Chapter Summaries

Varesa, Bai You, Odette, Columbina, and Sandrone spent the evening at a secluded beach, changing into swimsuits and watching the sunset together. As night fell, Varesa reassured Bai You that she would find and bring her back if she ever left.

• Odette spread a cloth on the beach, and the five women went behind the rocks to change into their swimsuits.
• Varesa helped Bai You tie the strap on her pink swim dress, kissed the back of her neck, and told her she looked beautiful.
• The five women walked to the water and watched the sunset, while Sandrone repeatedly glanced at Columbina.
• Odette laid out warm snacks and juice as Columbina and Sandrone sat together to watch the sea, and Varesa held Bai You by the water.
• Bai You asked what would happen if she left one day, and Varesa promised to find her and bring her back.

Bai You and Varesa spent the day swimming together as water nymphs, sharing kisses and confessing their love. They returned to shore after a race and a crab bite, with Varesa promising to care for Bai You for the rest of her life.

• Odette stayed on the beach while Varesa led Bai You into the sea, where Bai You transformed her legs into a fishtail.
• Varesa surprised Bai You underwater, embraced and kissed her, then swam with her back to the surface.
• Bai You found a seashell and gave it to Varesa, and they told each other they liked one another.
• Bai You raced Varesa, swam into her arms, and Varesa teased that she had caught her.
• A crab pinched Bai You's fingertip, and Varesa removed it and soothed the mark.
• Bai You asked Varesa to peel crab for her if she ate it, and Varesa promised to do so for the rest of her life.

Columbina and Sandrone spent the afternoon teasing each other and building a sandcastle, while Odette watched over Bai You and Varesa. As evening fell, Odette revealed she had brought food and equipment for a beach barbecue.

• Columbina asked Sandrone to apply sunscreen, then gently put sunscreen on Sandrone, making her blush.
• Columbina and Sandrone built a sandcastle, and Sandrone shielded it from a wave before Columbina called her cute.
• Sandrone offered Columbina a strawberry candy, which Columbina fed to her.
• Odette tossed ice water to the group and watched Bai You and Varesa share a tender moment.
• At sunset, Odette brought out bags full of barbecue food, a grill, and supplies, explaining she had bought them while the others were distracted.

Odette, Columbina, Sandrone, Varesa, and Bai You shared a beachside barbecue, teasing and caring for one another as they cooked and ate. The evening ended with Columbina feeding Sandrone and teasing her about sharing food, while Bai You blushed at Varesa’s affection.

• Odette assigned Columbina to wash vegetables and Sandrone to prepare skewers while keeping Varesa and Bai You away from the fire.
• Columbina and Sandrone splashed each other in the shallows, and Columbina carried Sandrone back to shore when she pretended she might dunk her.
• Varesa guided Bai You’s hands toward the fire and held her as they felt its warmth.
• Bai You growled with hunger, and Odette gave her the first cooked shrimp skewer to keep her quiet.
• Varesa kissed sauce from the corner of Bai You’s mouth, leaving Bai You embarrassed in front of everyone.
• Columbina fed Sandrone grilled meat, then offered her a piece she had already bitten.

Bai You, Varesa, Odette, Columbina, and Sandrone shared a beachside barbecue, growing closer through teasing, food, and stories. They watched the stars together, while Bai You and Varesa chose a pair of stars to represent their bond; an author’s note said the main story would resume after a few more chapters.

• Sandrone shyly grilled Columbina a honey-glazed prawn, and Columbina praised it as the best she had ever eaten.
• Odette served Bai You grilled fish and vegetables, and Bai You told Varesa that Odette was warm like fire.
• Varesa recounted how she met Bai You after finding her near her tail in the water and brought her home.
• Varesa shared a hot marshmallow bite with Bai You, while Columbina and Sandrone hooked their little fingers and promised to team up at the beach again.
• Odette spread a cloth on the beach so the group could watch the stars, and Bai You and Varesa chose two neighboring stars to represent them.
• The author’s note said the next chapters would bridge into a new storyline and move the main plot forward.

Odette, Bai You, Varesa, Columbina, and Sandrone watched the stars together and promised to reunite at the beach next year. In Mondstadt, Rosalyne learned that the four Harbingers were nearby on vacation and discovered that Odette had joined them.

• Odette pointed out constellations and told Bai You the legend of Vega and Cowherd, while Bai You and Varesa promised they would stay together.
• Columbina flirted with Sandrone, who let her hold hands, and Columbina wished that the five friends would return to the beach together next year.
• After a shooting star crossed the sky, Odette said they had to make their wishes come true themselves and offered to buy the ingredients if everyone came back.
• Rosalyne received a report that Columbina, Sandrone, and Bai You were in Mondstadt on vacation, and she learned that Odette was with them.

Rosalyne learned that Odette had joined the other Harbingers in Mondstadt, but decided to proceed with her plan to take Barbatos’s Gnosis the next morning. After a night on the beach, Odette and the others watched the sunrise and returned to the City of Mondstadt.

