Training ended not with some dramatic explosion, not with me collapsing to one knee while coughing blood like a tragic anime protagonist, and unfortunately not with Sora admitting out loud that I was incredibly handsome, talented, and probably the greatest thing to ever happen to his social life.
No.
Training ended because Nilou looked at me and said, very gently, very sweetly, and with absolutely terrifying authority, "That's enough."
And because I was a brave man with strong principles, I immediately obeyed.
Not because I was scared.
Obviously.
I simply respected women.
Deeply.
Spiritually.
Survival-wise.
I sat on a piece of broken metallic debris inside the Joururi Workshop, breathing a little heavier than usual while letting the last traces of Anemo, Geo, Electro, and Dendro settle inside my body. The elements withdrew slowly, one by one, like a storm being folded back into my bones. Anemo eased from my lungs first, Geo softened from my joints, Electro stopped buzzing through my nerves, and Dendro lingered the longest, gently smoothing the remaining strain before fading into a quiet pulse beneath my skin.
I wasn't hurt.
That was important.
Tired, yes. Sweaty, absolutely. Mildly offended that my hair probably no longer looked as fabulous as it did before we started, tragically also yes.
But hurt?
No.
Elemental Overflow was demanding, but I had trained it too long to let it chew me up from the inside like some overconfident rookie trying to speedrun organ failure. Fourteen years inside Mountain Shaper's ridiculous time chamber had taught my body how to survive this. Pain, strain, circulation, recoil, balance—all of that had been beaten into me by an Adeptus bird with the emotional warmth of a stone statue and the teaching style of "if you pass out, wake up faster."
So no.
I didn't collapse.
I just sat there, breathing, tired, and very aware that Nilou was still watching me like she might personally fight my bloodstream if it acted suspicious.
Sora stood a few paces away with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp. "Your transition between Haran and Thundering Pulse still wastes movement."
I looked at him. "Good to know your emotional support language is criticism."
"It's practical."
"It's hurtful."
"It's accurate."
"Worse."
Nilou knelt slightly in front of me, her gaze moving over my face with quiet concern. "Are you sure you're not feeling any pain?"
"I'm sure, Goddess." I gave her my most trustworthy smile.
She stared at me.
I lowered the smile by twenty percent.
She stared harder.
I sighed. "Okay, I'm tired. Very tired. My shoulders feel like they filed a complaint, my legs are currently negotiating independence, and my spine might be writing a resignation letter. But I'm not injured."
Nilou's expression softened, though the worry didn't fully leave. "You should have said that first."
"But then I couldn't sound cool."
"You don't have to sound cool."
I placed one hand over my chest. "Goddess, please. That's like asking Paimon not to like food."
Somewhere far away, I felt like Paimon probably sneezed again.
Sora's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your body is used to the circulation, but fatigue still reduces your precision. If this were a real battle and you pushed past that point, your weapon transitions would become predictable."
I nodded slowly, actually taking that in. "Yeah. I felt it near the end. Electro response lagged during the last bow draw."
"Your Geo reinforcement also delayed your footwork."
"Because I stacked it too tightly before switching to Anemo."
Sora paused.
Then his eyes narrowed more.
I grinned. "What? Shocked that I listened?"
"I'm shocked you understood."
"Wow. Rude."
"Accurate."
Nilou smiled softly, relieved enough now to let herself be amused. "You two really do sound like siblings when you argue."
Sora immediately looked at her. "No."
I immediately looked at him. "Little brother energy."
"I will bury you."
"Family bonding."
Nilou laughed lightly, and even in that cold workshop full of old scars and mechanical regret, the sound made the air feel warmer.
Still, as the silence settled afterward, my eyes drifted toward the exit.
The workshop was massive, but suddenly it felt smaller.
Too still.
Too far from Avidya Forest.
Too far from Lumine.
I had done what I needed to do. My body was tired but steady. My technique had been tested. Sora had pointed out enough flaws to spiritually bruise me for a week, which meant the training had been useful. Nilou had confirmed I wasn't secretly dying, which, for some reason, seemed important to everyone who loved me.
