Interlude Chapter is the Archon Quest chapter containing acts that are unrelated to each other and instead follow up on the quests that unlock the respective act.
List of Acts[]
- Act I - The Crane Returns on the Wind
- Requirements: reach Adventure Rank 28 and complete Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III - A New Star Approaches
- Act II - Perilous Trail
- Requirements:
- Reach Adventure Rank 40
- Complete Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III - A New Star Approaches
- Complete Raiden Shogun's Story Quest, Imperatrix Umbrosa Chapter: Act II - Transient Dreams
- Complete Arataki Itto's Story Quest, Taurus Iracundus Chapter: Act I - Rise Up, Golden Soul
- Complete World Quest Wherefore Did the Spiritstone Descend? in Series The Chasm Delvers
- Complete World Quest A Teapot to Call Home: Part I
- Requirements:
- Act III - Inversion of Genesis
- Requirements:
- Reach Adventure Rank 40
- Complete Archon Quest Chapter III: Act V - Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises
- Complete Kaedehara Kazuha's Story Quest, Acer Palmatum Chapter: Act I - A Strange and Friendless Road
- Requirements:
- Act IV - Paralogism
- Requirements:
- Reach Adventure Rank 40
- Complete Archon Quest Interlude Chapter: Act III - Inversion of Genesis
- Complete Albedo's Story Quest, Princeps Cretaceus Chapter: Act I - Traveler Observation Report
- Quick Start (5.6 - before 6.0):
- Reach Adventure Rank 28
- Complete Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III - A New Star Approaches
- Requirements:
Summary[]
Act I - The Crane Returns on the Wind[]
- Jade Chamber Rising
Several months later, as the Traveler continues to be in pursuit of their sibling, the Traveler overhears Ningguang's announcement to rebuild the Jade Chamber; she requires Sunset Vermillionite, Wonder Core, and Adepti Sigils. In return for the first three people who could acquire these materials for her, she would allow them to ask any question and she would honestly answer them in response, gaining the excitement of all present. The Traveler then approaches Ningguang, who is pleased to see them and that they're intending to participate, clarifiying that she would answer the question to the best of her ability.
As Ningguang takes her leave, the Traveler and Paimon spot two men talking to a young woman; believing them to have information, they decide to follow them. They arrive just slightly outside of Bubu Pharmacy, where the discover that the two "brokers", Scar Liu and Qiang the Brave, are trying to fleece the woman of her money to pay off their gambling debts. Paimon then points to a Millelith on duty to ask for help. Qiang is worried that they have bitten off more than they can chew as he feels terribly anxious; as Scar tries to use force, the woman begins to activate some exorcist sigils. The Millelith, Zheng, recognizes Scar and Qiang and apprehends them.
The woman then introduces herself as Shenhe, having heard of them before and thanks them for their assistance, although if she had it her way, she would have smashed their heads until they understood, which Paimon finds violent. Shenhe's stomach begins growling and Paimon recalls overhearing the two men commenting on her eating "spree" around the city. It is soon revealed that Shenhe was not interested in the food, as she preferred Qingxin, Violetgrass and Glaze Lilies, much to Paimon's surprise. They then take her to Bubu Pharmacy for the herbs.
Inside, Shenhe orders the herbs and consumes them all in one sitting to everyones' astonishment, although she finds the experience bitter. She had come to Liyue Harbor to assist in rebuilding the Jade Chamber, but had no interest in participating in the contest. However, to repay the Traveler's kindness, she wishes to assist and proposes that they eliminiate the other contestants, much to Paimon's astonishment.
As they argue, Baizhu comes in, saying he wanted to fetch the wound dressing that Ningguang ordered. Baizhu then mentions that the Sunset Vermillionite is a very rare item and that the Feiyun Commerce Guild would have more information on the item. The Traveler and Paimon thank him, and then they go to the guild.
- Seagaze Sunset
Meanwhile, Xu arrives to inform Xingqiu about a problem; the Guild has received some strange orders recently and wants him to deal with them. Just then, the Traveler, Paimon and Shenhe arrive, and Xu leaves so that Xingqiu can 'entertain' them. Xingqiu is surprised to learn that the Traveler is participating in the contest and that they do have a piece of Sunset Vermillionite for auction, but discourages them from entering the auction as he anticipates the opening bids to be at least 500 million Mora, far above its normal price and frankly not worth it for the size. However, he tells them of an adeptus, Sea Gazer, who had an abode rumored to be filled with the material, which he believes is in the Lisha area after cross-referencing multiple books. Shenhe states that Sea Gazer was close to Mountain Shaper, while Paimon is worried about disrespecting the deceased adeptus. Shenhe states that Sea Gazer was open-minded and wouldn't mind, surprising Xingqiu. As she takes her leave, Xingqiu notes that she seems awfully familiar to him and reminds the Traveler that the abode is likely to be well-defended and infested with monsters.
Upon arrival, Shenhe uses an art to dispel the magic surrounding the area, revealing a seelie that the group pursues into the adeptus' adobe. When they enter, Paimon is surprised at the sudden change of the atmosphere as the seelie disappears into the clouds. Shenhe states that they'll need to destroy the mechanisms maintaining the "clouds" if they wish to go deeper inside. They destroy two mechanisms before reaching the bottom, destroying one final mechanism to find the interior of the adeptus' abode. They also spot the Sunset Vermillionite, with Shenhe taking the massive boulder herself to the building area; the Traveler and Paimon catch up to her there.
