earning exorbitant profits.

But now, she had saved up the gold, and the gold was stolen.

During a campfire night talk, she had heard Seino Fugin tell a story like this:

A long time ago, a miser buried all his money under a tree, digging it up every day to look at it but never willing to spend it. One day, thieves stole his money, and he cried bitterly. Others said, "You never used it; to you, it's no different from a stone."

A miser who buries his gold in the ground and guards it obsessively, yet never spends it. When thieves steal his gold, he's left with nothing and no way to use the wealth he valued so highly.

After finishing the story, Seino Fugin laughed mockingly, "That guy is such an idiot."

Is he really an idiot?

Lumine propped her cheeks again and stared blankly at the now-cooled grilled fish.

What's the use of saving gold? What's the use of digging it up to look at it?

What's the use of harboring hope and passion?

Gold can be stolen by thieves.

Gold can even mock you, laughing loudly, "Such an idiot!"

Isn't that miser exactly an idiot?

You're so smart, you've earned so much money, countless people envy the money you hide in your hole... What's the use?

Still, "nothing is left behind," what you truly want won't wait for you.

Saving gold is just being delusional.

The grilled fish had cooled down.

She poked the fish head with her fork and knife.

Cold food doesn't taste good.

"Idiot," she said.

"We clearly agreed to eat together."

They had clearly agreed. The poet helped her pick flowers, they had agreed to have dinner together, and Drowned Corpse had also agreed.

Seino Fugin disappeared, the bard named Venti hurriedly left, everyone else had gone, leaving only Lumine and Paimon standing there, stubbornly believing their gold was still there, stubbornly going fishing, stubbornly gathering firewood, stubbornly buying ingredients, stubbornly... waiting for them to come back to eat together.

Lumine raised her head and looked out the window. dusk had fallen, the restless evening breeze was swirling, and Mondstadt was draped in dim hues.

For the residents of Mondstadt, it was time to get off work, time for dinner—a time to go home and have a warm bowl of rice with family.

Moreover, the New Year was approaching.

Fishing boats returned to shore, smoke rose from the attic alleys, lanterns were lit in every household, and the smoke from the stoves tinged Mondstadt's night with a warm and slightly grayish-yellow hue.

"Lumine, don't wait for that scoundrel. He won't come back."

"Paimon is hungry."

Paimon propped her little head, sitting restlessly on a small stool. Her little feet wiggled, and her stomach rumbled. The little one looked worried:

"Let's eat first."

...

Silence.

The pale moonlight was cold and gauzy, the bright moonlight melted into the shadows of the paulownia trees outside the window. The evening breeze swayed the tree shade, also swaying the moonlight within the shadows.

After a while.

Paimon spoke softly, "Why doesn't Drowned Corpse play with us?"

She lowered her head, patted her stomach, looking like a little white cat:

"Is it because Paimon eats too much, so he doesn't want Paimon anymore?"

As she said this, her round little face leaned against the edge of the table, gently biting her lip.

"I don't know."

Lumine shook her head, taking one last look outside the window as dusk deepened.

"Let's not wait for that liar anymore."

'Liars'

This was Lumine's evaluation of Seino Fugin.

What's so remarkable about him?

I can travel on my own.

Cold fish doesn't taste good, it's as cold as biting into a piece of rubber.

After eating, go to sleep.

Lumine lay on the wooden window, unfastened her hairpin, her golden short hair spread across the pillow. She closed her eyes as the night breeze gently patted the window frame, making a rustling sound.

The scenery outside the window was gloomy and dim, all was silent. The city's lights went out one by one, leaving only that distant deep blue ocean, faintly reflecting the cold moonlight.

Unable to sleep.

Lumine didn't know.

Why care about Seino Fugin?

He was just someone she had known for three months.

She opened the guidebook again, "Teyvat Travel Guide." The book had become slightly creased from frequent reading, and the paper was starting to yellow. This guide had been a bestseller for a long time, detailing all the cultural landscapes and travel attractions on the continent of Teyvat.

Travel.

Lumine loved traveling.

