Chapter Text
You sat at the bar in Angel’s Share, slowly sipping your glass of dandelion wine and relishing in the bitter taste on your tongue as it washed away your stresses, leaving a lingering taste of pleasant sweetness in its wake. The tavern was filled with regulars, mostly consisting of off-duty knights, such as yourself, a bard or two for entertainment and a smattering of locals and merchants alike. The city of freedom in the country of Mondstadt found joy and togetherness in places like this as long as there was a constant flow of alcohol to keep the good mood flowing.
You sighed after another sip, still working on your first glass. You had been there for two hours now since the setting of the sun, taking your time. You, frustratingly enough, had all the time in the world for at least the next month or so - per the orders of the Acting Grand Master Jean.
You had reported back to her earlier that day after your lengthy mission that had covered the span of a few days. You always reported back looking the same: beaten up, covered with dirt, grass stains and sporting several new cuts and bruises. This time, in addition, you were wet and freezing - your clothes half-soaked and half-frozen. When Jean took in your appearance, she crossed her arms and sighed, waiting for your explanation.
“I took care of the hilichurl camps like you asked,” you began, running your hands through your crunchy hair in an attempt to thaw the frozen parts. “On my way back, one of the adventurers from the Guild was caught in the middle of a turf war between some Hydro and Cryo slimes, so I helped him out.”
“Are there any other side adventures I need to know about?” Jean asked, pinching the bridge of her nose and shifting her weight to her other side as she waited for the inevitable. You grinned sheepishly and began listing some of your other endeavors over the past few days, watching as she grew more exasperated with every event. Everyone within the Knights of Favonius knew you were a clearly capable knight, able to handle yourself well in any situation with complete mastery of your anemo Vision. They all refused to work in a team with you, however, because you were diligent, helpful and self-sacrificing to a fault while being unable to prioritize. If there was a lost child on your way out of the city, you would stop everything to reunite them with their family. If a delivery from Dawn Winery ran into some trouble while you were nearby, you assisted any way you could. From fighting off hilichurls to helping someone gather ingredients for dinner, you could always be counted on if you were in the vicinity and happened to catch wind of people in need. This often led to you overworking yourself and earning a scolding from Jean, but she could never fault you for doing everything you could for the citizens of Mondstadt. At the end of the day, every trouble in Mondstadt was of equal importance. You always managed to finish your given task regardless, so there was little she could do.
After hearing your tales of adventure, Jean rubbed her temples and sat down at her desk.
“[Y/N], when was the last time you had a day off?” Jean asked you seriously. You were about to answer you had one just the other day, but just as you opened your mouth she added, “A real day off, not a day off from the Knights just to help out with the higher difficulty commissions at the Adventurer’s Guild.” Your mouth closed, unable to provide an answer. You hated sitting and doing nothing when you could use that time to be useful. Having a relaxing drink after a shift at Angel’s Share was one thing, but a whole day spent with nothing to do made you stir crazy.
At the end of that conversation, Jean had declared you were to take at least one month to yourself for some much needed relaxation and recuperation. You wanted to insist it be shorter, perhaps a day or two, but you knew you couldn’t argue with Jean once she had decided on something. Once you were dismissed and had cleaned yourself up, you went straight to the local watering hole and hadn’t left since, your mind rolling with thoughts of what you were going to do for the next month.
“How long are you going to nurse that one drink?” the man behind the bar asked, an annoyed tone underlying in his voice. You looked up and met the crimson eyes of the bar’s owner, Diluc. You hadn’t even realized he had taken over for Charles for the evening.
“As long as I feel like it,” you replied, swirling it around in your glass before taking another delicate sip. Diluc watched you for a moment, narrowing his eyes slightly before he turned away to focus on cleaning the dirty glasses.
“Rumor has it,” he began after a moment, “that the loyal dog of the Knights of Favonius has been ordered to kennel up for a little while.” You knew he was talking about you.
“More or less,” you acknowledged, setting down your glass. “I have no idea what I’m going to do for the next month.”
“Why not something that doesn’t have you running yourself ragged for those incompetent knights?” he suggested, his obvious distaste for the organization dripping from his words. You ignored his comment regarding the knights and tried to think of something, taking another slow sip of your dandelion wine.
