Chapter Text
The sun rises much too early in Sumeru for Lisa's liking. Not that she ever shows her distaste for it— being the most distinguished sorceress to grace Sumeru Academy with her presence in the last two centuries, she can't show much at all, aside from her charming, elegant, educated self. The way Lisa carries herself around campus is more important than anything the magic professors could teach her in their classes.
That is, of course, because she already knows everything they have written in their curriculum. Late hours spent in their campus' grand library, memorizing every book, every chapter, every page. Her insatiable thirst for knowledge the only fuel for her fire as her Electro Vision thrums on her chest, beating in tandem with her heart.
From fantasy stories about the Dandelion Sea, to sorrowful biographies written about those who ventured to the Mare Javari and never returned. All the way to the books that never quite interested Lisa, but were the things of gossip for many of her other peers who had nothing better to do:
Soulmates.
Silly, trivial things, created by Morax, the Geo Archon. History says that he lost a game with the easy-going Anemo Archon, Barbatos, who wished to aid humans in finding their true loves. Until your soulmate utters your name from their lips, your world is monochrome, colorless. When they do refer to you, though, the world around you bursts into color. Lisa's heard that it's a beautiful thing, but she only thinks about how useful it would be to finally be able to tell the difference between her herbs without all the great amount of labels.
It's a wonder why Barbatos would wish for such a thing— wouldn't that infringe on a person's freedom to love whoever they please without having to tie themselves to one person, all because of a game played by the Archons? Or perhaps there is a freedom in knowing who you belong with, yet still having a choice on whether or not you want to be with them for the rest of your life?
Lisa supposes that she'll never truly know unless she was able to question the Archons, herself. She would be much more likely to be struck by lightning then be able to have tea with one of The Seven. Besides, asking the Archons about soulmates would be a waste of her time— her curiosity lies elsewhere.
With a sigh, Lisa pushes herself out of bed. Just as her curiosity lies elsewhere, as does where she belongs.
Which is no longer in this measly dorm of hers, that's for sure.
"You're returning to Mondstadt, Lisa? Surely you would rather finish your studies here at the Academy before going back home—"
No. No, she would rather be in the comfort of her hometown than stay in the city of scholars blinded by their thirst for knowledge, an uninhibited erudition clawing into their minds and causing many a good mages to go insane. Insane in the way that they sacrifice near everything they can in order to be the strongest. Insane in how they forget their limits and fly too close to the sun, perishing in the flames before they can truly accomplish anything of great note.
After all, the price for knowledge is great. Climbing the stairs of enlightenment involves dangers that not even Lisa can fathom. Not that she would ever want to, now.
There's nothing else for me here, she thinks idly, lifting a hand to the Electro Vision on her necklace.
So she double checks that all of her belongings are packed, nods to the heavy lifters she'd hired to help her clean everything out, and she doesn't look back when everything is neatly placed in the carriage that's taking her to the port. She'll have everything on the ship that will sail her safely back to Liyue, then she'll ride on horseback the rest of the way, until she's at the city of freedom.
Though, compared to the size of the Sumeru Academia, Mondstadt is a quaint town. Hopefully it won't take Lisa too long to readjust to life there. Although it's only been two years, Lisa's quite enjoyed how different Sumeru is to where she was born. Admittedly, there will be a few things that she misses, though it certainly won't be the humid air that does terrible things to her hair.
The carriage ride to the port is peaceful— the weather is relatively nice today, fortunately for Lisa. A light breeze passes through the tall buildings, and the sun still hasn't risen above the horizon. The occasional early rising scholar walks down the street with their books in hand, not giving Lisa's carriage a second glance as it passes them by.
How many mages aspired to reach the heights that Lisa had in a mere two years? How many would hear of how she left the Sumeru Academia without officially completing her studies, and feel envy of how freely she acts? Will their harsh, whispered words finally increase in volume, all thanks to her absence?
"No wonder the Archon of Wisdom refrained from granting Lisa Minci his Vision— she doesn't deserve it with how she left so abruptly," and, "So much for limitless knowledge. Did she really deserve the title of Grand Mage?"
Venomous words from barbed tongues, though their opinions matter little to Lisa. Her attendance at Sumeru Academy wasn't to please her peers, or the powerful sages that tried their damnedest to bribe Lisa into staying at the academy. It was to sate her desire for knowledge, and she's achieved that goal to a degree.
She's learned so much that she's now terrified of pushing further to truly attaining what she wants.
