Chapter Text
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
The hustling and bustling streets of Liyue looked a little different today as every merchant had turned away from their businesses to spend the day with their special someone. Aether and Paimon just returned from their trip to Inazuma and were surprised by the sight of lovers indulging in each other's affections. “What is happening today? Did everyone in Liyue stop caring about money? It looks like they’re all crazy for love!” Paimon exclaimed as she flew around from couple to couple.
“Traveller? What a surprise to see you here.” Ningguang rose after sending the children away. “I assume you are here to participate in the festivities.”
“What’s the occasion?” Aether and Paimon looked at each other.
“Today is Qixi.” Ningguang gently smiled at the two, “it’s the day where two lovers reunite and exchange gifts.”
“Too bad Aether doesn’t have anyone to celebrate Qixi with.” Paimon teased then quickly flew higher to dodge Aether’s sword. Before Aether could catch Paimon, Ningguang reached into her pouch and grabbed a yellow stone.
“In celebration of Qixi and also seeing you again, please accept this as a gift.”
“A Cor Lapis?” Aether received it with both hands and stared at the pureness of the stone.
“Throughout our adventure, I don’t think Paimon has ever seen a Cor Lapis as beautiful as this.” Mesmerized, Paimon drew closer to the stone resting on Aether’s hands. “Then does that mean we should give you something in return?”
After thinking for a while, Ningguang smiled at the two. “It is the tradition to exchange gifts, but I don’t really need anything.”
“But we should still give you something. Let me see… Oh I got it!” Aether looked through his bag and took out a freshly picked glaze lily. “I heard from one of your assistants that you love glaze lilies. It’s not much, but I hope you like it.” Aether presented the glaze lily to Ningguang. She gave a small laugh and gladly took the lily from his hands.
“Traveller, did anyone ever tell you the legend of the glaze lily?”
“No, I don't think so. But I know there used to be a field of them that had sadly all died away.”
“The legend says that there once was a god who had a human lover. The two of them would spend countless nights together among a field of glaze lilies, staring at the wonders of the night sky.” Ningguang looked down at the glaze lily in her hand. “The memories of the lovers remain in the fragrance of the lilies, and it became the symbol of Qixi. Every year, the lovers of Liyue would give each other a bouquet of glaze lilies, reuniting them and letting the memories of their love become the fragrance that illuminates the night.”
“Wow, I never knew glaze lilies held such significance for Liyue.” Paimon looked around at those around them. Among other gifts, the glaze lilies were present in everyone's hands and their light sweet fragrance filled the streets.
“But of course, those were the stories of old. No one really knows if the story of the god and her human lover are true. Maybe a certain consultant from the funeral parlor can tell you more since he has always carried himself like an old soul that has lived for a long time.”
“That’s right! Maybe we can ask Zhongli! He knows everything,” Paimon said proudly as if Zhongli was her personal consultant.
“I should get going as well. I promised to meet up with someone for a game of chess.” Ningguang bid farewell to the duo and made her way to the meeting spot.
“I wonder who Ningguang is meeting up with on Qixi?” Paimon asked Aether, and he shrugged his shoulders in reply. Ningguang did have a lot of admirers, like her assistants, but Aether didn’t recall anyone that Ningguang had specifically ever talked about. Ah, maybe it’s her?
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
Aether and Paimon started making their way to the funeral parlor, hoping to find Zhongli there. However, instead of Zhongli, Aether saw a girl with purple hair looking through her documents near the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. “Keqing!” Paimon called out to the girl as the two made their way towards her.
“Traveller, you’re back from Inazuma I see.”
“Ya, we just came back with Beidou and Kazuha. What are you doing, Keqing?”
“I am checking the preparations for today.”
“Preparations for?” Aether asked, looking at the thick pile of papers in her hands.
“Today is Qixi.”
“We know that,” Paimon tilted her head, “but what does that have to do with the funeral parlour?”
Before the three could continue the conversation, a voice called out from behind them.
“Keqing! I’ve checked everything and we are prepared. Oh! Paimon and the Traveller! You’re back so soon?”
“Hu Tao!” Paimon called out and the two waved to the young director of the funeral parlour. “I never knew the Qixing and the funeral parlour would work together like this on Qixi.”
Hu Tao joined the trio and explained, “Usually our collaborations are focused on other business, but every year on this day, some people tend to do very questionable things and we just need to take the necessary precautions.” Hu Tao gave them a smile that sent chills down Paimon’s spine.
