Draconic Impact C31

Edited by: Priapus

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Crossing the wooden bridge leading to the city’s front gate, I take in my surroundings and note how much more impressive Liyue is compared to Mondstadt in size and extravagance. From the region and reach to its central city— it practically surpasses Mondstadt in every metric that matters.

…For now, at least. I'm sure that'll change very soon with what I’ve given Lisa before I left.

This isn’t the first time I’ve come to Liyue Harbor, but back then, I hadn’t really taken the time to enjoy the city for what it was. After all, I was too busy taking care of Klee. But now, things are different. I’ll be sure to have as much fun as I can while I’m here. Until I get bored, that is. By then, I’ll have moved on to the next region.

We’ll see where the winds take me. Who knows, maybe I will like it here so much that I stay for a year or so. I’ve barely spent more than a month or two in Mondstadt, but with how much bigger Liyue is, I imagine there will be many more opportunities to enjoy myself.

Like, say, see what Lumine and her pet fairy are up to. I’ve not seen them in a while, and I’m interested to see what kind of trouble they’ve put themselves into. Call it a hunch, but Lumine feels like the kind of person who gets herself involved in many problems willingly or not.

And I like those kinds of people. They’re always the most fun to be around because you can never expect how and why they get in trouble. If I’m wrong and it turns out she’s doing well for herself, then oh well. She’s still an adorable girl, and that’s enough for me. What can I say? I’m a simple man.

“Liyue is so different from what I’m used to…” Eula murmurs out loud. “Its city is so much bigger than Mondstadt’s.”

As I previously noted, this city is not only larger but also more extravagant than Mondstadt—and I mean it. The central part of the city could easily fit three to four Mondstadts within its expansive boundaries. This vastness is complemented by the impressive architecture, which showcases a level of craftsmanship and design superior to that of Mondstadt.

Additionally, I can tell even from here that the buildings inside the city are consistently well-maintained, reflecting its commitment to preserving its aesthetic appeal. I’m impressed, really. This is the kind of place I’d even take my hard-to-impress mother out to on Mother’s Day.

This is not to say that Mondstadt is a terrible place, but it truly doesn’t compare.

“Is that good or bad?” I ask my partner as we make our way to the front gate, leading the horses pulling the cart.

Eula’s idea, and admittedly a good one. It’s true that with our strength we don’t need a packhorse to pull our products, but a single man doing so would raise a lot of eyebrows, and I don’t feel like getting interrogated here as well.

So we stopped by the closest stable and got what we needed. Where did I get the money for two horses?

I didn’t. I simply asked the nice man to spare us a horse or two when Eula wasn’t looking.

“Good, obviously,” Eula says as she glances at me. “I think I’d like to explore the city once we’re inside. Are you okay with that?”

“Why would you need to ask?” I raise a brow.

Eula shuffles awkwardly.

“I just thought maybe you’d need me to help you out.” She responds, gesturing at the alcohol. “I’d feel bad if I left without a word…”

“Aw, how precious.” I chuckle, prompting her to scoff as her face goes a little red. “It’s alright. You can go enjoy yourself. We can catch up later tonight at one of the taverns.”

Before Eula can respond, one of the guards stationed in front of the gate stops us.

“Halt, travelers.” He says firmly. “If you wish to enter Liyue, I need your names and grounds for entering.”

“Crimson and Eula,” I answer. “I’m a merchant— an employee of Nine Lives of Mondstadt, a new alcohol company. And she is merely my bodyguard.”

“Eula?” The guard blinks in recognition before frowning thoughtfully. “Actually, you do look familiar. Are you a Knight of Favonius by any chance?”

“Formerly.” She answers. 

“Ah, I understand. I imagine the adventurer life is much more exciting.” He nods. “Well, everything here appears to be in order. Welcome to Liyue, Mr. Crimson and Ms. Eula.”

“Thank you,” I say politely.

“Though, before you get inside, there are dangerous fugitives hiding in the city. They’re suspected of killing Rex Lapis,” The guard says, making me blink. “If you see a blond woman in an exotic dress and a fat fairy thing, please report to the Millelith immediately.”

