to the guest who asked how often i update: at least once a week! i used to at least twice a week, but there's something evil in this august air that has punched my writerly spirit in the gut

I set the interview notebook on top of my history notes. Professor Morax had gone off on yet another tangent, and I needed to catch up on information before Beidou's interview tonight. Kaeya left a message telling me to meet them there at the tavern after class, and I still hadn't read through what Keqing or Kokomi and Gorou said during theirs.

After opening to the first page, I noticed the earlier parts of Keqing's interview were pretty standard.

Keqing has always been motivated to participate in the GT. As a current fourth-year, she's competed three times now. She has never won the Champion title. Keqing insists that she must work ten times harder than most. Quitting doesn't seem to be in her vocabulary. She refuses to succumb to laziness or inefficiency, hence the repeated case of challenging herself. Sounds exhausting.

Believing that yesterday's experience makes her stronger today, she used each GT to prepare for the next. Keqing refrained from temptations like shopping for luxuries and strengthened her mental resolve by studying the classics of everything.

Keqing has no regrets. People have asked why she doesn't choose to partner, and her response remains the same. She can't successfully synchronize her work ethic with others around her. In other words, she has no issue with her own performances, but she cannot say the same for her peers. It would come as no surprise if her peers also had no inclination to partner with her.

The notes of Keqing's work ethic went on and on. I tried to focus through it all but ended up skimming for something more relevant to what we were looking for. It was towards the end of Ayaka's interview when concerns started to come up. Maybe it was the same for Keqing?

Keqing claims that not everyone is as honorable and dedicated as herself. She believes that there was a cheater among last year's participants. Per GT custom, participants are allowed to bring their Visions, but no other form of power. Though weapons are provided in the GT, Keqing insists one of the participants snuck something in. She is aware of Delusions and insists one was activated during a trial meant to test physical ability and strategy. This was a unique trial in which the participants' Visions were temporarily restricted.

A Delusion? The familiar name scratched at my brain.

She believes the cheater to be from Snezhnaya because of this Delusion. Keqing guesses this person must be linked with Signora in some way due to her reputation of being unfair, but she admits to having no evidence of these claims. There is only her eye-witness account of spontaneous Pyro energy from that person.

That's right. Now, I remembered Signora talking about the powers of a Delusion and how it's something that can be given to others. Signora also mentioned that Childe had one. It'd be a lie to say I wasn't curious about a device like that. Childe's Delusion might be helpful to us later on. I would have to ask him about it.

Under normal circumstances, Keqing would have reported this student to the faculty, but she did not. Her philosophy is as such: if you feel strongly about something, you should speak up and take action. Even after saying this, Keqing seems rather confused and at a sudden loss for words.

Her articulation returns once we move on to the next topic. This year is her last chance to win the GT, and she plans to compete once more. Seizing the opportunity while it's still there is brought up often. A little bit of retail therapy would do her good after graduation.

Interesting.

After gleaning bits of Keqing's personality from Kaeya's interview notes, I could imagine why it bothered her that the cheater was never caught. Solid evidence was the number one issue we faced with the Signora dilemma, and it's not like Keqing could go back in time to catch the cheater with the Pyro Delusion.

Did Delusions come in the form of seven elements just like Visions? If so, were they modeled after Visions? Wouldn't it be hard to hide a device like that from the Grand Tournament facilitators—assuming it was a Delusion and not something else?

Keqing didn't say anything about seeing a Delusion, only spontaneous Pyro energy. She came to the Delusion deduction all on her own, and while I wanted to trust her instincts…it was risky to make assumptions.

I understood why Kaeya insisted on doing all of the interviews first before meeting again as a group to discuss. Though their individual accounts were clearly meaningful, the bigger picture couldn't be seen with just one interview.

And so, I moved on to the joint interview with Kokomi and Gorou.

Kokomi was always interested in the GT but didn't think herself capable of mastering all of the trials on her own. Gorou paired with Kokomi to boost her confidence, believing that a strong body shows strength and instills confidence in others. Their teamwork and trust in each other extend beyond the scope of the GT.

