After that heartwarming hug in Avidya Forest—the kind that made even my idiot brain consider shutting up for more than three seconds—we eventually had to move again.
Not immediately, of course.
Lumine needed a moment. Paimon needed to stop hovering anxiously around her face like a floating worried mother hen. Nilou needed to make sure Lumine was really steady enough to walk. Greg needed to perform what I could only describe as a tiny lizard inspection, circling Lumine once, flicking his tail twice, then climbing back onto my shoulder like his shift had officially ended.
I stared at him as he settled there.
"Oh, so now you remember whose shoulder this is?"
Greg flicked his tail against my cheek.
Rude.
Lumine gave him a small tired smile. "He was guarding me."
"I know," I said, reaching up to scratch lightly under Greg's chin. "That's why I'm only seventy percent offended."
Paimon floated beside us, arms crossed. "Only seventy?"
"He saluted with his tail. That bought him thirty percent forgiveness."
Nilou giggled softly, and just like that, the heaviness around us loosened a little. Not gone. Not completely. After Caribert, after Eide, after the Visionary and the things Lumine had seen, the sadness wasn't something that simply vanished because we were walking again. It followed quietly. But that was fine. Some things didn't need to be erased right away.
Some things just needed to be carried together.
So we left the abandoned house behind.
Again.
And this time, it felt final.
By the time we reached Caravan Ribat, the sun had climbed higher, washing the desert gate in warm light. The place was busy in that rough, practical way border settlements usually were—merchants preparing supplies, guards watching the road, travelers passing through with sand in their boots and exhaustion in their souls. It smelled like dust, spices, sweat, and the beautiful promise of snacks, which meant Paimon had become alert in under five seconds.
Her eyes sparkled. "Ooh! Since we're already here, maybe we should buy some food for the road!"
Lumine glanced at her. "We just ate earlier."
"That was earlier."
"It wasn't that long ago."
"Time passes differently when Paimon is hungry."
I nodded solemnly. "A tragic condition. Many scholars have tried to understand it. All have failed."
Paimon pointed at me. "See? Shigeru understands."
"I didn't say I support it. I just respect the biological horror."
"Hey!"
Nilou smiled as she walked beside Lumine. "It might be good to prepare some food before we leave Sumeru."
Paimon immediately clasped her hands together. "Nilou understands too!"
Lumine looked toward Nilou then, her expression gentler than before. "Are you excited?"
Nilou blinked. "About Fontaine?"
Lumine nodded. "Your next journey."
Nilou's smile turned soft and bright at the same time. "I am. I've traveled with you all before, but this feels different. Sumeru is my home, so leaving it behind, even for a while, feels a little strange." She looked toward the road ahead, where the desert stretched toward the promise of another nation. "But I'm excited too. I want to see the waters of Fontaine, the theaters, the people, the dances… and whatever kind of trouble Shigeru somehow already knows we'll find."
I gasped. "Why did that sound accusatory?"
"Because it was," Lumine said calmly.
"Blondie, you wound me."
"You'll live."
"Physically, yes. Emotionally, I am in critical condition."
Greg flicked his tail from my shoulder.
I looked at him. "Do not agree with them."
He flicked again.
Betrayal was truly a recurring theme in my life.
As Lumine and Nilou continued talking, I leaned slightly toward Greg and lowered my voice as if sharing extremely classified intelligence. "Alright, buddy, Fontaine briefing. Expect water. Lots of water. Fancy buildings. Courtroom drama. People who speak like they're auditioning for opera even when ordering bread. Also, we may encounter crimes, robots, a depressed dragon pretending not to be depressed, and at least one Fatui mommy who can probably kill a man with eye contact."
Greg stared ahead.
No reaction.
I nodded. "Good. You're handling this better than Paimon will."
"Paimon heard that!" Paimon shouted from ahead.
"Excellent. Then prepare emotionally!"
Lumine sighed. "Please don't give Greg a Fontaine briefing like you're sending him into war."
"Fontaine is basically war, but with better architecture and more legal paperwork."
Nilou tilted her head. "Is it really that dramatic?"
I looked at her.
Then I smiled.
"Goddess, you have no idea."
Before she could ask more, a familiar voice called from nearby.
