Yujing Terrace, Yuehai Pavilion.
"Miss Ganyu, Lady Ningguang requested that you meet her in the conference room downstairs."
Inside the office, Ganyu was buried under a mountain of paperwork. Because she had turned in early the previous night to indulge in fantasies about the future, she found her workload had doubled by the time she clocked in today!
Upon hearing Baiwen's voice from outside, Ganyu asked softly, "Did Lady Ningguang say what it was about?"
Baiwen replied, "Lady Ningguang said that Lady Guuji Yae of Inazuma is visiting Liyue, and she needs you to assist with the reception."
Suddenly, the sound of a water cup toppling over echoed from the office. A moment of frantic shuffling followed.
"Miss Ganyu, are you alright?" Baiwen asked, worried.
In the next second, Ganyu burst out of the room. "I'm fine! I'm heading to the conference room now."
With that, Ganyu hurried down the stairs, leaving a stunned Baiwen behind.
"How strange," Baiwen murmured to herself. "What's wrong with Miss Ganyu today?"
As Baiwen stood there puzzled, Ganyu was already halfway down the flight of stairs. Only one thought occupied her mind.
Fresh Sea Ganoderma!
It's been so long since I've had Inazuma's Sea Ganoderma. I've missed it so much!
Meanwhile, on Ye Xi's side.
Ye Xi had never had the chance to enter Yuehai Pavilion before, as it was never an accessible area in the game. Consequently, he had no idea what the interior looked like.
Stepping inside, he realized the place was practically a castle. The floors were covered in plush red carpets, and the space was elegantly divided by ornate screens. Guest rooms, offices, conference roomsit had everything. This was the true heart of the Liyue Qixing's operations.
Currently, Ningguang and Yae Miko had entered a conference room, seemingly to share some private conversation.
In the game's original plot, Yae Miko and Ningguang had never met. In fact, Yae Miko rarely ever left Inazuma. Ye Xi couldn't even begin to guess what the two of them were discussing.
While the two ladies were whispering, he sat on a bench in the corridor to rest and check his Daily Commissions.
[Daily Commissions Issued]
[Task 1: Collect Glaze Lily 3]
[Task 2: Collect Silk Flower 4]
[Task 3: Obtain Fowl 3]
[Task 4: Eat]
Looking at the tasks, Ye Xi was moved to tears.
This was too easy! Even "eating" counted as a task? This was basically just handing him Primogems for free! He didn't even have to fight a single Hilichurl.
Glaze Lilies? Silk Flowers? There were plenty of them right outside the doors of Yuehai Pavilion! As for pigeons, there were loads nearby. If all else failed, a flock always gathered in front of the Third-Round Knockout.
He didn't even have to leave Liyue Harbor.
How thoughtful! This is what Daily Commissions should be like! Things you can find anywhere, finished in minutes!
It was nothing like the repetitive, grindy tasks in the game. Any player who had played for more than a few days could recite those quest names by heart. What was the fun in that? He'd rather skip the Primogems than do those again.
Just as he was pondering when to knock out these tasks, a pale blue figure appeared before him.
"Ye Xi, what are you doing here?"
The gentle voice was like honey to his ears, making his heart flutter. He opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a pair of beautiful legs clad in black silk stockings, adorned with golden patterns. Looking up slightly, his eyes met two alluring "black slimes" and a golden cowbell collar. Higher still, he saw Ganyu's quiet, serene face.
"Ganyu? Why are you here?"
He suppressed the awe in his heart and managed to get the words out. Internally, however, he was full of praise.
[She really looks like an immortal goddess descending to the mortal realm...]
His appreciation for Ganyu wasn't just because of her sweet and natural personality. More importantly, it was the outfit!
To him, this wasn't a shameful topic. As the former head of character design, he had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into Ganyu's clothing design. To put it in perspective, he alone was responsible for the design of her black silk. He had gone through over a thousand sketches for just that one element!
He had racked his brain, scribbling furiously on his tablet day after day. His mind had been filled with nothing but "black silk" to the point that he started hallucinating that he was wearing it himself. How could he not appreciate a character he had invested so much effort into?
This was his masterpiece!
"I was summoned by Lady Ningguang. I heard that Yae Miko of Inazuma has arrived."
Ganyu felt incredibly shy under Ye Xi's gaze, especially after hearing his inner voice call her a "descending goddess."
