You parted with Henri with a brief wave.
You walked away, holding back the contents of your stomach that felt like coming out every time you remembered the chewy texture and the monster's eyes staring at you from inside the bowl.
That was a culinary experience you would never forget, even though you wanted to erase it with your memory needle.
Today it was already night, but Liyue never truly slept. There were still many people wandering around, enjoying the remnants of the night with wine and laughter. You saw them then walked past the crowd like an unseen ghost.
This time you intended to take a short walk, letting the night wind clean your lungs from the spicy spice aroma. Your hands went into your pants pockets, seeking warmth there.
Then you stopped at the end of the pier.
Here, the city sounds were faint, replaced by the sound of waves crashing against wooden poles. Thump... swosh...
You looked around and there were only a few people chatting while drinking beer on shipping crates. They didn't pay attention to you.
You shifted your attention from them and stared at the dark ocean. The sea water looked like moving black ink, hiding secrets in its depths.
The wind brushed your face, bringing a sharp salt aroma.
At that moment, flashing in your head were Henri's words during dinner earlier. His simple but piercing words echoed in your ears.
"Understanding who Ganyu is as an individual..." you muttered to the waves.
After that, you looked up, staring at the bright moon there. The moon looked the same as the moon in your previous world, but you knew it was a different moon.
A moon that sheltered gods and monsters.
You thought deeply and realized that you were indeed starting to feel interested in understanding Ganyu, not just completing the quest. Not just because of fear of death. There was a pure curiosity growing there, like a sprout in arid soil.
You closed your eyes, reorganizing your approach reasons to keep them balanced between obligation and personal intent. You couldn't get too carried away in feelings, but you also couldn't become a robot.
Then you decided to choose observing Ganyu from a professionalism angle, not emotionality. You would treat her as an interesting study subject, not as an unreachable idol.
But you weren't sure if this method was really effective, you just wanted to try.
At that moment, your eyebrow suddenly twitched. Your eyes opened and widened.
Your eyes caught a natural phenomenon that didn't make sense. Something that shouldn't be there.
In front of you, above the sea horizon, the pitch-black night sky suddenly tore. A vertical slit appeared just like that, like black fabric sliced by an invisible knife.
Then the slit grew larger. Widening with a low humming sound that made your teeth ache. The slit looked like a glitching computer screen, flickering with eye-hurting red glitch colors.
You widened your eyes staring at it. Your heart stopped beating for a moment.
From that small slit, the sky slowly opened, gaping like a wound's mouth. And behind Liyue's night sky, there were no stars. No ordinary darkness.
There was another sky. A dark reddish sky, like drying blood. A sky that looked sick and angry.
At that moment, from that foreign sky, a small light appeared.
The light was purple, quite bright, but not blinding. Its color was deep purple, like a bad bruise. It shot falling from behind that red sky, passing through the momentary slit, like a meteor falling from hell.
The slit closed again as quickly as it appeared. The sky returned to normal. Black and starry.
But the purple light was still falling.
Staring at that light, you immediately felt a tremendous psychic blow. Deep and foreign emotions flooded your mind without warning.
Vengeance. Burning anger. Bone-gnawing envy. Pure intent to destroy all beautiful things.
Clearly those emotions weren't yours!
They felt foreign, cold, and ancient. But they felt so real as if they came from within yourself.
You wanted to scream. You wanted to destroy this pier.
But you suppressed it with difficulty. You bit your tongue until it tasted salty blood, forcing your consciousness to stay in control.
At that moment, the purple light fell entering the distant ocean.
Splash.
No big explosion. No tsunami wave.
The light just entered the water, glowing briefly under the surface, and dimming more. Until no longer visible, swallowed by the ocean depths.
At the same time, you no longer felt the horrifying emotions before. As if it never happened.
Not long after, the sky calmed again. The sea returned to gentle waves.
You blinked several times, in disbelief at what you saw. Was that a hallucination due to the monster I ate?
No. The fear in your gut was too real.
And you felt danger from that light just by seeing it!
Clearly that wasn't an ordinary falling star. That was something evil!
