Last night was a blurry nightmare. I didn't remember much whatsoever, but I did recall managing to arrive back home at the Funeral Parlor after recklessly teleporting back without thinking of the consequences. At first, everything seemed fine when I got back. I was scolded lightly, and Hu Tao complained that I went off to have fun without her.

When my body relaxed, I felt my vision swirl and my stomach churn. Eating nothing all day did me no favors as I ended up on my knees dry-heaving content that didn't even exist. I wasn't aware of it until then, but apparently, the Teleport Points were just ancient relics that no one knew how to use and were, for the most part, inoperable.

It just so happened that I was able to utilize them despite my lack of proper knowledge due to being used to how the game worked, but now I regret it for all eternity. I felt like I was going through a severe hangover with how sick and nauseous I was upon arriving back home. Hu Tao and Saber watched over me as I struggled. At some point, I remember being fed a unique potion. Then, I blacked out at some point. My memories around that point made no sense to me, but I'm glad it's over.

It was a relief to see the morning come.

After spending half a night trying to spew out my guts, it felt oddly refreshing to wake up feeling empty while laying around in bed. The softness of the mattress, the warmth of the blanket, and the gentle touch of the sunlight made it feel like Heaven on Earth. Well, Teyvat, but same difference. I solemnly swore to myself to be more careful with assuming that this was going to be just like the games.

Perhaps the load screens when teleporting were covering up a horrible secret.

Who knows, but just like cooking, I shouldn't take teleporting and other matters I took for granted lightly. I might end up in an even worse position than I am now. Let this be a cautionary tale to all gamers who end up stuck in their favorite game. Expectations are different from reality, so be careful.

Just as I was sorting out what to do, I heard the sound of footsteps coming towards my room from the hallways. The wooden floors, while they weren't old and creaky, still let off a certain type of noise when walked on. Though, judging from the "weight" of the individual, it didn't seem to be Hu Tao or her grandpa.

So just who could it be?

As the door opened, I was left pleasantly surprised.

"It's time to wake up"

"Onii-chan"

My heart suddenly stopped. For a moment, I thought the world had suddenly slowed, and time had halted. Just who was this little angel who appeared before me, and more importantly, what was my relationship with her?! I was an only child in the past, and right now, my only sister figure should be Hu Tao!

"You don't remember? You're so cruel, Onii-chan."

The white-haired girl with the flowy blue skirt smiled mischievously as if she knew that she was the source of my inner chaos at the moment. As if giving me a hint, she elegantly spun around for me in a professional manner. The sunlight peaking through the windows served as her spotlight, as the blue skirt fluttered lightly in the open space before the little girl gently grabbed the hems of both the left and right sides to perform a perfect curtsey.

The words "10 out of 10" easily slipped from my mouth.

With that instinctive realization, I was able to figure out who this little girl was. It was none other than my very own Hero - Saber. Saber, who was able to read my mind like an open book, smiled slightly. The corners of her lips curved sharply upwards as she walked toward me. The beds in Liyue were rather close to the ground, so even though I was sitting up in bed, Saber was still able to reach up to my chest in her petite form, though, now I was faced with a moral dilemma.

To pat, or not to pat? That is the question.

Whether to suffer in silence and nobly withhold from the unbearable cuteness that was here in front of me or to submit to the desires that lay deep within and place my hand upon her head. To die- to hold back, and by holding back I mean a mortal end to human desire and the natural appreciation of the fundamental laws: cuteness is justice. Yet as a Master, would it not be a part of my duty to know where to draw the lines in a relationship between a Master and Hero?

As if to say that I should stop my nonsense, Saber grabbed hold of the edge of the blanket and threw it off me. Her little hands grabbed hold of mine. In the next instance, she pulled as if to urge me out of bed. Of course, as a Hero, she was able to control her strength enough to not harm me, but it wasn't enough to drag me out of bed either. Regardless, I felt inclined to at least move my legs over while remaining seated on the bed to face the little Hero properly.

It was then that my grogginess and lethargy left my body. My eyes managed to catch sight of my smartphone that was tampered with by the hands of a self-proclaimed God who was actually supposed to be the End Game Boss. Memories of the night before slowly filled my mind as I managed to vaguely recall being able to finally compress Saber's data to make it easier for me to maintain the Mana connection between us; explaining why Saber was currently in her small form right now.

"But, why Onii-chan?" I asked Saber.

