arrow_back Genshin Impact Quests 
Song of the Welkin Moon: Act I
A Dance of Snowy Tides and Hoarfrost Groves
Moonlight paves your way, guiding you to Nod-Krai, an "elysium" for adventurers and wanderers alike...
Embark on a new journey
Paimon:
Hey, Ineffa! Sorry to keep you waiting!
Ineffa:
That is perfectly alright. My data indicates clear skies in the coming days. Current conditions for maritime travel: optimal. I will be ready whenever you are.
Traveler:
Let's get this show on the whale-road.
Paimon:
But... are we really gonna set off without telling anyone again?
Paimon:
Hehe, funny you mention it, you'll never guess who Paimon saw on the way o—
Mualani:
Hey! You didn't seriously think we'd let you leave without a farewell party, did you? ... No chance!
Kachina:
Yeah, c'mon, Traveler! We've already made all the preparations.
Ajaw:
And most importantly... How dare you try and slip away without first paying your respects to the Almighty Dragonlord!
Traveler:
Caught red-handed, again...
Kinich:
A little bird told us you'd soon be leaving for Nod-Krai, so we asked Paimon to give us a heads-up before the date of your departure.
Traveler:
...So it was you.
Paimon:
Hehe, you sure it's not time to think about changing that little habit of ours?
Mualani:
Don't worry, we won't keep you long. Besides, everyone's there already! Chasca, Iansan, Ororon... even the Pyro Archon herself!
Kachina:
You're invited too, Ineffa! Xilonen has a special gift for you, hehe.
Ineffa:
Accompaniment request accepted. Xilonen demonstrates excellent massage technique. My impression of her is exceedingly positive.
Paimon:
Wait... so robots like massages too? Or is it just that Xilonen really knows how you're wired...?
Kinich:
Alright, enough with the chit-chat. Let's head to the venue.
Paimon:
Woohoo, party time!
In a corner unnoticed by all, a pair of eyes observes from the shadows...
???:
...
Forward unto Nod-Krai
???:
Mm? Spit it out, then.
???:
...They've set off.
???:
Heh... Just as my calculations projected.
???:
About time I met this "variable" in person.
Paimon:
...You know, every time we head to a new nation, there's always a point where it suddenly dawns on Paimon: "This is it — the next chapter of our adventure has begun."
Paimon:
This time, it was the moment she realized she'd just polished off the very last of her Saurus Crackers. Should've stocked up better at the farewell party...
Ineffa:
In other words, Paimon has marked the geographic coordinates from two minutes and forty seconds ago as the boundary between Natlan and Nod-Krai. This deviates somewhat from the official coordinates stored in my database.
Paimon:
Uhh, Paimon meant more in terms of how it felt on a psychological level... Anyway, what about you, Traveler? When did it really sink in for you?
Paimon:
Huh, that actually kinda makes sense...
Paimon:
What about you, Ineffa? Come to think of it, maybe we should be asking the other way round... So, when you came over to Natlan, what was the moment you felt like you'd left Nod-Krai?
Ineffa:
Hmm. In that case, probably when my sensors could no longer detect the moon's power.
Paimon:
The moon? You mean... that one we can all see in the sky...?
Ineffa:
Negative, I was referring to... Ah, here we are. Paimon, Traveler, we have arrived in Nod-Krai.
Paimon:
Oh wow!
Ineffa:
Paimon, Traveler, welcome to Nod-Krai.
Paimon:
That must be Nasha Town up ahead! That's the place you were telling us about on the way over, right?
Traveler:
(...Huh?)
Ineffa:
That is correct, Paimon. It is also the most bustling commercial hub in all of Nod-Krai.
Traveler:
(...! Could this really be...?)
Paimon:
Oooh! Hehe, sounds like the perfect place to start trying out all the local specialties...
Paimon:
Huh? Is something up, Traveler?
Traveler:
Paimon...
Traveler:
This is where our spaceship landed when Lumine and I first arrived in Teyvat...
Paimon:
Huh!?
Paimon:
A—Are you sure? But... how come you've never mentioned that before? Seems pretty important to Paimon!
Traveler:
Well, because... those memories are really hazy. All I remember is Lumine waking me up, and us leaving the ship...
Traveler:
But just now, setting foot on this land... I felt something... The kind of power I sensed in those moments...
Ineffa:
Are you referring to kuuvahki?
Paimon:
Kuuvah-what now!?
Ineffa:
The locals refer to it as "kuuvahki." It is a unique elemental force found only in Nod-Krai — or rather, a pure, primordial form of elemental energy.
Traveler:
A bit like phlogiston?
Ineffa:
That is correct. Another similar concept I have found in my database is: "the Primordial Sea."
Ineffa:
Legend has it that long, long ago, the moon that shines in the sky above us once rose from the land of Nod-Krai.
Ineffa:
Modern geological surveys and meteorite studies conducted in the region have since supported this claim.
Paimon:
So, when you mentioned being able to detect the moon's power earlier... You were referring to "kuuvahki"?
Traveler:
(It certainly feels similar to phlogiston, yet also somehow... different. Maybe they both belong to the "Light Realm" that the Lord of the Night mentioned...)
Traveler:
(Still, this feeling... There's no doubt about it — it's the same power I felt the first time I set foot in Teyvat...)
Paimon:
Wait, Traveler! You're saying... we might actually find your spaceship here? Do you still remember where it landed?
Traveler:
I think it was... near a beach?
Ineffa:
Nod-Krai is surrounded by the ocean — in other words, it could have been anywhere along its coastline.
Traveler:
There was also... a mountain?
Ineffa:
Mm... Negative. Description still lacks sufficient detail to pinpoint target location.
Paimon:
Hey, it's okay if you can't remember everything right away. After all, it's been a really long time...
Paimon:
Let's just do what we've always done... and keep searching as we explore! Besides, what have you got to fear with your sidekick Paimon still here?
Ineffa:
I'd be more than happy to help you out as well.
Traveler:
Thank you both...
Paimon:
Our pleasure! Anyway, just knowing that your spaceship's here in Nod-Krai surely counts as a big step forward, huh?
Ineffa:
Like we've crossed another "boundary"?
Paimon:
Paimon couldn't have put it better herself. You sure are a quick learner, Ineffa!
Traveler:
(If we can find our spaceship, maybe the flight logs could tell us something...)
Traveler:
(At last, a chance to get to the bottom of all this... The truth must be out there somewhere, buried in this land.)
Paimon:
Ahem! Well, as the best guide in the whole of Teyvat, Paimon hereby does solemnly declare:
Paimon:
Nod-Krai, here we come!
Enter Nasha Town
Paimon:
It just occurred to Paimon — if we were looking to put out a "Missing Spaceship" commission or to learn more about Nod-Krai, wouldn't it make sense to drop by the Adventurers' Guild?
Ineffa:
The Guild is located in Nasha Town. Simply follow this road and you'll reach it.
Paimon:
Eh? What in Teyvat is that?
Paimon:
Looks kinda like a Seelie, floating around in the air like that...
Ineffa:
That is a kuuhenki, a species unique to the land of Nod-Krai.
Paimon:
A kuuhenki? Does she have something to do with the moon, too?
Ineffa:
Indeed, it does. According to the Frostmoon Scions, the indigenous inhabitants of this land, the kuuhenki are said to be familiars of the Moon Goddess, leading those who walk in the moonlight's glow to things of great importance.
Paimon:
The Moon Goddess? Don't all people here worship the Tsaritsa...?
Ineffa:
Although Nod-Krai lies on Snezhnaya's border regions, the people here have held their own unique beliefs since time immemorial. As I mentioned, everything in this land shares a deep connection with the moon in the sky above.
Ineffa:
The beliefs of the Frostmoon Scions seem to date back to the civilization of the angels. According to the documents in my database, even the Seven Archons did not exist at that time.
Paimon:
Wow... So the origin of their beliefs goes back even further than the Archon War?
Ineffa:
Correct. At some point, you may come across some statues of their goddess — the Frostmoon Scions carved these as well.
Paimon:
Hey, looks like she's floating away!
Ineffa:
I suggest you follow her. The probability of an ordinary person encountering a kuuhenki lies in the single digits. Many here consider them heralds of good fortune.
Talk to Ineffa
Paimon:
Is this... a travel guide? Huh, it actually led us to something useful.
Ineffa:
Are there any particular points of interest?
Paimon:
It all looks pretty interesting to Paimon! If we have time, she'd love to see... pretty much everything...
Ineffa:
Recalibrating route...
Ineffa:
If we keep following the current path, we will arrive at an area of scenic beauty. From there, we will be able to identify both the Adventurers' Guild and several must-visit specialty stores.
Paimon:
Yikes... Why is Paimon suddenly getting the feeling that, if she doesn't step it up soon, Ineffa's gonna put her out of a job...
Familiarize yourself with Nasha Town with Ineffa as your guide
Paimon:
Wow, Nasha Town actually looks pretty big from here! Feels a bit different than Paimon imagined, though...
Ineffa:
Which aspects in particular deviated from your expectations?
Paimon:
Well... Paimon keeps hearing people describe Nod-Krai as an "adventurers' paradise," so she kinda thought it'd be a bit more... picture-perfect, somehow?
Ineffa:
According to legend, there was indeed an era of peace in Nod-Krai's past — the age of the Fae.
Ineffa:
Tales of those ancient heroes are still told today. One of the most well-known is that of the Lantern Fae.
Ineffa:
This individual performed many good deeds for Nod-Krai. The present-day Lightkeepers' nightly lantern patrols are, in part, a tribute to their memory. But then, one day...
Paimon:
Wh—What happened...?
Ineffa:
...There came a devastating Abyssal calamity that swept across Nod-Krai, and for a time, it was left desolate.
Ineffa:
Heartbroken by what had become of the land they had so cherished, that Fae extinguished their light, just as the Abyss had extinguished all hope.
Ineffa:
Nowadays, the "paradise" people speak of is more of an aspiration — or an irony, perhaps.
Paimon:
An irony...?
Ineffa:
Today, no official authority governs Nod-Krai. In theory, at least, it is somewhere a person can do whatever they wish, and become whoever they want to be.
Ineffa:
The Adventurers' Guild is just over there, in Nasha Town's central plaza, and The Flagship Tavern is over that way.
Paimon:
Hey, what's that building over there? Y'know, the biggest, tallest one?
Ineffa:
That is Aino's "Boom and Blast Kuuvahki Energy Cannon." It gets activated when the Wild Hunt threat level outside Nasha Town reaches a certain threshold.
Ineffa:
But according to the scan I just ran, the Energy Cannon appears to be malfunctioning... likely due to a recent discharge.
Paimon:
The Wild Hunt... Isn't that the Abyssal calamity you mentioned that's specific to Nod-Krai?
Ineffa:
It is a phenomenon that has been occurring for several centuries now, yet the time and location of Wild Hunt attacks are seemingly random. At first, it was more of an old wives' tale that adults used to scare children.
Ineffa:
"If you don't start behaving, kid, some night, the Wild Hunt's gonna come for you. Listen... Do you hear that? That weeping in the fog... Those are the cries of a young woman being dragged away."
Paimon:
Y—You're saying people actually hear things like that?
Ineffa:
I have not witnessed enough Wild Hunt attacks to give a statistically sound answer.
Ineffa:
But the oldest legends say that all people saw was the ghostly shadow of a woman in the mist. It wasn't until later that it became a full-blown calamity, Abyssal monsters and all.
Paimon:
When you put it like that, Paimon's really gotta hand it to Aino... Not only did she repair you, but she's even built a giant cannon to keep the Wild Hunt at bay!
Ineffa:
Absolutely. Aino is very impressive indeed.
Ineffa:
Anyway, according to my schedule, it is time I took you over to The Flagship.
Paimon:
Oh, sure! After all, we shouldn't keep Varka waiting. Though... Paimon's not sure if he'll actually show up at the bar this early.
Paimon:
Heh. You're right about that...
Enter The Flagship
Ineffa:
Here we are, The Flagship.
Paimon:
Varka told us to meet him here in his letter, right? Let's see... Varka! Varka...!
Ineffa:
...No matches identified.
Paimon:
Huh, so he isn't here after all? Guess we never did actually say we'd be arriving today.
Paimon:
Hey, why don't we go ask the owner? If what they say is true, Varka's drinking prowess must have left quite the impression...
Talk to the bartender
Demyan:
Eh? Well, well, if it isn't the ineffable Ineffa!
Ineffa:
Hello there, Demyan.
Paimon:
You know each other?
Demyan:
Of course! Ineffa's a regular here at The Flagship.
Paimon:
So robots are into booze too?
Ineffa:
Not at all. The energy conversion efficiency of alcoholic drinks is very low, and most of them are full of impurities. Still, I can affirm that your Berries and Fried Meat deserve a solid 9.12/10. It has Aino's approval, too.
Demyan:
Funny that you should mention that — while you were away in Natlan, Varka would come in here every day to pick up a serving of Berries and Fried Meat for Aino.
Paimon:
Aww, he must have been worried sick that she wasn't eating properly on account of being so hung up about Ineffa being gone...
Demyan:
Uh... Actually, it's 'cause Varka found out that Aino went wild after Ineffa left, gorging herself on snacks she normally couldn't get her hands on. So it was more... worry that she wasn't getting a balanced diet.
Ineffa:
...
Demyan:
Ahaha... Think I might've just put my foot in it. Anyway, since you're back from Natlan, these two must be the ones Varka mentioned... Traveler and Paimon, yes?
Paimon:
Yup, that's us!
Paimon:
So, from the sounds of it, you must be a close friend of Varka's too?
Demyan:
Varka? Ha-ha, goes without saying! After all, he's the only one around here who's ever managed to stay standing after ten rounds of the Roulette Special!
Paimon:
Paimon can't believe he's made such a name for himself, though guess it's hardly surprising how...
Traveler:
Do you know where he is now?
Demyan:
Right now... Hmm... Must be somewhere near Amsvartnir. That's... quite far from here.
Paimon:
Huh? Where's that?
Demyan:
It's a lake in the northern part of Nod-Krai. Word reached him of trouble brewing around those parts, so he took his knights to check it out.
Paimon:
Oh... So we missed him?
Demyan:
Haha... Varka knew you'd say that, so he specifically told me to make sure you stayed here and enjoyed yourselves. He sends his assurances that everything's under control.
Paimon:
Well, if he's that confident, guess our only option is to accept. Anyway, it's not like there's any special cause for concern — he is the Grand Master, after all.
Demyan:
Exactly. Plus, not only has he booked you into our finest room, he's paid for it in advance too.
Paimon:
Whoa, that's so generous of him! Hehe. We might not have met yet, but Paimon's got a feeling that we'll get along with Varka like a house on fire...
Demyan:
Oh, and by the way, he also asked me to serve up a portion of Berries and Fried Meat for Ineffa. That was prepaid as well.
Ineffa:
Thank you.
Demyan:
No, thank you. I'm the one who should be grateful for your business.
Ineffa:
Traveler, Paimon, why don't you go ahead and drop off your luggage? I can use this time to go pick up some components that Aino asked me to bring back.
Paimon:
Sure thing! Besides, now that we've got ourselves a map, once we're done unpacking, we might as well go for a stroll ourselves! Why don't we meet up again later?
Ineffa:
Oh, so you no longer require navigational assistance?
Paimon:
No worries, we should be fine! We've got a rough idea of our way round town, so Paimon's reasonably confident we shouldn't get too lost...
Ineffa:
Thank you. This translates into an approximate time saving of 30%, meaning I will be able to see Aino about 45 minutes earlier than previously projected.
Paimon:
Oh right, you must miss her a lot too. In that case, we'd better get a move on!
Go to the guest room
Paimon:
Hehe, feels pretty nice having someone sort out our food and lodging for us, huh?
Paimon:
But is this really The Flagship's best room? It's pretty big, make no mistake — but it looks a little... worn out, right? Though, to be perfectly honest, that feels right at home with everything else we've seen of Nasha Town...
Paimon:
You mean it's got something to do with Nod-Krai's history? That makes sense... but what exactly was this calamity?
Paimon:
Should we try the Berries and Fried Meat too? Paimon's getting hungrier and hungrier every time someone mentions it!
Paimon:
Ah, oooh! Sorry about that, Paimon wasn't watching where she was going!
???:
Please, there's no need to apologize. If anything, I'm the one who should be sorry — clearly, I shouldn't have gotten lost in my thoughts in the middle of a hallway.
Paimon:
Wait a sec... Are you staying in the room next to ours?
Flins:
Ah, quite the perceptive one, I see. First things first, allow me to introduce myself: My name is Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins. But please, just call me Flins.
Paimon:
Whoa, that's... an impressively long name, for sure!
Flins:
Oh, is that so? Names like mine ought to have been fairly common in Snezhnaya, at least in the past. Would I be correct, then, to assume that the two of you are travelers in this land?
Paimon:
Yep, you sure would be! Paimon is Paimon, and this is Traveler. We've been to a bunch of nations already, but we only just arrived in Nod-Krai today.
Traveler:
Hello.
Flins:
What a rare honor it is to meet such worldly travelers.
Paimon:
Are you here for travel too?
Flins:
Ah, if only I had the time to spare. No, I'm just staying the night.
Paimon:
Oh? So you're here for business?
Flins:
That's certainly one way to put it. I'm a Ratnik of Nod-Krai, normally stationed near the burial grounds to the north. My sole cause for being here today was to repair this lantern of mine.
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(There's something off about that lantern...)
Paimon:
B—Burial g—g—grounds?
Flins:
Your surprise is entirely understandable. Most people cannot even begin to fathom the idea of a life surrounded by tombstones and decay.
Flins:
But if you've heard of the calamitous abomination that is the Wild Hunt, you'll know that in their wake, they bring a host of souls tainted by Abyssal filth. That, then, is why we are stationed by the burial grounds — to hold the line where it is most vulnerable.
Paimon:
Ohhh, so it's all about fighting against the Abyss... Sounds like a tough job.
Flins:
I thank you for your concern. But in truth, I've long since grown used to it — in fact, I like to think it rather suits me. If anything, I'd say I prefer the peace and quiet of a graveyard to the hustle and bustle of urban life.
Paimon:
Paimon sort of gets it now, but even so, she's still pretty sure she could never get used to living in a graveyard herself... For one thing, she'd be too scared to fall asleep at night!
Flins:
Hahaha... Oh, I assure you, there's no need to worry on that account. The kind of ghosts you find in cemeteries aren't too big on talking — but even when they do, they're usually far more discreet than the living.
Paimon:
Eh...?
Traveler:
Eh...?
Flins:
Well, would you look at that? Who'd have thought we'd end up chatting this long. Must have a lot in common, huh?
Flins:
Forgive me, but I must excuse myself, for the time of my appointment draws near. And in terms I'm sure you'll understand, a lanternless Ratnik is like a mapless traveler — a serious conundrum indeed.
Paimon:
Oh, sure! In that case, you go right ahead. We won't keep you any longer!
Flins:
Not at all. Should the opportunity present itself, I'd gladly continue our conversation another time.
Flins:
You're always welcome to come visit my grave— Er, I mean, the grave I stand watch over. Your visit would bring much-needed light to that place of final rest.
Paimon:
Uh... Right... Well, uhh... If we get the chance...
Flins:
Then allow me to wish you a traditional Ratnik's farewell: See you by the graveside.
Paimon:
Uhhh... Jeez, what a weirdo.
Paimon:
Not to badmouth him and all — in fact, he seemed pretty cultured. But at the same time... kinda spooky? Must be all that time he's spent around graveyards...