Something that shouldn't exist in this world!
What was that?
Where did it come from?
Why could the sky tear?
You wanted to know, but your survival instinct—already sharpened by experiences with thugs—screamed much louder.
DON'T FIND OUT! RUN!
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE FASTER YOU DIE!
Then you turned around. Your legs trembled, but they obeyed. You went towards the inn, leaving the pier that now felt haunted.
As you were about to walk away, you stopped for a moment. You turned once more. Your eyes stared at the point in the ocean where the light fell. The sea looked calm, deceiving anyone who saw it.
You shuddered, then turned back and left with quick steps.
At the inn, you collapsed on your hard bed. You stared at the room ceiling, trying to normalize your breath. The image of the red slit and purple light still etched on your retina.
Then you muttered, trying to shift your focus back to things you could control.
"Understanding who Ganyu is as an individual... that will be my next goal...."
You said it like a protective mantra. Focus on Ganyu. Focus on the mission. Don't think about the torn sky. Don't think about the purple light.
After that, exhaustion finally won. You fell asleep, bringing two big mysteries into the dream realm: the heart of a cold Adeptus, and the purple fire falling from the cracked sky.
...
The next day, afternoon, you came again to Yuehai Pavilion. Your steps this time more careful, your shoe heels landing on the paving stones with the caution of a thief returning to the crime scene. Your eyes alert, scanning every corner, every pillar shadow, afraid of being caught peeking by judgmental gazes.
You searched for that figure. Cerulean blue hair soft like sea waves. Gracefully curving qilin horns with blood red at the tips. The smile that made you run helter-skelter yesterday, the smile that haunted your sleep.
But there was no Ganyu there.
Her desk usually filled with paper scrolls and writing tools looked empty. Her document stacks neat, her calligraphy brush lay still in place, as if untouched all day. Thin dust also seemed to start sticking to the desk surface.
Instead, there were only a few employees chatting casually near the marble barrier fence, enjoying their afternoon break. They laughed softly, their laughter carried by the wind, sounding crisp but foreign to your ears. Their hand fans moved slowly, fanning away the humid hot air, creating a rhythmic whoosh-whoosh.
You let out a long sigh, disappointment creeping up from your stomach to your throat. The disappointment felt heavy in your chest, like a cold and slick river stone swallowed whole. Your shoulders dropped, your posture that was tense from anticipation now slumped from the absence of hope.
At that moment, you tried to calm your irregular heartbeat.
"Curiosity is not the same as romantic commitment..." you whispered to the wind.
You repeated it like a prayer, closing your eyes for a moment, trying to convince yourself that you were here only for study, not because of longing.
Not because you wanted to see that smile again.
Not because you wanted to hear the bell sound at her waist.
At that moment, your sharp ears, already accustomed to hearing market whispers, caught the employees' conversation. The afternoon wind blowing from the sea direction brought their voices to you.
"Have you seen Miss Ganyu?" asked one employee, a young woman in light blue silk clothes shimmering under the sunlight. The plum flower painted hand fan in her hand moved quickly, hiding part of her face as she spoke.
The male employee beside her, wearing round glasses with thin gold frames, shook his head slowly. "Not since lunch. She just disappeared after the meeting with Miss Ningguang. I saw her walking hurriedly out, her face looked... tired."
"I think she went to her usual resting place," answered the other employee, an older woman with hair tightly buned and thick glasses sliding on her nose. Her voice hoarse, full of motherly tone but also a bit envious.
"Ah, that place," the man nodded understandingly, a small smile on his thin lips. "Sleeping under a tree in the afternoon like this is indeed refreshing. Especially with the gentle sea breeze bringing salt aroma."
"Besides, she does work too hard. It would be good if she rested longer. Yesterday I saw her still here when the sun set, handling the pending paper issues alone. She didn't even turn on the light, just working under the twilight light."
Hearing that directly from people who worked with her made your imagination fly, imagining Ganyu sleeping soundly on soft green grass, her face peaceful, far from document stacks, city demands, and people's demanding gazes. You could imagine the wind caressing her blue hair, and perhaps a butterfly perching on her horn.