But we had been gone for a while.
A long while.
And the dream…
I exhaled slowly.
The dream should have reached the name by now.
Maybe even further.
Nilou noticed before I said anything. Of course she did. She turned her head slightly, her expression shifting from relief back to concern. "Shigeru?"
I stood up slowly and rolled my shoulders once. The fatigue was there, but manageable. My muscles complained, but not enough to win the argument.
"We better head back to Avidya Forest," I said.
Nilou stood with me immediately. "For Lumine?"
I smiled faintly. "For my favorite blondie. We've been gone a long while. She must've woken up by now."
Sora studied me. "And if she has not?"
"Then I'll wait until she does."
Nilou's eyes softened.
Sora looked away with a quiet click of his tongue. "You are strangely patient for someone so loud."
"That is the nicest insult you've ever given me."
"It was not meant to be nice."
"Too late. Collected emotionally."
He looked like he regretted speaking again, which meant our relationship was developing beautifully.
I stretched once more, then dismissed the remaining traces of my weapons completely. Haran faded from my right hand in a soft shimmer of light, and Thundering Pulse dissolved from my left into violet sparks that vanished before touching the floor.
Sora's gaze followed them, then returned to me. "Do not overuse that technique in Fontaine."
I blinked. "Aww. You care."
"I care about not hearing that you exploded because you thought style was a battle strategy."
"Style is a battle strategy."
"No."
"Psychological warfare."
"No."
"Emotional intimidation."
"No."
"Fashion pressure."
Nilou covered her mouth.
Sora closed his eyes for a second, breathing in slowly like Nahida had personally assigned him to tolerate me for educational purposes. "Leave."
I grinned. "That sounded like goodbye."
"It was a dismissal."
"Goodbye accepted."
Nilou bowed her head politely. "Thank you for helping us, Sora."
His expression shifted just slightly when he looked at her. Softer, but barely. Like a cat reluctantly allowing affection while pretending not to like it.
"You're welcome," he said.
I gasped. "Manners."
"Do not ruin this."
"Too late. I witnessed growth."
Sora's glare returned instantly. "Go."
I gave him a two-finger salute. "Later, gremlin."
A gust of wind snapped toward my face.
I ducked behind Nilou.
"Goddess shield!"
"Shigeru!" Nilou yelped, though she was laughing.
Sora stared at me with murder in his soul and restraint in his posture.
Growth.
Definitely growth.
And with that, Nilou and I left the Joururi Workshop behind.
The walk back to Avidya Forest felt quieter than the walk to Sumeru City had been. My body was tired enough that even my usual urge to fill silence with nonsense had to negotiate with my lungs first. Nilou walked beside me, matching my pace without making it obvious that she was doing it for my sake.
Which was unfairly sweet.
So naturally, I had to ruin it.
"You know," I said after a while, "Sora is really becoming part of the family."
Nilou smiled. "Do you think he would agree?"
"No."
"Then maybe don't say that to him."
"I already did."
"Yes, and he tried to hit you with wind."
"Family activities."
She shook her head, still smiling. "You have a strange definition of family."
"Goddess, half my family tree is chaos, emotional damage, divine nonsense, adopted emos, judgmental lizards, and people who threaten me out of affection. My definition is extremely field-tested."
Nilou laughed softly. "That sounds exhausting."
"It is. But also fun."
Her smile softened. "You're worried again."
I sighed. "I hate that you can tell."
"You get quieter."
"I'm literally talking."
"You talk differently."
That made me glance at her.
Nilou's eyes were gentle, but there was no teasing in them now. Just understanding.
I looked forward again, the trees of Avidya Forest becoming visible in the distance. "Yeah. I'm worried."
"About what she saw?"
"About what she had to feel."
Nilou didn't answer right away.
The path sloped downward slightly, leaves rustling softly around us as the night thinned toward morning. The forest ahead was beautiful in that Sumeru way—alive, green, full of quiet breathing things—but I couldn't stop seeing the abandoned house in my head.