Thus, her knowledge shall be placed elsewhere— Mondstadt, for instance.
A few weeks back, Lisa sent a letter to one Grand Master Varka of the Knights of Favonius, inquiring on if he required a secretary, or even a librarian. He'd sent a response back quickly, to Lisa's surprise. Though, the contents of his letter left much to be desired.
"Return to Mondstadt, and we'll go from there."
Not that she was expecting much in the first place— from what she's heard of Grand Master Varka, he isn't necessarily one for the diplomacy involved in his station. Tales of his adventures and expeditions around the world have traveled all over Teyvat. Bards write songs of his courage and valor, scholars scoff at his brute strength, mercenaries wish to face him in combat.
Lisa just wants a stable income when she returns home.
Stepping down from the carriage, Lisa bows her head slightly to the coachman before rummaging around in her purse to give him extra Mora as an additional thank you. He takes it gratefully, a soft smile curling his lips and brightening his eyes.
"Driving a single woman to the port this early in the morning must've been a hindrance," Lisa makes small talk while her things are transferred onto the ship she's boarding. "You have my thanks."
The coachman laughs, shaking his head. "Not a problem, young lady. It's my job to drive this carriage wherever my passengers need to go. I should be thanking you for the tip," he winks good naturedly, flipping one of the coins Lisa gave him over his knuckles. "Mind if I pry a little about why a young woman such as yourself's taking a boat to Liyue? You're from the academy, aren't you?"
"I am a former attendant of Sumeru Academy, yes," Lisa nods, watching some of the fishermen bustling around at one end of the port. "I've decided that it's best for me to return to my hometown, and that there's nothing left for me at the academy."
"That so," the coachman hums, before grinning. "You must be a real genius if it means that place don't have anything worth your time!" He guffaws, not caring about the looks that some of the other passerby give him for his raucous laughter.
Lisa chuckles, covering her mouth with her hand. "Yes, well. Hopefully my absence doesn't cause too much of an uproar. Thank you again," she says, bowing her head again before stepping away from the carriage.
She's able to get on the ship without a fuss, and she stays on the deck while they set out to sea. The men and women of the crew seem overjoyed to finally set sail, cheerfully bustling about the deck to see to the ship's needs. They pull the anchor up, a crewmate with an Anemo Vision manipulates the air once the sails are unfurled, and the ship lurches forward. Lisa watches it all with an amused smile on her lips, chuckling when the Anemo crewmate is flustered after the rest of the crew cheers him on for a job well done.
After she can no longer see land, Lisa heads to her quarters, planning on resting for as long as possible. There were too many mysteries in the ocean deep, and she wasn't about to stare at it endlessly until night fell. She also starts to feel seasick not long after their departure, so resting below deck is a perfectly good reason to not think about how she's surrounded by water while also in possession of an Electro Vision.
Sleep finds Lisa after a long time spent staring at the ceiling, and she dreams of the maddened scholars that she left behind in Sumeru. Their calls and pleas for Lisa's help— save us, Grand Mage, you're the only one who can change our fates— but Lisa is already gone, much too far from the academy to free them from their chains.
She awakes feeling restless and annoyed. A knock at her door announces that they're serving lunch, but Lisa doesn't feel hungry in the slightest.
Liyue is a welcome sight to behold after a month of being at sea— they'd taken a brief respite at Inazuma to restock before quickly setting out again— and even better knowing that Mondstadt was only a few days of travel away. Her belongings would be sent ahead of her so she would be able to travel quickly on horseback, making a few stops on the way to her destination. After resting in Liyue the day her ship docks, she spends the next day riding until she gets to Wangshu Inn.
Whenever she manages to fall asleep, that same nightmare of the young mages crying out in agony haunts Lisa. She doesn't rest much, deciding to get to Mondstadt as quickly as possible.
Of course, it couldn't all be smooth sailing.
On the road from the Dawn Winery to Springvale, Lisa feels a disturbance in the air. The wilderness is much too quiet, and her horse starts to whinny out of anxiety. She runs a hand down the length of its neck, trying to soothe the creature. When her efforts prove fruitless, she decidedly slows down and stops before jumping down to give whatever is scaring her mount the opportunity to jump out.
What she doesn't expect is a young boy with long, unruly hair to stand from behind the forest's natural camouflage, bright eyes staring Lisa down. From behind the boy, a pack of wolves emerge, eyeing Lisa's horse.
Oh, absolutely not.