Well, she's not a tireless bureaucratic machine...
She must get tired too.
She needs a nap under a tree like ordinary humans.
She has limits.
But why sleep under a tree?
However, their conversation wasn't finished. And the next topic made your blood cold instantly, freezing your beautiful imagination into sharp ice shards.
"By the way," the bespectacled woman lowered her voice, whispering conspiratorially, leaning her body towards her two friends. Her voice now sounded like a snake's hiss. But loud enough for you to hear from behind the pillar. "Have you noticed? There's a foreign man who's been too often near the Qixing office lately."
"You mean the man with strange footwear?" asked the young woman, her eyes widening behind her fan.
"Yes. He's often seen peeking from behind pillars like a thief. Yesterday he even dared to enter the courtyard, standing there like a statue, staring at Miss Ganyu with a gaze that... improper."
"Very suspicious. Is he a Fatui spy? Or a thief targeting secret documents? Or maybe... an obsessed stalker?"
"I don't know. But Miss Keqing has given a warning to be vigilant against foreigners without clear business. Especially those trying to approach Miss Ganyu. She said, there are reports about a foreigner trying to manipulate market traders to approach the secretary."
You were shocked to hear your name—or at least your description—become the topic of conversation. Your heart pounded hard, thumping your ribs. You swallowed, your throat felt dry. At the same time considering it made sense.
Of course they were suspicious. You were an anomaly. You were an unknown variable in their neat and structured equation.
But hearing it directly, being called suspicious, spy, and stalker, made you uncomfortable. It felt like insects crawling under your skin, thousands of tiny feet tickling your nerves.
At that moment, as if fate wanted to worsen the situation and test your mental, one of the employees—the bespectacled woman who whispered earlier—suddenly turned towards the pillar where you hid. Her movement sharp, her eyes narrowing behind her thick lenses.
Their eyes caught your figure from afar staring at them. Your figure stiff, half-hidden behind the red pillar shadow.
They were surprised. Their mouths shut tight instantly. The young woman's hand fan stopped moving in the air. The relaxed atmosphere shattered into pieces.
Then, they narrowed their eyes. Their casual and friendly gazes turned sharp, cold, and full of hostility. Clearly showing a suspicious expression towards you. That gaze seemed to strip you, accusing you of crimes you hadn't committed.
"That's him," whispered the bespectacled woman, pointing at you with the sharp end of her fan. Her finger straight aiming at your heart.
Your heart stopped beating for a moment. You were caught red-handed. Again!
This situation was dangerous. Very dangerous!
If they call the Millelith, I'll be in big trouble!
You had no official identity in Liyue. You had no valid reason to be here besides admiring the view. Besides, that reason you used yesterday and was rejected outright!
And you definitely couldn't say, "I'm here because I have a crush on your boss and want to see her sleeping face," or "I'm here because the system in my head told me to conquer her heart." That was a direct ticket to prison cell or mental hospital.
You had to make a quick decision. Your brain raced against time.
Approaching them and trying to explain yourself politely was too risky, you were too nervous, your tongue might slip. Using your "ace card" by mentioning Uncle Zhang's name was also risky, lying twice in the same place was a recipe for disaster, and you didn't want to drag the old man into your problems.
So, you chose to retreat.
Retreat was a strategy, not defeat!
You straightened your back, pulled your shoulders back, trying to put on a flat face as if you were just a bored tourist lost in this bureaucratic labyrinth.
You slowly turned around, your movement stiff like a wooden puppet. You didn't run, remembering yesterday's lesson: running made you look guilty, running made you look like a criminal.
You walked with measured steps down the stairs, trying to look indifferent, trying to look as if you had another more important purpose.
However, your back felt hot. You could feel their gazes piercing your back like small heated needles. You could feel their whispers intensifying behind you.
"He's leaving," they whispered, sharp hissing voices. "We have to report to the gate guard. Don't let him escape just like that!"
"Maybe we should call Miss Keqing too."