"Well, well. Didn't expect to run into you all here."
We turned.
And there she was.
Dehya.
Flame-Mane herself, standing with that confident posture, arms relaxed, sword at her side, looking every bit like the kind of woman who could punch danger in the mouth and then ask if it wanted round two.
Naturally, my mouth moved before my survival instincts could file paperwork.
"Yo, Fire Mommy!"
Lumine closed her eyes.
Paimon froze.
Nilou made a tiny surprised sound.
Greg's claws lightly dug into my shoulder like even he was bracing for consequences.
Dehya didn't even blink this time. "Still calling me that, huh?"
"Affectionate title," I said confidently. "Respectful. Powerful. Slightly dangerous."
"Uh-huh." Dehya gave me a long look, then smirked. "Should I even ask?"
"No," Lumine said immediately.
"Yes," I said at the exact same time.
Nilou covered her smile politely.
I pointed at Dehya. "Anyway, where's your emotionally unavailable boyfriend?"
Dehya looked genuinely confused for half a second. "My what?"
"You know. Tall. Gray hair. Looks like he schedules emotions three weeks in advance. Reads books like they owe him money."
Realization crossed her face. "Oh, you mean Haitham?"
My brain stopped.
Haitham.
Not Alhaitham.
Haitham.
That was cute.
That was unbelievably cute.
In my mind, a thousand bells rang. Tiny romantic comedy bells. Wedding bells. Alarm bells. Maybe even danger bells. I ignored all of them because the mental image of Dehya casually calling the Acting Grand Sage "Haitham" was enough to fuel my nonsense for weeks.
Did she just call him Haitham?
That was the cutest callsign ever.
Fire Mommy has unlocked boyfriend nickname privileges.
Sumeru romance economy rising.
I pointed at her, trying very hard not to grin like a lunatic and failing immediately. "Yeah, yeah, him! Where is that Acting Grand Sage?"
Dehya tilted her head in thought. "Hmm… I don't know? I accepted a commission out here, so I've been busy. Haven't heard from him since."
"Tragic," I said. "The desert separates lovers once again."
Dehya gave me a flat look. "You're making it weird."
"I make everything weird. That's my brand."
Paimon floated forward quickly, probably to save the conversation before Dehya decided to test whether I could dodge a claymore. "Anyway! We were just talking about our next step."
Nilou nodded. "We're preparing to leave Sumeru and head to Fontaine."
Dehya's expression shifted immediately. Her smirk faded, replaced by surprise. "Huh? You serious?"
Lumine nodded. "We are."
Dehya stared for a moment, then let out a slow sigh. "Can't say I saw that coming… But you are travelers, after all. I guess you'd never stay too long in one place." She looked between Lumine, Paimon, Nilou, Greg, and me, then smiled in that rough, honest way of hers. "Bumping into you like this will become a rarity. Ah, I'm starting to feel sad just thinking about it."
Paimon softened. "Paimon had no clue you'd miss us so much."
"Of course I'll miss you," Dehya said. "Sumeru's gotten used to your kind of chaos."
I placed a hand on my chest. "Our contribution to society."
Lumine muttered, "Debatable."
Dehya chuckled, then crossed her arms. "Hey, how about I gather a few mercs to escort you? Whaddya say?"
"Thanks," Paimon said, waving her hands, "but no need! Don't worry, we'll come back to see everyone when we get a chance."
Dehya looked at Lumine. "Knowing you two, I'm sure the road won't be anything you can't handle. All you need to do to get to Fontaine is cross this stretch of desert and navigate some waterways."
"Easy," I said.
Lumine looked at me immediately. "Don't say that."
"What?"
"Every time you say 'easy,' something happens."
"That's superstition."
Paimon pointed at me. "No, that's evidence."
Nilou smiled apologetically at Dehya. "Things do tend to become eventful around us."
Dehya laughed. "I can imagine." Then she looked at Lumine again. "So, when are ya leaving?"
Lumine glanced toward the horizon. "Journeys should be spontaneous."
Paimon suddenly gasped. "Oh, wait a sec… Paimon just remembered there are still a few dishes in Sumeru that Paimon hasn't tried yet. Now where's that list Paimon made…"
Lumine stared. "You made a list?"