“Oh, my,” came a smooth and confident voice from behind you followed by the sound of the door closing. “Drowning yourself in alcohol after being forced to take a vacation?” You glanced over your shoulder as the familiar figure walked toward you and took the open seat next to you at the bar.
“Word sure travels fast,” you sighed, swirling your cup once again. “Have you come to give me some advice, Captain Kaeya?” The royal blue-eyed man flashed his signature cocky grin, his shoulders shrugging before he leaned on his elbow on the counter. He turned to Diluc and said, “Death After Noon, if you’d be so kind.”
Diluc, without missing a beat, responded, “I’m on break.” He set down his cloth and glass and walked out from behind the bar to make his rounds, though it was obviously an excuse to ignore Kaeya.
“All he does is burn me, and yet I keep coming back for more,” Kaeya sighed dramatically, exaggerating his point by placing a hand over his heart with a playful glint in his eye. You chuckled from the display of their banter, leaning back slightly on your stool.
“You know,” Kaeya continued, changing the topic, “you could have at least said goodbye to Klee before leaving headquarters today. When Jean told her you wouldn’t be able to go on adventures with her for a while, she looked as if we had detonated all of her bombs.” Whenever Jean wanted to keep you busy while keeping you in close proximity to the city, she often had you keep an eye on little Klee to keep her out of trouble. You enjoyed watching over Klee, though she definitely was a handful sometimes.
“I’ll find a gift for her to make up for it,” you decided, “though I still don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“Why not go on your own little adventure?” Kaeya suggested, sitting up straight and offering one of his flirty smiles to one of the waitresses that walked by. You thought about it, finishing off your glass and setting it down on the counter. It was an interesting idea, and odds were you wouldn’t get bored exploring somewhere you had never been.
“I’ve never been to Liyue before,” you said thoughtfully, bringing Kaeya’s attention back to your conversation. “I heard the food is amazing and the scenery is beautiful.” The more you thought about it, the more excited you became, a smile dancing on your lips. You fished some mora from your pocket and placed it on the counter by your glass before you stood.
“Seems like you’ve made up your mind, then?” Kaeya laughed, familiar with the shine in your eyes when you were determined to do something.
“I need to start preparing if I want to leave in the morning,” you declared, giddy with anticipation. Without saying a proper goodbye, you pushed in your barstool and hurried to the door, making a prompt exit. Kaeya chuckled to himself as he watched you go, already interested in the stories you would tell when you came back - that is, if you ever managed to cross the border without stopping to help anyone along the way.
It was mid afternoon two days later when you finally reached the area known as Stone Gate, signaling you were finally in the country of Liyue. You decided to make your destination Liyue Harbor in the south so you at least had a destination in mind, however you no doubt would make sure to take every detour you could to see everything there was to see along the way. Rather than travel in your armor as an obvious member of the Knights of Favonius, you instead wore comfortable clothing that was easy to move around in consisting of a casual long-tailed shirt, the front tucked into high waisted trousers that stopped just below your knees and long brown boots that covered your shins, your anemo Vision hanging from your belt and tucked into your pocket. You brought the bare minimum with you - a pouch with just enough mora to get by, some tools to start a fire, a borrowed copy of the Liyue Travel Guide from Lisa, a blanket and a spare change of clothes carried in a bag strapped over your shoulder.
You stood at the top of the wooden stairs, marvelling at the marshland below. In the distance, you saw a large tree with a building built into the top of it. According to your travel guide, it was an inn located at the very edge of Dihua Marsh known as Wangshu Inn. It was a popular rest stop for merchants and travellers alike. You already felt the buzz of adrenaline under your skin as you imagined climbing to the very top to see as much of this country as you could.
But first you needed to rest. You had been offered a place to rest when you passed by Dawn Winery earlier and declined, wanting to cross the border as soon as possible, and your aching legs were paying the price. You made your way down the stairs, your eyes glancing at everything from the traditional clothes of Liyue locals to the sheer size of the cliffs surrounding the area - all except where you were going. You walked into someone from behind, knocking yourself backwards from their sturdy build, though he didn’t seem to notice at first.
“M-My apologies!” you exclaimed, catching your footing before you fell to the ground. “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going!” The man you had bumped into turned to face you calmly, his expression stoic as he looked at who had bumped into him. You felt your breath hitch, pausing your overflow of apologies once your eyes locked with his.