• Rosalyne heard that Odette had arrived with three Harbingers and ordered her debt collector to watch them without approaching or alerting them.
• Rosalyne decided that her plan to take Barbatos’s Gnosis would proceed as usual the next morning.
• Bai You, Varesa, Sandrone, Columbina, and Odette woke at their beach tent, shared breakfast, and watched the sunrise together.
• Odette packed up the tent, and the five walked along the coast toward Mondstadt.
• Bai You, Varesa, Sandrone, Columbina, and Odette entered the City of Mondstadt.

Bai You, Varesa, Columbina, Sandrone, and Odette enjoyed breakfast and explored Mondstadt. Their stroll ended at Favonius Cathedral, where Fatui skirmishers had sealed off the plaza and Rosalyne confronted Venti.

• Odette ordered a generous breakfast at the Good Hunter, and the five shared a leisurely meal.
• Varesa kissed sauce from Bai You's mouth, while Columbina coaxed Sandrone into eating steak.
• The five explored Mondstadt's shops, market, fountain, and other landmarks as Varesa bought Bai You candied fruit.
• At Favonius Cathedral, the five found Fatui skirmishers blocking the plaza exits, with Rosalyne facing Venti.

La Signora seized the Anemo Gnosis from Venti while the Traveler and Paimon tried to stop her. Afterward, she noticed her fellow Harbingers and Odette hiding nearby, but left without speaking to them.

• Bai You, Columbina, and Sandrone recognized La Signora's mission and chose not to interfere, while Varesa led their group behind a pillar.
• La Signora taunted Venti, who attacked her with a wind blade that she easily stopped.
• La Signora pierced Venti's chest and drew the Anemo Gnosis from him as Fatui skirmishers restrained the Traveler.
• La Signora mocked the Gnosis, kicked Venti, and noticed her colleagues and Odette before leaving the plaza without speaking to them.

After La Signora took Venti’s Gnosis, Venti recovered and greeted the five people who had watched the confrontation. Lumine learned that Columbina, Sandrone, and Bai You were Fatui Harbingers, while Odette also belonged to the Fatui, leaving the group’s motives in Mondstadt uncertain.

• The ice melted, and Lumine checked on Venti after La Signora had taken his Gnosis.
• Venti recognized the five concert performers and welcomed them over, while Paimon realized they had watched the confrontation.
• Venti identified Columbina as the third Fatui Harbinger and Sandrone as the seventh, and Bai You admitted she was a Harbinger too.
• Lumine questioned why the Fatui had come to Mondstadt, but Columbina called it a vacation and Sandrone said La Signora’s mission was not their responsibility.
• Venti said the three Harbingers had been considerate by not joining the fight, then asked Varesa to sing with him again.
• Lumine asked about Odette, who said she belonged to the Fatui, and Columbina called her their companion.

After the Fatui group spoke with Lumine and Venti in Mondstadt, they departed with the Anemo Gnosis, leaving Odette privately troubled by the woman who had taken it. Venti told Lumine to travel south to Liyue, where Rex Lapis’s Rite of Descension was approaching.

• Lumine questioned Varesa, who introduced herself as a singer and principal soprano of the Snezhnayan Korolevsky Troupe and gave Lumine a ticket to her performances.
• Varesa revealed that Bai You was her girlfriend, while Columbina and Sandrone reacted to the couple’s affection.
• Venti played his lyre, and Lumine relaxed her grip on her sword while warning the group she would keep watching them.
• Odette recalled her childhood training and silently dwelled on the woman who had taken the Anemo Gnosis before leaving with Columbina, Sandrone, Varesa, and Bai You.
• Venti told Lumine they could not pursue the group and advised her to head to Liyue for Rex Lapis’s upcoming Rite of Descension.

Venti told Lumine that she could seek answers about her sibling from Rex Lapis at Liyue’s Rite of Descension, and Lumine set off for Liyue with Paimon. Varesa then promised to take Bai You to a hidden, tea-scented lake in Chenyu Vale when they reached Liyue.

• Venti explained that Rex Lapis might know about Lumine’s sibling and described the upcoming Rite of Descension in Liyue.
• Lumine agreed to travel to Liyue with Paimon, while Venti warned them that people from Snezhnaya might be heading there.
• Varesa overheard Lumine and Venti discussing Liyue and asked Bai You whether she had heard of it.
• Varesa told Bai You about a hidden lake in Chenyu Vale whose water tasted of tea after she accidentally swam there from Fontaine.
• Varesa promised to take Bai You to the lake so they could drink from it together.

Varesa agreed to take Bai You to Liyue after they saw Odette and the others off, while Odette resolved to return to Snezhnaya and resume training. Sandrone and Columbina decided to look for Rosalyne before choosing their next steps.

• The group bought bread in Mondstadt, and Odette reluctantly ate after her stomach growled.
• Varesa promised to travel to Liyue with Bai You, who asked to visit Chenyu Vale first and rested beside her.
• Odette thought about Rosalyne, decided to return to Snezhnaya, and resumed practicing despite her weakened wrist.
• Columbina asked Sandrone to help find Rosalyne, who had not reported back after obtaining the Anemo Gnosis.
• Sandrone and Columbina discussed their duties and agreed to search for Rosalyne before deciding what to do next.

