"After all, you are the girl I've 'fallen for.' Since you'll soon be one of us, I naturally have to treat you well~"
"Um... you?"
Ying was a little confused, not quite understanding Tore's meaning. However, she figured it wasn't the time to dwell on it. She immediately retrieved the Skyward Blade she had pocketed when she was dragged away and unleashed a few Anemo slashes. She then dashed to the side, hoping to bypass Tore and find Lumine, Paimon, and the others.
Seeing Ying's sudden attack, Tore didn't hesitate. He conjured a wall of Anemo energy in front of himself, blocking Ying's onslaught. With his elemental power, he then surrounded himself, trapping Ying and preventing her escape.
"Hehehe... don't rush. We have plenty of time to spend here~"
The scene shifts to another location...
Lumine and her companions had scoured the entire beach, finding many clues but no way to determine the direction Scaramouche had fled.
"Damn it!"
Lumine slammed her fist into a nearby tree. They had already wasted so much time.
Paimon, frustrated, scratched her head.
"Ugh... that bastard Scaramouche actually ran along the beach, and there's no other route visible..."
Paimon: "Then how did he take Ying away? Could he teleport like you, Lumine?"
A sudden realization struck Lumine. Hearing Paimon's words, Lumine remembered Scaramouche's previous display of teleportation-like abilities. She immediately bit her lip in regret.
"Damn it... so we just have to wait for Ying to send word..."
As the three pondered their predicament, Lumine suddenly sensed someone watching them from the distant woods. She instantly drew the Aquila Favonia and fired a few Anemo slashes towards the area.
"Who's there?!"
His presence revealed, the person in the woods slowly emerged. As he walked towards Lumine and her companions, he chuckled, "Hoh... it's only been a few days, and you've already forgotten me?"
"Huh?"
The other party's words confused Lumine. However, suspecting it might be a trap set by Scaramouche, she became even more vigilant.
"I don't recall ever meeting you."
"Eh?"
The person seemed surprised. He observed Lumine's features and quickly realized, "Oh... in that case, you must be her sister. My apologies, my apologies. You two look so alike, it took me a moment to realize."
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tore. (^_^)"
Tore?!
Lumine's mind immediately flashed back to what Ying had said. Her wariness slightly diminished, but it was quickly replaced by intense hostility.
*This was the guy traveling with my Ying before... (ᗜ˰ᗜ)*
The strong dissatisfaction caused Tore to break into a cold sweat, almost making him doubt if his identity had been discovered.
However, his strong composure allowed him to regain his composure. He spoke calmly, "I've heard a lot about your prowess from Ying. It truly lives up to its reputation. Such vigilance, you truly are the Honorary Knight of Mondstadt, as the legends say~"
Although Lumine was quite displeased with the man before her, out of politeness, and because he might be her little wife's friend, Lumine still nodded in response.
"You are too kind. I've always been this way. I hope you won't be offended by my next question."
With that, Lumine's tone shifted, and she asked with suspicion, "May I ask why you were following us?"
"Hehehe... my apologies, my apologies. I merely happened to see a figure resembling a friend. I mistakenly thought it was her and wanted to catch up."
Tore explained with a smile. However, these unverified claims were clearly unconvincing to Lumine. Just as Lumine was about to press Tore further, Paimon interrupted their conversation.
"You two can chat later. The host just told me her location. The most important thing now is to rush to her aid."
Due to Tore's sudden arrival, Paimon couldn't inform Ying about meeting Tore before ending the conversation. Not knowing Tore's true intentions, Paimon hadn't revealed everything.
"Is that so?! Then let's go!"
Upon hearing Paimon, Lumine temporarily put aside her plan to question Tore. Tore, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes, secretly thinking with surprise, *I didn't expect them to have a kind of telepathic communication. Heh... interesting. It was worth my while to rush here...*
Seeing Lumine and her companions about to depart, Tore quickly called out to stop them. "Could you possibly give me a ride? Ying is my friend too. I made a promise to meet her again, and if she's in danger, I could contribute my humble strength."
Tore's words successfully stopped Lumine from immediately refusing him.
Looking at the man before her, Lumine gritted her teeth. Although she desperately didn't want him to meet Ying, he was Ying's friend after all. If she didn't take him along this time and he used it against her, it wouldn't be good if he spoke ill of her when she met Ying later.
While Ying certainly wouldn't get angry at her for such a minor issue, he was, in the end, a victim. It was possible Ying might pity him and show him more attention.
"Alright..."
After much thought, Lumine finally agreed. Firstly, to prevent the aforementioned scenario, and secondly, with herself present, she wasn't afraid of him making a move. Thirdly, she could interrogate him along the way and give him a warning, telling him not to set his sights on her little wife.
However, due to her inherent dislike, Paimon ended up being the one to hold onto Tore as they teleported to the nearest Waypoint to Ying.
As for why a Waypoint and not a Statue of The Seven? That was because Ying had conveniently scoured for more Primogems while on the road~
After teleporting near the Waypoint, Lumine opened the map and observed it carefully before speaking, "Hmm, we're not far from the manufacturing plant. There might be enemy outposts along the way. Let's split into two teams, one in front and one in the rear. Remember to stay vigilant."
She then looked at Tore beside her and specifically instructed, "Ying mentioned you're quite capable. But since you're a guest, I'll ask: would you mind walking ahead with me?"
"Hahaha, no problem at all. After all, I don't want to be the one being protected by a woman."
Tore said with a laugh, understanding Lumine's underlying meaning: *I don't trust you, and I want you with me so I can keep an eye on you.*