Is this protagonist even serious?

By the time the idle chatter faded, Pei Nana had reached the water's edge.

The pool, filled with Mist Flowers, was biting cold. Even though the sun above was warm and she was wearing a dress, a shiver wracked her body the moment she dipped her hand into the water. Her instinct was to pull back, but she forced herself to endure.

(You’ve made it this far; do you really expect someone to coddle you?)

From now on, there would be no climate-controlled rooms, no readily available hot water, no comfortable, stylish clothes, no spacious, tidy house, and no loving affection from her family. Even if Aether were willing to help her, to what extent could he actually do so?

She had to learn to endure everything this world threw at her. Like a flower cast out of a greenhouse, if she wanted to survive, she had to struggle to adapt to the wind and rain of the outside world.

Thoughts of her parents surfaced. When the weather turned chilly, her mother would urge her to bundle up; when she was caught sneaking iced drinks, her refined father would patiently explain the benefits of drinking warm water. She thought of her sister, who worked a thousand miles away—whenever a storm rolled in, her sister would call just to tell her to stay indoors, despite knowing perfectly well that her little sister was a homebody who rarely ventured out anyway.

Pei Nana remembered so much, but she quickly forced herself to forget.

Unlike the protagonists in novels who exhaust every effort to return to their original worlds, she knew all too well that she lacked the capability. She possessed neither the resolute courage to walk a path alone against all odds, nor the indomitable will to face a thousand perils, nor extraordinary, peerless wisdom. By what right could she break the boundaries between worlds and dimensions?

It was better not to think about it. She would just pretend she had married far away abroad.

She pressed her lips together and slowly submerged both hands into the bone-chilling pool.

She washed her hands and face by the water's edge, using her fingers as a comb and the reflection as a mirror to smooth her hair. Paimon, being helpful, snapped a flowering branch from a nearby tree, and Pei Nana used it as a hairpin to twist her long hair into a bun.

The palm-sized flower rested gracefully against her ear, making her cheeks—flushed red from the icy water—look all the more exquisite, delicate, and pitiable. Even Paimon couldn't help but circle her twice, clapping her hands in admiration. "Nana, you look so cute!"

Pei Nana: "..."

Pei Nana managed a strained smile and touched her face. "Let's head back. Aether must be getting impatient."

"Oh, right! We haven't eaten yet! Let's go, go, go! Nana, let's just go down by the cliff! It’s faster!" At the mention of food, Paimon grew excited and flew toward the precipice.

Pei Nana grabbed the edge of her sparkling little cape, sighing helplessly. "...Paimon, I’ll break my legs."

Paimon: "We can just slide down! You know how to do that, right?"

Pei Nana recalled the steepness of the drop and shook her head immediately. "If I fail to absorb the impact upon landing, I’ll definitely break my legs! And if I lose my balance and tumble down, it’s not impossible that I could die from the fall. So, Paimon, let's take the long way back. I'm terrified of cliffs; I can't do it."

She was born with a face that looked inherently fragile and beautiful. When she asked for help with that piteous, vulnerable expression, it created an illusion that she was completely helpless without someone’s support, making it impossible to refuse her.

Little Paimon instantly felt the weight of being relied upon. She puffed out her chest and tried to look as steady and reliable as an adult. "Hmph, you really are a coward! Fine, I suppose I have no choice but to go with you. Come on, let's head back!"

***

When they returned to the cave, Aether was still sitting at the entrance, holding a book and resting his chin on his hand, flipping through the pages in boredom.

Hearing their footsteps, he looked up at them, then at the sun in the sky, and remarked dryly, "Did you two get lost? Why are you only just getting back?"

Paimon immediately crossed her arms, indignant, and flew right up to his face. "Paimon doesn't get lost! Paimon is the best guide! We... we were just admiring the scenery along the way! That's right, we were looking at the view! It's Nana's first time here; shouldn't I be showing her around?"

