Inside the Northland Bank.
"Phew~ Finally made it."
Lumine climbed down from Shajin's mechanical beast and patted her chest in lingering fear.
"Thanks to you, Shajin. If it weren't for you, I'd probably have been captured."
"It was nothing."
Shajin waved her hand casually.
"I just happened to run into you two."
Paimon struggled free from Tartaglia's grip, gasping for breath.
"Huff… huff… Paimon almost… almost couldn't breathe!"
Tartaglia scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed.
"Sorry, sorry. I might've gotten a little too enthusiastic."
Shajin quipped with a smirk.
"Paimon nearly turned into emergency food~"
"I'm not emergency food!!!"
Paimon flew around in a huff, face puffed up in indignation.
Lumine glanced at Tartaglia, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. She turned to Shajin, clearly waiting for an explanation.
The corners of Shajin's mouth lifted slightly.
"This guy is the Eleventh of the Fatui Harbingers—Childe—Tartaglia."
Hearing the introduction, Lumine's eyes widened in surprise.
She had assumed all the Fatui Harbingers, aside from Shajin, were cold and ruthless. But this young man before her gave off a completely different impression.
Tartaglia huffed in protest.
"Hey, 'this guy'? That's no way to introduce a fellow Harbinger! Can't you show me a little respect?"
He rolled his eyes dramatically, then turned toward Lumine.
"Hi there! I'm not a bad guy… Wait, no, I guess I am a bad guy? Hmm… no, that doesn't sound quite right either… I…"
Tartaglia scratched his head, visibly confused, as if he couldn't decide how to define himself.
Shajin clapped her hands to cut him off. "Alright, alright. Let's focus on the important stuff."
Tartaglia rubbed his nose, flashing an awkward smile.
"Back to business. Lumine, why were you two being chased by the Millelith?" Shajin asked.
Lumine recounted what had happened atop Yujing Terrace in detail—especially how she'd mistaken the Geo Archon as the mysterious god who'd ambushed her.
After hearing it all, Shajin nodded thoughtfully.
"I see. Still, you need to be more careful going forward."
She gave a pointed reminder.
"From your description, the god who attacked you wielded the power of dark cubes. But I can tell you with certainty—it wasn't the Geo Archon."
"Actually, none of the current Seven Archons fit that description. So there was no need to run away—you've only ended up getting yourself into more trouble."
Lumine froze like she'd been struck by lightning, her face contorted in dismay.
"Then what do I do now, Shajin?! My journey in Liyue is over before it even began!!!"
"Relax. Sit down and let's talk."
Shajin calmly picked up a teapot from the table and poured two cups of hot tea—one for herself and one for Lumine.
Tartaglia and Paimon immediately leaned over, speaking in unison.
"Hey, partner/Shajin, what about ours?"
Without so much as glancing at them, Shajin replied lazily, "Pour it yourselves."
"Eh?!"
Tartaglia and Paimon exchanged glances and groaned, but obediently walked to the table and poured themselves a cup.
Shajin sipped her tea slowly, then set down her cup.
"I think you should go to Jueyun Karst, west of Liyue, and seek out the Adepti."
"Seek out the Adepti?" Lumine tilted her head, clearly intrigued.
"What for?"
She had heard of the Adepti, but didn't understand why they were relevant now.
Shajin explained patiently, "People seek out the Adepti for all sorts of things—wealth, healing, love, immortality… But you, you're going to seek justice."
She paused before continuing.
"Back in the day, the Geo Archon and the Adepti fought side by side across the land. If anyone knows Morax's power and nature best, it's them. Before Liyue formally brands you an assassin, tell the Adepti your story—I believe they'll stand up for you."
Shajin turned to Tartaglia.
"Do you still have the original Sigil of Permission?"
"It's in the bank's vault."
Tartaglia looked to a nearby Electro Cicin Mage, who nodded in understanding.
Moments later, she returned with a box and handed it to Shajin with great reverence.
Shajin took the box, didn't open it, and simply pushed it in front of Lumine.
She opened it.
Inside lay a talisman paper inscribed with intricate patterns.
"This is the Sigil of Permission. It still holds residual Adepti energy from the Geo Archon. It should serve as proof when you go to seek an audience with the Adepti."
Lumine gently touched the talisman as if it were a priceless treasure.
The intricate lines across its surface seemed like an ancient code waiting to be deciphered.
It lay quietly in the box, like a slumbering dragon, waiting to be awakened.
Its presence exuded a silent power—calm, steady, and reassuring.
"Thank you so much, Shajin!"
Lumine leapt to her feet like an excited rabbit and stashed the scroll in her backpack.
"No need to thank me. I'm just fulfilling a request… from your brother."
"My brother?"
Just as she was about to leave, Lumine turned back, her face lighting up with curiosity—and expectation.
"Did he… leave any message for me?"
Shajin shrugged.
"Unfortunately, no~"
"That guy! He could've helped me deal with all this, but nooo—he doesn't even leave me a single word?!"
"Aether! There's no place for you in this house anymore! This house doesn't need you anymore!!!"
Lumine puffed up her cheeks in anger.
But she quickly caught herself. The tension in the air dissipated as she took a breath, then turned to Shajin with a grateful smile.
"Still, thank you, Shajin. Without you… I really wouldn't have known what to do."
She glanced over at Tartaglia and Paimon, who were whispering about something in the corner.
Tartaglia noticed her look and cleared his throat.
"Traveler, if you ever need help, the Fatui will always have its doors open for you."
Paimon flew up next to Lumine and patted her tiny chest.
"Yeah, that's right, Traveler!"
Then she whispered conspiratorially:
"I heard the Fatui's got tons of money… Enough to eat our way through all seven nations!"