And Lumine's sleeping face.
And the name.
Caribert.
"I know she's strong," I said quietly. "That's never been the question. Lumine is stronger than most people even understand. But being strong doesn't mean things don't hurt. It just means you keep walking after they do."
Nilou's hand found mine.
Soft.
Warm.
Steady.
I looked down at it, then smiled faintly.
"Goddess support acquired."
She squeezed my hand. "Always."
My chest did that stupid warm thing again.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
A man could get addicted to that.
By the time we reached the clearing near the abandoned house, the first thing I noticed was Greg.
He was standing beside Lumine like a tiny scaly knight, posture rigid, eyes alert, tail raised like he had been on duty his entire life. The moment he saw us, his tail flicked once.
Report complete.
No enemies.
No disaster.
Mild emotional devastation detected.
Probably.
Paimon hovered nearby, looking exhausted and worried. The moment she spotted us, she rushed forward.
"Shigeru! Nilou! You're finally back!"
Nilou let go of my hand and immediately hurried toward Lumine. "Is she awake?"
"She woke up, but…" Paimon turned back, her voice lowering. "She's been like that for a bit."
Lumine sat near the campfire, one hand pressed against her forehead, fingers tangled slightly in her hair. Her eyes were open, but not focused on the world around her. She looked like someone who had returned to her body but left part of herself behind in the dream.
She was mumbling.
Quietly.
Not enough to be fully clear at first.
Then I heard it.
"…Caribert…"
My breath slowed.
Lumine gripped her head tighter.
"Caribert… Shigeru was right…"
Paimon looked at me with wide eyes. "She's been saying that name ever since she woke up."
Nilou knelt beside Lumine, her face full of gentle concern. "Lumine?"
Lumine blinked slowly, as if surfacing from deep water. Her gaze shifted to Nilou first, then to me.
For a second, something fragile crossed her face.
Recognition.
Relief.
Pain.
Then she frowned.
"You knew."
Ah.
There it was.
Not accusation exactly.
Not anger.
But close enough that my survival instincts briefly considered hiding behind Nilou again.
I raised both hands. "Partially."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Mostly partially."
Paimon floated between us, looking stressed. "Dainsleif already left. He explained some things first—about Chlotar, the Alberich family, the founder of the Abyss Order… then he said he needed to investigate more."
I blinked.
Then sighed.
"Yeah. Typical Dain."
Paimon threw her hands up. "That's all you have to say!?"
"What else am I supposed to say? Man has the social permanence of fog. He appears, drops historical trauma, refuses proper closure, and leaves like an emotionally unavailable quest marker."
Lumine stared at me.
Nilou made a tiny sound that was definitely not laughter but was absolutely laughter's cousin.
Greg flicked his tail once.
Judgment.
I ignored him, because I was busy being correct.
Then I looked at Lumine properly. The jokes softened, but didn't disappear. I knew better than to strip myself bare in front of pain. Sometimes humor was a blanket. Thin, stupid, full of holes—but still something.
I crouched in front of her.
"So," I said gently, "you saw how your brother went through some random bullshit, huh?"
Lumine glared at me.
Nilou whispered, "Shigeru…"
I held up a finger. "Respectfully random bullshit."
Lumine's glare lasted three more seconds.
Then she sighed.
Deeply.
Exhaustedly.
The kind of sigh that said she wanted to be mad at me but didn't have enough emotional battery after whatever nightmare she just survived.
"…You're impossible," she muttered.
"I've heard that from reliable sources."
She closed her eyes briefly. "I saw a man named Eide."
The clearing went quiet.
Even Paimon stopped fidgeting.
I didn't interrupt.
Lumine's voice was low as she continued. "At first, I thought he was just a strange man living near the house. He seemed desperate. Afraid. He had someone he wanted to protect."
"Caribert," Nilou said softly.
Lumine nodded, her fingers tightening slightly. "His son. He called him his son."
Paimon's voice trembled a little. "But Caribert was…"
"A hilichurl," Lumine finished.
