Chapter Text
The prosperous city of Liyue Harbour. Where merchants thrive, and mora speaks volumes. For countless years, the city was under the watchful eye of Rex Lapis, the Archon of Liyue, and the Adepti who protected the city from any threat and the people were ever grateful for their presence. However, the age where Liyue was ruled by them came to an end after the passing of Rex Lapis and the Adepti passing off complete rulership of Liyue itself to the people after witnessing their resolve to forge their own path before disappearing to their domains in the mountains. However, not all of them left. As it just so happened, two had remained behind. One was the Vigilant Yaksha Xiao, though that is a subject for another time. Instead, the focus of our little tale lies with the second Adeptus, Ganyu.
“Alright, now on to the next…”
Ganyu toiled away as she usual did, sorting through and examining various documents and reports with remarkable precision and speed. Her desk was filled to the brim with papers. How she was able to maintain a space comfortable enough work on was beyond anyone. As the long-time secretary of the Liyue Qixing, she took her work with a great degree of importance often at her own expense, putting everything she had as to both honour the contract she made with Rex Lapis and to do her part in maintaining the prosperity of Liyue. After all, the difficulties and tribulations she faced paled in comparison to what Rex Lapis and the people of Liyue had to face or at least, that’s what she believed.
As she moved on to the next papers, a voice called out to her from the opposite side of the door, snapping her from the trance. “Pardon the intrusion, may I come in?”
“Yes, please come in.”
“Excuse me…”
The doors opened and to her surprise, it was Lady Ningguang. She was, to put it mildly, concerned by her sudden appearance. Why would the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing who’s duties were insurmountable especially now that the Adepti have entrusted the people to govern the land personally come to her office? Whatever she had to discuss must have something of great important to warrant such a thing. Perhaps she had made an error in one of the documents she checked or maybe there was some important event coming that would require her attention?
An air of professionality, befitting one of her status, radiated around her. “Afternoon Ganyu, I hope you’re doing well.”
She hastily stood up from her seat. “Lady Ningguang? I was not expec-“
In her attempts to greet her, she inadvertently knocked one of the stacks of papers she had piled on her table, scattering them into a messy pile on the floor. Appalled by her mistake, she quickly scrambled to pick the papers back in a frantic attempt to put them back in order. “P-please forgive me for my clumsiness Lady Ningguang! I didn’t mean to-“
“Calm down Ganyu, I’m not here on any important business.”
She stopped in her tracks. “Wait, you aren’t?”
“Yes, I just came to see how you were doing but before that, help me collect these papers.”
“Oh, right! Of course.”
With the help of Ningguang, they cleaned up the scattered papers within minutes, neatly placing them onto the table.
“Thank you, but if you aren’t here on official business then what brings you to my office?”
“Like I said, I just came up to check up on you.”
Check up on her? She didn’t think Ningguang would spend time out of her busy schedule to see how she was doing. Then again, the performance of her colleagues would directly impact her ability to act as the Tianquan and her business, so it made sense to occasionally check up on their health from that perspective.
“I guess I do feel a bit tired but apart from that I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve heard from my colleagues that you have been working for noticeably longer periods. Well, more so than you already do anyway. So, I was wondering why you’re pushing yourself so much”
“Why wouldn’t I? Since the Adepti has entrusted Liyue’s longevity to us that, I just thought I’d put in the work. After all, it’s only going to get busier from here on out and everyone else is doing their best as well so it’s only natural that I do the same-”
“Ganyu, while your devotion to your work is admirable, you’re only going to hurt yourself if you keep going like this. No matter how efficient you might be, if you don’t take proper care of yourself then you’ll only setting yourself up for trouble when it inevitably catches up to you. “
“I know but with all this work, how could I possibly take a break now?”
The idea of a “break” was a foreign one. Not that she doesn’t know what a break meant obviously but more so that the thought of taking one never crossed her mind. She had her own duty to uphold just as everyone else did and forgoing that duty even for a minute was something that could not be tolerated.