“Um, I won’t ask you any more questions about it.” Paimon and Aether nodded in unison at the decision. “On a separate note, Ningguang told us that you spend Qixi with someone you love. Is there someone you guys would like to spend the day with? Like a special someone?” Paimon smirked and looked at the girls.
“Ahem, what kind of question is that? I cannot think like everyone else. I have to fulfill my duties and keep everyone safe today.” Keqing cleared her throat to avoid the question. “Even if I want to spend it with him, he is not here anymore,” Keqing whispered under her breath.
“Hmm?” Paimon flew closer to her to listen, but before she could hear Keqing’s whispers, she diverted Paimon’s attention to Hu Tao. “How about you miss Hu Tao? Anyone you would spend the day with?”
“Hmmm someone I love,” Hu Tao took a moment then said, “I can’t be with them, at least not in this world.”
“Huh? What does that mean? Paimon doesn’t get it?” Confused by her words, Paimon looked at Aether and Keqing for help.
“The person I loved the most is not in this world anymore. I will visit them again after Qixi passes.” Hu Tao gave them a smile, but behind it, Aether felt a familiar sense of loneliness that he himself had experienced for a long time.
“What about you, Traveller? Is there anyone you would like to spend the day with?” Keqing asked Aether. He looked up at the distant sky and muttered her name.
“Aether…” Paimon looked at him, concerned. “It’s okay, Aether, you still have Paimon, the best companion in this world!” Aether and Paimon smiled at each other.
“By the way, didn’t you come back with Captain Beidou? Where did she go?” Keqing asked them.
“Beidou said she had to visit someone and went off as soon as we arrived.”
“Maybe she had someone who she wanted to be reunited with. I wonder who it could be?” Paimon asked, and the group each wondered about the answer. But before either of them could think of a definite answer, a voice interrupted their thoughts.
“I see you have returned, Traveller.” The group turned and a tall man with long brown hair walked towards them.
“Zhongli!” Paimon called out to the man as he walked closer. “We were looking for you!”
“Oh? Is there something I can help you with?” the consultant asked as he joined the group.
“We met Ningguang when we arrived just now. She told us about the legend of the glaze lily. She mentioned the story of a god and her human lover and we were wondering if you know anything else about it?”
“A god and her human lover? Is that even possible?” Keqing asked curiously.
“I thought gifting the glaze lily was just a custom our ancestors had done since forever. I never knew there was such an origin,” Hu Tao said in surprise and looked at Zhongli for a reply. “Is the story true, wise consultant? Was there a god that had a human lover?”
Zhongli smiled and nodded slightly in agreement. “The legend the Tianquan told the Traveller is true and not many know about the story anymore.”
“Do you know anything more?” Paimon eagerly asked Zhongli and hoped that he would fill her curiosity about the legend.
“I think it would be best if I told the story somewhere else. Would you care to join me for a short walk?” Zhongli invited the duo and, after leaving Hu Tao and Keqing to finish up their work, the group started walking toward the gates of Liyue Harbour.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
During their walk, Aether and Paimon shared with Zhongli about their adventure in Inazuma and their encounter with the Electro Archon. “Beelzebul indeed is a strong archon and had secluded herself from her people for far too long. Yet, her decision is understandable since she too had to lose too much.”
“But there are people who still care about her and I think she is slowly connecting with her people.”
“Perhaps that’s true. She is still young and will have lots to learn.”
“Cooking is definitely not one of them though.” Paimon remembered the questionable outcome of the archon’s cooking.
Zhongli laughed at the thought as well. “The director also makes a lot of interesting looking dishes as well, so it is understandable that some are just not suited for the culinary arts.” By the time Paimon and Aether realized where they were, Zhongli stopped his steps. “We’re here.” Aether looked upon the empty field of grass in front of them.
“Where are we?”
“I think we are near Qingce Village, right Zhongli?” Aether asked the man who was staring at the field, deep in thought.
“Traveller, do you know what love is?” The old archon asked the young man. “I once had someone whom I ‘loved,’ yet she never looked at me truly. Her eyes were always gazing upon the field of glaze lilies.” The two walked onto the grassy field. “The lilies she adored used to bloom abundantly here. But when she faded away, the lilies followed her.” He looked down at the ground and paid a moment of silence to the forgotten goddess.
“Is this about the god from the legend of the glaze lily? Who was she?” Aether asked the old archon.
“She was one of my closest companions. You might have heard about her from your travels. The goddess of dust, Guizhong.”
“What was she like? The goddess of dust.” Aether asked Zhongli.
“She was…a very close friend that taught me many things that I did not know before I met her. Things about humans. Their emotions, their thoughts, and her life with them…with him.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