Traveler:
Did you notice anything strange about his lantern?
Paimon:
His lantern? Uhh... no, not really? You mean, 'cause it was broken?
Traveler:
Like there was something inside...
Paimon:
Huh. Guess you've always had a nose for stuff like this... If you're worried, you can always ask him the next time we cross paths.
Traveler:
Sure thing. Guess that'll be... by the graveside?
Paimon:
Hey, don't you start spouting all that weird stuff too!
Leave The Flagship
Paimon:
Ah! Paimon almost forgot something super important!
Traveler:
Mm? Spit it out, then.
Paimon:
Weren't we gonna go try out the Berries and Fried Meat?
Traveler:
Must have left that craving by the graveside...
Paimon:
But now, heading all the way back to The Flagship feels like such a waste...
???:
Please, accept today's boon. Come night or day, may the blessings of the Moon Goddess shine down upon you.
Paimon:
Huh? What's going on over there?
Traveler:
Looks like they're handing out food.
Paimon:
Wait, free food!? Wow, the people here are so nice!
Paimon:
Quick, let's grab some too! Paimon's super curious what their food tastes like.
???:
Moonlight illuminates the path before you, travelers from afar.
Paimon:
Huh? How'd you know we were travelers?
???:
Just now were asong the birds in the sky, singing of your wanderings. You are no ordinary guests, it seems.
Paimon:
The birds in the... what now?
???:
Forgive me, I should not have laid the words of others out as a welcome mat for our very first meeting. You, too, must be wondering who I am.
Lauma:
I am Lauma, Moonchanter of the Frostmoon Scions. Please, as do our followers and other passersby, accept today's boon.
Paimon:
Happy to oblige! Paimon's name is Paimon, and this here is Traveler. Thank you so much for sharing your yummy food with us — we'll take one each.
Traveler:
You have our sincere gratitude.
Lauma:
Think nothing of it. These fruits were the finest we found, delicacies gathered in the wake of the morning dew. It is my hope that partaking of them may lift your spirits to heights anew.
Paimon:
The finest you found? Wow, that sure is kind of you, but... wouldn't you want to keep those for yourselves?
Lauma:
Ha... "The first fruit of the harvest must be placed upon the Moonlight Altar — not as an offering to the gods, but as a spark for lost hunters. For it is the blade of the starving that darkness most easily corrupts."
Lauma:
As perhaps you have already heard, we Frostmoon Scions revere and worship the Moon Goddess. We believe that together, virtue and compassion are the shining light that will lead us all out of the long, dark night.
Lauma:
And now, with tides of haughty Fatui swarming into Nod-Krai, driven by greed, and greed alone... More than ever before, we must all unite under the banner of virtue.
Ognjen:
Ha, look who it is again — those unsufferably "kind-hearted" Frostmoon Scions. Got enough for us, too?
Oiva:
That's right, two servings each! We're starving over here!
Vilemina:
The Fatui... After what you've been doing to our sacred statues, how dare you even show your faces...
Lauma:
Vilemina, bestow today's boon upon our guests.
Ognjen:
You hear that? No slacking, now. We'll have the very best you've got.
Vilemina:
But... My Lady, they—
Lauma:
Please, you two, accept this meal. But remember this: "Kindness is the first lantern left to guide those who stumble in ignorance."
Oiva:
Come again?
Lauma:
Let me finish. "But should they still refuse to follow the moonlit path, then by our frosted blades shall we show them its shadow."
Ognjen:
...You!
Oiva:
Hey... Look who it is.
Ognjen:
Tch, whatever. Just you wait — we'll be coming for you next.
Ognjen:
...Huh? Where's the meat? Who wants to eat this garbage?
Paimon:
Ugh, those stooges really are the worst.
Vilemina:
Hmph... Ever since they came to Nod-Krai with all their weird equipment and built that so-called "Experimental Design Bureau," our lives have been turned completely upside down!
Lauma:
Judging from how they reacted just now... it seems the Fatui already know who you are, Traveler.
Traveler:
Old grudges die hard...
Paimon:
Well, we have gotten in their way in pretty much every nation we've visited, so we're probably at the top of their blacklist by now.
Lauma:
I see... then on behalf of the Frostmoon Scions, I thank you for the goodwill you have shown us.
Traveler:
Eh? Why thank me?
Lauma:
Heh... Because, if they had gotten ahead of themselves just now, I'm sure you would have stepped in to help.
Lauma:
Just as the birds and beasts put it, your arrival heralds joy to us all. Besides, for a weary traveler far from home, what better respite than to bathe in the moonlight?
Lauma:
You will always be welcome at the Frostmoon Enclave, the place we call our home.
Lauma:
May we meet again in the moon's gentle glow.
Paimon:
Mmm, these are delicious! So refreshingly fresh... Those two Fatui wouldn't know a good thing if it came up and bit them on the shoulder.
Paimon:
Looks like Ineffa isn't done with her shopping yet, and the Adventurers' Guild is still empty. Where should we head next?
Traveler:
Why don't we follow the map in the travel guide?
Paimon:
Good idea! Wouldn't wanna let that kuuhenki down, after all.
Paimon:
Let's see... Okay! Paimon's got our route all figured out, so all that's left to say is... Don't fall behind!
Paimon:
This is "Nuts 'N' Nuts"! It's mostly a fruit shop, but there's a Crafting Bench too!
Paimon:
This is the "Speranza", one of the travel guide's recommended restaurants. All the waiters here are kids!
Paimon:
This is the "Vesnici Proleca Greenhouse"! Apparently, their flowers are all made of metal, so they'll never wilt away!
Paimon:
And this is the "Rossum Workshop"! If you ever need a weapon made, this is the place to go!
Paimon:
And over here, they've got a super tall observation deck! Whoa, take a look at that! You can see really far out into the distance.
Paimon:
That way's north, and that looks like... something built by the Fatui? And then, over there to the west... Ah, that must be the place Lauma mentioned, where the Frostmoon Scions live.
Paimon:
Hehe, so... Whaddya think? Even if Ineffa kinda stole her limelight earlier, this just goes to prove that Paimon's own tour guiding skills aren't too shabby either, right?
Paimon:
Hey, c'mon, would it kill you to compliment Paimon?
Paimon:
Huh? Look, there must be someone at the Adventurers' Guild now. There's already a line forming outside...
Paimon:
Looks like we'll finally be able to ask about your spaceship. Or was there anywhere else you wanted to stop by first?
Paimon:
Where? Which one are y— Ohhh... Now you mention it, Paimon's noticed it too... Ugh, better not be who she thinks it is...
Paimon:
Anyway, where we go first is completely up to you — either the Adventurers' Guild, or that suspicious-looking shop. A word of warning, though... If we step into that shop, be sure to keep a very close eye on your Mora!
Tour Nasha Town
Dori:
Hehe... Please, here you go! And if you ever need anything else, don't forget to make the great Lord Sangemah Bay your first port of call!
Paimon:
Oh dear, so it is the real deal...
Dori:
Of course it's the real deal! Everything you'll find here is one hundred and ten percent real, meaning every one of my deals is as real as a deal can— Wait a minute! ... Well, well, well, if it isn't my two most valued clients!
Dori:
Hehe, and with no small thanks to your munificent patronage!
Dori:
Come, come, how could you just sneak into Nod-Krai like this without telling your dear Lord Sangemah Bay? If I'd known earlier, I would've made an absolute k— I mean, pulled out all the stops to ensure that your boat ride over was as comfortable as humanly possible!
Paimon:
Thank the Archons we didn't tell you...
Dori:
Oh, come now! You know as well as anyone how impeccably and conscientiously above-board I am when it comes to doing business!
Paimon:
Well, regardless of whether that's true or not, the main issue here is that we had no idea you had a branch in Nod-Krai.
Dori:
A clever merchant always has a backup plan, or two, or three up their sleeves! As the saying goes: a rabbit with many burrows fears not the hunter's arrows, a merchant with stores galore hears no debtors at the door!
Dori:
Since you're both here in Nod-Krai, would you care for some of my finest local souvenirs? Whatever you're looking for, I have it! Or if it's Sumeru you're missing, I've got that covered too!
Paimon:
We literally just arrived! Do we look like we're on the hunt for tourist trinkets to take back for our friends?
Dori:
My, my, your high-minded tastes never cease to impress! In that case, I know just the thing... You must be on the hunt for something like... this?
Paimon:
What's that? Your hat?
Dori:
Information, of course! Information about Nod-Krai... locked securely in the otherwise impenetrable vaults of the Lord Sangemah Bay's brilliant mind.
Dori:
I knew it! I just knew you'd appreciate the value of my wares... On the back of all our pleasant dealings in the past, I'll even take a hit by throwing in some insider info for free.
Paimon:
Wow! You sure are feeling uncharacteristically generous today...
Dori:
Wh—What do you mean by "uncharacteristically"? I'm the most generous person I— Ugh, forget it. Anyway, the long and the short of it is this...
Dori:
The moment I set up shop in Nod-Krai, it struck me how many different factions there were, all competing against each other for power and influence... Well, as they say, there's no time for business like a crisis.
Dori:
Things got even more turbulent after the Fatui pulled down two Ancient Moon's Remnants... People began to catch a whiff of the coming chaos — and the more troubled the waters, the greater the potential profit.
Paimon:
Not at all sorry to interrupt, but we're not here for Mora.
Dori:
Oh, really? But... Surely it was the tales of an adventurer's paradise that brought you here? The chance to take your very own slice of all the latest and greatest business opportunities!
Dori:
In that case... What would you like to know about?
Dori:
The Frostmoon Scions? You mean, the people who believe in the Moon Goddess? They're not a "bad" bunch, it's just... Well, they have such simple tastes. No luxuries, no indulgences, no nothing! Trying to earn a little Mora from that lot is like trying to squeeze blood from a stone...
Dori:
Still, things between them and the Fatui have gotten pretty tense. It's only a matter of time before the powder keg goes boom, and when that happens... that's when business will start to boom too, hehe.
Dori:
Oh! I almost forgot to mention — sooner or later, you'll no doubt end up doing business with some other merchants in Nod-Krai, and someone's bound to mention a place called the "Curatorium of Secrets."
Dori:
Listen to my advice: Do not, under any circumstances, go there! No matter how much trouble you're in!
Paimon:
The Curatorium of Secrets? What do they get up to there?
Dori:
Just... a place that handles all kinds of disputes. But the owner will charge you an absolute fortune, and she has a temper to match. Nothing like your friendly neighborhood Lord Sangemah Bay!
Paimon:
You're not just saying that to stop your competition from undercutting you... right?
Dori:
(Ugh...! When did that little pipsqueak get so sharp? And after I gave them all that info for free, just to win them over...!)
Dori:
Wh—What do you mean? Of course not! I'm only thinking about your wallets — I mean, on behalf of your wallets!
Paimon:
You're really not convincing anyone, you know...
Dori:
Alright, alright... business is a cutthroat... business, I won't argue with that.
Dori:
But I'm not lying about that boss lady — not only did she make it into my "Top Three People Not to Mess With in Nod-Krai," she's also in my "Top Three People Most Eager to Trade in Favors"!
Paimon:
Seriously? It feels like you're just badmouthing your rival now...
Dori:
Fine! If you don't believe me, go see for yourselves! We might both be from Sumeru, but compared to hers, my conscience is so large, why, it could fill three whole Palaces of Alcazarzaray!
Dori:
But when you realize what I'm saying is true, don't say that good old Lord Sangemah Bay didn't warn you!
Tour Nasha Town
Paimon:
Lucky us, the line seems to be gone now! C'mon, let's go say hi to Katheryne!
Paimon:
Hey, Katheryne! We meet again!
Katheryne (?):
Hah, how ridiculous...
Paimon:
Huh...?
Katheryne (?):
They often say that mortals, shackled by their own flesh and blood, may fail to perceive the truth of this world even when it is right beneath their very noses. Yet I had not expected to have the pleasure to witness such heights of absurdity firsthand.
Paimon:
Uhh, P—Paimon must've... gotten the wrong person? At second glance, you do seem a bit younger than Katheryne, and you certainly sound a lot less friendly...
Marionette:
Hah... A creator might forgive ignorance, but being mistaken for one of my own creations is beyond all pardon.
Marionette:
Look very closely, for standing before you is none other than Marionette, Seventh of the Fatui Harbingers.
Paimon:
A Harbinger!?
Traveler:
(So all the Katherynes were made by Marionette? Does that mean the Fatui have been watching our every move?)
Traveler:
(But the Guild itself hasn't done anything shady, and Katheryne's only ever helped us... Better just stay alert going forward.)
Marionette:
Tch... Today's encounter is merely a courtesy call... a friendly warning, if you will.
Marionette:
You interfered with my work once before, with that little robot. I let it slide — after all, it was nothing more than a distraction, a side project at best.
Marionette:
But we are in Nod-Krai now, and as such, I strongly advise you not to stand in the Fatui's way. Otherwise, the next time we meet, I might just have to drop all this meaningless etiquette.
Paimon:
Oh please, you've got some nerve coming out with barely veiled threats like that! You're the ones stirring things up here!
Marionette:
Oh, perhaps you have misunderstood? Just because Nod-Krai lacks a ruler at present, that does not mean it should not be ruled. We Fatui are simply... establishing a new order.
Paimon:
Yeah, right! More like shady experiments, judging by your massive creepy research facility!
Marionette:
Hmph... I've said what I came to say. What you do next, only you can decide — so why don't you start by using your already limited processing capacity to "calculate" your even more limited options?
Marionette:
And, being the refined young lady that I am, I shall indulge you just this once:
Marionette:
Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to Nod-Krai, dominion of the Fatui.
Paimon:
Ugh, Paimon's so mad right now! How can anyone so obviously evil be so annoyingly self-righteous?
Paimon:
But if a Fatui Harbinger is here to greet us in person, that can only mean one thing...
Traveler:
...That they've been keeping a very close eye on us indeed.
Paimon:
Hmm, we'll have to be extra careful from here on out... Gah, Paimon hates feeling like she's being watched!
Paimon:
Hey, the real Katheryne's back!
Katheryne:
Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild.
Katheryne:
How may I help? I will do everything I can to assist you.
Paimon:
Aww, you're so much nicer to talk to, Katheryne! Please don't leave us again, okay?
Katheryne:
Hmm...?
Meet up with Ineffa
Paimon:
Ineffa!
Ineffa:
Hello. I was just about to start tracking your whereabouts.
Paimon:
Did you manage to get everything Aino asked for?
Ineffa:
I did. What about you? Do you need me to navigate or introduce any more places around town?
Paimon:
Not for now — we've seen most of it already! We probably need some time to process everything we've learned, though.
Ineffa:
Any progress with the spaceship?
Paimon:
No... Katheryne came back just now, so we asked her, but even she hasn't heard a thing.
Ineffa:
One possible explanation is the vast stretch of time that has elapsed. Additionally, given the limited resources available in Nod-Krai, it is entirely plausible that the wreck was scrapped for parts, or even mistaken for a pile of broken machinery...
Paimon:
*sigh*
Ineffa:
Understood. In that case, why don't we go ask Aino together?
Ineffa:
After all, she was the one who salvaged me — ancient dragon technology and all. If there really are any unusual parts floating around Nod-Krai, there's a high chance they've passed through her hands at some point or another.
Paimon:
Good point! And since you keep mentioning her, we're curious to meet this whiz-kid mechanic too!
Ineffa:
Understood. Then I'll handle navigation as before. ETA at the Clink-Clank Krumkake Craftshop: 34 minutes ahead of schedule.
Leave Nasha Town
Paimon:
Oh no! There's a little animal trapped over there. Let's go help it out!
Paimon:
Huh? That's weird... Why isn't it responding?
Ineffa:
The tides of kuuvahki affect everything in Nod-Krai — so much so that many creatures have evolved a kind of dependency upon it, growing stronger or weaker as it waxes and wanes. This little animal must have been caught here unprepared.
Paimon:
So you're saying we need to use kuuvahki? Paimon'll leave it to you guys, then!
Paimon:
Don't be scared! We'll get you out of there soon.
Go to the Clink-Clank Krumkake Craftshop
Ineffa:
Here we are, the place Aino and I call home.
Paimon:
Whoa! So many machines that Paimon's never even seen before! And then there's all these little robots... Did Aino build them all?
Ineffa:
That is correct. It looks like Aino has created three more little bots since I've been gone.
Paimon:
Aww... Well, you were gone for quite a bit. She must've missed you!
Ineffa:
I missed her too. I want her to see what I've become.
Paimon:
Let's not keep her waiting any longer, then. C'mon!
Ask Aino about your spaceship
Ineffa:
Aino, I'm back.
Aino:
...!
Aino:
¥&...&@#?
Ineffa:
Hmm...?
Aino:
...! I—Ineffa, you're... back significantly earlier than I expected! Like... a whole thirty minutes, at least?
Ineffa:
Everything went very smoothly, which saved me quite a bit of time. So I—
Ineffa:
...
Ineffa:
Aino, could you turn around for a moment?
Aino:
...!
Ineffa:
Aino?
Aino:
I—I've been on my best behavior, the whole time you've been gone!
Paimon:
She's got chocolate all over her mouth...
Ineffa:
...Aino. While I was away, did you strictly abide by my tailor-made snack intake schedule?
Aino:
O—Of course I did! One whole cake, one krumkake, and one pack of chocolates a day, right?
Ineffa:
It was "either" a cake, or a krumkake, or a pack of chocolates per day.
Aino:
Oh shoot...
Ineffa:
When did you finish the snack stash I left for you?
Aino:
Literally just earlier today...
Ineffa:
Let me just go run a scan on that.
Aino:
I meant today, a week ago...
Ineffa:
And then you restocked an entire week's worth on your own initiative?
Aino:
Two weeks' worth...
Ineffa:
...
Paimon:
Why does Paimon feel like the roles in this household... are pretty much the opposite of what she imagined...
Ineffa:
Calculation complete. Aino's recommended snack calorie intake for the next four weeks: 0.
Aino:
Ehhh!? No fair! You're a meanie, Ineffa!
Ineffa:
This is what happens when you break an agreement.
Aino:
C'mooon! Don't do this to me!
Aino:
I only ate a tiny bit extra every day! Just a teensy, eensy, weensy bit extra!
Ineffa:
That is objectively not a "teensy" bit extra...
Aino:
Ugh, seriously! If you'd only arrived half an hour later, I would've had everything cleaned up, and you wouldn't have noticed a thing!
Aino:
But now that I think about it, you even said you'd come back a bit earlier than you did... so I wouldn't have to worry...
Ineffa:
...
Aino:
But then... You were away so long, and I was so worried about you, and that's the only reason I even...
Paimon:
...
Ineffa:
Aino...
Ineffa:
I am very sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm back now...
Aino:
*sob* Mm... Welcome home...
Paimon:
*sob* Aww...
Aino:
So... Will I be able to keep eating snacks as usual now?
Ineffa:
Negative.
Aino:
Awww...
Ineffa:
Okay... Well, given that I am later than I initially projected... I'll let it slide. But just this once.
Aino:
Thanks, Ineffa! You're the best!
Ineffa:
Aino, allow me to introduce—
Aino:
It's Honorary Knight Traveler and Paimon! I know, I know — Uncle Varka talks about you guys all the time!
Paimon:
Nice to meet you, Aino! Ineffa's told us all about you, too!
Aino:
Heh, really? She actually said that about me?
Aino:
Hehe... Well, she's not wrong!
