Lumine wouldn't run away, and neither would Urakusai.
Li Mo listened quietly as Paimon explained the situation, nodding occasionally while mentally piecing together how Urakusai had ended up attached to Lumine.
As for why Paimon was doing the talking? Well, she *was* the Traveler's mouthpiece, after all.
Li Mo didn't need Paimon to finish before he understood the issue.
"It seems the little charm I gave you had an unexpected effect—it was originally meant to ward off divine corruption."
A long, long time ago, Teyvat had suffered a catastrophic war among the gods, leaving the land tainted with their lingering pollution. Sumeru might have been an exception, given its unique circumstances.
"Should I return the charm to you?"
"No need. Keep it—you can give it to someone else later. I'll modify it when I have time. As for Urakusai..."
Li Mo shifted his perspective and immediately sensed another presence within Lumine.
"Lumine, don't move."
"Okay."
Li Mo reached out, placing his hand over Lumine's head, then pulled upward—and just like that, an old man's spirit was yanked free.
He held it by the head before releasing it, letting the spirit drop to the ground.
"Couldn't you have been gentler?!"
"Given your current state, you shouldn't even feel pain."
Li Mo took the charm from Lumine and adjusted its inner mechanisms.
The charm could resist divine corruption and the erosion of forbidden knowledge. While he didn't know why such knowledge was toxic, Li Mo figured nothing could be more poisonous than himself.
Beneath the *Pseudo-Cosmic Foundation of Mysteries* lay a spiritual core that had assimilated *All the World's Evils*. If he wanted, he could become the *Incarnation of Evil* in any world—unless that world was entirely populated by saints. But did such a world even exist?
With the charm adjusted, Li Mo turned his attention to Urakusai.
"By seniority, I'm older than that little fox Yae Miko. Shouldn't you show some respect?" Urakusai grumbled.
Li Mo raised an eyebrow. "I haven't even settled accounts with *you* yet. Urakusai, what do you mean by bullying *my* Lumine?"
"Wait, since when is the Traveler *yours*?"
"Can't I consider her my little sister? Paimon, you know what they say—'He who takes is beholden.'"
Paimon suddenly remembered all the delicious food Li Mo had given her, including treats from other worlds...
Lumine yanked her floating companion back. "Dummy Paimon, why would you speak up now?"
She didn't refute Li Mo's words. From him, she truly felt a brotherly affection.
"So, what's your relationship with this girl?"
"Non-blood-related siblings. Got a problem with that?"
To Li Mo, Lumine *was* family. Having chosen Aether as his protagonist, seeing Lumine become the Abyss Princess in-game had always stung. His thoughts tended to wander.
Before Urakusai could respond, Yae Miko's voice cut in:
"Urakusai, haven't you realized? He's *not* the type to respect his elders."
Li Mo turned to see Yae Miko leaning against the windowsill, her curves on full display. "Couldn't you take a page from Ei's book?"
"Oh? Do I *look* like someone who can sit still?"
Yae Miko *wasn't* one to stay put—especially when entertainment was afoot.
Fortunately, the Grand Narukami Shrine wasn't lacking in authority figures. Ei was right here.
In all of Inazuma, none stood higher than the Almighty Narukami Ogosho.
Soon enough, Yae Miko was pulled away from the window by Ei, leaving Li Mo in peace.
Li Mo instructed Lumine to leave—preferably to join the shrine maidens outside. Lumine complied, though Paimon managed to wheedle some snacks out of him first.
Figuring it was better to share, Li Mo gave Paimon extra treats to distribute among the shrine maidens.
Then, he turned his full attention to Urakusai.
"Alright, shrine priest. What exactly are you planning? This old fox wants to know what's *really* happening here."
Urakusai gestured at the other youkai. Even with his limited vision, he could see they were in a deep slumber—their expressions eerily peaceful.
Li Mo crossed his arms. "I'm just analyzing their data. Don't get the wrong idea—this won't harm them. If anything, it's beneficial."
"Oh?" Urakusai studied the other youkai. Their presence *was* growing more tangible, their forms stabilizing.
Then the priest continued, "At first glance, you're all just remnants of memory—similar to *phantoms* in my understanding. But the phantoms I know are mindless, acting only on instinct, incapable of forming new memories. *You*, however, retain your original personalities and can even forge new futures."
In other worlds, phantoms were like broken records, doomed to repeat the past.
But Urakusai and the others were different. *This* old fox had even written novels to rival Yae Publishing House.
*Phantoms?* Hardly.
Urakusai frowned. "This old fox doesn't follow."
"To put it simply... I might be able to *revive* you. But it'd fall into the Ship of Theseus paradox—"
"*Revival?!* How? Even the Shogun can't overturn death!"
Urakusai's voice dripped with skepticism. Death was an insurmountable wall—not even the Raiden Shogun could breach it. And this priest? A mere subordinate who'd lost to her?
Li Mo smiled patiently. "First, Urakusai, you must understand—I'm a *technician*, fundamentally different from a pure warrior like the Shogun."
"Never mind. Let me explain my approach. While your embers still linger in this world, I can use that to *reconstitute* you as youkai."
"But we *are* youkai— Wait. You mean *reborn* as new youkai?"
Urakusai caught on. "Youkai" was a broad category—from kitsune to oni to tengu, Inazuma had countless subspecies. Some were even one-of-a-kind.
The priest's plan was to let their remnants "awaken" anew.
Li Mo nodded. "As expected of a writer—quick on the uptake. So, Urakusai, will you step in yourself, or shall I *help* you in?"
He produced an energy-woven "net"—identical to those restraining the other youkai.