"Of course Paimon made a list! Food is important travel research!"
I nodded solemnly. "For once, I support the emergency snack's academic efforts."
"Paimon is not an emergency snack!"
"Yet."
"Never!"
Dehya shook her head, smiling. "I see. Guess you won't be needing a going-away party or anything. It's sad enough to see you go like this. Though now that I think about it, Sumeru wouldn't be what it is today without you." Her eyes softened toward Lumine. "Seems true heroes always prefer leaving quietly, huh?"
Lumine looked slightly embarrassed. "It wasn't just us."
Nilou smiled. "Everyone helped."
"And I provided morale," I added.
Paimon squinted. "You provided headaches."
"Morale-adjacent headaches."
Paimon then paused, her expression changing. "By the way, should we go say bye to Nahida?"
Lumine thought for a moment. "In her case… she'll know from our dreams anyway."
Paimon blinked, then nodded. "Oh, good point. Then there's no need to bother her in the real world."
I looked toward the distant city. "Little Radish probably already knows. And if not, I'll just yell dramatically into the nearest dream."
Lumine gave me a warning look.
"Or not."
Dehya stepped closer, then smiled at all of us. "Then I guess this is goodbye for now, Shigeru, Lumine, Greg, and Paimon. Whether as a client or a friend, you're always welcome to come find me."
Greg lifted his tail from my shoulder like a salute.
Dehya blinked, then grinned. "Heh. Same to you, little guy."
Then her gaze moved to Nilou.
For a moment, her expression softened more deeply.
"Enjoy your journey, okay?"
Nilou's smile trembled just slightly before she stepped forward and hugged Dehya. "I will."
Dehya hugged her back, firm and warm. "And don't let this idiot stress you out too much."
"I heard that," I said.
"You were meant to."
Nilou giggled against Dehya's shoulder. "I'll do my best."
Lumine smiled softly. "Take care, Dehya."
Paimon waved both hands. "Goodbye, Dehya!"
Dehya waved back as she continued on her way. "Bye. And don't get into too much trouble."
I grinned.
Lumine immediately said, "Don't."
"What?"
"Don't promise anything."
"Wow."
Paimon hovered a little higher, looking toward the desert road ahead. "Bye bye, Sumeru!"
For a few seconds, none of us moved.
Sumeru stood behind us—green forests, golden sands, the Akademiya, the Sanctuary, the Grand Bazaar, friends, gods, gremlins, dancers, mercenaries, scholars, and enough emotional damage to fill several government reports.
Then Lumine stepped forward.
Nilou followed.
Paimon floated after them.
Greg settled more comfortably on my shoulder.
And I, naturally, began narrating.
"And so, our brave heroes set forth beyond Sumeru's borders, hearts filled with courage, stomachs filled with questionable travel rations, and one idiot carrying the burden of being extremely handsome."
Lumine's shoulders stiffened.
Paimon groaned. "Oh no."
Nilou glanced back at me, amused. "Are you narrating us?"
"Yes," I said. "It adds cinematic value."
"It adds irritation," Lumine muttered.
"Same genre."
"Our heroine Lumine," I continued proudly, "walked ahead with determination in her golden eyes, already regretting allowing the narrator to live."
"I am," Lumine said.
"Beside her floated Paimon, small in size but mighty in appetite—"
"Hey!"
"—while Nilou, goddess of grace, beauty, and enabling my survival, walked with elegance unmatched by mortal feet."
Nilou covered her smile. "That one was nice."
"Do not encourage him," Lumine said.
"And upon his shoulder," I declared, "sat Greg, lord of judgment, guardian of scales, tiny dragon knight of questionable loyalty."
Greg flicked his tail against my face.
"See? In character."
Our journey through the desert was, in theory, supposed to be simple.
In practice?
Teyvat heard "simple" and immediately got offended.
The first group of Eremites we encountered stepped onto the path with weapons drawn, probably intending some kind of intimidation speech.
I did not let them finish.
The moment one of them opened his mouth, I stepped forward, cracked my knuckles, and said, "Nope."
Lumine blinked. "Shigeru?"
"Not today. We are not doing the whole bandit negotiation side quest."
