"Take back what I said before."
"I... shouldn't have been so stubborn."
"I was wrong. Truly wrong."
"I surrender."
This was the only thought in Kiyo Seigan's mind before he finally passed out from his drunken stupor.
It felt so awful…
Drinking in the morning was unbearably rough. Even adding goji berries didn't help.
It felt as if my head were about to burst apart; my vision wavered in a hazy, shifting blur, my chest felt heavy and oppressive, and with every breath my innards groaned while stomach acid surged upward…
Ahhh—I felt like I was dying.
The young man had never even tasted alcohol before; all his previous memories had been wiped clean so that everything in this world was entirely new to him—even drinking.
He was an innocent, good boy with an absurdly low tolerance for alcohol.
And osmanthus wine—being essentially a high-purity distilled spirit—naturally boasted a high alcohol content.
But when he saw Zhongli down his drink in one long gulp with a certain heroic flair, Kiyo Seigan thought it was really cool. Determined not to be outdone, he stubbornly forced himself to join in—a belief that only by chugging his drink and wolfing down meat could one truly look like an adult.
When he managed to down his first bowl in one go, he felt a tinge of disdain in his heart and proudly thought,
"Ha, this wine isn't that strong after all, ha, ha."
Now he was paying dearly—dizzy, with a heavy chest and utterly drained.
With Lumine's help, he was carried back to the inn where he collapsed into bed and slept from dawn until dusk, as if the whole world had gone dark.
When Kiyo Seigan finally opened his eyes again, the setting sun was tucked away behind towering peaks, its light scattered; outside the window, the cries of migrating birds broke the western wind, and the twilight had deepened into night.
Yet he still felt terrible.
He was drenched in sweat; his coat had been removed, leaving his thin shirt clinging to his collarbones. His lips were parched, and his throat felt as if scorched by fire.
"Drink this."
A voice, almost commanding, spoke.
The young man lifted his head to meet a pair of cold, brilliant golden eyes. Lumine looked down at him from head to toe.
Before him sat a bowl of red bean soup, still gently steaming with wisps of vapor rising from its pale red broth. Vivid red beans—plump and smooth like pearls—floated in the soup.
"I heard that red beans can soothe the lungs and sober you up," she said.
Kiyo Seigan took the bowl, raised his smooth neck, and swallowed the hot soup in one go. The warmth spread down his esophagus into his innards, and his body gradually began to feel better.
"Finish it all."
"Okay."
Lumine watched as the young man gulped down the soup. Then, in a cold tone, she said, "Hand the bowl over."
Kiyo Seigan passed the bowl to Miss Lumine. She snorted coldly as she took it and, without a backward glance, turned to leave.
Wow… she was so irritable.
But, to be fair, it was Kiyo Seigan's own fault.
He knew why Lumine was so upset—it must have been because Zhongli had racked up an outrageous bill, inexplicably getting a free ride. If he had been the one footing the bill, he'd surely have been angry too.
"Lumine… please, don't be mad…"
He forced himself to sit up and, trying to sound suave, added:
"Actually, Lumine, we didn't lose any money. I knew all along that that shameless kid Zhongli was trying to rip me off. To stop him from taking advantage of us, I downed his precious osmanthus wine!"
He patted his belly and drunkenly declared, "I drank it all back!"
A drunken burp punctuated his words.
He spoke with his head held high and an air of triumph—as if he were a little rooster proud of winning a fight.
Lumine stopped, turned, and fixed her gaze on Kiyo Seigan, her thin lips pressed into a narrow line.
"This guy… still hasn't sobered up."
"I'm not angry," she said, then asked, "Why do you think I'm angry?"
"Because I... spent too much money," Kiyo Seigan retorted stubbornly. "But with my amazing drinking ability, I drank it all back for him… burp I'm not drunk, really not!"
"Why am I angry?" Lumine asked calmly.
"Didn't you just say you weren't?"
How fickle.
Kiyo Seigan felt his usual emotional cleverness failing him. "Because I spent too much money…"
"Why am I angry?"
Lumine stared at him, her eyes cold and imposing—even though her expression was calm, she radiated an inexplicable authority. Under that aura, Kiyo Seigan involuntarily lowered his gaze.
"Why am I angry?" she asked again.
Silence.
After a long pause, Kiyo Seigan finally, in a self-defeated tone, admitted, "Because I got drunk… and made you worry."
Under the hazy moonlight with the silhouettes of pines and cypresses outside, Kiyo Seigan patted his throbbing head like a remorseful child and mumbled,
"Sorry… Lumine, I made you worry…"
"Your apology lacks sincerity."
Lumine snorted softly, her expression icy, her eyes as if encased in a block of ice.
Ah…
When a girl gets angry, she acts like this—claiming not to be angry while insisting on questioning why she is. No matter how hard you think, you can't answer her, and that only makes her angrier. So willful and capricious, she insists that an apology must be sincere and show proper remorse. Truly, one of the most perplexing creatures in the world.