Shenhe delivers the Vermillionite, much to the surprise of everyone present, believing her to be an adeptus. Baiwen asks Shenhe for her name, believing that she is participating in the contest. Shenhe states that she was just delivering it when the Traveler and Paimon arrive; Baiwen is impressed with the Traveler's talent, as the Vermillionite is the largest and highest quality for the project. She also tells them that Ningguang provided all the contestants with lodging before leaving. As Paimon asks Shenhe how she felt when the people complimented her, she gives a plain response and becomes slightly irritated by others worshipping her as something she isn't. Paimon suggests she take a rest, which she does out in the wilderness, but Paimon insists she take a rest with the provided accommodations.
Arriving at the hotel, Ju'an tells them that one room is still being prepared. The Traveler and Paimon let Shenhe take the vacant room and decide to go get a snack for her when they spot Cloud Retainer landing above. Cloud Retainer is bewildered when Paimon asks her what Shenhe's adeptus name is and states that she is just a human. She then proceeds to explain about her past and reveals herself as Shenhe's master and caretaker. She tells them to take good care of Shenhe and that she came to see how Ningguang would deal with the contract between Liyue and its people, as the adepti sense a calamity coming soon; if she could not rectify it, the adepti would not hesitate to seize control.
In the morning, they meet up with Shenhe again, who says her master has already relayed the situation to her and apologizes for not explaining sooner. She knew because she did not see the Traveler going in, and when she went out, she noticed her master talking with the Traveler. The group then decides to go to the building site to see how progress is going.
- Bygones Time Like Dust Passing
They arrive to find the Jade Chamber built, though tied down because it's not finished yet. After Baiwen finishes briefing up the work, Beidou introduces her new friend Yun Jin, who has joined the contest in order to be able to ask Ningguang about the place for her opera, titled "The Divine Damsel of Devastation". Yun Jin proposes to split up the reward to three people asking a question to which both sides agree. Beidou decides to split up to find the raw materials for the Wonder Core. Yun Jin, the Traveler, and Shenhe decides to go to town to ask for questions.
They find Master Zhang in town and asks him for questions. He replies that he needs the Starsplinter Iron and Subrosium in order to make the Wonder Core, and recalls that last time the Starsplinter Iron was collected was on Mt. Tianheng, though he doesn't know where to find the Subrosium, citing that the people around the area had some trick that allowed them to collect the mineral.
After arriving to the destination, Yun Jin reminisces herself about how she was brought here once by her father when she was little, and says the area is the inspiration for her father's opera. She explained the story of the opera, which was slightly close to Shenhe's real story. After listening to the summary of the plot, Shenhe says that she doesn't think the little girl in the opera was as brave as she made it out to be, which Yun Jin takes in consideration, given that the opera has a degree of deviation from the true story.
After obtaining the iron, Yun Jin suggests asking around in the village for the Subrosium. Mingjun is silent when the group tries asking him for clues, however he is surprised to learn that Shenhe is alive and that the rumors were true. He actually gives the clues, and the rest leave to find the ore while he talks with Shenhe about the old times. Yun Jin collects the first part of the father's diary and is surprised to learn that the damsel was actually Shenhe herself. She now understands why; it wasn't because of the courage, but rather because she was forced into it, and mumbles that her father would need to revise the opera. The third piece reveals the location of the ore, and they return to Shenhe just as she finishes talking to Mingjun. Yun Jin comes forward to apologize to Shenhe, but Shenhe says she likes Yun Jin's fictional version of her own story more. They get the Subrosium, and they return to the Liyue Harbor to have the ore be crafted. Next to the Subrosium is Xiao and says he is preparing for danger in the sea but cannot get involved.
- Where The Heart Finds Rest
After successfully crafting the Wonder Core and the Adepti Sigils, the group goes to Baiwen to hand in the items, and they are regarded as the winner of the contest. After being led up to the Jade Chamber, Ningguang thanks them for the hard work. She offers to Yun Jin to host an opera at the Jade Chamber after the rebuilding, as it would provide a good view, both in the air and from below. Ningguang then answers the Traveler's question, although she says with disappointment that she hasn't found any leads regarding their sibling, so she answers Paimon's question instead. She says that in the future, if there is any need for financial assistance, she would pay them at the highest cost possible.
Paimon asks Shenhe if she had any question, and although with some relucance she asks Ningguang if she could fit in the Liyue Harbor to which she says the key is to develop a sense of belonging. Just then, Beidou arrives and asks if preparations are done, replying to Paimon that she was forced to help the Tianquan, who reassures her that preparations are done. The Traveler is curious to know what is going on, but Ningguang says that it would be better to not know.
Just as the Jade Chamber finally ascends into the air, a storm suddenly comes and with it, a large monster appears once again; this time it is Beisht, the wife of Osial. She admits to knowing it, as Beidou warned her months prior, and thus she was preparing for its arrival. This time however, she says she would rely on her own people of Liyue to fight it instead of the adepti. With her monologue, the Tianquan attacks Beisht with the projectiles, assisted by Keqing, Ganyu, the Millelith, and Beidou's Fleet. The creature roars and creates a tsunami. The Traveler suddenly leaps forward in order to intercept the monster, however it fires a beam, launching the Traveler into one of the stone pillars and causing them to lose consciousness as they are grabbed by Shenhe; she suddenly remembers a flashback of her father leaving her to die and Retainer's words.
