I cracked my neck.
Because if you're about to walk deeper into someone else's traumatic memories, you stretch first. That's just good practice.
Also because every time we enter one of these memory domains, something terrible happens and I would like my joints to be prepared for it. Past experience has taught me that emotional trauma often comes with sudden running, yelling, or getting smacked by Lumine for saying something stupid.
I rolled my shoulders too, just in case fate decided to escalate things. In my experience, memory domains rarely stop at emotional damage. They usually come with surprise violence, existential dread, or Paimon screaming in my ear.
"Did you hear that?" I asked.
Lumine's head snapped up instantly, her gaze sharpening as she scanned the empty pavilion around us. "…I hear voices," she said quietly.
I grinned. "Oh good," I replied. "We're progressing."
Paimon spun midair immediately. "That's not comforting!" she protested. "Why do you always say things like that when something creepy is about to happen!?"
"Because statistically speaking," I said thoughtfully, tapping my chin like a scholar of terrible decisions, "creepy voices usually mean plot advancement."
"That is NOT reassuring!"
Nilou stood beside me, Greg still perched comfortably on her shoulder like an uninterested documentary narrator.
"Something's coming," she murmured softly. Greg's tail flicked once, slow and thoughtful—which, for him, counts as a full speech. He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing at the empty air ahead like a tiny reptilian detective.
Nilou tilted her head slightly, listening carefully. "It feels like the memory is forming," she said quietly. "Like… something is about to replay itself."
Wanderer said nothing. He simply watched the empty space ahead.
And then the memory unfolded.
Two figures appeared—one small, one slightly taller. The younger child looked frail, with thin arms and a small frame. The kind of cough that sounds too heavy for someone so little.
His eyes widened as he looked around the pavilion. "Whoa…" he breathed. "This is where you were born? It's pretty! But there's nobody here… cough."
The Kabukimono stood beside him—young, softer, not yet broken. "I was abandoned, like you," he said quietly.
That sentence alone felt like a stone dropping into water, sending ripples everywhere.
Nilou's expression softened immediately. Greg's tail stopped moving completely. Even Paimon fell silent for a moment.
"I lived here for a while," Kabukimono continued. "But there's nothing for us here. We can't stay."
The child nodded obediently. "…Okay." Then he coughed again, harder this time, the sound scraping against the silence.
"I heard my mom and dad used to make swords," the child said between breaths. "But the factory manager died… then my dad got sick… cough."
Paimon floated closer to Lumine while Greg's tail slowed again.
"He kept coughing all the time," the child continued quietly. "Just like me. Then Mom started coughing too."
Kabukimono stepped closer. "You can't," he said quickly.
The child blinked. "You promised me."
And the boy smiled—a small, stubborn smile.
"Yep," he said brightly. "We're family now. We're gonna be together forever and ever!"
Nilou's fingers curled slightly against her sleeve and I heard her inhale softly beside me. Greg shifted slightly on her shoulder, pressing closer as if sensing the change in the mood.
Paimon whispered quietly, almost afraid to interrupt the moment. "He looks so happy…"
Nahida's voice echoed gently through the dream. "This child did not have a name. Or rather… The Balladeer did not know what to call him. His father died before he could name him. The child lived alone in their straw hut after his mother passed away, and some of the neighbors helped raise him."
Her voice continued, soft but clear. "After leaving Tatarasuna, The Balladeer encountered this child. Both without names. Both without families. They made a promise to live together."
Paimon whispered quietly, "What happened to him…?"
The answer arrived just as quietly.
Nahida's voice returned. "He died from his illness while he was still very young."
The memory shifted again.
The Kabukimono returned to the hut. The door creaked open.
And there he was.
Still. Too still.
Kabukimono rushed forward. "…Hey!"
His voice cracked. "Wh—What's wrong?"
He shook the boy gently. "Say something!"
Nothing.
Just silence.
The Kabukimono's hands trembled as realization slowly crept in. "…You promised me we could be family," he whispered.
Then his expression twisted.
"You're no different from Niwa and the others…" A hollow laugh escaped him. "You betrayed me too."
The memory faded like smoke carried away by wind.
Silence returned to the pavilion while the wind whispered faintly through the wooden beams. For a moment, none of us spoke.
