Chapter IV: Prelude, Act I, Part III
"...My Prince..." You stared at him speechlessly while holding to Paimon tightly. You looked around for a moment and saw no sign of Kaeya standing behind you. You looked back at him with a smile while Paimon is in your hand while Aether looked shocked when he heard Dainsleif call you Prince.
You gulped. You barely remember your time in Khaenri'ah and you are aware of your status but you don't know how did you treat him in the past. You weren't sure how were you supposed to react but well, it's probably better if you pretend that you didn't know what is he on about.
"Huh? What?" You asked, wasn't sure if you were doing the right move. He furrowed his eyebrows and just cleared his throat.
"I thought I saw someone familiar." He stated as you just raised your eyebrows but didn't question further and sat next to Aether. "So... that guy and the little one he is holding..." He trailed off, hoping that Aether would answer.
"Ahh... Both of them are my best friends." Aether answered, rather hesitantly, and been giving you glances for some reason. You wondered what got him so worked up for a moment there. You noticed that Dainsleif also glanced at you for a moment.
He looked back at Aether seems rather cold but then again, he had been like this for quite some time. "It's indeed a good thing to have someone accompany you on your travels. My name's Dainsleif. I suppose you have some business with me?" He questioned as Aether nodded.
"Well, I was hoping to invite you to adventure with us..." Aether said which Dainsleif immediately agreed that shocked him as well.
"But I will require advance payment." He stated as Aether looked at you in nervous. Mora isn't something that he has given the strenuous amount of Mora he had to spend on food for Paimon. Not to mention the maintenance fee for his weapon. You wondered how much Mora he had left... does he even have 500 Mora?
After all, you did leave them alone for a few days. You patted his head and smiled at him before turning to Dainsleif. "If it's regarding Mora, I'll pay for it on behalf of him but you seem like you wanted to ask a few questions to him as well?" You questioned as he raised his eyebrows.
"...That's right but not only him but you as well." He said as you raised your eyebrows, not expecting him to answer that way before smiling.
"Alright, sure... How much would it be?" You asked, taking out your phone to prepare the Mora he asked. You've forgotten how much he needed in the first place.
"750 Mora and three answered questions. The 750 is a one-time fee, and we'll settle the questions at the moment." He answered which surprised you but you paid for it without any complaints. He took the Mora, saying his thank you before keeping it inside his pocket. "Now, as for my questions, I'd like you to answer them here and now..." He said, sounded quite serious about it which worried Aether.
"Do we need to answer correctly?" Aether questioned him as Dainsleif shook his head.
"For you two, the answer to a question says nothing about right and wrong. Only about differences in attitude. I only wish to know what your choices are. You need only to answer." He answered as you wondered what kind of question he will ask you. He started by asking Aether the three questions regarding Mondstadt, Liyue, and who held importance on God's eyes.
You didn't expect he would answer you were the one who was the key to ending the crisis on the first question. Others were the choices that were given in the games. Though his answers were different from what Lumine might have answered in Dainsleif's eyes. "It seems that you're different from her..." Dainsleif mumbled.
"What do you mean by her...?" Aether asked but was not answered and instead he began to look at you with that blue eyes of his that seems so sharp.
"Question one, in this world, there are those who were granted Visions and there are those who did not. What do you think are the criteria for gaining a Vision?" He asked which surprised you. Does this have to do with Khaenri'ah being the godless nation and your connection with Celestia?
Well, you could not ask him directly. Right now, the time is not right. "The criteria for receiving a Vision is one's ambition must be aligned with the Seven Archons' ambitions but there are some special cases where they received a Vision without having their ambition aligned to the Archon. As for the special cases, I have no idea." You answered without telling the whole thing that you know.
It would be a bit suspicious if you tell the whole thing.
He and Aether seem to be interested in your own answer. It's given coming from a person who barely had a memory here yet knows a lot about this world thanks to the game. "Interesting answer... Question number two, do you know a nation of Khaenri'ah? If you do, tell me your opinion about them." You stayed silent.
He seems to test you if you have any recollection of the past. The Khaenri'ah you know and he remembers are different given you used to rule that nation. An answer here plays a role for you and him. You must not let him know that you know him in terms of identity, role in this story to achieve the ending you wanted while he probably needs to know if you remember him, the nation that you build him and might as well work alongside with you.
You glanced at Aether that seems shaken when Khaenri'ah was mentioned. If he knew that you knew Khaenri'ah, he's probably going to be wary of you. About how knowledgeable you were yet you decided to hide from him for such a long time. You had to act clueless here in order for that not to happen... At least you need the right moment, to tell the truth. "I only know that Khaenri'ah is a nation that was destroyed 500 years ago and it's a godless nation. That's all I think of Khaenri'ah." You said, rather sound cold.