Furious, Shenhe summons a talisman to freeze the tsunami, allowing the Jade Chamber the chance to fire it, weakening it further as Shenhe then dives into the vortex. She is startled to see the Traveler and Paimon going in as well to help her. After defeating the creature, Ningguang commends them on the hard work and orders the soldiers to rest up. Cloud Retainer then comes in after being seen by the Tianquan and commends her for being able to make prior preparations, which was considerable progress compared to last time even though she says that Shenhe had contributed significantly. Ningguang decides to host a victory banquet at the Jade Chamber, inviting the Traveler and Shenhe over.
In the night, Paimon is happy to be able to eat at the Jade Chamber just as Ningguang addresses the guests and Yun Jin performs The Divine Damsel of Devastation to everyones' applause. A drunken Zhu Tao then tries to interact with the group, only to be rebuked by Shenhe.
Act II - Perilous Trail[]
- The Unexpected Guest
Curious after the events at The Chasm, both Paimon and the Traveler decide to return to where they found the mysterious Chasm Nail. When they arrive, they find Yanfei looking towards it. Yanfei is surprised to see the two and tells them she's on important business and that if anyone is looking for her, to pretend they didn't see her. Soon after she leaves, Arataki Itto and Kuki Shinobu arrive, the former looking for Yanfei.
Shinobu reveals that she had returned to Liyue to pick up her graduation certificate from Tongwen Academy as she had been unable to as she was at home when the Sakoku Decree had been enacted. Itto had gone along with her for "safety", only to get into a brawl with the Millelith when Yanfei got him out of the mess he caused. After slyly getting Paimon to reveal that they knew Yanfei, Shinobu gestures towards the Traveler to misdirect Itto.
After sending Itto off, they head to the ground below the nail and find Yanfei. Just then, a mysterious woman arrives, who's introduced to the two as Yelan. Just then, Itto and Shinobu arrive, upset that the Traveler had deceived him. Yelan tells the two to leave for their own safety as the Chasm isn't a place for people to be wandering around in, but Itto takes offense to her attitude despite Shinobu's advice to de-escalate the situation. As the two prepare to fight, the ground beneath them cracks and sends them falling down into The Chasm's Bed.
As the group goes about to ascertain their surroundings, Yelan heads off to figure out where they are. They soon come across a strange portal and Yanfei recognizes the rocks around it are extremely old Liyue Mountain Rocks. Yelan then hears someone behind them, who ends up being Xiao. The Traveler asks what he's doing here, to which he claims that he's looking for someone and advises them to leave before he teleports out. With little choice, the group enters the Domain.
- Chasmic Maze
After clearing the domain, the group finds themselves back in the same place they started. Believing that an evil youkai is responsible, Itto summons Ushi to dispel the demon. Ushi looks around but is unable to find any other exits, much to Itto's surprise.
The group spreads out to look for more potential exits but are unable to, while Yanfei notes that the ceiling above seems to have sealed up completely. Yelan tells the group to mentally prepare themselves for a potentially long stay underground. The Traveler decides to call Xiao, but despite saying his name, he fails to appear, causing the Traveler to become suspicious of the place. After checking in on the rest of the group, they decide to wait for an opportunity to arise.
- Danger All Around
A day later, Paimon complains that it has felt like 20 days to her, while the Traveler feels as if only one day had passed. Itto, Yanfei, and Shinobu then join in and the group realizes that since they've been stuck inside, they haven't felt hungry, thirsty, or tired at all. Yelan then calls the group over, having found another path that was hidden behind illusory magic. They enter the Domain within and explore it. As they do so, they hear Xiao talking to someone and he appears to be struggling, prompting them to assist.
Upon solving the puzzle, a mysterious door appears and the group convenes there, only for a rift to appear. Itto, believing that no one was inside, is surprised to find an illusion of Xiao pop up. Xiao is soon surprised to see the others and why they came, upon which he realizes that the domain is dangerous but is abruptly cut off while urging them to immediately leave. Itto then leaps into the hole and hurts himself, with the others following in.
The group encounters a door which Itto tries to open with brute force, only to notice a switch and embarrassingly opens the door with it. Upon doing so, he's greeted by various Inazumans who're upset with him for being a bad influence along with bowls of beans lying on the table. Itto then decides to have someone else go in, of which Shinobu volunteers and finds herself in a prior conversation with her mother who wanted her to become a shrine maiden. Yelan declines going in as she would have to kill everyone if she did as she works for Ningguang and thus is privy to many Liyue secrets. Yanfei then goes in, only to witness a civil dispute. The group then realizes that the door appears to lead into the opener's worst fears. The Traveler then decides to go in themselves, only to find themselves in the darkness of the Abyss that took their sibling away. The door locks on them from the outside, but they're able to escape from the door's grasp.
Paimon soon becomes tired and hungry, causing the group to realize that the domain is targeting their weaknesses and thus they retreat back to camp to re-group and re-plan. There, Yanfei talks to the Traveler in private, wanting to rescue Xiao before it would be too late. She theorizes that the area must be a chaotic space where normal logic does not apply and that they could use its own rules against it. She manages to dispel another illusion where they begin to clearly hear Xiao's voice and manage to drag him out of where he was just in time.