"Um... Ye Xi, is there something strange about my clothes?" Ganyu asked timidly.
Ye Xi immediately waved his hand. "They are very beautiful."
I drew them myself, after all. How could they not be?
Faced with such sincere praise, Ganyu's face flushed red. "I... I have to go in for the meeting now."
With a blushing face, she ducked into the conference room.
Watching her figure disappear, Ye Xi whispered to himself.
If I marry Miko, I'll have to drink goji berry tea every day to keep up. But if I marry Ganyu, wouldn't I get to drink coconut milk every day? Coconut milk is a great tonic!
Inside the conference room, Yae Miko finally laid her cards on the table.
"Ningguang, you can hear Ye Xi's inner voice too, can't you?"
She needed to confirm this. Any girl who could hear Ye Xi's voice would easily fall for him. After all, his heart was always sincere and full of... "flavor." No girl could resist being curious after hearing those things.
Ningguang wasn't surprised by the question. In fact, she had expected it.
"As I thought, you can hear him too."
"No wonder Ye Xi became the Raiden Shogun's confidant. It must have been with your help, right?"
She had always wondered how a Liyue local like Ye Xi could become Raiden's right-hand man in Inazuma so quickly. But if Yae Miko could hear his heart, it wasn't hard to pull off. Based on her deduction, the Raiden Shogun could probably hear him too! And perhaps even that Shirasagi Himegimi!
Ye Xi must have used his knowledge of Inazuma to gain their trust.
With those words, Yae Miko confirmed Ningguang's ability. She was now only curious about who else in Liyue could do the same. Xiangling definitely could, otherwise she wouldn't be so close to him. As for Ganyu...
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a knock came at the door. An elegant figure walked in. It was Ganyu, her expression full of hope. "Miko, it's been a long time."
"Ganyu-neesama."
Seeing the look in Ganyu's eyes, Yae Miko knew immediately that Ganyu was craving Sea Ganoderma. Usually, whenever she visited Liyue, she would bring fresh Sea Ganoderma for Ganyu to eat. This time, she had left in such a hurry that she hadn't thought to prepare any.
She said regretfully, "I came to Liyue in a rush this time. As for the Sea Ganoderma... it will have to be next time."
Hearing this, Ganyu's face immediately fell into a look of dejection. Unlike Yae Miko, who kept her emotions hidden, Ganyu's heart was written plainly on her face. She truly missed the taste of Sea Ganoderma. She had even knocked over her water cup in excitement just hearing that Yae was here!
"Now that Ganyu is here, let's begin," Ningguang said, getting straight to the point. "Yae Miko, do you have any clues regarding the catastrophe Liyue is facing that Ye Xi mentioned?"
What she needed most was information regarding Liyue's fate. Ganyu had also heard rumors about this "Liyue Catastrophe" and looked toward Yae Miko.
However, Yae Miko shook her head helplessly. "I am not entirely clear on the details myself. All I know is that Liyue is about to undergo a massive transformation. The Era of Human Rule is approaching. What you need to do is stabilize the situation in advance and prepare to take over the governance of Liyue from the Adepti."
Ningguang fell into deep thought. If she started preparing now, it might look like she was planning a rebellion. But if the catastrophe arrived, Liyue could not afford to be leaderless!
In her mind, the only way to get more clues was to ask Ye Xi. She would have to use indirect questioning to coax more information out of him.
Just then, another knock sounded. The man who entered was Uncle Tian, the Tianshu of the Liyue Qixing.
"Lady Yae, it has been a long time. You haven't changed a bit," Uncle Tian sighed with emotion.
He had held the position of Tianshu for a long time and had met Yae Miko a few times in the past. Back then, he was a young man. Now, Yae Miko remained the same, while his hair had turned completely white. Time was a cruel master; ordinary humans could not escape old age.
Ningguang looked at Uncle Tian and asked with confusion, "Where is Keqing? I sent someone to fetch her."
Uncle Tian smiled. "Keqing had urgent business and left Liyue Harbor a few days ago. She is expected back tonight."
"I see." Ningguang had wanted to see if Keqing could also hear Ye Xi's heart, but since she wasn't in the city, she had to drop it.
"Since Lady Guuji has come in person, we would also like to know when Inazuma's Sakoku Decree will end. When can trade between our two nations resume?"