"You," the boy speaks, voice gravelly. "Not know. But scent is... here. Like wind. Who?"
Lisa huffs out a sigh, watching all of the wolves in her periphery while keeping her eyes on the boy. "It's rude to ask someone their name without first introducing yourself," she retorts, noting the boy's increasing confusion as she speaks on. He doesn't understand human language well. Wonderful. "You first," she simplifies, gesturing to the boy.
He blinks at first, before placing a hand on his chest, taking a deep breath. "Rae-zer," he enunciates, brightening when he says it. "Rae-zer. Razor!"
"Razor," Lisa notes with a smile. "I am Lisa. What is your... pack, doing here?" She assumes that Razor's familiarity with the wolves surrounding him means that he's a child of the forest. It's not the most surprising thing she's seen— there are plenty of people like him in Sumeru, who know the rainforests like the back of their hands. "Wolvendom is far from here."
Razor purses his lips, gaze falling to the packed dirt road. "Evil people hunt lupical. We hunt back," he says after a long moment, eyes full of determination. "Big steelclaw will smile. Evil people cause trouble for town. I will hunt!"
Archons above, this is starting to give Lisa a headache. "Did you think I was evil people, Razor?"
"Unfamiliar scent, but I know now. Not like evil people," Razor bows his head in apology, before taking a step back. "Scent... strong. Power...ful." His eyes drop to the Electro Vision on Lisa's chest. "Scent like storm." He adds.
"I... see," Lisa trails off, pressing her lips together. "Well, I'm going to go now, Razor. I need to go to Mondstadt."
With a nod, Razor turns to the rest of his pack before running into the forest. He's fast— almost too fast for Lisa to keep track of where he's going. Before he picks up full speed, Lisa notices a small emblem on the back of his cape. Is that an... Electro Vision? What an interesting boy, she thinks, before moving to soothe her horse yet again. The poor thing was terrified while those wolves were eyeing it, and Lisa's quite glad that it didn't up and run away.
Once her horse is calm, she sets off, letting her mount stay at a slow trot. She would get to Mondstadt in an hour's time, so there was no need to rush her arrival. After all, it would be right back to work as soon as she returns, and she isn't exactly looking forward to that.
She lets her mind wander to the strange encounter she'd had with that young boy, Razor. His Vision most likely granted him that inhumane agility and sense of smell, though Lisa's main concern is that he might not actually know how to use it. It's not as if the wolves he surrounds himself with can teach him the basics of utilizing elemental energy. If he doesn't know how to use it, then it could spell danger for his pack.
Razor also mentioned something else of note— 'Big steelclaw.' Was that referring to the leader of his pack, perhaps? But he also mentioned a town. Mondstadt, or maybe Springvale, since an isolated wolf boy's definition of a town might be quite different than an average person's. No matter how she tries to solve this mystery, though, it would stay as such unless Lisa questions the wolf boy further, which probably won't be happening anytime soon.
Regardless, whatever evil people Razor mentioned would know better than to try and attack Lisa, whether they be Treasure Hoarders trying to rob seemingly innocent passerby on their way to the city of freedom, or something much worse.
Lisa would be able to handle it all with ease, although it would be a hindrance.
She passes through Springvale, a sense of nostalgia passing through her at the sight of the quaint village. Not much has changed during the two years of her absence— a few of the older villagers straighten when they see Lisa, whistling and cheering about their powerful grand mage. The children don't know any better, only knowing that their parents and grandparents are excited, and they join in on the yelling and cheering.
Not wanting to ruin the mood, Lisa smiles and waves as her horse trots through, laughing when a younger man jogs up to her and hands her a Windwheel Aster with an overly dramatic bow. She blows him a kiss before she's on the outskirts of Springvale, then she taps the side of her horse with her foot, and it quickens its pace.
Ah, how exhausting. Hopefully Mondstadt doesn't have some grandiose celebration for her return— she would much rather rest at home and brew herself a cup of tea rather than deal with any large groups of people.
Besides, was Lisa's return really worth all the fuss? Before she left to Sumeru, she was just an aspiring scholar with a desire for any and all knowledge. Her reputation as the Sumeru Academia's "most distinguished grand mage in 200 years" was just that— a reputation. Was she flattered that they viewed her in such high regards? Certainly!
However, she would much rather prefer to fly under the radar. There would be less energy expended that way.
When Lisa reaches the bridge to enter Mondstadt, she guides her steed into taking a sharp right.