Wanderer stood with his arms crossed, head slightly lowered. "…The voices are gone," he said quietly. "Looks like the memory ends here."
Paimon swallowed. "Let's keep going." Her voice was quieter than usual.
I exhaled slowly. "…Tragic, right?" I muttered.
Greg flicked his tail once in quiet agreement while Nilou glanced at me briefly, her expression gentle but serious.
I opened my mouth again, because apparently my brain believes every emotionally devastating moment requires a poorly timed joke.
"You know," I started, lifting a finger, "statistically speaking this kid had—"
Lumine turned her head slowly.
Our eyes met.
That look. The one that clearly translated to: finish that sentence and I will personally demonstrate gravity using your skull.
I stopped mid-breath.
"—a very tragic narrative arc," I finished weakly.
She kept staring.
I raised both hands. "I was pivoting," I said defensively.
Nilou puffed her cheeks slightly. "Shigeru," she said softly, pouting just a little, "that wasn't very kind."
Greg nodded once.
Traitor.
Paimon shook her head. "You really can't read the room, can you?"
"I read the room," I replied. "I just refuse to obey it."
Wanderer didn't answer. He just kept staring at the place where the memory had dissolved.
I immediately changed direction.
"Anyway!" I said brightly.
Lumine did not look convinced.
"Time for the next part!" I continued quickly. "Let's see what other emotional damage Hat Guy prepared for us."
Nilou puffed her cheeks slightly again. "Shigeru," she said, still pouting softly, "don't be rude."
I clutched my chest dramatically. "Your cuteness has critically damaged me," I declared.
Greg flicked his tail in judgment.
"Fine," I sighed. "No bullying the emo puppet today."
Wanderer glanced at me. "…Emo puppet?"
I shrugged. "Look, branding is important."
Paimon snorted. "That's not branding, that's bullying."
"Constructive branding."
Lumine rubbed her temples. "Please focus."
"Right," I nodded. "Trauma exploration. Serious mode."
I stepped toward the next green teleporter. The memory domain pulsed softly—another fragment waiting, another chapter of someone else's past.
Greg leaned forward slightly, watching the teleporter with interest while Nilou gently steadied him with one hand. "Careful," she whispered to him. Greg flicked his tail twice in acknowledgment.
I glanced back at Wanderer. "You ready?" I asked quietly.
He didn't hesitate. "…Yes."
I nodded once. "Cool."
Then I cracked my neck again.
Because this storm?
Yeah.
We're nowhere near the worst part yet.
***
Without hesitation—because hesitation implies self-preservation—I jumped straight into the next green teleporter.
I did not look back, did not ask if anyone was ready, and definitely did not consider the possibility that diving headfirst into someone else's traumatic memories without a safety plan might be a terrible idea.
In my defense, that has never stopped me before. Historically speaking, most of my plans begin with reckless confidence and end with Lumine hitting me on the back of the head, so really this is just consistency.
"ALRIGHT!" I announced as the portal swallowed me whole. "Time for the next trauma dump!"
Behind me I heard several things happen at once. Paimon screamed, Lumine swore under her breath, Nilou sighed the sigh of someone who has long accepted that the man she chose to marry is fundamentally incapable of normal decision-making, and Greg—Greg made the single most judgmental tail flick in recorded lizard history. Then the portal dragged all of them in with me.
Teamwork.
The world reassembled itself around us in layers. Darkness settled first, heavy and thick, while fog rolled across the floor like the place itself was trying to hide something. I landed first, obviously, because I had launched myself in like a heroic idiot.
My boots hit the ground and the fog curled around them like the environment itself was unimpressed. Somewhere behind me Paimon finished her scream with an indignant huff.
Wanderer landed beside me with considerably more composure than the rest of us. Paimon floated slightly above the ground, arms crossed in outrage.
"You can't just jump into portals like that!" she yelled.
"Yes I can," I replied immediately.
"You didn't even warn us!"
"I shouted dramatically," I said. "That counts as a warning."
"That is NOT how warnings work!"
Lumine stepped forward, ignoring us completely as her eyes scanned the surroundings. Serious mode activated. Nilou stood beside her while Greg remained perched on her shoulder like a tiny pink security camera. He leaned forward slightly, sniffing the air like a reptilian detective investigating a suspicious crime scene.
"Shigeru," Lumine said slowly.
