In front of the Chasm.
On a small hill overlooking the blazing depths of the Chasm, Ganyu stood quietly, her elegant face glistening with beads of sweat. She appeared slightly fatigued.
After scanning the area with her Elental Sight, Ganyu let out a small sigh of relief.
"This should hold for another three months… After the Rite of Descension, when Lady Ningguang and the others have so free ti…"
"Yes… We'll reinforce the seal again then!"
Suppressing a yawn, Ganyu tried her best not to doze off.
This past week had been overwhelming—issues with the Northland Bank, preparations for the Rite of Descension, and the Abyss Order's ddling. Ganyu had been running back and forth, unable to get a proper night's sleep for seven consecutive days.
Though her half-Qilin physique could endure such strain without damaging her health, fatigue was still unavoidable.
"No, no!"
Startled awake by her own thoughts, Ganyu shook her head vigorously and muttered to herself,
"I can't rest yet! There's still work to do… I need to prepare the notes for the Qixing's afternoon eting…"
"I'll… just hold on a little longer!"
She retrieved a Qingxin from her Vision's storage space, her delicate face scrunching up as she took small bites of the dicinal flower.
Rumor had it in Liyue Harbor that Ganyu adored Qingxin, giving rise to sayings like "A qilin's food must be refined, and their drink as pure as dew."
In truth, after nearly a thousand years in Liyue Harbor as the secretary to the Qixing, Ganyu considered herself more human than adeptus.
And like humans, she enjoyed their food. Qingxin wasn't a preference—it was a necessity. It helped maintain her figure and alertness. As a dicinal herb, it tasted as awful as one would expect.
"Ganyu!"
Keqing's voice rang out from afar, and in a flash of lightning, she was at Ganyu's side.
Taking a quick glance at her, Keqing sighed in mild exasperation.
"Ganyu, eating Qingxin to stay awake again?"
Ganyu gave her a gentle smile and nodded softly.
"Yes…"
Keqing adopted the air of soone with experience and began advising her earnestly.
"While I admire your dedication, forcing yourself to go without sleep like this isn't good for you."
"There was a ti when I pushed myself to stay up for a week straight while gathering soil samples from the Guili Plains," Keqing admitted. "I ended up getting sick and couldn't work for two whole days. It was a loss for both and Liyue."
"That's why proper rest is crucial for maintaining efficiency."
Ganyu covered her mouth, chuckling softly. After nibbling on the Qingxin, she did feel slightly more energized.
"Thank you for your concern, Lady Keqing, but my body's unique constitution allows to go a week without sleep and still work effectively."
"By the way, have you visited Ryen yet? How is he doing?"
Keqing opened her mouth, ready to respond, but before she could, Ryen appeared beside them without a sound.
"I'm doing well," Ryen said with a faint smile, "but it seems Ganyu isn't in the best shape right now."
He gave her a teasing look and added, "Back in my holand, we have a saying: 'The body is the capital of revolution.' If you push yourself too hard, won't Yuehai Pavilion's operations co to a standstill?"
"For Liyue's sake, Ganyu, you really need to take care of yourself."
Ganyu blinked in surprise, astonished by how quickly Ryen had appeared.
"Ryen, just now…"
"Got lucky and gained so strength," he replied, waving off the topic casually. He didn't want to delve into the specifics of his newfound power.
Keqing, however, was clearly excited.
"Ryen finally got a Vision! And it's a Pyro one with great offensive potential!"
Ganyu's eyes lit up with joy.
"Really? That's wonderful! This ans Ryen can protect himself now when he's outside."
Her genuine reaction ward Ryen's heart. This kind-hearted qilin's first thought upon hearing he had power was that he could better protect himself. Finding friends like her and Keqing made his journey to Teyvat all the more worthwhile.
"But… where's your Vision, Ryen?"
Ganyu looked him over curiously but didn't see any sign of it.
Keqing also frowned, only now realizing sothing was amiss.
"Wait a minute, Ryen, where's your Vision? I knew sothing felt off."
Ryen hesitated, then responded vaguely,
"That sort of thing… I keep it inside my clothes. No need to wear it out in the open, right?"
"Well, there's no strict rule about it," Keqing admitted.
Ganyu smiled softly and spoke gently,
"Still, wearing your Vision outside serves as a protective asure. It can ward off petty thieves while you're out and about."
Ryen raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
"Then I'd rather not. Without those petty thieves, how would I make Mora?"
Keqing and Ganyu exchanged amused smiles, not taking his words too seriously. After all, tales of Treasure Hoarders being robbed instead of robbing were all too common in Liyue. No one in the city would feel sorry for them—it was an unspoken rule of quick inco.
"Alright, let's get back to business. Ganyu, how's the seal reinforcent going?"
Keqing straightened up, her expression turning serious.
"It's done," Ganyu replied with a nod, her soft voice calm. "It should hold for about three months. By then, the Rite of Descension will be over, and we can return to strengthen it again."
