~ Prologue ~

Chapter 2 – Where The Wind Blows

Sunlight casted a pleasant warmth throughout the land, accompanied by the light breeze drifting in the air and the gentle lapping of the sparkling blue waves. Crabs scuttled across the sunrise-gold sand, a few starfish idly rested here and there without a care, and a flock of cranes flew above the vast tapestry of blue with lacy white-edged clouds.

If anything, it was a typical morning.

"Who… is that?"

Tanjiro Kamado simply questioned, observing the mysterious figure sketched on the sand. He had not seen anything like it in his whole life; a being of some sort with cubes on each hand as if it had control over them.

"The One…" A frown took form on Aether's features as he placed down a wooden branch he used to trace the deity he had once laid eyes upon. "… that took away my sister," he finished, idly resting both forearms on each lap.

A small grimace contorted on Tanjiro's lips as he stood beside Aether sitting on a piece of rock on the beach they were currently in. The waves splashed softly against the coast as both of their hair and garments swayed lightly from the gentle, cool wind. In an attempt to relieve such worries, Tanjiro laid a hand on his companion's shoulder, eliciting a thin smile from the golden-haired boy as they languidly shifted their gaze to the far horizon of the ocean once more.

It was another day amongst the many that had passed. They marched across unknown terrain for quite some time; whether the sun shone, the night fell, the rain poured, or the storm roared, they had each other.

Meanwhile, Tanjiro found the novelty of his new journey to be quite a considerable experience, and for the most part, it boggled his mind how this world paled in comparison to his own. From exotic encounters to astonishing landscapes, he presumed that no amount of surprises would ever fail to marvel him at this point. Apart from the fact that he hadn't encountered a single flesh-eating demon at night, the carnivorous foes that ravaged human lives time after time in his world were beginning to become a withering piece of recollection that he may finally put behind.

Maybe even forget.

But it was simply an impossibility because the moment he picked up a sword, he knew his life had taken a complete turn at that point.

Tanjiro's eyes swayed to the image of the figure on the smooth, fine-grained sand once more. There was much to ponder about it and his time venturing through this foreign world had not revealed any clues or leads of his friend's assailant so far.

Many questions, but few answers.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The ever-so familiar voice caught the Tanjiro's attention, snapping him from his reverie and bringing him back to reality. "Hm? What is?"

"Since you and I met," replied Aether, eyes still fixed on the vast waters. "When I woke here, I was all by myself…" A pause as he swivelled his head to Tanjiro, bonding his golden orbs with a smile. "Until you came along two months ago."

The corners of Tanjiro's mouth curve up as well. "Mm. It has been some time since then."

They stared at each other for a long while, their smiles unwavering as if time itself had come to a stop—before movement from the edge of Aether's vision forced him to cast his gaze on… whatever was hovering next to his companion.

"And you."

Tanjiro turned his head to the right, his eyes fixating on their floating companion that had been following them, or rather, guiding them for quite a while; said new companion having thick snowy shoulder-length hair with a dark purple hairclip in a shape of a four-pointed star clasped on one side, a crown levitating on her head as an addition. Rose-gold embroidery furnished her long-sleeved chalk-white dress, sleeves, and boots - with a peculiar symbol on her chest to boot. Around her neck was an ink-blue cloth as though it was a scarf, connecting to a three-tailed cape speckled with glimmering stars that hung freely behind her.

"Well, finally!" The fairy-esque creature crossed her arms, a high-pitched tone lacing her words. "And here I thought you two forgot about Paimon already."

To how they crossed paths with such a strange being in the first place was a fascinating story in itself. In more ways than one. For Tanjiro, it was seemingly just another ordinary day; a clear morning with the prospect of expecting something extravagant, and lo and behold did his assumptions came into reality. The memory was still vivid when the faint sound of splashing in the distance seized his and Aether's attention, one that guided them to a small lake.

And a drowning… pixie?

After hauling in their one-of-a-kind catch of the day, courtesy of Tanjiro who unceremoniously leaped in and dragged the creature out while his braided friend fended off a group of masked creatures called Hilichurls nearby that were also drawn in by the splashing noises just as they were, the fairy sprite was no less grateful to them. On top of that, she also convinced them that she was not some kind of bizarre fish or aquatic life form of any sort. From that point on, the rest is all but history; the party of two became three and they continued to set forth through the wild wilderness of Teyvat.

