Some new bard, apparently for the first time in the capital, judging by his clothes, long out of fashion, had bought a popular spot near the tavern "Good Hunter" for an hour and was now singing such funny songs about the jumped-up Helen, who imagined herself a bard, a wizardess, and a patron of Mondstadt, that even the other bards, waiting for their turn, laughed.
Paimon laughed too, forgetting for a moment the triple portion of Cream Stew she had ordered from the "Good Hunter" — Paimon was tired, having flown after Lumine on her part-time jobs, and now needed a refresh herself: Lumine had honestly given her half her fee, as Paimon had helped with helpful tips that made the job much easier.
The "Good Hunter" didn't cook as deliciously as Xiangling, who hired Lumine to hunt game and Slimes and treated them to lunch as a bonus, but it was decent. Paimon's thoughts, however, were far from food for the first time in her life.
Until now, she hated leaving Celestia and shepherding the next Traveler, making sure that he or she or it would, without knowing it, accomplish the mission that Celestia wanted. Paimon had always wanted faster to finish the mission, get rid of the Traveler, and return home.
But she didn't want to go back today, for the first time. Even human food, which Paimon had always hated, now pleased her. Yes, there is little or no energy to be expended on flight or magic in Celestia, but there is nothing to enjoy either.
And Lumine was the first of a long, for centuries, line of Travelers — it began long before Khaenri'ah was destroyed — which shared a fee with Paimon. And Lumine shared with Paimon the trophies she collected as she worked or searched for her brother.
It was the first time Paimon lived not on Celestia's energy crystals or Traveler's handout, when Celestia was late with deliveries, but on her own choice of food. And Paimon discovered the pleasure of taste. And it was the pleasure of freedom of choice. And it was simply the enjoyment of freedom. A third side of the world came into her life.
Once, long ago, Celestia created the Abyss to keep Teiwat in submission, intimidating them with an enemy they had no power to fight. The Abyss was only a harmless scenery back then, a fairground attraction capable of fooling only those who did not look closely. But there were those who always kept their eyes wide open. And they were quick to calculate the benefits of an independent Abyss and their stay in it. And then there were those who always kept their ears alert, and they didn't want to not break up with Celestia, they coveted her benefits but needed the means to contain her influence. In the end, the Abyss became the new world-antipode of Teyvat, bound to it as closely as Celestia, and Khaenri'ah died in the confrontation between the two powers. Both Celestia and the Abyss saw only themselves in the universe, and they looked upon Teyvat as a piece of food without which they could not survive, ripping it from each other like beggars fighting for a piece of bread. And Paimon was equally supportive of both sides, to stay on the winning side no matter the outcome. She was just as conscientious in her care of the Traveler, whom Abyss had spotted before Celestia, receiving the same tasteless energy crystals from Abyss, and with exactly the same delays.
But now it was different. The creamy stew, which Paimon was eating with even more gusto, turned her thoughts in a different direction.
Lumine made no secret of how helpful Paimon had been, and the adventurer teams began inviting her on their quests, promising her an equal share of their fees and trophies, saying that she would earn more with them than with Lumine. So what? If Barbara, who can't fight at all, works in the best teams as a healer, and they take care of her more than their eyes when they're camping, then Paimon's valuable advice will save lives just as well, and fill purses. She'll be worth more than Barbara.
It suddenly became obvious to Paimon that if Celestia and the Abyss disappeared, she would still have good food, nice clothes, and a cozy, warm place to sleep. More than that, neither Celestia nor the Abyss will give Paimon the same pleasure as Teivat. The Tone-Deaf Bard and lazy Archon Venti Brabatos shunned Celestia like the plague for nothing.
And Paimon also noticed that the Abyss Order is not the whole Abyss. There are quite a few territories that the Order has no control over, and they don't like one very much. And the Order itself would collapse at the slightest breeze that brought the aroma of food from any decent tavern.
Is there something that will destroy Celestia? Paimon didn't know. But judging from the fact that almost nothing is known about Celestia in Teyvat, there are no expeditions there, as in the Abyss, it didn't die only by misunderstanding, and it doesn't function well even without destructors coming from outside. However, that's just it's problem.
Paimon flatly didn't want to go back to Celestia. The main thing was to nullify it influence on her life in Teyvat. And the Abyss... Here Paimon wondered.
Aether had decided he could do without her. And he decided could control the whole Abyss, manage to subdue or destroy the Abyss Goddess who had dragged him there, and made him his assistant. Well, again, that's just his problem.
And Paimon needs to learn more about the Free Abyss. Nobody doesn't know how fate will turn out, and where Paimon will have to live. She should think about making her life as good as possible.
Therefore, Lumine is more useful to that end than all the other adventurers so far. In addition, Paimon, with Lumine's company, can quickly build up reputation points for the Adventurers' Guild, which means she'll be called to the best teams. Paimon will quickly be able to accumulate money and treasure to invest in a quieter source of sustenance.
Hence, the longer Lumine lives and the continuer her search, the better for Paimon: Teivat is big, and she hasn't yet decided which place in it to make her home. In fact, this is the first time Paimon will know Teyvat.
That's why she can't be in a hurry to choose. But saving up more money and treasure was essential.
And Paimon ordered tea, followed by a triple helping of Tea Break Pancake and Mint Jelly.