"Let's visit Windrise, shall we?" She murmurs to her horse, who replies with a huff. "I know, I've been running you ragged, you poor thing. We'll rest by that big oak tree, it's right next to a river, so you'll be able to drink to your heart's content."
A guard calls out to her, and Lisa desperately taps her feet against her horse, who takes the hint and breaks out into a full gallop. The wind whips against Lisa's face, much more refreshing than the slow trot she'd been going at for the past hour or so.
Lisa throws her head back and laughs, before leaning forward. How she missed the refreshing breeze in Mondstadt, the soft sunlight, the cold air in her lungs. The long grass and beautiful scenery, the freedom to do exactly what she was now— riding on horseback to the untamed plains, reveling in the lack of any other people near her.
Freedom. Something she didn't exactly have in Sumeru.
Once they get to the Liontooth Knight's oak, Lisa slows and guides her horse to the river before settling under the shade of the large tree. The wind rustles the leaves, and a few Windwheel Asters spin slowly. Remembering the flower that the young man in Springvale gave her, Lisa scoffs out a laugh, shaking her head.
Given the chance, that poor boy might've tried to get Lisa to say his name. It wasn't rare for her to have admirers, both close and from afar. She preferred the latter— she wasn't necessarily interested in finding some stranger that she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. A relationship like that would be too much work, and Lisa doesn't have the energy to expend for such a thing.
How many men and women would try to court her once she settles down again in Mondstadt? There were a few who tried before she left to Sumeru— all of which were quite unsuccessful. Even if Lisa does suddenly want to pursue a romantic relationship, her standards are much too high for anyone in Mondstadt. There will be no handsome knight in shining white armor, nor a pretty damsel that would catch her eye.
Love, to Lisa, wasn't something that could happen just by her name being uttered by a stranger; no, it takes time, like all things in life. Whether it be kindling a friendship, or something more, she wouldn't feel the same if she tried to create a deep bond with someone she'd never met before. They would have to know each other for months, maybe even years, for her to even consider anything resembling a relationship.
The rhythmic trot of a single horse slowly increases in volume, and Lisa pouts when it slows close to her. Not that she moves— maybe, if she stays right where she is, the person who definitely didn't come looking for her would go away—
"Excuse me."
Well, there goes that dream.
Lisa sighs dramatically before looking up at the woman who was standing in front of her. She's tall, with her hair tied back in a ponytail. She wears the crest of the Knights of Favonius on her strapless shirt, and is looking at Lisa with... is that... suspicion?
She quickly remembers that she did, in fact, ride away when a guard called out to her. Lisa supposes that she didn't think that one through, but a little explanation from Grand Master Varka would clear her name.
"Hello there," Lisa greets lightheartedly, not budging from her seat on the comfortable grass. "Might I help you with anything?"
The tall woman falters, blinking a few times. She takes a moment to breathe, before staring at Lisa with more resolve than before. "Grand Master Varka informed me of someone's arrival that he's been anticipating for quite some time. He told me that I should look out for a woman dressed like a mage with a rose motif on her outfit, and an Electro Vision clasped to the collar of her dress."
"How did he know about my... nevermind that," Lisa sighs, shaking her head. "Might you allow me to rest here just a little while longer? I've been on the road for so long, and my horse thinks this is some much needed relaxation time as well. Isn't that right, horsie?"
She calls to the steed, who looks up at Lisa with a huff.
At that, Lisa looks up at the knight yet again, smiling. "See? Why don't you join me, and we can enjoy this brief respite together?"
Again, that same look returns to the knight's face. Is it hesitation? After a moment, though, she shakes her head, giving Lisa a warm smile. "Alright, then. I suppose I can indulge you. How was your trek back to Mondstadt?"
They fall into easy conversation, Lisa more than willing to complain about the lengthy travel and seasickness that she experienced. She also spoke of the more positive aspects: The sights she managed to see when they made their brief stop at Inazuma, the sun shower when she'd set foot on Liyue's land, and the small celebration that the people of Springvale had when she passed through. She did refrain from mentioning the Windwheel Aster she'd received from that young man.
Eventually, Lisa accepts that she can delay her fate no longer, and takes the knight's hand when the two of them get up to return to Mondstadt. She wants to complain about all of the work that she'll have to do when she returns, but Lisa has a feeling that her knightly companion was a hardworking one, and wouldn't take kindly to all her moaning and groaning.
