“Oh, Diluc.”
Jia Changjiang glanced over his shoulder at the approaching figure, swaying slightly as he stood.
“Sorry, Venti. I think we’re done for today.”
He stretched and gave the bard a lopsided grin. “Let’s drink again sometime.”
“Sure thing,” Venti replied, punctuating his words with a hiccup. Staggering slightly, he turned to leave but paused at the door.
“By the way, I’ll be busy for a few days, so it might be a while before we can hang out again. Save me a spot at the table!”
“Got it.” Jia Changjiang nodded. As Venti disappeared from sight, Diluc took the seat across from him.
“You beat Jean?” Diluc asked bluntly.
“I did.” Jia Changjiang smacked his cheeks lightly, trying to shake off his lingering buzz.
“But Jean’s strong. Her winds still carry uncertainty, but her resolve is worthy of recognition.”
He straightened, his drunken haze dissipating.
“It was a satisfying fight. I enjoyed it.”
“… I see.”
Diluc didn’t ask for details; he only needed to know the result.
“I’ll instruct Charles to give you a 30% discount on tonight’s tab.”
As Diluc stood to leave, he added, “Enjoy it while you can. If you ever threaten Mondstadt, your reception will be far less welcoming.”
“Ha! Generous as always, Master Diluc!” Jia Changjiang raised his glass in a mock toast. “I’ll drink to that.”
“Hmph.”
With a faint scoff, Diluc turned and left.
Jia Changjiang chuckled to himself. “What a fiery kid…”
Diluc’s outward demeanor might be cold as ice, but inside, he carried a blazing flame.
“An outward frost masking an inner fire…”
—
“Dvalin…”
After parting with Jia Changjiang, Venti leapt gracefully over Mondstadt’s city walls, heading toward the wilds beyond.
His destination was clear—he needed to aid Dvalin.
—
Meanwhile, on a distant shoreline…
A golden-haired girl sat at the edge of the water, holding a makeshift fishing rod fashioned from a stick and some string.
“I’m so hungry… so, so hungry…”
Her eyes were fixed on the waves with an intensity that suggested she was trying to will the fish to bite.
“Come on, take the bait!”
She muttered the words like a mantra, her tone growing more desperate. Judging by her demeanor, if the fish didn’t cooperate soon, she was prepared to dive in after them herself.
Fortunately, the rod twitched after a short while.
“Finally!”
Feeling the tug on her line, the girl’s eyes lit up.
The weight on the rod… the resistance… this had to be a big catch!
“You’re mine now!”
She yanked hard on the rod, pulling her prize from the water with a triumphant shout.
What emerged, however, wasn’t a fish.
It was a small, floating creature that bore a striking resemblance to a child. Dressed in odd clothes and sporting a tiny, hovering crown above its head, the strange being had a comically distended belly, bloated with seawater.
The girl—Lumine—reached out and poked the creature’s belly experimentally.
Pfffft!
A small spout of water erupted from its mouth, and the swollen belly began to deflate.
“What… is this?”
Lumine tilted her head, her eyes shifting between the odd creature and a pot that had conveniently floated ashore nearby.
—
So warm…
Paimon stirred faintly, her senses slowly returning.
The freezing cold that had surrounded her earlier was gone, replaced by a comforting warmth.
Did someone save me?
Blinking groggily, she opened her eyes and saw a golden-haired girl gazing at her with a gentle, almost angelic expression.
“You… saved me?” Paimon asked weakly.
But something felt off.
The warmth around her was growing… too warm.
Fully awake now, Paimon looked down and realized with horror that she was sitting in a pot.
The girl’s kind gaze suddenly seemed far less innocent, more like a predator sizing up its prey.
“Help!!”
With a shriek, Paimon shot out of the pot, trying to escape.
She didn’t get far.
Two small hands grabbed her tiny legs, pulling her back.
“Food doesn’t run away!” Lumine shouted.
“Don’t eat meeeee!” Paimon’s panicked cries echoed across the beach.
—
About ten minutes later…
Sitting near the same pot, Paimon munched on a Sunsetia fruit, while Lumine stirred a stew made from a small animal she had hunted after Paimon escaped.
The golden-haired girl gnawed on another Sunsetia, recounting her story.
“So… you and your brother drifted here from another world?” Paimon asked, her own fruit almost as big as her face.
“More or less.” Lumine nodded. “A strange god took my brother, Aether, and sealed away my power.”
She clenched her fist, determination flashing in her eyes. “I’ll find him. I’ll figure this out.”
“Well, you did scare me when I woke up,” Paimon admitted, hovering with her hands on her hips. “But if you say it was all a misunderstanding, I guess it’s fine!”
Spinning in the air, she added cheerfully, “I’ll be the best guide you could ask for!”
“Good.” Lumine finished her fruit and checked the pot.
“The meat’s ready. Let’s eat.”
“Yay! After we eat, we can set out!” Paimon cheered.
Neither of them had any idea that the next two months would be filled with harsh wilderness survival.
—
Back in Mondstadt, Jia Changjiang was on the road to Springvale, clearing out Hilichurls that had blocked the path.
Once he finished this commission, he could report back to Katheryne at the Adventurers’ Guild.
“What’s Venti up to these days?” Jia Changjiang muttered as he swung his axe. “Knowing him, he’s probably slacking off somewhere. Typical for the so-called God of Freedom…”
Chuckling at the thought, Jia Changjiang finished his task and began the trek back to Mondstadt. Along the way, he ran into Lynn, the chef.
“Hey, Lynn! How’s survival treating you?”
“Not bad,” Lynn replied with a smile. “Oh, by the way, I’m running low on spices. If you have time, could you bring me some from Mondstadt?”
“Sure thing!” Jia Changjiang responded with his usual cheer.
—
T/N: ALSO THIS STORY MIGHT BE INACCURATE TO LORE! ITS A FEW YEARS OLD!! doesn’t matter anyway lore doesn’t matter to JAX LANCELOT!
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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