The sound of water overflowing the rim of the bathtub broke into a rhythmic patter on the oak floorboards. Blurring steam rose, clinging like a damp film over the raw, bleeding scratches along Mei's calves. Her fingertips trembled as they lightly traced the skin of her neck. A deep purple bruise stood out starkly under the dim light, throbbing painfully with every breath she took.
Mei grabbed the wooden ladle, scooping up the warm water and pouring it straight down from the crown of her head. The water streamed across her eyes and spilled over the corners of her lips. She pressed her lips tightly together, forcing herself to swallow a gulp of the warm water, but her chest heaved with a sudden wave of nausea.
Outside, a flash of lightning ripped through the pitch-black sky, followed by a low, rumbling peal of thunder that struck heavily against the glass windowpanes. Mei flinched, pulling her shoulders inward, her gaze locked onto the darkness beyond the window. It took a few seconds of realizing there was nothing but the sound of pouring rain for her to slowly ease her tense shoulders.
Burying her head in her knees, she stared blankly at the rippling water around her.
"Your wounds haven't fully healed yet. Rest and recuperate here; Adelinde has already prepared dinner for you."
Diluc's deep, low voice from late afternoon abruptly echoed in her mind, only for the terrifying ambush by the Fatui skirmishers through the window just a few hours ago to rush back like a waking nightmare.
Mei let out a dry, breathless laugh, the sound twisted and choked in her throat. The cold, murderous aura of the man standing in the middle of that blood-drenched battlefield earlier flashed through her mind once more. That fiery, crimson hair, that sheer ruthlessness-Mei was certain she hadn't seen wrong. And then there was Adelinde's unnervingly calm demeanor, as if the head housemaid had already known exactly what would unfold tonight.
Letting out a heavy breath, Mei leaned her head back against the porcelain rim of the tub. She stared blankly up at the pale yellow light on the ceiling, but her chest felt icy cold. Diluc and Adelinde didn't possess the art of cloning to orchestrate a counter-ambush at the Dawn Winery while simultaneously maintaining appearances at the Angel's Share. There was only one possibility.
"Elzer…"
The name slipped from her lips, barely a whisper, yet it sent a shiver straight down her spine. Everything finally made sense. This was a flawless performance staged by them, and she... was nothing more than a pawn on their grand chessboard.
Clack.
Mei's wrist accidentally bumped against the rim of the tub, and the crisp, clear clink of her Jadeite bracelet tore through the silence. Startled, she looked down. Her dripping hand instinctively caressed the smooth, cool surface of the gemstone.
"Thank goodness it didn't break." Mei murmured to herself.
Strangely enough, the cold touch of the jade against her skin at this moment made her feel a hundred times more grounded and secure than the synthetic warmth this mansion was wrapping her in.
Closing her eyes tightly, Mei slowly let herself slide deeper into the bathtub, letting the water submerge up to her chin. The vast room of the Dawn Winery sank back into stillness, leaving only the relentless pounding of the rain from the distant horizon to swallow her long, fractured sighs.
---
The next morning.
The damp, cold air from last night's rain still lingered around the slightly ajar window. Mei curled up in the corner of the unfamiliar bed, the thin blanket pulled high up to her waist. When the door clicked open, her wide-awake eyes immediately locked onto the figure stepping inside.
Diluc approached and set a glass of warm milk down on the small wooden table. The dull thud of the glass meeting the surface broke the stillness. His gaze swept briefly over the wounds on Mei's body before settling on her pale face.
"How are your wounds?" His voice was calm and steady, as if they were merely discussing the weather.
Mei lowered her eyes. Hidden beneath the blanket, her hand gripped the bedsheet tightly. Her chest heaved violently as she fought to suppress the bitter lump rising in her throat. It wasn't until Diluc frowned slightly, reaching out to touch her shoulder, that Mei abruptly snapped her head up.
"Using me as bait to lure the Fatui, you must be quite pleased with yourself, aren't you?" Her voice was hoarse and sharp, cutting right through the man's movement.
Diluc's outstretched hand froze in midair. A fleeting tremor of hesitation flickered across his ruby eyes, but he instantly retracted his hand, concealing it deep within his coat.
"What do you know?" Diluc's voice grew a fraction colder. No denial, not even an attempt to cover it up.
Mei let out a hollow laugh, utterly devoid of life.
"Do you take me for a fool, Diluc Ragnvindr? As if you can just control everything you please."
Diluc clenched his fist inside his coat, his jaw tightening. The fury blazing in the young girl's eyes stabbed directly into his pride.
"I had to do it." he growled, each word sharp and distinct.
"If I hadn't acted ruthlessly, that person would have found you anyway."
"Is that so?"
Mei snapped. The vivid memory of her hair being yanked back and the suffocating terror of being hurled onto the splintered wooden floor came rushing back, as clear as if it had happened just a second ago.
"By what right do you get to decide my safety? Who is that person? Why are they targeting me? Or are you just trying to brush this under the rug?"
