“Wait… what?”
Mona blinked, her initial gratitude quickly replaced by a hint of suspicion. “Why did you wait until the food was served to tell me?”
“Because Mona’s flustered expressions are adorable… uh, I mean,” Lumine quickly backpedaled, “because we wanted it to be a surprise.”
“…” Mona glared at Lumine, feeling the urge to retract her earlier appreciation.
“Let’s eat. We still have a long way to go after this,” Jia Changjiang said, his voice cutting through the tension.
“…Fine,” Mona muttered, picking up her chopsticks awkwardly and beginning to try the delectable dishes in front of her. As she ate, the group chatted idly about their journey.
“Mona, how did you figure out that information about the successor? Was it the same water-based astrology you used to find me?” Lumine asked curiously.
Still chewing, Mona casually waved her hand and summoned her Hydro astrolabe again. “Something like that. Based on the current star alignment and trajectories, I can discern partial details about her.”
“Though I can’t see everything clearly before we reach Mondstadt, I do know this much: she’s a young, accomplished woman. As the successor of my master’s friend, she must possess considerable knowledge about mysticism.”
“Young and accomplished? With deep knowledge of mysticism?” Lumine and Paimon exchanged glances.
“That… sounds oddly familiar,” Paimon muttered.
“By the way, Mona,” Lumine asked, “what is astrology exactly? Can it really reveal so much?”
Mona paused to consider her answer. “There are limits to what I can share—it’s a principle of my craft. But since you’re my apprentice, even temporarily, it wouldn’t do for you to remain clueless about mysticism.”
“Actually, I know a little about mysticism,” Lumine said, raising her hand. “I’ve learned to make potions, distill perfumes, and extract essential oils using gentle stirring techniques…”
“But as for fortune-telling, I have no clue.” Her voice filled with curiosity, she leaned in closer. “So what exactly is divination?”
Jia Changjiang and Paimon also turned their attention to Mona, intrigued.
“Hm…” Mona thought for a moment before explaining. “The astrology I practice is water divination. It uses reflections in water to gaze upon the true stars. Both destiny and truth are laid bare within the celestial tapestry.”
“The shimmering stars reflect the fates of all. While the water’s surface may appear to show illusions, the truth inevitably reveals itself. Lies and falsehoods hold no power before an astrologist,” Mona declared with pride.
“That sounds incredible… but Mona, you’ve had plenty of unexpected hiccups along the way,” Paimon remarked, arms crossed. “And you didn’t even catch Lumine’s fib earlier.”
Mona sighed, shaking her head. “That’s because Teyvat’s stars only reveal truths and destinies tied to this world. Anything involving you two becomes blurred and indeterminate. It’s why I need to meet the successor—gaining new knowledge might allow me to pierce the veil surrounding your futures.”
“Our futures are really that unclear?” Jia Changjiang glanced up at the clear blue sky, pondering Mona’s words. “What do the stars truly look like?”
“If I had to explain in simpler terms, have you heard of Constellations?” Mona asked, addressing both Jia Changjiang and Lumine. “Astrologists see Constellations as the reflection of a Vision-bearer’s destiny upon the heavens. Past, present, and future… all are etched within their patterns.”
She gestured skyward. “Other truths function similarly, though the stars may offer different glimpses.”
Turning her gaze toward Jia Changjiang and Lumine, Mona continued, “But your fates… don’t belong to this world’s sky. As such, all I can discern are faint, hazy trajectories.”
After a moment’s thought, she added, “That said, there’s a key difference between the two of you.”
“Hmm?” Both Jia Changjiang and Lumine perked up. “What’s different?”
“Lumine’s fate is like a misted-over mirror, concealing her future from view. Jia Changjiang’s, however…”
Mona paused, carefully considering her words. How best to describe the chaotic ripples she’d seen when observing his reflection in the water mirror?
“It’s as if a stone has been cast into a still pond, creating ripples that disrupt the surface. It feels… like something significant is on the verge of changing. Because of that, I can’t make any precise predictions.”
Paimon tilted her head. “What’s changing? Fate itself?”
“Impossible!” Mona adamantly shook her head. “Fate is immutable.
“Even if a stone disturbs the water, the ripples will inevitably subside, and the surface will return to stillness. It is because fate cannot be altered or defied that it is called fate.”
“I see…” Jia Changjiang rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. “Ripples, huh?”
Then, with a smirk, he added, “Sounds like I’m the stone—capable of causing some pretty big waves, wouldn’t you say?”
Lumine shot him a side-eye. “Jxa, you pick fights with everyone all the time. Of course you’re the stone.”
“And you’re the oily residue floating on the surface,” Jia Changjiang teased back. “Always scheming…”
As their playful banter continued, the group finally finished their meal.
For Mona, it was the first truly satisfying meal she’d had in a long time. With their stomachs full and spirits lifted, they prepared to resume their journey toward Mondstadt.
The road was long, and Mona struggled to keep up. Though she had eaten, the fatigue from her earlier hunger lingered. Along the way, they encountered scattered Hilichurls and slimes.
Rather than worry, Jia Changjiang and Lumine turned these encounters into a game, settling each battle by playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who got to take down the enemies.
Mona, meanwhile, trudged along behind them, her energy flagging.
When they finally crossed through Stone Gate and reached Mondstadt’s borders, the group paused to rest.
“Ha! Paimon’s not tired at all!” Paimon crowed triumphantly, perched atop Jia Changjiang’s shoulders.
“You didn’t walk a single step!” Mona snapped, exasperated. “You either floated the whole way or got carried!”
“Mr. Jax is very kind, so of course Paimon can ride on his shoulders!” Paimon replied smugly. “And look—Lumine and Mr. Jax aren’t tired at all. Guess astrologists aren’t as impressive as I thought…”
Mona sighed, rubbing her temples. “Astrology can’t magically increase stamina. You have such unrealistic expectations of it!”
—
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!
Reader discussion
0 Comments
Be the first reader to share a thought about this chapter.