"Yes?"
"If you do that again, I will throw you into the portal first next time."
"…I feel like that was already the plan."
No one denied it. Nilou covered a small laugh with her hand while Greg flicked his tail twice in agreement.
Traitors.
We walked forward and the memory began forming around us. The fog shifted first, then figures slowly appeared.
The Kabukimono stood across from a tall man wearing a strange mask. Even in a dream memory the presence felt wrong—cold, calculated, like someone who plays chess with people instead of pieces.
Wanderer's arms folded across his chest as recognition settled in his expression. "…Him," he muttered.
The Jester.
Kabukimono's voice echoed through the memory. "You do realize you're blocking my path?"
The masked man chuckled softly. "I come not to obstruct you. I have been waiting." His tone carried the kind of patience only masterminds and psychopaths possess.
I leaned slightly toward Lumine. "Definitely psychopath vibes," I whispered.
She elbowed me without looking.
"What you are," the Jester continued, "is a weapon. One that could be wielded with an iron will." He tilted his head slightly before adding, "Or… you could continue drifting aimlessly."
Kabukimono's eyes narrowed. "…Are you trying to win me over?"
The Jester laughed quietly. "The long-fated rebellion has begun. Why not take your place at the banquet and join those who shall feast?"
The memory shattered abruptly and the environment changed. We dropped into a massive underground chamber where the fog thickened and machines hummed quietly in the background. Metal echoed somewhere far away like the building itself was breathing.
Wanderer looked around slowly. "This place is dark."
Paimon's face twisted in recognition. "Ugh… Paimon knows this place." She pointed dramatically. "It's the Delusion Factory in Inazuma!"
Ah.
That explains the emotional damage.
Nahida's voice echoed through the memory space. "In the original version of events, the Traveler encountered The Balladeer here."
Paimon shivered slightly. "Such a creepy atmosphere…"
Nilou hugged her arms lightly while glancing around the machinery. "It feels heavy," she murmured. "Like the place remembers what happened here." Greg's tail flicked slowly in agreement.
Lumine's eyes narrowed slightly. "I remember this place. It was unsettling." Her voice was calm, but the tension in her shoulders said otherwise.
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah. Factory of emotional trauma and bad decisions."
Paimon suddenly pointed again. "Hey! Look over there!"
Two figures appeared within the fog.
The Balladeer.
And Signora.
I blinked once. "…Oh." Then I grinned. "Oh the Fatui baddie."
Nilou immediately squinted at me. "Shigeru."
"What?" I said defensively. "Accurate description."
Greg slowly turned his head toward me with visible disappointment.
Judgment.
The conversation in the memory continued as the Balladeer leaned lazily against a railing. "Well, well, my fair lady," he drawled. "Is this run-down factory and these incompetent fools all for me? Wow. You shouldn't have."
Signora's expression hardened. "What do you gain from belittling your subordinates?" she snapped. "You might not want to admit it, but you are a part of this plan."
She crossed her arms before adding, "Perhaps fighting in the Abyss would be more meaningful for you. Oh, but of course—even that pales in comparison to being experimented on by The Doctor."
The Balladeer chuckled. "What a sharp tongue you have. Funny how negotiating never seems to be your strong suit. For the task ahead, you might want to keep your true feelings to yourself."
Signora scoffed. "Hmph. Save your breath. I know what I have to do."
Balladeer's eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't start thinking you're invincible. And don't let your emotions get in the way."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you worried about me?"
He waved dismissively. "I just can't have you getting in my way. You and Childe never fail to complicate things."
Signora smirked. "I'm merely lighting a small fire in this chaotic nation." Her eyes gleamed as she leaned closer. "But you… being tossed out like trash must make you want to destroy it completely."
The room went quiet.
Then she continued with a colder smile. "Do you remember the last time you were here? That was a lot of swordsmiths you killed. I'm sure the descendants of the Raiden Gokaden are still suffering the consequences."
Balladeer didn't answer.
Signora laughed softly. "Look at you. Don't get sentimental. Give that poor little tongue of yours a rest." She waved lazily. "See you at the victory feast."
The Balladeer remained alone.
"…Poor little tongue?" he muttered before laughing quietly. "She's playing with fire talking to me like that." He straightened slightly.
