“It’s over, and we still didn’t find the Abyss Herald…”
After defeating the Abyss Mages, Lumine removed her helmet with a mix of disappointment and frustration. “I don’t even know what an Abyss Herald looks like…”
“Isn’t it better not to meet such dangerous creatures in the first place?” Paimon retorted.
“Still, I can’t help but be curious…”
Lumine glanced at Jia Changjiang, who seemed lost in thought. “Jax, you probably want to fight that Abyss Herald too, right?”
But Jia Changjiang remained silent, his mind elsewhere.
“Hey! Battle maniac!” Lumine cupped her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice. “Mindless brute! Jia Greenskin! Big, dumb gorilla!”
Before she could say more, a hand clamped down on her head, pinching her temple.
“Oh? When did you come up with so many nicknames for me? Shouldn’t we have a proper chat about that?”
Jia Changjiang had been pondering whether someone had indeed been watching them earlier, but Lumine’s antics interrupted his train of thought.
“Mr. Jax can be pretty scary when he’s mad…” Paimon muttered, staying out of range as Jia Changjiang lightly knocked Lumine on the head.
“Ow, ow, ow! That hurt!”
Lumine rubbed her head indignantly. “Jia Greenskin, you’re hitting harder these days! I’ll get back at you eventually!”
“Let’s see you try—when you can beat me in close combat, Little Schemer,” Jia Changjiang said, cracking his knuckles with a smirk.
“You gave me a nickname too! Ugh… One day, I’ll sneak a potion into your breakfast…” Lumine grumbled under her breath.
“Your travels are… lively,” Dainsleif commented. His tone was cold as ever, but he seemed faintly reflective as he watched them. “Unlike my travels… and his.”
“You’ve traveled with someone before? Then why are you traveling alone now?” Paimon asked curiously. “Did you two have a falling out?”
“He no longer journeys,” Dainsleif replied, his voice laced with memory. “And I… still have unfinished business. When it’s done, I’ll return home.”
“Home… that’s something you only think about after your journey’s over, right?”
Paimon pondered aloud. “Hey, Traveler, when we’re done traveling, let’s find a place to settle down!”
“Settle down?” Lumine seemed lost in thought. “Home…”
“Once your journey reaches its end, you can decide where to rest,” Dainsleif added.
“What about you, Mr. Jax?” Paimon turned to Jia Changjiang. “When your travels are over, will you settle down somewhere? Didn’t you say Liyue feels like your hometown? Maybe you’ll live there?”
“The end of the journey…” Jia Changjiang fell silent. “That’s a long way off. Why worry about it now?”
“Maybe I won’t settle anywhere,” he added with a shrug. “The world is vast, after all.”
“But—” Paimon began, only for Lumine to pull her aside. “Paimon, stop asking so many questions. We still have so many places left to explore—”
Her voice trailed off as her gaze shifted toward a distant cliff.
“…Aether?”
Lumine’s expression changed. She didn’t hesitate for a second, sprinting toward the cliff.
There was no mistaking it.
She could recognize many things, but above all, she remembered Aether’s presence with absolute clarity.
It didn’t matter how long they had been apart—his presence was unmistakable.
Realizing what was happening, Jia Changjiang also sprang into motion, following her. It seemed his earlier suspicion about someone watching them had been correct.
When they reached the cliff, however, they found nothing but a few tracks left by Ruin Guards, fading into the distance.
Lumine collapsed to her knees, her strength leaving her.
The air still carried a faint, familiar presence—Aether’s presence. Her long-lost brother.
“Why isn’t he here… Why?”
Her voice was a quiet murmur, tinged with disbelief. “I was right here… So why did Aether leave?”
“Traveler…” Paimon approached her cautiously, sensing something was wrong. “Are you okay?”
“Lumine.”
Jia Changjiang knelt beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “He must have had his reasons.”
“Didn’t Aether see me?” Lumine asked, her voice trembling with emotion. “I’ve been searching for him all this time…”
“Why did he leave? Is he avoiding me?”
Her voice broke slightly, and the weight of her long-held emotions poured out.
For so long, Lumine had hidden her feelings, keeping her composure despite the hardships of her journey. But now, faced with the realization that she had missed her brother once again, the dam broke.
She hugged her knees, tears streaming down her face.
It wasn’t just the thought of missing Aether—it was the idea that he had seen her and chosen to leave that truly stung.
They were family.
“Lumine…” Paimon panicked, her tiny hands trying to wipe away Lumine’s tears. “Don’t cry, okay? Paimon will give you all the tasty snacks from now on, okay?”
“Lumine…?”
Jia Changjiang froze.
It was the first time he’d ever seen Lumine cry.
She was always so carefree—laughing, teasing, chasing down fun and treasure as if the weight of her journey didn’t exist. She seemed indifferent to her search for Aether, even making light of it at times.
But now, he could see how deeply she had been hurting all along.
“Lumine, your brother must have had a reason to leave,” Jia Changjiang said gently. “Maybe… he didn’t see you. Or maybe he was just passing through.”
“At least now you know—he’s still in this world.”
Dainsleif spoke as well, his voice steady and calm. “Worry and doubt cloud the mind. Your journey is far from over, and you still have time to find him.”
“I know, but…”
Lumine wiped at her tears, rising shakily to her feet. “I just… miss him.”
“Aether… My brother wouldn’t leave without a reason.”
She took a deep breath, determination returning to her voice.
“I’ll find him. No matter what.”
—
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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