“A seed? But I don’t know how to farm,” Lumine mused, tilting her head. “Can’t you just plant it in the ground and see what happens?”
“No.”
Albedo shook his head. “This seed, like you two, is from another world. The challenge lies in how to make it grow and bloom. That is the bottleneck I’m facing—and the subject of the research I need your help with.”
“But if even your alchemy can’t make it sprout, how are we supposed to help?” Paimon asked, puzzled.
“Oh, you absolutely can,” Albedo replied, his gaze sharpening with interest as he looked at Lumine and Jia Changjiang. “Even I cannot fully comprehend lifeforms beyond this world. But by closely observing and studying you two—who share that otherworldly origin—I might discover the inspiration needed to make the seed sprout.”
“Wait a minute…” Lumine frowned, realization dawning. “So we’re basically your research subjects?”
“Well…” Jia Changjiang interjected, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “There’s something important we should clarify: while both Lumine and I are from other worlds, we’re not necessarily from the same world.”
“Even better.” Albedo’s response was calm, as if he’d anticipated this. “More differences mean more unknowns to explore—and more samples for comparison.”
Lumine crossed her arms, unimpressed. “Alright, but if we’re going to help, what’s in it for us?”
Without hesitation, Albedo answered, “Mora, knowledge, and answers to any questions you might have that I can provide. Does that work for you?”
“Deal!” Lumine grinned.
“What about the seed, though? If it grows, what will it turn into?” Paimon asked curiously.
“I don’t know. But the result isn’t as important as the process,” Albedo explained. “If I can use alchemy to awaken a lifeform that does not belong to Teyvat, it would advance my understanding of the essence of life itself. From there, the act of creation would no longer be impossible.”
Paimon blinked, confused. “I just wanna know what kind of plant it’ll grow into…”
Albedo chuckled, recognizing her train of thought. “If it bears fruit, and it’s edible, we’ll share it together. How about that?”
“Yay!” Paimon cheered. “Albedo, you’re a good person!”
“Save some for me, too!” Lumine added excitedly. “I want to know what fruit from another world tastes like!”
Not even her No-Hunger Orb could suppress Lumine’s curiosity about food.
“You’re pretty sharp, reading Paimon’s thoughts like that,” Lumine remarked.
Albedo nodded lightly. “That’s because… I’ve had to take care of a certain child before. It’s a long story, but let’s call it a skill acquired outside of alchemy.”
“Ah, you mean Klee, right? We heard you’re her older brother,” Jia Changjiang said. “Klee and her bombs… well, let’s just say she’s unforgettable.”
What he didn’t mention was how he’d given Klee a trinket with a special Demolitionist Orb, boosting the power of her explosives.
Yup, even stronger now.
“You’ve met Klee? Then it seems I’ve gotten to know you two a bit late,” Albedo replied with a small smile.
As the group continued their walk through the snowy terrain, Albedo began to delve into his research.
“Let’s return to the first topic—elemental energy,” Albedo began, looking at Lumine. “In this world, people need a Vision to harness elemental power. Yet, you don’t seem to have one. How are you able to wield elemental energy so freely? That’s something worth investigating.”
Albedo then shifted his gaze to Jia Changjiang, noting something unusual.
Unlike Lumine, Jia Changjiang wasn’t using elemental power—but despite the steadily dropping temperature, he didn’t seem affected at all. His body showed no signs of discomfort, as though the cold didn’t register.
Is he from a cold-resistant race? Or is it something else? Albedo wondered.
“First question,” Albedo said, his tone analytical. “Do either of you have any unique organs? A second heart? A fourth stomach?”
“I don’t think so…” Lumine said, thinking it over seriously. “Nope, definitely not.”
“Yeah, I’d notice if I had extra organs. Living in Teyvat this long, something would’ve gone wrong by now if I did,” Jia Changjiang added.
Albedo turned his attention to Paimon. “And this floating little companion of yours—can it link to your body in some way?”
Before Lumine could respond, Paimon puffed up indignantly. “What kind of weird question is that?! Obviously not! And hey! I’m not ‘little’—I’m Paimon!”
“I was considering the possibility of her being an external organ of sorts. Perhaps linked to you in a way that isn’t immediately visible,” Albedo explained thoughtfully.
Jia Changjiang’s expression turned amused.
An external organ?
Does Paimon as Lumine’s conscience count? Without her, who knows how many problems Lumine would’ve caused. She’d probably have been arrested by now.
“Paimon’s not always with me, you know,” Lumine said. “I fished her out of a lake when we first met.”
“Could Paimon be channeling elemental energy to you, then?” Albedo speculated. “For example, energy strong enough to pierce ten meters of solid rock—or reverse the flow of Springvale’s waterfall.”
Paimon gave him a blank stare.
What does he think I am?!
“Guess not…” Albedo muttered, shaking his head.
“You didn’t even give me a chance to answer!”
Albedo then looked at Jia Changjiang. “As for you, you seem completely unaffected by the cold. I’ve heard your physical capabilities are far beyond average. Can you control elements like Lumine?”
“Nope, not at all. I can’t control elements, let alone sense them in the air,” Jia Changjiang replied, waving dismissively.
“Then I’ll need to conduct some direct experiments to identify any differences,” Albedo concluded. “In combat, for instance, I could gather useful data from observing you two. Slimes, being elemental creatures, would make ideal opponents.”
Albedo paused before adding, “Of course, if you’re feeling ambitious, we could also take on six Hydro Mimics at once…”
—
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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