Kimiya puffed out his chest with pride, a smug grin plastered across his face as he declared loudly:
"Ha! Failing is exactly what we want! This divination method is very particular, you know. It interprets the hidden signs based on the shapes and patterns of the residue left behind after a failed alchemy experiment."
Standing to the side, Lumine's face twitched involuntarily as she frowned in disbelief.
"That just sounds… totally unreliable! Every part of it feels haphazard and unstructured!"
Dunyarzad, ever kind and gentle, quickly stepped in to mediate. She smiled and explained:
"Well… according to the Lesser Lord Kusanali, everything in this world is connected by countless invisible threads."
"Anything, even the tiniest thing, could serve as a clue to guide us toward our destiny. This kind of thinking actually comes from an ancient and long-standing tradition~"
Paimon tilted her head in confusion at Dunyarzad's words, then darted her gaze suspiciously back and forth between them, muttering under her breath.
"Wait a sec… why does it sound kinda convincing all of a sudden when Dunyarzad explains it like that? Are you two working together to mess with us?"
Kimiya's eyes lit up like he'd just had a revelation. He clapped his hands, visibly excited.
"Ohhh! So that's what it means! I hadn't realized there was such deep wisdom behind it. You're really knowledgeable, miss! I'm impressed!"
"So—would you like to try out this mystical form of divination yourselves? Who knows, maybe it'll reveal something unexpected!"
Lumine touched her chin thoughtfully. After all, she was out here to relax and enjoy herself. And besides, wasn't she currently being sponsored (ahem, funded) by Shajin?
So, spending a little Mora? No big deal—just a drop in the ocean~
With that in mind, Lumine confidently stepped forward.
Smiling, she casually reached into her pack and, like pulling off a magic trick, produced several Noctilucous Jades and Cor Lapis she had gathered in Liyue.
"Alright then, let's give it a try!"
She handed the precious materials to Kimiya, who had already been itching to start.
His eyes gleamed with excitement as he accepted them.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Kimiya began the alchemical process.
With a bang, the Noctilucous Jades and Cor Lapis erupted into a plume of brilliantly colored smoke. As it dissipated, a delicate pile of ash remained on the alchemy table, slowly settling into a unique and intricate shape.
"Hmm… Let me take a closer look… Huh? This pattern—it kind of looks like The Moon!"
Lumine couldn't hold back her curiosity. She immediately leaned in, muttering to herself as she studied it.
But just then, Paimon chimed in.
"Let me see! Let me see too! …Wait, what? Why does it look more like a big flat pancake with a bite taken out of it?"
She burst out laughing.
Hearing that, Kimiya, who had been completely absorbed in analyzing the pattern, paused. He stroked his chin and sank into thought.
"Hmm… The Moon, huh… Normally, that symbolizes… Let me think… It symbolizes… uh… Wait, just a second!"
Muttering to himself, Kimiya abruptly spun around.
Pages began flipping behind him in a quiet but hurried rustle.
Watching from the side, Paimon pouted and whispered:
"Is he seriously just flipping through a book for the answer right now?"
Her eyes rolled exaggeratedly.
But the moment she said that, Kimiya whipped back around like he had eyes on the back of his head, startling everyone.
"Oh! Haha! I remember now! The Moon usually symbolizes illusion and lies!"
Kimiya beamed, clearly proud of having recalled it.
Dunyarzad's brows furrowed slightly as she murmured thoughtfully.
"Illusion and lies… that doesn't exactly sound like a sign of a happy ending…"
Kimiya nodded seriously. "Yes, exactly."
"But! According to the book, if one can keep faith in their deepest intuition and face the fears buried within their heart, then eventually, the sun—which symbolizes light and hope—will rise once more!"
Paimon gave a dramatic eye-roll.
"Ugh, look at him! He's not even trying to hide the fact he's just reading off the book now!"
Dunyarzad, meanwhile, looked contemplative.
"…So fate only ever shows you the surface. In the end, it's still up to you to reach the conclusion yourself."
"Heh, thanks. I'll take it into consideration."
Kimiya scratched his head sheepishly.
"Ahaha… I'm just parroting what I read, really…"
Paimon clapped her hands.
"Well, that was kinda fun. Let's head to the next spot!"
…
On the road, the group chatted idly.
"Back in the day, the Sabzeruz Festival used to be way more lively."
"There'd be giant flower floats parading through the city, and people would throw flowers, candy, and wine all along the way as the floats made their way toward Port Ormos…"
Paimon spoke with her mouth full of a snack she'd just bought, her words muffled.
"Dunyarzad's… eyes are totally sparkling~"
Lumine flicked Paimon's forehead with a sigh.
"Paimon, don't talk with your mouth full."
Dunyarzad giggled softly behind her hand.
"Hehe, it just sounds so wonderful. But I believe Nilou's Dance of the Sabzeruz is every bit as grand as those old festivals."
Suddenly, they heard children's voices shouting ahead.
"Farris! Farris!"
The man they were calling turned, clapping his hands.
"Alright, little soldiers! Line up properly if you want a reward of Yalda Candies!"
_
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