The Lantern Rite arrives, and the group is ready to check up on Keqing, as she felt that having only the clone that Nilou created for her wouldn't be very efficient for a huge event such as this. A portal opens on the streets of the Liyue Harbor, and out comes Noelle, Furina, Ayaka and Nilou looking for Aether and Keqing, as the former left earlier a few days ago to visit Cloud Retainer at Mt. Aocang. So to kill two birds with one stone, they decide to meet up at the streets.

"It's been a while since we've been to Liyue, huh Miss Ayaka?" Nilou asked.

"Last time we got here, we nearly got ourselves barbequed by the Tenshou-Ryu, remember?"

"Yeah... But at least, we got her in our family right?"

"So, Maid... Does Liyue have good desserts?"

"You shall see it for yourself, Lady Furina. But remember that we need to check up on Aether and Lady Keqing."

Not even a minute later, the group meets both Aether and Keqing, who are both discussing with Charlotte (who for a moment, asked a storm of questions to Noelle about her power until Noelle herself told her to focus on the lantern rite instead, to which she then leaves to find another person to interview) about kites and how symbolic they are to the people of Liyue, only for Keqing to leave afterwards because of her duties, but not before Ayaka puts a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn around and face her.

"Keqing, do you mind explaining what that is on your neck?"

Keqing then blushes heavily upon realizing what Ayaka is referring to, and covered her neck, which has a red spot on it.

"I-it was a bug bite! Yes! A bug bite!"

"Denying it, even though you are stronger than this miserable princess who often missed her attacks."

"S-shut up! You're the one who controlled me the other night, and this happened!"

"At least it was a safe night."

"T-Thankfully so!"

"Keqing? Hey, Keqing! You're spacing out!" Ayaka calls out, and Keqing snapped out of her thoughts.

"What... Oh, right... Get your hand off me! I need to go back to work already!"

"She is doing stuff when we weren't around, huh?" Nilou asked with a mischievous smile.

"It would seem so, Miss Nilou. Now, Aether, where shall we go next?"

"You can go do whatever you like, I want to see and taste Liyue's desserts!" Furina said happily, as she then sprinted off with a small bag of mora.

"Paimon kept pointing at those two fellows right there acting suspiciously. Let's check them out, see if they're a threat or not."

"Aether will go right, Paimon will go left. The rest of you can pull a novel entrance!"

"Wait, Paimon!" Aether called out, only to sigh as Paimon glides over to the suspicious duo.

 Following what Paimon ordered, Noelle gave Ayaka and Nilou hand signals to say that they should approach after finding out what the duo's intentions are. Nilou nodded, as she then dropped a droplet of water to the cracks of the road, and it flows all the way over to the duo, where Nilou then used it to eavesdrop.

The duo were speaking in an Adepti-like fashion, something that Nilou picked up from Noelle's memories of interacting with Cloud Retainer. However, the moment the duo introduced themselves as the remaining two adepti, Moon Carver (who uses the name Houzang as his human identity) and Mountain Shaper (who uses the name Jiehu for his human identity) who arrived on the harbor out of "inevitable eventuality", Noelle, Ayaka and Nilou approaches them.

"It is refreshing to know that these are indeed the other adepti besides Lady Cloud Retainer." Noelle said, as she then bowed in front of the two.

"Someone has spotted us already? You need to erase what you have heard recently this inst--" Houzang was about to give a warning, but not before he widened his eyes upon seeing Noelle.

"Why are you frozen like that-- Ghh?!"

"Why would one not remember that in this event..."

"...She would be attending?"

"S-Successor!"

Noelle tilted her head in confusion, as the two adepti began to walk towards her in a robotic manner, and bowed back to her.

"M-Moon Carver greets the Successor!"

"M-Mountain Shaper greets the Successor as well!"

"Successor?" Aether asked.

"Ooh, I get it! Because she is a transcended being, she is seen as the successor of Rex Lapis!" Nilou concluded, as she clapped her hands once.

"Still... The fact that these two bowed to this airheaded maid..." Ayaka gave them a disappointed look.

"Successor! Cloud Retainer wishes to meet you at her abode..." Jiehu said to Noelle. 