Traveling was also a very interesting thing.

"Memories have shapes, memories have flavors. Each fragment of tangible and flavorful memories linked together is called a 'journey.' A journey is the track of memories."

—She still remembered what that unscrupulous merchant said when he sold her this... book.

Looking back now, it was probably just a sales pitch to persuade her to buy it.

She remembered those words, but she had forgotten what the merchant looked like.

Encountering different people, seeing various landscapes, meeting somewhere, walking in a distant land, you start writing letters, eager to share your travel experiences with them. Every place you visit, you taste the local delicacies. All memories converge here; this is called a 'journey.' What people call a lifetime is a long journey with tangible and flavorful memories.

There will be farewells, reunions, departures.

Traveler, wish you a pleasant journey.

Seino Fugin was just a temporary companion on this journey. He left, and so did he. The traveler's journey must continue; she would always meet the next companion.

He was just a temporary companion for three months.

Just silently wishing him well was enough.

But why did she feel inexplicably sad?

Lumine didn't know.

This wasn't like her usual self.

Upon closer thought, her attitude—or rather, her feelings—toward Seino Fugin always felt abrupt, very inexplicable.

All along, it wasn't like her usual self.

The last time that guy was injured, she didn't know why, but she got very angry, very furious, very impulsive.

'I care about you'—this sentence slipped out inexplicably.

The thing about traveling was the same. Why did she have to travel with Seino Fugin?

She clearly had Paimon, which was enough.

Why so insistently request Seino Fugin to join and help complete the "Teyvat Travel Guide"?

Waking up early every day to pick flowers, to weave flower crowns—she was always doing inexplicable things.

Can't understand.

Can't understand.

It's time to sleep.

The cold moonlight seeped through the thin glass, blending the scattered shadows of the paulownia leaves onto the pillow. She turned over, put away the "Teyvat Travel Guide," and held it close to her chest. She fidgeted restlessly and closed her eyes.

Resting her head on the fine paulownia leaves, the traveler fell asleep.

She didn't know how much time had passed.

Perhaps the sun had already risen.

In her dream, she heard singing.

She couldn't make out the lyrics. Maybe there wasn't even a song, just the howling wind, the gentle breeze softly blowing, making a rustling sound, very light and gentle.

The wind patted the soft sandy beach. The rising sun gave shape to the wind, and the translucent golden silk was the living form of the wind.

But as the sunlight slowly disappeared, the weather dimmed, and the silk began to fade. When the last ray of sunlight vanished, the wind dissolved with the light.

Lumine had a nightmare.

She dreamed.

Of something that happened many years ago.

So long ago that it was from an era where memories didn't exist.

"Maybe... I wasn't meant for this world."

She wasn't meant for this world.

Endless loneliness, infinite darkness. She was trapped in an eternal crystal, unable to move, unable to breathe. Countless facets of the translucent crystal reflected her visage. No one could hear her voice, no one could remember her.

Through countless overlapping crystals, she saw that presence—ancient and grand, the aura of the "Principles" enveloped everything in the world.

She couldn't struggle, only be swallowed by the endless darkness, forever bound within the crystal.

—"Maybe... I wasn't meant for this world," Lumine thought.

"Lumine."

What was that sound?

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice.

"Lumine."

Someone was knocking on the crystal, as if knocking on a window.

It sounded like the wind.

"Traveler."

—"You're meant for this world."

Knocking again and again.

"Because you mean a lot to me."

The crystals began to shatter.

Layer by layer, the space trembled, cracking into pieces. With each fragment that lifted, blood flowed freely. Each shard reflected his visage.

Unclear.

It was just a dream.

He was covered in blood, half of his body shattered, torn apart by the fragments of space. The pain was bone-deep, yet the boy was smiling, his smile like a gentle breeze.

He coughed, coughing up blood, swallowing the blood at the corner of his mouth.

The girl instinctively reached out, subconsciously touching the boy's wound. She stared blankly at the dying boy, her heart seemed to have stopped, her emotions halted. She wanted something, but couldn't say anything.