Diluc remained silent. His lips parted slightly as if to say something, but he ultimately swallowed his words. At this moment, his silence was more suffocating and cruel than any confession.
"What on earth are you hiding, Diluc?"
Mei looked at the tall man before her. She had wanted to scream, to hurl questions at his face. But confronting this fortress of ice, her anger dissolved into thin air, leaving behind only a hollow void.
"Have you ever even thought..." Her voice cracked, trembling and weak.
"...about how terrified I was last night?"
She hung her head, letting her arms drop limply. The image of the refined master, the silent hero of Mondstadt from the game, shattered into a thousand pieces. In its place was nothing but utter estrangement.
Forcing herself up, Mei stepped her swollen feet onto the icy wooden floor. She brushed past him, not even bothering to look up at him again.
"Next time, if you need a tool, just say so. I am not an object you own."
But barely two steps in, a sharp, shooting pain from her ankle bolted straight to her brain. Mei's legs gave out, and her body lost balance, collapsing forward.
Fast as lightning, Diluc stepped forward, reaching out to catch her arm and pulling her back right before she hit the ground. His grip was powerful, precise, and unyielding.
"I have never viewed you as a tool." his voice rang directly above her head, slightly rushed, stripped of its usual composure.
But the warmth radiating from his palm through her skin only made Mei shudder in sheer terror. A wave of repulsion and nausea welled up in her throat. Struggling with all her might, she violently wrenched her arm from Diluc's grip as if she had just touched a white-hot blade.
"Don't touch me!"
Diluc stood frozen in place. His cast-aside hand remained suspended in midair, empty. For the first time, the man who always held control over every situation in Mondstadt was at a complete loss. He could only watch blankly as Mei bit down hard on her lip, anchoring one hand firmly against the wall as she forced her limping legs out the door.
---
Midday.
Strands of afternoon sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm patch of light across the spacious kitchen of the Dawn Winery. The crisp light danced over the neatly arranged glassware, yet it could not dispel the chill spreading through Mei's chest.
She sat stiffly on the wooden chair, her quiet eyes scanning every small corner around her, still unable to lower her guard.
Opposite her, Moco leaned forward, carefully using a cotton swab to apply medicine to the bleeding scratches on Mei's calves. The maid's movements were incredibly gentle, accompanied by a sorrowful sigh:
"Those Treasure Hoarders go too far! How could they be so cruel to a girl like you?"
From the side, Hillie brought over a steaming bowl of porridge. Gently blowing away the layer of oil on top, she carefully spooned a mouthful and held it up to Mei's lips, chiming in:
"Exactly. It's a good thing Master Diluc didn't stay too late at the Angel's Share last night. If he hadn't made it back in time, who knows what horrible things they would have done."
At the mention of "Master Diluc," Mei's throat tightened. A bitter lump formed in her throat. The small swallow of white porridge sliding down her esophagus suddenly tasted as harsh as sawdust. Beneath the table, her hand instinctively gripped the hem of her skirt, crushing the soft fabric into a crumpled mess.
"Is that really true, Miss Mei?" Moco looked up, her round eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and admiration, waiting for confirmation.
Mei lowered her eyelids slightly, avoiding those innocent eyes. She didn't want to lie, but she wanted even less to drag these two innocent girls into the filthy mire of the Fatui. The room fell into a few seconds of silence before a fractured sound, so faint it almost dissolved into the air, escaped her lips:
"Yeah..."
Seeing Mei's deathly pale complexion, Moco and Hillie assumed she was merely suffering from the lingering trauma of last night. The two girls exchanged quick glances and hurriedly changed the subject to dispel the gloomy atmosphere. Moco gently reached out, placing her hand over Mei's freezing knuckles and giving a soft squeeze to reassure her.
Mei flinched. The moment their skin met, she instinctively pulled her hand back a fraction. Realizing her social blunder, she forced herself to relax and let Moco hold her hand. She feared their innocence, and she feared that she might bring trouble upon them.
"Ah, I remember now! Miss Mei, you once mentioned meeting an Adeptus at Wangshu Inn, right?" Moco blinked excitedly.
"Is he like the ones described in the ancient chronicles?"
Hillie leaned closer as well, her eyes shining bright as she chimed in:
"Does the Liyue Adeptus have a stature as grand as a mountain? Can he call upon storms and possess supreme magical arts, Miss Mei?"
The words "Wangshu Inn" caught her ear, causing Mei's heart to skip a beat. Memories of the pure, serene fragrance of Qingxin flowers and a silent silhouette standing upon the curved rooftop of the inn suddenly flooded her mind.
"Xiao..." The name slipped from her lips, light as a whisper, carrying with it a sense of absolute safety.
"Pardon?" Moco tilted her head, failing to catch the murmur.
Mei snapped out of it. She lowered her gaze, hiding the ripple of emotion that had just flashed through her eyes. Though she had left less than a month ago, that name, that haven of peace, now felt infinitely distant as if separated by an entire lifetime.
