𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆 ✦ 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁

𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘆

"Emergency food." Aether replied..

"That's not true, and you know it!" Paimon snapped, glaring at Aether.

"If she's Emergency Food then you're my human meat shield." y/n told her blond travel companion who chuckled.

"It's indeed a good thing to have someone accompany you on your travels." the man said with a tiny nod, "My name's Dainsleif. I suppose you have some business with me?"

'How tf do you say his name?' y/n wondered, brows furrowed.

"Well, I was hoping to invite you to adventure with us..." Aether trailed.

"Sure." Dainsleif replied simply.

"...Huh?" both Paimon and Aether said in usion while y/n tilted her head in a similar manner to a puppy.

"And he was so cold just a moment before... Paimon's got a baaaad feeling about this!" Paimon whispered whispered y/n.

"Don't worry." y/n whispered back, "If he tried anything, I could totally kick his butt-!"

"But I will require advance payment."

"How much?" y/n questioned.

"Five-Hundred Mora and three answered questions." Dainsleif told them, "The five hundred is a one-time fee, and we'll settle the questions in a moment."

"That's... it?" Aether questioned, confused.

"That's it." Dainsleif replied.

"Well, now Paimon's got a really bad feeling. That kind of compensation can't be right..." Paimon huffed then looked up at y/n, "Y/n, be ready!"

Y/n nodded, "Let me finish my food."

"Well, here's the five hundred Mora..." Aether murmured, handing over the money.

"Ah, thank you. Now, as for my questions, I'd like you to answer them here and now..." Dainsleif said,, tucking away the Mora.

"Do I need to answer them all correctly?" Aether asked hesitantly.

"The answer to a question says nothing about right and wrong. Only about differences in attitude." Dainsleif assured Aether, "I only wish to know what your choices are. You need only answer."

"Well, alright then." Aether hummed.

"Question one. The crisis Mondstadt faced was resolved by an alliance between yourself and that... Anemo Archon who calls himself Venti. Who, in your view, was the key to ending that crisis?" Dainsleif asked and y/n frowned.

"Huh? Penny is the Anemo Archon?" y/n questioned and Aether gave her a shocked looked.

"First of all, you didn't know?" he demanded and y/n shook her head.

"Nye." she replied.

"And how did you who Venti is?" Aether questioned, looking to Dainsleif.

"I know everything that I should." the blue eyed man replied, "Haha... Well...? Answer the question."

"The unity of Mondstadt's people gave us the victory." Aether answered.

"Is that your answer? Hm... I see."

"You obviously can't see very well considering one of your eyes are covered." y/n said snarkily and recieved a warning glare from Aether.

Dainsleif paid the girl's comment no mind, "Question number two. Rex Lapis, who has defended Liyue Harbor for millennia on end, used his Gnosis to lay down a Contract to End All Contracts, or which the stipulations are still unknown. Who do you think will defend Liyue Harbor in the future, now that they've lost their deity?"

Y/n bristled, "How-"

"Everyone in Liyue Harbor." Aether answered before y/n could begin yelling.

"So that's your answer... I see."

Y/n began cracking her knuckles, "Stop saying the same thing over and over again-"

"Y/n, calm down-" Paimon warned her.

"Now for my final question." y/n's newfound target for her ever blazing rage said, "This world has people who gained Visions, and those who did not Which of the two do you think hold more importance in the eyes of the gods?"

Y/n was making a spear out of her cheese in crackers, e/c eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps... none of them do." Aether replied and y/n looked at him curiously.

"So... this is your answer, then... I understand."

Y/n threw her cheese and crackers spear at Dainsleif which hit him right smack in the middle of his forehead.

"Y-Y/n!" Aether protested, "I'm really sorry about her, she was raised by Hilichurls-"

"YOU SAY IT LIKE IT'S A BAD THING!" y/n snapped at her traveling companion, gripping the wooden table until it began to smoke.

"It's alright." Dainsleif told the embarrassed Aether as y/n pouted like a small child would, "As I thought... you really are similar to her. Now that I understand your views on this world, as we agreed, you may now commission me. That said, I only take commissions related to the Abyss Order. Like you, I am currently on a journey. You intend to find your sibling, while I wish to oppose the Abyss."

"Eugh, he speaks in paragraphs..." y/n muttered, earning confused looks from her two friends.

"Well, I have met some Abyss Mages in the past..." Aether offered.

"Ugh... Those creatures that serve the Abyss are the fangs and claws by which the Order spreads chaos in this world." y/n could tell just from his voice that he really didn't like the Abyss Order, "I have come to Mondstadt this time while on the trail of an Abyss Herald..."

"An Abyss Herald?" Paimon inquired as y/n broke into a cold sweat, looking elsewhere.

'I remember those things.' she thought, recalling the short amount of time she got to explore the abyss, 'They were super tall and I could tell that if I were to try to fight one, I could win, but I wouldn't get out without some serious injuries...'

"An even more twisted Abyssal being, one that commands the Abyss Mages." Dainsleif explained, a growl in his voice..

"Come to think of it, since the Stormterror incident ended, we haven't seen much of the Abyss Order..." Aether said thoughtfully.

"Ooh, that's right! We've just been fighting against the Fatui in Liyue, who are human too..." Paimon exclaimed, "We haven't encountered the non-human Abyss Order at all! At least not before Osiris told us that y/n had been taken by th-"

Y/n shoved several pieces of cheese in Paimon's mouth to shut her up, "Quiet."

"There's some reason behind that, I'm afraid." Dainsleif hummed and y/n couldn't help but be disturbed by the fact he was looking at her, "It's possible that they may have been under orders to redirect your path."

"That does sound pretty dangerous... Maybe they're looking for a better time to ambush us or something..." Paimon murmured after eating the cheese y/n had given her.

"I'll defeat them, no problem!" Aether exclaimed then gave y/n a smile, "It'll be a piece of cake! Especially with y/n on our side!"

Y/n grinned, "Yeah!"

"Uh-huh! We're super-duper strong!" Paimon agreed.

"Well then, let's go see for ourselves, shall we? According to the leads I have on hand, the Abyss Order has re-infiltrated the Temple of the Falcon." Dainsleif announced, standing up, "Let's meet up at the temple. Perhaps your questions about the Abyss will be answered there."

"See ya there, Danny!" y/n chimed.

"Danny?" Dainsleif inquired.

"Your name is too hard to pronounce." y/n replied with a shrug, "Let's go!"

(I call him Danny mainly because I have no idea how to say his name correctly.)