The Eremite frowned. "What are you—"
I squared up immediately.
Paimon shrieked, "At least ask questions first!"
"No."
Nilou sighed from behind me. "Shigeru…"
"Goddess, I am saving us dialogue time."
Five minutes later, the Eremites were unconscious, tied neatly together, and labeled by Paimon with a small note that said, "Please reconsider life choices."
I was proud of her.
Then came a Desert Clearwater.
She appeared with the elegance of someone who absolutely planned to turn the battlefield into a dance of blades and water.
Nilou perked up slightly. "Her movements are graceful."
"Goddess, please do not compliment enemies before they try to stab us."
"She does have good form."
The Clearwater attacked.
Nilou gracefully countered, and for a brief moment, it was less a fight and more a performance.
Paimon whispered, "Why does even combat look pretty when Nilou does it?"
"Because she's Nilou," Lumine said.
"Correct," I added. "Scientific fact."
Then a giant scorpion burst out of the sand.
Because of course it did.
I stared at it.
It stared back.
Greg lifted his head.
I pointed at the scorpion. "No."
The scorpion did not care.
Rude.
The fight was messy, loud, and involved me yelling, "Who designed desert wildlife with this much hostility!?" while Lumine calmly cut around its claws and Nilou danced out of range with terrifying grace.
Then, somehow, because the desert apparently had a sense of humor worse than mine, a worm-looking machine erupted from beneath the sand later that afternoon.
Paimon screamed. "Why is there a machine worm!?"
I threw both hands up. "I don't know! Ask the ancient civilization that looked at sand and said, 'You know what this needs? Mechanical trauma noodles!'"
Lumine glared at me while drawing her weapon. "Stop narrating and fight!"
"I can do both!"
"You should not!"
Greg clung tighter to my shoulder as the machine worm thrashed ahead of us.
I patted him once. "Don't worry, buddy. Fontaine has robots too."
Greg slowly turned his head toward me.
"…That was meant to be comforting."
Tail flick.
Judgment.
By the time we finished dealing with the Eremites, the graceful enemy dancer, the giant scorpion, and the ancient mechanical sand noodle, my clothes had sand in places sand should never have access to. Paimon was exhausted, Lumine looked one sarcastic comment away from stabbing the horizon, and Nilou, somehow, still looked beautiful.
Unfair.
Absolutely unfair.
But then the desert began to end.
The dunes slowly gave way to cliffs and distant blue. The air changed first, losing some of the dry burn of Sumeru's sands and gaining something cooler, sharper, touched by water. The horizon opened wide before us.
And there it was.
Fontaine.
Across the distance, the region sat like a painting of stone, water, and impossible elegance. Towers rose beyond the shoreline. Waterways shimmered in the sunlight. The entire nation seemed to sit between performance and judgment, beauty and pressure, as if even the waves were preparing to testify in court.
For once, I stopped walking.
I took a deep breath.
Everyone looked at me.
I spread my arms.
"Now, everyone," I said, voice full of dramatic reverence, "here we are. Behold! Fontaine!"
Paimon's eyes widened. "Wow…"
Nilou's face lit with wonder. "It's beautiful…"
Lumine smiled softly. "So this is Fontaine."
I nodded, eyes still on the horizon. "The land of drama queens, emotionally unstable dragons, weird crime scenes, cute cat girls, a scary Fatui mommy, a hot duelist whom I will absolutely ship with a brooding duke who probably owns a bakery and unresolved trauma, and Taylor Swift—but French and legally obligated to sing about heartbreak in court."
Silence.
Complete.
Powerful.
Spiritual.
The four of them slowly turned to look at me.
Lumine looked tired.
Paimon looked confused.
Nilou looked like she was trying to process five different statements and failing politely.
Greg looked like he wanted to return to Sumeru.
Paimon finally spoke. "What's a Taylor Swift?"
"Cultural phenomenon."
Lumine sighed. "Let's just go. Ignore that idiot."
"Blondie, one day my prophecies will make sense."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
We proceeded down toward the Fontaine shore, where the water stretched between us and the path ahead. It looked peaceful. Calm. Blue.
In other words?
Suspicious.
