Prologue
‘Master Tighnari!’ Collei poked her head into Tighnari’s cabin. ‘There’s a letter addressed to you.’
‘Thank you, Collei. Please give it to me,’ Tighnari responded without looking up from his work.
‘Oh by the way, have you seen General Cyno lately? His last visit was ages ago,’ Collei commented nonchalantly, seeing Tighnari’s ears perk up ever so slightly at the word ‘Cyno’. ‘We had some… trivial disagreements,” Tighnari leaned back and sighed.
The disagreements were trivial, really. It was just about the hit game that is all the rage around Teyvat nowadays: Genius Invokation. But Cyno, being the champion, did not approve of any advice on change of tactics, and flew into a fit of rage. Tighnari, who was having a bad day, threw his frustration and anger all onto Cyno. With their pride in the way, neither of them wanted to apologise first.
Collei handed the letter over to Tighnari, at which he glanced at the seal and frowned. “Where did you get this from? It has the seal of Lesser Lord Kusanali.” “Oh!” Collei seemed surprised. “Some Akademiya messenger gave it to us. I thought it was some annoying scholar business again, but he insisted it was very important, so I guess I’ll just give it to you and see. What does it say?” Tighnari carefully peeled the seal open and flattened the letter out on his desk.
Dear Forest Watcher Tighnari,
Hello Tighnari! This is Lesser Lord Kusanali, and I have heard all about you from the Traveler! I would firstly like to thank you for helping in the whole operation just to save me and the whole of Sumeru! I hope you have recovered well from your injuries, since I have a favour to ask of you! You are due for a long-earned vacation, yes? You and your trainee, Collei. I have requested for us and some other friends to go on a journey across Teyvat! There is bound to be an archons meeting in Mondstadt, and one of my companion needs to go to Liyue and Inazuma. Don’t worry about your duties in the forest, I have assigned the Traveler and Paimon to assist your colleagues in them, and I have no doubt in her abilities. Collei is invited as well, as I am sure that she has some friends in Mondstadt that she wants to visit. This is an Archon’s command, and you are to obey it. Let us meet in Port Ormos with your baggage in two days time. I wish you all a happy journey!
Best wishes, Lesser Lord Kusanali (Nahida)
Tighnari blinked, not believing what he was seeing. A vacation accompanying the Dendro Archon? But he needs to be in the forest, watching over the ecosystem. Not to mention Karkata might need someone to look after him…
“Cool, a vacation! I really want to go to visit the other nations!” Collei’s excited yelp snapped Tighnari’s out of his thoughts. “Now now Collei. Don’t get too excited yet,” Tighnari cleared up his throat, “We still have a lot of duties to attend to in the forest, not to mention-”
“Don’t be such a killjoy,” Lumine walked into the cabin with Paimon floating behind her. “I could do most of those things, and we have two days! Teach me everything I need to know, and just go relax on your journey.” She exchanged glances with Paimon on the word ‘relax’.
“Lumine! I’m going to Mondstadt again!” Collei ran over and hugged Lumine happily.
“You should trust the traveler!’ Paimon added on, smiling at the scene. “Besides, Nahida issued it herself, so it must be important! You wouldn’t want to defy your own archon, right?”
Tighnari opened his mouth to object, but upon seeing three expectant eyes looking at him, he sighed. “All right. But you are to follow my instruction. Got it?”
“Yay! I’ll get someone to tell Nahida that you two are coming!” Paimon cheered and flew out of the cabin. Lumine and Collei grinned.
“Let’s start now, we have no time to waste,” Tighnari walked out of the door, and the two girls followed him through, with Lumine occasionally glancing at his fluffy tail.