So they ride back in a comfortable silence, Lisa enjoying the gentle breeze until she has to prepare herself for whatever's waiting for her in Mondstadt. Elegance, poise. Everything she had to learn in Sumeru, she puts it all into gear—
Until she has a thought.
"Would you mind doing me another favor, dear knight?" Lisa speaks up. "If Grand Master Varka has any sort of surprise celebration or something planned—"
"He has a small gathering of people at the front gates," the knight informs her. "Nothing too overwhelming. I mentioned to him that you might be exhausted from your travels, so he changed his initial plans to something more... homey, I suppose the word would be," she chuckles. "He wants to treat you to a meal before sending you off to sleep all that traveling off."
Lisa relaxes, just a little. "That's... very thoughtful of you, to mention that to him. Thank you."
The knight smiles warmly. "Just doing my duty as a knight. No need to thank me."
Once they start to cross the bridge leading into Mondstadt, Lisa does indeed see the small group that Jean was referring to. Thank the Archons, it actually was just a small group— seemingly consisting only of Knights of Favonius.
There's one man who sticks out like a sore thumb— though, it would be more accurate to say a sore tree. Lisa remembers catching a few glimpses of Grand Master Varka when she was younger— whenever she would go in and out of the library at the Knight's of Favonius' headquarters, there was always the occasion where she would see that titan moving around, almost hitting his head on the tops of door frames.
Grand Master Varka leans down to listen to what one of the much shorter knights said, and bursts into raucous laughter that gives Lisa another feeling of nostalgia. That roaring guffaw was something she also often heard, even in the deepest depths of the library. She lets herself smile before they meet the group waiting for them.
When Varka sees Lisa and the knight who gathered her, his eyes brighten. "Well, well! Look who finally decided to show up," he jokes, while another knight— a tall young man with an eyepatch over his right eye, offers Lisa his hand for her to step down from her horse.
She gives the man who helped her a smile and a nod before craning her neck to look up at Grand Master Varka. "My sincerest apologies, Grand Master Varka. I'm not exactly used to traveling for extended periods of time, so I wanted to take a moment to myself and rest before I came into the city."
"Bah, not to worry! Dandelion seeds in the breeze," Varka brushes Lisa's explanation off with a wave of his hand. "All that matters now is that you're here, safe and sound! Now, let's get you a bite of something to eat, eh? It's been two years since you've had some authentic Mondstadt food, so let's get you some! Food and drink's on me tonight!"
At that, the knights in the vicinity cheer before quickly following behind the Grand Master. Lisa watches them go and wonders if she could just slip away, but a hand placed gently on her shoulder dissolves that idea as quickly as it came. "Come now, Grand Mage. Let's not keep your welcome party waiting, hm?" The young knight from earlier has a teasing lilt to his voice, which Lisa appreciates with a smirk returned in kind
"I suppose I should have expected an intense welcome from your Grand Master," Lisa chuckles, walking with the exotically dressed knight. A Cryo Vision hangs on his right hip. I don't recall seeing a man like this around Mondstadt. Maybe I was too involved in my studies to make note of such an interesting character.
"Yes, he's quite the excitable man," the young knight laughs, watching Grand Master Varka along with the rest of their group. "He means well, though, I can assure you, Miss Lisa."
"He was thoughtful enough to keep my welcome party small, so rest assured, mister knight," Lisa teases the man, whose eyes widen when he realizes that he hasn't introduced himself.
Still, he chuckles, before bowing his head in apology. "How thoughtless of me, forgetting to introduce myself like that. My name is Kaeya Alberich, Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. It's a pleasure to finally meet the Witch of Purple Rose that I've heard so much about," Kaeya says, his eye sparkling with amusement when Lisa scoffs at the use of her title.
"Please, I'm not a celebrity like the Sumeru Academia made me out to be," she waves off with a huff, "I'm just a humble scholar whose returned to her hometown to hopefully find a job with the Knights of Favonius, nothing more."
Kaeya laughs, following the rest of the knights into a tavern, holding the door open for Lisa. "My, my. Quite humble, aren't we? I'm afraid to think about how powerful you are, if you're trying to downplay your accomplishments like this," he replies, gesturing at Lisa's Electro Vision. "I've heard that you can summon storms that change the colors of the skies with ease. Is that true?"
"Shall I indulge in your questions, or will you learn the truth of my powers in time, I wonder?" Lisa deflects, winking at Kaeya before finding her seat across from Grand Master Varka.