What made this half-sized humanoid fascinating, apart from her seemingly gluttonous appetite, was the odd amount of knowledge she possessed. Tanjiro, for his part, made use of that opportunity to grasp a bit of this world's history; from the catastrophic conflict between the gods, the so-called Seven who triumphed in the aftermath, and to the gifts called 'Visions' bestowed upon special individuals by the divine, there was much to take in and it needed time to give them much needed thought.

"Good thing we managed to get you out of that lake, huh, Paimon?" Aether started.

"Y-Yeah… About that…" The sprite looked to the side, placing a hand on her head. "Paimon really owes you two for what you did; otherwise, Paimon would've likely drowned if you two didn't come at that time."

A smirk found its way on Aether's face. "I bet those hilichurls were starving and wanted to cook you."

"H-Huh?!" Paimon yelped before stomping her foot unhappily in the air. "Grrr! Paimon already said that Paimon is not a snack!"

Tanjiro laughed lightly. "I'm sure he didn't mean it, Paimon."

The fairy creature let out an indignant yet adorable huff, placing her tiny hands on her hips in return. Sometimes, it was hard not to relish how cute she acted when angered. "Hmph! Well, Paimon thinks it's not funny. At all!"

Clearly fighting back a cheeky grin, Aether laughed inwardly, and after a long moment, a thought crossed his mind. "Looking back now…" He then casted his golden eyes on a pair of cherry-tinted orbs staring at his way. "The fishing rod was a much better option than jumping into the lake to get yourself wet afterward, don't you think, Tanjiro?"

The burgundy-haired boy gave a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head. "I… Uhh…"

"Oh, yeah!" Paimon giggled. "Now that you mention it, Tanjiro looked like a drenched kitty cat back then when he pulled Paimon out of the water. Hihi~"

"You're not wrong there," Aether concurred. "I guess that's one way to take a bath."

The three broke out into a light chuckle, one that soon dissolved into muted silence as the soft whistle of the wind and the faint crashing of waves can only be heard. Time seemingly stilled for a few brief moments until a certain fairy swooped in front of them.

"We should head off now," Paimon noted, eyes flitting over to the blond-haired boy as she lifted an index finger. "If we wanna find your sister, then we better be up and at 'em!"

Tanjiro couldn't help but agree. "She's right. We should go while we still have daylight."

"Uh-huh! And Paimon'll be the best guide you two will ever have!"

A fond smile crept onto Aether's features as his gaze lingered on his companions, two of which who stayed by his side. From time to time, ghastly thoughts tormented his mind; bitter cold dreams trapping him in perpetual darkness. In spite of all that, a scarred boy and a bubbly fairy were there when he awoke from his slumber, and somehow, their presence would dissipate those harrowing visions.

Because of that, he was genuinely grateful that this particular journey was something he didn't need to tread alone.

"All right. Let's get going!" With a beckon of her hand, Paimon flew ahead to the side of the coast, leaving a trail of constellation-like stars whenever she would drift through the air as always, subsequently stopping a few feet away from them to wait.

Rising to his feet, Aether took this time to stretch his arms outward, eventually dropping them to his sides and expelling a breath. He looked to the scarlet-eyed boy, giving him naught but a simple nod before trekking past him, the sand crunching with each step forward.

Tanjiro's eyes briefly tapered off to the ocean; silently admiring the sound of the beating waves and the smell of the salty sea breeze before following afterward in tow, eager to set out on their journey once more.

x_X_x

After traversing the rough terrain on their path, they followed the route uphill which brought them to a clearing flourished with greenery of trees and bushes, accompanied with the soothing trickle of a waterfall in the backdrop. Eventually, the pathway led them further ahead, bringing them to a steep precipice and upon approaching the ledge, their breaths were briefly clenched in their throats as they gazed in wonderment at the scenery sprawled in front of them.

"Wowwwww!" came Paimon's voice in open-mouthed astonishment.

The view of the terrain was no less captivating as serrated cliffs and lush valleys marked the sun-drenched landscape. Birds squawked overhead as they flew through the air, traveling to wherever the gentle wind would carry them. Cotton-white clouds graced the blue-tinted expanse, almost enshrouding the mythical floating island in the sky they have heard so much about from other people, saying it is where the gods reside and oversee the world beneath them.

Buildings stood in the far distance—but what really seized the trio's full attention was the stone monument surrounded by a lake below their field of view.