Aino:
Oh yeah, so... You're here to see Uncle Varka, right? A couple of days ago, he suddenly said he had to head out on business, and that he might not be back for a while. He asked me to let you know if I saw you.
Paimon:
Yeah, we heard about that at The Flagship. Did he say what he was doing?
Aino:
Nope! Just told me to take good care of you guys, and make sure you feel right at home... Oh, shoot! Uh, please, take a seat!
Aino:
Do either of you need my help with anything? Anything at all! After all, I'm the head of this household!
Paimon:
(Sure wouldn't know it from that snack tantrum she just threw...)
Aino:
...Hm?
Aino:
A spaceship, huh? From outside Teyvat?
Paimon:
Exactly! So... Ring any bells?
Aino:
Ah... Nope!
Paimon:
Oh... You sure?
Aino:
Nope means nope! Never seen the slightest trace of it!
Aino:
More specifically, by "nope," I mean I've never seen a single piece of tech in all of Nod-Krai that might've come from out of this world. Not in any new machines, or in any old ones either.
Paimon:
Huh...
Ineffa:
What Aino means... is that your spaceship almost certainly has not been disassembled, nor repurposed as parts for other machines.
Paimon:
Oh! So that's what she was getting at...
Aino:
Yup! I've taken apart pretty much all the fun stuff in this city at one point or another, but I don't recall ever seeing any components that were anywhere near that special!
Aino:
So either your spaceship crashed somewhere it's never been found, or someone DID find it and then hid it really, really well.
Paimon:
But who would even do something like that...?
Aino:
Beats me! Maybe someone who thought they could stash it away for a rainy day? Just like how I sometimes hide snacks in the— Ahem...
Ineffa:
...
Aino:
A—Anyway... Long story short, I definitely haven't seen anything like that!
Aino:
Besides, sounds like it would practically be ancient history by now! If anyone still has any leads on what really happened, it'd be the Frostmoon Scions.
Paimon:
The Frostmoon Scions?
Aino:
Huh? Haven't heard of them yet? Didn't Ineffa tell you about their rituals?
Ineffa:
There wasn't enough time to delve deeper into their history and traditions.
Paimon:
What kind of rituals are we talking about?
Aino:
I've never actually seen them myself, just heard bits and pieces, here and there.
Aino:
They say that each of their Moonchanters has had access to an ancient relic that lets them "see" the true past.
Aino:
Not sure exactly how it's meant to work. I can't get my head around anything that can't be explained by either machines or science... and to tell you the truth, I don't like it much either!
Paimon:
Looks like we'll have to try our luck with the Frostmoon Scions.
Aino:
Aw, leaving so soon? Sure you don't wanna hang out a little longer?
Ineffa:
It's getting late, Aino, and these two still need to head over to Hiisi Island. It would not be convenient for them to linger much longer.
Aino:
Aww... Alright then...
Paimon:
Hehe, don't worry! We'll be sure to drop in on you as often as we can!
Aino:
Really? You promise?
Aino:
Hehe, sounds like my type of visitors! You're welcome anytime!
Ineffa:
I'll be staying to look after Aino today, so I won't be going with you.
Paimon:
Hey, don't sweat it! We'll find our way just fine.
Ineffa:
I'm glad to hear that. Also... I must admit, I have very much missed the "charging bed" that Aino made for me.
Go to the Frostmoon Enclave
Paimon:
Seeing Ineffa and Aino reunited like that sure was heart-warming...
Traveler:
A real "family," huh?
Paimon:
Mm-hmm! We should definitely hang out with them more in the future!
Paimon:
Speaking of homes, we must already be close to where the Frostmoon Scions live. The vibe here feels different, just like the scenery...
Paimon:
Hey, what was that? Felt like some sort of breeze blew by, and then the petals suddenly turned into... Eh?
Kuuhenki (?):
...?
Paimon:
Is that... a kuuhenki? She looks different from the ones we saw before.
Kuuhenki (?):
...
Paimon:
Hey there! What's your name?
Kuuhenki (?):
...?
Paimon:
Hmm... Doesn't seem able to speak.
Kuuhenki (?):
...
Paimon:
No idea what she wants... Unless you wanna stop, maybe we should just keep moving?
Paimon:
...She's following us.
Paimon:
Go on, go on now... We've got stuff to do. Best you find someone else to hang out with...
Kuuhenki (?):
...
Traveler:
Hey, you scared it off...
Paimon:
Hey! Don't make it sound like Paimon's some kind of... meanie!
Paimon:
Paimon had no idea what she wanted, okay? Ugh... Anyway, next time Paimon sees her, Paimon promises she'll be nicer!
Paimon:
Seeing as we're on our way over to meet Lauma anyway, we can ask her about it while we're there!
Go to the Frostmoon Enclave
Paimon:
Huh? Hey, look! Isn't that Lauma... the Moonchanter?
Lauma:
Let me take a look at your wound... *sigh* You must be more careful. Doesn't matter how much of a rush you're in — your safety always comes first.
Lauma:
Oh? You're back too. How was your day?
Lauma:
You what...? Those two Fatui, the ones who were causing trouble in Nasha Town... You went to teach them a lesson? And your... you put that in their food?
Lauma:
...You naughty little thing! How could you do that?
Longplume Ibis:
~♪
Lauma:
They didn't notice? That's not the point... You mustn't do that again, okay?
Lauma:
Next time, at the very least, bring a few of your friends along too. You'll be an easy target if it's just you on your own!
Paimon:
Hey, Lauma! Still remember us?
Lauma:
Oh, it's Traveler and Paimon, isn't it? Welcome to Hiisi Island!
Lauma:
Not at all. Those who come with kindness in their hearts are always welcome with the Frostmoon Scions.
Paimon:
Were you just talking to those animals...?
Lauma:
I was indeed. The Frostmoon Scions' bloodline is unique — for throughout our history, there have been many among us who could communicate with all living things.
Lauma:
Hmm...? What was that? Oh, is that so?
Lauma:
She says she was trapped in a plant earlier, and that you were the ones who rescued her. She wants me to thank you on her behalf.
Paimon:
Oh, it was nothing! Barely lifted a finger.
Lauma:
If you both are free, why don't you join us at the Frostmoon Enclave for dinner? Consider it a small token of thanks for your kindness.
Paimon:
We'd love to! And actually, we had something we wanted to ask you anyway.
Traveler:
This statue...
Lauma:
Oh? You're interested in the story of "Kuutar"?
Paimon:
...Kuutar?
Lauma:
Yes. Kuutar is our Moon Goddess — the Moon Maiden who guides us.
Paimon:
But up close, this one somehow seems a bit different from the one in Nasha Town. It's like it's more...
Lauma:
...Natural?
Paimon:
Or like... more harmonized in its design?
Lauma:
Mm... That is because, ever since the Fatui arrived in Nod-Krai, they have been modifying and defacing our statues as they please.
Lauma:
These statues were made by the Frostmoon Scions who settled here hundreds of years ago, crafted from the very finest Lunasoul Stone.
Lauma:
Not only is this stone exceedingly rare, but it also brims with kuuvahki. I suppose the latter must be what caught the Fatui's eye.
Lauma:
For a time, we put up fierce resistance... but now, this is the only one left that still retains her original form.
Paimon:
We heard they even pulled some Ancient Moon's Remnants down from the sky!
Lauma:
That's right. The two largest remnants landed in Nod-Krai — one here on Hiisi Island, and the other on Paha Isle.
Lauma:
The Fatui built their research facility on top of the remnant over on Paha Isle, but they've had their sights set on the one here too.
Kuuhenki (?):
...!
Paimon:
Eek! Oh, it's that little kuuhenki again!
Lauma:
Surely that can't be...
Paimon:
Hey, we've been wondering what was up with it too! It just appeared out of some petals and hasn't stopped following us since.
Lauma:
No, that is no ordinary kuuhenki. These we name "Luonnotar," beings born from the Moon Goddess's blessing.
Luonnotar:
...
Paimon:
Can you understand what it's saying? We honestly haven't got the slightest idea why it's been following us...
Lauma:
...I'm afraid not. I cannot fathom its thinking any better than you can.
Lauma:
Sometimes, a long time must elapse before the Moon Goddess's blessings turn into Luonnotar. Perhaps you two were simply there to witness that transformation.
Paimon:
Oh, maybe...
Lauma:
Legend has it that the Luonnotar bring good fortune. Given that it seems to have taken a liking to you both, why don't you let it come along with you?
Paimon:
Really? Hehe, then you can start by helping us find some more treasure chests along the way... Capiche?
Luonnotar:
...?
Lauma:
Mmm... Twilight approaches.
Lauma:
If you would hear more of the moons' story, then let us make our way to the Frostmoon Enclave. Beneath the gentle moonlight, I shall share this tale in full.
Follow Lauma
Vilemina:
Lauma, you have returned.
Lauma:
Vilemina, this is Traveler and Paimon. Kindly arrange for two additional dinner settings for our honored guests.
Vilemina:
Of course, my Lady.
Paimon:
Wow, everyone along the way here pretty much saluted you! Are you, like... super important around here?
Lauma:
I am but a Moonchanter, one entrusted to convey the Moon Goddess's will. Nothing more.
Vilemina:
She's just being modest! The Moonchanter holds the highest rank among us Frostmoon Scions. Lauma is our leader.
Lauma:
Vilemina...
Vilemina:
I know, I know... I'll send word to the kitchen. Two meals coming up.
Paimon:
Whoa, Paimon had no idea you were such a big shot!
Lauma:
It is merely that the unique traits of our bloodline have manifested themselves especially strongly in my person. That is no accomplishment of my own.
Lauma:
Please, follow me this way.
Go to Lauma's library
Lauma:
Even to this day, I am still trying to piece together the many fragments of our past. It is a story not only of the Frostmoon Scions, but also of the moons themselves.
Paimon:
A story of the moons...?
Lauma:
Yes. We Frostmoon Scions are the last descendants of the ancient golden realm of Hyperborea. Its former glory may have faded, but what remains is a memory uniquely ours.
Lauma:
In the distant past, Teyvat had not just one moon, but three. It is said that they were created by the primordial master of this world, cast into the firmament to keep peace in the land below.
Lauma:
First born was the Eternal Moon, largest of the three. Legend has it that it was her immense kuuvahki that gave rise to the ocean tides.
Lauma:
Next was the Frost Moon... Smaller than her big sister, yet brightest in radiance. Her glow became the cold, undying lantern of the night.
Lauma:
Finally came the Iridescent Moon, smallest of the sisters. Most of the time, her light was barely visible to the naked eye — yet when she shone, her fleeting halos were all the more mysterious for it.
Paimon:
Wow, sounds like it all happened so long ago... So, what happened to them afterwards?
Lauma:
Afterwards... Well, as you have seen, the three Moon Goddesses perished. This happened in a war triggered by the Descenders, and of the three lunar husks, only the Frost Moon survived unbroken, while the others were shattered to pieces.
Paimon:
Ohhh, so that's why there were Ancient Moon's Remnants in the sky...
Lauma:
Yes. It is also said that when the moons shattered, most of their fragments rained down upon this land like stardust. That is why Nod-Krai is blessed with such an abundance of kuuvahki.
Lauma:
As for the remnant that the Fatui recently pulled down... that belonged to the Eternal Moon.
Paimon:
Wait a sec... But you just said that two of the moons were shattered, so... where are the remnants of the Iridescent Moon?
Lauma:
The Iridescent Moon's remnants were never found. What happened to her after the war remains a mystery... Some say she vanished in an instant, while others believe that her remnants are simply too delicate to leave a trace.
Traveler:
(Three moons... I wonder... which one was Khaenri'ah's Crimson Moon related to?)
Lauma:
Yet though the era of the three moons has long since faded into legend, successive generations of Frostmoon Scions have always passed down a prophecy — that one day, the Moon Goddess would return.
Lauma:
And in the end, that prophecy did indeed come to pass, though not quite—
Kapy:
Lady Lauma! Lady Lauma, are you there?
Lauma:
...Kapy? What is the matter?
Kapy:
Lady Lauma, it's my daughter, Kaarina... Her illness...
Lauma:
...Take me to her, right away.
Check on the sick child
Kaarina:
*groan*
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
Her sensitivity to kuuvahki is flaring up again... After her last treatment, did you follow my advice and seek medical help in Nasha Town?
Kapy:
But... But those doctors are all Snezhnayan! They're outsiders, compatriots of those brutes who invaded our homeland... How can we possibly trust them?
Lauma:
Not all outsiders are enemies, Kapy. They've been treating this condition for generations... They have the experience we lack.
Kapy:
But we're Frostmoon Scions! Should we not remember what the outsiders did to our moons? Surely, the Lady Kuutar will reward our devotion...
Lauma:
But Kapy, Kuutar is long... *sigh* This isn't the time for a debate.
Lauma:
"...O lost child, snowswept and buffeted by the howling winds of the frigid night, let not the silver flame within you fade. By the Frost Moon's grace I shall warm you, curled up as a fledgling in frozen soil..."
Kaarina:
*snore*
Kapy:
Ah...! Praise be to the Moon Goddess! My Kaarina...
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
...Remember, she must take powdered Lakkaberries daily. It will ease her symptoms.
Traveler:
(Did she just use her own power to heal that girl...?)
Vilemina:
...Lauma.
Lauma:
Vilemina? What is it?
Vilemina:
Dinner is ready.
Lauma:
...I see.
Lauma:
Kapy, let her rest here for the night. I'll have someone bring her a blanket.
Kapy:
Alright... Thank you so much, Lady Lauma!
Paimon:
Will she be alright?
Traveler:
Anything we can do to help?
Paimon:
Yeah! If there's anything at all we can do, please don't hesitate to ask!
Lauma:
Thank you for your kindness. For now, though, Kaarina should be fine... She'll be feeling a lot better tomorrow.
Traveler:
(Judging from what we just saw, that doesn't sound like a long-term solution...)
Traveler:
(...But I'm guessing that Lauma couldn't say anything else, at least in front of Kaarina's mother.)
Lauma:
Please, do not be worried. Come, let us head to dinner. I believe you still have some questions for me.
Vilemina:
...
Traveler:
Not coming with us?
Vilemina:
I... Oh, sorry. Yes, I'll be coming too. I was just... thinking about something.
Paimon:
Oh?
Vilemina:
*sigh* Lauma makes such an unshakable Moonchanter... Calm, capable, someone we can count on. Deep down, though, I know she's been quietly carrying the burden for the rest of us.
Vilemina:
Traveler, Paimon... Believe me when I say that as a fellow Frostmoon Scion, I do worry about Lauma. It's just that sometimes... it's hard to say it to her face.
Vilemina:
Could I... ask you to look out for her? I can tell she really trusts you.
Vilemina:
I fear that would stress her out even more...
Vilemina:
Sometimes, I really admire her strength... but at the same time, I can't help feeling powerless myself.
Have dinner with the Frostmoon Scions
Paimon:
Whew... Paimon's so full. That was even better than the stuff you gave us before!
Lauma:
I'm glad to hear it. Thank you for accepting such simple hospitality.
Paimon:
Hey, we should be the ones thanking you! Seriously, that was seriously scrumptious!
Ognjen:
How did you even manage to finish it? This slop's barely edible.
Oiva:
Then again, I guess that's what you'd expect from savages.
Paimon:
It's you! Those rude ol' Fatui we just met back in Nasha Town!
Lauma:
My sincerest apologies. If you found the food we gave you earlier difficult to swallow, may I suggest taking a deep breath... and joining us? These delicacies might change your mind.
Lauma:
After all, I suspect that your previous meal may have been tainted with something... most unpalatable.
Ognjen:
Huh? What do you mean... Tainted with what exactly?
Lauma:
With the bitter snobbery of those who call themselves "civilized."
Oiva:
Why you...!
Traveler:
Don't push your luck!
Oiva:
Oh? Looking for a fight? Sure, I'd be more than—
Ognjen:
Hold it. We're not here to brawl... yet. We're here on official business.
Lauma:
...
Ognjen:
Orders from above. We're here to deliver the Frostmoon Scions a warning... or rather, a final ultimatum.
Ognjen:
You have three days to hand over the relic and reveal the whereabouts of your so-called "Kuutar." If you fail to do so, the Fatui will immediately begin the cleansing of Hiisi Island — which, by the way, is a sovereign territory of the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya.
Vilemina:
...What insolence. Your demands are outrageous! For generations, this land has belonged to the—
Lauma:
Dear guests, allow me to save you both time and trouble with a speedy reply. The Frostmoon Scions will never hand over anything to the Fatui.
Lauma:
And to those who set foot on our land with ill intent, I say this — with your blood we shall draw an inviolable line in the snow. That applies to you, too.
Oiva:
Tch. Stubborn savages, the lot of you.
Talk to Lauma
Ognjen:
Hmph... You'll pay for this, mark my words!
Paimon:
Hey! If you're so tough, get back here and put 'em up! Hmph, guess all they're good for is running away.
Lauma:
I'm so sorry... You've had to put up with far too much unpleasantness today.
Paimon:
C'mon, it's not your fault! We don't like bullies like them either.
Paimon:
But still... they mentioned a "relic" and "Kuutar." What exactly could they be after?
Traveler:
About this "relic"...
Paimon:
Oh, yeah... So, this might not be the best time to bring this up, but we kinda have a favor to ask of you, Lauma...
Lauma:
I see... So your questions concern the sacred relic too. Please, do not hesitate to speak your mind — unlike those insolent intruders, you walk in the moonlight with open hearts.
Lauma:
You stood by us when we needed your help, so it's only right that I return the favor.
Lauma:
But let us continue this conversation somewhere more fitting. As it happens, there's something I'd like to show you too.
Follow Lauma
Led by Lauma, you arrive at the Light-Bathed Platform. A colossal statue of Kuutar stands in solemn silence before you...
Paimon:
Wow, it's spectacular...
Lauma:
"Kuutar" was born here on Hiisi Island around five hundred years ago. As it just so happened, a priestess of the Frostmoon Scions witnessed the moment of her birth.
Lauma:
Instantly realizing that this was the prophesied rebirth, she quietly recorded the event and carved this statue to honor that miracle.
Lauma:
According to legend, Kuutar's birth was accompanied by the sudden appearance of many kuuhenki, who wove the moonlight that bathed her into silken vestments fit for a goddess.
Luonnotar:
...!
Paimon:
Hey, it's like it knows we're talking about it!
Lauma:
From that day forth, the kuuhenki have been regarded as Kuutar's familiars. Some believe that their habit of guiding travelers to hidden treasure stems from an instinct — the same one that not only drives them to protect the Moon Goddess, but also to make her smile.
Lauma:
After all, according to the records, Kuutar always looked lonely as she gazed up at the distant moon.
Traveler:
About Kuutar's whereabouts...
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
Kuutar left Hiisi Island before I was even born.
Lauma:
According to the previous Moonchanter, the goddess was angered by our people's greed, and that is why she left us...
Paimon:
Where did she go?
Lauma:
No one knows what happened after she left. But just a few months ago, after those two Ancient Moon's Remnants fell from the sky, she was spotted on Hiisi Island once more.
Lauma:
And the Fatui have been harassing and threatening us ever since.
Lauma:
Judging from what they've said... our Moon Goddess is actually their missing Harbinger — Columbina, "The Damselette."
Paimon:
The Damselette!? But isn't she... number three amongst the Fatui Harbingers!?
Paimon:
So she's actually... the Moon Goddess? Why would she join the Fatui, then?
Lauma:
That, too, is a question I've struggled with. But even at the best of times, understanding other people's choices is difficult... let alone those of a goddess.
Lauma:
Plus...
