Aether had already noticed Zhu Zhuqing when she arrived alongside Yu Keke and the others. He'd wanted to speak to her then—after all, she'd tried to talk to him back at Skywater Academy. But with the whole Bibi Dong situation, that conversation had been pushed aside.
Now, it was time to get some answers.
This girl always clammed up whenever she saw him. Honestly, it left him a bit confused.
"Zhu Zhuqing?"
She stood frozen in place, lost in thought. Aether called out again.
"Y-Your Excellency…"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice trembled slightly, caught off guard by his sudden attention.
"Speak."
Aether nodded, indicating she had his full attention.
"…"
"…Do you need help with something?" he asked when the silence stretched too long. As he spoke, he activated his Elemental Sight.
In his vision, Yu Keke's head shimmered with golden light, while the rest were cloaked in a dull gray haze. A few had deeper hues of gray, indicating stronger soul power.
But Zhu Zhuqing's head? Nothing. No markers. No signs.
"…Yes…"
Her voice was barely more than a whisper, like a mosquito's buzz.
Aether kept his gaze on her, but after squeezing out a single word, she fell silent again.
"…?"
He instinctively glanced toward Paimon. The little companion caught on instantly, flying over to Zhu Zhuqing and patting her chest with confidence.
"Zhuqing, go on! Maybe the Traveler and I can help!"
As expected, the mission-triggering mascot worked wonders. Aether had been questioning her forever and gotten nothing. But with Paimon in front of her, Zhu Zhuqing leaned in and began whispering.
"Huh? Seriously…?"
Whatever she said made Paimon blink in surprise, her expression caught somewhere between shock and awkward sympathy.
Zhu Zhuqing saw the conflicted look on Paimon's face, and the faint hope in her eyes began to dim. She lowered her head, looking dejected.
Paimon scratched her head, then glanced back toward Aether. "I'm okay with it, but you'll have to ask the Traveler…" she said, pointing at him.
"Hmm? Zhuqing's in some kind of trouble?" Aether asked, this time looking at Paimon directly.
"Nope," Paimon shook her head.
"Then what is it?"
"She said… she wants to come with us."
Paimon spread her hands helplessly, relaying Zhu Zhuqing's words plainly.
Everyone nearby heard her clearly. Their eyes shifted toward the crimson-faced Zhu Zhuqing, who still stood with her head bowed.
Why the blush? It's not like I asked her to marry me…
Aether stared at the girl's bashful posture and felt a twitch of exasperation. He thought this was going to be serious. Some kind of crisis, maybe.
"Your Exellency… I want to follow you!"
Zhu Zhuqing finally raised her head, voice louder now. Since everyone knew, she figured she might as well go all in.
"Uh… why?"
Aether blinked. What did she even mean by "follow"?
"I just… just want to follow you."
No rhyme or reason. Just that. Her face practically shouted I don't know how to explain it, but I've decided.
"No."
Aether shook his head. His tone was calm but firm.
"…"
The light drained from Zhu Zhuqing's face. Her blush faded into something closer to pale gray. But since she'd already thrown her pride away, she wasn't about to give up.
"Your Excellency, please… I have nowhere else to go…"
"You were doing just fine at Skywater Academy," Aether replied, arching a brow. "Your talent is exceptional. You're well on your way to becoming a formidable Soul Master."
He guessed maybe she wanted to become stronger faster by sticking with him. She had come to the Heaven Dou Empire to escape her past, after all. Gaining power meant gaining freedom.
And freedom came from strength.
But honestly, with her talent? Even if she stayed in the academy, she'd probably hit Spirit Douluo, maybe even Title Douluo level eventually.
That alone would make her a big name on the continent.
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head gently. "I don't really care about soul power… I only trained because I wanted to break free. To live freely."
"And what does that have to do with following me?"
Aether's mouth twitched. He wasn't sure what her logic was.
Of course it had everything to do with you!
Wanting to follow a strong person—wasn't that normal? And it was you. If things went further… even better.
Zhu Zhuqing screamed internally, but no way was she saying that out loud. Girls tended to keep things vague in matters like this.
"I just want to see the world… through your eyes."
She lowered her head again, murmuring almost dreamily.
"…"
Aether looked at the companions already traveling with him. It had started as just him and Paimon. Then came Yu Keke. Then Fire Meow Meow.
Now this?
What was this, some kind of worldwide adventure tour group?
Teyvat was already a perilous land. The Heavenly Principles, all that divine chaos… his sister was still out there somewhere, waiting for him to find her.
He didn't have time to babysit an entourage. Traveling was dangerous. If they made it through, great. If they didn't…
He shook his head again.
"Still not allowed…?"
"Still not allowed…"
The first voice came from Shui Yue'er, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines. Seeing Aether reject Zhu Zhuqing again made her heart sink.
The second voice was Zhu Zhuqing's own—a whisper, almost a prayer.
Vision. Wishes. Determination…
She thought back to the stories Paimon had shared, the journey, the challenges. She began to murmur something under her breath, then lifted her head again.
This time, her eyes burned with resolve.
"Your Excellency, please… let me follow you!"
She spoke clearly. No more trembling. Just conviction.
"No—hm?"
Aether raised his hand to reject her again, but then paused.
Without Elemental Sight, he could suddenly see it—a strange, golden energy radiating from Zhu Zhuqing's body.
What… was that?
He opened his Elemental Sight again, focusing hard.
Golden specks of light gathered slowly but steadily above Zhu Zhuqing's head, forming a radiant glow.
"…"
What the hell?
A golden commission… manifesting in real time?
It was the first time Aether had seen anything like it. So this was how missions were born?
He stepped forward unconsciously, closing the distance between them until they were nearly touching.
He reached out to the golden light. His fingers passed right through it.
Intangible.
But his body… instinctively wanted to absorb it.
_
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