Paimon pointed her finger at the structure, eyes twinkling with glee. "That's a Statue of the Seven!"

In response, Aether and Tanjiro eyed the statue from afar, curiosity crossing their visages.

"Some of these statues are scattered across the land to show The Seven's protection over the world," Paimon explained. "And among the seven gods, this god controls the wind."

'The wind god…' Tanjiro ruminated. Though he had heard about these famed Archons, they have yet to actually meet one.

The fairy being placed her hands on her back, tilting her head slightly in concern. "Paimon's not really sure if the Anemo God is the one you two are looking for, but…" She paused, only to resume afterward, wagging her index finger around as she did so. "Paimon'll take both of you to the Anemo God first, so let's hop to it~"

With that, they proceeded to amble down the path to the side, making their way towards the sculpture.

"That place over there…" Aether voiced, eyes fixating on the numerous structures in the background. "Is that a city?"

"Yup!" Paimon chirped from the side. "That's Mondstadt."

Tanjiro glanced quizzically in her direction. "Mondstadt?"

"It's widely known as the city of wind and freedom because they worship the God of Anemo over there."

Tanjiro surveyed the mass of buildings fleetingly and then fixated his attention back on Paimon. "You think we'll be able to find Aether's sister over there?"

The white-haired sprite hummed to herself momentarily, her eyebrows creasing together for a while. "To be honest, we can't be too sure on that…" she admitted. "But as we all know, poetry and language flow like the wind, so there's a chance we might be able to get some clues about his sibling once we get to Mondstadt."

A pause. "At least, that's what Paimon thinks. Whether the gods actually answer you or not is a different story, but then again, you never know unless you try. After all, it's crucial we remember our goal…"

With an index finger raised, the pixie then asked, "Which of the Seven are we searching for exactly?"

A fraught silence filled the air as Tanjiro and Aether exchanged looks of uncertainty before the blond redirected his eyes to the rock statue they were drawing near to.

"We're about to find out," were the words that Aether simply uttered.

The conversation whittled at that point and once they reached the crystalline lake, they grounded to a stop at the edge, but as for a certain fairy, however, she had no trouble getting across whatsoever.

"Swim right over, boys."

Tanjiro and Aether looked on as their travel partner glided effortlessly to the small piece of land, leaving them to stand on the edge in silent awe.

A weary sigh escaped Aether's breath. "Time to get wet, I guess."

Tanjiro acknowledged the tone of distress from his friend, stealing a glance at him before his gaze wandered between the water and the tiny island, wearing a pensive expression. It hardly took a while until an idea sparked in his head; one that incited the corners of his lips to quirk up as he turned to face his friend.

"Oh, I have an idea."

Aether met his gaze, raising an eyebrow. "Hm? What kind?"

Without losing his smile, Tanjiro simply replied, "Let me carry you."

The reaction was instantaneous as Aether stared at him incredulously, jaw falling slightly; his expression heavily contrasting the innocence gleaming in the boy's dark-red orbs.

"…Huh?"

"I can jump that far," Tanjiro said. "If I carry you, I can get us over there without having to get wet."

Shifting his eyes away from him, Aether gazed at the crystalline water contemplatively. It was sound reasoning in itself, and yet somehow, the suggestion made him a little uncomfortable; not that he wanted to completely disregard the kind gesture as he knew well what Tanjiro was capable of, but if he were to express it, it would be a bit… undignified.

It was at these times when he really wished he had his wings back.

"Hey!" Paimon's voice suddenly rang through the air as she waved at them from the distance. "What are you two waiting for? Come on!"

After a few more moments of consideration, the blond finally conceded with a sigh. "Sure. Let's… Uh… go with your plan," he said, almost reluctantly without deigning to look.

Tanjiro beamed at the affirmation, nodding. "Well then, excuse me."

The statement made Aether furrow his eyebrows, confusion twisting on his face, and before he knew it, he was whisked off his feet in one swift motion as one arm had scooped under his legs and the other on his back.

With knees bent halfway, Tanjiro glanced briefly at the blond boy, a warm smile gracing his lips. "Hang on tight."

Before Aether could open his mouth to protest, the burgundy-haired boy had already leaped into the air, eliciting a tiny yelp from his throat and forcing him to clutch onto his carrier for what felt like a nanosecond as they landed nimbly on the isle a second later; just over their pixie guide.