As one of the Qixing, Ningguang was naturally concerned with Liyue's interests. Ganyu's eyes lit up at the question. If Inazuma reopened, ships could start bringing back Sea Ganoderma!
Uncle Tian also placed great importance on this. Because of the blockade, the price of Inazuman specialties had skyrocketed. The two nations were neighbors and had a long history of trade. The sudden halt had caused numerous issues.
Yae Miko pondered for a moment before giving an answer that caught everyone off guard.
"For that answer, you'll have to ask Ye Xi."
Ningguang looked bewildered. The Sakoku Decree was controlled by the Raiden Shogun. Why would Yae Miko suggest they discuss it with Ye Xi? Could Ye Xi actually decide such a thing?
Ganyu was equally surprised. She hadn't realized Ye Xi was so influential in Inazuma!
But the most shocked of all was Uncle Tian! He was beyond confused; he had only heard Ye Xi's name for the first time yesterday! He only knew that Ningguang had appointed him as her personal bodyguard and moved him into her villa. Furthermore, the boy was a mortal without a Vision!
Even as one of the Qixing, he had assumed Ningguang just wanted to keep a man around. He never expected the boy to have such a significant background! Could Ye Xi really influence the will of the Raiden Shogun?
Seeing their stunned expressions, Yae Miko chuckled. "You might think this is a joke, but the truth is, the Raiden Shogun has fallen helplessly in love with Ye Xi. She would do anything for him."
"What?!"
The three of them looked at each other in disbelief. It sounded completely impossible.
"The decisive and formidable Raiden Shogun... fell in love with a mortal?"
Uncle Tian was shocked beyond words! He immediately turned his gaze to Ningguang. If that was the case, wasn't Ningguang competing with the Raiden Shogun for a man?
Yae Miko shrugged her shoulders. "My dear friend isn't actually as terrifying as everyone thinks. She's just a girl who will cry and throw a tantrum if she can't eat her Tricolor Dango."
Uncle Tian was the first to dismiss this. "What kind of god throws a tantrum over something like that?"
Yae Miko covered her mouth and laughed. "Whether you believe it or not, one thing is certain! In Inazuma, Ye Xi's words carry the weight of half the sky. Not only does he have the current Raiden Shogun's affection, but even the previous Raiden Shogun was willing to lend him her power."
This time, everyone was rendered speechless. The previous Raiden Shogun had fallen five hundred years ago! If a sliver of her will still remained to protect Inazuma, her power must be incredibly faint. For her to bestow that remaining strength upon Ye Xi proved that his status in Inazuma was truly unique!
Meanwhile, inside Inazuma's Plane of Euthymia.
Raiden Ei watched everything unfolding. When Yae Miko admitted without hesitation that she too had a crush on Ye Xi and was willing to follow his every word, Ei had already felt so embarrassed she wanted to shut off the feed.
"That Sly Fox... how can she go around exposing my weaknesses like that?"
At that point, she was only grumbling under her breath. But when she saw Yae Miko telling the Liyue Qixing with a straight face that she "cried and threw tantrums," Ei truly couldn't take it anymore! She wanted to charge straight into Liyue and drag that stupid fox back for a thorough beating!
If the story of her throwing tantrums got out, where would her dignity as the Raiden Shogun go? No matter what, she was going to settle this score with Yae Miko later!
"Miko, you just wait!"
"Achoo!"
Yae Miko sneezed, feeling a sudden chill run down her spine.
"Well then, everyone, I shall take my leave. I need to buy some Lotus Flower Crisps to appease my dear friend. If I don't, she'll definitely blame me when I get back."
"Oh, and I'm borrowing Ye Xi for half a day."
Having said that, she looked at Ningguang. Ye Xi was Ningguang's bodyguard after all, so taking him away during work hours required permission.
Ningguang frowned slightly. "That's fine, but he must return by tonight. I have matters to discuss with him."
She needed to hurry up and start her "indirect questioning"!
Yae Miko didn't refuse and left the conference room. Watching her walk away, Uncle Tian suddenly turned to Ningguang in surprise.
"Ningguang, you really are something else. You're actually competing with the Raiden Shogun for a man!"
"Well, Uncle Tian supports you! It's best if you can steal Ye Xi away and let that Raiden Shogun taste the bitterness of a broken heart!"
"Hahaha!"
Ningguang: "???"
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