"Ugh... my head..."
Aether opened his eyes to the sight of a plain white ceiling. Instinctively, he rubbed his temples, his head still throbbing faintly.
Paimon, who had been dozing on the table, seemed to hear the movement. She drowsily wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth.
"Aether, you're awake?"
Paimon floated over to Aether's side and sighed, briefly recounting what had happened before and after he fainted.
"You're saying it was Rover who carried me to bed?"
Paimon crossed her arms and replied helplessly,
"Watch your wording—Rover didn't carry you. He slung you over his shoulder and then put you on the bed. Did you expect to just sleep on the floor or the grass after passing out?"
Aether scratched the back of his head sheepishly, though his expression also carried a hint of dejection.
"Paimon... did I end up holding Rover back again this time...?"
Seeing this, Paimon quickly reassured him.
"Not at all! You did great during this trip to Inazuma. Who knew that darn Scaramouche would suddenly attack? Just be more careful next time, that's all."
Aether nodded, just as Rover pushed the door open and entered.
"Most members of the Tenryou Commission and Kanjou Commission, representing the Kujou and Hiiragi clans, have been arrested. Kujou Sara is still the one carrying out the arrests. Originally, she was supposed to recuse herself to avoid conflicts of interest, but the Raiden Shogun gave her assurance, so she was allowed to continue. Not only that, but Inazuma's political affairs are about to undergo major changes. The Kamisato Clan has become exceptionally busy."
"Kamisato Ayaka has been chosen as the official representative to announce the abolition of the Vision Hunt Decree and a series of new policies in public. Meanwhile, Kamisato Ayato has been appointed as the liaison recognized by both the Shogunate Army and the resistance forces, responsible for facilitating communication and mediation between the two sides."
Rover calmly explained Inazuma's future developments and plans to Aether, who listened happily. At the very least, those tragic events in Ritou shouldn't happen again, right?
Knock knock knock.
The sound of knocking came again, and soon Sayu poked her small head in, looking at the two of them.
"Rover, Aether, can you two come with me for a moment?"
Rover looked puzzled, and Aether followed up on Sayu's words.
"What's wrong? Did something else happen?"
Sayu hesitated, looking conflicted.
"Just... come with me first."
The two exchanged glances before following her out the door, one after the other.
Aether looked into the distance—still so dark. The sky of Teyvat wasn't as pure as it used to be. Instead, it was murky, making it hard to see clearly.
Along the way, every household watched the two of them. Rover had long grown accustomed to such intense gazes, but Aether felt uneasy. It was as if these people were waiting for something.
Yet, in all their eyes, there was a flicker of expectation and hope. Following Sayu, they eventually arrived at the beach, where a large, dark shadow loomed.
"We're here..."
Sayu yawned and stretched, while Rover slowly approached the shadow. The next moment, a burst of intense light suddenly illuminated the beach, turning it as bright as day.
The most eye-catching thing was the enormous firework at the center of the light.
"Ta-da! You two heroes finally made it! This is the largest firework from Naganohara Fireworks. I guarantee it'll produce the most spectacular and dazzling display you've ever seen!"
Yoimiya looked at them with eager anticipation. Nearby, Arataki Itto waved vigorously to get their attention before shouting in his booming voice:
"Hey! This plan was all my idea, heheh! So? Surprised or what?!"
Sangonomiya Kokomi sat not far away, giving Gorou a slight nod.
"You worked hard preparing the materials for setting up the venue."
Kamisato Ayaka also took time to attend. She bowed to the two of them and said softly:
"I conveyed the people's wishes to the Shogun. From now on, this day will be Inazuma's memorial day, and I thought it'd be best for the two of you to kick off this festival together."
Faced with such enthusiasm, even Rover was overwhelmed. The crowd nudged them toward the massive firework.
"Abby."
Rover called out softly, and Abby emerged from the back of his hand.
The firework had four fuses, perfectly matching the four travelers.
Everyone took the torches handed to them by the crowd and, under the expectant gazes of all, lit the fuses simultaneously.
With a whoosh, the firework shot into the sky, trailing a long white tail of flames. First, it bloomed into a red flower, followed by tiny sparks scattering across the firmament. Then, with another bang, it transformed into countless smaller blossoms.
This firework was like a signal. After disappearing into the night sky, countless other fireworks rose from Inazuma City, streaking across the sky like meteors, leaving behind dazzling trails. The scattered golden lights painted the night sky in such radiant splendor that it was impossible to take it all in at once.
...
"Fireworks may be fleeting, but their brilliant colors remain forever in people's hearts. This moment is both transient and eternal. This brief yet beautiful miracle might also be part of what I seek."
Ei looked at the fireworks in the sky and finally allowed a faint smile to grace her lips. But the next second, the light novel in her hand was swiftly snatched away by a quick little hand.
"Hmm, let me see... The Tyrannical Magistrate Falls in Love with Me... Oh my, who knew Ei was into such traditional literature? Next, are you going to say something like, 'Miko, from now on, you belong to me'? I'm really looking forward to it~"
Ei's smile gradually faded, replaced once more by an cold expression. But by the time she reached for her sword, Yae Miko was already long gone.
...
"One milk tea, please."
Kamisato Ayato had barely settled into his chair when he noticed the dazzling fireworks in the sky. He chuckled for a moment.
"My lord, the hot pot is ready. Would you like to join us?"
Thoma emerged from Komore Teahouse, waving at Ayato.
"Sure, I'll be right there."
...
"Maybe this is the meaning of our journey—to admire the scenery along the way and cherish the beautiful moments. Just thinking about it gives me the motivation to keep going!"
Paimon devoured her skewers in big bites, patting her bulging belly before letting out a satisfied burp.
"Hey! That was my hard-earned barbecue!"
Abby was furious, immediately flying over to Paimon and pinching her cheeks.
"Alright, alright, I just took Aether's portion as compensation."
"You're so shameless!"
Despite his words, Abby didn't stop. He deftly grabbed Aether's share and started eating it with Paimon.
...
"Now that you've found your sister, what's your next step?"
Aether sat on a cliff, gazing blankly at the continuous bursts of fireworks in the sky, with Rover keeping him company.
"I'll continue seeking out the Seven Archons, reach the end of the journey my sister mentioned, and then... gather the courage to confront her—ask her why she left me behind."
Rover said nothing. At this moment, he preferred to simply listen.
"Rover."
"Yeah?"
Aether pursed his lips before finally smiling from the heart.
"Having you by my side on this journey... is probably the greatest luck I've had."