“I had a feeling you’d say that so let me make this as clear. As the Tianquan, I order you to take a long-deserved break at least for today. I’ll have the appropriate people to handle whatever work you have left for today so rest assured that your absence won’t cause any trouble. As a matter of fact, the proper arrangements have already been made.”
“W-wait what? But this is so sudden, what would I even do?”
Ningguang turned around, walking towards the doors without looking back. “The whole of Liyue Harbour is open to you. I’m sure you’ll find something.”
“B-but-“
She opened the doors, turning back one final time. “I’ll be taking my leave now. I hope you’ll take what I said to heart and take some time for yourself. You deserve it.”
With that, she closed the doors leaving Ganyu alone in her office.
A sigh escaped from her lips, realising the futility of the situation she found herself in. Once Ningguang had set her mind to something, she would do everything she could to achieve it. Nothing short of a thesis with structured arguments backed with sufficient evidence and research would get her to step down. Not that Ganyu had any room to provide a counterpoint herself as even she knew that she was right. She had been working increasingly longer shifts lately with barely any time for herself.
She returned to her desk and began pondering what she could do during her newfound free time. “She said I could do anything in Liyue Harbour but what would I even want to do?”
She considered taking a walk through the streets though that presented a couple problems. For one, Ganyu was never much of a social person. She always had this nagging feeling that she never belonged in the streets of Liyue due to her split heritage as half-human, half-qilin. Conversely, she felt the same when she stayed at the peaks of her Adeptal home. No matter how many years she spent walking the streets of Liyue or the lofty yet serene peaks of her mountainous home, she felt a strange disconnect from both. Not to say that she hated them, nothing could be farther from the truth. She loved both regardless but her very nature created a weird conflict within her, making it hard to decide which she can truly call home. Perhaps it was a part of the reason she buried herself in her work the way she did, providing a very convenient way to keep her minds off things. The other problem was that should she be entranced by the smell of the Wanmin Restaurant during her walk, she’d likely wouldn’t be able to control herself which was a notion that she would like to avoid at all costs.
Ganyu twirled her ponytail in her fingers. “What could I possibly-“
It was at that moment that she remembered something. She opened one of the drawers to her desk and took out a small charm. It was given to her by Aether before he and Paimon left for Inazuma. According to him, it worked as a gateway of sorts that allows those who carried it to visit his Serenitea Pot. He said that, should she need a place to rest or just wanted to visit, she could come anytime though there wasn’t any guarantee he’d be there when she did. All she needed to do was to say a simple chant and she’d be teleported there in an instant. Though, Ganyu felt a bit dubious about suddenly visiting, what was effectively, his domain. Sure, Aether had given her explicit permission both in word and in the form of this charm, but she was still afraid of coming of as a freeloader that leached from his kindness.
She started intently at the charm, gently stroking it with her fingers. “It has been a while since I last saw him.”
Back when Aether was leaving for Inazuma, Ganyu felt an inextricable sense of sadness. At first, she didn’t think much of it. He had his own goals and she had her own so naturally they would eventually see each other off. However, she found herself thinking about him, wondering if he and Paimon were doing okay for days, even weeks after his departure which struck her as odd.
Having lived for centuries, she was no stranger to her goodbyes. There had been many a times where she would often have to say her goodbyes to friends, often…permanently. She could remember every single one in perfect detail no matter how much time had passed due to her Qilin lineage. They were tragic moments in her life without question, but she knew that this was inevitable and gradually grew to accept it as just a part of her natural life. Besides, it wasn’t as if they’d never see each other again. They’d probably be back to visit during the next Lantern Rite or perhaps on other business, but they’d be back for sure. Yet, her parting with Aether felt particularly potent for reasons she doesn’t quite understand even now.
