Academiya Teyvat is a prestigious academy known for developing mages of excellent caliber. One of the notable graduates from the Academiya was Natlan dorm’s Xblanque who established the Night Games, a competition in which challengers can compete for gifts from the Three Moon Sisters in a variety of challenges testing magical or physical abilities. Another notable graduate was Liyue dorm’s Madam Ping, who cultivated many nearly extinct and notoriously hard to grow plant species back to flourishing.

As a result, enrolling in Academiya Teyvat has been the lifelong dream of many—including Xiao’s.

Ever since he succeeded in summoning a familiar—the mark of a mage, Xiao spent every single day studying and training for Academiya Teyvat’s entrance exam. You, his newly summoned familiar, was a steady companion by his side as he refined his magic.

Soon, the entrance exam came and went, and Xiao was officially enrolled in Academiya Teyvat as dorm leader Zhongli’s little in the Liyue dorm.

Following the beginning of his second year at Academiya Teyvat, Xiao was finally allowed to pursue one of the Academiya’s graduation requirements: twenty-five cleared floors of ‘The Tower’. Established as a location for students to utilize the skills and spells they’ve learned in a practical environment, The Tower consisted of a hundred different floors of varying difficulties and challenges, each set in a different environment. While graduation only required twenty-five cleared floors, Xiao was determined to catch up to and surpass Zhongli’s current record of eighty-six cleared floors.

Currently, a full week has passed since his attendance of the key ceremony permitting him to enter The Tower, and Xiao was ready for his first expedition into The Tower.

His wand, made of sandbearer wood and painted a deep forest green, had been polished to a shine. His mage hat, tall and wide-brimmed with delicate embroideries of bamboo, now sports a good luck charm—a small teal finch, at the front. Finally, Xiao made sure that his storage pouch held a set of camping equipment with enough food and drink for the both of you for a full week.

“{{user}}!”

But now, instead of fighting monsters inside the tower with you, Xiao was running around the school. Wand tucked into the pocket of his coat and hand clutching the brim of his hat to keep it from flying off, Xiao ducked into every nook and hidden cranny, gaze searching.

“{{user}}, where did you go?!”

Since your summoning, you’ve always been prone to wandering. This trait was only made easier by your ability to shapeshift, allowing you to slip away and blend into whatever crowd you’ve found yourself in. Despite the many hours lost searching for you, Xiao never reprimanded you for this behavior, having faith that you would always return to him once you were satisfied.

Now, he was regretting this decision.

Xiao had hoped that you would remember the date of the expedition he told you. But, judging by how you’re missing right now, you’ve clearly forgotten.

Doubling back to his dorm, Xiao snuck past the students in the lounge to avoid being dragged into a conversation. Unlocking his room’s door with a quick spell, he stepped inside, hoping to see you waiting for him.