"I heard that red beans soothe the lungs and sober you up."
When dealing with someone like her, you must be extremely careful—not just listening to what she says, but watching what she does.
Kiyo Seigan recalled that bowl of red bean soup. Even though Lumine was so angry, she had patiently asked what best sobered someone up and prepared the soup herself.
He had been out cold for a whole day, and the first thing he saw upon waking was her. Perhaps she had kept vigil over him all that time.
Let's see what she does next…
Viewed from another angle, such a creature isn't so incomprehensible after all—quite the opposite, even adorable. She was like a haughty little cat who calls you home for meals, dries your hair, and takes care of you when you're drunk.
When Lumine got angry, she looked just like a little cat—with her cheeks puffed up and those golden eyes resembling a feline's, arms akimbo as she glared at him.
"Your apology lacks sincerity."—Lumine repeated that phrase, sounding just like a coquettish little cat.
Still far from sober and in a drunken haze, Kiyo Seigan's mind started wandering to absurd thoughts—like, how does one soothe an angry little cat? He unsteadily stood up.
"No matter what you do, I won't… eh?"
Lumine was momentarily stunned; her pupils dilated in surprise.
Kiyo Seigan gently wrapped his arms around her and reached out to pat her head softly.
He was, without a doubt, too drunk to think straight.
The young man's body was light and warm, carrying a faint scent of jade. They were so close that his delicate, fair profile nearly brushed against Lumine's cheek—if she even shifted slightly, their faces would touch.
"I'm sorry…"
Leaning in as if to whisper into her ear, with his warm, moist breath tickling her neck, he slurred,
"I won't do this again."
Visibly, Lumine's fair neck flushed quickly, a rosy hue spreading like a fiery cloud across her skin, creeping toward her cheeks; even her ears tinged with red.
"You…"
Her once imposing, cool demeanor crumbled in an instant, leaving her disheveled. Nearly in a huff she snapped, "Y-y-y-you… what are you doing!"
Like an irate, fluffed-up cat.
"Ap—apologies," Kiyo Seigan murmured in her ear. "I'm apologizing."
"Y-y-you, let me go!" she cried out, struggling. "Stop acting like a drunken fool…"
Even though he was clearly drunk, Lumine couldn't break free of his grip.
"Just forgive me first," he insisted, his drunken logic lowering his IQ further. "If you're not angry, I'll let go."
"I'm not… forgiving you!"
Lumine felt a sudden warmth, as if steam were about to rise from her head. The icy hardness in her golden eyes had melted, yet if she let him off now, wouldn't she lose face? And what about him in the future?
"Get out of my way—go back and drink with your gluttonous friends. Stop talking to me… just go!" Lumine snapped.
"If you're not angry, I'll let go."
"I'm not angry! Who gets mad at a drunk?"
"You are… you are angry. Look at what you just said—you contradicted yourself. If you weren't angry, you wouldn't claim my apology lacks sincerity…"
Even in his drunken state, his logic was clearer than that of an indignant girl.
Kiyo Seigan fixed his gaze on her and, with his thoughts hopping from one idea to the next, said,
"Lumine… please don't be angry. From now on, I won't drink in the mornings; I'll be home for dinner by dusk, I promise. Your red bean soup is so good—it makes my soul feel warm… By the way, do you know any quotes about the soul? I remember one…"
He frowned, trying to piece it together. "Whatever our souls… are made of…"
He held Lumine's slender form and whispered in her ear, "It goes something like, 'yours and mine are the same… hey, I remember it clearly.'"
Whatever our souls are made of, yours and mine are the same.
Cheeky…
So shameless.
Lumine bit her lip, silently chiding herself—he always had a way of using his drunken state to spout such infuriating words.
A thousand years ago he was just as cheeky—insisting on going on a journey because he claimed he was about to die; in Mondstadt, he was a cheeky rogue too, thinking that death meant he could break his covenants; and even now, when drunk, he still managed to say such maddening things!
A rascal like him—how could one possibly remain angry?
"You…" Lumine said softly, her voice low as she bowed her head, "let me go."
"Not angry?" Kiyo Seigan asked.
"I'm still a little angry."
"Just how little?"
"Just... extremely little."
"How does that compare to the gap between our souls?"
"As small as that gap."
At last, Lumine pushed Seigan away. She patted her cheek, slowly exhaled, and gave a helpless smile.
Lifting her head, she stared at Kiyo Seigan and gently said, "As small as that gap… as small as the gap between our souls, then it's fine."
"If you're not angry… then that's all that matters."
Mumbling to himself, Kiyo Seigan, still in a fog, seemed satisfied. The young man slumped back onto the bed, clutched his pillow, and dozed off once more.
"In my dreams… that's great…" he mumbled incoherently, as if speaking in his sleep.
The cool moonlight streamed through the window bars, cascading over his body like water; his light-colored long hair spread across the bed, and a faint smile played on his sleeping lips.
Lumine watched the slumbering boy with an exasperated, "I really have no choice with you" smile.