- End of the Line
After a good rest, Xiao explains that he is looking for his missing brother-in-arms, Bosacius, and believed that he was inside The Chasm. Xiao's testimony about domain's chaotic nature confirms Yanfei's theory that the domain is an antlion's den, using illusions to slowly entrap their victim. Xiao proposed that he'll used up his powers to get the group back to the surface at the cost of him being left behind, which the others vehemently oppose. Ushi informs Itto of the argument, in which he decides to punch open a path to avoid unnecessary sacrifice, although he ends up expending all of his strength in the process.
The new path that Itto blasted leads to another domain where they find a large version of the Fantastic Compass in the distance and a smaller one in the ground. Accompanying Yanfei, they run into Treasure Hoarders, but Yanfei recognizes them as hired thugs that were sent after her after winning against a defendant in a case. After she clears them out, they head into the next area through the compass where they find Yelan and the Fatui, who the two easily dispatch. After proceeding a bit further, they run into Xiao and a remnant of Bosacius' memory, confirming Xiao's suspicions that Bosacius was the Nameless Yaksha that participated in the Chasm. Xiao purges the memory after a brief fight, and after manipulating the compass a bit more, head into a manifestation of the Abyss. The Traveler spots their sibling and chases after them, but it's only an illusion that reveals another Fantastic Compass lying on the ground.
Yelan activates the compass and discovers that someone had used it before. They leave the area to take a breather while Yelan tries to unlock it to figure out what may be inside.
- At Tunnel's End, Light
After a short time, Yelan informs the group that the only thing hidden inside was about Boyang's fate, much to the dismay of the group as they believe themselves to be stuck for good in the chaotic space. This had scared Paimon into knocking the Fantastic Compass down, but as soon they moved to pick it up, it reacted to Yelan and Xiao's energy. Yanfei realized that from the compass is an exorcism catalyst made to repel demons using human's magic art and adepti's power combined. And by their theory, the Compass can bring the group to the Surface, but since the compass is an illusion created by the space, they cannot take it with them outside.
Activating the Compass unleashed a floating platform that began climbing towards the Surface. While Xiao was busy maintaining the energy flow, malevolent forces appeared that tried to snare the group back into the Depths. After breaking through a particularly large mass of malevolent energy, Xiao's own suddenly starts to give in, upon which he uses the last of his energy to hurl the group to the Surface. As the platform shatters, Xiao begins to fall back down, but a swirl of yellow energy appears from the Surface to rescue him. It is soon revealed that prior to Xiao's journey, he had informed Zhongli of his intentions, thus making the former Geo Archon aware of the trip.
After escaping, Itto wakes up and realized that he missed the show. While Yelan leaves, Yanfei decides that for all the trouble she caused, she should invite Itto and Shinobu for a tour in Liyue. Xiao later invites the Traveler to Pervases' temple, telling the Traveler that not knowing Bosacius' fate had always bothered him until now. Xiao reflects on his suicidal plan and his past actions, agreeing with the Traveler that those who died defending Liyue are heroes of history.
Act III - Inversion of Genesis[]
- The Night-Bird Falls at the Curtain's Call
During their journey across Teyvat, Paimon suggests to the Traveler that they go visit Nahida as they have many questions left unanswered, such as the "Descenders." As they make their way to the Sanctuary of Surasthana, they find Aqaba and Sawada arguing over the Tatarasuna mystery. The mention of Tatarasuna gets their attention and they walk in as the two had just mentioned how they could help with the mystery.
The two scholars wonder if they could help, but Paimon tells them that they had overheard the topic and wanted to learn more from them. Aqaba states that his teacher had decided to choose Tatarasuna because not even Inazumans knew much about it. Sawada offers the entire script but Aqaba decides against it and gives them a summary; Mikoshi Nagamasa had created a fine blade but then threw it into the fire and slew Katsuragi for reasons unknown. There was also the mention of a kabukimono, the Inazuman term for an eccentric. Sawada states that he had confirmed with a government friend of his that all of the people in the records did live around the time of the incident and also mentions Niwa Hisahide, a government official at Tatarasuna. He explains that Niwa was a distant relative of the Kaedehara Clan, thus making them a practitioner of the Isshin Art. With the current circumstances of the Kaedehara Clan's downfall, he suspects a connection between all the events. Aqaba then scolds him for forgetting the most important part, that the kabukimono was not a human, but a puppet instead.
The Traveler deduces the puppet to be Scaramouche, although they question what he could've been doing back then. The two are nearly discovered for having additional information, but Paimon manages to bluff that how they narrated it was more of a ghost story. After reading their drafts, they leave to a more quiet location. As Paimon remarks on how Aqaba should change his topic, she spots Scaramouche walking by, with the Traveler quickly following up to. Worried that he might've escaped, they follow him into the sanctuary, where they warn Nahida just as they spot him inside too.
Nahida tells them that she made a deal with Scaramouche to investigate Irminsul on her behalf. Scaramouche escalates the situation by stating that he had expected them to kill him once the job had been done. She states that he wouldn't do anything drastic, since he was still considerably weakened. Scaramouche had learned of her deal with Dottore, in which Nahida states that she gained valuable information and promises to disclose it over time.