To prepare, Gorou would climb the island mountains at sunrise every day the month leading up to the GT. While he honed his physical training, Kokomi studied her enemy. She claims that, in this situation, her enemy was the GT itself. Kokomi drafted predictions of all possible scenarios and trials based on records from previous years. She also brainstormed strategies alongside Gorou. A very brawn-and-brains duo.

Now that I knew what to look for, I spent less time examining the beginning details.

They are aware that each year has different trials, but a certain standard is held constant for the majority of the trials—time being one of them. Kokomi says there was an odd change in one of the trials. She is not sure if the trial was rushed or ended early. Nevertheless, it threw them off and the duo made a misstep. The GT ended up being more unpredictable than expected—this irony is not lost on them. Kokomi stresses how easily one false move knocked them out of the competition. Gorou claims they fell off the ranks because of his own temper, but Kokomi is adamant that is not the case. Them reassuring one another is taking up an unfortunate amount of time.

Neither of them plan to participate again this year, but this is not because they are deterred by the loss. Kokomi wishes to focus on preparing for a bigger role after her graduation. Gorou has no interest in the winnings.

This one didn't turn out nearly as interesting as Keqing or Ayaka's. The only issue was a slip-up with timing. Was that really a blame to be put on the competition, or was it because of poor planning on Kokomi and Gorou's part?

Seeing as there was no mention of suspicious students either cheating or displaying near-impossible powers, I was tempted to skip over this account. No. That wouldn't do. I should take a closer read in case I missed something more important while skimming.

"Ahem."

Startled, I looked up from the notebook to see Professor Morax staring intently at me from the front of the lecture hall. Soft murmurs and giggles filtered through the class, and my face grew hot with embarrassment. How long had they all been waiting for me to notice?

"Sorry, I got distracted reading up on…" I took a peek at my class notes. "The history of Sal Terrae and Havria."

Professor Morax assessed me. "The God of Salt, hm? We've since moved on from that topic, and I hope you paid attention well enough to the remainder of today's lecture. Tell me, what was the true name of the Overlord of the Vortex?"

Oh, no.

No, wait. I knew this one.

"Osial."

He tilted his head slightly in a nod. "And who was the final follower of Osial?"

Final follower? Osial had followers? I racked my brain, trying to conjure up passages I read in the textbook not long ago. All I could remember was the picture of Osial next to another ocean monster. My mind blanked on its name or connection to the ancient sea god.

"Beisht," Zhongli supplied. "Osial's wife."

"Right, of course," I made a show of dutifully writing the answer in my notebook. "I won't forget next time."

"I highly advise that you don't. The attacks on the Jade Chamber will be covered in our final exam. I understand the semester is coming to an end and winter break holds the appeal of relaxation, but we are not there yet. Keep that in mind as you depart from class today. You are all dismissed."

My peers around me gathered their belongings together, and I ducked my head so no one could see the embarrassment that still burned through me. I'd never been called out like that before. Sure, I should have been paying attention, but to let myself get so carried away with the interviews while still in class…

I sighed and tossed my things into my bag—careful not to crush the gift box I still hung onto for Huffman. The moment of being in the spotlight was done and over with. Professor Morax wasn't one to punish students for getting distracted. I knew he had good intentions, and I made a note to revisit that section on the Jade Chamber.

The interview notebook should stay firmly tucked away in my next class, too. Professor Baizhu wouldn't hesitate to make an example out of anyone.

"Miss Lumine."

Halfway out the door, I paused and turned to see Professor Morax facing me with his arms crossed. Okay, he may be more upset than I thought.

With a polite smile that I hoped revealed none of my nerves, I walked back into the lecture hall and prayed that this would be quick.

"Yes, professor? If this is about me being distracted today, I'm really sorry. It won't happen again."

"All is forgiven," he waved, dismissing my worries. "You do not make it a habit, and I trust one will not develop. I simply wanted to ask if you knew about my office hours. You see, your performance on the latest exam was rather concerning."