Even though Dainsleif looks calm but you could see in his eyes that he was distraught by the fact you remember none of them. "So that's your answer? I see... Now for my final question, do you think it is justified to punish the whole nation, including the elderly and children for a single person's dream?"
"Does this question refer to something I or Orochi did?" You would've asked him but you decided and answered it how anyone with a good heart would, "No. Of course not." You said but it feels so insincere when those words rolled out from your tongue.
"So... this is your answer, then... I understand." He stated, looking into your eyes, trying to read your thoughts. You weren't sure why even a guy like him became easy to read. He looked like he had trouble reading you and you wondered what will he do about it.
"I'll take that 750 Mora... and now I also 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." He explained to Aether.
Aether began to make a remark that he had met a few Abyss Mages but wait until he met the Riffhounds, Lectors and others. They were a nightmare. "Ugh... Those creatures that serve the Abyss are the fangs and claws by which the Order spreads chaos in this world. I have come to Mondstadt this time while on the trail of an Abyss Herald..." He stated as Aether felt a bit dumb-founded.
The Abyss Herald he knew was literally Corazon but then changed it form to a human. "Oh... Is it Cryo Abyss Herald?" He asked Dainsleif out of curiosity which in response Dainsleif just furrowed his eyebrows.
"No... Abyss Herald usually have a Hydro element. Have you met one before?" He questioned.
"Kinda." Aether responded which Dainsleif showed his curiosity towards his answer. "It's a long story... A very long one." Aether stated before Aether paused for a moment. "...Come to think of it, since the Stormterror incident ended, we haven't seen much of them." Aether said as you nodded.
Since Paimon out cold, you had to act in her place. "That's true. We've been fighting Fatui in Liyue and Fatui people are human-ish... We didn't encounter any non-human Abyss Order at all except commissions. I've been beating those guys up so often." You stated the obvious. You weren't sure if that's what Paimon said but whatever, who cares.
"There's some reason behind that, I'm afraid. It's possible that they may have been under orders to avoid your path." Dainsleif said which gave Aether few concerns about them.
"They probably thinking of ambushing us which isn't surprising for me." You stated as Aether began to look confident.
"They won't defeat me and I won't let them hurt you, Y/N." He said, holding one of your hand since Paimon is still in your arms. You only said a simple, "I'm glad that I could rely on you" and gave him a smile, he would immediately looked happy as well.
You glanced at Dainsleif that seems to be shocked before he started to invite you three to go investigate the Temple of Falcon just so the answer regarding the Abyss would've been answered.
He seems to be wary of you and watching you like a hawk. You could've only wondered what was his thought and how does he feel when he saw you, a former ruler of Khaenri'ah appears right in front of him.
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Meanwhile...
Somewhere in the Abyss
"...Do you really think we could trust that demon?" Astra asked while looking around the Abyss. Despite coming down here for quite some times, this place still give him a creep. He could feel his skins detoriating from the Abyssal energy that flows inside this place.
"We have no choice. That four eyes can't handle us, creatures that are cursed and the only way for us to be with him is to find a cure and that ingredient is in this same place," Corazon scolded him as Astra sighed before looking at Corazon.
"But your form is scary."
"Just deal with it since we need to fight for that material."
"... But are you sure we don't need a healer? I can ask my grandma do a rain healing spell just so we don't suffer corrosion." Astra offered but earned a glare from Corazon instead. He just shivered before staying silents. "You could've let me find some slimes or get me a bow or something..." He complained before heading inside the Riffhound Cavern.
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On the other hand...
In Enkanomiya...
Osial wandered around the place, having a bad feeling about this whole thing. He barely managed to go through the waves and tides in the ocean of Inazuma and now entering the Watatsumi Island. He really just hope that Orobaxi is dead because he couldn't handle him at all. He looked at the ground, recalling Orochi's word before sighing.
"I hope you are okay, Young Master." He continued to wander around, trying to find the material that was asked, didn't realise that he was followed by an Abyss Mage.
TO BE CONTINUED
Author Note:
I was going to update this sooner but well, my mother just wouldn't let me but I made it teensy bit longer than it supposed to. I hope you enjoy this chapter and an art of Y/N during in Inazuma a long time ago, also have a great day.
This for me is the most decent drawings that I've made so far. Mind you this was made like during 2.0 just released or mid released.