Nahida also reveals that following Scaramouche's defeat, he had been discarded by Dottore and the others. As such, Scaramouche needed a backup plan for himself now that he had no one to trust. Nahida suggests they join forces, but he refuses, since the Traveler and Paimon are wary of him. Nahida stops the argument and begins to prepare a trial run. She explains that despite losing most of his powers, he could still connect to Irminsul and his connections as a Harbinger could allow him to access information about their twin that they might be hiding from her. However, she asks them to supervise him just incase he misuses his privileges before teleporting them into Irminsul.
Inside, they catch up with Scaramouche and get into another argument before Nahida stops them and reminds them of their tasks. She opens a connection to the interior of Irminsul, which they manage to locate the heart and connect to. Nahida then privately talks with the Traveler and Paimon, where she intends to have him discover answers for himself. The Traveler explains what they saw in Haypasia's vision to her, which she confirms as the lies that made Scaramouche who he is. The Traveler and Paimon then talk about the two scholars, leaving Nahida surprised but states that they got one topic correct; Tatarasuna had been sabotaged. Scaramouche then interrupts them, having known that they were talking about him. The Traveler asks if they found anything about them, which he denies but then pulls up strange data.
A flashback occurs with an official talking with Niwa over the Tatarasuna furnace, leaving Scaramouche surprised as the memory goes deeper in, with Niwa talking to Escher about the use of Crystal Marrow to forge Inazuman blades and thus making the area prosperous. However, the conversation takes a dark turn when Niwa confronts Escher over the dangers of Tatarasuna, as it is causing workers to become sick or die. As such, Scaramouche had been sent to request an audience with the Shogun. He then calls him out for his alternate identity as Escher stabs him in the back.
Escher is then revealed to be Dottore, who intends to use the furnace to corrupt Scaramouche with malevolent spirits. Niwa tells Dottore that if he intends to use his heart, he should tell the kabukimono that he and Nagamasa see him as a human before he dies. Dottore then informs Pierro of his successful task and having found a puppet that could become their comrade if he proved useful. Scaramouche then realizes the truth and becomes enraged, so the Traveler and Paimon give him some space and are appalled by Dottore's actions. After waiting a while for Scaramouche to calm down, they approach him. He resumes his search and finds nothing, but reveals that when their sibling arrived in Khaenri'ah, they had lived with Pierro for a time, who served as a royal mage in the Khaenri'ah court.
Scaramouche then erects a barrier to keep Nahida from monitoring them before asking for the Traveler's hand. He asks if it was possible to change the past, but when the Traveler hesitates to answer, he recognizes that it's an affirmation of what he suspected and heads into the Irminsul heart to erase himself from time, as Niwa and his other friends deserved a second chance for a better fate. The Traveler and Paimon search for him to no avail as Nahida reconnects and learns what happened before taking them out of Irminsul as she goes to address the problem herself.
In full panic over the situation, Paimon passes the time by talking about food. When she wakes up, she asks what they were doing and the Traveler reminds her. She does not remember Scaramouche, leaving the Traveler alarmed and they head to Inazuma to see if anything had changed.
- A Dance of Destruction
The first stop in Inazuma is the Amenoma Smithy, where they find Amenoma Tougo and ask him about the Raiden Gokaden. Tougo tells them that there was still a catastrophic event 400 years ago, but Niwa and another smith were able to purge the corruption in the furnace at the cost of their lives. However, the smith's son was left orphaned and became enraged at the thought of the Shogun refusing to help, passing nothing but his hatred to his future generations. Roughly 100 years ago, the then-head of the family snapped and began to kill the smiths of the Raiden Gokaden, only to be foiled by the Kamisato and Kaedehara Clans, who killed him. The Traveler asks Tougo if he saw Kazuha, who states that he just had tea with him and informed him of what he'd just shared, much to their relief.
The next stop is the Kamisato Estate, where they learn from Hirotatsu and Furuta that Ayato and Ayaka are still leading the clan and commission.
The final stop is the Tatarigami furnace itself, where they catch up with Xavier and ask for the history of the furnace. Xavier states that there had also been someone back then who worked on the furnace, confirming that Dottore was still present and sabotaged it back then. The Traveler then asks of a kabukimono in the story, which Xavier does not recollect. With all the information acquired, they decide to head back to Nahida.
- The Kabukimono's Finale
As they return to Nahida, the Traveler stops by Aqaba and Sawada, who give them their papers and note that there was no mention of Scaramouche in them. They then tell the two what they learned from Tougo, leaving them astonished. They then enter the sanctuary and ask Nahida about Scaramouche, but she fails to remember him, as he had erased himself before she could act. With no other choice, the Traveler tells her and Paimon about him. Paimon is left surprised while Nahida states that Scaramouche could have erased himself, thus revising Irminsul. However, as it had no information on the Traveler, any revisions would not affect them.
Nahida grabs a record and confirms that what the Traveler is saying was true, as she had made a backup of Scaramouche's memories that would be unaffected by any revisions. Due to his revision, Nahida is unsure as to how the Harbingers would be affected. Deciding to take a small break, they head to the Grand Bazaar to get a snack. During this time, the Traveler recalls that Rukkhadevata told them that one could not completely erase themselves, necessitating her creation of Nahida, and thus realizes that Scaramouche is still alive.