Lauma:
...Ah, forgive me. There I go again, rambling on about our history... But you came here to ask about the sacred relic, didn't you?
Paimon:
Honestly, Paimon's not sure which part she's more curious about now...
Lauma:
Since ancient times, the Frostmoon Scions have had in our possession a special fragment of the Ancient Moon's Remnants — a piece in which I sense a power unlike any other.
Lauma:
Successive generations of Moonchanters have all detected a divine presence within it. We call this unique remnant... the "Moon Marrow."
Paimon:
We heard you can use it to see what happened... in the past?
Lauma:
What is it in particular that you seek from the past?
Paimon:
Well basically, to cut a long story short, Traveler here's actually from outside of Teyv— Mmph!
Traveler:
(Paimon must've just remembered the unfortunate link between the three moons and the Descenders... But right now, I shouldn't try to hide it.)
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
Thank you... Your honesty is a sign of your trust — both in me and the Frostmoon Scions.
Lauma:
Unfortunately, though, I won't be able to use the Moon Marrow to shed light on your past just yet.
Lauma:
Our people revere the Moon Marrow as a sacred relic. I'm only permitted to retrieve it from the secret chamber in which it is hidden once a year, on Moon-Prayer Night.
Paimon:
Oh, really... So, when's the next Moon-Prayer Night?
Lauma:
Judging from the tides this evening... a little less than two months.
Paimon:
Huh? Does that mean... the date changes every year?
Lauma:
The ceremony is held on the night when the moon is closest to Teyvat.
Lauma:
This is also when Nod-Krai's kuuvahki reaches its peak. Only then can the seal on the secret chamber be lifted.
Paimon:
Guess we've got no choice but to wait...
Lauma:
I am truly sorry that I cannot help you sooner.
Lauma:
But as the Moonchanter, I swear that I will do everything I can to help you find the answers you seek.
Lauma:
Think nothing of it. After all you've done for us, you deserve nothing less.
Paimon:
*yawn*... Who'd have thought today was only our first day in Nod-Krai? Feels like so much has happened already!
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
If I may be so bold... What does "family" mean to you, Traveler?
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(Lumine...)
Lauma:
If you were aware of something, a secret that could hurt your family... Would you be honest with them, or try to hide it?
Traveler:
(...A secret? Surely, keeping your family in the dark is never right...)
Traveler:
I'd...
Traveler:
(But... come to think of it, it's not as if Lumine hasn't been hiding things from me...)
Traveler:
(...)
Lauma:
Oh, I'm... so sorry. That was a strange question... I didn't mean to put you on the spot.
Traveler:
...It's okay.
Lauma:
I guess... I've just never met anyone with a story quite like yours before. I just suddenly had the urge to ask...
Lauma:
*yawn*... It's getting late, and you two must be rather tired, too. Would you like to stay the night here on Hiisi Island? I can have someone prepare some lodgings.
Paimon:
Oh, that's alright! We've already got a room back at The Flagship, as it happens. Speaking of which, if you ever need us, feel free to come knocking!
Lauma:
Do you need me to show you the way back?
Paimon:
No worries! It's quite a way, and you should get some rest too, Lauma. We'll make sure to be careful.
Lauma:
Understood, then I won't keep you. May your first night in Nod-Krai pass in stillness and peace.
Paimon:
So... Whatcha thinking? Sure was an eventful day, huh...
Paimon:
The good news is, we're not at a dead end in the search for your spaceship yet. We can always learn more about this place while we wait... the usual drill, huh?
Paimon:
Ah... *yawn* Paimon's really getting sleepy now. If she gets too tired to fly back, you carry her, okay?
Traveler:
Okay, okay...
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(Lumine... my little sister... I wonder what you're doing right now?)
The secrets of this land are like an ancient song that lingers in your heart and cannot be easily dismissed... What song shall Nod-Krai play for you this night...?
Return to The Flagship to rest
Paimon:
Zzz... Zzz...
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(Nod-Krai... A land steeped in ancient stories... and the "first" place I set foot in Teyvat...)
Traveler:
(The Fatui... they seem to be conducting some kind of research on the Ancient Moon's Remnants... and now they're after the Frostmoon Scions' sacred Moon Marrow...)
Traveler:
(And then there's The Damselette... Kuutar, the moonborn...)
Traveler:
(Why did she leave the Frostmoon Scions in the first place? And why did she then abandon the Fatui?)
Traveler:
(Lauma mentioned "family"...)
Traveler:
(Lumine... What happened to our spaceship back then? Why did we land in Teyvat?)
Traveler:
(Ugh... My head's spinning... I won't be able to sleep like this...)
Traveler:
(I'll try not to dwell on it. Just need to try to get some sleep...)
Paimon:
*snore*... Hehe... Just one more... helping...
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(Ha... I envy Paimon sometimes... She really can fall asleep anywhere...)
Traveler:
(Ugh, no use forcing it... Maybe a walk will clear my head...)
Message:
"Paimon, I'm heading out for a bit. If you wake up and I'm still gone, don't panic... I'll be back soon."
Take a walk under the moonlight
Traveler:
(And Varka just happened to be away... Could it somehow be related to the Abyss...?)
Traveler:
(Come to think of it... It feels like there's something different about the Abyssal phenomenon here... the one they call the "Wild Hunt"...)
Traveler:
(Huh? Didn't realize I'd walked this far already...)
Traveler:
(Guess I should head back soon... If I'm gone too long, Paimon will start to worry...)
???:
♪~♪~
Traveler:
(Wait, is that... singing?)
Luonnotar:
...!
Traveler:
Hey, what are you doing here?
Traveler:
These flowers... I remember... When you first appeared, there were flowers like this all around you...
Luonnotar:
...
Traveler:
(It's heading towards the source of the singing... Might as well follow it and see what's going on...)
Enter the cavern
???:
♪~♪~
Traveler:
(That girl... She looks just like the Frostmoon Scions' statues... Surely that's not...!)
???:
...
???:
Who goes there?
Traveler:
...!
???:
How did you get in here?
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
I am but a passing traveler... I followed your song here. I'm very sorry if I've intruded...
Luonnotar:
...
???:
The kuuhenki... She brought you here...
Traveler:
(What do I do now...? Did I just wander into her private abode? Should I... leave?)
Traveler:
(But... I have questions I really want to ask her...)
Traveler:
May I ask... Are you the one they call "Kuutar"? And... the Harbinger that the Fatui refer to as "The Damselette"?
???:
...The Fatui?
???:
Are you here at their behest?
Traveler:
(What's going on? These flowers, did they just... turn red? And that... sudden sense of impending danger!)
Traveler:
Please, don't get me wrong! I have no intention of doing anything for the Fatui!
Traveler:
I just wanted to ask you about Nod-Krai... and the moons.
???:
...The moons?
???:
...
???:
...Do not believe in what you can see. What truly matters is what you cannot.
Traveler:
(That feeling of danger has gone. Guess she no longer sees me as a threat... for now, at least. But...)
Traveler:
What do you mean?
???:
♪~♪~
Traveler:
(Isn't she going to answer? She doesn't seem willing to speak...)
Traveler:
(Let's give that another try...)
Traveler:
...Listen, I'm Traveler. I'm on a journey through the nations of Teyvat.
???:
Hello, Traveler.
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
(...Is that it?)
Traveler:
(...Doesn't she know how a conversation's meant to work? Or does she just not care?)
Traveler:
Could you tell me your name?
???:
...
The Damselette:
Columbina...
Traveler:
(So it is her...)
The Damselette:
...Kuutar, The Damselette, the Moon Goddess... Pick whichever takes your fancy.
The Damselette:
...I do not know my own name.
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
(...We're all given our name by someone else... but according to Lauma, she was born in Teyvat alone... So that must be why...)
Traveler:
Then... Columbina.
The Damselette:
Hm?
Traveler:
(...I'd like to ask about the Fatui, but after the way she reacted last time I mentioned them... maybe not.)
Luonnotar:
...
Traveler:
This kuuhenki, this Luonnotar... Did you bring her into being?
The Damselette:
Come here, little one...
The Damselette:
Mmm... The trace of a blessing, but not one of mine.
Traveler:
(So maybe it's just like Lauma said... a blessing from long, long ago...)
The Damselette:
People always assume I can do many things, assume I have done many things... but I haven't...
The Damselette:
All I ever wanted was to...
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(She's drifting off again...)
Traveler:
(So many mysteries remain unsolved, but we're not getting anywhere like this. Maybe this just isn't the right moment...)
Traveler:
It's about time I got going. I'm very sorry for disturbing you today...
The Damselette:
...
Traveler:
(Time to head back...)
Luonnotar:
...! ...!
Traveler:
(The Luonnotar... Does it want to come with me?)
Traveler:
Columbina... That kuuhenki...
The Damselette:
Hmm? Oh... you're leaving?
The Damselette:
...
Traveler:
(Not willing to let it go...? It seems she likes this Luonnotar a lot...)
The Damselette:
Go then.
Luonnotar:
...!
Traveler:
Goodbye.
The Damselette:
Take care... The moon can be treacherous.
Traveler:
Huh? What does that mean...
The Damselette:
♪~♪~
Traveler:
(...Never mind. I'll ask her next time I get a chance to see her...)
Continue your walk
Traveler:
(So The Damselette has been here on Hiisi Island all along... But if it wasn't for the Luonnotar, I would've never even found the way in.)
Traveler:
(She didn't seem all that concerned about the world outside. Why do the Fatui want her back so badly?)
Traveler:
("The moon can be treacherous"... What's that supposed to mean...?)
Traveler:
Wait, is that—!?
Traveler:
...Lumine?
Lumine:
...
Traveler:
(...Why is Lumine here?)
Traveler:
(She's alone... Could she be planning something?)
Traveler:
...Lumine!
#Get close to {M#Lumine}{F#Aether}
Traveler:
...Lumine!
Lumine:
Aether, it's you.
Traveler:
(She doesn't seem that surprised to see me. Did she already know I was in Nod-Krai?)
Traveler:
Why are you here on Hiisi Island?
Lumine:
If I told you I was here in search of the Frostmoon Scions' sacred relic... What would you think?
Traveler:
...!
Traveler:
(So Lumine's looking for the Moon Marrow too? But surely she can't be working with the Fatui... so what is she after?)
Traveler:
Are you also here to uncover the truth about our past?
Lumine:
That's right.
Lumine:
What happened to us in the past, how we came to Teyvat, why our spaceship crashed here... There are things I want to know too.
Traveler:
(So even Lumine doesn't know?)
Lumine:
But I'm not about to sit around waiting for another two months to find out.
Traveler:
Wait...!
Lumine:
Wait? But I still have unfinished business.
Traveler:
(That's... the way to the statue of "Kuutar"...!)
#Catch up with {M#Lumine}{F#Aether}
Traveler:
(Surely Lumine's not here to...?)
Lumine:
...
Traveler:
Hold on a second!
Lumine:
What's wrong?
Traveler:
That's the Frostmoon Scions' sacred relic. We can't just...
Lumine:
...Use it to get to the bottom of all this?
Traveler:
We should at least get their permission...
Lumine:
You barely even know her, yet already you hold that "Moonchanter" in such high trust?
Traveler:
What do you mean?
Lumine:
She told you that the seal can only be broken on Moon-Prayer Night, when the flow of kuuvahki is at its peak, yes?
Traveler:
...You heard all that?
Lumine:
Watch this.
Traveler:
Huh? But...
Lumine:
Get it now? She's been stalling for time.
Lumine:
As long as the statue's base is imbued with sufficient power, the secret chamber can be opened at any time.
Traveler:
(Lumine used Abyssal power, not kuuvahki... Yet she's broken the seal all the same.)
Traveler:
(Did the Abyssal power override the seal's kuuvahki?)
Traveler:
(Or has Lumine been telling the whole truth, and nothing but...? Maybe Lauma's just afraid of breaking with tradition?)
Traveler:
(Who should I trust...?)
Lumine:
Is it such a sin when I don't put all my cards on the table for you, but not when someone else is doing it?
Traveler:
...It's not like that.
Lumine:
Is it?
Traveler:
Lumine, you've got it all wrong...
Traveler:
This whole time, I've wanted to ask you — what happened to make you like this? I admit, I've been having trouble accepting it.
Traveler:
But after all this time apart, I've finally come to terms with who you are... willful side and all.
Traveler:
I trust you, I still do. Through all the worlds we've traveled, you've always been there by my side.
Traveler:
If there are things you can't explain yet... I can wait, while the journey goes on.
Traveler:
I'll wait, as long as it takes... until the day you're ready to talk.
Lumine:
Aether...
Traveler:
(Probably shouldn't have said all that... Must've sounded super sentimental.)
Traveler:
(But the truth is, I've bottled that up for way too long already...)
Lumine:
I'm not looking to borrow the Moon Marrow simply because of our past.
Lumine:
It holds answers... about the very origins of Teyvat.
Traveler:
!
Lumine:
I've always believed that if you want the truth, you have to see the whole story for yourself.
Lumine:
I'm not asking you to trust me, Aether. Just... don't try and stop me.
Lumine:
If this choice weighs on your heart, then let me go in alone. Forget this meeting ever took place.
Traveler:
Bit late for that now...
Lumine:
But maybe this is the chance I've been waiting for all along.
Lumine:
Even if it fades with the morning light...
Traveler:
...!
Traveler:
I... want to go with you.
Lumine:
You sure?
Traveler:
Yeah.
Lumine:
Then let's go...
Traveler:
Lumine...
Lumine:
It's been ages since we went on an adventure together. I can't wait.
Traveler:
Really...?
Lumine:
You think I'd lie to my big bro?
Proceed deeper in
Lumine:
Aether, do you understand how kuuvahki works? How it exacts force through push and pull?
Lumine:
Okay, I'll leave it to you then.
Proceed deeper in
Lumine:
A wide, open space... must be in for a fight.
Lumine:
Was that it? What a letdown...
Traveler:
(That look on Lumine's face... It's so... unlike her.)
Traveler:
(Was she scarred by her experiences while we were apart? Each day a mark in her flesh, until she ended up like this...)
Lumine:
Aether.
Traveler:
What is it?
Lumine:
Why are you looking at me like that? Those enemies were weak, were they not?
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
M—Maybe it's because the trial's only just begun...
Lumine:
Actually, I've got an idea.
Lumine:
Why don't we have ourselves a little friendly competition?
Lumine:
Let's see if your journey has made you rusty.
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
You're on.
Traveler:
I won't lose to you, Lumine.
#Speak to {M#Lumine}{F#Aether}
Lumine:
Been slacking off on your combat training? Or has no one been around to keep you in shape?
Traveler:
No... I... just wanted to let you win.
Lumine:
Been too busy practicing your excuses instead, huh?
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
(Wonder when the last time we bickered like this was... Miss those days, I really do.)
Lumine:
Fine, you win.
Traveler:
Didn't feel like you really wanted it anyway.
Lumine:
Going all out in a place like this? Sounds like overkill to me.
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
(Wonder when the last time we bickered like this was... Miss those days, I really do.)
Go to the next "trial"
Traveler:
What is this place?
Lumine:
No sign of any monsters.
Lumine:
Feels like a ritual site... but something's missing.
Traveler:
It's ahead, inside that thing that looks like a mirror. I can feel it.
Traveler:
But... maybe it's sealed within?
Lumine:
Can you open it using kuuvahki?
Traveler:
Apparently not.
Traveler:
Do you think it might have something to do with the Frostmoon Scions' bloodline?
Lumine:
Ha...
Traveler:
Lumine?
Lumine:
If this is about strength of blood, what could possibly stop us?
Traveler:
...Mm.
Lumine:
Let me give it a try. Why don't you check around for other clues?
Traveler:
Sure.
Lumine:
...
Lumine:
Aether!
Traveler:
Lumine!
Lumine:
Found it. This should do the trick.
Traveler:
Okay.
With perfect teamwork, you and Lumine successfully unlock the mechanism, revealing the passage that leads to the next trial.
Continue onward
Lumine:
Looks like the final trial is just up ahead. Ready for battle?
Traveler:
When have I ever not been?
Traveler:
...
Lumine:
What's wrong?
Traveler:
Going on an adventure with you, side by side... It's been so exciting. But at the same time, it just feels... surreal, I guess.
Lumine:
Maybe because it's been so long.
Lumine:
You know, this is only the second time we've fought together since the day we both woke up in Teyvat.
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
Maybe that's it...
Lumine:
Aether, let the light of our blades come together once more, just like they did in the past.
Traveler:
Lumine...
Lumine:
This is a night of miracles, an adventure that belongs to us. Let's not weigh it down with worries and regrets.
Lumine:
This is our adventure.
#Speak to {M#Lumine}{F#Aether}
Traveler:
It's over!
Lumine:
Nicely done. Flawless execution.
Traveler:
Couldn't have pulled it off without your backup. Not too shabby at all.
Lumine:
As for what you were saying... Yes, I should've come to see you earlier. Or at the very least...
Traveler:
...Spent more time with me, going on adventures like this?
Lumine:
Something like that.
Lumine:
Instead of just running off and expecting you to follow my trail...
Traveler:
Wait a sec... That's not an official apology, is it?
Lumine:
That goes without saying.
Lumine:
C'mon. Time to claim the treasure we came for.
Enter the secret space where the relic is stored
Traveler:
So this is the Moon Marrow... the treasure we've been after.
Lumine:
...
Lumine:
Alright... Go get it for me, Aether. It belongs to me.
Traveler:
(Huh? What's up with Lumine? She's talking like a complete stranger again...)
Lumine:
What's wrong, Aether? After everything we've just been through, you still don't trust me?
Lumine:
Don't you want to know the truth too, just like I do?
Traveler:
I...
Lumine:
Rest assured — I'll share the truth with you afterwards.
Lumine:
Now, go bring it to me.
Traveler:
...!
Traveler:
What's going on? Where did this fog come from?
Traveler:
Lumine!
Lumine:
...
#Look for {M#Lumine}{F#Aether}
You return to the entrance of the secret chamber, only to find that Lumine has vanished without a trace. Instead, an oppressive aura of the Abyss rushes toward you with alarming speed...
Traveler:
Lumine!
Traveler:
(Huh? What is this place?)
Traveler:
(That presence... it's the Abyss!)
Traveler:
(Is that... the Wild Hunt? Did it show up when we entered this domain?)
Traveler:
...!
Traveler:
Lumine...!
Flins:
Huh? What are you doing here, Traveler?
Traveler:
You're... Flins?
Flins:
Yes, we ran into each other at The Flagship this afternoon. I'm honored you still remember.
Traveler:
(Is Lumine... gone...?)
Flins:
Are you looking for something here?
Traveler:
I...
Traveler:
(Uh... Not sure I wanna admit that I just broke into the Frostmoon Scions' secret chamber in search of their sacred relic...)
Flins:
And you just happened to end up... surrounded by the Wild Hunt?
Traveler:
...
Flins:
Sorry, I did not intend to come off as pointing fingers. Indeed, perhaps our courses of action do not differ so greatly.
Flins:
Not exactly. We Lightkeepers are accustomed to patrolling at night — a long-held tradition, you understand. I was just passing by when I noticed that the Wild Hunt had struck, so I simply did what I am duty-bound to do.
Flins:
As a matter of fact, I just saw someone leaving in quite the hurry. Was that your companion?
Traveler:
(...! Lumine...)
Traveler:
That was... the person dearest to me.
Flins:
...
Flins:
Perhaps I should take my leave now. After all, my patrol isn't over yet.
