Nahida remained perfectly composed in the face of Lin Ze's question.
"That's our Traveler for you. You were the first to notice this time, too."
Her words left Lin Ze feeling that his suspicions had been confirmed. "So we really have failed a lot of times?"
Perhaps afraid of denting his confidence, Nahida avoided giving him a number and chose a gentler way to describe it.
"Still fewer times than when we fought Shouki no Kami. Don't let it weigh on you. When you fail, just adjust your mindset. Think of it as tuition. It's perfectly normal."
Nahida smiled, tilting her head as she looked at Lin Ze with a curious expression. "How did you figure it out this time, Traveler?"
"How did I figure out this wasn't our first attempt to stop Sokovia from falling?"
Lin Ze spread his hands, both exasperated and amused as he looked at Nahida. "Never mind all the hints in Venti's lyrics just now. Even that king of slackers actually... well, I wouldn't say he gave it his all, but he at least got serious about helping this time. That alone tells me Sokovia has fallen out of the sky more than once or twice."
"You figured it out from such an unexpected angle?" A flicker of surprise appeared in Nahida's eyes. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Mr. Venti was right. Nothing escapes the Traveler's discerning eyes."
"Ehe."
Glowing green motes gathered into the shape of a young man. Venti rested his right hand on Lin Ze's shoulder and patted it, a brilliant smile on his face. "I put some real effort into helping this time, so you couldn't accuse me of being too lazy."
"So?"
Venti blinked his big, sparkling eyes at Lin Ze. "How about buying me a drink when we get