Overhearing a merchant yell at an employee, the Traveler realizes that Scaramouche is in front of them and follow him. After returning to the merchant, Nahida catches up to them and shows Scaramouche his past, which he eventually accepts. As the sudden surge of painful memories flows through him, the Shouki no Kami emerges to attack, but Scaramouche manages to compose himself and eliminates the false god with his newly acquired Anemo Vision. With the recovery a success, they leave the dream to discuss it further.
- As Though Morning Dew
Nahida promises to continue sifting through Irminsul for any data regarding their sibling's travels. Scaramouche then asks the Traveler why they went to Inazuma, in which they tell him that they wanted to see what he changed. After hearing their explanation, he decides to consider it a favor to be owed. Nahida encourages him to look towards the future and not the past, so he decides to comply and agrees to help them wherever he could too. Nahida then decides that he should have a name and the Traveler, at his request, picks out a suitable name for him.
After giving Scaramouche his new name, he decides to get revenge on Dottore for his manipulation. Nahida urges moderation as he still needs time to compose himself. Before he leaves, Scaramouche asks the Traveler to inform the descendants of the Raiden Gokaden that he was responsible for their downfall, as they deserved to know the truth and accepts whatever punishment they have for him. As the Traveler and Paimon return to the inn from earlier, they notice that the vase that Paimon had broken earlier was still broken and wonders why. Suddenly, a strange voice tells both the Traveler and Paimon that the fate of Teyvat could not be easily changed and that they should believe their own eyes before fading away, leaving the Traveler wondering what awaits them in the future.
Act IV - Paralogism[]
- Crimes One and Two
As a new Windblume Festival is about to come in, Paimon asks the Traveler to return to Mondstadt and celebrate the festival. As Mondstadt City is decorated accordingly, Paimon remarks that there wouldn't be any commissions around. Nonetheless, they pay a visit to Katheryne, who tells them that they would find something unusual. They notice Beatrice rejecting Quinn's offers to spend time with her. Soon after, Miles approaches the two and tells them that he had been sleepwalking recently and even found himself outside at times — checkups had not diagnosed him with any ailments. Finally, Donna remarks about when she would find the ideal man, which Paimon finds unusual as she had always been infatuated with Diluc. Kaeya passes by and she remarks that he's her type, which he picks up on and flusters her. Kaeya then walks over to the three and tells them that Jean had been looking for them when they returned, stating that the matter at hand needed to be discussed at headquaters.
Inside, the three find Eula and two other members, who introduce themselves as Note and Skeiron, the Captains of the 2nd and 3rd Company respectively. Skeiron directs them to Jean's office, who tells them that with recent events, she had called all the captains to hold a trial. While most trials were held by either the Knights or Church of Favonius themselves, this case required both groups. The Traveler then realizes that Albedo hadn't been among the captains, and Jean confirms that Albedo is the one going on trial. As they try to find out what was going on, Kaeya calls Jean over, as the trial was about to begin.
While the Traveler is worried about what Albedo was accused of, since he was their friend, Jean reassures them that the trial would be fair and just. As Varka was still out on his expedition to Nod-Krai, she would oversee the proceedings before introducing Dahlia, a deacon from the church who would act as assessor. With certain aspects of the case being classified, the trial would be held behind closed doors. She calls Hertha and Kaeya to the stand. Hertha explains that Albedo was accused of murder and illegal disposal of human remains, citing evidence that a witness saw him drag what was a human body eleven days ago through the southern gates. The witness, Beatrice, tailed Albedo and saw him bury a body. Albedo testifies that he was in his office that night, which Kaeya attests to since he was filing a report about Dragonspine. However, as no one else could testify his actions, the report was not convincing enough. Kaeya then asks if they had recovered the body, which they hadn't. Beatrice states that she had come to help protect the people of Mondstadt. Hertha reassures her that she's doing the right thing before revealing that evidence was found at the crime scene. Albedo then states that he had no motive to kill anyone.
Hertha then brings out the second charge; a week ago, another witness had seen Albedo dispose of a body near the Dawn Winery and Dragonspine. She calls the witness, who is revealed to be Diluc. Diluc testifies that he had been out on a stroll when he saw Albedo. Kaeya then asks if they had found a body; they did, but only found a femur and some teeth. Hertha connects the two incidents due to a golden light, presumably alchemy, as a way that the remains had been dealt with. Kaeya then points out that Albedo was spending time with Sucrose in the library, which she also confirms. Hertha then asks if she had fallen asleep, and Sucrose freezes. Albedo confirms that she had fallen asleep, but still points out that no motive was given, nor the method used to dispose of the remains. Hertha finally reveals the last piece of evidence, a correspondence letter that detailed his activities. With enough proof leaning towards his implication, Jean declares Albedo guilty and has him taken away, but reassures the defendants that they could submit an appeal. Only the Traveler and Albedo knew of the letter's actual secrets, but the people of Mondstadt had yet to.
The Traveler recalls their meeting with Albedo, who had revealed to them that he was actually a synthetic human created by Rhinedottir. They wonder if Albedo was performing something similar, though they are unsure of what he was doing. Rosaria, who had been observing the trial, then approaches the two and tells them to meet "him" at Starsnatch Cliff.
When they arrive, they find Venti and ask if he had sent the invitation. Dahlia then arrives and tells them he had done so, revealing that he was also the herald of Barbatos, and thus kept him informed of events going on in the nation. They remark about Albedo's synthetic nature and share information about the peoples' odd behavior. Venti gives them a Dodocommunication Device so they could keep in touch as they try to help Albedo.
