Shao Yun returned to the inn to rest, and once inside his room, he immediately sprawled comfortably onto the bed.
After spending so long down in the Chasm, nothing compared to the comfort of a real bed. Finally, he could relax a little.
"Time for a bath." Shao Yun muttered to himself before getting up and heading toward the bathroom.
The warm water poured down from above, the droplets striking his body with a soothing sensation.
Closing his eyes, Shao Yun basked in the serenity of the moment.
Yet, without warning, a strange thought surfaced in his mind: what if someone were to knock on his door right now and ask if he wanted premium bathing services?
The idea made him chuckle aloud—his imagination was truly running wild.
As if anything like that would ever happen. Just a bored daydream.
When he finished bathing, Shao Yun slipped back into his Legend of the East outfit and stepped out of the bathroom.
Seating himself at the table, he picked up Noelle's letter once more and began rereading it.
"If Lumine and Paimon end up staying at Mt. Aocang for a while… should I go see her?"
…
Late into the night, Shao Yun lay in bed, turning the question over in his mind.
Just when he thought Lumine and Paimon wouldn't be coming back that evening, the sound of a door opening and closing echoed from the room next door.
Shao Yun immediately sat upright, ears straining. Sure enough—it was Lumine and Paimon!
A rush of excitement surged through him, and he could hardly wait to see them.
He walked over to their door and knocked lightly. No answer.
He knocked harder this time, and at last, Lumine's voice came through from inside.
"Who is it?"
Taking a deep breath, Shao Yun answered, "It's me."
Her voice replied from behind the door.
"Come in."
…
The door opened, and Shao Yun stepped into the room.
From the bathroom came the splash, splash of running water—clearly, Paimon was filling the tub.
Seeing Lumine safe and sound filled Shao Yun with joy, and he greeted her warmly. "Lumine, wow, I was just wondering when you two would be back."
He slid naturally into the chair beside her.
Lumine brushed a strand of hair aside and answered with a smile.
"We were planning to stay at Mt. Aocang a few more days, but after wandering around the Chasm for so long, we felt filthy. So, we came back for a good bath."
Shao Yun didn't dive straight into business. Instead, he cast her a teasing look and asked softly, "Is it really just for a bath?"
Lumine narrowed her eyes suspiciously, instantly picking up on the hidden meaning in his tone. She shook her head at once, leaning away from him with firm rejection.
"Keep dreaming!"
Seeing her reaction, Shao Yun dropped the teasing and got straight to the point.
"Alright, fine. But there's something important I need to tell you."
Sensing his shift in seriousness, Lumine sat up properly, her voice attentive. "What is it?"
Shao Yun raised two fingers, explaining one by one.
"Two things. First, Miss Katheryne told me I can't accept commissions on your behalf."
At that, Lumine wasn't surprised. She already knew as much in her heart and hadn't held much hope.
"Right… just as I expected."
Shao Yun then produced Noelle's letter, passing it to Lumine.
"Second, take a look at this."
She accepted the letter, skimmed a few lines, and her eyes widened with delight. "Oh! Noelle's taking the knight selection exam! Time really does fly—I can't believe it's already been half a year."
Memories from six months ago stirred vividly in her mind.
"I still remember the first time Paimon and I met her at Mondstadt's gate. She called me Honorary Knight with such warmth."
"She even gave me that bouquet of roses back then. I've kept it to this day—because it symbolizes keeping secrets."
Lumine drifted into those recollections, her expression tender.
Curious, Shao Yun asked, "If that's the case, before we head to Sumeru, why don't we swing by Mondstadt to see her? She invited us, after all."
But instead of answering happily, Lumine's face clouded with hesitation.
"This…"
Shao Yun frowned, puzzled. "What's wrong? Why that look?"
Tapping her temple lightly, Lumine furrowed her brow, her tone carrying a trace of apology.
"Well… when Paimon and I returned to Liyue Harbor, we ran into Yelan."
"She asked me for help with something. At the time, I thought I had nothing else planned, so I agreed. But looking at it now… I'm afraid the timing might not work out."
She sighed softly, eyes glimmering with helplessness.
Shao Yun pressed his lips together, disappointment flashing briefly across his face. Still, he forced a smile. "Ah… I see."
So Lumine triggered Yelan's story quest. The details might differ, but the general flow is the same.
As Shao Yun mulled over how he might persuade Lumine to accompany him to Mondstadt, she suddenly brightened with an idea.
"But even if Paimon and I can't make it… you could go on our behalf!"
She blinked playfully, a faint smile curling her lips.
Shao Yun's eyes widened in surprise. "Me, on my own?"
Lumine nodded matter-of-factly. "Of course. Why not? We won't leave for Sumeru right away anyway. Or are you planning to sit around Liyue Harbor forever listening to Iron Tongue Tian's stories?"
