"System! You're such an idiot!"
Inside the system space, a rather comical scene unfolded: a white-haired girl repeatedly smacked a floating rectangular projection.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!!!" she shouted, her face as red as a tomato as she kept hitting it.
[What seems to be the matter, host?]
"W-why are you showing them my past?!"
[Is something wrong with that?]
"Yes! It's embarrassing!" Etoma protested, clutching her flushed cheeks.
[You don't understand, host.]
[This is what they call "tragedy maxxing."]
"Huh?" Etoma paused mid-swing.
[In simple terms, we deepen the wound before pouring salt into it.]
"Oh… b-but still! Showing them my past is like telling me to walk outside naked! It's too embarrassing!"
[Don't worry, host. Even if you were naked, you'd have nothing to show.]
A vein popped on Etoma's forehead. Her bangs cast a shadow over her eyes.
"System?" she said with a smile. Her earlier flustered demeanor had completely vanished.
[Yes, host?]
"Are you saying… I'm flat-chested?"
[Ye—]
The system abruptly fell silent.
[No, host. They are still growing.]
"…"
Etoma stared at the shameless system for a long moment before letting out a slow sigh.
"You are this close," she said, pinching her fingers together, "to being erased from existence."
[I see. I'm glad I survived, host.]
"Humph! I'm still young! They'll grow in the future. Just you wait!"
[Of course, host. I will wait.]
And just like that, their banter continued—until Etoma finally sighed and let the system do as it pleased.
.
.
Inside the mysterious woman's house, the group continued watching the projection.
The scene skipped forward—to the moment Etoma was kicked out of her home. Another wave of emotion swept through the room.
Then it skipped again.
Now Etoma stood in the wilderness, climbing a tree to grab an apple.
.
"One, two, go… one, two, go…" Etoma's voice was soft, almost swallowed by the wind.
Her small hands gripped the bark as she pulled herself upward, step by careful step. Her movements were clumsy—but determined. Each reach was measured, as if one mistake would send her crashing down.
After finally reaching the apple, her fingers trembled slightly as she plucked it free. She then searched for a foothold and sat on a sturdy branch.
Smiling brightly, she held the apple in both hands like it was something precious. And began to nibble on it slowly.
The scene shifted again. Darkness covered the sky.
Etoma curled up inside a cave. Outside, monsters like hilichurls and slimes roamed on patrol. The cold night wind seeped in, making her shiver as she hugged herself tightly.
Forcing her eyes shut, she endured the freezing night in silence.
.
"Enough! I can't watch this anymore!" Eula shot to her feet, her face already drenched in tears.
Her heart couldn't take it anymore. Watching her precious friend suffer like this… it was too much for her currently fragile heart.
Just as she turned, desperate to escape the suffocating weight in the room, a voice stopped her.
"Eula."
She froze.
"I forbid you from leaving," Diluc said firmly. "Stay. Watch the truth. See what lies behind the smile she shows you every day. Only then… can you decide what it means to stand beside her."
Eula clenched her teeth. Her gaze fell to the floor.
Suddenly, she could hear it.
drip* drip* drip*
Then she noticed his hand—blood dripping steadily from the armrest onto the floor.
Silently, she returned to her seat. Amber gently patted her back.
.
The projection skipped again. This time, Etoma stood outside Mondstadt city. With a bright smile, she ran toward the city gates and entered.
Seeing that smile, the group was finally calmed down a bit. She can finally find a good food, a good bed. A Safety...
After all, this was where she met Diluc. Was where she met everyone and have a happy life every day, right?. Her life would be good from now on.
But Diluc, now aware of the truth, felt no relief at all.
Inside the city, Etoma spun in place, eyes wide with wonder. Every corner, every sound—it was all new, all overwhelmingly alive...
But then—A low, hollow sound ringed. Her stomach grumbling.
She paused.
Her hand slowly pressed against it. It seems like she was hungry now.
Spotting a fruit stall, she approached it eagerly.
"Hello, mister… may I have one of those?" Her voice was small. Polite. Barely above a whisper.
But the moment she asked for a sunsettia, the owner harshly shoved her away.
Her small body stumbled backward, falling as she was pushed away like something unwanted. Like something worthless.
She quickly scrambling to her feet and running away
This immediately enraged Jean. How could a citizen of Mondstadt refuse a child over a single piece of fruit? It's just a single fruit!
Venti, too, felt anger stir within him. Mondstadt. The city of wind, city of freedom. His city. How could a scum like him exist in it. Though he remained silent.
Not just those two. Diluc and Kaeya had already made a mental note of the stall owner.
They will met him later.
The projection focused on Etoma again. Dejected, she wandered the streets aimlessly—until she saw someone throw something into a trash bin.
She waited. Only after the person was gone did she approach it.
Peering inside, her eyes immediately lit up, smile widened.
A wild sunsettia appears!
She reached in, pulling it out with careful hands, as if afraid it might disappear if she wasn't gentle. Its surface marred with dark spots.
She closed her eyes for a moment. Feeling grateful on the fruit she had found and began nibble on it using her both hands. Carefully avoiding the rotten parts.
.
Eula covered her mouth with her both hands before another tear slipped down her face. Her hands then covering her whole face, sobbing quietly.
Not just her. Paimon also cried, far less restrained.
.
The scene shifted once more. Night had fallen again.
This time, Etoma sat in an alley near the city walls, sleeping peacefully with her back upright against the stone.
Another shift. Etoma stood with one hand on her chin, the other on her hip, staring thoughtfully at a pile of small cutted logs and branches.
She had found them near her favorite trash spot. Probably a discarded scraps from a lumber worker.
She carried them all back to her "home." No, not a house. Just an alley she used to sleep in.
Slowly, she arranged the wood, building a crude shelter. After some time, she stepped back. A small structure stood before her—walls and a roof, though riddled with gaps.
Still, it was hers.
Her Home.
She happily crawled inside and lay down comfortably. Even now, her pristine smile unchanging.
Fatigue quickly pulled her into sleep, the faint curve of her lips still lingering...
.
"Even now… the little one's smile never falters, how pure her heart must be…" Lisa murmured softly. Enough for everyone to hear.
"Sob* Paimon has decided!" Paimon declared between sniffles. "Paimon will get rid of Etoma's ugly nickname—and let her hug Paimon as much as she wants!"
"When we find her, let's have a feast until her stomach bulge." Jean said with a gentle smile. "My treat."
"No," Diluc interjected. "I will cover the cost. Maybe three meals a day was to little. I will add another meal hour for her and increase her bedroom size."
Unbeknownst to them…
These promises would remain nothing more than words.
.
.
A/N: Ey, why my spell works on me too?! Potter, help-