“From… nothingness to existence, from budding to flourishing, and then to the end.”
Albedo observed the scattered ashes left behind by the flower, his tone contemplative. “Cultivating life that does not belong to this world… is that not also a form of cultivating the world itself?”
Lumine, still gazing at the remnants, remarked, “That flower bloomed so briefly… almost too briefly.”
“That was its limit,” Albedo explained, his voice carrying a trace of admiration. “A flower that can bloom for but a fleeting moment yet radiates such unmatched beauty… that is the ultimate expression of life.”
Paimon’s shoulders drooped slightly as she said, “I thought all our effort would make it bloom forever… and it didn’t even bear any fruit…”
“Life is a free and diverse phenomenon. It should not be judged solely by its duration,” Albedo explained patiently. “Even a short life has its merits. Efficiency and perfection often mean it is spared from the pain of solitude.”
He turned his piercing gaze toward Jia Changjiang and Lumine. “So… do you now understand what I meant earlier when I said that our very conversation could be considered a miracle?”
Lumine muttered under her breath, “Are you a philosopher or something? And besides, I’m standing here alive and well!”
Jia Changjiang, however, glanced at the ashes and murmured a line of poetry he had read long ago.
“The crane lives a thousand years, roaming the skies; the mayfly lives but a day, savoring all its joy…”
He frowned slightly, his tone contemplative. “And yet… it feels incomplete. Life isn’t just about fleeting beauty.”
His gaze lingered on the ashes. “Even a fleeting moment of glory… should be passed on. That is what true life is meant to be.”
The atmosphere grew heavier, the weight of their words settling like mist around them.
“Stop!” Lumine’s sudden outburst broke the tension. “What’s with all this heavy talk? And who cares about loneliness? If you don’t want to feel lonely, just make more friends!”
She hugged Paimon tightly. “The two of us have been traveling together and made so many friends along the way!”
“Yeah, yeah!” Paimon nodded vigorously. “The Traveler has loads of friends! And now, whenever we go to Mondstadt or Liyue, people even give us discounts at restaurants!”
Paimon then turned to Albedo. “Albedo, you can be our friend too!”
“And Jax will definitely agree, right?” she added, turning to him.
Jia Changjiang laughed. “Making friends? Of course! I don’t have many hobbies, but I do love making friends. Albedo, are you of age yet? If so, I’ll take you to the tavern for one of our gatherings—it’s always a lively time!”
“Ah… Thank you,” Albedo said, a hint of warmth in his tone as he snapped out of his deep thoughts. “While alleviating loneliness isn’t essential for life, it’s certainly… not unpleasant.”
“It’s your insights that inspired me to make the seed bloom. For that, I’m deeply grateful,” Albedo said sincerely, bowing slightly.
“Even though your experiments are a bit… odd, they’re kind of interesting, so I’ll let it slide,” Lumine declared, hands on her hips. “We’re pretty good research subjects, aren’t we?”
“This time in the snowy mountains has been a very meaningful journey,” Albedo admitted. He hesitated briefly before continuing. “In the future, if I need help again, may I call on you?”
“Of course!” Lumine gave him a thumbs-up. “Even if it’s not for research, we still have so much left to explore in the snowy mountains. A legendary adventurer like me can’t just skip such an adventure hotspot!”
“Well said,” Jia Changjiang agreed, clapping Albedo on the shoulder. “It’s not every day you meet someone with such a deep understanding of alchemy. We should definitely be friends!”
“By the way, Albedo, you’re a great artist, right?” Lumine added enthusiastically. “If we ever need to sell something, can we hire you to draw an ad? Don’t worry, we’ll pay you!”
Faced with their boundless energy, Albedo seemed momentarily at a loss but soon gave a small, genuine smile.
When Lumine and Jia Changjiang began heading back to the base camp, Albedo exhaled quietly, as though finally releasing the weight of the moment.
But as his gaze fell on the flask on his table, his expression grew thoughtful.
The flask contained residues from the experimental potions.
Though Jia Changjiang had consumed two potions without noticeable effects, the one Lumine drank had left a peculiar sediment at the bottom of the vial.
Albedo kept this anomaly to himself for now.
“Those who breathe the black soil are tainted; those who breathe the chalk are pure…” he murmured.
“It seems… she and I are both materials yet to be fully shaped by the future.”
He paused, his voice dropping further. “So… if one day I lose control and threaten to destroy everything… will I be able to count on you to stop me?”
His gaze shifted back to the ashes left by the flower.
As he began clearing the remnants, he discovered something unexpected.
A tiny seed rolled out from the pile of ashes.
“A seed… from the flower?”
Albedo froze, momentarily speechless.
According to his calculations, the otherworldly seed should not have left anything behind after blooming.
This… must mean something unusual had occurred.
Albedo picked up the seed and thought of Jia Changjiang’s earlier words.
“It seems…”
He carefully planted the seed in a small pot designed for experiments.
“…The anomalies in this experiment are not limited to Lumine alone.”
—
Meanwhile, Jia Changjiang and Lumine returned to the adventurers’ base camp at the foot of the mountain. The camp was bustling with adventurers preparing for their climbs, buying food, gear, and other supplies.
With time to spare, the two wandered around the camp, exploring its lively atmosphere.
Eventually, they encountered a young woman who appeared to be part of the Adventurers’ Guild leadership. She seemed preoccupied, as if dealing with a pressing issue.
After some conversation, Jia Changjiang and Lumine learned something surprising:
The young woman, Yuxia, was actually the older sister of Mondstadt’s Adventurers’ Guild Master, Cyrus.
“You’re Cyrus’s sister?!” Lumine exclaimed, wide-eyed. “But you look so young—and you seem more like you’re from Liyue!”
“That’s because our parents were from both Liyue and Mondstadt,” Yuxia explained with a wry smile. “Lately, conditions on the snowy mountain haven’t been great. There’s too much ice blocking the paths, and even the Adventurers’ Guild has struggled to handle 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!
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