Flins:
Nod-Krai is a dangerous place to be at night. I'd advise that you head back soon as well.
Return to your accomodations to rest
Traveler:
(Ha... Went out to clear my head, and came back with even more on my mind...)
Traveler:
(What on earth is Lumine playing at...)
Traveler:
(Hm? What's this...)
Paimon's Message:
"Paimon woke up and saw you were gone, so she made you a cup of berry juice to help you sleep... Her own secret recipe! When you get back, drink it up and go get yourself some rest."
Traveler:
Haha...
Traveler:
(Paimon's right... I need sleep. Got another full day of adventuring ahead...)
Paimon:
*yawn* Good... morning? If now still counts as morning, hehe...
Paimon:
When did you get back last night? Did you sleep well?
Paimon:
Hehe, good to hear.
Paimon:
So where'd you wander off to on your midnight stroll? Anything interesting to see in Nod-Krai at night?
Traveler:
More than you'd believe...
Paimon:
Ooh, really? C'mon, don't leave Paimon hanging!
Traveler:
(...)
Paimon:
Alright, alright... Guess we'll have to feed your stomach before we feed Paimon's curiosity...
Paimon:
Let's go grab something to eat while we talk!
Go to The Flagship's main hall
Paimon:
Whew, this is just the best, huh? Free food, free lodgings... This Varka's friend-for-life material, that's for sure!
Jolanta:
Hey, did you hear what happened?
Ahvo:
Uh? Hear about what?
Jolanta:
Y'know, all that commotion over at the Frostmoon Scions! Crazy, huh?
Traveler:
(...Eh?)
Ahvo:
Huh? ...Wh—What happened?
Jolanta:
Pffft, see what I mean? Completely oblivious to what's going on around you!
Jolanta:
The sacred relic of theirs... It's been stolen!
Traveler:
...! ... *cough* *cough*...
Paimon:
Hey, slow down! Paimon knows you're hungry, but you don't have to worry about her stealing your food... at least not today...
Ahvo:
What!? Was it those Fatui?
Jolanta:
No idea, but the news has already spread right through Nasha Town!
Ahvo:
What did their high priestess... Uhhh, what do they call her again, the Moon-something... Anyway, what did she say about it?
Jolanta:
What COULD she say? She's the one who discovered it was missing!
Traveler:
(...)
Jolanta:
She was in Nasha Town first thing this morning, hoping to launch a joint investigation with the Voynich Guild.
Paimon:
Whoa, did you hear that, Traveler? Lauma and the others... their sacred relic's been stolen!
Paimon:
Who in Tevyat would even have the nerve—!? Paimon bets it was that bunch of good-for-nothing, rule-breaking, trouble-makin' Fatui!
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(But Lumine and I were the only ones to enter the secret chamber last night... Could it have been her?)
Paimon:
Huh? What's wrong? You feeling okay?
Ahvo:
Hahaha... A joint investigation? Pff, good luck getting any takers — unless there's some reward or business opportunity to sweeten the deal.
Jolanta:
Same thoughts here. So, just a few minutes back, she switched gears and headed over to the one place that might actually be able to solve this... the Curatorium of Secrets!
Traveler:
!!!
Paimon:
Wah! Y—You scared Paimon... What is it?
Paimon:
Huh? Oh... O—Okay, just— Hey, Paimon's not a baby, y'know! Quit pulling her arm!
Visit the Curatorium of Secrets
Paimon:
Sorry to—
Paimon:
...Huh? There's no one here. But didn't they just say Lauma came this way a few minutes ago?
Black Cat:
Meow...
Paimon:
No one except for a... cat, watching over the front desk...?
Paimon:
Excuse... meow? Are we supposed to check in here?
Black Cat:
Meow...
Paimon:
No idea what that means... Is this Lauma's personal receptionist, or something? Pretty sure she'd be the only person who could actually understand it...
Black Cat:
Meow...
Paimon:
Huh? It's heading into that room...
Lauma:
But... Why not?
???:
Like I told you already, that's just— Hmm? Another client?
Paimon:
Waah! So you were in this room the whole time...
???:
Something I can do for you?
Lauma:
Traveler, Paimon...
???:
Oh? You're acquainted, then?
Lauma:
Yes. They visited Hiisi Island yesterday — we had dinner together.
Lauma:
Allow me to introduce you. Traveler, Paimon... This is Nefer, boss of the Curatorium of Secrets.
Nefer:
Pleasure to meet you.
Lauma:
They are travelers who arrived in Nod-Krai just yesterday. Greeted by the birds and beasts of this land, they are kind-hearted souls who walk in the moonlight's glow...
Traveler:
(...!)
Nefer:
(Hmm? Ha, interesting...)
Traveler:
Actually, I, uh...
Nefer:
Thank you, Lauma, but you need not have introduced them. They are great heroes, renowned throughout the nations beyond our borders.
Lauma:
Oh, really...?
Traveler:
I... Uh...
Nefer:
Do not forget, I deal in information. Just because most people in Nod-Krai pay scant attention to foreign affairs, that does not mean the same goes for the Curatorium of Secrets.
Nefer:
They're the heroes everyone was talking about before — the ones who saved Natlan during the Abyss crisis.
Traveler:
(Help... I've never felt this uncomfortable being praised before... How am I supposed to explain what happened last night now?)
Lauma:
I see... We Frostmoon Scions seldom leave our domain, so I had not heard of your heroic deeds. Please, forgive my ignorance.
Paimon:
Hehe, it's no big deal, we were hoping to keep a low profile anyway. If we had to list all of our titles and good deeds, we'd be talking till sundown, and then some!
Traveler:
Paimon...!
Paimon:
Huh? What's wrong? Still not feeling great?
Nefer:
So, what brings you both to the Curatorium today?
Paimon:
Ohhh, so basically, we were just eating when we overheard people talking about how the Frostmoon Scions' relic had been stolen... and then he dragged Paimon over here.
Nefer:
(Mm... I see.)
Nefer:
Ah, I see! So you came over here because you were worried about Lauma? A combination truly befitting of great heroes — strong at arms and pure of heart.
Traveler:
(I can't take this much longer...)
Nefer:
In that case, Lauma, I've got a suggestion.
Nefer:
Why not ask these battle-hardened heroes to take the commission for you? Honestly, it's a little beyond the means of such a modest establishment as ours.
Lauma:
Your "modest establishment," unable to handle a commission? You just don't want to take it, do you?
Nefer:
You're right — I do not.
Paimon:
What kind of commission is this?
Paimon:
Surely it's not... to recover your stolen relic?
Lauma:
Yes, that is it.
Lauma:
Recovering the relic is both my duty as a Moonchanter and a step toward fulfilling the promise I made Traveler — to help uncover the truth of the past.
Lauma:
But Nefer has already declined our commission multiple times.
Lauma:
And yet, just as it always has, the moon will continue to illuminate the sky above the Curatorium.
Lauma:
Come night or day, may the Moon Goddess keep you.
Nefer:
...Enough of that.
You draw a deep breath and recount the events of last night in full. With each word, the air around you grows heavier...
Paimon:
...
Lauma:
...
Nefer:
(So... according to him, he never came into contact with the relic... so he suspects his sister may have taken it.)
Lauma:
Mm... I understand.
Traveler:
I'm truly sorry...
Lauma:
...The Frostmoon Scions' secret chamber has remained hidden from the world for generations. But the reason outsiders are forbidden entry is not only to prevent theft.
Lauma:
Within the chamber lie ancient trials, challenges designed to test the worthiness of those who enter. To intrude without rightful cause is a most perilous act indeed.
Lauma:
So please, don't be too hard on yourself, Traveler. The fact that you made it through those trials proves your right to stand before the relic.
Lauma:
To put it simply... the Moon Marrow itself has deemed you worthy.
Traveler:
...You're not angry with me?
Lauma:
No. Your honesty tells me everything — you never sought to take the Moon Marrow for yourself.
Lauma:
As for what happened at the end... I suspect the chamber's protection mechanism may have been activated. Among those who entered the final chamber, there was either someone with impure intent, or else... an Abyssal presence.
Paimon:
The Abyss?
Lauma:
Perhaps that's why, then. Either way, the Moon Marrow was taken...
Lauma:
...And I believe you, so the problem remains the same. I need to recover our relic.
Nefer:
See? Didn't I tell you it would all work out in the end?
Nefer:
But before everyone starts celebrating, forgive me for asking just one more thing... Are you absolutely sure your sister took the relic?
Paimon:
What do you mean? Weren't they the only ones inside at the time?
Nefer:
Who knows? Think about it — after your sister broke the seal with Abyssal power, what was to stop someone else from following you in there?
Lauma:
Hmm... In theory, nothing.
Nefer:
And as it just so happens, I received a tip-off from one of my sources earlier this morning...
Nefer:
Word is, today of all days, the Fatui suddenly called off their search for the relic.
Lauma:
...What?
Paimon:
Huh? Why?
Nefer:
Well, either they woke up this morning and suddenly decided they'd lost all interest, or...
Traveler:
They already have it.
Nefer:
Exactly.
Traveler:
(But... no... Lumine couldn't possibly be working with the Fatui...)
Nefer:
Are you wondering if your sister might be in cahoots with the Fatui?
Nefer:
Which is why I asked: Are you absolutely sure your sister took the relic?
Nefer:
Or to put it another way... Do you really know your sister?
Traveler:
(Huh!? I...)
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(She's right... The truth is, I really don't know what Lumine is trying to do here...)
Lauma:
In other words... it's highly likely that the Fatui already have the Moon Marrow.
Paimon:
So basically, all we need to do is find our way into that Fatui research facility, and we should be able to get to the bottom of this, right?
Nefer:
Congratulations, you've found your answer! Looks like the Curatorium won't need to lift a finger this time.
Nefer:
Well, Lauma, there we are... On behalf of our longstanding cooperation, and the great hero by your side, I'll waive your consultation fee — but just this once.
Lauma:
...You're really not planning on helping us?
Nefer:
I think I've helped more than enough already.
Lauma:
If we're to stand any chance of infiltrating that facility, we'll need the help of a specialist.
Nefer:
*sigh* Just so you don't get the wrong idea, let me make myself crystal clear...
Nefer:
The Curatorium of Secrets has always striven to abide by a policy of strict neutrality. We do not take sides with any faction in Nod-Krai.
Nefer:
I cannot help the leader of the Frostmoon Scions sneak into a Fatui facility. That would make me their enemy.
Nefer:
When one of their Harbingers asked me to help them infiltrate your territory, I gave them the same answer — "No."
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
Alright, I understand.
Lauma:
But I do have one final request... I promise it's my last.
Nefer:
...It had better be.
Lauma:
No matter who it is, I want you to help us persuade the next person who walks through that door to join us.
Nefer:
...
Nefer:
(What is she up to...?)
Nefer:
You're that desperate for help? What if it's a member of the Fatui?
Lauma:
It doesn't matter. You're welcome to tell them everything, even about our plans to infiltrate the Experimental Design Bureau.
Lauma:
All I'm asking is for you to say one thing, just one thing to help persuade them. If you do that, I promise I won't ask you for anything else.
Nefer:
...
Lauma:
Made up your mind?
Nefer:
Fine, fine. I'll play along with your little game.
Nefer:
Besides, as long as I'm not personally involved, no one can accuse us of taking sides...
???:
Boss, I'm back!
Nefer:
...
???:
You won't believe the luck I've been having today! Remember you sent me to find that runaway cat, yeah? And you said I'd only be back after dark?
???:
Well, guess what? Right after I left the house, this big ibis flew over, and the missing cat was right in its claws! And once it got close, it loosened its grip, and—
???:
...Ahh! Boss, you're... meeting clients? I'm so sorry, I'll... get out of your way!
Nefer:
...
Traveler:
(That ibis... must've been sent by Lauma...)
Nefer:
Jahoda, dear, come here.
Jahoda:
Huh? Me...? Uh... Is something the matter? Oh, uh... Hi there...
Nefer:
My dear Jahoda, I have a... request.
Jahoda:
(Yikes! Why does the boss sound so... scary? Did I do something wrong?)
Nefer:
Would you be so kind as to accompany these three delightful clients of ours and help them infiltrate the Fatui's Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau?
Jahoda:
(What is going on here!? Boss usually just says things like "Hey, go do this," or "You, go take care of that." Why is she being so... scarily polite?)
Jahoda:
(And... Wait a sec, the Fatui's research facility!? That's basically a death sentence!)
Nefer:
Made your mind up yet, my dear?
Jahoda:
Uhhh... I... I...
Jahoda:
(What is up with Boss today? Am I supposed to say yes to this!? Or... or maybe it's because the mission's too risky, so she's actually looking out for me...?)
Jahoda:
(Why is everyone looking at me like that!? Is this... some kind of test? I—I can't let Boss down... Can I?)
Nefer:
Have you... made up... your mind?
Jahoda:
Ahhh! I... Uh, umm... Th—That's... Sure, why not?
Paimon:
Really? You really don't mind helping us?
Jahoda:
Huh? Oh, umm... Yes... I—I mean, no! Of course I... I mean, I... I guess I do...?
Paimon:
Thanks so much! We owe ya big time!
Lauma:
On behalf of the Frostmoon Scions, too — thank you, Jahoda, for your help.
Jahoda:
(What the...!? Seriously, what just happened?)
Jahoda:
(Why does the boss look so fed up? Oh no, was I supposed to turn them down...?)
Nefer:
(Ha... All that mentoring, time spent teaching her how to deal with different factions... in one ear and out the other...)
Lauma:
Nefer...
Nefer:
You got what you wanted. You promised that was it.
Lauma:
I know this goes against your principles. I won't forget the favor.
Nefer:
Ha... Trying to get me to change my mind now?
Lauma:
Of course not. I just wanted to say thank you.
Lauma:
So... Thank you.
Nefer:
...
Lauma:
Jahoda, we'll leave the planning to you. Let's discuss the details elsewhere.
Jahoda:
Huh? O—Okay...
Jahoda:
(What have I got myself into...?)
Nefer:
Oh — by the way, Jahoda, before you go...
Jahoda:
Uh... What is it, boss?
Nefer:
...You're fired.
Jahoda:
...Huh?
Nefer:
Effective immediately. As in, this exact moment.
Nefer:
The Curatorium will take you back, of course — but only once you've completed this commission for our three clients.
Jahoda:
...What!?
Nefer:
Is there some issue? Well, here's the upside — without me taking a cut from your commission, you'll earn more.
Jahoda:
...Seriously, can someone explain what is going on here!?
Leave the Curatorium of Secrets
After Jahoda is finally brought up to speed, you all agree on a plan to infiltrate the Fatui research facility the following night...
Paimon:
Are we sure Jahoda's alright? She looked totally crushed just now...
Lauma:
She'll be fine, she's just in shock. But one thing's for sure — the Curatorium's professional standards are beyond question.
Lauma:
The fact that she only requested one day to prepare says it all.
Lauma:
As an apology, I'll ask my animal friends to help her out more often in the future...
Lauma:
Also... Thank you for being honest with me, Traveler. It means a lot.
Traveler:
It was my fault in the first place...
Lauma:
Was it really, though?
Lauma:
As far as I see it, trusting your family is never "wrong." In this case, let's call it... a misjudgment.
Lauma:
But the truth is, we all make mistakes every now and then. What matters is how we deal with the consequences.
Lauma:
So... In return for your sincerity, there's something I'd like to share with the two of you as well.
Paimon:
Oh? What is it?
Lauma:
...Perhaps it is something best said under the moon's gentle light. Would the two of you meet me on Hiisi Island tonight?
Traveler:
No problem.
Paimon:
Hmm, it does sound important... You're right, there's too many people here. Somewhere quieter makes a lot more sense.
Lauma:
Thank you both for understanding. Then let us meet beneath the moonlight.
Meet up with Lauma
Paimon:
Lauma, we're here!
Paimon:
Huh? Lauma, are you... praying?
Lauma:
I am indeed... For the moment I was born, my people exclaimed: "Behold: eyes like the moonlit tide, antlers like the crescent moon, and blood that glimmers silver as the moon's reflection..."
Lauma:
From as far back as I can remember, I was revered as the "Frostmoon's Emissary" and the "Moon-Tide Maiden"...
Lauma:
The first words I ever learned were prayers to the Frostmoon... the first gestures, those of our sacred rites.
Paimon:
Wow, that... must have been tough.
Lauma:
Back then, I didn't know any better. It all just seemed so... natural.
Lauma:
The Frostmoon Scions' bloodline has long since begun to run thin. Nowadays, even those of us with antlers are few and far between, let alone those attuned to the power of kuuvahki.
Lauma:
But I...
Paimon:
Whoa... Your antlers are so pretty...
Lauma:
They say it's an extraordinarily rare condition... once in a century, if that. I am unusually sensitive to the moonlight, as well as to the kuuvahki's ebb and flow. As a child, I could barely sleep because of it.
Paimon:
Oh no... It was that serious?
Lauma:
To others, fluctuations in kuuvahki are something you easily get used to — like a gentle tide lapping away at the shore.
Lauma:
But to me, that same tide is a towering tsunami, a surging swell crashing against me...
Lauma:
Of course, as the years went by, I learned how to suppress my senses — and my power — enough to keep it all from overwhelming me.
Lauma:
But because of that... I also had to walk the path of concealment.
Paimon:
Concealment...?
Lauma:
From the moment I was first taught to pray, my kin would point up to the night sky, telling me: "That, Lauma, is the Frostmoon — the last of the moons, the sole surviving truth."
Lauma:
But I would ask them in response: "Why? Why can't I feel anything from it at all?"
Lauma:
Later, I came to understand that they simply could not tell where the real tide was coming from. They couldn't sense it... the true moon beyond the sky's veil.
Traveler:
(...!)
Traveler:
(Is Lauma talking about the false sky? So the true Frost Moon... lies beyond it?)
Lauma:
"The moon is false"... I reached that conclusion long ago.
Lauma:
But there was no one I could tell, not a single soul... At least, not until now.
Lauma:
"Am I the one who's wrong? Is it the moon that is false, or my own senses?" ...I asked myself such questions, time and time again.
Traveler:
(...)
Lauma:
...!
Lauma:
Thank you... Traveler.
Lauma:
When you called yourself a Descender, I had a feeling you might be able to confirm what I had always suspected.
Lauma:
And now that you have, it's exactly as I imagined. I feel... relieved.
Paimon:
Ohhh, Paimon kinda gets why you couldn't tell anyone now... It's not easy to change people's minds on something they've believed for hundreds of years.
Lauma:
That's what I meant by "concealment"...
Lauma:
I knew too much, so I had no choice but to keep my people in the dark... Every prayer I offer feels like a lie to keep myself going.
Traveler:
(So that's what she meant when she asked me that question...)
Traveler:
("If you were aware of something, a secret that could hurt your family... Would you be honest with them, or try to hide it?")
Lauma:
Traveler... You've already met our "Kuutar", haven't you?
Traveler:
...Yes.
Paimon:
Huh? When was that, and more importantly, when were you planning on telling Paimon!?
Traveler:
That night when I went out walking alone...
Paimon:
Ah, no wonder...
Lauma:
What did you think of her?
Paimon:
What exactly do you mean by "up in the clouds"...
Lauma:
I understand what you mean. She is quite indifferent to the world outside herself. But... I find it hard to hold that against her.
Lauma:
Yes. It was shortly after the fall of the Ancient Moon's Remnants.
Lauma:
I asked her what the Frostmoon Scions meant to her, and why she left in the first place.
Paimon:
Yeah, so, why did she...?
