It really wasn't fair. Lumine found herself under the shelter of crimson boughs, the gently falling leaves picturesque as they danced on a breath of misty air. Though the table she occupied remained close to the rough stone street, their little alcove closed them away from prying eyes. It was the perfect place to relax and finally take in the city as a normal traveler might.
Except the scene was anything but relaxed. Lumine hadn't touched her curry bun since sitting down, embarrassed that she might end up with more crumbs in unsightly places. Topping it off was Paimon noisily munching away on her apology gift, which left the conversation entirely on her shoulders.
What was she supposed to say? Though the gentleman apparently wasn't affiliated with the Kanjou Commission, that didn't make him any less imposing. He could just as easily be from a different Commission or some other high-ranking clan. His kindness should have been a good omen, but after witnessing the corruption of the Kanjou Commission it was impossible to believe he'd approached her with no ulterior motive.
Thankfully, the fellow didn't seem to mind the quiet, indulging in his snack with far more care than the pastry deserved. Part of the golden-crisp curry bun was wrapped up in a napkin — rather than simply cupping the pastry in his palm, he held it delicately between his thumb and the curve both his index and middle finger made. Next to Paimon, he might as well have been the archon of etiquette.
His attention, however, didn't seem to be on the food. Those bluish-purple eyes whose color belonged in some idyllic forest meadow was squarely focused on her. It was surely irony that such a gaze didn't have weight so much as sharpness, prickling at her skin with pointed curiosity.
"It's strange. Ritou seems so peaceful on the surface, but there's so many people who either need help dearly or are only looking to exploit visitors." Lumine latched onto the impression that'd bothered her ever since landing on the island, glad that she sounded far calmer than she felt. "You said you're not a member of the Kanjou Commission, but —"
She promptly cut herself off. Being brazenly rude was Paimon's thing and she'd already said too much!
"But?" He almost sounded amused. Frustratingly as ever, there was nothing beyond the slight arch of his brow to indicate insult or emotion.
Lumine bought herself some time by taking a sizeable bite out of her curry bun. It was childish (and messy), but the delicious distraction gave her ample reason to look away from him. How could she soften the sentiment? At the heart of the matter wasn't just the misfortune of Ritou's people, but her distrust of its government, too.
After swallowing down her food and making sure her mouth was clean by virtue of a dabbing napkin, she finally spoke, careful to keep her tone neutral. "How do you feel about… things… on Ritou?"
His brow arched higher, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Oh, things are certain to get exciting now that the Traveler is among us. But I wonder…" He tilted his head ever-so-slightly, eyes narrowing in on her. "Given that we're currently lacking giant sea monsters to slay, what auspicious goal does our celebrated Traveler have her sights set on?"
Lumine frowned, certain that he knew what she'd intended with the question and failed to answer it regardless. "I didn't go to Liyue looking for a battle. I was searching for my brother and just happened to be there to help when the Fatui released an ancient god. I believe that your archon might know something about what happened to my brother, and perhaps… more knowledge about the true nature of this world."
"Fascinating how fate works, delivering a hero to Liyue in their hour of need." His tone was wry and scarcely half-convinced, but he took his time contemplating her words before continuing. "Do you mean to say that your brother and esoteric philosophy are connected? Perhaps starting with his name would make the matter a touch clearer."
Lumine blinked, caught off guard by something so simple as her brother's name. She must have mentioned her search for him hundreds of times by now, only to realize that this was the first instance where someone had bothered to ask after his name. "His name is Aether, and he bears a striking resemblance to me. Same hair and eye colors, similar faces, just about everything you'd expect of fraternal twins."
The man nodded thoughtfully. "I see. While I can't say that I've seen anyone quite like that — or rather, another so striking as you — Inazuma keeps a very strict transient record. Though it's not a certain thing, I'd be surprised if he passed through our borders without leaving a paper trail."
Her heart leaped at the very idea. It was true that she'd already found her brother once, but any knowledge about where he had been and when could be crucial to understanding what had happened to him and why he'd acted the way he had. Just thinking about his cold, unfamiliar stare he'd given her still gave her goosebumps. She still hadn't had time to process that reunion, if it could be called as much.
"That's a wonderful idea! Where can I find the records?" Lumine leaned forward, abandoning decorum for the first real lead she'd found.