The boy kept smiling, still smiling. His body shook, struggling to stand. He paused, as if recalling something, reached into his shirt pocket, and took out a thick book.

A very thick book.

"Teyvat Travel Guide."

"I can't read this book. The places inside are unreachable in this life. It's brand new—just bought. It would be a pity to lose it."

Until the end, he was so stingy: "I'll just sell it to you. Although it's second-hand, it's very new. I'll take one hundred Mora."

"No... I don't want it."

In the dream, she cried, even though she didn't know why she was crying, didn't know why she had such a strange dream, and certainly didn't know who the boy in front of her was.

But she was crying. That emotion surged into her heart, splashing her eyes like autumn waters and morning dew wetting the threshold. She lowered her head.

She wanted to do something, but she couldn't do anything. It was difficult even to stand up.

"Traveler, you must keep going."

"Memories have shapes, memories have flavors. Each fragment of tangible and flavorful memories linked together is called a 'journey.' A journey is the track of memories."

That unscrupulous merchant turned around and looked up.

Before him stood a grand and ancient deity.

It was grand death.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and limped toward the deity, still smiling, still grinning.

"You will witness many, many landscapes. Teyvat is truly beautiful."

"You will go to the highest snow mountains."

"You will go to the deepest valleys."

Blocks made of space crashed onto the boy.

He trembled, biting the blood.

"You will see the ocean and volcanoes."

"You will experience forests and deserts."

"Traveler."

"Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, Snezhnaya—you will traverse all the places in that guidebook."

"You will taste many delicious things. You will meet one person after another."

"Experience, explore, travel."

"These memories will become a part of your life."

The boy's body became more and more fragmented, but his steps did not slow down. On the contrary, they grew faster. He lowered his stance, weaving through the blocks of space, his sword in hand. The brilliant sword light spread along his footsteps.

"The world will not forget you. On the contrary, you will remember this world."

"You will remember every piece of soil in this world and truly fall in love with it."

"This place is not perfect."

"But it is worth our love."

"I am honored to be your companion, but no matter how long the journey, there will be farewells."

Countless blocks of spatial cubes spread out, covering half the sky. As they crushed down, the entire sky seemed to be falling, heading toward Lumine, toward that boy—

The boy stood in front of Lumine, smiling gently.

"You're meant for this world."

He spoke slowly.

"I will replace you."

His sword struck those spatial cubes, countless spatial fragments shattered, overlapping densely. The boy was engulfed in the endless space.

"If no one recognizes me anymore,"

"Please remember me."

With his last bit of strength, he pushed Lumine away. The gentle wind wrapped around her powerless body, carrying her swiftly away. The speed was fast, and the surrounding scenery reversed in an instant.

Lumine struggled in the wind, but she couldn't struggle against it. She couldn't struggle against so-called fate. The boy was being swallowed by space in front of her, and she was powerless. She couldn't do anything.

—"Traveler, wish you a pleasant journey and a safe trip."

This was the boy's final blessing.

The song stopped.

The wind also ceased.

Spring had arrived.

Lumine opened her eyes. The morning sunlight streamed through the clean glass, gently draping over her body. The light blue curtains fluttered in the breeze, swaying with the bright spring light.

It seemed like it had rained last night. The sky was clear and transparent, clean as if washed.

Her heart fluttered gently. She noticed her eyes were already red. She touched the pillow—it was damp.

Tears.

Why.

Why did she have such a dream last night?

Why.

Why was she crying?

Why was her heart now gently trembling?

Lumine lifted her head and looked outside the window. The dawn sunlight covered the ancient city-state, the distant ocean still shimmering. The sea breeze blew across the beach, making a rustling sound, like singing.

Something was passing away on the beach.

Passing away.

She didn't know what it was, nor what she had missed. She remembered many things, but those past events were blurry, only pain remained.

Pain.

[Girl]

[That memory exists within me, and I'm giving it back to you now.]

A strange voice echoed in her ears.

The Human Principles System calmly said:

[Seino Fugin is dead.]

[But you and he had made a promise.]