Shao Yun rubbed his chin, muttering, "I don't know…"
He seemed hesitant, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words.
Lumine gave a helpless wave of her hand. "Anyway, before we head to Sumeru, you're free to spend your time however you want. Do as you please."
With that, she calculated briefly and decided Paimon must have finished filling the tub by now. She stood, ready to head to the bathroom.
"I'll go bathe with Paimon."
Shao Yun thought for a moment before saying, "Then I guess I'll go take a look. I can stop by Blanche's Mondstadt General Goods and restock while I'm there."
Just then, he stopped Lumine, who was already halfway to the bathroom, his face turning serious.
"But… really not possible? I mean, this whole Chasm business is about the same length of time you spent accompanying Shenhe when we rebuilt the Jade Chamber."
Lumine paused, turned, and started counting on her fingers thoughtfully.
After a moment, she shook her head firmly.
"No."
Shao Yun sighed, letting it go.
"Alright."
…
The next morning, because he hadn't managed to lure Lumine to his room, Shao Yun had gone to bed early.
After breakfast with Lumine and Paimon, he mounted Carrot and set off north, leaving Liyue Harbor behind.
Riding hard, he reached the northern area near Guili Plains by noon.
There, he spotted a group of people being attacked by Hilichurls.
"Attacked" wasn't quite the right word—the group was strong, and the Hilichurls were nearly wiped out.
Observing the remaining Hilichurls and the damaged cargo balloon, Shao Yun decided to lend a hand. He drew his Lancaster Repeater and dispatched the stragglers in an instant.
With the Hilichurls gone, the group turned to repairing the cargo balloon.
Among them, Shao Yun noticed a boy with brown hair streaked with red and striking golden eyes. Something about him felt familiar.
Grinning, Shao Yun teased, "Looks like the Hilichurls took quite a liking to you lot."
The boy, clad in a hooded outfit, stepped forward gratefully. "Apologies for the scene, good sir. Allow me to introduce myself—I'm Gaming, a Gold-Standard Guard of the Sword and Strongbox Secure Transport Agency, and head of the "Mighty Mythical Beasts" Wushou troupe. Thank you for your timely help."
So, this is Gaming… no wonder he seemed familiar.
Shao Yun studied him briefly, then smiled modestly. "It was nothing. Honestly, you could've handled it without me."
Gaming scratched his head sheepishly, laughing. "Hahaha, you're far too modest!"
Suddenly, a sharp, urgent female voice rang out.
"My package!"
Turning toward the cry, Shao Yun saw a catgirl with two tails—clearly a nekomata—anxiously checking a special parcel.
It was Kirara. Shao Yun couldn't help but marvel at how many familiar faces he was running into today.
Her eyes stayed locked on the parcel, tense with worry. When she realized it had survived intact, she exhaled in relief, murmuring, "Thank goodness… it's safe. This one's fragile."
Shao Yun's gaze lingered on her swishing tails, and he let out a soft, awed, "Wow…"
Kirara blinked as though waking from a trance. Cradling her package carefully, she approached him with a smile.
"Ah! Hello. I'm Kirara, a delivery girl from Inazuma's Komaniya Express. As you can see, I'm a nekomata."
Shao Yun introduced himself with a polite smile.
"Pleasure to meet you both. When I'm traveling, you can call me Tacitus Kilgore—or just Tacitus for short."
Though both seemed trustworthy, he chose the alias to protect his true identity. Better to keep a little mystery.
Gaming responded warmly. "Well then, hello, Mr. Tacitus…"
His attention then shifted to Carrot, Shao Yun's powerful steed. His eyes widened in amazement. "Is this one of the legendary horses? Incredible! She looks so strong and healthy!"
As if basking in the praise, Carrot let out a pleased whinny.
Shao Yun patted her neck. "Seems this fine lady appreciates your compliments."
Kirara, curious, leaned closer, eager to communicate.
"Meow, meow, meow?"
But horses don't speak cat. Carrot tilted her ears, uncomprehending.
Shao Yun blinked at the sight, bewildered. "Miss Kirara… what exactly are you saying?"
Kirara scratched her head awkwardly. "I was trying to chat with her… strange. Cats always understand me, but she doesn't?"
Shao Yun laughed outright. "Hahaha, you really are a silly little catgirl."
If you had adeptus blood like Ganyu, maybe you could talk to Carrot. But you're just a cat. Different species altogether.
Changing the subject, Shao Yun revealed his own destination.
"I'm heading to Mondstadt. Looking for someone. What about you two?"
Gaming replied first. "I'll be leading the guards back to Qingce Village. The tea harvest in Qiaoying Village is massive this season, so we've been handling more shipments than ever."