"Ah, careful now. I did say it's not a certain thing." His smile remained annoyingly unphased, and he had the audacity to chew through a fastidiously small bite of his curry bun before expounding. "Such accounts are handled by the Kanjou Commission, more specifically the Outlander Affairs Agency. I imagine you're already familiar with them?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Lumine pursed her lips, still frustrated by her last visit. The residency inspector had demanded millions of mora for the mere privilege of obtaining an entry permit. Archons only knew what they'd demand for access to their records if that even was possible for an outsider in the first place.
There was an unmistakable glimmer of mischief in his eyes, though his expression remained eternally neutral. "There's no way of sugarcoating it, I'm afraid. Even for an auspicious visitor like yourself, peeking into the affairs of the Kanjou Commission would be exceedingly difficult. For someone like me, on the other hand…"
Lumine couldn't help herself. She groaned, shoulders slumping. "Let me guess: it would require using your connections, and to keep everyone happy that means you would need a favor, right?"
His smile widened. "You catch on quickly, Miss Lumine."
She sighed, straightening her back as she braced herself for yet another errand. "As long as the request is reasonable, I can see it through. I just… need a bit of time to resolve someone else's request first."
"Flirting with debt already? I admire the tenacity." Despite his words, his expression softened enough to give his gaze some warmth. "I am, however, not without a heart. If it's important to you, I'm willing to look into the matter and speak of payment another time. After all, a hero like yourself is destined for more exciting climes than an office full of paperwork."
Lumine felt her cheeks warming again — logically she knew the deeds she'd accomplished were great, but she hadn't been able to tackle them alone or without a great deal of hardship. Hero sounded more suited to the archons' deeds of eld, putting down terrible beasts that had once threatened to swallow the whole of civilization. All she wanted was to find her brother, the one she used to know, and find home again.
"It really would mean a lot to me. Right now it feels like I can barely get past leaving Ritou, but I promise I'll repay you tenfold." Lumine's voice found confidence again, every word full of the stark determination that'd helped her face the Fatui and the wrath of an ancient god.
"I don't doubt that." The gentleman inclined his head respectfully, allowing the weight of her promise to sink in. "I also know that you can see it plainly — the difficult circumstances of Ritou and its people. As you travel the rest of Inazuma, you will see for yourself the consequences of the Vision Hunt Decree. I'm not in a position to tell you what the correct course of action is, but I can tell you that few things here are more precious than the purity of a person's character and the strength required to uphold it.
"That is to say, if you've the will to be a force of positive change, the outcomes you seek aren't impossible. Just take care that you don't let your expectations get the better of you." He leaned back in his chair, raising his head to glance up at the sky peeking through the branches above them. "The future can be such a heavy burden it easily overwhelms. If it takes over your present entirely, you'll find yourself paralyzed."
Lumine followed his gaze toward the crimson boughs, her mind full of wistful thought. Was she trying to tackle too much at once? Simply getting into Inazuma would take time, and even then there was no guarantee that she'd find what she was looking for. On top of that, there was clearly no shortage of people who needed help, and the Fatui didn't seem to be far behind Ritou's problems.
For a long moment, no one said anything. There was simply the rustling of leaves and the distant sound of merchants advertising their wares further down the street. Thoughts of her brother, the challenges ahead of her, and how she'd make all of it work swirled through her head before finally settling into quiet. She concentrated on the moment, the pleasant breeze on her face and the comforting warmth in her belly after enjoying a tasty snack. If she just took things one step at a time, starting with what she needed in the moment…
"Truly, moments like this are rare enough to be precious." The gentleman spoke at length, bringing her back to the table with the gentle tug of his voice. "Alas, even they cannot last forever. I fear I've escaped my duties long enough."
Lumine had to resist the urge to reach out for him, surprised by the sudden and unwelcome sense of emptiness he threatened to leave in his wake. Her smile wasn't convincing but asking him to stay was out of the question. "Thank you for everything… ah… I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name."
"I wonder, if I sacrificed that little sense of mystery would you still blush so easily?" His neutral smile shattered into a smoldering, foxlike smirk.
She didn't make things any better by turning red all the way up to her ears.
He chuckled, the sound deep and warm as the fading heat of a sunset. "I'm sure it's worth the risk. For now, however, I'll have to beg your forgiveness and bid you a very pleasant day." The man bowed his head once more, stepping up from the table with the impeccable grace she'd come to expect from him.
Finally, she glanced down to see Paimon napping on top of the table, her curry buns reduced to crumbs. With a chuckle of her own, Lumine gathered up her little friend in her arms and decided there was still enough daylight left to go hunting for crystal marrow merchants.