"Yay! Lumine, you came in first place!"
Paimon zipped onto the arena the moment the barrier vanished, her excitement palpable as she grinned ear to ear.
Watching the little fairy stomp her feet in glee, Angie couldn't resist teasing her.
Feigning hurt, Angie said, "Paimon, you're this happy I lost? After I chilled all those melons for you..."
"N-no, Paimon's not that happy! Just a little happy—only a tiny bit, okay~?"
The little sprite even held up a single finger to emphasize just how "tiny" her happiness was.
"Ha ha!"
Angie burst into laughter. This is the Paimon I love to see, she thought. It seemed her friend had made significant progress in moving on from her recent loss.
"Little Sister, are you alright?"
Tartaglia strode onto the arena. After confirming his sister was safe, he turned to Lumine.
"Traveler, I never expected you to improve so much. If we fought again now, I'd probably be beaten down in no time."
"Strength is vital to me!" Lumine declared.
Angie nodded slightly. Lumine had grown far stronger than the Traveler from the original game, largely due to the pressure Angie herself had applied. Having been pushed to her limits, it was no surprise Lumine's strength had grown so rapidly.
"Traveler," Angie said, "next time we meet, let's fight again!"
Angie's willingness to challenge the Captain directly showed she shared her brother's personality: a thirst for exhilarating combat and the pursuit of overwhelming strength.
Now that she acknowledged Lumine as a worthy opponent, she voiced this desire.
"Agreed!" Lumine nodded, accepting the challenge. Only through real combat could her strength be honed most effectively.
"Hey, hey, hey! If that's the case, can I join in too?" Tartaglia's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Brother," Angie retorted, "the Traveler doesn't have that much time. Beat me first, and then you can ask."
Tartaglia shot a resentful glance at his sister.
-
The battle for the top three spots had concluded, but the remaining rankings were still up for debate.
With plenty of time left, several more rounds of matches were held, finally determining the top ten participants of the Kaiyang Martial Summit.
On the Main Observation Deck, the staff announced the top ten winners:
1st place: Lumine;
2nd place: Angie;
3rd place: Cyno;
4th place: Chasca;
5th place: Mu Qingxu;
6th place: Vanyeliya;
7th place: Fidelle;
8th place: Tartaglia;
9th place: Kaedehara Kazuha;
10th place: Beidou.
The rankings weren't entirely accurate. For example, Vanyeliya, though ranked above Tartaglia, was no match for him in skill. Still, no one could complain about such good luck.
As each name was announced, the nationals from the corresponding country on the Main Observation Deck erupted in thunderous cheers and applause.
In the Mondstadt group, Kaeya clapped with a smile, while Rosaria lowered her head, her face twisted with frustration. Amber and the others felt quite awkward—Mondstadt was the only nation among the seven that hadn't secured a place in the top ten.
Did Lord Barbatos, who seemed to have been involved in organizing the Summit, feel disappointed by their performance?
In truth, Amber was overthinking things. Venti was also clapping, showing no sign of disappointment whatsoever.
Charlotte frantically snapped photos of the top ten winners, her face beaming with excitement. She could already imagine how viral this news would become back home!
Afterward, Ningguang delivered the closing speech, and the Summit concluded amidst a lively and celebratory atmosphere.
-
Fidelle sighed, stretched lazily, and walked over to Lumine and Paimon.
"Traveler, if you're planning to go to Fontaine, are you leaving now?"
Paimon: "Oh, it's Fidelle! Lumine and I decided to stay in Liyue for the Lantern Rite before heading out."
This was a decision they had discussed together. With the Lantern Rite in Liyue just over a month away, they wanted to take their time traveling, enjoy the scenery along the way, and clear their minds.
Besides, Lumine still had some personal matters to attend to.
"I see..."
Fidelle had hoped to use Lumine's Serenitea Pot to teleport directly to the edge of the Sumeru Desert. Now it seemed they would have to take the Chenyu Vale route after all.
"Traveler, Paimon, if you need any help when you come to Fontaine, feel free to find me at Palais Mermonia. I'm usually there."
"Really? Thank you so much! We definitely won't hesitate to ask if we need anything!" Paimon nodded enthusiastically.
Lumine: "Thank you, Fidelle."
Paimon asked, "Fidelle, are you about to leave?"
"Yes, I've been here long enough. My mission is complete, and I've savored all the delicacies Liyue has to offer. It's time to return, or my God will surely reprimand me..."
As Fidelle spoke, she didn't even notice the slight upward curve of her lips.
The thought of Lady Furina standing with her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks in a huff, filled Fidelle's heart with tenderness.
This was the first time Lumine had ever seen Fidelle wear such an expression. Overcome with curiosity, she asked, "Fidelle, what kind of God is the Hydro Archon Furina?"
"Lady Furina..."
Fidelle pondered for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. Without hesitation, she blurted out:
"She's the eternally radiant stage queen I've ever known. She often alternates between two hairstyles: her short, jellyfish-like bob is as playful as bubbles leaping from the sea, while her long, twin ponytails are as regal as the moonlit tides. She's both the gentlest and most adorable of Gods, reveling in the courtroom's every farce. A bit tsundere, perhaps, but utterly endearing..."
"When I was in Fontaine, she would sneak into the kitchen every day like clockwork to steal little cakes..."
Lumine and Paimon stood with their hands on their hips, their faces beaming with the same mischievous smiles they'd worn when they first met Collei.
So that's what you're really like, Fidelle...
Fidelle stopped abruptly, realizing she had inadvertently been speaking ill of Lady Furina—or at least, what Furina thought was ill of herself. This was absolutely unacceptable.
Yet she couldn't help but reminisce.
Whenever she caught Lady Furina red-handed, the Hydro Archon would bat her watery, starry eyes and declare, "This is merely the God's quality control inspection for desserts, you see~" This trick never failed to work on Fidelle.
And on the rare occasions when Furina actually succeeded in her culinary heists, she would vehemently defend her actions while forgetting to wipe the cream from the corner of her mouth—adorable beyond words!
Fidelle cleared her throat. "Ahem, you'll understand once you get to Fontaine. Lady Furina is a kind, gentle, and reliable Archon."
With that, Fidelle hurried away, her steps a bit rushed.
Paimon: "Looks like Fidelle really adores the Hydro Archon, Furina!"
Lumine: "Do you think we'll get arrested again when we go to Fontaine this time?"
-
Later that evening, after everyone had withdrawn from the observation platforms, Lumine and Paimon approached the Main Observation Deck to claim their prize.
Ningguang had a dozen chests brought forward. The moment they were opened, Lumine's eyes lit up.
Each of the chests was filled with glittering—Primogems!
Angie had never seen so many Primogems before. She could already imagine the expressions on the players' faces when they saw this bounty.
But, heh heh, these Primogems were for Lumine. When did anyone say they were for the players?