He was tall and handsome with fair skin and honey colored eyes. His hair was black with a subtle ombre fade into a dark amber color. His appearance suggested he was a man of wealth and respect, a long brown overcoat with silver shoulder pads adorning his body. At first glance he seemed intimidating, but upon seeing you his expression softened, his lips upturned slightly.
“It’s quite alright,” he said elegantly, his voice a deep baritone that sent a shiver down your spine. “I was thinking over a small problem and didn’t realize I was in the way. I should be the one apologizing.” He dipped into an apologetic bow before you, causing you to feel slightly more flustered.
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” you insisted, waving your hands in front of you. “Um, you said you have a problem? I can try to help.” He stood straight, an amused expression on his face.
“It’s a rather silly problem,” he responded, glancing behind him where an old man sat under an awning with an old tea kettle resting on the counter next to him. “I came here to meet with a business associate. I arrived early, so I thought I’d relax with some tea, however…” He turned back to you, shrugging slightly. “I forgot my wallet back in Liyue Harbor.” You nodded, understanding his plight.
“It’s not something I should burden a stranger with--” the man began saying, but you had already begun sauntering past him toward the old man selling tea. His eyes followed you with curiosity and interest as you asked for two cups of tea from the old man, paying from your travel expenses. You walked back to him, two hot cups of tea in your hands, and held one out to him.
“For you,” you said with a kind smile. “I bumped into you so it’s only right that I make up for it.” The man took the cup from you, a breathy laugh escaping him. The sound of his laughter made the dip into your travel funds worth it, unable to suppress your own smile.
“How very kind of you,” he thanked, then motioned toward one of the sets of tables and chairs dotting the walkway. “If you’d indulge me, why not take a rest and chat for a bit? I enjoy hearing stories from travelers.” You agreed, eager for a rest and interested in chatting with him. He had a glowing aura about him, one that didn’t necessarily command respect but compelled you to listen to him. You sat across from him at the closest table, sighing as you finally allowed your aching legs to rest.
“Introductions seem to be overdue by now,” the man began, crossing his legs and folding his hands next to his tea on the table. “I beg your pardon for the delay.”
“Not at all,” you replied, blowing across your tea before taking a small sip. The flavor was subtle compared to the strong floral fragrance wafting from the hot drink. It went down smooth, filling your tired body with warmth and relaxing your muscles. You cleared your throat once you set down your cup and properly introduced yourself, “My name is [Y/N], and this is my first time in Liyue. Pleased to meet you.” The man across from you raised his eyebrows slightly, then promptly returned the sentiment.
“You can call me Zhongli,” the man responded kindly. “I’m a consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue Harbor. It’s nice to meet you, as well, [Y/N].” Hearing your name said in his voice nearly made you melt, heat rushing to your cheeks. To hide it, you quickly nodded and picked up your tea again, taking another sip. He watched you with interest, almost as if he were a detective solving some mystery and you were the key to all of the answers.
“If you don’t mind my asking,” he spoke after a moment, lifting his own cup of tea to his lips. “Where are you travelling from?” Commanding yourself to remain calm and collected, you set your tea down again and answered him honestly, “I was born and raised in the city of Mondstadt. I’m a proud member of the Knights of Favonius, however for the next month or so I’m simply a traveler who can’t sit still.”
“A knight,” Zhongli mused after taking a long drink from his cup. “A selfless occupation dedicated to protecting one’s home and it’s people. It makes sense you would come to my rescue without my having to ask, and right at the opportune moment, wouldn’t you say?”
“You don’t know the half of it,” you found yourself saying. You began telling him of your deeds as a knight, some of the stories you had brought home with you, and of the situation that led you to take a trip into Liyue. He listened intently, his eyes focused on yours while casually examining your expressions during certain parts of your ramblings. He was absorbed by every word, fascinated by how animated you were, and strangely uneasy about how openly honest you had been to a complete stranger you had bumped into by chance after taking your first ten steps into a new country.