Noelle replied to nod before opening an adeptus portal which leads right toward Mt. Aocang's peak where she is met with a glasses clad lady, sitting down enjoying her afternoon tea.

"Successor. One has seen that those two fossils relayed my invitation."

"It is a pleasure to arrive here at your abode again, Lady Cloud Retainer."

"Please, refer to one as Xianyun whenever one is taking this form."

"Understood, Lady Xianyun."

The lantern rite passes peacefully, however the group barely ever saw Noelle in it's entirety, as if she vanished in the misty peaks of Mt. Aocang. Xianyun however, told Aether that Noelle would be returning in due time.

"Is she training again? That airheaded maid really needs to know how to celebrate an event..." Ayaka asked, as she practices her swordsmanship in a clearing not too far from the Dihua Marsh.

"For once. FOR ONCE, can you be easy on Noelle, Ayaka?" Asked an annoyed Keqing, sitting behind Ayaka in a lotus position.

"Let her be, Miss Keqing! It's almost impossible to stop her trying to defeat Noelle."

---

In a different location, Noelle walks out of an adeptus portal.

"What were the Fatui doing during the Lantern Rite...? They're really making a mess." Noelle asked herself, as she sees the agents and soldiers pursuing an invisible opponent.

As it turns out, just as Noelle is about to leave Mt. Aocang, Cloud Retainer informed her that she saw a group of agents chasing after something, or someone at the Tianqiu Valley, a location that Noelle has little fondness of during her first year of accompanying Aether due to the geovishaps there.

Without further ado, she then opens an adeptus portal, and walked into it, teleporting herself to confront the agents and soldiers.

"T-The Maid-Knight!"

"W-what should we do!? We aren't supposed to be facing her!"

"Greetings, gentlemen of the Fatui. I would like to ask who are you pursuing as of currently."

"She's unarmed... Is she merely out here for a stroll?" A geochanter asked.

"I don't think so. She must've spotted us chasing after the target." An anemoboxer replied.

"Thank you... Maid-Knight." A feminine voice said from behind Noelle, who then revealed herself as she pulled a cloak from her back, which then magically transformed into a top hat.

"Miss Lynette!? Why are they...?"

"I can explain... But not when these are here as the witnesses."

"This problem may be more complicated than I previously expected... I want a full explanation once this is all over, Miss Lynette!"

"She is open! Everyone, at once!"

Suddenly, 4 pyro agents appeared from all directions, thrusting their blades towards Noelle. A loud clang is heard, as Noelle did a pirouette, a golden rod appearing from her gauntlets.

"Lady Xianyun is right... This does help with closer opponents."

As it turns out, Xianyun offered Noelle a pair of new armored gauntlets that look similar to her usual gauntlets, albeit with a bulge below the wrist parts. These bulges created rods of geo energy akin to that of a pair of tonfas, that is strong enough to break the agents' blades.

After breaking their blades, Noelle ducked down, and swept the 4 agents with her leg, causing them to trip and fall to the ground, before Noelle stood back up. The rest of the pursuers charged ahead, only to be sent flying away as Noelle grabbed a crystal imbued with pyro, crushed it in her hand, before punching the ground beneath her, causing it to erupt in a ring of fire.

 "I-Impossible... Crystallized reaction used for an attack instead of defense!? She really is a monster!" Said a Mirror Maiden fearfully, as Noelle slowly turned her gaze towards her.

Noelle slowly approached the Mirror Maiden, as she fearfully casts her hands forwards.

"S-stay back!"

Crystallized water begins to appear beneath Noelle, trapping her by her feet. Noelle sighed, as her body begins to absorb the crystals, and once they were totally absorbed, she leapt into the air, as the Unforged flew toward her hands, which caught it effortlessly. In the air, she then performed  a 360 degree, hydro imbued circular slash in an impossibly fast speed, in which the Mirror Maiden failed to dodge, and is struck down to the ground so violently that a small crater is formed.

Noelle then grabbed the Mirror Maiden by her back, and tossed her to the rest of the pursuers who could do nothing but watch helplessly.

"I doubt that she will be able to fight in a while. Please bring her back for medical attention."

Fearfully nodding as a reply, the pursuers frantically took the wounded and retreated to the distance. Noelle turns around, to see Lynette watching in awe.