My memories didn't cover that part, so I questioned my dutiful Hero to help me fill in the gaps. Surprisingly, she didn't answer back. Instead, her already mischievous smile seemed to sharpen even further somehow as she blatantly refused to answer - leaving me to wonder just what in the world I said last night for this little event to occur.

"If you really want to know..." Saber started.

"Shouldn't you reward your little sister?"

Before my mind could comprehend it, my hand was gently patting the adorable girl before me. Even if I was mentally at least 20 years old before reincarnating, one of my weaknesses was still my poor adaptability to sudden situations beyond my comprehension. While this has yet to happen in practice, it seems that it often occurs in social settings.

Such as now. I couldn't help but get dragged along by Saber's whims. Considering her performance lately though, if this was enough to reward her, I'd be glad. Having to battle while managing my poor mana output was an arduous task.

To put it simply, it was like playing a sport while constantly holding your breath for long intervals of time only to take short gasps of air after holding your breath until it hurts. Sure, it was more than definitely doable- especially for a Hero with superhuman capabilities- but it still imposed a certain limit, uncomfortableness, and ultimately, a disadvantage.

While I certainly did have a clear line between Master and Hero, it's not like I ignore these things. Establishing a healthy working relationship is key to a long-lasting cooperative effort. That's how an employer should act. Or something like that. After resigning myself to rewarding Saber with head pats, I smelled something vile in the air. My body instinctively flinched and stiffened. A memory flashed in my mind, but I wasn't able to comprehend it until the door to my room flung open with a dynamic slam.

"Wake up Colt!" Hu Tao beamed. "I made breakfast today!"

In her little hands, she was holding a bowl of death. 

Yes, death. 

I could not comprehend the existing content within her hands contained within the thin bit of porcelain. Memories of last night suddenly revived themselves. Last night, I experienced the horror of teleportation in Genshin and received some ridiculous stomach issues upon use. To nurse me back up, Hu Tao offered to cook dinner that night while Saber escorted me through thick and through until I reached the dining room.

From there, my memory omitted the travesty that was dinner, but now I was clearly seeing what it was in high definition. If I ate this suspicious entity that was no less than the visual avatar of Lovecraftian nightmares, both my mind and stomach would certainly go insane. I looked over at Saber, who was simply smiling back at me with the look of a professional, unbefitting of her younger appearance. Her eyes looked at me expectantly as she spoke.

"She got up at the break of dawn to make it for you."

That was my death sentence. Some small fragment of pride within me awoke and made it clear that I am now going to eat that. This was food made by my relatively adopted sister who I have only met a few days ago that she put the time and effort to make. The least I could do was respond appropriately in kind. Did another part of me realize that my Hero was subtly nudging me into doing that? Yes. Did I care though? No.

So, I spent my morning having nearly lost my life for the second time I came to the world of Genshin Impact. It wasn't because I fought a dangerous enemy or was betrayed by those around me. It was due to the simple thought: "I don't want to let her efforts go to waste."

In the end, both Saber and I agreed to help Hu Tao learn how to cook slowly. Once every two weeks. Otherwise, my body would not be able to handle it. Perhaps by the time I was done, I would have poison resistance.

Putting that episode aside, Hu Tao fervently told me about the events that occurred in the Chasm. It was hard to feign ignorance in front of her despite her easygoing and playful nature due to how witty and sharp she could be, but I managed to get by nonetheless. Probably. Since she led the conversation, I didn't have to respond as much.

As we continued to talk, both of us soon realized that we hadn't seen Hu Tao's grandfather at all. Usually, he was an early riser, but he was nowhere to be seen. Did he head out? After I asked Saber, who did not need to sleep and spent time in her Spirit form, Hu Tao and I learned that no one left the house at all. Meaning just one thing.

The two of us hurried over to his room and found him still in bed. The warm sunlight touched upon his gray hair affectionately while the particles in the air loftily remained illuminated by the rays of light. Hu Tao's grandpa rested on the bed with his back leaning against the frame of the bed. His feeble breathing seemed to give life to the room, the same way one would blow air to help start a fire, but evidently, there was almost nothing left to give. 

Time was running out.

"Grandpa!" Hu Tao, who had swung the door open in a hurry, sighed in relief as she slowed down and made her way over. Her little hands curled up as she tightly gripped the sides of her shirt, trying to contain her emotions as she made her way over to the side of the bed.