Hearing a name like Keqing mentioned, your legs reflexively moved faster. You quickened your steps a bit, without looking panicked, but fast enough to disappear from their view before the Millelith with their spears came.
After far enough from Yuehai Pavilion and sure no Millelith chasing you, you stopped at a small park on the edge of the upper terrace. Your breath ragged, not from physical fatigue, but from mental fatigue. The adrenaline that flooded earlier now receded, leaving weakness in your knees.
Your breath relieved. You were safe. But your mission wasn't finished. Your curiosity wasn't satisfied.
She went to her usual resting place. Sleeping under a tree.
That information was valuable. Very valuable.
It was a golden clue amid a stack of bureaucratic hay!
You looked around. In the Yujing Terrace area, there were many trees. Sturdy Sandbearer trees, slender bamboo trees. But there was one place famously quiet and calm, where Glaze Lily flowers grew wild and the sea view was clear without building obstructions. A perfect place for a nap for a half-qilin being longing for nature.
Maybe there.
You decided to search for that place. Not to disturb her sleep. Not to wake her.
But just to... make sure she's okay? Or just to see her from afar? Make sure she's real and not just your fever dream?
Ah, excuses, excuses, your mind mocked yourself. You just want to see her sleeping face. You just want to be near her without having to face her intimidating gaze.
Not long after, you walked along a rarely traveled path, away from the main terrace bustle. The city sounds slowly faded, replaced by nature sounds. The sound of wind rustling bamboo leaves created natural music that calmed. Sparrow chirps heard in the distance. Incense smell from the temple mixed with wet soil and wild flower aroma.
And there, behind a small hill overgrown with lush green grass, you saw it.
A large tree with lush golden leaves stood sturdy on the cliff edge. An old Ginkgo tree whose roots protruded from the ground like giant fingers gripping the earth.
Under the shade of that tree, there was a figure lying.
She slept curled up on the grass, pillowed on her own arm. Her body looked small and fragile under that big tree. Her breath regular, her chest rising and falling slowly in rhythm with the wind. Her face looked very peaceful, much younger and softer than when she wore the Qixing Secretary mask. No wrinkles on her forehead, no burden of thousands of years in her eyes. Just pure tranquility.
Her blue hair sprawled on the green grass, mixed with falling ginkgo flower petals, creating a perfect natural painting.
It was Ganyu!
At that moment, a small blue bird perched on her shoulder, as if not afraid of her. The bird chirped softly, hopping small, but Ganyu wasn't disturbed. She blended with the surrounding nature.
You stopped in the distance, hiding behind red blooming Silk Flower bushes. Your heart pounded softly, afraid its sound would shatter this sacred silence.
The sight was so beautiful, so sacred, that you felt sinful just looking at it. You felt like a mortal peeking at a goddess bathing in a heavenly river.
This was another side of the Adeptus.
The fragile side.
The side that needed rest.
The grounded side.
At that moment, you remembered Henri's words again. "Understanding who Ganyu is as an individual."
This was her as an individual. Not the war hero who froze oceans, not the high official who regulated Liyue taxes, not the terrifying immortal being. Just someone tired and needing a nap under her favorite tree.
Someone who might be lonely amid the crowd.
You smiled faintly. Your curiosity satisfied, replaced by a warm respect. There was a desire to protect her growing in your chest, a desire to guard her sleep so no one disturbed.
You decided not to approach. You didn't want to wake her. You didn't want to ruin this peaceful moment with your awkward and problematic presence.
Right, just let her rest.
She deserves it more than anyone.
You turned slowly, stepping away very carefully so as not to step on dry twigs. You held your breath, moving like a shadow.
...
A/N: I think those who play and follow Genshin story will feel familiar with the purple light... that's right, it's the Abyss. I will insert that element into this fanfic as the main conflict. Peaceful life in a fantasy world won't be fun without conflict. Well, that element won't be used now... at least it's still a seed, just see later how I cook it. Next there's still 1 more chapter that I'll upload on Patreon this week.
(I have updated 13 chapters after this one there!)
You can see the next chapter sooner on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
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