Moonlight spilled over the Jade Chamber—quiet as a held breath.
Aside from Paimon snoring in some guest room, the floating palace slept.
Well… most of it. From the most discreet room behind Ningguang's office, the kind of howls that make a soul tremble had bled through the night.
The banquet itself had been smooth sailing. With Su Xuan presiding, even Rosalyne—normally all thorns and snowfall—kept the sniping to a minimum. Beidou drank fast, spoke faster, and bragged loudest: after the feast she'd show everyone what "will" meant, seize first place, and claim the Star-Skiff.
Then she saw what "post-banquet games" meant.
When Ningguang and the rest calmly shed their pretense and played by Pearlshell rules, the Captain of the Crux had a rare moment of speechless awe. She shot Ningguang a look—this was the "gilded barge" the merchants never left? Not singing and dancing, then… no wonder big wallets vanished there like stones in the sea.
Too late to flee. There was a contract on the line, and Liyue's face besides. Beidou gritted her teeth and crawled forward—literally—one inch at a time, eyes locked on the floating timer. Lumine was top so far, Yelan a close second. Ganyu was puzzlingly near the bottom, Keqing not much higher, and Rosalyne—well—apparently height didn't equal stamina.
As for Ningguang? Referee. No prize, no record… but the way she prepped Su between rounds told its own story.
"Surprising," Ningguang murmured, circling Beidou. "I didn't expect her to be this tough—ten more seconds and she'll pass Yelan…"
Beidou shot her a scornful look. "Hah. You really did underestimate your Captain."
Ningguang turned to Su. "Almost at her limit though, isn't she?"
Su smiled. "Not exactly. I'm pulling my punches. First time sparring with Captain Beidou—I was being polite."
"P—polite?" Beidou blinked.
"Ah," Ningguang said lightly. "But that's unfair to the others, isn't it? Don't worry, Su. She claims to have weathered more storms than I've eaten salt. She'll manage if you truly try. This is about your fun, after all—do as you please."
The sentence struck like thunder. Beidou felt her spirit flinch.
"Su… Su boss," she rasped without turning, "we've got ten whole days on the Alcor to… deepen cultural exchange. Don't listen to that vixen…"
Su made a show of being torn. Ningguang sighed. "You're right, I shouldn't push. It puts Su in a bind. Tell you what—if anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."
"NINGGUANG! You snake— I swear I'll— oohh—"
The rest of her threat dissolved into something much less articulate.
Morning gilded Liyue Harbor. Another busy day began.
As in Mondstadt, Su waved off the idea of a send-off crowd. After breakfast aboard the Jade Chamber, they headed for the Crux.
"Su, that Sangonomiya Kokomi has been waiting on the ship," Beidou said, unusually chipper.
She had woken up ready to gnaw Ningguang's jade hairpin in half. Then she'd been informed she'd won and the Star-Skiff was hers. She had no idea how the scoreboard had flipped while she was unconscious, but a prize was a prize; suddenly Ningguang's "methods" felt almost… admirable.
Lumine hid a smile. The truth? Beidou hadn't endured a "finishing blow"—she'd been deleted by it. Ningguang even tapped the twitching Captain with one perfectly polished toe and declared, "So much for the ocean's roar." In the end it was Su who conjured a skiff for Beidou on the spot; the "official" prize slid quietly to Lumine.
No need to humiliate a hero. Let everyone leave happy—that was Su's way with diary holders.
"Sangonomiya Kokomi, hm?" Su mused. "Time to hear what really happened in Inazuma."
By rights, if the Watatsumi priestess held a diary, Ei shouldn't have moved to outright execution. Even angry, the Shogun would check with him first. The timing smelled off.
Rosalyne folded her arms. "I, for one, find the Shogun's hand far too quick. A ruler who cuts at her own little sister? Someone should discipline her."
Paimon side-eyed her. "You're still salty that you die to the Shogun's blade in the 'old timeline,' huh?"
Rosalyne clicked her tongue. "Mind your mouth, sprite."
Su cut in, amused. "Details later. First—Captain, aren't you hosting a Crux Clash before we sail?"
Beidou blinked. "What, you want to try our tournament?"
"I meant… besides Kokomi, you didn't pick up any other Inazumans? Say, a wandering poet looking to entrust his friend's extinguished Vision to someone who could rekindle it?"
Beidou frowned. "We only fished up Kokomi near Inazuma waters. No poet."
Su nodded to himself. So Ei had moved faster this time—no Kazuha stowing away on the Alcor. Not important. He'd only asked because Beidou kept her promises; he didn't want her wedged between oaths because of a shifted schedule.
"In that case, no more delays," he said. "Let's board and head for Inazuma."
"'Captain' is fine," Beidou muttered, ears a suspicious red. If the crew ever learned how thoroughly she'd been humbled—and how readily she was warming to it—she'd never live down the teasing at sea.
Their diaries fluttered open mid-stride; a fresh page glimmered.
South Cross Fleet, the Alcor.jpg
You can tell what kind of person its owner is just by looking at her ship.
Beidou, the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean.
Frank and forthright; clean in deed and swift in hand; beloved in Liyue Harbor.
She has the bearing of any true leader—the thunder of her presence meets gale and wave as an equal.
"U-Uncrowned Lord of the— okay, now you're laying it on," Beidou coughed, looking anywhere but at Lumine and Rosalyne.
The entry rolled on:
Before we go: Ningguang threw a proper send-off last night and gave me a chance to 'talk things through' with Captain Beidou.
We got along… swimmingly. A single banquet, and a deep friendship forged.
Beidou stared. Can you not write it like that? If anyone cracked the euphemisms, she was sunk.
As for the rest of Liyue—still so much scenery left to see.
The quick-witted, mischievous Hu Tao of Wangsheng? Regret I missed her.
Xiangling at Wanmin? I'll make her my head chef for "home cuisine" on my Jade Chamber; in Fontaine, there's a chef worthy of her as a rival for "Western fare."
And—how did no one invite Yun Jin to sing for me? Cold. Very cold.
Finally, Shenhe— we never met. Cloud Retainer kept blocking me. It's fine; time is on my side.
Liyue, for now—farewell.
Inazuma—I'm back.
Su closed the book and lifted his gaze.
Two figures approached. Cloud Retainer—arms folded, expression sharp—shot him a look as if to say try me. Beside her walked a white-haired girl with eyes like winter water and a posture too straight for comfort.
"Ha. Turn your back and you slander this immortal," Cloud Retainer sniffed. "As if I would sabotage my own disciple."
"…That's Shenhe, right?" Paimon whispered.
The girl bowed. "I am Shenhe. My master told me to follow Su Xuan into the mortal world to break my lonely fate. I hope I won't be a burden."
Su's smile was easy. "Welcome aboard."
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