Keqing let out a sigh of relief, though there was a hint of guilt in her tone.
"Apologies. I wasted so ti checking on Ryen and left you to handle everything on your own…"
"It's no trouble at all," Ganyu reassured her with a wave of her hand. "It wasn't much of a burden."
She then tilted her head slightly.
"So, is there anything else to handle? There are still so docunts waiting to be sorted at Yuehai Pavilion."
Keqing seed to consider this for a mont, then mused aloud,
"I was going to have the Millelith clear out another batch of monsters in the Chasm since Ryen had been attacked… but on my way here—"
Before she could finish, Ganyu's expression grew anxious. She turned and looked Ryen over from head to toe.
"Ryen, you were attacked by monsters? Were you hurt? Why don't you co back to Liyue Harbor with us to get checked out?"
Ryen couldn't help but laugh. He was touched by her concern but waved it off.
"Did you forget? I've got the power to protect myself now. Of course, I can protect both you and Keqing too."
Hearing his playful tone, Ganyu relaxed slightly but still gave him a gentle warning.
"Even with a Vision, you shouldn't be careless. You haven't fully mastered it yet… How about coming back with us anyway? Liyue Harbor isn't just safe; it's bustling with life. It'd be much better than staying here alone."
She hesitated for a mont before adding,
"I still want to hear the rest of that story you told about the stone monkey."
Ryen blinked, then grinned.
"Well… isn't that why I'm here?"
Ganyu froze for a mont, then realization dawned.
"Really? You're really willing to co back to Liyue Harbor with us?"
Ryen nodded with a smile.
"Now that I've wrapped up so personal matters here, I figured it's ti to visit the most prosperous nation in Teyvat."
Ganyu's eyes curved into joyful crescents, and her small qilin horns seed to sparkle in the sunlight.
"That's wonderful! You won't be disappointed. There's so much to see and do in Liyue Harbor. If we have ti, I can show you around myself!"
Keqing, who had been examining the seal, straightened up and spoke briskly.
"Wait here for a bit. I need to brief the Millelith. Once I'm done, we'll head back to Liyue Harbor together."
True to her nature, Keqing wasted no ti. Before her words had fully settled, she threw out a Lightning Stiletto and disappeared in a flash of electricity.
For a mont, only Ryen and Ganyu remained.
The breeze rustled gently, carrying a faint, elegant fragrance from Ganyu's icy-blue hair. With Keqing gone, the atmosphere grew a bit awkward. Ganyu seed flustered, nervously tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Ryen stole a sidelong glance at her and fell into thought.
Truth be told, he needed companions to help him navigate his peculiar situation. For now, things seed manageable, but later on?
If that mischievous system of his decided to ramp up the difficulty even further, who knew what might happen?
Sure, his current strength placed him among the elite of Teyvat, but in the survival world he'd co from, he was still in the early stages of developnt. Building a base, advancing redstone technology, and enhancing weapons like his Enma Blade were massive undertakings.
Besides, what was the point of adventuring in a world alone?
If Ganyu and Keqing already considered him a close friend, perhaps it was ti to reciprocate. The resources from his world could solve many of Liyue's problems. Even exchanging them for Mora would likely earn Ningguang's enthusiastic approval.
This could be the key to securing his place in Teyvat.
"Ryen…"
Ganyu's soft voice interrupted his thoughts. If not for his heightened senses, he might not have caught it.
"Why… why are you staring at ?"
She kept her head down, her cheeks glowing a faint crimson. Even her slender neck seed to be tinged with pink in Ryen's eyes.
Caught off guard, Ryen coughed awkwardly.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought…"
"Mm…"
Ganyu responded faintly, unsure of what else to say. After centuries of avoiding close interactions with the opposite sex, being alone with Ryen left her feeling utterly at a loss.
Ryen made up his mind. He pressed his lips together and asked softly,
"Ganyu, can I trust you?"
Ganyu looked up, puzzled by his sudden question. But after a mont, she nodded solemnly.
"Ryen is my good friend. I would never betray you. Of course… I also hope you won't do anything to harm Liyue. That would truly break my heart."
Ryen chuckled at her earnestness and nodded lightly.
"Don't worry. As long as Liyue has you and Keqing, I'll only ever work to protect it."
Ganyu's expression softened, her lips curving into a gentle smile.
"Does Ryen need my help with sothing?"
After a brief pause, Ryen shook his head and replied,
"Sort of. But mainly, I want to give you and Keqing a gift."
"A gift?" Ganyu tilted her head curiously.
Ryen didn't leave her hanging. He raised a hand, and a faintly glowing portal shimred into existence before them. Through the portal, glimpses of a vibrant world teeming with life and beauty could be seen.
Ganyu stared in stunned silence as Ryen smiled warmly.
"I want to share a world with you. Do you like it?"
~~~----------------------
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