Righting himself up, Tanjiro exhaled a quick breath as his eyes flicker to the golden-haired traveler in his arms. "Are you oka—?"

"Put me down."

The flat reply had Tanjiro taken aback, and it only took a moment for the request to sink in to his head, to which he acted at once. "A-Ah! Y-Yes, of course!"

Once he was gently eased on his feet on the ground, Aether paced a few steps forward, subsequently pinching the bridge of his nose and releasing a long sigh – while Tanjiro kept quiet, staring at his friend's back with a wistful expression.

Moments of silence went by until the yellow-haired boy turned around, a thin smile passing by his face – along with a faint flush on his cheeks.

"I… appreciate what you did there, Tanjiro, but…" Pausing, Aether scratched his head and spent a second to muster a breath, and then spoke once more. "Next time, just… give me a heads-up if you're going to do something like that, all right?"

Tanjiro sheepishly stared at the ground and dipped his head slightly in understanding. "O-Okay."

As both came into agreement, the atmosphere between them became somewhat light – and it was not long until a familiar high-pitched voice chimed in, the smug tone highly apparent.

"Looks like someone's a traveler in distress."

Casting his gaze to the source behind Tanjiro, Aether only glared. "Don't even start."

"All right, all right." Paimon rolled her eyes. "If you two are done making up, let's focus on that now."

Tanjiro and Aether flitted their attention to the statue, and upon closer look, the monument had golden adornments to it, and what's more, some parts appeared to be fractured; presumably, from the extensive amount of time it stood in place. Aside from a few bushes that surround it, on the very top stood a cloaked figure, possessing a pair of wings that curved inward and hands that held an orb of some kind.

Tanjiro studied the stone figure inquisitively. 'Could this be the Anemo Archon?'

Movement grabbed his eye and prompted him to look, only seeing his braided-haired companion take the initiative and walk up to the statue. A little voice in the back of his head told him to stop his friend, but then he realized he might come off as overprotective by then. Looking back, Tanjiro figured that having multiple siblings can make someone possess that kind of mentality in the long run.

Nearing the structure, Aether's footsteps came to a slow halt before grounding to a full stop at last, taking a moment to observe the entirety of the monument. His golden-yellow orbs soon rested on the gold plate at the bottom, the embellishment glinting in his eyes as if it was enticing him; one that he acted upon by resting his right brown-gloved palm on.

A number of seconds ticked by, the soft sigh of the wind only audible – before the gold plate gave off an ethereal hum, one that was followed by a gentle glow of turquoise.

Stepping back a few lengths away, Aether noticed how the monument kindled with color, in which the orb at the top started to shimmer brighter and brighter when energy particles converged altogether, subsequently exploding into what looked like a small sphere of energy hued in light green that bore a symbol perhaps relating to its element.

It whirled around the air for a moment before it levitated towards the braided traveler below, and once it merged into his chest, wisps of foreign energy coursed around him—and for Aether, he felt as if a long-lost power had once again found homage within him; a vitality he yearned to possess after so long.

A tiny gasp from Paimon snapped him from his stupor. "Did you just feel the elements of the world?"

Glancing at his frame, Aether observed the teal color emanating from his wrists, chest, and knees; one that affirmed the speculation as he spun around to meet the fairy's awestruck gaze. "Looks like it."

"Seems like all you had to do was touch the statue to gain Anemo powers," Paimon remarked. "You know, as much as people want it, they can never get a hold of powers as easily as you."

To say Aether was mildly shocked was an understatement when he mulled over those words more than he can admit, and when the thought finally dawned on him, the words bubbled out of his throat.

"Is it because—"

Paimon interceded with an audible hum. "Uh-huh, it's because you're not from this world to begin with."

Such development was unexpected and such thought-provoking notions warranted a lengthy time to understand. After seconds of self-consideration, it was the pint-sized fairy who disturbed the silence.

"Why don't you try using them?" A tinge of excitement rose in Paimon's words. "They may be helpful in your battles now."

Following her advice, Aether stretched his right hand to the side and focused on bringing out the mystic power that was bestowed upon him. In an instant, his newfound power responded swiftly, transforming into a small vortex of wind energy that swirled continuously in his palm. Deep down, he knew he could make it bigger, and so he grasped the concept of that power in his mind and concentrated more. With each passing second, the energy vacuum grew larger in size and in power – which prompted him to support his right arm with his left in reflex, feet spread apart a bit.