"But when our grades were released, I did well."

"Well, yes. Your long-response answers to the Domain prompts were incredibly detailed and accurate. I don't believe there is a record of any student being so well-versed in that topic," he said. "Your impressive knowledge of Domains is what saved your grade, Miss Lumine. I cannot give the same praise to your other answers. Some of your responses suggested that you misunderstood the prompt, and many others were in need of more elaboration."

It was difficult to hold my smile. I did remember fumbling quite hard during that exam. It surprised me to see that I had not only passed but did so with flying colors. Looks like my Domain research paid off at the cost of everything else I was supposed to study.

"Should you find yourself too busy during the week, I have extended my office hours to the weekend. This is not to support you specifically. Finals are a time when many students find themselves in need of extra guidance. Please, do not hesitate to reach out."

"I understand," I nodded. "I was off my game last time, but I won't disappoint again."

"That is good to hear. We instructors are always here to help. Whether it be class material or any other matter, you can rely on us to help create the best experience possible at Celestia."

Any other matter?

I pressed my lips together, tempted to mention even the slightest detail about the Abyss Order's plans.

I couldn't risk it.

Not with Professor Morax, who I knew was earnest and only wished for the best. Not with Venti, who was easy to get along with and open up to. There was no doubt that actual faculty and staff would be able to do more than a few students when it came to protection from the Abyss Order. Celestia Academy officials didn't need to scour through resources to uncover their own secrets.

Still…on our strength and wits alone, we've gotten further than I expected, and there was still time for even more progress.

"Thank you," I said after hesitating. "I'll be sure to stop by with lots of questions."

"I look forward to meeting with you. Have a good day, Miss Lumine."

The rich smell of hot food instantly drew me from the teleport waypoint and deeper into town. I had just gotten out of Horticulture and had no time to stop by the dining hall for dinner. Beidou's interview wasn't scheduled until a little later, but I wanted to be early. If she was anything like Ayaka, a good impression wouldn't hurt. Besides, I planned to grab something to eat at the tavern. The last time I was there, Diluc served the most delicious Golden Chicken Burger. I had been too distracted to properly enjoy it at the time, but I looked forward to having another taste.

I followed the aroma of good food, forgetting for a moment that the tavern was my destination until I found myself standing in front of the town's famous restaurant. My mouth watered. I could almost taste the specialty dishes waiting for me inside.

If I was going to eat at that restaurant, I wouldn't be eating there alone. My stomach twisted—not from hunger. Thoma and I had made plans to eat hot pot here more than once, but sudden events kept popping up along the way. Even now, it didn't seem like we would ever get the chance to enjoy dinner with just the two of us.

Glancing at my side, I watched Thoma's gifted omamori dangle from my bag.

This indefinite rain check had to end.

Before our deadline. That's when I would ask Thoma to spend a day with me. That's when we'd finally get to dine and pretend, for just a little while, that everything was fine.

Satisfied with my resolve, I promptly turned from the restaurant and soon came across the tavern. The boisterous sounds of activity could be heard even from two buildings away, and I smiled at the good business. That was one less thing for Diluc to worry about.

Eager to escape the cold, I entered the tavern and was instantly welcomed by the warm, though alcohol-tinged, air. The patrons around me were hard to miss, but I couldn't bring myself to pay them any attention.

Not with Diluc manning the bar.

He didn't seem to notice that I was here. His head was down as he focused on drying clean beer mugs and stashing them away. There were far more empty seats at the bar compared to the last time I was here, and I chose the one closest to him.

"What'll it be?" His head remained down as he reached for a dry glass.

"There's already a tall drink of water right in front of me," I said after an internal debate. It was one thing to think about flirting, but saying it aloud made me question who the real flustered one would be.

Diluc's eyes widened, and the glass he picked up almost slipped from his hand. "Lumine. I wasn't expecting to see you here. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Kaeya and I are meeting with Beidou later for one of the Grand Tournament interviews. I see neither of them is here yet," I said. "I thought you only worked night shifts. The sun is barely setting."

