"Ah… so warm…"
Fresh out of the bath and changed into clean clothes, Lumine, Paimon, and Farmas sprawled across the big soft bed. Lumine stretched lazily, feeling completely relaxed.
She still didn't really understand what Farmas meant earlier by "贴贴," but she had still used a towel in the bath to gently wipe down his slime body.
What exactly Farmas saw in that bathroom…
no one will ever know.
The moment the damp towel touched his body, steam puffed out—
a reaction of fire and water elements.
But for some reason, Lumine felt like the already-bright-red Farmas got even redder.
"…Let's go find something to eat?"
Farmas said helplessly as Lumine rested her entire head against him.
A soft, gentle heat seeped into the back of her head, warming her scalp and ears.
"Hey! Lumine! I want to cuddle with Farmas too!"
Seeing Lumine's head buried in the slime's body, Paimon's eyes widened.
She quickly claimed a small spot on the other side.
"So soft…"
Paimon squeezed into Farmas's body—
which obligingly stretched and reshaped itself into a perfect pillow for her.
Watching both girls blissfully melt into him, Farmas went quiet.
After being one of the Seven Archons for a thousand years,
he had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be "human"…
Warm, soft contact…
Peaceful closeness…
Something he hadn't felt in ages.
But the peaceful moment didn't last long.
"…Brother…"
Lumine nuzzled against him again, murmuring the word softly—
—and Farmas felt lightning strike his soul.
…THE CLOWN… WAS ME ALL ALONG!?
Morning sunlight slowly crept across Mondstadt.
After last night's storm, the city finally enjoyed a peaceful dawn.
A single golden beam pierced through the window and shone directly onto—
Paimon's butt.
"Hey, Paimon. Time to get up. Your butt's getting sunburned."
Farmas had been awake for a while.
In truth, he didn't need to sleep at all.
But… there wasn't much else to do.
"Mmm… five more minutes…"
Paimon wrapped herself around his soft warm body like a koala.
Lumine emerged from the bathroom already dressed.
Without hesitation, she lifted Paimon by the scruff like a chick.
"You can't cling to Farmas forever!"
Once Paimon was carried away, Farmas's flattened, squashed slime body quickly puffed back into shape.
His body was pure elemental matter—no matter how much he got stretched, pulled, or crushed, it didn't hurt at all.
After breakfast—some creamy vegetable stew provided by the inn—they headed out.
"Another bright, energetic day!"
Paimon yawned and looked around.
Most of the townsfolk still hadn't left their houses yet.
"So what are we doing today?" she asked.
Lumine blinked at her.
"Going to the Temple of the Falcon, obviously."
Farmas and Paimon answered in perfect unison.
Outside Mondstadt
The trio left the city walls and marched toward the Temple of the Falcon.
From a distant cliff, Mondstadt looked like a lone island engulfed by swirling storms.
"Let's hurry! Time to take down Stormterror!"
Paimon pumped her tiny fists.
Lumine nodded and increased her pace.
Due to Dvalin's influence, both Hilichurls and Anemo Slimes were unusually active today.
Especially Anemo Slimes—
just raising their heads, they could see dozens drifting above.
A few spotted the group and immediately bombarded Lumine from above with elemental blasts.
Farmas activated War's Shelter instantly, coating all three in a layer of fiery protection.
The weak Anemo attacks shattered harmlessly against the shield.
"Hhetui~!"
Farmas spat small fireballs upward.
Most of them hit, but some fizzled out mid-air and fell harmlessly.
The scene became… awkward.
The Anemo slimes couldn't break his shield.
Farmas couldn't hit all of them.
"Hhetui—Puh!"
"Hhetui…"
Perched on Lumine's shoulder, Farmas kept spitting fireballs while muttering something that sounded like… slime language?
"Move it!"
he yelled upward.
"No!"
a defiant Anemo Slime shot back, launching another wind blast.
"Idiot!"
"Moron!"
The Anemo Slime rallied a whole group to whirl the wind and knock his giant charged fireball off course.
Meanwhile, Lumine handled the Hilichurls with ease.
With the fire shield helping, she fought almost effortlessly.
Her control over Anemo grew more refined with every encounter, especially with Paimon chiming in with constant commentary.
After a long, chaotic, and mostly ridiculous journey—
they finally reached the ancient, crumbling Temple of the Falcon.
"So this is it."
Lumine pushed open the heavy, timeworn stone door.
A wave of slimes and Hilichurls greeted them.
Weak ones.
Easily defeated by Lumine and Farmas.
Deep in the temple—
Farmas hopped off Lumine's shoulder and approached an ancient mural.
"What're you looking at, Farmas?"
Paimon floated beside him, curious.
"This is a mural of the Lionsfang Knights from a thousand years ago.
Vanessa facing the Demon Dragon Ursa."
The mural showed young Vanessa, holding only a short blade, standing defiant against the gaping jaws of the monstrous dragon.
Alone—
yet unflinching.
"Back then, Barbatos played the lyre high above the skies, singing for Vanessa.
Through his song, she defeated the raging dragon, and the fat, corrupt nobles trembled in fear."
"'Mondstadt is freedom'—that was his final lyric.
And in that moment, Vanessa raised her head to the wind, breaking her chains.
It was the first blade of Mondstadt's rebellion."
Farmas said softly, his thoughts drifting back to the past.
A thousand years ago—
when Barbatos was nothing more than a small, frail wind spirit—
he flew into the war-torn nation of Munata, begging for help to save a friend who had never seen the sky.
Back then, Farmas had been watching matches in the arena when the battered little spirit found him—
speaking in ancient Elf tongue Farmas didn't even understand—
pleading for freedom, for hope, for a wind without chains.
"…Wait."
Farmas suddenly froze.
He looked at Lumine, who was preparing to destroy the wind core.
"…Did I forget something?"
"...I forgot to meet Barbatos, didn't I."