Paimon stopped first, hovering slightly above the shoreline. "Wait… how should we get to the other side? Paimon can float, but how about you guys?"
I grinned.
Slowly.
Beautifully.
Dangerously.
Then I pointed.
There, waiting near the shore, sat a Waverider.
The reaction was instant.
Lumine's eyes widened with trauma.
Paimon's face drained of color.
Nilou blinked in confusion.
Greg dug his claws into my shoulder.
Paimon whispered, "No…"
Lumine took one step back. "Absolutely not."
I placed both hands on my hips. "What? I'm a great driver."
"No, you're not," Lumine said immediately.
"You crashed into three rocks, two boats, and one cliff in Inazuma!" Paimon cried.
"That cliff came out of nowhere!"
"It was a cliff!"
"It was poorly placed!"
Nilou looked between us, concerned now. "What happened in Inazuma?"
Lumine opened her mouth, probably to explain the tragedy of my misunderstood nautical genius, but Paimon got there first.
"He drove like a maniac!"
"I drove with passion."
"You screamed 'Waverider Drift!' and almost launched us into a fishing boat!"
"Because the boat was in the racing line!"
"There was no racing line!"
"There is always a racing line."
Lumine rubbed her temples. "That's not even the worst part."
Nilou blinked. "There's worse?"
Paimon slowly turned toward me.
Lumine slowly turned toward me.
Greg slowly turned toward me.
I suddenly felt attacked by history.
Paimon pointed dramatically. "Shigeru gets seasick."
Nilou paused.
I froze.
"…Allegedly."
Lumine crossed her arms. "Not allegedly."
Paimon nodded hard. "He's weak to slow movements on water! If the boat goes too smoothly for too long, he starts turning pale and making weird dying noises!"
"I do not make dying noises."
Lumine looked at Nilou. "He does."
Paimon floated closer. "In Inazuma, he acted all cool when we boarded the Waverider, then ten minutes later he was leaning over the side like he was about to return his breakfast to the sea."
I pointed at her. "That was tactical unloading."
"That was vomiting!"
"Advanced tactical unloading."
Nilou covered her mouth, her eyes widening with the dangerous sparkle of someone trying very hard not to laugh. "Shigeru… you get sick from slow boat rides?"
I looked away.
"No."
Lumine stared.
Paimon stared.
Greg stared.
The Waverider, somehow, also felt like it was staring.
"…Only when the water is being annoying."
Paimon threw her hands up. "Water is water!"
"Wrong. Some water has attitude."
Lumine grabbed Nilou's arm with both hands, suddenly looking more desperate than she had during half our battles. "Nilou. You can drive a Waverider, right? Tell me you can."
Nilou blinked. "I… can, yes."
Lumine hugged her immediately.
Paimon hugged her from the other side.
"Thank goodness," Lumine said, voice full of genuine relief. "We're saved. I love you, Nilou."
"Paimon loves you too, Nilou!" Paimon declared. "You saved everyone from that idiot's driving and his ocean weakness!"
Nilou froze, cheeks turning slightly pink as she was suddenly hugged by both of them. "O-Oh… I'm glad I can help."
I stared at them.
"Wow."
They ignored me.
"Right in front of me?"
Still ignored.
Greg flicked his tail.
I slowly turned my head toward him. "Not you too."
Tail flick.
Complete betrayal.
And so, despite my many talents, heroic instincts, perfectly valid claim that cliffs should be more considerate, and the entirely exaggerated legend of my so-called seasickness, Nilou became our Waverider pilot.
Lumine sat beside her like a woman who had just survived a death sentence.
Paimon hovered close enough to Nilou that she might as well have been a second emergency steering system.
I sat behind them with my arms crossed, dignity intact.
For approximately thirty seconds.
Then the Waverider moved smoothly across the water.
Too smoothly.
Suspiciously smoothly.
The waves rolled beneath us in slow, gentle motions, lifting and lowering the boat with the calm cruelty of nature itself. The sunlight sparkled across the surface like scattered glass, the breeze was soft, the air was clean, and everyone else looked relaxed.
Disgusting.
Absolutely disgusting.
My stomach immediately filed a complaint.
I stared straight ahead, jaw tight.
Lumine glanced back.
Paimon glanced back.