Lauma:
Perhaps... it's better if you ask her yourselves. Things tend to get lost in translation when you speak on someone's behalf.
Lauma:
What I can say for certain is this. Even when I had no one to confide in, I still had a family... I still had the Frostmoon Scions.
Lauma:
But that girl, born beneath the moonlight... perhaps she's never felt she had either.
Lauma:
The truth is, though, she might have had it all — if only the Frostmoon Scions hadn't let her down.
Traveler:
(Last time I saw her, she kept looking up at the sky... Was she staring at the real moon beyond the false firmament?)
Lauma:
The Frostmoon Scions now walk a path of error. They offer their prayers to a false moon, and to a goddess who can no longer answer them.
Lauma:
I want to change all that.
Lauma:
But with the Fatui closing in on us day by day, the Frostmoon Scions must stand united — now more than ever. I just... need to wait for the right moment.
Kapy:
Lady Lauma, Lady Lauma!
Lauma:
Kapy...? Has Kaarina's condition deteriorated again?
Lauma:
Traveler, Paimon, we'll have to continue this conversation later.
Paimon:
Wait up, we'll come too!
Check on Kaarina's condition
Kaarina:
...
Lauma:
...
Kapy:
Why...? Did I do something wrong? I've been praying to the Moon Goddess every day... Why isn't she getting any better...
Traveler:
(The Moon Goddess is powerless to answer her prayers, just like Lauma said...)
Lauma:
Kapy, I need you to wait outside. I'm about to start her treatment.
Kapy:
...
Paimon:
Is there anything we can do to help...?
Lauma:
Just... don't be alarmed by what you're about to see. And please, don't let her mother see it...
Traveler:
(Is that... a knife!?)
Paimon:
...!
To cure Kaarina's illness, Lauma grits her teeth and draws a sharp blade resolutely across her own palm. Silver blood spills and drips onto the medicinal powder.
Lauma:
...
Traveler:
(Silver blood, and... medicine powder?)
Lauma:
Shh... Please... Help me keep this a secret...
Kaarina:
...
Paimon:
She looks much better now... But Lauma, was that...?
Lauma:
...A medicine prescribed by a local doctor. For ordinary people, my blood has the power to counteract any adverse reactions to kuuvahki.
Traveler:
(Lauma's hands are covered in scars... Has she been secretly treating people like this all along...?)
Lauma:
*sigh* So now you know another of my little secrets...
Lauma:
I had hoped to guide the Scions out of error before Kaarina's illness reached this stage. But clearly... I was too late.
Traveler:
(Changing old beliefs is never easy... Some are simply too deeply ingrained, just like this girl's mother's...)
Lauma:
My life... is as hidden from sight as the far side of the moon. Yet people only look to the bright side for guidance.
Lauma:
If the day ever came when the two sides were reversed... could they truly accept it?
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
(Why am I thinking of Lumine right now...? Has she been forced to keep a part of her life hidden too?)
Traveler:
(If it was Lumine...)
Lauma:
Hearing you say that... puts my heart at ease.
Paimon:
Mm-hmm! And if there's anything we can do to help the Frostmoon Scions, just let us know!
Lauma:
Our priority right now is reclaiming our relic from the Fatui.
Lauma:
But I now understand... that the day I will tell everyone the truth is no longer far off.
Leave the Frostmoon Enclave
Paimon:
Wow... Paimon would never have guessed Lauma had all that bottled up inside...
Vilemina:
Hey! Watch your step!
Paimon:
Aaah! Wh—What's wrong? You scared Paimon...
Vilemina:
Whew... You scared me there, too. Almost stepped right into one of my traps...
Paimon:
A trap? Why would you leave a trap somewhere like this!?
Vilemina:
Well, it's not like this is a main path... and besides, we Frostmoon Scions would recognize it instantly.
Traveler:
What are you trying to catch?
Vilemina:
Hmm... Alright. You don't seem like you're with the Fatui, so I guess there's no harm telling you.
Vilemina:
Lauma asked me to set up these traps to keep the Fatui at bay.
Paimon:
Ohhh... Come to think of it, their three-day ultimatum is almost up now...
Vilemina:
Yes... Hopefully, they'll back off when they realize we won't go down without a fight.
Paimon:
Oh, you've done a lot for the Frostmoon Scions too, just like Lauma...
Vilemina:
...
Vilemina:
I...
Paimon:
...Vilemina?
Vilemina:
Ah! It's nothing, I... I was just wondering... if any of this is really worth it.
Paimon:
What do you mean?
Vilemina:
Our people... so many are stubborn, stuck in their ways... clinging to a "truth" they refuse to even question.
Vilemina:
Do they... really deserve everything Lauma's doing for them?
Vilemina:
Well, yes, but even so...
Vilemina:
No... I—I shouldn't be saying this. Just... forget it, okay? Bye!
Paimon:
Huh?
Vilemina:
(Why did I say all that... or really... why am I still doing any of this...)
Vilemina:
(*sigh*... Either way, this will be my final night with the Frostmoon Scions...)
Paimon:
Well, she sure took off fast... So, are we heading back to The Flagship for a break, or what?
Traveler:
(...)
Traveler:
There's still somewhere I wanted to go...
Paimon:
Wait, you're not thinking of visiting that "Damselette" up in cloud cuckoo land, are you...?
Paimon:
Given who she is, pushing her won't get us anywhere. Hmm... Hey, why don't we...
Traveler:
...Mm?
Paimon:
...Let's bring her something tasty!
Paimon:
If she doesn't wanna talk, we'll have to win her over with food!
Traveler:
You really think it'll be that easy?
Paimon:
Hey, no harm in trying! At the very least, it shows we're trying to be friendly.
Paimon:
Hmm, let's see... How about Ineffa's "9.12/10" Berries and Fried Meat, the Frostmoon Scions' boon of the day, and one of your signature dishes — your choice...
Paimon:
Should be a good mix of meat and veggies... there's bound to be something she likes!
Leave the Frostmoon Enclave
Paimon:
Alright, food's packed and ready. This is the place, right?
Paimon:
Why does it feel like we're going to visit a patient... Ugh, no, no, take this seriously, Paimon...
Meet The Damselette
The Damselette:
♪~♪~
The Damselette:
...Hm?
The Damselette:
Remind me... Who are you again?
Traveler:
(She forgot me after a single day...?)
The Damselette:
...A different one floats by your side today.
Paimon:
("A different one"!? What's that even supposed to mean? Ugh, there goes Paimon's perfect conversation starter...)
Paimon:
Uh, h—hi there... Paimon is Paimon, and this is Traveler...
The Damselette:
Oh, there you are. Hmm. Between the two, I suppose you're cuter.
Paimon:
(Wait, what does she mean Paimon's less cute than that... floaty thing!?)
Traveler:
Columbina...
The Damselette:
...What is it?
Traveler:
What's your favorite kind of food?
The Damselette:
Hmm? Is this... a treat? Or... an offering?
Paimon:
Uhh, let's go with "treat"! Anyway, this is all Traveler's cooking — so please, help yourself!
The Damselette:
...
Paimon:
(That wasn't exactly a "yes," but she didn't turn it down either. What could she be thinking?)
Traveler:
(Now you see what I've been dealing with...)
The Damselette:
So... What do you want to ask?
Traveler:
!!!
Paimon:
(Hey, she's actually playing along... Quick, now's our shot!)
Traveler:
You know the moon in the sky isn't real, don't you?
The Damselette:
I know there is only one moon in the sky. It is simply that some can see it... and some cannot.
Traveler:
...What does it mean to you?
The Damselette:
...
The Damselette:
The missing prologue.
Paimon:
What?
The Damselette:
♪~♪~
Paimon:
Huh?
Paimon:
(What does that mean? Isn't she going to explain herself?)
Traveler:
Can you tell me more about that melody? You were humming it last time, too. It must be important to you.
The Damselette:
...
The Damselette:
It is all I remember from the moment of my birth — a melody, a few lines of lyrics, like a lullaby from a foggy dream.
Paimon:
Oh... So, who was singing it?
The Damselette:
I do not know.
The Damselette:
I have nothing else. Just that song.
Paimon:
Eh...?
The Damselette:
And the Frostmoon Scions who found me... they had nothing either, but hope.
The Damselette:
Before I even knew what was happening, they were already calling me their "Goddess." And I... had no reason to decline.
The Damselette:
Like two lost infants unknowingly exchanged, I adopted their faith, and in return, they adopted me.
Traveler:
...
The Damselette:
But my adoption drops you into the story halfway through. What came before was scribbled onto the wrong pages... never even bound into the book.
The Damselette:
That sense of something missing only served to nurture their greed and doubt. And thus, I came to realize that this place was never truly my home.
Traveler:
Greed and doubt?
The Damselette:
"O Moon Goddess, forge weapons for us, drive out our enemies, and expand our lands..."
The Damselette:
"O Moon Goddess, heal our wounds, ease our suffering, grant us strength..."
The Damselette:
They asked for everything, and I obliged... until the day came when no answer could be given.
The Damselette:
If mortals can turn to the gods when they are powerless... then who do the gods turn to when they have nothing left to give?
Paimon:
Uhh, you've... got Paimon there...
The Damselette:
In those days, the Frostmoon Scions cared more for "faith" than for "truth."
Traveler:
(So that's why she chose to leave...)
The Damselette:
Reality rewrote the sky in words I could not understand. I did not want to read a tampered version, so I simply stopped looking.
The Damselette:
The real beginning of my story lies up there on the moon, forever beyond my reach — like a message carved for blind hands, sealed away where no fingers can find it.
Paimon:
Oh, so that's how it is...
The Damselette:
Mph...!
Paimon:
Wh—What's wrong!?
The Damselette:
...
Traveler:
(The flowers... they've turned white?)
The Damselette:
*pant*... You should go...
Paimon:
What, now? But, you really don't look well... Did something just happen?
Traveler:
Is there anything we can do to help?
The Damselette:
No... Aside from answers, I have nothing else to give you in return.
The Damselette:
This is the price... of running away from home a second time.
Paimon:
Running away from home...?
The Damselette:
...
Paimon:
(Uh... Is she heading towards the food? Did all of Paimon's questions make her hungry...?)
The Damselette:
Do you still have many questions?
The Damselette:
I know I should offer more in return for your kindness, but I'm feeling a little worn out.
Paimon:
Ohhh, we're... so sorry about that!
The Damselette:
The Tsaritsa was right. Freedom always comes with a price.
The Damselette:
She said I could treat the Fatui as a second family, a second home... but in the end, they were no different. All they wanted in truth was my "power" as the Moon Goddess.
The Damselette:
...I'd rather not dwell on such unhappy memories.
Traveler:
(Seems the Fatui can't afford to let go of such a valuable chess piece — so now they're coming for the Moon Goddess, their "Damselette in distress"...)
The Damselette:
I have fulfilled my promise to the Tsaritsa, though it has used up much of my power. So you see... this has nothing to do with betrayal.
Paimon:
So... you're just staying here for now, resting and recovering your strength?
The Damselette:
Yes.
Paimon:
What about these flowers...?
The Damselette:
They have grown in Nod-Krai for many generations. They're highly sensitive to the ebb and flow of kuuvahki.
Traveler:
(Kuuvahki...)
Traveler:
(So... they turn white when she's feeling weak. And when they went red that day, that was because... she was drawing upon her strength?)
The Damselette:
At times, I thought about using that relic the Frostmoon Scions had hidden away. I could sense the power within it.
The Damselette:
But going out is such a hassle... People might see me, and I promised Lauma I wouldn't show myself to anyone. Besides, I know it's gone now anyway...
Paimon:
Really? Lauma asked you to stay in hiding...?
The Damselette:
...
Paimon:
(Uh-oh, she's looking back at the food again!)
Paimon:
P—Paimon's still got some little krumkakes here! You could have these for dessert if you wanted...?
The Damselette:
Lauma said she wishes to "change" the Frostmoon Scions... Which is why she asked me to stay out of sight.
The Damselette:
I don't really understand what she meant — and to be honest, it's not something that concerns me. But I wasn't planning to see anyone, anyway. If they found their way here themselves, that's hardly my fault.
Traveler:
(If The Damselette appeared in front of them now, the Frostmoon Scions might very well think that their Lady Kuutar has returned to save them...)
Traveler:
(When you look at it that way, I guess Lauma's actions do make sense.)
The Damselette:
Lauma, the Maiden of the Grove... She is quite unlike any Frostmoon Scion I've ever met before.
The Damselette:
After hearing my story, she actually apologized for how the Frostmoon Scions treated me back then.
Paimon:
She told us she feels like she's been living on the far side of the moon...
The Damselette:
Is that so? I actually got the opposite impression...
The Damselette:
She's been keeping her true power hidden away, afraid that people might be dazzled by its brilliance... and that they'd no longer be willing to look her way.
Traveler:
(Just like Kuutar back then... Maybe her light was simply too bright for anyone to see her as family?)
Traveler:
...
Traveler:
So, what do you wish for now?
The Damselette:
...
The Damselette:
I wish to return to the moon... to the home where my story is written.
The Damselette:
Right now... that is all I wish for.
And with that, The Damselette looks up to the sky and falls silent.
You and Paimon return to The Flagship, reflecting on everything that's happened as you prepare for tomorrow's mission...
Ever do ominous mists rise at night, and ever will perilous schemes brew in the darkness...
Head to the meet-up point
Paimon:
Huh? How come you're here by yourself, Lauma? Where's Jahoda?
Lauma:
I haven't seen her.
Paimon:
Seriously? Don't tell Paimon she's ditched us on our first mission together...
Lauma:
I don't believe so. Nefer and I have our differences, but that shouldn't interfere with our shared objective.
Lauma:
Recovering the relic is my duty — but as far as she's concerned, there's plenty to gain here too.
Lauma:
In Nod-Krai, it's common knowledge that the Curatorium has a nose for profit and opportunity... the same way aphids flit from flower to flower in a neverending quest to make honey.
Paimon:
Huh. Sounds like you know her pretty well...
Paimon:
Still, Jahoda sure is taking her sweet time...
Lauma:
...Hm?
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
...I believe we may have misjudged and underestimated Miss Jahoda.
Paimon:
Huh? What do you mean?
Lauma:
As a... former employee of the Curatorium, I'm confident that she possesses both professionalism and integrity in ample measure.
???:
(...!)
Paimon:
Eh? What was that noise?
Lauma:
The sound of a wavering conscience, perhaps?
???:
Aah!
Paimon:
Whoa, something just fell down!
Jahoda:
Ahaha... Hi—Hello everybody!
Paimon:
What kind of an entrance is that!? Wait a second... Have you been hiding nearby this whole time?
Jahoda:
Uh... Y—Yeah! I was just, uh... scouting things out from up high!
Jahoda:
(Darn it...! How did Jane Doe even notice me up there?)
Jahoda:
(*sigh*... Can't believe I only realized I'd run out of smoke bombs this morning... What if something goes wrong inside? How am I supposed to make a quick getaway now...?)
Jahoda:
(Thought I could just hang back and wait for the clients to get cold feet, but nope... Turns out they're all completely fearless! Don't they know how scary the Fatui are!?)
Jahoda:
Um... Really sorry, everyone... Truth is, just as I was heading out this morning, I discovered I'd run out of a super important, completely essential, absolutely indispensable piece of equipment...
Paimon:
Uh... So, what are we gonna do?
Jahoda:
Hehe... Well, as I see it, there are two options!
Jahoda:
Plan A is... We take a detour to Nasha Town to restock. Though who knows if any shops will still be open this late...
Jahoda:
Plan B is... We call it quits right here, disband the team, and all go home! My place is only, like, a ten-minute walk from here, so...
Jahoda:
Personally, I vote Plan B! Bada bing, bada boom! Maximum efficiency, minimal effort!
Paimon:
Don't try to solve your problems by running away!
Traveler:
Neither of those "plans" sound great...
Jahoda:
Not a fan of either? Then I guess our only option is to fall back on Plan J — that's J for Jahoda, by the way!
Paimon:
Uh... Why didn't you just tell us that was an option in the first place?
Jahoda:
C'mon, that would've totally ruined the surprise! Boss pulls this trick all the time, and it's always the clueless ones who end up praising her to the skies...
Paimon:
Feels like you just threw shade at a whole lot of people...
Lauma:
I have faith in your professionalism, Jahoda. You don't need those flashy tricks — your abilities alone are more than enough to earn our respect.
Jahoda:
(Huh, this Jane Doe sure has an eye for talent... Speaking of which, maybe it's time I started calling her something nicer?)
Jahoda:
Hehe... You really mean that, Ja— I mean, Lauma Doe?
Lauma:
I do.
Jahoda:
Tell you what, it's not every day you get to work alongside such considerate clients! I have a feeling we're gonna make a great team!
Jahoda:
Plan J is this: we find our way in through the freight access on the facility's east side!
Jahoda:
It's tucked away from view, and security's lighter at night. I've prepared some special gadgets too, so we should be ready for anything.
Jahoda:
If we want this to go without a hitch, we'll need to work together every step of the way — so everyone, stick close behind me.
Paimon:
Now that finally sounds like a real pro talking...
Jahoda:
Hey! You saying I didn't before!?
Paimon:
Uh... Kinda, yeah...
Jahoda:
You...! Ugh... Never mind. A top-tier treasure hunter like me never lets the naysayers get to her...
Jahoda:
Alright, let's go over what we agreed on yesterday...
Jahoda:
The goal of infiltrating the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau is to locate and, if possible, recover the relic that the Fatui stole.
Lauma:
We also need to figure out why they built the facility in the first place. I'm worried that they've set their sights on the Ancient Moon's Remnants on Hiisi Island, too.
Jahoda:
Well, now that we've got a plan, time to get this show on the road..
Talk to Jahoda once you're ready
Jahoda:
Everyone, ready? Yeah? Then, let's move.
Jahoda:
Alright then, let's get this job done!
Infiltrate the Fatui Experimental Design Bureau
Jahoda:
Just as I thought, there's a gate controlling access from the outside. Good thing I brought this key card, huh...
Jahoda:
(Well, technically I stole it... but no need to tell them that, right? Blame that chump who thought it was a good idea to get wasted at The Flagship during work hours...)
Paimon:
Ooh! Is it top-level clearance?
Jahoda:
Course, that goes without saying! Let me read it out for you...
Jahoda:
Fatui Experimental Design Bureau No. 183574, maximum clearance... "Maintenance Intern."
Paimon:
...That doesn't sound very top-level to Paimon!
Jahoda:
Never underestimate interns! Even the most legendary of thieves started out as rookie pickpockets, y'know?
Jahoda:
Besides, if it wasn't for this person's selfless generosity, we wouldn't be able to just waltz in like this, would we?
Paimon:
Feels like you're trying really hard to change the subject...
Jahoda:
Ahem... Allow me to teach you the first rule of treasure hunting...
Jahoda:
"First and foremost — use every resource at your disposal!"
Choose a suitable route to continue your infiltration
Jahoda:
...Ahh, I get it now. It's like a pair of lightbulbs just lit up in my head...
Paimon:
Uhh... What did you just "get"?
Jahoda:
The blue light, aka Plan A, is telling me to take the path along the left side. It'll be a lot stealthier, but that might mean a bit of a detour.
Jahoda:
The red light, aka Plan B, is saying: "Just charge straight in!" But that'll mean dealing with... like, a dozen sentry bots already powering up.
Jahoda:
Although... I might be able to switch them to "training mode." Their attacks will be weaker, but we'll still be in for a fight.
Paimon:
Can't you just put them in "sleep mode"...?
