The Funeral

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"Paimon, this is going to be very difficult. Listen carefully. If we truly are to believe that Lumine is still alive, we need to find her. If we don't reverse the activation of her stars quickly, she's going to die either way. The traveler is important to many of us, she's... an important friend."

"Paimon knows! Paimon will do anything you need!"

Mona nodded. "Right, while then, you should know that there's only two recorded instances of this working- ever. Many astrologists tried to gain immortality by resetting their constellation, and out of all of them, it only worked twice. We need lots of things if we're gonna make this work. But first? We need Lumine."

"Ok, Paimon gets it! Should we go looking again? But the knights won't help us!"

"Paimon, we'll have to make a journey to Liyue. I need to find a... friend of mine. We can leave tomorrow. We'll miss her funeral..." Mona looks out the window of her dusty home. She turns back to Paimon. "Do you accept my offer?"

Paimon nods. "Yup, Paimon does!"

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The Funeral

╚═*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═╝

There's nothing quite as somber as a funeral in Mondstadt. The usual cheerfulness of the shops has burnt out, the wind is still and quiet, and nobody utters a word. Funerals aren't common. Of course, people die all the time; but many can't afford a funeral- or simply don't have one. The last time a funeral was held in Monstadt was two and a half months before, when a little boy fell into Cider Lake and drowned before he could be rescued. The family wasn't affiliated with the knights, and thus, the funeral was small and not many came.

Jean remembers that funeral vividly.

It was the first funeral she had to lead. Though Grandmaster Varka had been gone for quite some time now, the Church almost always held the funeral unless it was for a knight. But the Church hadn't had the resources- they were still waiting on shipments.

The funeral had been quiet and small, and the service took place behind the Cathedral. Windwheel asters- eight of them, because he was eight- were buried with him. His grave was a simple headstone. Jean had written and read a lovely service, and the small number of people who had attended were moved to tears.

Jean never ever wanted to have to attend a funeral again, let alone lead one.

And yet here she was, a little ways off of windrise, where a small plot of land had been prepared for Lumine's grave. A sapling had been planted next to the headstone- a customary for all Monstadt funerals. The belief was that with the loss of one life, another should be right there, hand in hand.

The funeral was quiet, but the amount of people who came wouldn't suggest that. Many knights came, though some of the captains had to stay on duty. Plenty of civilians came- everyone and any one who had ever met the Traveler.

Diona took work off to come, though she put on a very nonchalant mask to try and hide her sadness. She hurried back to the Cat's Tail quickly, swiping at her face and claiming she got windwheel aster seeds in her eyes.

Fischl came, and she and Oz gave a lengthy speech on the Traveler's bravery and wits, embellishing it greatly- but still getting Lumine's elegance perfectly. When she was finished, hung a small light catcher on Lumine's tree, reflecting rainbows across the headstone.

Barbara and Rosaria and a few of the other nuns stood towards the back of the crowd, milling about and eventually coming up to the headstone to say goodbye. Barbara and Rosaria had to leave earlier when Barbara nearly broke down.

Eula stood in the shade, muttering about vengeance the whole time. Diluc stood in the same shade, face void of all expression and arms crossed.

The service had started with Jean's speech, followed by a short word from Amber about how it was an honor to be her first friend in Mondstadt.

Eventually it came to an end, as all things do, and people left slowly but surely. The grieving period had officially ended, because the knights were losing too much work time. The only one left at the grave when the moon rose was a familiar green bard.

Venti sat next to the headstone, summoning his lyre as he hummed a tune. "Shall I sing you a closing to this era, traveler?"

No answer came, and yet he began anyway, playing a song that sounded like sadness and sorrow and grief, despite having no words. When Venti finished, he put his lyre away, and stared at the engraving on the headstone.

The Traveler Lumine

Inazuman Swordfish II Captain

Savior of Liyue

Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius

Beloved friend

Venti frowned.

Staring up at the stars, he murmured to himself, "If only they knew who you truly were, traveler."

What Venti had not realized, or perhaps not cared to acknowledge, was the figure lurking in the woods.

Aether approached the now vacant area around the headstone. He read each name to himself, deliberately noting how there was no mention of her having a brother.

He dropped a single Inteyvat on the fresh dirt.

"We'll go home together someday, okay? I promise. I'll find you, and we'll be okay."

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