"…Forget it. Someone might find me here any minute now. I should prepare to give them a warm welcome."
The memory froze.
Then dissolved.
Silence returned to the chamber.
Wanderer stood motionless while Nahida's voice returned gently. "The plot does not end here. There is more of this story to come. Wanderer, are you able to continue?"
He nodded slowly. "…Yes."
I clapped my hands once. "Well! Good news."
Everyone looked at me.
"If you're thinking about that Fatui lady with heels sharp enough to assassinate a nation, don't worry." I gave a confident thumbs-up. "We saved her hot ass. She's technically on our team now."
Nilou squinted at me. "Shigeru."
"Yes?"
"Stop making perverted remarks."
I gasped dramatically and raised my hands. "Woah! Chill, goddess. I will behave." I paused. "…Probably."
Lumine sighed. "He won't."
Paimon nodded. "He definitely won't."
Nilou nodded too.
Greg flicked his tail in agreement.
Even Nahida's voice echoed faint amusement.
Wanderer looked at me. "…They're right."
I stared at all of them, completely deadpan.
"Wow," I said. "And somehow I'm the one who gets called a bully."
Nobody responded.
Because they all knew.
They're absolutely right.
I looked toward the next swirling teleporter forming deeper inside the domain and immediately brightened.
"Well then!" I announced, clapping once more. "Next stop: probable disaster number three."
Before anyone could protest, I grabbed the edge of Lumine's sleeve and pointed dramatically at the portal. "Come on, team trauma! Adventure waits for no emotionally stable person!"
"Shigeru—" Lumine started.
Too late.
I was already marching toward the portal again.
Behind me I heard Paimon groan, Nilou laugh softly, and Greg make the tiniest approving chirp as if he had accepted that this chaos was simply the ecosystem he lived in now.
Wanderer followed quietly.
And just like that.
I dragged everyone into the next probable disaster.
________________
End of Chapter 169
Quests Completed:
*Entered another reconstructed trauma domain with reckless confidence and absolutely no safety plan. Tradition maintained.
*Witnessed the Kabukimono's brief attempt at family with a nameless child who simply wanted to belong.
*Observed the moment innocence shattered when hope died quietly in a small straw hut.
*Successfully avoided making a catastrophic joke about the dead child. (Barely.)
*Escorted Wanderer deeper into his own past without letting him face the storm alone.
*Witnessed the Balladeer's recruitment by the Fatui through suspiciously charismatic villain networking.
*Confirmed that The Jester's recruitment strategy is essentially "Join the apocalypse or remain unemployed."
*Observed the Delusion Factory memory instance where several terrible life choices began.
*Witnessed diplomatic hostilities between two Harbingers escalate into passive-aggressive insult warfare.
*Maintained team cohesion despite sarcasm, fog, industrial trauma, and Shigeru's continuous commentary.
*Activated Team Trauma Protocol: Nobody runs, nobody abandons the mission, and nobody lets the puppet face it alone.
Rewards:
*Adventure EXP +4,800
*22,000 Mora (Apparently even traumatic memories come with a payout.)
*Companionship EXP: +420 (Lumine, Nilou, Paimon, Greg, Wanderer)
*"Nameless Promise Fragment" : (A fading echo of a promise between two children who only wanted a family. The warmth has not fully disappeared.)
*"Kabukimono Memory Thread" : (A delicate strand of memory from a time when the puppet still believed the world could be kind.)
*"Factory Residue Sample" : (Dust collected from the Delusion Factory. Still carries faint traces of unstable elemental energy.)
*"Greg's Judgemental Tail Flick" : (A quick tail flick from Greg. Restores morale by 6 points and slightly improves decision-making.)
*"Nilou's Gentle Reassurance" : (A calming presence that reduces emotional damage during distressing memories.)
*"Paimon's Panic Detector" : (Increases alertness when something creepy is about to happen. Accuracy rate: questionable.)
*"Lumine's Immediate Correction" : (A swift smack that prevents reckless decisions for the next 10 seconds.)
*"Fatui Negotiation Transcript" : (A partial record of a conversation between Harbingers. Useful for understanding how villains argue.)
*"Shakkei Pavilion Memory Echo" : (A fragment of reconstructed memory tied to the Kabukimono's early days.)
*+15 (Sumeru Reputation — "Irminsul Witness")