She accompanied Aether and Paimon all throughout their adventures across Liyue at the behest at Ningguang who suggested someone act as their guide to help them navigate the vast mountains. While she was hesitant at first, she eventually agreed to accompany them. She remembered that they, particularly Aether, seemed very happy about that fact. Since then, their adventurers have been quite eventful. Exposing a conspiracy by the Fatui to release a God sealed deep within the ocean and then going on to fight said God on top of the Jade Chamber with the help of the Adepti was definitely not on the list of things she expected to do while travelling. She didn’t regret accompanying them though. She had fun showing Aether and Paimon around her homeland. The way his eyes would brighten with excitement whenever she showed him a new sight was adorable.
During their time together, they got closer and learned more about each other. She was surprised to hear that he too felt like an outsider in Teyvat even though most of the people he’s encountered so far welcomed him with open arms, how far he has travelled away from his original home and how he learned that his sister was the new Queen of the Abyss Order. Despite his astonishing achievements, he had his fair share of troubles that she could empathise with and realised that the gap between them wasn’t nearly as big as she once thought it was. Aether himself, helped ease some of the worries she had about her heritage and though some of her doubts still lingered, she was eternally grateful for his help. She remembered how Aether scaled the mountains she was on when she abruptly said she would leave the party. He had somehow managed to find her and by the time he reached the top, he was gasping for air while still calling her name. Thankfully, with a bit of rest he was fine but she was still worried. When she asked why he’d go so far to help her, his only reply was…
“Cause you’re my friend obviously. I care about you.”
She held that moment close to her heart.
Ganyu stood up from her chair, charm still in the palm of her hand. “Alright, It’s just a friendly visit, nothing more nothing less.”
Having convinced herself of her intentions, she walked to the centre of the room. “Now if I recall…”
She raised the charm up onto her chest, closing her eyes and hushed a quiet chant.
Within seconds, rays of light surrounded her, eventually covering her whole body before whisking her away.
After but a mere moment, she felt a soft, cool breeze brush against her hair and skin and the sounds of what appeared to be a waterfall. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with a surprising view.
She appeared to be on top of a series of mountains connected by wooden bridges. Each mountain was taller than the last. So high in fact, that it was impossible to see the ground as fog obscured the view below as far as the eye could see. Turning around, she saw a waterfall pouring down feeding into a small river which continued to flow down the mountain.
She walked closer to the edge and saw that each mountain had distinct architecture and buildings. One mountain had carts, stalls and shops that closely resembled the bustling streets of Liyue though there wasn’t anyone to man the stalls. The other closely resembled a hunting village. There were quaint houses and, in the centre, a windmill. There were also several crops growing of sweet flowers, horsetails and other native Liyue plant. On the highest mountain of all was a sizeable mansion one befitting of any royalty and what seems to be a winery.
“Incredible….”
It was truly a sight to behold. She couldn’t help but stand and take it all in. She was so immersed in the environment that she had failed to notice the sounds of footsteps sneaking behind her.
“Beautiful view, isn’t it?”
“Huh?”
She quickly turned around, but her footing slipped causing her to fall on her back. “O-ouch”
“See, Paimon told you it was a bad idea. You scared her senseless”,
“Sorry, sorry but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Didn’t mean to hurt you. Here, let me help.”
An extended hand came into view. Looking up, she was greeted by the presence of a young blonde boy and a curious flying child. Two things that she immediately recognised.
“Aether? Paimon?”
He smiled. “The one and only.”
Paimon waved. “Hi Ganyu, it’s been awhile!”
It was at this point that she realised she never thought about what she would say if she actually saw Aether. If anything, she had expected them to be off in their adventures, so she was somewhat ill-prepared for this eventuality and just stared at him dumbfounded.
Aether looked at her, concerned. “Uh, Ganyu? You feeling alright? I didn’t hurt you too bad, did I?”
She quickly collected herself. “Oh uh, sorry yes. I’m fine”, she accepted Aether’s hand and pulled herself back on her feet again. “But how did you know I was here?”
“Tubby told me. She’s like the keeper of this realm and the person who maintains the domain. She keeps track of everything that happens here including anybody who enters and leaves.”
Paimon pointed at the mansion that stood at the tallest mountain. “She usually hangs out at the mansion over there. She’s this cute little bird that floats around in a teapot. We talk to her quite a bit whenever we come here. She’s really nice.”