Inside Jean's office, Eula and Skeiron voice their discontent with the outcome, believing that Albedo was innocent. Jean privately agrees with them, but insists that the verdict must be upheld. As the Traveler and Paimon come in, she reveals to them that they are to make their own investigation into the matter, knowing that they would not fail the nation in its time of need. Kaeya brings them to Albedo's office to look for evidence, discovering a secret compartment in his desk detailing an experiment and a third location in Dragonspine. The two are worried that Albedo was truly guilty and go to inform Jean, but Venti calls them. Venti is relieved to know that the people didn't know he was Rhinedottir's creation, or the consequences would be dire. They then spot Miles eavesdropping on them, and he claims to not have heard anything.
Heading to Dragonspine, they find the location marked in the notes. The hole is large enough to fit a body, but no body was present and the Traveler wonders who was responsible. Returning to the Knights of Favonius, they inform Jean of the development. Jean tells them that the remains were being investigated, telling them that if they were Mondstadt civilians, the retrial would have to be held publicly. She notices Miles eavesdropping on them yet again as the two leave.
Two days later, as the retrial takes place, the remains had been analyzed and submitted. Since the office couldn't spare anyone, Rosaria ends up presenting the evidence; the first missing person was Hanselmann, a forty-six year old hunter with an injury matching that on the femur found by Diluc. Donna also testifies that she had seen Albedo dispose of a body, before Hertha reveals the evidence the Traveler had found. Albedo insists that he had not killed anyone and was exercising restraint before asking the Traveler about their investigation. The Traveler soon recalls an another Albedo. The Traveler testifies that the third location was different compared to the other two, and Albedo reveals that he did kill someone. He reveals that a while ago, someone had tried to eliminate him in secret, but he killed and buried them there instead. Eula supports Albedo's words, since she, Amber, the Traveler and Bennett had also been there that day, and he killed a "person." Diluc retracts his testimony upon hearing this, while another Hertha arrives in the court.
The prosecuting Hertha accuses Albedo of trying to undermine her, while Albedo reveals that he had been stationed in Dragonspine to monitor Durin, the dragon that Dvalin and Barbatos slew. The imposter was held in Durin's stomach. Given how the recent Hertha was more calm, Jean is inclined to believe that the new Hertha is the real one. As the other Hertha tries to profess her innocence, the new Hertha talks about a scar on her arm, which only the Knights who fought alongside her that day would know where it was. She then asks Miles, but Miles is too nervous to act. Albedo reveals that all spawns of Durin's life force could mimic others. However, acting upon its powers would cause the others to become unstable. The suspicious Hertha then has her minions fight as an all-scale attack on Mondstadt is underway. She flees the area, and Jean orders 3rd Company to pursue her.
- The Hunger of Many
After the trial, Albedo reveals that he and the other Knights had set up the trial before hand, knowing that an attack on the city was inevitable when Durin's remains became agitated. As they head around the city to help, they meet with Venti, who feigns incompetence to hide his identity. Upon seeing it was the Traveler and Albedo, he drops the act, and he admits that he hadn't expected so many monsters to attack. Albedo reveals that the other two "people" he killed had been consumed by the monsters, who took their identity; he killed them in response and promptly gave any leftover remains a proper burial. Since there were civilians caught in Durin's energy, the Knights had to be careful to ensure they were only dealing with the monsters. Venti uses his Anemo powers to create long-distance communicating wind currents to assist in the city's defence.
At the main gate, Diluc and Kaeya eliminate several hilichurls attempting to storm the city. Barbara heals the injured Knights, and Rosaria takes them back to the front. As the people of Mondstadt rush to defend their homes, Amber and Mika eliminate some hilichurls on the walls. Albedo reveals that the trial was planned over half a year in order to lure the imposter out. They had done so by claiming that Hertha had died on a mission and feigning ignorance in order to lower its guard. Albedo thanks the Traveler for their assistance, knowing that they would return for the festival and want to protect their friend and the nation.
At the side gate, they find a distressed Eula, who was worried about Klee's safety after she had run off. A few Ruin Machines arrive and attack, but Klee returns and helps them defeat the attackers. Returning to the center of the city, Jean thanks everyone for their participation. Venti also informs the group that he discovered a "child's anger" in the winds, which Albedo concludes was Durin's jealously knowing that he was no longer Rhinedottir's only child and sought to eliminate all those better than him. Venti then senses the anger near them, and Jean calls for whoever was there to reveal themselves. The person, Phonia, appears, but Jean immediately questions her on her actions, since she had been missing for over half a year. As Phonia is taken into custody, Albedo reassures Jean that he'll be able to save her, as long as the operation proceeds as planned.
Inside headquarters, Albedo reveals that they were to set up a Tripartite Conference, which involves the Knights/Church of Favonius, the Anemo Archon and the Hexenzirkel, which Varka had asked Venti about. Varka managed to secure their aid, which was to be used when the nation was at a time of need. He accidentally calls Varka, who was in a combat situation, before calling the Hexenzirkel up. Alice picks up the call and upon learning of Albedo's request for a formal meeting, she accepts, appearing among the group as a giant Dodoco. Albedo then asks the Traveler to head up to his office, as someone was waiting for them there.