"Hn!" With a grunt, Aether jerked his palm - willing for it to attack.

The vacuum vortex exploded thereafter at his command, releasing a burst of wind forward; one that caused his arm to recoil from the intensity and send him a few inches backward.

"Aether!" Tanjiro swiftly ran up to his side, face morphing into that of worry.

"Y-You okay?!" Paimon flew over to him, slightly distraught. "It seemed like you had trouble controlling your powers for a second there."

Rather than acknowledging the fairy a reply, Aether instead inspected his palm, face turning firm as he flexed his fingers - before curling it into a fist and dropping it to his side. He then looked up to see two similar expressions that conveyed heavy concern.

"I'm fine, you two," he reassured. "It's just going to take some time to adapt, that's all."

Tanjiro and Paimon let out a collective breath of relief—and in the next moment, curiosity bubbled within Tanjiro as he was left astonished at what his friend exhibited.

"Are those… your new powers?" asked Tanjiro, evoking a nod from the blond.

"Yeah. Believe it or not, I was a bit surprised myself, too."

"They're amazing," Tanjiro commented, craning his head towards the monument. "And all you had to do was touch the statue."

Unbeknownst to him, his last sentence echoed in Aether's ears like an afterthought, expression contorting into profound thought—until the words parted from his tongue the next few seconds.

"Why don't you try, Tanjiro?"

The aforementioned boy was stupefied, a brief look of surprise colouring his expression. "Eh? M-Me?"

"It's just a hunch, but…" Thoughts spiralled within Aether before he arrived at a hypothesis of his own. "If it worked on me, maybe it'll work on you too."

"Hey, yeah!" Paimon piped in cheerily, sharing the sentiment. "There could be a chance for you to gain superpowers just like Aether."

Tanjiro was still dubious. "You really think so?"

"Why not give it a try?" Paimon put forward, shrugging nonchalantly. "I mean, it's not like the statue's going anywhere."

Finally cementing his decision after a brief moment, Tanjiro eventually inched towards the monument, his visage a mixture of apprehension and eagerness as he stood before the gold plate where his braided friend had placed his hand upon. Drawing in a purposeful breath, he raised his right hand and relaxed his palm on the golden embellishment, silently waiting for any sort of anomaly to occur.

…

Seconds of muted silence elapsed—and when his nose subtly twitched, the scent in the wind had changed as a soft breeze blew by and caressed his senses, causing him to close his eyes as if he just entered a trance.

…

"Feel any different?"

A voice stirred Tanjiro away from what felt like a long meditation, snapping his eyes open and blinking only once to realize that sound distinctly belonged to the white-haired pixie behind him. Bringing his attention above, the monument did not, in any way, react at all. His eyes glazed from his arms to his body, trying to see anything different; soon fleeting to his right palm, the rough marks born from intensive training still unchanging.

"It looked like you were really focusing there, Tanjiro," Paimon noted. "Did you feel anything out of the ordinary by any chance?"

Tanjiro lowered his hand and twisted around, a conflicted expression on his face as he rubbed the back of his head. "I… don't know."

A troubled look etched on Aether and Paimon as they shared a brief glance – before the fairy voiced out a piece of advice.

"Um… Try doing what Aether did. Maybe it'll work that way."

Obeying, Tanjiro extended his right arm to the side, his eyebrows knitting together as he attempted to channel… something in his hand. In truth, he really had no idea what he was doing, but it was worth a try.

…

..

.

"Nothing," uttered Aether when his friend's efforts proved fruitless.

A sigh passed Tanjiro's lips as he relaxed his forelimb down, turning to the blond and giving him an empathetic smile. "It's okay. Maybe it only works on you, Aether."

"But that's really odd..." A thoughtful finger rested on Paimon's chin. "How come the statue responded to Aether, but not to Tanjiro?"

Aether brooded over the matter the same way, swaying his head towards the ornate stone structure. "There must be more to this than we thought."

Silence reigned in the air only briefly before the white-haired sprite shook her head and vocalized her thoughts. "A-Anyway, we can think about that for later. If we keep heading west from here, we'll eventually reach the city in no time."

Tanjiro and Aether corresponded unitedly in agreement, and as for Paimon, a troubled expression painting her visage when she turned to the maroon-haired boy.

