I wonder if this method can trigger a hidden quest.
Watching Lumine and Paimon leave, Caelan packed up his notebook and quill. The reason he had offered to trade his services for one action was to see if he could trigger a hidden quest from someone similar to a key character.
Anyway, he had nothing else to do this week. Once the system finished processing the power of the Path of Remembrance, he would obtain this power and then leave this world.
Within this week, if this Traveler never came to him for anything, then he would have gained a piece of her memory for free.
Now, it is time to eat.
The moment Caelan put on his mask, Xiangling, who had already formed an impression of this special guest, suddenly scratched her head. Looking at the dishes that had already been eaten, she muttered in confusion.
"That is strange. Who ate the trial dishes I was promoting? Why do I suddenly have no memory of it? What is going on? I still need to collect feedback and suggestions for improvement. Why do I not remember anything at all? Could it have been taken by some animal?"
Caelan walked down the bustling street, but no one noticed the person wearing the strange mask. He moved past one passerby after another, tasting the flavor of the city.
Unlike the relaxed and lazy atmosphere of Mondstadt, the most prominent emotion in Liyue was greed.
Yes, greed.
Of course, from a positive perspective, it could be called ambition.
Liyue is a commercial nation, and the Liyue Qixing who govern it are either merchants themselves or come from merchant families.
Along with the god of this nation, Morax, who is the patron of commerce and the creator of Mora, the common currency of the Teyvat continent, the country places great importance on merchants, and their presence is extremely widespread.
With policies favoring merchants, the commercial atmosphere of the city has become exceptionally strong. As a result, everyone places great importance on transactions and contracts, and they care deeply about gains and losses.
This creates a strong drive for progress, or rather, a powerful sense of greed within the city.
Merchants crave more money, workers crave higher wages, and officials crave to lead Liyue in a better direction.
Most people here possess very clear and intense desires.
The taste of greed makes one want more the more one consumes it, yet the more one consumes, the less satisfied one becomes. Based on my understanding of negative emotions, should that not be the domain of gluttony? Why does greed feel like this? Or perhaps the endless desire for more is itself a form of greed.
Caelan tasted the flavor of the city. Due to the excessive desire and greed, he could even detect a metallic taste within the emotions. Could that be the taste of gold?
He stopped when he passed a man dressed in black, turning his head to look at the figure wearing a mask and dressed somewhat similarly to himself.
This person is likely thinking of something unpleasant. The scent of scheming is almost overflowing.
Caelan had just tasted the conspiratorial emotions coming from this person, similar to a sour taste he remembered.
But what did that have to do with him?
He disappeared into the crowd.
A few days later, the Rite of Descension officially began. Lumine and Paimon waited for the arrival of Liyue's god, hoping to see if it was the one who had taken her sibling.
The ceremony was presided over by Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing. After she finished reciting the eulogy and presenting the offerings, she completed the preliminary steps and waited for the arrival of the Geo Archon. Suddenly, the sky darkened, and the wind and clouds surged.
Amid the howling wind, a dragon suddenly fell from the sky, smashing into the altar and scattering the offerings across the ground.
The massive dragon lay motionless in the chaos, showing no signs of life.
Ningguang stepped forward with a serious expression, briefly examined it, then stood up and waved her hand, giving an order to the Millelith maintaining order nearby.
"The Geo Archon has been assassinated. Seal off the entire area."
As a Traveler from another world, Lumine immediately took Paimon and fled. Whether she did not trust the Liyue authorities or simply did not want to expose herself, she chose to run.
What followed was her befriending Childe, one of the Fatui Harbingers, meeting the knowledgeable Zhongli, and eventually, under Childe's guidance, stepping into a larger scheme.
"Lumine, I keep feeling a chill down my back, like someone is following us."
On the road to Mt. Aocang, Paimon looked behind her nervously and spoke with unease.
Lumine turned around. On the open road, no matter how she looked, there were only the two of them. There was no one else at all.
"You must be imagining things. Let us keep going."
She shook her head, believing Paimon was overthinking.
At that moment, Caelan silently closed the book in his hand, watching Paimon, who had just been staring directly at his position.
"Was that a coincidence, or does she have some hidden identity and strength?"
Although he felt that the small companion was unusual and that his actions over the past few days might have already been noticed, he did not stop. He continued to follow Lumine and Paimon while concealing his presence.
As long as he was not directly exposed, he would pretend nothing had happened.
Since the Rite of Descension began, Caelan had been following them. He watched them flee, make contact with Childe, meet Zhongli, and eventually visit the Adepti to inform them of the Geo Archon's death.
However, Caelan was certain that the Adepti either already knew Morax's plan or had seen through the situation immediately, so their anger was merely an act.
After all, how could such ancient beings not understand what would happen when a god falls? Since Liyue Harbor had not been destroyed, they already knew the truth.
He followed them the entire time, like a shadow, until the story reached the point where they entered the Golden House to fight Childe. After being defeated, Childe immediately searched the Geo Archon's body, trying to obtain the Gnosis, but found nothing. Realizing he had been deceived, he lost control and, in his rage, used a large number of imitation Sigils of Permission to break the seal of a certain place.
Caelan's expression grew more focused. What would happen next would be the united effort of Liyue's people and the Adepti to defeat the god whose seal had been partially broken.
Such a magnificent battle deserved to be properly recorded.
["You really are a qualified Memokeeper."]
The system commented, even displaying a small dialogue box with a thumbs-up.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)