Nonlinear Movement

Early morning.

Gentle sunlight spilled into the room, piercing through the sleeper's dreams and waking her.

"Mmm..."

A sleepy, sticky groan escaped the girl's lips. Her brows drew together slightly as she cracked one bleary eye half open. What greeted her was a stretch of pure, milky white, rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

...Had she gone to heaven?

It felt too early, and she was far too drowsy to get up and draw the curtains. She decided to roll over, turn her back to the window, and sleep a little longer, but the instant she turned her head-

"Pff-"

That soft white "mound" bumped straight into her lips. Its warmth carried a faint fragrance, and it almost pushed its way into her mouth.

Lumine blinked in surprise, finally realizing where she had buried her face.

"Mmm..." The angel's brows creased slightly, and she smacked her lips sleepily.

Before Lumine could do anything, a wing suddenly wrapped around her from behind, drawing tighter and tighter.

Her nose, which had still been exposed, sank completely into the softness. A faint fragrance mingled with the girl's distinctive scent and flooded her nose and mouth, while a suffocating sensation gradually accompanied the soft touch.

Lumine: The most hopeless way to die.

The fingers resting behind the other girl's waist twitched twice, then pinched hard.

"Aah!!!" Gabrielina shrieked, and Lumine shoved her pain-stricken body away.

Almost simultaneously, a short scream came from the other side of the bed, followed by the dull thud of something heavy hitting the floor.

When Paimon finally hauled herself back up by the edge of the bed, clutching her reddened forehead, this was the scene that greeted her:

Two beautiful girls knelt on the rumpled bed, sporting equally disheveled hair as they stared at each other.

Lumine covered her still-reddened nose, while Gabrielina rubbed the fresh mark on her waist in bewilderment, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes and her lips pursed in an aggrieved pout.

Paimon blinked blankly. "Did you two... get into a fight?"

"..."

"..."

[*Main quest* completed. Rewards received:

Ability *[Manifestation Art] level ++ (increased creation durability; increased creation destructive power, with bonus damage against elemental constructs)

Ability *"Sky Shift" level + (can transport other living beings, with no upper limit on their number)

Tip: You drooled in your sleep last night. She even wiped it off for you...

Lol.]

...You bastard, how dare you mock me!

Gabrielina went red. Even the cup in her hand began to creak, as though it might burst at any moment, splashing milky liquid over her body and soaking her already scant clothing until it turned transparent.

Just then, a towel flew into her face with a smack.

"Go wash up! We're going to be late!" Lumine stood by the wall with one hand on her hip.

"...Okay."

Gabrielina guiltily avoided her gaze, scratched her exposed tummy, and carried the towel into the bathroom.

She nearly tripped over her own wings while closing the door.

"Sigh..."

Lumine brushed back her hair, her gaze passing over the hazy silhouette moving behind the bathroom's glass door. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

"Traveler..." Paimon flew over listlessly, picking at her fingers. "Did I crowd you two last night?"

"Hm?"

After a brief silence, just as Paimon was about to sneak a glance up, a warm hand settled gently on her head.

"Don't worry. You didn't crowd us at all," Lumine said gently, rubbing Paimon's soft hair.

"But tonight... you have to sleep between us, Paimon."

"Okay!" Although she didn't know why, Paimon immediately nodded and returned to her usual energetic self.

Once Gabrielina was ready, Lumine and Paimon hurriedly dragged her outside, still a little sleepy. When they reached Mondstadt's gates, they spotted the members of the Knights of Favonius from afar, already waiting for them.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Jean asked first.

"Very well!" Lumine and Paimon both nodded, looking thoroughly refreshed.

"Yaaawn... Not bad..."

Amber looked at the yawning girl with concern. "Did you not sleep well last night, Miss Gabrielina...? You seem really tired."

"Ah... Don't mind me. I'm just... not quite used to getting up early."

The angel's head bobbed, her golden eyes narrowed to slits, and even the feathers by her ears drooped limply. It really made one worry she might suddenly fall out of the air...

Still, with her assurances, the Knights of Favonius said no more and set off in their prearranged groups.

Lumine left first with Amber, and Gabrielina had Paimon stay with Lumine so they could look out for each other.

At first, watching Lumine walk away, Gabrielina inexplicably felt a moment of relief. Yet just as Lumine was about to reach the end of the bridge, she suddenly glanced back at her.

The girl was startled to find a trace of reluctance to part welling up inside her.

Aah! This blonde succubus was terrifying!!

'I'm begging you, do you know how damn horny you were last night? I wanted to come out and really *&@&#* aaah $#%~'

The angel automatically filtered out the system's adults-only language.

"All right, we should get going too..."

Kaeya got up and checked his equipment. Just as he was about to set off, Gabrielina stopped him.

"What is it, Miss Gabrielina?"

"Where are we headed? The Wolf of the North Wind's Temple?"

Kaeya scratched his head in confusion. "That's right. We'd better get moving. It's quite a distance from Mondstadt."

Gabrielina did not answer Kaeya's question. She merely rested a hand lightly on his shoulder in silence. Before he could ask anything, her golden eyes suddenly lit up-

The surrounding scenery receded like a tide, then reassembled. The world fell utterly silent before sound returned once more.

When Kaeya's vision refocused, the two of them were standing on a hillside outside the city.

Wind swept past his ears, carrying the scent of distant dandelions. Mondstadt's gates had already blurred into a speck of light, and all of this had happened in an instant.

"Wow." Kaeya smoothed his windblown collar, a flicker of admiration in his lone eye. "This power... is truly remarkable! Do you really not have a Vision?"

"A Vision?" Gabrielina looked disdainful.

"It may be a 'gaze cast upon you,' but it's still an external thing. How could you defeat a god while under their gaze? Good thing I don't have anything like that, or I'd be in a sorry state."

The angel rattled off this string of incomprehensible remarks while Kaeya stood beside her, hearing the words but understanding none of them.

"All right... Let's continue. But before the next trip, could you provide your passenger with a paper bag? I nearly offered my breakfast to the Anemo Archon."

"The Anemo Archon probably wouldn't like that."

"I was only joking. I hope the old fellow... won't be angry~"

The girl stared thoughtfully at her palm. "...Still, this ability really is amazing. I didn't expect my first attempt at bringing someone along to work."

"What??" Kaeya's smile froze instantly.

"Oh... Nothing!" Gabrielina immediately snapped out of her daze and grabbed his shoulder again. "I meant we should keep going!"

Light flashed, and Gabrielina grabbed Kaeya's cape and teleported again, leaving behind only an unfinished cry of surprise.