Chapter 148: Is This How It Was Done?
Paimon puffed out her chest, planting her little hands on her hips. "That's right!" she declared proudly. "This is the power of the Rat Talisman! It turns stillness into motion! It can give life and vitality to inanimate objects!"
Her voice swelled with importance. "Now, Dodoco is a real, living, breathing companion! From now on, Dodoco can not only play with you, but maybe even protect you when you're in danger!"
"Do… Dodoco… is alive?!" Klee's eyes went wide, sparkling as if they'd captured the entire night sky. A tiny gasp escaped her lips, her mouth forming a perfect 'O' of astonishment.
The next second, she let out a jubilant cheer and pounced forward, wrapping her arms around the fluffy, warm, living companion. Burying her small face in Dodoco's soft fur, she erupted into a fit of joyful giggles.
Meanwhile, Venti, who had been observing from the side, found his emerald eyes filled with an even deeper sense of bewilderment. He tilted his head slightly, a faint line creasing his brow. As the god who governed "Wind" and "Freedom," he was no stranger to the aura of life, but the scene unfolding before him completely defied his understanding.
He hadn't sensed any fluctuation of life-giving power that operated under the laws of Teyvat. There was no vibrant surge of Dendro energy, nor were there any telltale traces of alchemical modification. The life force inhabiting this doll seemed to have materialized from nothing, as if… as if it should have been alive all along, and some higher-level "rule" had simply enforced this fact upon reality.
This method was utterly unheard of.
"Do… Dodoco…" The newly-born creature seemed to instinctively sense the pure, unadulterated love from Klee—a warmth it already knew intimately from its time as a simple doll. It let out a series of soft, adorable coos and snuggled deeper into Klee's embrace.
Watching the incredibly heartwarming and wholesome scene, Lumine and Paimon felt their own hearts soften.
After a while, Klee slowly surfaced from her state of pure elation. Realizing she hadn't properly thanked them, she quickly scrambled to her feet. Her small face was still flushed with excitement as she gave Lumine and Paimon a very formal bow.
"Thank you, big sister Honorary Knight! Thank you, Paimon! For giving Klee such a—such an amazing gift! From now on, if you ever need Klee's help, you can always come find me! Klee will definitely do her best!"
Then, with a generous heart, she invited, "You guys come and pet Dodoco, too! It's warm and soft now, super comfortable!"
Lumine and Paimon smiled and stepped forward, gently stroking Dodoco's plush fur and feeling the genuine, rhythmic pulse of life beneath their fingertips.
After a bit more playtime, Venti finally found himself unable to contain his curiosity any longer. He stepped forward with a practiced smile, skillfully interrupting the tender moment. "Alright, alright, seeing Klee so happy puts all our hearts at ease. But it's getting late, shouldn't our little Spark Knight be getting ready for bed? We should let the newborn Dodoco get used to things, too."
He then turned naturally to Lumine and Paimon. "As for our esteemed Honorary Knight and her guide, why don't you stay in Mondstadt for the night? It's perfect. I should fulfill my duties as a host and help you find a comfortable place to rest."
"Mhm! Okay!" Klee nodded obediently.
Before leaving the alchemy workshop, the ever-thoughtful Lumine and Paimon retrieved a large amount of special snacks from the chat group's warehouse. They stuffed them into Klee's small backpack and piled more on a nearby table, completely replenishing her previously depleted "stock."
Though reluctant to part, Klee hugged Dodoco tightly and stood at the workshop door, waving vigorously. "Goodbye, big sister Honorary Knight! Goodbye, Paimon! Goodbye, big brother bard!"
After bidding farewell to the dizzyingly happy girl, Lumine, Paimon, and the outwardly casual but internally baffled Venti began to walk together down the quiet, moonlit streets of Mondstadt.
Once they had put sufficient distance between themselves and the workshop, Venti could no longer hold back. He stopped and turned, his usual relaxed smile replaced by an expression that was a complex mixture of intense curiosity and a hint of internal struggle.
"Hmm…" he began, choosing his words carefully. "Originally, based on some rumors and whispers I'd heard, I thought you had simply been lucky enough to stumble upon an unstable spatial anomaly—much like Fischl's incident—and gained some peculiar abilities and items during an adventure in another world."
He spread his hands, his expression growing more complex. "But after witnessing everything just now… especially that 'talisman' that can bring a doll to life… I've realized that things are not at all what I imagined."
"That feeling… it was so distinct, completely different from any power system I know." His emerald eyes fixed on Lumine and Paimon, filled with genuine confusion and a hint of a plea. "So, dear Traveler, and our excellent guide Paimon, could you possibly satisfy the burning curiosity of your best bard friend?"
"Please! Otherwise, I'll be thinking about this all night and won't be able to sleep until dawn. Even the most wonderful Dandelion Wine will lose its taste!"
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a quick glance, a silent conversation passing between their eyes.
Paimon flew forward a bit, hands on her hips, a hint of smugness in her voice. "Alright, alright, since you're asking so sincerely, Paimon will tell you a little bit."
"To put it simply, the Traveler and Paimon, for some reason, got pulled into a super awesome, multi-dimensional chat group that connects lots and lots of different worlds!" She gestured animatedly with her hands as she explained. "Inside, not only can you chat with people from other worlds and help each other out, but sometimes you can even get quests to visit those other worlds!"
"Most," she added, her tone brimming with pride, as if she had created the group herself, "you can use points to draw prizes and get super amazing items from all sorts of worlds! How about that? Isn't it awesome?"
Venti's face lit up with sudden understanding. "So it was achieved through such an incredible method… Truly astonishing." He stroked his chin, his eyes darting about as a brilliant smile bloomed on his face. He leaned in closer. "Um… how about we discuss something? This chat group sounds like it's full of 'freedom'and'surprises'!"
"If there's ever an opportunity, would you mind letting a talented, knowledgeable bard who can also play music for your entertainment join in? I promise I'll be a very active member!"
Paimon was momentarily stunned by the sudden request and scratched her head. "Well… Paimon's not too sure about that. I was pulled in by the Traveler, too, so I don't have the authority to add people."
"She's the [Administrator]!" Paimon announced, pointing at Lumine. "Sounds super powerful, right? Whether or not someone can be added is all up to her!"
After she spoke, both her and Venti's gazes turned to land squarely on the Traveler.
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