He seemed to plan everything well ahead of time, as all of the food was already laid out in front of them. Grand Master Varka offers her the first choice of food, which she graciously thanks him for before going for a light soup and a few slices of honey roasted ham. None of them question her light choice in food, instead deciding to quickly dig in before the food gets cold.
"Did the sea treat you well on your journey back?" Varka questions after they've started to tuck into their food. "The weather has been surprisingly good, which can only mean that a storm will be coming in not too long."
"I suppose the ship ride was quite tolerable. I do get seasick quite easily, though," Lisa responds, before pausing at Varka's words. "How do you know a storm is coming?"
"Ah, just intuition. The weather never stays this good for long," he shrugs, more or less avoiding a solid answer to Lisa's question. "And your studies at the Sumeru Academia? How were they?"
Lisa supposes that a question about her academics was inevitable. She remembers the maddened scholars and thinly-veiled insults pointed toward her successes that seemed to come all to easy to Lisa, while many others struggled at a much slower pace. While she continued to climb, many of her peers struggled at the first few steps. While they had sleepless nights spent studying for exams and writing papers for their professors, Lisa finished her work and moved on to the next thing without a second thought.
While many of the younger mages looked up to Lisa and aspired to reach the same heights that she had, the older, " wiser" sages held a strong distaste for the young grand mage. They'd spend decades perfecting their trades, then the Witch of Purple Rose arrived and turned their worlds upside-down.
"They were—"
"Grand Master Varka, let her enjoy her food," one of the knights— the light-haired woman who'd found her at the Liontooth Knight's tree— interrupts. "You can question her all you want after she's fully recovered from her travels."
Varka seemingly deflates at her words. "You're right, Jean. It's been a while since I've had the time to visit any of the other nations, so I suppose I miss the adventure." He regains his joy from before at full force, grinning at Lisa. "My apologies, let's enjoy the night to the fullest! Let's get some drinks going! Dandelion wine and some good beer for us all!"
Over the commotion, Lisa leans over to whisper a "thank you, dear," to Jean, who smiles warmly at Lisa. She does note the darkening of Jean's cheeks, which is quite amusing to Lisa. She's gracious enough not to comment on it, however. Instead, she takes the the glass of dandelion wine that she's offered, sighing when the familiar taste coats her tongue.
She expects that alcohol mixed with excitable knights will lead to a large commotion, so she excuses herself when Varka starts to show signs of being a little too inebriated. Jean offers to see her to her home, and Lisa takes it gratefully. She nods to Kaeya, who lifts his tankard in farewell, before almost choking when Varka wraps his log of an arm around his shoulders.
Mondstadt is much quieter than Sumeru at night. The heels of Lisa's shoes click on the stone sidewalk, and maybe it's because of the dandelion wine, but she feels warm. Content, more accurately.
Once they finally arrive at Lisa's home, she's hit with another wave of warmth. "Ah, I haven't seen this place in so long," she mutters, more to herself than her company. "I've missed it." Home, she thinks, a soft smile on her lips. "Thank you escorting me, dear. I'll be seeing you tomorrow, most likely."
"Not a problem. Will you be alright? Do you need any help unpacking your things?" Jean asks, taking a step forward.
Lisa quickly stops her, lifting her hand and shaking her head. "While that's kind of you to offer, I'm well and truly exhausted. If you'd like to keep that offer open until tomorrow, however, I'd be glad to take it," she replies, dropping her hand.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Jean nods. "Well, then. Have a good night, Lisa."
Ah.
As Jean turns and walks away, her blonde hair flips around a little, same with the black bow that has it tied back. Her golden earrings glimmer in the warm light of the lamps dotting the streets, and her blue cloak flaps behind her, same with her tailcoat. She stumbles a little on a protruding stone on the sidewalk, the tip of her golden and white boots getting scuffed in the process. Jean turns around just a little to realize that Lisa is still watching her and straightens almost immediately, her fair skin reddening with a deep blush.
Slate gray eyes dart around everywhere except for where Lisa is standing, and Jean bows quickly before quickly walking off and turning a corner, out of Lisa's sight.
After another moment, Lisa takes a breath. She turns around and unlocks the door to her house, then closes it behind her.
Soulmates. A silly rule created all because of one game won in the Anemo Archon, Barbatos', favor.
Somehow, Lisa's soulmate was Jean. Jean, who she'd heard of before, but never met.
"What an interesting development," Lisa announces to herself.
Yet another instance where Lisa Minci wonders what exactly the Archons have in store for her and every other living being on Teyvat.
Curses.