Aether continued. “Anyway, what brings you here?”
“Ningguang requested me to spend some time off. I didn’t have any idea on how I could spend it so I thought I would pay you a visit. I’m not…interrupting anything am I?”
Aether waved his hands frantically “Absolutely not! I’m happy you came to visit. Been a long time since we saw each other.”
She sighed a breath of relief. “Yes, it has been a long time hasn’t it.”
“Before we catch up, why don’t we head on inside. I’m sure you’re curious as to what the interior looks like. “
“Thank you, I would love to, Aether.”
…
The inside of Aether’s mansion was intricately decorated with paintings, swords, and flags hanging on the walls. The floor was a checkboard style and the living room, where they had decided to have their conversation, had a nice homey feel to it. The room was neatly decorated with a fireplace providing a nice warmth to it.
“I hope everything is to your liking. I tried to give it that warm, homey sort of feeling,”
“It’s beautiful Aether. I still can’t believe that you did everything here.”
“Well not exactly. Tubby handled the crafting. I just gave her the materials she needed and arranged everything else.”
“Still, I can tell that you put a lot of effort into designing this place.”
“I’m not sure if it can measure up to the Jade Chamber but I’m happy that you like it. Truth be told, it took some time to get used to living like this. When you’ve been living on the road for as long as I have, the idea of having a place to stay becomes a foreign concept, much less a place as lavish as this.”
“True, even Paimon wasn’t quite sure how to feel at first but after a while, having a safe haven where we could retreat to was really handy, Anyway, how have you been?”
“Oh well since you left for Inazuma, I’ve been busy working. After the Adepti handed over complete control over Liyue to the people, we’ve been really busy trying to keep everything in order.”
“So, the same as usual huh.”
“Yeah but what about you two. If I remember correctly, you were looking for the Raiden Shogun because you thought she would know something about Khaenri'ah and your sister. Did you find anything?”
Paimon puts her fingers together. “Ahaha, well not quite.”
“Yeah, we didn’t exactly get the answers we were looking for. If anything, we ended up with more questions than we did before and a headache to go with it.
Ganyu leaned closer from her seat. “What happened?”
“It’s a very, very, VERY long story. Honestly, I feel like I’m gonna pop a vein just thinking about it”
Their looks of exasperation worried her greatly. While she didn’t know too much about what was going on in Inazuma, she knew that the nation has been in a state of unrest for with the Vision Hunt Decree being enforced at the time. She even heard talk that there was a full-blown civil war between a resistance group and the Raiden Shogun herself. She could only imagine what kind of dangers they could have encountered in their travels.
“Paimon thinks so too. Even trying to get into Inazuma in the first place was a pain, not to mention all the rogue samurais, the civil war. You even nearly died at one point.”
Ganyu stood up abruptly from her seat. “You what?!”
Aether glared at Paimon. “I thought we agreed to keep that under wraps.”
“Uhhhh, whoops.”
Ganyu placed her hands on the table in front of them; eyes locked onto him. “What do you mean you nearly died?”
Aether’s face was rife with panic as his eyes shifted from one place to another. “O-ok well, you see…while I was in Inazuma, I got involved in, shall we say, a bit of a kerfuffle.”
“And?”
“Well, a friend I made while I was over there was about to get his Vision stolen by the Raiden Shogun so-“
She leaned even closer, their faces mere moments away. “You went against the Raiden Shogun?!”
“Uhhhh, yes?”
Ganyu retreated back into her seat, burying her face in her hands. She couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. She always pegged Aether as someone who’s had his head on his shoulders. During their brief travels together, he always took the proper measures before setting out ensuring that they had the right equipment and always approached battles with the utmost caution, no doubt coming from his life-long experience. The idea that he would even consider going toe-to-toe with one of the seven Archons didn’t even cross her mind. Sure, he had faced a God before like with Osial but that was with the combined help of Ningguang and the Adept. The fact that he was challenging an Archon of all things on his own was a new level of absurdity.
