Unpleasant Reunion

“You came to Sumeru all on your own, so you must be quite familiar with the place,” the Traveler told Kaeya, their tone full of earnestness, causing the Cavalry Captain to smile.

“Very sharp of you…” He applauded, “I wouldn’t say I’m familiar, though. I just came here on the sly once, when I was very young.”

He then fell silent after that, causing Paimon to urge him to continue.

“Heh… Do I have to? When I saw we could talk about the old times–” Kaeya flashed them a wry smile, “–digging up my past wasn’t exactly what I had in mind…”

Still, amidst the Traveler’s curiosity, Kaeya told them a tale that happened many years ago. Though there was a hint of melancholy and pain in his eye, his words were laced with nothing but fondness.

“And besides, I’m not completely alone,” he added afterwards, “I’m with my lieutenant. Although… she did decide to venture on her own earlier, and I have no idea where she currently is right now.”

As he said that, a fourth figure approached as they sat beside the Traveler. 

“Tell me… what do you know about the significance of that name, “Alberich”?”

In the face of this newcomer with slightly sharp words, Kaeya only flashed his signature smile, saying, “Ah, so you’ve finally decided to join us? I was wondering how long you planned on listening in. I believe I’ve seen you before in Mondstadt… Dainsleif, if I’m not mistaken?”

“So you do remember me. Then we are already acquainted, Kaeya Alberich…” Dainsleif raised his gaze, forcing Kaeya to meet his eyes, “Descendant of the Abyss Order’s founder.”

Kaeya immediately fell silent, taken aback by this sudden reveal of his ancestry. He tried to digest it as fast as he could, but behind his seemingly unperturbed expression, there was a familiar feeling of fear lingering in his heart. Though he managed to let the conversation continue smoothly without any hitches, the feeling in his heart only grew with every sentence.

Fortunately, though it felt like centuries to Kaeya,, a portal quickly opened up beside them, revealing the lieutenant that he presumed to have gone missing earlier. 

“And what gives you the right to expose it all out in the open, Mr. Dainsleif?”

As the portal disappeared, only two figures remained from it. One was a blue-haired lady with ice-cold eyes, one they all recognized to be the Cavalry Lieutenant and Tianliu Clan Head; the other, although vaguely familiar to Dainsleif, was an unfamiliar person clad in red.

“Ancestry…” the redhead scoffed, as if they heard something amusing, “Quite a miracle that the Twilight Sword still remembers such trivial matters.”

As Xue moved closer to Kaeya, her fingers wrapped gently yet firmly around his wrist, she used her body to protectively shield Kaeya from Dainsleif’s gaze. Though her expression remained the same as always, Kaeya could tell that she was one second from making the other Khaenri’ahn miserable to the point of regretting his birth.

If Xue heard his thoughts, she would only look at him as if he was stupid and point out that her redhead companion was already doing the job the moment they both arrived.

“And you are…?”

“Mhm, guess like you forgot me. I see now,” the redhead spoke with a carefree tone, but it brought nothing but chills down Dainsleif and the Traveler’s spine, “Quite a selective memory you have there, no?”

“You use this man’s ancestry to talk to him in such a stern stone, but really, is that all that’s there to the Alberich, hmm?”

They then leaned down, forcing Dainsleif to meet their golden eyes. At that moment, though it was only for a brief moment, Dainsleif immediately felt himself get covered in cold sweat at the sight of a familiar face.

“Though he’s not her direct descendant, would you say that she’s the same as the Founder of the Abyss Order? Is it not possible for him to take after her, instead?”

“You can argue that he has never met her, but are you certain that he had indeed met the Abyss Order’s Founder and was influenced by him?” Xue quipped, having figured out who Eden was talking about, “Kaeya is a Child of Mondstadt; brother to Liu Minhua and Diluc Ragnvindr, and lover to Skye. Neither his ancestry nor surname define him, nor do you have any right to question his fate or loyalty.”

She then pulled Kaeya up but kept him behind her, giving Eden a grateful look, “We’ll be heading out now as we still have a schedule to catch. Thank you for the help.”

“Anytime, Miss Liu,” Eden responded, yet kept their gaze on Dainsleif’s face, “Have a safe trip.”

The moment the Cavalry Captain and Lieutenant duo left, Eden spared no time in continuing their attacks against Dainsleif, “What’s with the pale face? Remembering something bad? Or does it not feel right for me to expose this all out in the open when other people are here, hmm?”

“Too bad,” they smirked, before eyeing the Traveler, “If you want to know what made your friend freeze up like this, you better look for a certain adventurer with fiery eyes to know the whole truth that lacks any excuses.”

And with that, just as they arrived, they also disappeared with one spin of a portal.