Kirara, however, lit up when she heard Shao Yun's plans.
"You're going to Mondstadt too? Perfect! I've got a delivery there myself—a fragile package for a Mondstadt client. They needed a gold-rank courier like me to handle it."
Shao Yun glanced at the road ahead and murmured, "Sounds like we're on the same path."
…
He traveled north with the escort guards and Kirara, chatting along the way.
Since Kirara stayed mostly inside the cargo balloon clutching her parcel, Shao Yun spent more time conversing with Gaming.
The journey was smooth. Gaming enthusiastically shared stories about the Chenyu Vale region.
When they reached Stone Gate, Gaming and his group turned west toward Qingce Village to continue their route by water to Qiaoying Village.
Parting ways, Gaming called cheerfully, "This is where we part, friend. Take care and travel safe!"
…
Shao Yun separated from the escort group at Stone Gate.
Kirara disembarked too, continuing north with him.
To keep pace, she transformed into her "delivery box cat" form, carrying her parcel on her back as she bounded alongside Carrot.
Not wanting to alarm him, she had warned him before changing.
As they traveled, they chatted idly.
Their talk wandered everywhere—food, culture, stories from across the world.
At one point, Shao Yun remembered something and asked, "By the way, I've been to Inazuma before, but I don't recall ever seeing you?"
Kirara explained, "Ah, that makes sense! Most of my jobs are cross-nation deliveries, so I don't often work inside Inazuma. And you know, Inazuma was under lockdown before."
"So, the company sent me abroad instead. Only after the lockdown lifted did I return for a short vacation. This delivery is actually my first cross-nation job since my break."
Shao Yun nodded thoughtfully. Just as I figured.
Excited, Kirara began sharing more about her recent journey.
"This time I'm delivering from Fontaine to Mondstadt. Originally, I planned to sail straight to Chenyu Vale in Liyue, but something came up…"
"Some force majeure ruined my schedule, so I rerouted to Bayda Harbor in Sumeru. From there, I went south to Port Ormos, then finally to Liyue Harbor."
"It was a detour, but thankfully that nice Gaming helped me out, or I'd have been late for sure!"
Her eyes sparkled as she recalled her time in Sumeru.
"Sumeru was wonderful in some ways. The food was great—fragrant skewers, delicate sweets, all kinds of unique snacks. If I wasn't worried about getting fat, I'd have eaten everything!"
Then her tone darkened, a heavy shadow crossing her face.
"But… Sumeru isn't doing well lately. The Bimarstan is full of patients suffering from Eleazar."
Shao Yun listened quietly, nodding. "Yeah, I've heard about that too."
I wonder about that girl, Collei. Hope she doesn't die—otherwise, who'll guide us around?
Kirara sighed deeply, her voice laden with sorrow. "I just hope those poor souls can recover soon and live normal lives again."
A hush fell over them, the air itself heavy with gloom.
After a while, Kirara shook herself free from the sadness and brightened again.
"Anyway, enough of that! Let's talk about something happier."
Her energy returned as she launched into descriptions of Fontaine.
"You know, Fontaine's full of amazing places! The grand Court of Fontaine, the elegant Opera Epiclese—I've been there often for deliveries."
"But my absolute favorite is the Chioriya Boutique. Sister Chioriya is so kind—she always takes good care of me."
She beamed as she showed off her outfit. "This pretty uniform I'm wearing? It was made by her. Isn't it nice?"
The name Chioriya instantly piqued Shao Yun's interest. Lumine's stunning "cowgirl" outfit had been crafted by Fontaine's Chioriya Boutique.
Shao Yun narrowed his eyes, recalling, and said thoughtfully, "Chioriya? I've heard of her. How should I put it… perhaps she's best described as a masterful tailor. Would that be fair?"
His tone carried uncertainty, but admiration shone through.
Kirara nodded eagerly. "Exactly! Everything she makes is gorgeous—irresistible!"
Her gaze drifted to Shao Yun's Legend of the East outfit, curiosity sparking.
"But your set's pretty unique too. Not Chioriya's work, but… it reminds me of a special commission she once mentioned. The style is really similar."
At that, Shao Yun's mind flashed with the image of Lumine in her custom outfit, his lips curling into a smile.
"Haha, if I'm not mistaken, that order was mine. Her work really is exceptional."
Though honestly, Lumine herself made the clothes look even better. Like comparing a saddle's stats to the horse itself—both matter, but she elevates everything.
Kirara's delight overflowed at the compliment. "Really? That's wonderful! Hearing her clients are satisfied makes me so happy."
Seeing her so cheerful, Shao Yun actually offered another rare bit of praise.
"Yeah. A fine tailor."
What a bland description…