Both of them smiled.
Not kindly.
Knowingly.
"Oh no," Paimon said, voice dripping with evil delight. "He's doing the face."
"I am not doing the face."
Lumine's lips curved. "You're doing the face."
Nilou looked over her shoulder, worried. "What face?"
"The 'I'm totally fine but my soul is leaving my body' face," Lumine explained.
I lifted one trembling finger. "Lies."
Greg flicked his tail against my cheek.
"Et tu, Greg?"
The Waverider rose gently over another wave.
My soul almost resigned.
Nilou's concern deepened instantly. "Shigeru, are you okay?"
"Yes," I said with the confidence of a man fighting for his life against calm water. "I am strong. I have fought gods. I have survived ancient curses. I have endured Mountain Shaper's training."
The boat dipped softly.
I swallowed.
"…The sea is cheating."
Lumine turned forward, smiling far too smugly. "Nilou, maybe keep the ride smooth."
Paimon gasped. "Lumine, that's evil."
"I know."
I pointed weakly at the back of her head. "Blondie… betrayal…"
She didn't look back. "Consider it revenge for your narration."
Paimon giggled. "And for the Waverider Drift incident back in Inazuma."
Nilou tried not to laugh, but failed softly. "I'll try to make it steady."
"That's the problem," I muttered.
The Waverider continued toward Fontaine's shore, guided by Nilou's steady hands, while I sat behind them experiencing my only known mortal weakness: slow, gentle, peaceful water movement.
When I drove, people prayed.
When Nilou drove, everyone relaxed.
Except me.
Because apparently, fate looked at my life—gods, monsters, Abyss, false gods, cursed dreams, traumatic lore—and decided my greatest enemy would be a calm boat ride.
Unfair.
Deeply unfair.
But as Fontaine's port slowly grew closer, even my fake offense began to fade. The air smelled different here. Cleaner. Colder. Heavy with water and something else—performance, judgment, secrets waiting beneath polished marble.
My grin softened.
This was it.
Sumeru was behind us now.
Caribert was behind us, but not gone.
Fontaine waited ahead.
A new nation.
A new stage.
A new storm.
I took a deep breath, eyes fixed on the port ahead.
"Finally…" I murmured.
Nilou glanced back at me.
Lumine heard it too, her expression shifting slightly.
Paimon tilted her head. "Shigeru?"
I smiled faintly, but this time, there was less joke in it.
"It's time."
The Waverider cut across the water toward Fontaine's shore, and I felt it in my bones.
The next act had begun.
*****
End of Chapter 181
Quests Completed:
*Successfully bid farewell to Sumeru and departed alongside Lumine, Nilou, Paimon, and Greg.
*Received Dehya's heartfelt farewell and unknowingly discovered her adorable nickname for a certain Acting Grand Sage.
*Mentally declared "Haitham" the cutest relationship privilege ever witnessed.
*Cleared multiple desert encounters including Eremites, a Desert Clearwater, a giant scorpion, and one aggressively unnecessary mechanical sand noodle.
*Reached Fontaine's border without accidentally starting an international incident.
*Revealed Shigeru's greatest weakness to Nilou: Slow boat rides.
*Lost all voting rights regarding Waverider operation.
*Officially appointed Nilou as Team Driver.
*Suffered catastrophic emotional damage after Lumine and Paimon immediately switched sides.
*Successfully survived the journey despite declaring war on calm water.
*Arrived safely at Fontaine.
Rewards:
*Nilou's Driving License (Party Approved)
*Waverider Keys Removed (For Public Safety)
*+1 "Fire Mommy" Greeting (Still Somehow Works)
*Haitham Nickname Discovered (Critical Emotional Damage)
*Nilou Giggles ×4 (Rare Drop)
*Lumine's Trust in Your Driving -100
*Paimon's PTSD Returned
*Greg's Tail Flick ×7 (Maximum Judgment)
*Motion Sickness (Permanent Debuff)
*Sea Legs Not Found
*Boat Passenger Rank: D
*Emergency Vomit Bucket (Automatically Equipped)
*Desert Cleared (100% Exploration)
*Fontaine Border Crossed
*Passive Activated: "Weak to Peaceful Water"