Aether meekly replied. “You okay, Ganyu?”
“Okay? Okay?! No, I am not okay. Here I am learning that a close friend nearly died because he had the bright idea of challenging one of the most powerful Archons in Teyvat. How can I be okay?”
Paimon at this point was hiding behind Aether’s back. “She’s really scary when she’s mad”
Aether scoffed. “Insightful as always, I see”.
“Well, as you can see, I’m still alive and kicking, my friend is safe and sound as too, so it all worked out at least right?”
“How can you treat this so casually? You nearly died!”
Sheer, unbridled fury welled within Ganyu. She could not understand why he treated this like its every Tuesday. It’s as if he doesn’t even understand nor value his own life.
“Do you have any idea what the others would think if they heard about your death? How do you think Beidou, Keqing or the rest would feel? What about me? What about your sister?”
“I…”
“It’s almost as if you don’t ca-”
Amidst her fury, she realised what she was doing and almost as quickly as it arrived, her anger faded, instead replaced by embarrassment and shame.
“I-I’m sorry, I’ve overstepped my boundaries. I don’t know what came over me.”
Aether’s face turned solemn. “No, no. It’s nothing you should be ashamed off. You’re right, I shouldn’t be trivialising something like this. I’m sorry.”
Paimon peeked from behind Aether'’s back. “We’re sorry for worrying you, Ganyu. We didn’t want to mention it because we didn’t want you to worry…”
“N-no, it’s fine, really it is,”
Ganyu berated herself for losing her temper. When she really thought about it, this probably wasn’t the first time Aether found himself in mortal peril. He is a traveller after all and danger was simply par for the course, no matter where he went. Not to mention, he was doing it to protect his friends, something that she herself would do without the slightest hesitation if it ever came to it.
Aether bowed his head. “It isn’t. You were just looking out for me as any good friend would. There really isn’t anything to be sorry about. I promise to be more careful from now on.”
“You will?”
Aether raised his head. “Of course, I always keep my promises.”
“Yep, Aether never misses out on his promises no matter what.”
“Oh and I appreciate you worrying about it. I’ve spent so much time travelling that I sometimes forget that I’m no longer alone like when I first came here. So really, thank you.”
Ganyu felt her cheeks flush. “O-oh umm, it’s no trouble at all.”
“Here let me make it up to you, why don’t I cook something up for you? I’ve picked up a bunch of new recipes while I was in Inazuma. Of course, I’ll use the vegetarian recipes just for you.”
“No, I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that”
“It’s no trouble, Ganyu. Besides, you’re on a break now, right? What better way to start than a nice homemade meal and dare I say that my cooking has gotten much better last time.” A
“Aether’s right. His cooking is really good, he probably could put all the fancy restaurants to shame. Every meal is a feast and Paimon always gets super hungry whenever he cooks something.”
She already knew that of course. She had eaten his cooking many a times while she travelled with him and knew how impeccable he was at it. That was precisely the problem. His cooking was too good. She was afraid that she’d lose control of her appetite much like her numerous visits to the Wanmin Restaurant. The implication that his cooking had somehow improved since last time was, frankly, frightening to her. However, looking at how determined he was about it; she did not have the heart to turn him down.
“Well, if you insist….”
Aether celebrated by doing a small fist bump. “Awesome, you won’t regret this. Now just make yourself comfortable while I go cook. Be back soon.”
Ganyu chuckled as she watched the two walked off to the kitchen. She wasn’t expecting for things to turn out this way, but maybe it wasn’t so bad that it did. She forgot how much of a pleasure it is to be around those two, between Aether’s kindness and Paimon’s quirky yet refreshingly simple and straightforward attitude. She thought that maybe she should thank Ningguang for forcing her to take a break after all as this wouldn’t have happened without her insistence.
As she sat there, feeling the warmth of the fireplace, she felt a stir within her heart or more accurately, her very being. A very familiar and warm feeling, one that she hadn’t felt for quite some time.
She finally felt at home.