Nilou's eyes widened with pain.
I exhaled slowly through my nose.
Even knowing it already didn't make it lighter.
Lumine looked down at her hands. "Eide was really Chlotar Alberich. He was from Khaenri'ah. He kept trying to cure Caribert, to restore him somehow. He believed the gods had cursed them. He hated them. He hated everything."
Lumine nodded slowly, still shaken. "And then there was that place… that statue… I don't even know how to describe it."
"A talking statue," Lumine said, voice tightening.
I tilted my head. "Yeah. Abyss decor really has a commitment to being unsettling."
Lumine looked at me flatly.
I cleared my throat. "Sorry. Continue."
She sighed, but this time it wasn't as sharp.
"There was a voice. A presence. Eide called it… the Visionary."
Nilou's brows drew together. "The Visionary…"
"One of the sinners," Lumine said. "Dain said there were five of them. People from Khaenri'ah who committed a great sin. Vedrfolnir, known as the Visionary and Dainsleif's older brother, Hroptatyr, Rhinedottir—also called Gold—Surtalogi, and Rerir."
Paimon shivered. "Even their names sound scary."
"Because Teyvat does not believe in naming dangerous people Steve," I muttered.
Lumine gave me another look.
I pressed my lips together.
Responsible silence.
For three seconds.
A personal record.
Lumine continued, "Eide believed that presence could save Caribert. He prayed to it. Worshiped it. And eventually… Caribert seemed to regain some awareness. He spoke."
Nilou's hand moved to her chest. "He spoke?"
Lumine nodded, but there was no relief in it. "For a moment, yes. But it didn't feel like salvation. It felt wrong. Like something had reached through him."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. That checks out."
Paimon stared at me. "That checks out!? That's your reaction!?"
"Crazy stuff, huh?"
"Shigeru!"
"What? It is crazy stuff. Deeply crazy. Historically crazy. Premium-grade cursed family tragedy with Abyss seasoning."
Lumine rubbed her forehead again. "You make everything sound ridiculous."
"And yet somehow accurate."
Nilou looked at me softly. "Do you know who the Visionary is?"
I hesitated.
Not long.
But enough.
"Fragments," I said. "Enough to know the name matters. Vedrfolnir. The Visionary. One of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah. The kind of person who didn't just survive the catastrophe emotionally normal and start a bakery."
Paimon blinked. "A bakery?"
"I'm saying he's bad news."
Lumine frowned. "Dain said the sinners were people who had power beyond ordinary humans. They could have helped Khaenri'ah, but instead…"
"Instead they chose themselves," I said quietly.
Lumine's gaze shifted to me.
I looked toward the abandoned house. "That's the part that always matters, doesn't it? When everything collapses, some people protect others. Some people run. Some people pray. Some people build. And some people look at the end of the world and think, 'How can I become more than human from this?'"
The silence after that felt heavier.
Paimon swallowed. "That's… really scary."
"Yeah," I said. "Because monsters that know they're monsters are one thing. But people who convince themselves their ambition is salvation? Those are worse."
Lumine watched me carefully. "You knew that too?"
"Some of it."
"You know a lot of 'some of it.'"
"That is sadly my brand."
She sighed. "You're crazy, you know that?"
I grinned automatically.
There it was.
The opening.
The line.
The cursed instinct.
"I'm crazy," I said, "but you like it."
Nilou blinked.
Paimon blinked.
Lumine blinked.
Greg slowly turned his head toward me with the most judgmental lizard stare I had ever received in my life.
Even the forest seemed disappointed.
I froze.
"…That's a song."
No one moved.
"It sounded better in my head."
Lumine stared at me for a long second, then sighed so deeply I felt it spiritually.
Paimon sighed too, purely out of solidarity.
Nilou, however, betrayed all of them by letting out a small chuckle.
That did it.
Lumine's mouth twitched.
Paimon tried to stay serious, failed immediately, and groaned. "Ugh, why are we laughing? That was terrible!"
"It was culturally advanced," I argued.