Sandrone and Columbina found Rosalyne in a cottage outside Mondstadt and asked about her plans after obtaining the Anemo Gnosis. Rosalyne said she was waiting for someone, and the chapter ended as she questioned why Sandrone and Columbina were returning to Snezhnaya without Bai You.

• Columbina used her Lunar Authority to guide Sandrone to Rosalyne's cottage northwest of Mondstadt.
• Sandrone and Columbina found tea prepared for three, and Rosalyne came out to join them.
• Rosalyne said she planned to return to Snezhnaya with the Anemo Gnosis after handling some loose ends in Mondstadt.
• Sandrone guessed Rosalyne was waiting for Odette, and Columbina said she and Sandrone were also going back to Snezhnaya.
• Rosalyne asked about Bai You and why Sandrone and Columbina were not returning with him.

Sandrone and Columbina learned that Rosalyne, Odette, and they would return to Snezhnaya together, while Bai You and Varesa headed to Liyue. After Columbina explained Rosalyne’s real intent behind giving Odette the Burning Amber, they told Odette about the departure, leaving her quietly absorbing the news.

• Sandrone said Bai You and Varesa were going to Liyue, while she, Columbina, Rosalyne, and Odette would return to Snezhnaya the next morning.
• Rosalyne asked Columbina to tell Odette to meet them at the city gate, saying she had things she wanted to tell her.
• Columbina explained to Sandrone that Odette misunderstood Rosalyne’s strict training and believed the Burning Amber was meant to control her, though it was actually a way to give her freedom.
• Sandrone and Columbina visited Odette and told her Rosalyne had decided to return to Snezhnaya with them.
• Odette asked whether Rosalyne was truly going back and whether she had sent them to tell her, then quietly accepted the news.

Varesa prepared a steaming bath for Bai You, then filled it with ingredients until it resembled a pot of fish soup. The chapter ended with Varesa admitting she was making fish soup.

• Varesa had hotel staff fill a large wooden tub with hot water.
• Bai You climbed into the tub, and her legs transformed into a fish tail.
• Varesa added flower petals, milk, honey, ginger, salt, and goji berries to Bai You's bath.
• Varesa placed a scallion on the tub's rim and told Bai You she was making fish soup.

Varesa and Bai You shared a teasing, affectionate bath that turned intimate as they clung to each other in the hot water. Bai You later woke in Varesa’s arms after the tub had gone cold, with Varesa asleep beside her.

• Varesa added pine resin balm to the bath and watched Bai You soak while teasing her about being fish soup.
• Varesa joined Bai You in the tub, and their turquoise tails rested together beneath the water.
• Varesa teased Bai You that the fish soup was ready, and Bai You splashed her before finally clinging to her.
• Varesa held Bai You close and whispered that she should cling to her for a lifetime, then drew her into her arms as the steam filled the bathroom.
• Bai You later woke against Varesa’s warm embrace and found Varesa asleep while the bathwater had gone cold.

Columbina, Sandrone, and Odette told Bai You and Varesa they would return to Snezhnaya the next day, while Bai You and Varesa planned to travel to Liyue. After sharing a farewell meal in Mondstadt, the five women headed to Angel's Share for drinks.

• Columbina told Varesa that she, Sandrone, and Odette would leave for Snezhnaya the next day, while Varesa planned to accompany Bai You to Liyue.
• Bai You agreed to let Columbina take the Star-Rubbing Vessel, and Columbina advised Bai You to seek help from Tartaglia in Liyue if needed.
• Sandrone suggested a farewell meal, and the five women ate together at the Good Hunter Restaurant.
• Columbina and the others discussed Liyue food while Sandrone asked Odette whether she had finished packing.
• After dinner, Varesa suggested farewell drinks, Bai You agreed, and the five women entered Angel's Share.

Diluc welcomed Columbina, Varesa, Bai You, Sandrone, and Odette to Angel’s Share and served them drinks for their farewell gathering. Bai You got drunk after two glasses of Windblume, leaving Varesa and Columbina to realize how little alcohol she could handle.

• Diluc greeted the five visitors and opened a rare bottle of Dawn Winery wine to honor his promise to them.
• Diluc made Bai You a low-alcohol Windblume because she had never drunk alcohol before.
• Varesa proposed a farewell toast, and the five friends clinked their glasses together.
• Bai You finished her first Windblume and asked for another, then quickly drank the second.
• Varesa noticed Bai You was flushed and disoriented, and Columbina confirmed that Bai You was drunk.

Bai You and her friends drank until all five were drunk, and Varesa led them from Angel’s Share toward their hotel. As they stumbled through Mondstadt, Bai You insisted she was flying.

• Bai You got drunk at Angel’s Share and persuaded Varesa to let her have another drink.
• Odette spoke about her childhood and Rosalyne, while Columbina and Sandrone also became drunk.
• Diluc refused Varesa’s payment and covered the group’s drinks.
• Varesa and the others helped one another out of the tavern and began walking through Mondstadt toward the hotel.
• Bai You leaned on Varesa and said she thought she was flying.