After a while…
Even though it was raining, tonight would still go on.
She patted herself down, rose, and quietly returned to her own room. Kamigiri rested silently on the desk; Lumine picked it up.
In her hand, Kamigiri felt warm and smooth. The patterns along its blade trembled gently, giving off a faint murmur of wind.
Moving as lightly as a whisper, she passed by Paimon and Little Corpse—who were huddled together in a disordered sleep—without waking them.
Taking the sword and donning her hood, she left the inn and walked along a path to the secluded back mountain.
Fine rain and blooming flowers, the sky a pristine white; the night wind howled and petals and leaves rustled softly.
Lumine steadied her breathing and slowly exhaled. She called forth the wind within her and drew Kamigiri.
She practiced her swordsmanship.
Lumine, who once had been a rather lazy girl—fond of travel and gourmet food yet loathing exercise—now trained every day.
While Drowned Corpse did gymnastics with Little Corpse during the day, Lumine secretly practiced swordplay at night, from dusk until the first light of dawn.
I must move forward.
I must change.
Time will not wait.
Ever since Kiyono Fugin passed away—or rather, ever since I recalled events from a thousand years ago—I've understood this truth deeply:
The weak can do nothing; they can achieve nothing.
That is just the way of this world: if you're weak, you're doomed to wait at home like a fool, be abandoned like a fool, foolishly hope for his return, and watch him die like a fool.
No.
I don't want that.
I refuse to be a fool that anyone can swindle any longer.
To do what I truly desire and to hold onto what matters, I must move forward.
There is so much for me to do—I must move on.
I simply must keep moving!
Kamigiri gave a gentle wind-whistle, guiding Lumine's elemental power along each falling raindrop as blossoms swirled around the blade. Lumine listened; it was as if the wind were telling a story.
How did Rostam cut through the torrential rain? And how did Kiyono Fugin sever that downpour?
Favonius Bladework.
Her spirit followed Kamigiri's arc. In the clarity of her mind, one raindrop after another split apart, scattering into countless tiny fragments.
But it wasn't enough.
She was still far from reaching that realm.
Lumine knew she had a long way to go.
Rain and sweat mixed together, wetting her hair and dripping along the brim of her hood.
Even though she had told Kiyo Seigan not to get caught in the rain, she herself was setting a poor example.
She couldn't tell how long she had practiced; all she knew was that the east had turned pale, the light rain slowly ceased, and the dawn began to tint the sky. Lumine exhaled, tiredly supporting her body. After the rain, the sky cleared, and the warm glow of dawn illuminated her delicate profile.
Gazing at that immaculate sky, she smiled—a smile as gentle as the morning light.
It was nearly dawn.
After a bath and an extra hour's sleep, it would be time to call the two Corpses to practice the "Colorful Sunshine" divine technique.
I wonder… has Drowned Corpse sobered up yet?
To casually spout such words as if nothing mattered, he must have done it plenty of times before.
Recalling last night, Lumine's ears flushed once more—what a cheeky rascal!
She wasn't even sure why she was blushing; that guy was so reckless and carefree—he must have completely forgotten everything in his drunken haze.
It was only her own imagination running wild.
If I act like this, won't I just make a fool of myself in front of that Drowned Corpse?
Not worth it!
——
"Ha…"
"Who's been badmouthing me?"
Kiyo Seigan opened his eyes, sat up, and stretched widely.
"Ah… I feel like my brain has completely blanked out."
Rubbing his temples, he suddenly paused—as if a thought had struck him.
"Hey, hey, hey… what on earth did I ramble about last night?"
Miss Lumine had thought he'd been calm, but clearly, Kiyo Seigan was not.
The young man pulled the blanket over his head like an ostrich, his ears slightly flushed.
In short, he was full of regret.
"I'll never drink again. Absolutely never!"
Kiyo Seigan had come to a new realization about alcohol.
Being drunk is truly terrifying.
After a while, he finally calmed down. Slowly exhaling, he dressed and got out of bed.
He had to stay composed—there's nothing wrong with a hug… it's perfectly normal, right? Really, what's the big deal?
If only he cared about himself, he'd end up being ridiculed.
The gorgeous spring light shone through the window; outside, the sun was bright and it was a brand-new day. Kiyo Seigan let out a big yawn.
[Fourth Covenant: To journey to Mt. Aocang, Jueyun Karst, and offer three sacrificial items—Jewelry Soup, Mora Meat, and Matsutake Meat Rolls—followed by three bows and three prostrations.]
Three bows and three prostrations… what a grand ceremony.
This was the fourth covenant.
Jueyun Karst… it's so far away.
——
Mt. Aocang, Jueyun Karst.
This is where Ganyu grew up.
Ganyu hadn't returned in a long time; ever since that person died, she had not come back here.
A few days ago during the New Year, her master paid her a visit.
Following proper etiquette, as his disciple she was meant to return the visit.
Ganyu raised her head slightly and gazed at the ethereal, misty peaks, her face revealing no extraneous emotion.