"I... I don't know anymore." she murmured under her breath, sinking back into the heavy silence.
Knock, knock.
A rap on the door interrupted her thoughts. The wooden door pushed open, and Elzer stepped inside holding a medical kit. Maintaining his usual genial smile, he spoke gently:
"Shall I help you change your bandages, Mei?"
Mei slowly raised her head. Stripped of any confusion or cheerfulness, her eyes were now as still as a frozen winter lake, staring gloomily and broodingly straight at Elzer. That single look caused the smile on Elzer's face to freeze for a fraction of a second.
Nevertheless, Elzer quickly regained his professional composure. Stepping up to her chair, he gently unraveled the old, blood-stained bandage from her shoulder. In the quiet kitchen, the only sound was the crisp rustling of gauze layers rubbing against each other. The sound echoed in Mei's ears, as jarring as a blunt reminder of the injuries she bore.
"There is something Master Diluc likely hasn't had the chance to inform you about yet." Elzer slowly wrapped a fresh layer of gauze, his tone flat and unrippled.
"The designer he invited today called to report a sudden conflict. Don't be disheartened, Mei; her personality is inherently capricious like that."
Mei blinked slightly, her expression unyielding, replying with nothing more than a mechanical nod:
"I understand."
Hearing her terse reply, Elzer fell silent as well. He lowered his gaze, carefully tying off the bandage to ensure it avoided the open wound. As the medical kit snapped shut with a sharp click, Elzer looked directly at Mei, offering a word of comfort:
"Rest well, Mei. From now on... no one else will come to disturb you."
Mei's ears rang slightly. That promise brought no sense of security; instead, it sounded exactly like the metallic click of a cage door locking shut.
Elzer turned to give the two maids a few instructions regarding her care before turning to leave. The wooden door closed, returning the space to the three girls. Moco and Hillie resumed their chattering about the mundane daily affairs of the winery, but Mei could no longer hear any of it.
She turned her face away, directing a blank stare out the sun-drenched window. In the distance, groves of trees rustled under the windswept highlands.
---
The sun slowly drifted toward the west, squeezing out its last vibrant bursts of orange and yellow light onto the garden of Cecilia flowers. Amidst the fiery crimson afterglow, the pure white blossoms swaying in the wind exuded an unusually desolate, displaced aura.
Mei stood quietly at the edge of the garden, letting the evening breeze ruffle the hem of her clothes. The highland wind, carrying the crisp chill of twilight, brushed against her skin, sending a faint shiver through her chest.
Slowly, she dropped one knee onto the damp grass. Extending her fingertips, she hesitantly touched a delicate Cecilia petal. A late dewdrop resting on the petal shattered, sending a piercing, icy chill running from her fingertip straight to her core. A hauntingly familiar sensation struck her mind.
The coldness of this land... was in stark contrast to the radiating warmth of the Xiao Lanterns she used to light with her own hands on the inn's balcony every time night fell. Mei's nose tingled with a sudden sting. She craved the scent of lightly bitter tea with its lingering sweet aftertaste that always drifted through the air.
In her mind's ear, she could almost hear Huai'an's hearty laughter echoing from the lobby below, and see Verr Goldet's distressed yet reproachful frown whenever she got hurt. She even remembered Chef Yanxiao's grumpy grumbling; though his mouth never stopped complaining, his hands would always press a plate of sweet pastries into hers.
And... that youth's straight, unyielding back, as steady as Mount Tai, shielding the mouth of the cave. So silent, yet so grounding a person who had never looked at her with calculating eyes, and had never placed her life in jeopardy for the sake of plots in the dark.
An icy droplet slipped off the Cecilia flower, shattering on the ground. Mei lowered her head, her gaze instinctively falling upon the green Jadeite bracelet gracing her wrist. Her fingers curled inward, nails digging deep into her palm. She had to leave this place. Windswept Mondstadt was free and magnificent, but here... there wasn't a single lantern lit for her.
If she remained here, would the day come when she truly became a pawn at the mercy of others? Mei did not know. But just the thought of being thrown into unforeseen danger once more made her chest turn entirely hollow and cold.
Right as these bitter thoughts were tearing at her heart, a chilling draft swept across the back of her neck. The grass beneath her feet completely swallowed all sound there wasn't even the whisper of a footstep yet a voice, tinged with a certain lazy composure, suddenly rang out right behind her:
"Oh? Well hello there, my lady from Liyue. You don't look so well. Is something weighing on your mind?"
Mei's breath hitched. Startled, she spun around in a defensive stance. Meeting her eyes was a tall figure with that familiar diagonal eyepatch, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked down at her at his leisure. The silhouette that once existed only within the confines of a phone screen now stood right before her in the flesh.
"Kaeya?"
The name slipped out of her mouth, her eyes widening in utter shock, unable to believe her own senses.