"Is that so? My apologies for not considering that." Aether put on a guilty expression. "Oh, by the way, did you two eat on the way?"

Paimon gasped in shock. "Isn't the food with you?!"

She began darting around like a headless chicken, searching frantically while questioning him with anxiety. "Traveler! Where are my radish veggie soup and Mondstadt grilled fish?! You didn't eat them all yourself, did you?!"

Aether wore a look of innocent guilt. "Ah, you were gone so long that I figured you must have found something else to eat on the way. I didn't want it to go to waste, so I ate it. So sorry, Paimon. Let's eat at noon instead."

Paimon: "!"

Paimon: "Aaaaaah! I'm so mad! Give me back my grilled fish! I'm going to fight you!"

Paimon stomped her feet, chasing after Aether to hit him. Aether laughed and ran away, and only when Paimon was on the verge of tears did he pretend to be contrite. "I was actually teasing you, little Paimon. You're my best companion; how could I eat all the food behind your back? I actually had them in my inventory the whole time."

"Aaaaah! Traveler!"

Paimon was completely flustered and lunged at him, but Aether was quick; he pulled a grilled fish out of thin air and shoved it right into Paimon’s open mouth with practiced precision.

Paimon: "..."

Paimon: "Nom nom..."

So delicious!

Pei Nana: "..."

Having witnessed the entire process of "domestication," Pei Nana fell into a deep, heavy silence.

...Excuse me, but is this 12+ game... actually decent? Is the protagonist really... upright, brave, kind, and reliable? How does he come off as such a black-bellied prankster?

Just as Pei Nana was pondering this, Aether, having finished teasing Paimon, turned to look at her.

Pei Nana immediately flashed a sweet, obedient smile.

*#Weak, pitiful, and helpless#*

***

Aether smiled back. His youthful, handsome face looked genuinely friendly. With a tone that was kind yet maintained a respectful distance, he smiled at Pei Nana. "You must be hungry, too. Come and eat."

"After we eat, I'll take you to the Statue of the Seven. I was able to wield the elemental energy of this world after touching the statue; perhaps you can, too. Then, we'll see if you can use the Teleport Waypoints. If either of these works, your life here will be much easier."

Pei Nana: "Thank you."

Pei Nana didn't like radishes—white or carrots—but perhaps it was because she was genuinely famished, she found the radish veggie soup Aether made to be quite good; it even had a subtle sweetness. And the grilled fish went without saying—she had always loved fish.

When Aether asked how the food tasted, she offered a few compliments and smiled. "If there's a chance, I'll make some food from my world for you. To be honest, I didn't like going out much back home, so I spent a lot of time alone and learned quite a few recipes."

Before Aether could react, Paimon had already flown into her arms, nodding eagerly and drooling.

Pei Nana looked at Aether in surprise. Aether shrugged, sighing helplessly. "Paimon is like that—she forgets everything as soon as there's food. If you use food to tempt her, she falls for it every single time. *Sigh*."

...

The nearest Statue of the Seven stood beneath a massive, ancient tree. After crossing two hills, Paimon pointed toward a lush, towering tree that looked larger than a mountain. "Nana, that’s Windrise! Under that tree is the statue of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos! Come on, let's hurry over there!"

Pei Nana was panting, her throat feeling as if it were on fire. She looked at the distant tree and managed a weak smile. "Okay."

Another half an hour passed. Aether returned after clearing out the monsters along the path to Windrise. He saw Paimon still flying ahead, full of energy, but Pei Nana, trailing behind, was staggering. Every step she took seemed as heavy as walking through mud. Her delicate face was deathly pale, drenched in sweat.

She looked increasingly fragile.

Aether: "???"

What’s wrong? She looks like she’s about to collapse.

Startled, he hurried over to support her. "Are you alright?"

Pei Nana was slightly dazed. It took her a full two seconds to focus on him before she forced a smile. "...I... me? I'm fine."

Aether: "..."

No, I think you are very much not fine.