“My, you certainly have a lot to tell,” Zhongli commented after you had finished telling him about your unintentional run-in with a Ruin Guard. “I believe it’s been over an hour, already.” You stiffened in your seat, your cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
“I’m sorry,” you groaned, lowering your head. “I didn’t mean to talk about myself for so long…” Your apology was met with another chuckle from your new acquaintance, causing you to lift your head slightly.
“I didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy listening to you,” he corrected himself, sharing an apologetic look with you. “In fact, I was so enthralled that I wasn’t paying attention to the time.” He reached inside his coat and took out a small black notebook, adding that his associate should have met him by now. You sat quietly, still mentally chiding yourself for talking about yourself for so long - you hadn’t asked him a single thing to get to know him better, and yet he knew most of your life story at this point.
“Tomorrow,” you heard Zhongli mutter across the table. You tilted your head in curiosity as he sighed and closed his book before tucking it back into his jacket.
“Our meeting is tomorrow,” Zhongli explained, looking slightly exasperated. “I arrived one day early in my haste to be on time.” You couldn’t hold back your sudden laughter from seeing his slightly dejected expression. You found it endearing, despite knowing him for such a short amount of time. He seemed surprised at your sudden outburst, but he relaxed into a content smile, resting his hands on the table once again. He found he was almost transfixed by your natural charisma, which only interested him more.
“Do you have any plans to visit Liyue Harbor during your travels?” he asked you once you silenced your laughter. You nodded, reaching for your travel guide.
“I’ll probably end up there in a few days,” you surmised, opening the book to the map of Liyue. You had marked several spots along the way that you wanted to stop at. Zhongli saw your notes and took interest.
“If you find extra time,” he began, reaching his gloved hand toward the book, “you should investigate some of the ruins scattered around Guili Plains.” You followed where his finger pointed to a large area just south of Wangshu Inn on the way to Liyue Harbor. Zhongli began explaining in detail the mysteries surrounding the ruins, what was left there and what studying the ruins could mean for both science and history. You were instantly interested, your excitement welling up again to get moving. You asked if there were any other spots of interest, which he also pointed out to you. He gave descriptions of each area, sparing no details. You took hurried notes on the map by each area, taking down key points as if Zhongli were going to test you on these areas the next time you met.
“You know almost everything about Liyue,” you said in amazement, glancing up at him from your map. “You’re incredible, Mr. Zhongli.” He seemed almost taken aback by your compliment, his easy flow of words pausing for a moment.
“I suppose,” he began slowly, choosing his words carefully, “we’re alike in how we ramble about our passions.” He shared another smile with you, this time with the addition of light coloring to his cheeks.
By the time he had gone over most of Liyue’s travel destinations with you, the surrounding shadows of the rocky cliffs grew longer as the sun began its descent into late afternoon. You enjoyed listening to him, eager to learn more about Liyue’s history, but you also didn’t want to keep the man from doing his job.
“This should be enough for now,” you eventually decided once he finished telling you about the beauty of Qingce Village to the northwest. “I appreciate all of the information, Mr. Zhongli.”
“My pleasure,” he responded, leaning back into his chair as you closed your travel guide and tucked it away. “It’s been enjoyable speaking with you, but I suppose I can’t keep you here forever.” You giggled, realizing his thoughts had mirrored your own. You stood from the table, stretching your arms above your head to relieve the stiffness that had settled in your muscles. Zhongli stood as well, resisting his urge to do the same. He couldn’t remember the last time he had spent so long pouring over a book with someone. He then remembered why he had brought up Liyue Harbor to begin with before being distracted by your travel plans.
“Actually, [Y/N], taking a step back to Liyue Harbor,” he spoke, catching your attention once again. You stopped your stretching and stood politely in front of him as he fished a business card from his jacket.
“If it’s not too bold of me to request,” he began, handing his card to you, “I would like to treat you to a meal once you finally make your way there. Surely, enjoying some Liyue cuisine is also part of your plans?” You smiled wide, taking his card and tucking it into your travel guide.
“Yes, please!” you exclaimed, feeling recharged. “I’d love to. Thank you, sir.”
“I think we can lay the formalities to rest, wouldn’t you say?” Zhongli added. “You can just call me Zhongli.”
“Okay, Zhongli,” you acknowledged, heat crawling up your neck once again. “I’ll be looking forward to that meal.”
“Until next time, then, [Y/N].”