"It was cringe!"
"Advanced cringe."
Nilou laughed properly then, soft and warm, and after a moment Lumine finally let herself laugh too. Not loudly. Not fully. But enough.
Enough to come back.
Enough to remind me she was still here.
That mattered more than anything.
When the laughter faded, I stood and opened my arms slightly. "Alright, alright. Blondie, you've been through a lot."
Lumine looked up at me, her expression softening again, though exhaustion still clung to her like a shadow.
I stepped forward and hugged her.
Nilou moved with me, wrapping her arms around Lumine from the other side. The three of us stood there beside the fading campfire, under the quiet trees of Avidya Forest, while Paimon hovered nearby pretending not to look emotional and Greg stood guard like the world's smallest dragon knight.
"Welcome back, blondie," I said softly.
Nilou nodded, her voice gentle. "Yeah. Welcome back, Lumine."
For a second, Lumine didn't move.
Then her arms came around us.
Tight.
Real.
Tired.
"…Yeah," she whispered. "I missed you guys too."
And I smiled into her hair, letting the joke stay buried this time.
Because for once?
Nothing needed to be said.
She was back.
That was enough.
__________
End of Chapter 180
Quests Completed:
*Successfully concluded Elemental Overflow training at the abandoned Joururi Workshop.
*Received Sora's final combat evaluation regarding Elemental Overflow, weapon transitions, and combat efficiency.
*Survived Nilou's mandatory recovery inspection without sustaining additional injuries.
*Successfully escaped Sora's final wind-based disciplinary strike using the legendary technique known as "Goddess Shield."
*Returned safely to Avidya Forest after weeks of training.
*Confirmed Lumine's successful return from the dream after witnessing the truth surrounding Caribert and Chlotar Alberich.
*Received Lumine's firsthand account regarding Eide, Caribert, the Visionary, and the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah.
*Provided additional knowledge regarding Vedrfolnir and the true danger posed by the Five Sinners.
*Successfully lightened the atmosphere after an emotionally devastating discussion through one catastrophically terrible joke.
*Officially welcomed Lumine home together with Nilou through a long-awaited family hug.
Rewards:
*Adventure EXP +10,500
*60,000 Mora (Post-Training Recovery & Emotional Support Bonus)
*Companionship EXP: +1,000 (Lumine, Nilou, Paimon, Greg, Sora)
*"Elemental Overflow — Stable Foundation" : (After extensive combat testing, overall stamina consumption while maintaining four-element circulation is slightly reduced.)
*"Combat Review: Sora's Final Notes" : (Allows the user to instinctively recognize unnecessary movements during combat. Side Effect: You can now hear Sora criticizing your footwork in your head.)
*"Goddess Shield" : (Automatically increases survivability whenever Nilou is within grabbing distance. Side Effect: Loss of personal dignity is possible.)
*"Family Reunion" : (Greatly restores morale after emotionally exhausting events. Emotional recovery rate for nearby companions is increased.)
*"Caribert's Truth" : (Major Lore Entry Unlocked. The truth behind Chlotar Alberich and Caribert has been permanently recorded.)
*"Visionary's Name" : (Information regarding Vedrfolnir has been added to your growing collection of highly concerning historical knowledge.)
*"Five Sinners Archive — Fragment I" : (Additional records concerning the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah have been unlocked. Further entries pending.)
*"Lumine's Trust" : (Despite knowing you were hiding information, Lumine chose to continue trusting you. Relationship strengthened.)
*"Nilou's Gentle Heart" : (Whenever allies suffer emotional trauma, Nilou's presence gradually restores their emotional stability.)|
*"Greg's Knight's Report" : (Mission Status: Lumine protected. Camp secured. Dragon Knight remains on duty.)
*+50 (Sumeru Reputation — "The Traveler Has Returned")
Achievements Unlocked:
"Welcome Home, Blondie."
-After witnessing the painful truth of the past, successfully bring Lumine back—not through answers, but through laughter, warmth, and the embrace of the family waiting for her.