"Morning grandpa looks like you're feeling a little sleepy today."

His lips moved slightly in response, saying something only Hu Tao could properly catch.

She responded with ease as if everything was fine.

As if everything was going to be okay.

As if there was going to be a tomorrow for her grandpa.

"Haha~ you know, I was cooking breakfast for Colt today!"

"Yeah, the silly guy got sick, so I made him some food."

"It was definitely delicious! He ate it all!"

"I'll cook some for you for lunch, how about that?"

Hu Tao was having a whole conversation, but to an outsider like me who couldn't catch what her grandfather said, it looked like she was having an entire conversation with herself. Somehow, that just made it all sadder. It weighed upon me, despite the fact that I had barely known the grandpa. 

Thinking back, I must have been egotistical to think I could save someone who had finally reached the end of the road of his life. By that point, would it really be saving them? Or would it just prolong their suffering? As the thoughts flowed through my head, Saber spoke out to me softly in my mind.

"Look. Look at his face. The expression he's making."

My eyes shifted from Hu Tao's small frame to the grandpa, who seemed to be radiating light himself rather than just basking in the warmth of the sun's rays coming through the gaps in the window. I realized the mistake that I've been continuously making over and over. Not once was my intervention necessary. I didn't need to do anything for the old man, who I was so fixated on helping. Not for his sake, but for his granddaughter's. 

It was clear that my intentions had been misaligned.

After all, could I really say that I was going to save him from suffering?

When he smiled so gently?

Ashamed, I wanted to look away from this scene. I don't know how long he had left, but Hu Tao should spend as much time with her grandfather as possible. Before that time came. However, just as I was about to move, I made eye contact with Hu Tao's grandfather. It felt like time came grinding down to a halt. A single moment of Eternity, like a photograph, was being engraved in my soul. 

Take care of my granddaughter.

I don't know how I registered that message. I don't even know if I caught his lips moving or anything like that, but somehow, someway, I was able to understand Hu Tao's grandpa when he was using the language of spirits. Just this once. There was only one response to him. Resolutely, while maintaining eye contact, I nodded.

"I will."

Shortly afterward, I stepped out of the room and began making preparations for lunch. However, all I did was prepare the ingredients. Saber offered to help, and I was going to refuse. Before I could voice my opinion though, I found myself preparing ingredients right next to a little girl. Cutely, Saber had gotten herself a small stool to stand on and diligently processed the ingredients with care, one by one.

I had a small feeling that Saber was more experienced than I was when it came to cooking, and somehow, I couldn't help but feel my pride being pricked. Then again, she was a Hero who had accumulated a lifetime of experience. Part of me wanted to give up and ask her to help me with my stupidly vain efforts that I've habitually repeated time and time again. Part of me refused to do so. I mean, why would I drag someone down with me in this cycle of hopelessness?

https://youtu.be/RS8deNemm_A

There have been multiple times when I would think of something and realize "this is a bad idea," yet I carry it out anyways. Whether it's trying to play the good guy to save a stranger or if it's to follow through on something that really has no meaning, even if I know, I still end up doing it anyways. Call it impulsive or whatever it actually is, the only reason why I do is simply that I feel like I may regret not trying. It is my own selfish and egotistical mindset. 

Come to think of it, it's this same mindset that led me to summon Saber.

I wanted a Servant who could conjure a spell and fix everything.

Upon realizing I summoned a Saber Class Hero, I quickly gave up on those expectations.

The subject in question didn't wish to be saved in the first place, so I never asked.

A pang of guilt rested upon my heart.

Even if I didn't intend it, I was quite rude to my summoned Hero.

I want to apologize, but this isn't the right time for it. Instead, I should be asking something else. My hands briefly stopped moving. The knife was gently put down as I turned toward the little girl beside me. Having already read my mind, Saber was extremely quick to address my concerns. She knew that I was prideful, despite me being careful not to flaunt it, and she knew that I was a stubborn and desperate person. So, she cut the pleasantries short and didn't bother to beat around the bush.

"There is something I can do," Saber solemnly declared. "But my abilities wouldn't be able to save him."

"Even so, I'd like to try."

"The result will be the same."

"It's okay. I won't waste food."

"My Onii-chan is a little hard-headed."

"I'll try to limit it, but I can't make any promises."

"I don't want to hear that. Instead, there's something else you should say."