He sighed tiredly. "I thought so, too. I only meant to stop by to check inventory. My staff sent word on an ale shortage, but the barrels were simply misplaced. One thing led to another, and here I am behind the bar."

"If it makes you feel better, you look good behind the bar."

"You make me feel better." Diluc lowered the glass under one of the taps and filled it up with water before sliding it to me. "How are you doing?"

"Well, after the interview with Beidou tonight, we have one more left with Sara. There's going to be a lot to talk about at our next meeting."

He idly tapped his hand on the counter. "That's good to hear but not exactly what I meant. How have you been? Sleeping alright? The Twin Mages staying out of your way?"

"Yes to the sleeping and the Twin Mages," I said, toying with my glass. "Although, they have been up to something rather interesting. Do you know who Vlad is, by any chance?"

"Second-year. Visionless. Snezhnayan. What about him?"

I launched into the story of my eavesdropping on Cici and Cicin followed by Vlad's disturbance not long after. I also gave Diluc a quick rundown of Cicin breaking into Kaeya's room, but I conveniently left out the exact details of how I found that out.

We were lucky none of the patrons swung by the bar to ask for refills, and the tavern chatter perfectly masked my information dump. Diluc pointedly kept any interest in my words off his face, and it was only until I finished that he made a comment.

"I should have eliminated her while I had the chance."

The her he mentioned was Signora—evident by the hint of rage that slipped into his features. A change in subject was in order.

"Besides that, Childe and I found something interesting in that cave with the Domain."

Diluc gave me a disapproving look.

I held out a cautioning hand. "Before you jump in, we'd be at a disadvantage and face a bigger risk if we didn't explore the cave when we did."

"Was it dangerous?"

"No."

Not yet.

"Then you can save the details for when the five of us are all in one place. It seems to me like you're taking on quite a number of tasks. First, assisting Kaeya with interviews. Then, you're dealing with Signora's plans on top of exploring late into the night. Are you sure you're getting enough sleep?"

"Enough sleep?" I sipped my water. "I never said anything about enough—only that my dreams haven't been unpleasant."

"Lumine," he warned.

I shrugged. "I'll be fine. Once this interview is finished, I'm going to bed early to catch up on the hours I've missed."

"Good."

"After I do some extra studying for history."

Diluc sighed.

"Professor Morax called me out in class today. I deserved it for getting distracted, but then he started talking about office hours and my grades." I slumped on the counter. "It's just hard keeping up with everything all at once."

"If you feel overwhelmed, just focus on one thing at a time. The rest will fall into place when you have a clear mind," Diluc said. "A full stomach can also help with that. You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"

My stomach grumbled on cue, and I looked around for a menu. "Does the tavern still have those Golden Chicken Burgers?"

"I can put in a rush order for you." He rested the dry towel on his shoulder and walked to the back room. "It'll be just a moment."

"You're not worried about me swiping a few from the icebox while you're away?" I smirked.

Diluc simply pointed to the water in front of me before disappearing behind the door. He knew I wouldn't do such a thing, though I wouldn't put it past a few tipsy patrons to consider it. I kept an eye out for anyone who dared to try.

"Oh, perfect."

My breath hitched only slightly as I instantly recognized the voice to be Kaeya's. When had he gotten here? Just now, probably. Otherwise, Diluc wouldn't have been nearly as relaxed a moment ago. Kaeya hovered at my back before sliding into the seat on my left, his gaze focused on the unguarded icebox.

"Don't even think about it," I nudged him. "Diluc will be back any minute."

"Diluc?" his voice rose in surprise. "I didn't think he'd be here at this time."

Kaeya didn't bother masking his uncertainty. Now that I knew what I did about their rocky past, I supposed there was no reason for him to. My heart squeezed with a mixture of feelings. It warmed me that Kaeya was comfortable with letting his guard down around me, even in a place like this. At the same time, a bit of worry crept in.

Being in this tavern left those two with no choice but to be civil, right?