- The Gardener
In the office, the two are surprised to see Mini Durin, who reveals that he had gone to Mondstadt. He also reveals that as part of Albedo's plan, he would take over the deceased Durin to be revived as a human. Having learned of the counterpart he was based off of, he hopes that his pure parts could help suppress Durin's evil instincts, and he had made his choice to be a human and do something meaningful. Paimon asks if the Wanderer had also given his approval, which Durin believed he had, as he told him to "get a move on." Mini Durin is nervous, but their visit has reassured him.
Inside the Imaginarium Theater, the Traveler, Albedo, Venti seat themselves on the table while Alice asks Albedo what he intends to do. Albedo states that he wishes to kill the evil Durin and requires some reagents from the Hexenzirkel; flesh of an immortal monster from Mare Jivari and part of an "embryo" left behind by Rhinedottir. Alice realizes that Albedo wishes to create life, and Albedo explains that if Durin revived at full force, he would pose a threat to all of Teyvat. Thus, he intends to kill and then resurrect him in a different form by using Mini Durin. Alice accepts the request, but tells them they must pass a trial involving the chessboard in front of them. She shrinks them down to size before the trial begins, and they clear the first half. Barbeloth then appears and initiates the second half, turning the king and queen pieces into the Ascended King and Sublimated Queen. The Traveler and Albedo defeat the duo, passing the trial. Alice brings them back to size and hands over the reagants as promised.
Heading to Dragonspine, they arrive at Durin's Core, where Albedo begins extracting its energy. The Traveler and Paimon talk to him about his views on Durin and his goals on the experiment. With the main vitals acquired from the core, they return to Mondstadt. Two days later, as the festival starts, Jean appoints Venti as the Windblume Star. He begins a song while Albedo performs his alchemic ritual, successfully turning Mini Durin human. Albedo is glad to see a personal goal achieved, and believes that Rhinedottir would be proud of his achievement. He also reveals that she had devoured Naberius, the Ruler of Life, but he believes that the two are now one. As he leaves to fill out his report, Venti arrives and gives the Traveler a gift from the Hexenzirkel, which would open itself when the time was right. The Traveler thanks him for their assistance and offers to get him a drink, which he takes them up on.
Characters[]
124 Characters appear in this Chapter:
- Albedo
- Alice
- Amber
- Amenoma Tougo
- Anshun
- Aqaba
- Aramis
- Arataki Itto
- Athos
- Azar
- Baiwen
- Baizhu
- Barbara
- Barbeloth
- Beatrice
- Beidou
- Beisht
- Bennett
- Boyang
- Changfeng
- Changgui
- Child
- Dahlia
- Diluc
- Diona
- Donna
- Dottore
- Draff
- Escher
- Eula
- Eury
- Fischl
- Furuta
- Ganyu
- Gentle Woman's Voice
- Grace
- Guangzhu
- Guy
- Herbalist Gui
- Hertha
- Hirotatsu
- Hongfei
- Huffman
- Jean
- Ju'an
- Kaeya
- Katheryne
- Katsuragi
- Keqing
- Klee
- Kuki Shinobu
- Lawrence
- Leming
- Liang
- Lisa
- Lizheng
- Marjorie
- Master Zhang
- Merchant
- Michelle
- Mika
- Mikoshi Nagamasa
- Miles
- Mingjun
- Mini Durin
- Mona
- Nahida
- Nicole Reeyn
- Ningguang
- Niwa Hisahide
- Noelle
- Norma
- Note
- Otto
- Oz
- Paimon
- Parsley
- Phonia
- Pierro
- Porthos
- Qiang the Brave
- Qiqi
- Quinn
- Raymond
- Razor
- Reiichi
- Rosaria
- Ruyi
- Sara
- Sawada
- Scar Liu
- Scaramouche
- Schulz
- Shenhe
- Shiyu
- Signora
- Siqin
- Skeiron
- Su Ding
- Sucrose
- Swan
- Traveler
- Traveler's Sibling
- Ushi
- Varka
- Venti
- Vile
- Wagner
- Wanderer
- Wyratt
- Xavier
- Xianyun
- Xiao
- Xingqiu
- Xu
- Yanfei
- Yelan
- Yongye
- Yun Jin
- Zheng
- Zhengmao
- Zhicheng
- Zhongli
- Zhu Tao
Total Rewards[]
12,850 Adventure EXP
240 Primogem
545,350 Mora
51 Hero's Wit
Gallery[]
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Interlude Chapter | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 间章 Jiānzhāng | Interlude |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 間章 Jiānzhāng | |
| Japanese | 間章 Kanshou | Interlude |
| Korean | 중간장 Jungganjang | Interlude Chapter |
| Spanish | Intermedio | Intermediate |
| French | Intermède | Interlude |
| Russian | Промежуточный том Promezhutochnyy tom | Intermediate Volume |
| Thai | บทสลับฉาก | Interlude Chapter |
| Vietnamese | Chương Đệm | |
| German | Zwischenkapitel | Intermediate Chapter |
| Indonesian | Chapter Interlude | Interlude Chapter |
| Portuguese | Capítulo de Interlúdio | |
| Turkish | Ara Bölüm | |
| Italian | Interludio |
Change History[]
- Added:
- Act IV - Paralogism
- Added:
- Act III - Inversion of Genesis
- Added:
- Act II - Perilous Trail
- Interlude Chapter was released with:
- Act I - The Crane Returns on the Wind