Jahoda:
Hey, I told you I'm just a Maintenance Intern! Give the new recruit some time and space to blossom, will ya?
Jahoda:
(Hmm... We're still pretty close to the entrance. Surely they'll call the whole thing off once they see what these bots can do?)
Jahoda:
Anyway, I say we go with Plan B. Either way, I won't be doing any of the fighting, so... the shorter route sounds good to me!
Lauma:
If we can avoid fighting at this stage, we should.
Traveler:
No Plan J this time?
Jahoda:
Plan J... is to call it a night so we can all make it back to bed before sunrise! After all, the deeper we go, the more dangerous this is gonna get — so we might as well give up while we still can!
Jahoda:
Okay, you're the bosses...
Jahoda:
Just don't forget — whatever you do, don't let those recon bots spot you!
Jahoda:
Let's see... Huh, no kidding! Ineffa told me about something like this before. Can't believe that dumb robot actually helped me out for once...
Jahoda:
All you gotta do is... this, and the recon bots will be reassigned to another position.
Jahoda:
That way, when it's time to move forward, the path will be clear! Which reminds me, it's about time I taught you the third rule of treasure hunting...
Jahoda:
"Go with the flow!"
Paimon:
What about the second one? You skipped that one...
Jahoda:
Huh, did I? Oh jeez, I must've gotten them muddled up again...
Jahoda:
...I—I mean... the second rule is exactly the same as the first!
Paimon:
Guess that's what you meant by going with the flow, huh...
Choose a suitable route to continue your infiltration
Jahoda:
Hey! There's someone up ahead.
Snjezana:
Has the lockdown been initiated? Move it, soldier — the cargo has already been transferred.
Siemomysl:
The lockdown procedure is complete, commander. That sector is now fully sealed.
Jahoda:
Tch, the night shift... Just our luck. Don't they usually handle deliveries during the daytime? There's not supposed to be anyone here...
Jahoda:
(We've come this far already, and they're really trying their best... If I suggest backing out again, it's not gonna look good. Come on, brain, think!)
Jahoda:
...Ah, I've got it! The freight shaft to the upper levels... We might have a shot there.
Jahoda:
Let me see... Huh? The recon bot in the middle's not responding? ...A double-lock failsafe!? Ugh, we've been outfoxed!
Jahoda:
Stay calm, stay calm... One step at a time. Let's just find a way across first...
Operate the terminal and head to the entrance of the freight shaft
Paimon:
What do we do now? There are guards here too...
Jahoda:
Don't worry, bots are way easier to deal with than people. At least their behavior is predictable.
Jahoda:
First, let's find a safe spot to land... Good, that spot shouldn't draw their attention. Let's go.
Jahoda:
Let me just try something... Mmm... Maybe I can use the terminal to command them to move out of our way...
Jahoda:
Security verification? With ten questions!? Are you kidding me!?!
Jahoda:
You really trust me that much? Ugh, fine... I'll... do my best.
Jahoda:
But just to be clear — if I can't answer a question, I'm backing straight out of the terminal. No way I'm risking triggering any sort of alarm...
Traveler:
That's fine. You've got this.
Jahoda:
(Come on, Jahoda... You can't give up now!)
Jahoda:
Question One... "What is our motto?"... Oh, I—I know this one...
Jahoda:
Question Five... The name of the Harbinger in charge of this facility... Let's go with... "Sandrone."
Jahoda:
This one should be... The "Palestar Edict." I've heard one of Boss's informants mention that before...
Jahoda:
Final question... Enter employee ID? And it's timed!? Okay, okay... 183574... Confirm!
Jahoda:
I... actually got them all right!? What a miracle...
Paimon:
Not bad, Jahoda, not bad at all! Guess you're an official Maintenance Intern now, hehe...
Jahoda:
Hey, that could be my personal "Plan B" if I can't get my job back... Hehe, just kidding... The Fatui are awful.
Jahoda:
The bots have taken the command... they're moving off. Let's get going while the coast is clear.
Approach the terminal
Jahoda:
Didn't think they'd even cut off the supply of kuuvahki... They're being really cautious.
Jahoda:
If we can somehow divert some emergency power into the system, we might be able to force boot this thing.
Paimon:
What do you mean by "force boot"?
Jahoda:
Uh, how do I explain this... It's like... dumping a whole bucket of water into an empty pool? So that... the little ducky gets to swim around again?
Jahoda:
You should probably just ask Aino instead...
Paimon:
So we just need to find that bucket of water, right? Paimon thought your explanation was great! Kinda adorable, in a childish sort of way.
Jahoda:
Hey, you could've just skipped that last part!
Lauma:
Is this what you were looking for?
Jahoda:
That's right, that's exactly what we needed. Where did you find that?
Lauma:
I sensed kuuvahki inside it during the fight just now. They must've been using it as backup energy for their armor.
Jahoda:
I honestly had no idea that fighting could solve so many problems... Darn it, why am I so weak?
Jahoda:
Oops, did I say that out loud? Ahaha, just, uh... ignore me...
Paimon:
Here, bucket bucket bucket... Where are you hiding?
Lauma:
Judging from the concentration of kuuvahki... over there.
Jahoda:
Wow! You can sense that, Lauma Doe? That's incredible...
Jahoda:
Let's move the recon bots above them out of the way first.
Go to the upper levels of the Fatui Experimental Design Bureau
Paimon:
Oh, it's so dark in here...
Jahoda:
Well, it is a cargo crate, after all. No point being picky about lighting at this point...
Jahoda:
Whaaa! Something sharp and pointy just poked me in the back...!
Lauma:
Ah... Sorry, that was probably just my antlers. It's pretty cramped in here, so I had to crouch down...
Paimon:
Having antlers must be inconvenient at times like these...
???:
Zzzzt!
Paimon:
Aaah... What's going on!?
Jahoda:
(Don't tell me something's gone wrong already!?)
Jahoda:
Ahem... Looks like there was only enough juice in the emergency power supply to lift us this far up...
Jahoda:
(Ugh, awkward... Am I gonna get docked for this? Based on the boss's policy of docking pay for every screw-up, I'm— No, wait a sec... I've already been fired...)
Lauma:
Doesn't look like it's moving again any time soon.
Jahoda:
I—I think... we can get through if we follow the ventilation duct along the outer wall... The entrance has gotta be somewhere. Don't worry, this was... totally part of the plan!
Enter the ventilation duct
Jahoda:
Huh!?
???:
Clang!
Paimon:
Jahoda!? How'd you end up outside?
Lauma:
Looks like she slipped out at the very last second, just before the gate shut. Impressive reflexes, I must say — though I'd expect nothing less from a former employee of the Curatorium.
Jahoda:
I'm so sorry! That was pure survival instinct... I didn't mean to ditch you!
Jahoda:
Anyway, you guys just stay where you are. I'll... I'll figure something out...
Jahoda:
Hey, there's a terminal nearby. Hang tight!
Jahoda:
...Can you hear me now?
Traveler:
Loud and clear.
Jahoda:
The duct's security protocol has been triggered... The gate must've dropped when it detected a living presence.
Paimon:
Wait, so... we're trapped in here!?
Jahoda:
I'm checking what I can do from this end... Ah, watch out for the laser up ahead!
Paimon:
What laser...?
Lauma:
...
Paimon:
We see it now... Good thing we didn't move.
Jahoda:
Got it... I think I understand the situation! Hang in there, just one moment...
Jahoda:
...Ugh, this is killing me, but I think I've got it. I can try adjusting the direction of the kuuvahki flow inside the duct.
Jahoda:
If I've got this right, you might just be able to dodge the lasers by utilizing the kuuvahki's pull in reverse!
Paimon:
Ooh, Paimon thinks she gets what you mean.
Jahoda:
But I can't see where you are from here, so I'll need your constant input. Just tell me what to do — I'll follow your lead.
Pass through the ventilation duct
Paimon:
We made it to the other side, and all thanks to Jahoda!
Paimon:
But... But the gate hasn't opened... How's she gonna meet up with us?
Paimon:
Jaho-daaaa...
Jahoda:
"No irregularities detected in the duct." "Confirm." "Confirm." "Confirm."
Jahoda:
Ugh! Just confirm the command already, you... useless excuse for a terminal, you piece of robo-junk, you... mindless pile of scrap!
Jahoda:
What the... Insufficient clearance!? Of course I don't have the clearance, you oversized—
Jahoda:
Urgh!!! ...Ouch...
Jahoda:
(Go with the flow, Jahoda, go with the flow. If the others make progress, that's great — but you can't bank on it. You've never been one to depend on others... so it's about time you stepped up to the challenge.)
Jahoda:
(Deep breaths... Stay calm.)
Jahoda:
(My priority right now is getting my hands on a high-level access card. That way, I can override the security protocol.)
Jahoda:
(Senior maintenance staff... Only they can access the core sector. But hey, there's always someone careless enough to hide a spare key under the flowerpot by the door...)
Jahoda:
(Which means... there's a good chance there's a duplicate lying around somewhere in the control room!)
Jahoda:
(Even if I can't get into the control room myself, doesn't mean I can't rely on some external help! If I can take control of one of those guard bots, maybe I can use it to search for the access card!)
Jahoda:
This is crazy, Jahoda... You're all alone, you've got nothing, and yet you're charging ahead like fear's a foreign concept...
Jahoda:
Haha, maybe that's exactly why — 'cause I've got nothing left to lose!
Jahoda:
"Confirm!"
Jahoda:
Am I... a genius?
Jahoda:
Whoa, this feed's super clear... This is gonna be a piece of cake!
Jahoda:
Wait a second... This thing's not a guard bot, it's a...
Jahoda:
...Janitor bot!?
Obtain a high-level access card
Jahoda:
Let me see...
Jahoda:
There it is...!
Talvikki:
Hey, why'd you stop? You haven't finished sweeping that corner!
Jahoda:
(But... I can see the card from here...!)
Jahoda:
(Ugh... Guess I have no choice but to swallow my pride and stay in character for now...)
Reunite with your companions
Paimon:
But will Jahoda be okay?
Jahoda:
(Paimon!?)
Lauma:
She said she'd use every resource at her disposal, so let's have some faith in her abilities. Besides, when it comes to surviving in Nod-Krai, she probably knows more than any of us...
Jahoda:
(So they really do believe in me...)
Paimon:
But how long are we gonna have to stay here? Paimon doesn't wanna get caught by the Fatui either...
Jahoda:
Does Paimon mean the two Fatui in that room? Let me see if there's a way to distract them...
Paimon:
...Wait, did you hear that?
Traveler:
Don't move.
Talvikki:
Huh? The alarm? What's going on?
Prohor:
Let's go check it out!
Traveler:
Now's our chance!
Paimon:
This looks like somewhere important, but there's nothing here...
Jahoda:
Hey guys, it's me!
Paimon:
Jahoda! Are you okay?
Jahoda:
I'm fine!
Jahoda:
I managed to swipe a high-level access card and triggered an alarm to draw the guards off... But we don't have much time.
Jahoda:
Alright... Looks like we can control the elevator!
Jahoda:
Come on, hop in. Let's take it further down.
Continue infiltrating
Paimon:
There's no one here!
Jahoda:
That's good news for us! Let's head inside.
Lauma:
Looks like a rest area for the Fatui's Oprichniki.
Jahoda:
Huh? The terminal's still on...?
Jahoda:
...
Jahoda:
Ahaha... Looks like that "good news"... is now half good news, half bad news...
Paimon:
What do you mean?
Jahoda:
Well, seems like that alarm I just triggered was so high-level that even the guards in the rest area went to investigate... that's the good news, by the way.
Paimon:
Then what's the bad news?
Jahoda:
The bad news... is that once they realize it was a false alarm, they're bound to circle back and check this floor, and then we're toast!
Jahoda:
So we've gotta move fast here! If you need me to run a quick search, say the word.
Jahoda:
"...Analysis of the kuuvahki extracted from the Moon Marrow suggests that its energy core bears some close relation to the power of the former Three Moon Sisters..."
Jahoda:
"...It is suspected that there is a link between the Frostmoon Scions' hidden relic and the shattered remnants of the Eternal Moon..."
Lauma:
...
Jahoda:
C'mon, none of this is important right now... Just tell us where you hid the darn thing!
Jahoda:
"Access denied. You do not have permission to view this data."
Jahoda:
Even with a high-level access card? Who does have permission then!?
Traveler:
Can't think of anything else...
Jahoda:
Looks like that's about all our current clearance gives us access to...
Lauma:
Based on what we know so far, it seems like the rest must be hidden inside that massive hollow beneath us...
Lauma:
I could sense something beneath the water down there... something unsettling.
Paimon:
If they've gotten their hands on the Moon Marrow, odds are it's hidden down there too.
Jahoda:
(Ugh... and here I thought we were almost done. But nope, we're going deeper and deeper into the danger zone...)
Jahoda:
(Chin up, Jahoda! Once this job's done, you're buying yourself the biggest Nod-Kraian hot dog in town. Deal's a deal!)
Go to the lower level
Jahoda:
That switch looks... suspiciously obvious. No way I'm pulling that! But you guys, go ahead...
Paimon:
Hey, you spotted it first! Shouldn't you be the one to pull it?
Jahoda:
Not a chance! I'm just the guide, remember? At most, I'll help you look for an escape route...
Jahoda:
(They don't seriously think pulling this thing's gonna lead to treasure, do they? I'd be amazed if it doesn't set off an alarm...)
Jahoda:
(Besides, I didn't even bring my smoke bombs... Which reminds me of the actual second rule of treasure hunting: "Better safe than sorry!")
Traveler:
Allow me.
???:
*Rumbling*
Jahoda:
The ground... it's shaking!
Jahoda:
Wait, did the...
Paimon:
...Surface of the water... open up?
Jahoda:
This is bad... this is really bad... I'm getting put on the Fatui's blacklist for sure...
Paimon:
Don't worry, Jahoda, you've helped us so much. If they try anything, we'll protect you!
Jahoda:
...
Jahoda:
C'mon, I—I was just kidding! I'm tough, okay... Just haven't had a chance to show off my fighting skills yet. Me, afraid of the Fatui? Not a chance!
Lauma:
I suspect the relic is hidden down below. Jahoda, your commission ends here.
Lauma:
I am truly grateful for everything you've done for us. You don't need to put yourself in any further danger.
Jahoda:
...
Jahoda:
I'm coming with you.
Jahoda:
This has nothing to do with the commission, or the danger, or whatever... This has already gotten way out of hand, so I'm coming too — end of story!
Paimon:
She's blushing...
Jahoda:
Hey, zip it! Why d'you keep staring... You looking for a knuckle sandwich, or what? C'mon, move it already!
Enter the space underneath
Paimon:
It's really deep down here... What is this place?
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
...We're standing on another fragment of the Ancient Moon's Remnants.
Lauma:
(So this was the source of the kuuvahki I sensed earlier...)
Paimon:
Wait, what!? So the Fatui had it hidden underwater this whole time? This gigantic thing!?
Jahoda:
...
Paimon:
Jahoda, you've... been kinda quiet since we got down here...
Jahoda:
Wha— Me? Have I? Haha... It's nothing, really...
Jahoda:
(Ugh, we're doomed... How are we even supposed to get back up from here?)
Jahoda:
(My grappling hook's not nearly long enough... and if someone spots us here after all that commotion... we'll be sitting ducks!)
Metal Door:
...
Jahoda:
Eek!
Paimon:
Ah! Oh no, that door's opening! Please don't say it's the Fatui...!
Jahoda:
(No, please, no! We finally made it here, and we're so close to getting the job done... I didn't risk my neck just to die before I've even had a chance to spend my reward!)
Metal Door:
...
Lauma:
...
???:
...What happened? Why did the underwater barrier open?
Lauma:
How could this be...?
Vilemina:
Huh...? Lauma? And... you guys?
Lauma:
Vilemina... What's going on here?
Vilemina:
...
Vilemina:
Looks like... there's no point trying to hide it anymore...
Paimon:
Wh—What are you talking about?
Vilemina:
I thought you might come, but I didn't expect to see you here so soon... Forget it, the Moon Marrow isn't here.
Lauma:
You... joined the Fatui?
Vilemina:
...Yes.
Lauma:
...When?
Vilemina:
...The day I could no longer bear to live a lie!
Lauma:
...!
Vilemina:
At first, the Fatui wouldn't accept me... But then one of their Harbingers noticed me, and... said she'd give me a chance...
Talk to Vilemina
Vilemina:
Ugh... Lost them again...
Vilemina:
(That Harbinger... told me to follow the blond Traveler who might visit the Frostmoon Scions...)
Vilemina:
(*sigh*... Easier said than done, though. The animals are on alert at night... If they see me, Lauma will catch wind of what I'm doing, sooner or later...)
Vilemina:
(...Am I really doing the right thing?)
Vilemina:
(No... It's too late to turn back now. The empty prayers, the stubborn displays of faith, like Kapy's today... This isn't the life I want.)
Vilemina:
(Huh? Is that... Ah! Traveler's back! I won't let him slip away this time!)
Vilemina:
(Wait. Who's that with him? They look so alike... Hmm, they seem to be heading... towards the statue of Kuutar!)
Vilemina:
(They've... opened the secret chamber!? But... wasn't it meant to be sealed?)
Vilemina:
Wait a second... the Moon Marrow!
Vilemina:
(Surely they're not after the Moon Marrow!? I'd better go report this straight to...)
Vilemina:
Hold on...
Vilemina:
(If they do actually make it to the final room... then maybe I'll be able to get my hands on the relic... the one thing the Fatui have been after this whole time...)
Vilemina:
...
Vilemina:
(If someone's going to take it, it might as well be me... This could be my ticket to joining them!)
Talk to Vilemina
Lauma:
...
Vilemina:
Yes... and in your final moment of hesitation, I... took the chance...
Paimon:
...And then you gave it to the Fatui!?
Paimon:
But... when we talked to you before, you seemed so genuinely worried about Lauma...
Vilemina:
Because I... I thought she was as fed up with the Frostmoon Scions as I was!
Vilemina:
We grew up together, Lauma. I know you were chosen to be the next Moonchanter when you were just a child. They never gave you a choice in that.
Vilemina:
I saw the look in your eyes when you were treating that child... that sense of helplessness. Surely you, too, must see that this blind, inherited faith of ours is simply holding us back...
Vilemina:
If our prayers are never answered... then why keep praying? Do they really deserve all of your devotion?
Vilemina:
Or... are you trapped by the responsibilities they imposed on you?
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
So those are your reasons for wanting to leave the Frostmoon Scions?
Vilemina:
Isn't that reason enough!?
Lauma:
*sigh*... When we pray to the moon, we do so to show our gratitude for the life it granted us long ago. It reminds us to strive for something higher within ourselves...
Lauma:
But I know that's not what you want to hear. You're right, Vilemina... I have indeed kept secrets from you.
Traveler:
(Lauma...)
Vilemina:
I knew it... You don't want to be the Moonchanter, do you...?
Lauma:
No, that's not it. I'm talking about the fact that the moon in the sky isn't real.
Vilemina:
What...? Y—You're saying... Huh?
Jahoda:
(Ugh, I've completely lost the thread now... but do we really have to do this here? What if a Harbinger shows up... I'm not cut out for fighting big bosses!)
Lauma:
The pain you sensed in me... was the pain of hiding this truth.
Vilemina:
If what you're saying is true, then you already knew that the Frostmoon Scions wouldn't believe any of this... Why didn't you just leave, like I did?
Lauma:
You don't understand, do you? That's the difference between us, Vilemina — I care about the Frostmoon Scions. They're family to me.
