Chương 2: 2. It's my fault for hoping for something useful from Paimon

2. It's my fault for hoping for something useful from Paimon

After walking for a while. Paimon turned and asked

"Aether, Do you feel anything different?"

"I can't feel any elemental power, nor my original power" Aether replied calmly.

"Ehh!?" Paimon was shocked "How can you be so calm like this!?"

"Well, it's not like my first experience feeling weak like this" Aether replied "It was the same feeling as when I first woke up in Teyvat"

"Ah, You're right! Then there's no problem" Paimon said.

Aether rolled his eyes at Paimon's antic (how can this be no problem!?) He screamed on the inside.

"Oh, there's also a problem with my inventory."

"Hee~" Paimon replied uninterestedly.

"There are so many things that I can't take out" Aether explained "Mora included."

"Hmm~" Paimon replied uninterestedly again "Eh, hm!! You can't take out money! What about Paimon's share!?" She jumped on the spot.

Aether only opened his hands and shook her head lightly at her.

"W, what about food?" Paimon stuttered as she asked fearfully.

Once again, Aether shook her head.

"!!?" Paimon froze, then like a piece of paper, she swayed left and right and fell on the ground.

Aether chuckled seeing her reaction "Well, even if we have more. I doubt we could use it here" Aether was no stranger to traveling from one world to another. The chance of then using the same currency was almost impossible. "Maybe we can try to find some work to go by" Aether suggested to cheer Paimon up.

As Aether closed his eyes thinking about what he could do. "Hmm?" He saw something. Five figures appeared in front of him. One of those is his own self. While the rest were someone he never saw before.

When Aether wanted to ask Paimon, Paimon who was on the ground suddenly stood up. Aether felt like there was an exclamation mark on her head. This wasn't his first time seeing Paimon like this.

Paimon floated toward one of the small alleyways "Aether Aether over heree" She called.

Aether obediently followed her. "Over here! Behind this box" Paimon pointed to one of the stacked boxes on the side.

Aether slowly moved the box and he found… a silver coin with someone's figure on it. Aether easily understood it was this world or this country's currency. But he didn't know how much it was.

"Yeay! we can eat now, Paimon can eat!" While Paimon was on cloud nine.

"By the way, Paimon," Aether said, "I saw these figures when I closed my eyes, do you know what they are?"

"Oh, that's a party" Paimon replied while drooling, imagining new food she could eat in this world.

"Party?"

Paimon nodded "You can choose one of the figures to borrow their power. You can only choose one at a time and there's a slight cooldown before you can switch to another figure, but there's no limit to how many times you can switch."

"Wow" Aether was a bit awed by her explanation. (This power might be stronger than Elemental power) he thought.

"But how do I know the power and how to use the power of these figures?" Aether asked.

"Hm?" Paimon tilted her head cutely "Paimon also didn't know"

"...." Aether fell into silence. (It's my fault for hoping for something useful from Paimon)

Aether closed his eyes again and started to see the figures one by one more carefully.

In the first slot was a young man with short brown hair and green eyes. He wore a villager-like outfit with a white suit, leather boots, and a gold-trimmed green mantle. He also has a short katana attached to his belt.

There's a name under the figure.

(Satou Kazuma) Aether read the name. And there are other words under that name (Adventurer)

(???) Aether was confused (adventurer like me in Teyvat? But it doesn't explain any of his abilities)

Aether turned his attention to the next slot. (!?) Aether was surprised. The next figure possesses unworldly beauty. (Her beauty is comparable to the archon in Teyvat) he thought.

The girl has light blue hair and eyes, a slim figure with ample breasts, long legs, wide hips, and waist-long hair.

(As for her name… Aqua)

(Archpriest <Goddess of Water>)

(Hm? Goddess? Is she the Archon of this world?)

No one was able to answer the confused Aether.

Aether looked at the third slot.

It was also a girl. She was shorter and younger than the one in the second slot Aqua. She has shoulder-length dark brown hair and languid-crimson-colored eyes with fair skin and a light complexion.

The girl wore an outfit similar to a magician on Teyvat only a bit more peculiar than them. A huge wizard's hat that is similar to Mona's hat with a strange motif on it. Black cloak and red robe with gold border and trimmings. She also wore a black choker, belt, and fingerless gloves. While her right left is wrapped with white bandages and a black stocking on the left one. On her hand, she carries a brown staff with a floating red gem.

Aether felt he was full just by seeing how many ads-on on her body.

Lastly, Aether also checked her name

(Megumin… is this a name?) He thought unlike her strange name her title was easier to understand (Arch Wizard)

Aether more or less could expect her power unlike the first two, so he turned his attention to the last slot.

The last slot is also a girl and the tallest among them. She has alabaster skin and graceful features. Well-endowed body, long blue eyes, and straight long blonde hair. She has ponytail-style hair and red hair clips secured on both sides of her bangs.

She wore silver armor composed of greaves, sabatons, a tasset, and a shoulder plate on her left side.

(Darkness/Lalatina)

(...) Aether was speechless by another strange name. On the other hand, he looked at her title (Crusader) which is also easy to understand.

After observing them one by one Aether was still unable to fully understand their power so he tried to choose one of the figures.

Yet he realized He didn't know how to choose it!

Then when Aether thought of it, the spotlight on Aether's figure disappeared and appeared on Satou Kazuma's figure.

At that moment, Aether instantly understood his power. Like Bind, Lurk, Steal, etc.

Then when Aether thought (Switch to Aqua) the spotlight appeared on Aqua's figure and at the same moment Aether understood her power.

(I see. so this is how it works) Aether concluded after testing it a few more times. There's a slight cooldown like one second before he can switch to the next one, and he only needs to switch to them to understand their power, however once Aether switches to another one he'll forget the power from the last.

Aether also didn't lose his original skill like his sword fending and experience no matter which one he chose. In short, their power was like an accessory he wore; it was an add-on to his power.

More or less understanding how the party works, Aether opened her eyes and saw Paimon still swimming in her imagination.

Aether shook his head exasperatedly.

"Paimon" he called.

"Ah" Paimon finally snapped out. "Paimon's hungry let's eat!" She said.

Aether rolled his eyes but didn't deny her "Before that Paimon, when will we be able to jump to the next world?" Aether already tried to feel the connection with Lumine a few times, but he was unable to feel her. He was sure she wasn't in this world (it's a miss) he thought.

Paimon was startled by Aether's question. She suddenly remembered something and took out a letter.

"This is?" Aether asked.

"This letter appeared in front of Paimon when we were in the middle of jumping," Paimon replied.

Aether instantly squinted his eyes toward Paimon "isn't this the most important thing?"

"Ehehe, Paimon forgot"

"Anyway, looked inside of it quick."

Paimon opened the letter, "I gave you the power to understand the language of this world, on the other hand, I'll need you to finish one task before you can leave."

When Aether listened to Paimon's words made a pom sound with his hand "Now, that you mentioned it. I understand that crazy person's words."

This time Paimon also glared at Aether, she waved her hands up and down aggressively "Aether also forgot!!"

Aether evaded her glare "By the way, what is the rest of the content?" He quickly changed the topic "if we could finish it faster maybe we could eat lunch earlier" he murmured in a loud voice deliberately to make Paimon hear it.

"!!!" Paimon quickly read the rest of the letter "By the way, I forbid you from using your otherworldly power before you finish the task."

(Haa~) Aether sighed inwardly. Knowing the fact of how easy it is for an unknown being to seal his power.

Paimon continued "Aether's task is to… Save Rem."

"??" Aether's head is full of question marks "WHO'S REM?"