Albedo chuckled lightly. “This is all just part of the experiment.”
Lumine squinted at him skeptically. “Hmm? So, that butter-fried fish recipe you dug out earlier… Don’t tell me you picked it just because you wanted to eat it?”
“Well, whether for an experiment or just for tasting, butter-fried fish is an excellent choice,” Albedo replied with his usual calmness.
“Ah-ha! I knew it!” Lumine pointed at him. “You just tricked me into doing your chores!”
Albedo shook his head. “No, it really is for the experiment.”
After scrutinizing him for a moment, Lumine sighed. “Fine. I’ll take your word for it.”
With a huff, she activated her elemental sight and began searching for the two items Albedo needed. Meanwhile, Jia Changjiang stayed behind, demonstrating the origins of his mysterious iron pickaxe for Albedo.
Before long, Jia Changjiang pulled out a workbench and, using sticks and chunks of iron ore, crafted a brand-new iron pickaxe right before Albedo’s eyes.
“So, using materials from this world on that workbench, you can craft tools imbued with laws from another world?” Albedo tested the new pickaxe and found it retained all the properties of the original. He muttered to himself, analyzing the phenomenon.
“Does the workbench act as a conduit, transforming Teyvat’s materials into vessels capable of preserving the rules of another world? What happens during this transformation? Alchemy? Or some entirely different process? Or is this simply the natural law of your world?”
He began scribbling notes feverishly, filling the page with questions and hypotheses sparked by the pickaxe.
Jia Changjiang added, “The workbench isn’t fully functional. Right now, it can only craft certain tools. Other things… can’t be repaired.”
“Broken? It was already damaged when you arrived in this world?” Albedo recorded this carefully. “And if it were intact, what could it do?”
Jia Changjiang paused, contemplating the full potential of a complete workbench. He spoke slowly, his tone tinged with awe.
“If it were whole… then everything within reach would belong to my world.”
A fully functional workbench could craft another workbench.
And with that replication, everything could be broken down and reconstructed, piece by piece.
The entire world could be transformed into his own.
“I see…”
Albedo nodded thoughtfully as he jotted down more notes. Not long after, Lumine and Paimon returned, carrying the items Albedo had been searching for.
“Here. One vial of Windwheel Aster extract and one pouch of Lightning Prism powder,” Lumine said, handing them over.
Albedo nodded. “You found these using… elemental sight?”
“Does elemental sight count as a superpower?” Lumine asked curiously.
“Unfortunately, while rare, elemental sight is a documented ability that exists naturally in this world,” Albedo replied, shaking his head. “Still, being able to locate lost items with it proves the experiment was worthwhile.”
Lumine narrowed her eyes. “You’re totally just using me for your errands, aren’t you?”
“Now then,” Albedo said, flipping to a new page in his notebook, “we’ve examined the unique features of otherworldly tools. Next, we’ll focus on your identities as humans.”
Lumine stared at him incredulously. “So, until now, we haven’t even counted as human in your eyes?”
Albedo ignored her grumbling and addressed both Lumine and Jia Changjiang. “Human differences mainly lie in individual traits and physical capabilities. Let’s begin by testing those.”
He pointed in the direction of Mondstadt. “From here, can you see what Sucrose is doing at the alchemy table?”
“?” Lumine blinked in confusion. “I’m Lumine, not a hawk. There’s no way I can see that far. But if I had to guess, she’s probably reading.”
“No, I can’t see anything either,” Jia Changjiang replied after squinting for a moment.
Albedo adjusted the experiment. “What if you jumped from here to that distant cliff? Could you see then?”
“Forget seeing anything—just getting to that cliff in one jump is the real problem!” Lumine retorted.
“How about punching through the mountain in front of you? Would you be able to see past it then?”
“Hey!!! This is just another superpower test, isn’t it?!”
Seeing their reactions, Albedo sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. “It seems I’ll need to adjust my expectations. Let’s move on to something more straightforward.”
Albedo led them to the peak of a small mountain on Dragonspine. He pointed to a spot across the lake below. “The goal is simple. Reach that spot on the opposite shore of the lake using any method you like. Once you arrive, the experiment is complete.”
“Any method?” Lumine asked.
“But if it’s across the lake, won’t the Traveler have to swim?” Paimon wondered.
“When there are no restrictions, people instinctively choose the method they find most reasonable to achieve their goal,” Albedo explained. “This provides an honest reflection of their natural choices.”
“No matter what approach you take, it’ll be part of the experiment. I’ll record and analyze everything.” He paused and added, “In a way, this could be a… small competition between the two of you.”
“Competition?!” Lumine perked up, shooting a glance at Jia Changjiang. “So, while we’re racing, what will you be doing, Albedo?”
“I’ll be recording data, addressing any hazards, and… cheering you on,” he replied earnestly.
“Got it. When do we start?” Jia Changjiang asked, nodding.
“Whenever you’re ready. I’ll start recording as soon as you head down,” Albedo said. He glanced to the side and noticed Lumine already leaping off the cliff, her wind glider unfurled. “Looks like she’s already started.”
“What?!”
Jia Changjiang turned to see Lumine soaring through the air, shouting back at him triumphantly.
“Jia Greenleaf, you’re not winning this time! I’m a certified Mondstadt glider!”
“Today, I’m definitely beating you!”
—
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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