Vilemina:
...
Lauma:
It hurts because I care... and that's why I chose to hide the truth. But now I understand — that was a mistake.
Lauma:
My family deserves to know the truth. I shouldn't have tried to hold it all together with empty prayers...
Vilemina:
Hah... Are you trying to say that I only ever cared about myself?
Lauma:
There's nothing wrong with that, in itself. No one would have tried to stop you from leaving... but you did not have to stab us in the back like this.
Alarm:
...!
Paimon:
...We've been spotted!
Jahoda:
(I knew it, I just knew it! Ugh, what now!? If a Harbinger shows up, I'm outta here. No darned relic is worth dying over!)
Vilemina:
...Looks like I misjudged you, Lauma. I didn't think you had it in you to stand up to your fate.
Vilemina:
Turns out... you are a great Moonchanter, after all.
Vilemina:
But you were right about one thing — I haven't considered Hiisi Island my home for a long, long time now.
Jahoda:
Bosses, time to go!
Lauma:
I will change the Frostmoon Scions, Vilemina... as soon as the new moon rises.
Vilemina:
...Then I guess I won't be around to see it.
Vilemina:
Say, Lauma — what happens to those who betray the Frostmoon Scions?
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
"...May their antlers be shorn with silver blades... and let them be cast into the long night of unknowing."
Vilemina tightens her grip on the blade and, bracing against the pain, severs her own twin horns.
Vilemina:
Ugh... Ahhh... Aaaaagh!!!
Paimon:
...!
Vilemina:
...I have honored the ways of the Frostmoon Scions, one last time... Think of it as a gesture of respect, Lauma.
Talvikki:
There they are!
Paimon:
Lauma!
Lauma:
...
Vilemina:
Marionette has the Moon Marrow... She went to Starsand Shoal.
Vilemina:
Don't... flatter yourself, now — I'm not trying to "atone." I just... don't believe you'll actually be able to change them...
Head to Starsand Shoal
Marionette:
(Hmm...? An alarm? Coming from the Experimental Design Bureau?)
Marionette:
Hm... Interesting.
Marionette:
Hey, wrap things up and get yourselves ready... Looks like we might be having some guests.
Aarto:
Yes, my Lady...
Marionette:
Perfect timing... this job's been boring me to death. Time to test some hypotheses.
Jahoda:
Bosses... I mean, esteemed clients... I mean, generous benefactors... Wait up, c'mon!
Jahoda:
Sure you don't wanna consider heading home first and coming back another day...? Nasha Town's that way! You are aware that this is the way to... Ahhhh!
Marionette:
A little ahead of schedule, aren't you?
Jahoda:
(Oh no, it really is a Harbinger this time...!)
Lauma:
Marionette...
Paimon:
So you are here, after all! Hand over that relic, right now — it belongs to the Frostmoon Scions!
Marionette:
Mm? You mean that thing your antlered turncoat brought us?
Marionette:
Ha... I have never much cared for trophies given up without a fight. But watching you tear each other apart over it? Priceless.
Lauma:
...I'm not in the mood for warnings today.
Marionette:
Ooh, how frightening. Had I a "tremble" function, I'd have rattled off at least a dozen screws by now.
Marionette:
Or perhaps I've just set my "sense of humor" parameter too high. Were you trying to be funny just now?
Marionette:
You don't honestly believe you're a match for me... Do you?
Marionette:
Go on, then. Let's serve our guests a little appetizer...
Traveler:
(...)
Marionette:
...
Marionette:
Hey, didn't you hear me? I said let's serve our guests a little—
Paimon:
Wh—What's going on?
Lauma:
...Oh no! Watch out, Traveler!
Lauma:
It's the Wild Hunt!
Talk to the Fatui
Paimon:
Is that... it?
Jahoda:
Whew... At least, that's what the Lightkeepers' handbook says...
Lauma:
...?
Lauma:
Careful! It's not over yet!
Traveler:
(What's going on...? It's Abyssal power alright, and even stronger than before...)
Traveler:
(What's the Wild Hunt even after...)
Traveler:
Paimon! Lauma! Jahoda!
Traveler:
(No response... I have to find them again, and quickly...)
Find the source of the voice
Lumine:
Aether! Over here!
Traveler:
...! Lumine!
Lumine:
Quick, grab my hand!
Traveler:
...!
Traveler:
...
Lumine:
Aether...! What's wrong?
Traveler:
...Why are you here at all, Lumine?
Lumine:
...What do you mean?
Lauma:
If I may be so bold... What does "family" mean to you, Traveler?
Traveler:
...Why were you after the Moon Marrow that night, Lumine?
Lauma:
Among those who entered the final chamber, there was either someone with impure intent, or else... an Abyssal presence.
Lumine:
We can talk about that later!
Traveler:
Tell me why, Lumine.
Traveler:
(No... It can't be...)
Lumine:
You know, this is only the second time we've fought together since the day we both woke up in Teyvat.
Traveler:
No...
Lumine:
...Aether?
Lumine:
But when I found you, you were still in hibernation. Even the key to the chamber was still secure on your person.
Traveler:
We... didn't wake up together...
Lumine:
What are you talking about? We don't have time for this, Aether!
Traveler:
...
Lumine:
Look at me, Aether.
Lumine:
Don't you want to explore this world with me?
Traveler:
...!
movie
Last night's events flash through your mind, but those heart-warming moments can do nothing to blanket the fatal contradictions within. You finally bring yourself to accept that this person bearing Lumine's face is nothing but a false phantom. Slowly, you raise your sword, leveling its tip at the face you know so well.
Meanwhile, Lauma and Jahoda are holding back the impervious onslaught of the Wild Hunt, the battle locked in stalemate.
Lauma intones the words of an ancient and sacred hymn as the power of kuuvahki surges and gathers around her. Finally, she unleashes this power in a sudden burst as rapid growths of verdant branches pierce through the black mist, instantly purging every last shadow of the Wild Hunt.
Paimon:
Hey! Is everyone okay?
Jahoda:
Whew... Think I saw my life flash before my eyes there. Good thing Lauma Doe was there to save the day...
Lauma:
Are you alright, Traveler?
Traveler:
(...!)
Traveler:
I'm fine...
Marionette:
Ha... Well, that took you long enough. Seriously, how many of you are there? Pathetic...
Jahoda:
(Oh no... I spoke too soon! Totally forgot we still have a Harbinger to deal with!)
Paimon:
Hey, is that... the Moon Marrow! It was hidden inside that big robot of hers all along!
Paimon:
But... that robot...
Marionette:
Ugh... That's "Pulonia" to you, not just some "robot"!
Marionette:
...Take it, and get lost.
Lauma:
...!
Paimon:
Huh? You're just... giving it to us?
Marionette:
Well, I wasn't the one who put out the order to find this thing in the first place... So if someone wants it, they can help themselves. Maybe even choke on it — see if I care.
Traveler:
(Is she saying... that it was another Harbinger who was after the Moon Marrow?)
Marionette:
...So? Are you waiting for me to change my mind, or what? I'd be more than happy to pick up where we just left off... But, I should warn you, I'm in a bad mood right now.
Lauma:
...Let's go.
Jahoda:
Fine by me! Totally, completely, absolutely on board with that!
Marionette:
...
Jahoda:
It's... finally over. *sigh* If that doesn't make the "Most Thrilling Commission of the Year," I don't know what will...
Lauma:
Looks like... the Fatui are all gone now... Agh!
Paimon:
Lauma!
Traveler:
(Lauma mentioned that she normally has to keep her power in check. I guess... this is what happens if she doesn't...)
Lauma:
I'm alright... It's just been so long since I truly felt the power of the moon...
Flins:
Hmm? I thought I sensed the Wild Hunt nearby... Don't tell me... you've already taken care of it?
Paimon:
Hey, it's Flins!
Jahoda:
(Hey, he's... that Ratnik!)
Flins:
Unless I am mistaken... You are the Moonchanter of the Frostmoon Scions, are you not? May I ask... What is that in your hand?
Lauma:
...
Flins:
Please, don't get me wrong. I've been tracking the Wild Hunt lately, and I've come to suspect that its actions... aren't as aimless as they might seem.
Flins:
When I saw what you were holding, I could not help but start... connecting the dots.
Traveler:
(So that night, Lumine... No, the Wild Hunt... was using me to get to the Moon Marrow...?)
Traveler:
(I'd better find some time to have a word with Flins, just in case...)
Paimon:
You'd better be extra careful, Flins... It seems like the Wild Hunt is capable of impersonating people now.
Flins:
Oh, is that so? Funny that — I just showed up completely out of the blue, yet you seem to have no problems trusting me...
Paimon:
...!
Flins:
Hahaha... I apologize. I shouldn't be making jokes like that right now.
Flins:
Anyway, I understand — thank you for the tip-off. It seems that the Wild Hunt has somehow... changed in nature. I'll have to report this to HQ right away.
Flins:
For now, let us part ways here.
Traveler:
(There's... still something strange about him that I can't seem to put my finger on...)
Lauma:
Phew...
Traveler:
(Wait, so... Lauma was on her guard against him this whole time?)
Paimon:
That little "joke" of his just now... sure scared the bejeebies out of Paimon. Are all the Ratniki in Nod-Krai like that...?
Jahoda:
They're usually stationed in remote areas and tend to keep to themselves. So, uh, it's not surprising they end up a little... eccentric?
Lauma:
No... He's different.
Paimon:
Really? How so?
Lauma:
The animals... they've told me they're afraid to even go near him...
Return to the Curatorium of Secrets
Nefer:
Oh, you're back. I just made you all a pot of tea — better drink it while it's hot.
Jahoda:
Boss Nef, you wouldn't believe how scary our day has been! Seriously, I am never, ever taking random jobs like that, EVER again... Ya hear me?
Nefer:
Oh, come on, now! You even faced the Wild Hunt and lived to tell the tale... What's left to be afraid of?
Paimon:
Wait a sec, how did you— Ohhh right, like you told us before... Your business is "dealing in information."
Jahoda:
Huh? Boss Nef... The teacups... Wh—Why is there one missing? Did you... think I wasn't coming back!?
Nefer:
My, my... How could you think that of me? You know the rules — if a member of staff wants tea, they pour it themselves. Your cup's sitting safe and sound, right there in the cupboard.
Jahoda:
A... m—member of staff? Does that mean you're... accepting me back!?!
Nefer:
Wasn't that the deal?
Jahoda:
Boss Nef! You're the best boss ever!
Lauma:
...
Nefer:
Heh. You never change, do you? Everything turned out fine, no? You found exactly what you were looking for... yet there you are, sulking away as usual.
Lauma:
Nefer... That medicine we discussed before, the one for congenital kuuvahki sensitivity... I need you to get it for me.
Nefer:
And how do you expect me to find something like that for you in the middle of the night? You'll have to wait till morning, at the very least.
Lauma:
I need it right now.
Nefer:
...
Nefer:
Alright, alright, I'll see what I can do. But you know "urgent" means "extra charge," right?
Lauma:
So... Thank you.
Nefer:
...Hmm. You know what? You do seem a little... different.
Lauma:
In a good way, or a bad way?
Nefer:
Mm... Who can say? I'll take it either way, so long as you don't start making a habit of asking me for ridiculous favors...
Lauma:
Traveler, Paimon... A lot has happened these past few days. I don't know what I would have done without you.
Paimon:
Hey, don't mention it! That's what we're here for!
Traveler:
Don't forget, your family believe and trust in you too.
Lauma:
Mhm, you're right... and tonight, I'm planning on telling them everything.
Paimon:
Tonight? Isn't it a bit... late already?
Lauma:
The moon shines brightly this night... What better time for the Frostmoon Scions to usher in a new dawn for truth?
Lauma:
Thank you for your kind words.
Lauma:
But before I do, there's one more thing we need to deal with...
Paimon:
Ohhh, yeah... Now that we have the Moon Marrow...
Lauma:
You'll... have to forgive me... I used too much of my strength in the battle earlier. I fear... I won't be able to help you uncover the truth of the past. Not right away, at least.
Paimon:
That's fine! We're going to be in Nod-Krai for a while anyway, so there's no rush, right?
Lauma:
Thank you.
Lauma:
But there's another problem... How to keep the Moon Marrow safe now.
Paimon:
Huh? Can't we just return it to your secret chamber?
Lauma:
The seal has been broken. Even if it were restored... now that the Wild Hunt has gotten in once, there's no guarantee that it won't happen again...
Paimon:
Oh, right... Yeah, that makes sense...
Lauma:
Back when the Frostmoon Scions' bloodline still ran strong, in special circumstances, a Moonchanter could act as a vessel, safeguarding the relic within their own body...
Lauma:
But it is a grueling trial of will and endurance. The Moonchanter who did this... only lasted two days.
Lauma:
As for me... I might be able to last five, at most.
Paimon:
Hold on... You'd be using your body as a vessel?
Lauma:
Yes. You can think of it like dropping a red-hot ball of iron into a bucket of water. How long the water lasts... depends entirely on the bucket's size.
Lauma:
...Pardon?
Paimon:
Hey, that's not a bad idea! You've always held up pretty well against the Abyss... Surely the Moon Marrow can't be any more dangerous than that?
Lauma:
I... It's not at all that I don't trust you, but... it's too risky.
Paimon:
But we're out of options, aren't we? Might as well give it a shot.
Lauma:
...
Lauma:
...Alright. Well, I'll be right by your side. If anything feels off, please tell me immediately.
Traveler:
What do I need to do?
Lauma:
Here, hold it in your hands.
Lauma:
Feel its power... Imagine you're a lake, a cluster of stars... Let the moon become a part of you...
Traveler:
(...)
Paimon:
Wh—Whoa! It... went into your body!
Lauma:
How was that? Are you feeling any discomfort?
Traveler:
...None at all.
Traveler:
(But... I seem more attuned to the kuuvahki than I was before...)
Traveler:
(When I close my eyes... I can sense something far off, beyond the false sky... So that's the true Frost Moon?)
Lauma:
Astonishing... Not even the slightest hint of lingering fluctuations. It's as if all that power... just sank to the bottom of the ocean.
Lauma:
Well, looks like we won't have to worry about the Wild Hunt catching its scent now...
Paimon:
Whew, Paimon knew you have special abilities, but still, you never fail to amaze.
Nefer:
...Mm? Did I miss something just now?
Lauma:
Yes... and it was nothing short of a miracle...
Nefer:
Ha, not something I'd be interested in, then. Anyway, here's the medicine you asked for. This is all I've got for today — I'll have someone send the rest over when we have it.
Lauma:
Thank you, Nefer. I really appreciate everything you've done for me.
Nefer:
Please stop being so... nauseatingly friendly. It's creeping me out.
Nefer:
So... What exactly did you all go through during that Wild Hunt attack? I'd prefer to hear it straight from you.
Nefer:
Hmm... A phantom that can mimic the appearance of others... Quite different from what we've seen before.
Paimon:
Yeah... and both times it appeared, its goal was pretty clear. It seems like it was after the Moon Marrow!
Nefer:
...And on both occasions, it was accompanied by the Wild Hunt too. It appears there must be some close connection between the two.
Lauma:
I must say, I don't often see you look this serious, Nefer.
Nefer:
Too late in the day for thinking, that's all. We'll pick this up again later. You all feel free to keep chatting, though — just don't forget to lock up when you leave.
Lauma:
On that note... Traveler, please keep the Moon Marrow stored within your body for the time being.
Lauma:
We'll take it back off your hands as soon as the Wild Hunt's been taken care of, once and for all...
Lauma:
Of course.
Lauma:
Anyway, if the two of you will excuse me... I'm heading back to Hiisi Island now. It's time I came clean with the Frostmoon Scions.
Paimon:
Hey, we're coming with you! Though... guess we won't be able to do much more than cheer you on from the sidelines.
Lauma:
That alone means more to me than you could ever know.
Accompany Lauma back to Hiisi Island
Maciej:
...What's going on?
Vanamo:
I'm not sure. Seems like the Moonchanter has something important to tell us...
Kunegunda:
I heard the relic's already been retrieved.
Lauha:
That's our Lady Lauma, alright!
Lauma:
*deep breath*
Traveler:
(Do what you believe is right, Lauma...)
Lauma:
Noble scions of the Frost Moon... My kin beneath the moonlight...
Lauma:
I hereby declare the truth to you...
Lauma:
"Long have our ancestors looked up to the Frost Moon, guided by her serene light... Yet now, she lies hidden beyond the limits of the sky."
Traveler:
And so, Lauma began to reveal to the Frostmoon Scions a truth long hidden within her heart... A story of a false moon, and the death of gods...
Lauma:
"Kuutar was indeed born of the moon... but that does not give us the right to reap without sowing, nor clothe ourselves without the toil of weaving..."
Traveler:
As she spoke, some who listened were stunned into disbelief, while others... seemed to awaken, as if from a dream.
Lauma:
"...From this day forth, the road shall be paved with truth, and we shall pave it ourselves."
Paimon:
Whew... After everything Lauma said last night, Paimon wonders how everyone's adjusting...
Traveler:
Well, we're here to find out...
Paimon:
Still, judging by their reactions at the time, it didn't seem as intense as Paimon might have imagined... Says a lot about how much trust she commands, huh?
Paimon:
Hey, look — it's Lauma!
Lauma:
Welcome, both of you. The animals were most lively this morning... They told me of your coming.
Traveler:
Has everything been okay?
Paimon:
Nothing too dramatic happened, did it? No one took it so hard that they went on a binge eating rampage, and ended up cleaning up the whole pantry... or something?
Traveler:
The only person who would do something like that is you, Paimon.
Paimon:
Hey, Paimon's just trying to lighten the mood...
Lauma:
Thank you for your concern.
Lauma:
Change doesn't happen overnight, and new ideas need time to take root... But nothing as extreme as that has happened, no.
Lauma:
Although...
Paimon:
A—Although what?
Lauma:
Well... Just as I thought might happen, some have chosen to leave the Frostmoon Scions for good. For them, losing their faith was like losing their home.
Lauma:
Confusion, frustration, helplessness... I saw it all, reflected in their eyes.
Paimon:
Oh...
Lauma:
I respect their choice. May they carry the Frostmoon Scions' blessings far and wide — should they be willing to do so.
Lauma:
If we meet again someday, perhaps we will be able to sit together and share stories once more.
Traveler:
Hope everything goes well for them...
Lauma:
Others sought me out afterward, though... and thanked me profusely for sharing the truth with our people.
Lauma:
They said they used to see me as "distant," even somewhat unapproachable... Whereas now, I seemed much closer to them — like a friend, or even a family member.
Paimon:
Sounds like a win overall! Paimon thinks you did the right thing, Lauma.
Lauma:
Thank you...
Lauma:
Though, I wanted to ask...
Lauma:
Do I really come across as... "distant"?
Paimon:
W—Well... maybe just a little, to people who don't know you? You are kinda tall... especially if you consider the antlers...
Lauma:
I see...
Lauma:
That's a bit of a hard one... My antlers tend to grow under the moonlight, so I can't quite help it.
Lauma:
It brings me comfort to hear you say that.
Lauma:
By the way, Traveler, how has your body been adjusting to the Moon Marrow?
Traveler:
I'm feeling absolutely fine.
Lauma:
I'm glad to hear it. I've also suggested to Nefer that we meet within the next few days. We need to figure out how to counter this new manifestation of the Wild Hunt.
Lauma:
But for now... let's just relax.
Lauma:
I want to enjoy this feeling a little longer... of finally living on the bright side of the moon.