---

"Can I explain after we meet up with the others?"

"We're almost there. It is best if you explain your problem in it's entirety."

"So, where is the Traveler these days? I haven't seen him in a while."

"Miss Nilou said that he is working as an assistant cook at the Wangshu Inn, but in order to not interrupt him, we will discuss your problem with the rest of our family."

"Your family?"

"Speak of the devil! She's back!" Nilou cheerfully shouted, before giving Noelle a high five.

"Ayaka is looking for you. Although... She will not be pleased to know that you brought Lynette here." Keqing said, as she folded her arms.

After a quick in-a-nutshell explanation which enraged Ayaka even more, she began to put pressure in her words.

"So, your Father's very organization has marked you for capture?"

"I guess so. I had no idea she'd sent that kind of army after me."

"Tell us what happened, then."

Lynette gulped, before responding that something odd has happened to her vision, during one of her breaks of working at the opera house, and the Knave apparently saw it happen. As she is packing up to visit Liyue for the Lantern Rite, she got ambushed by an agent, and had to escape with her life.

"It happened after I ponder about freedom, freedom in which how me and Lyney should run our shows... And partly because I sometimes think about the Traveler."

"Why are you thinking about Aether?" Ayaka raised a brow.

"I... Like him?"

"Even though he at one time loses his trust on you because of the fact that you are from the House of the Hearth?"

"I know that revelation still hurts, and I can't tell you from the beginning since it is written in the handbook--"

"Do you realize what your father's organization has done on an international scale!?"

"I should be going to standby mode right now... But knowing that my life is on the line, that is going to be a hassle."

As they continued to bicker around, Nilou whispered to Noelle's ear.

"Actually... Lynette has been meeting Aether before the Lantern Rite... I saw him hanging out with her."

"What? So that's why she began to take a liking to him..."

"Tell me about it... If you really are considering on letting her join, you know how Ayaka will act." Keqing whispered.

However, Keqing's whisper fell on deaf ears as Noelle seemingly teleported to a spot between Ayaka and Lynette, and with a smile Noelle declares her decision.

"I think I have come to a conclusion... Lynette can stay with us."

"You'd allow that, Maid-Knight? Thank you..."

"You airhead! You do remember that her ability is to make herself invisible, right!? What if it is all a plot to spy on us for the Knave?"

"That is an absurd claim! I have an entire army on my tail, and you still won't believe me!?" Lynette said, snapping from her calm demeanor.

"If you join, then we'll fall into the Fatui's hands! We can't allow this madness to continue!"

"I know what you mean, Mademoiselle Kamisato, but there is no way I can go back, especially in this state."

"That's quiet enough! You either dismiss yourself and pay the dues for your organization's crimes!"

"That's... quiet a tall order, Lady Ayaka. Miss Lynette is just one person, not the entire organization. And besides, she is speaking of freedom, something that Mondstadt revels in. Freedom from the constant strictness of the House of The Hearth, and the timetable that she has to face from being a magician's assistant."

"For once, can you stop being too naive, airheaded maid? This is the Fatui we're talking about. The very organization that caused a lot of suffering to Watatsumi Island back during the events leading to the abolishment of the Sakoku Decree!"

"And was Miss Lynette a part of that scheme?"

"...You know what? You can take the risk, and if she is indeed spying on us for the Knave, then we're done."

"Thank you, Maid-Knight..."

"As for Mister Lyney... Did he and Mister Freminet know about this?"

"No. Father never told them. Still, Lyney must be worried sick over me disappearing like that."

"I'll get you to where he is. He maybe still has your bag of belongings with him, thinking you ran off for standby mode again." Noelle chuckled.

An adeptus portal opens, and it leads to the balcony of the Wangshu Inn, where Lyney and Freminet are sitting down waiting for their meal.

"Lynette!"

Lyney rushes to hug his twin sister, as Noelle watched with a small smile.

"What happened, Maid-Knight? She just vanished from her room!"

"She suddenly wanted to go on standby mode, and I happened to run into her."

Lyney thanked Noelle for finding Lynette, before Noelle then went to the Wangshu Inn's kitchen to assist Aether if he has troubles in cooking. And thanks to her assistance, floods of customers come and go to Wangshu Inn just for a meal.