Chapter Fourteen: Doubt

“Ah~~, so it really is you. It seems fate destined our paths to cross—this unbreakable bond between ‘us’ and Paimon.”
“It’s precisely how little Paimon made her entrance...”
“Either falling into the sea and nearly drowning or almost getting caught by the Hilichurls to be cooked—she has to face some kind of danger. Otherwise, how would ‘we’ get the chance to save her? Without saving her, how would we build that initial trust? And without trust, how could ‘we’ possibly bring her along on our journey?”
“Uh... that makes sense. So next should be the heroic boy saving the beauty, and then the best companions set off together, right?”
“Exactly... Wow! That kick was impressive.”
“...” (Everyone was left speechless, stunned by the youth’s display of prowess.)
“Damn, is this the combat power of a Traveler without elemental abilities? This must be a trick—”
“Hahaha, look at that, this is how a real traveler should be. I've roamed countless worlds; dealing with a bunch of low-level monsters doesn’t require elemental powers—just three punches and a couple of kicks to knock them all down.”
“The punches and kicks were so sharp and decisive!”
“You could tell from when he blasted through that cliff earlier.”
...
“Hahaha! Paimon, who would’ve thought you had such a tough time back then? Rare, indeed!”
Inside the dormitory, Lumine mercilessly teased little Paimon.
During their past travels, this little creature always acted so smug and cocky, and what made it worse was that she was stronger than Lumine herself. It irritated Lumine to no end, but she had no way to deal with it, leaving her frustrated.
Now that she finally had the chance, how could she not mock her thoroughly to vent her feelings?
“I-I just hadn’t regained my strength yet,” Paimon blushed fiercely, trying to defend herself.
Lumine shot back immediately, “But Kaede was sealed too. Why wasn’t he as miserable as you?”
...
Paimon fell silent, which surprised Lumine. Based on past experience, this little thing rarely admitted defeat.
Unless...
Lumine’s gaze was drawn magnetically to the screen—unless there were more embarrassing moments to come?
Thinking this way, Lumine’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
...
Watching the youth swiftly dispatch all the Hilichurls within minutes, the little flying companion was utterly amazed.
On the continent of Teyvat, Hilichurls were not high-level monsters, but they were still formidable enough not to be underestimated.
Many caravans traveling through the wilderness, if unlucky enough to be ambushed by Hilichurls, often had to abandon their goods and flee in panic.
Experienced adventurers, when alone, could at best handle a handful of ordinary Hilichurls; beyond that, they would be overwhelmed.
Only those with strong Divine Eyes could single-handedly face a horde of Hilichurls.
Yet, the young Traveler before them never used elemental powers once, relying solely on martial arts to take down a group led by two ruffians!
This scene deeply shocked little Paimon.
Snapping back to reality, Paimon excitedly flew over to the youth, her face glowing with admiration and enthusiasm as she praised him endlessly, “Wow! You’re amazing! You defeated all those Hilichurls so quickly.”
“Oh, by the way, I’m Paimon. What’s your name...?”
The small creature called Paimon was about to introduce herself when she suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Looking up, she met the youth’s gaze—cold and piercing, as if it could penetrate the soul. There was no warmth in those eyes, only an icy chill, as if a thousand-year-old frost had settled there.
Under that intense stare, Paimon felt as if she were being eyed by a ferocious beast. A chill ran through her body, and the words caught in her throat. She dared not speak further.
...
“Gulp~”
Paralyzed by fear, Paimon froze, unable to move. Her wide eyes filled with terror as she continued to hold the youth’s gaze.
She was too afraid to look away, fearing that the next moment he might strike her as he did the Hilichurls.
The youth scrutinized the small creature named Paimon before him. Having just awakened and knowing nothing of this world, he remained highly cautious of everything around him.
This little being had suddenly appeared and immediately attracted a group of monsters toward him, making him suspect it might be a deliberate trap.
Having traveled through countless worlds, the youth was no stranger to such ambushes targeting naive travelers.
Though this little one appeared weak and helpless, it could well be a disguise.
Moreover, in such a dangerous wilderness, it was abnormal for such a frail creature to be here alone.
Most importantly, the youth felt an odd familiarity with this little figure...
Yet, after a long moment, he sensed no abnormality or threat from Paimon, nor did he detect any divine aura from her.
Doubt and suspicion churned in his mind. Could this be mere coincidence?
After much deliberation, the youth gave her a long, deep look, then without lingering further, turned and walked away.
Though eager to quickly gather information about this world, there was no need to engage with someone who aroused such unease.
Seeing the youth leave without a word, Paimon instinctively reached out to him, but ultimately lacked the courage to call him back.