Suddenly, a soft knock at the door broke the quiet.
Shao Yun turned toward it.
The door opened slowly, and Lumine peeked in. Seeing that Shao Yun was also wide awake and hadn't gone to sleep, she sighed in relief and stepped inside.
Shao Yun sat up, looking at her. He figured she must've been in the same situation—unable to sleep after drinking the juice.
"Huh? Lumine, can't sleep after drinking the Valberry juice either?"
Lumine smiled gently and nodded as she sat down at the foot of the bed.
"Yeah. After drinking that juice, I couldn't fall asleep at all. But Paimon? She's sound asleep—like a rock."
Shao Yun instinctively chuckled. That did match Paimon's carefree, food-obsessed personality perfectly.
"Alright then, next time I'll go with something else—maybe Apple Cider instead. Don't want to keep you up all night."
Lumine sat at the end of the bed, Shao Yun at the head. There was a comfortable distance between them, but neither really knew what to talk about to pass the time.
"Shao Yun, come a little closer. I have something to tell you." Lumine motioned him over.
He scooted a bit toward her, but still kept about half an arm's length between them.
Though the three of them—Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon—had grown close, the truth was, it had only been one day since they met. Anything more would feel a little too fast.
"A lot happened today," Lumine said first, breaking the silence.
Her head was slightly bowed, golden hair obscuring her face, so Shao Yun couldn't see her expression.
"Yeah. Just yesterday, you were a quiet traveler. And now? You're the famous Honorary Knight."
Since the conversation had started, they naturally carried on, reflecting on the day since they met.
When Lumine talked about encountering Dvalin in Whispering Woods, even she shivered at the memory.
"To be honest, I was terrified when I ran into Dvalin in the forest." She placed a hand on Shao Yun's shoulder and smiled sweetly. "Thank you for protecting Paimon and me. Without you, we might not have made it."
Honestly, if not for the system mission, I would've been hiding behind you too, Shao Yun thought. He'd kind of been thrown into it. Still, being praised like that made him feel a bit shy.
"It's nothing. I've just gotten used to stepping up when there's danger."
Lumine shook her head with her eyes closed, disagreeing with his downplaying.
"No, it's not about being used to it. Back then, you didn't even have a Vision, yet you still stood up for us. That's what makes you brave."
A Vision was just a symbol of strength. Besides enchanting bullets, it didn't boost him much. Honestly, the best thing about it was that it helped him save money—he could stretch his food budget to last two or three days and use the extra for Paimon.
Unaware of Shao Yun's inner thoughts, Lumine began listing all the brave things he had done today, counting them on her fingers.
"When Stormterror attacked Mondstadt, you helped the townspeople."
"You helped Lisa with the pain from touching the crystal."
"And tonight—I didn't even ask you to come steal the Holy Lyre der Himmel with me, but you did anyway. You walked ahead of me the whole time, and when we got caught, you distracted the knights so we could escape."
She didn't even mention the part where he helped Jean deal with the Fatui, but it didn't matter. One more or less wouldn't change her view of him.
Shao Yun looked down, the corners of his lips curling into a subtle smile. Being praised like that felt… really good.
But the Holy Lyre der Himmel had still been stolen. He couldn't help but blame himself. If he'd been the one to retrieve it, maybe it wouldn't have ended up that way.
His gaze drifted toward Lumine, and just as she looked back at him, he quickly looked away, unable to face her admiration head-on.
"I thought you were going to call me reckless for distracting the knights like that."
"Not at all. If you were reckless, you wouldn't be sitting here in one piece." Lumine gave his shoulder a gentle nudge.
Then she leaned back and lay down, staring at the ceiling.
She lightly tapped Shao Yun's back, prompting him to lie down beside her.
Is that really necessary? he wondered, but he complied anyway.
Lying beside her, he stretched out his arms and opened his hands, watching his fingers like they were stars in the night sky.
The two of them quietly stared up at the ceiling. Not that there was much to look at—but after a day like this, it was natural to reflect and let it all sink in.
Shao Yun turned his head and looked at Lumine.
"Honestly, I think you're brave, too—for choosing to travel with someone like me."
Lumine turned her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes showed a flicker of surprise, but more than that—understanding and warmth.
"Like I said, you told me everything about yourself. I can tell—you're not a bad person."
Shao Yun grinned mischievously, a playful sparkle in his eyes. He reached out and gently tickled her slender waist.
"No, I'm definitely bad."
Lumine flinched, then burst into bell-like laughter. She squirmed and giggled, trying to escape his fingers.
"Haha—stop it!"
After a brief playful scuffle, she pushed his hand away, sat up, and tidied her tousled hair, still breathless and smiling.
"I take it back—you are a bad guy."
As Shao Yun sat up as well, Lumine reached out and gently took his hand in hers.
"But… you're the kind of 'bad' that's impossible to dislike."
Shao Yun let go of her hand. He knew who he was. Under this new identity, the bounty on his head—converted into Mora—was in the hundreds of millions.
"Come on. I know exactly what kind of person I am. I'm only kind to my own people."
Just as Shao Yun felt a twinge of melancholy, Lumine suddenly leaned in and hugged him.
Her movement was so sudden, it startled him—but soon he was enveloped in warmth.
Lumine's scent was soft and alluring, like a gentle haze that lingered in the air, surrounding him in a calming, almost ethereal presence.
"Don't put yourself down like that," she whispered near his ear.
Shao Yun blinked. Was this real? Was he dreaming?
His arms moved on their own, slowly wrapping around her back, feeling her warmth and softness.
After a moment, they gently pulled apart. Her unique fragrance still lingered in the air between them.
He pinched his thigh—ouch. Definitely not a dream.
In the tranquil atmosphere, Lumine's gaze was soft and full of warmth. She stared at Shao Yun, moved by the way he had acted all day—like a steadfast knight. It made her feel safe.
"Traveling with you… I think it's going to be amazing."
Her voice was like music, sincere and joyful, expressing her deepest feelings.
Shao Yun made her a promise.
"As long as you don't tell me to leave, I won't let you down."
To pass the time, the two of them leaned against the window, admiring the Mondstadt nightscape.
The gentle night breeze brushed against their cheeks, and the stimulating effects of the Valberry juice began to fade.
Lumine let out an involuntary yawn.
"Tired?"
"Yeah. I think it's time to sleep."
She got up, ready to head back to her room.
At the door, she gently closed it behind her—but before she left, she paused and looked back at Shao Yun. Tilting her head slightly, she smiled and waved.
"Goodnight. Sweet dreams."
The door shut, and calm returned to the room.
Shao Yun leaned back against the bed, his heart still racing. Everything that had just happened felt like a dream.
He looked down at his hand—the one that had touched her back. The sensation was still vivid.
The faint scent lingering in the room served as a constant reminder that it had actually happened.
Lumine had hugged him. They'd only known each other for a single day… Was his charm really that strong?
Lying back on his bed, Shao Yun closed his eyes. The memory of her embrace was still fresh in his mind.
"Even though we didn't get the Holy Lyre der Himmel… getting Lumine's hug makes it all worth it!"