"We'll figure something out soon, Tanjiro. Maybe the statue's busted or—"

"There's no need to be worried, Paimon," Tanjiro responded almost immediately, presenting a kind smile. "I don't know how these things fully work yet, but to be honest, this is not much of a big deal to me."

"It… isn't?"

Tanjiro nodded adamantly. "Even if I don't have the same abilities as Aether, there's no reason to fret. We should rather focus on our goal of finding his sister, and for my part, I'll help him in any way I can instead of agonizing over this too much."

"Tanjiro…" Paimon murmured, a doleful look upon her face as she laid a hand on her chest.

On the other hand, Aether was equally moved to the point he was at a loss for words, both stunned and amazed from the resoluteness in his friend's tone.

"You'll help too, won't you, Paimon?"

"A-Ah, of course!" The sudden shift of attention made the fairy stutter at first but nonetheless recovered rather quickly, projecting a proud smile. "Paimon did promise to be the best guide and Paimon will do just that!"

A chuckle rang out of Tanjiro's lungs. "Then we're really glad to have you around, Paimon."

The pixie visibly flushed at the praise. "Aww, shucks~"

"Okay, okay," Aether chimed in, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't let it get to her head now."

"Hey! Let Paimon enjoy her moment every once in a while."

Their conversation could have gone longer — if it wasn't for the fact that the air had unexpectedly grew harsh the next few moments, heavily rustling the grass, bushes, and trees around them thereafter, their clothes fluttering wildly as well. It was then a massive shadow loomed over their heads, one that was accompanied by a reverberating roar.

"W-What is that?!"

When Paimon's voice pierced the air, their full attention soon centered on the sky, or rather, on the enormous creature flying across it. With parted jaws, they caught sight of the blue-green figure, its vast wings nearly blotting out the sun for a short time before the creature descended into the area of dense trees in the distance ahead of them.

"It landed in the heart of the forest," Paimon stated, managing to gather her composure once the wind had calmed down.

"What was that?" Tanjiro queried.

"Whatever it was, it's big. Like really big." Paimon shot her hands to each side in an exaggerated gesture, most likely emphasizing the size of the unknown creature. "We should proceed into the forest with absolute caution."

"No need to tell us twice," said Aether, eyeing the woods beyond before glancing behind his shoulder. "Stay alert, you two. Things just got a little more interesting."

[END]

Author's Notes: It has certainly been some time since I updated this, and to think I let all of you wait that long, the best I can do is to apologize profusely. In mid-November, I wrote too many drafts for the next chapter, which deprived me of my energy to focus on what version of the story I should go for. Following that, my passion for writing was nearly stripped away when schoolwork began to take a toll on me mentally and physically.

College is one hell of a place, eh?

Many months and many Genshin updates later, I knew I had a lot to cover in the story, and the amount of content in the game just overwhelmed me to the point I could no longer write at least 500 words after logging out. I suppose that also critically affected my flow of writing.

Now that my problems have been vented out, let me address a few things I altered in the story, shall I?

By the time you're reading this, changes have been made to the previous chapter:

Firstly, I would like to thank an anonymous reader who pointed out that the breath styles are actually just visual effects for the anime and manga, and not actually brought out like elemental attacks at will; believe me, all of you should have seen the look on my face when the realization dawned on me. From Tanjiro's perspective, he should be just swinging his sword around normally, so I just removed the water effects from his blade when he performs a specific breathing attack.

Secondly, one that I was hesitant to consider for the most part, I finally decided for Tanjiro to tell Aether that he came from another world—but not explicitly mentioning of how he arrived in Teyvat. For those who have no idea, the initial idea was for Tanjiro to hide the fact he belonged to another world, but looking back, I really saw no issue if Tanjiro brought that up with someone who literally crosses dimensions; in essence, that would somehow make his relationship with Aether even more relatable, realizing the gravity of the situation that both of them were in.

On another note, Tanjiro also cannot keep a straight face when lying due to his honest nature, so even if he did attempt to lie, his expression would apparently speak for itself.

And as for how Paimon entered this part of the story, I made a fun little twist, so I hope that was to your liking.

I cannot fathom how grateful I am to those who took a liking to this fanfic, and as such, I'd love to keep hearing from all of you out there; your reviews, comments, and even suggestions are what drive me to become better than yesterday.

Have a safe day everyone, and enjoy!