". . . thank you"

"It's my pleasure."

The two of us resumed work, but this time, Saber took the lead as I moved to be her arms in a supportive manner. Perhaps it was because Saber knew exactly what I was thinking that our coordination was so smooth. She knew where I was and what I was doing at almost any given instance, and I was able to roughly guess what she needed ahead of time. 

In a way, it was like a duet with food fit to serve the Gods being created being the melody that was played. Heck, forget just the Gods, I'm sure this was something that could merit the creation of a new universe in of itself. It was like how the Big Bang was the genesis of the universe. This dish alone may have opened up an entirely new path upon conception. Yes, I am exaggerating, but in my mind, at this moment, I felt like I was witnessing something amazing.

Upon completion of the dish, Saber plated up the food in a presentable manner befitting a Michelin Star restaurant. Sure, it was still just a variety of tempura resting near a bit of udon using noodles made from scratch, but at last, there was something different about it. From my experience, there was a Divine presence to it. I wish I was joking this time, but there truly was such an aspect. I knew from my time in my previous world. Sadly, it was due to fighting cheat-like Heroes who had Divine Attributes.

Nonetheless, a little part of myself couldn't help but think 'this is it' with a full exclamation.

I carried the dish with both hands and went straight for the room.

Hu Tao and her grandfather were still side by side.

They were silent, but it felt like they had returned to a moment of tranquility once more.

The peace they had where words were not needed to communicate. 

I was both in awe and jealous of such a thing, but right now, I had bigger priorities.

"Hu Tao," I called out to her. "Let's have a meal together one last time."

Hu Tao gave a sad smile. Did she know what I was trying to do here? She was a sharp and witty girl after all. It was her attentive playfulness that caught the hearts of many players from Genshin Impact. That, and her strength. However, even I could tell that it was taking everything she had to not break down. Her philosophy and beliefs were built upon this foundation of an event. This was a big moment. Perhaps my presence had changed history slightly but at its core, I know this would be a universal constant.

"Sure."

That was all I got, but it was all I needed.

Bringing over the food, I realized that I had nowhere to put it. 

I just had to hold it for now then.

Hu Tao gingerly picked up some of the soup. She blew it a few times and carefully took a small sip to make sure it wasn't too hot. Once she confirmed it was not scalding hot and was able to verify its taste, she let slip a comment.

"It's warm."

I know she wasn't talking about just the temperature of the soup.

"Grandpa, here's some soup. It's tasty. Colt made it you know?"

With her little hands, she brought the bowl of soup to her grandpa's mouth. There was no reaction. His chest moved weakly up and down. I wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't move his hands. Against all odds, his lips parted ever so slightly. Seeing this, Hu Tao carefully tilted the bowl of soup. A soft, yet audible gulp resounded. Not wanting to choke the poor man, Hu Tao moved the bowl away from his lips without spilling a drop.

It was quiet again. So quiet that I could hear the sounds of breathing from Hu Tao and myself. I glanced at Hu Tao's grandfather, trying to see if I could read into the silent communication that both he and his granddaughter often engaged in. Again, I could only doubt myself as I could have sworn the corner of his mouth curled upwards.

Delicious.

The silence was deafening. Hu Tao's head lowered momentarily, but she did not cry. Instead, she moved away from the bed and faced me. Placing her hands over my wrists, a soft-spoken voice that seemed almost uncharacteristic of her finally broke the silence that I was dreading in my mind. Even if this wasn't completely related to me, it was still happening in front of me.

"You can put it down now, Colt."

Slowly, I put down the tray of food on the ground to the side so that I wouldn't accidentally knock it over. I couldn't speak the language of spirits and pick up on what Hu Tao and her grandpa were able to say without using their mouths. I needed many things to be spelled out for me because I wasn't smart, but even I knew what was going on.

Hu Tao's hands gripped me tightly.

It was as if she was in a winter storm with a small fire to keep herself going. That small fire represented a lot of things. Her ability to keep going, her hope, her determination. It wasn't just her present and future though. It also represented her past. It was a fire that represented the previous generations. Her ancestors had helped create this fire. Her parents, who had left her early, were shown through this. It was through them that the Funeral Parlor was able to take form. The one who taught her that was none other than her grandfather despite being on his last wisps of existence. It was already a miracle that this fire was able to continue on in this turbulent storm called life, but now...

The last embers had gone out.