Eula’s eyes widen in shock at what she’s heard. Of course, like me, she recognizes who the guard is talking about— a blond woman in exotic clothes and a fat fairy? It’s obvious. But that’s not the shocking part. No, it’s the fact that the Archon of Liyue is apparently dead.

As for me? I outwardly act shocked, but in reality, I’m barely able to contain my laughter. I knew it. I knew she was getting herself in some trouble, but to think she’d be accused of killing their god? This is what I mean when I say her kind is so much fun. Always involving themselves in the silliest of conspiracies.

“Rex Lapis is dead?” Eula parrots in shock.

“Indeed. It happened just a week ago, during the Rite of Descention.” He answers with a scowl before he shakes his head. “Regardless, if you see the suspects, inform us immediately, and we’ll take care of it. The Millelith will keep you two safe.”

“Noted.” I nod, leading the horses inside. “Thank you for the assurance.”

As he nods back, we enter the city, and once we’re out of earshot, Eula leans closer and speaks in a hushed tone.

“The suspects he was talking about— He meant Lumine and Paimon.” She says.

“I’m aware.”

“But how could that be?” She asks. “Killing Rex Lapis? They’d never do such a thing, right?”

“I imagine not. Something is most definitely amiss.” I say. Unless this Rex Lapis is only half as strong as Venti, then they shouldn’t be able to. “Most likely, someone pinned the blame on them one way or another.”

“That’s what I’m thinking, too. I can’t think of a reason why Lumine would do that.” Eula frowns before nodding to herself after a moment of thought. “Alright. I’ve decided.”

“Oh?”

“You’re still intending to sell Diona’s products, yes?” She asks. At my nod, she continues. “Then I’ll investigate. I’ll look around for Lumine and get her side of the story.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?” I raise a brow. “You don’t know if she’s still in the city. She might’ve already left.”

“Lumine wouldn’t let her reputation be tarnished like this. Even if she’s not in the city right now, she’ll be back to clear her name once she’s gathered enough evidence.” Eula replies. “In the meantime, I’ll do my part and see what I can find to help her out.”

How very nice of her. Though, a part of me thinks she might be a little too excited.

“Can I rely on you to keep an eye out?” She asks.

“Naturally.” I wink. “I’ll do anything for you, babe.”

And because I, too, find this exciting. Finally, something new. A real adventure.

“Don’t make this weird.” She scoffs, giving me an expression that’s in between a scowl and a smile. Whatever it is, it makes her look very adorable. “Whatever. I’m going now. We’ll meet at that tavern after the sun sets.”

She points at the closest one near the front gate before walking away to play detective. She’s so cute.

Now, to set up shop and start the first step of world domination through the overwhelming power of alcohol and a cat girl’s appeal…

…I should get someone else to do this for me soon. I’m already bored, and I haven’t even started yet.

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– Keqing –

The past week had been a disaster for her and the rest of the Liyue Qixing. With Rex Lapis’ unexpected passing, unrest had gradually been on the rise, and while they’d been handling things relatively well so far, if they didn’t catch the culprit soon, that might not be the case for long.

Of all times to assassinate the Geo Archon, whoever it was decided to do it during the Rite of Descenation and right in front of thousands of civilians. It wasn’t something they could’ve hidden from the public. Was this their goal? For what reason?

Could this have been an inside job? Rex Lapis wasn’t without enemies. With some of the laws he’d recently passed, someone powerful was bound to get furious enough to commit treason and do something insane. Accomplishing such a thing so flawlessly made whoever it was a serious threat.

No, no Liyue politician would be stupid enough to try to assassinate the Geo Archon. As they were seeing right now, the political ramifications had been nothing but disastrous. No one would want to deal with something like this. 

But other than that this being an inside job, the only group Keqing could suspect was the Abyss Order. However, they didn’t have a lot of presence as far as she was aware, and as Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, she knew a lot about her region.

Could they have been hiding somewhere nearby? Perhaps in the chasm? That was the only place she didn’t regularly visit due to how dangerous it was. Or its depths, at least. Other than that, Keqing knew the region like the back of her hand. Where else could they have hidden?

This truly was a disaster, and it was all because they had been too reliant on the gods to do anything. Indeed, Keqing had known that someday, something like this would happen, and Rex Lapis would abandon them one way or another.

She’d known they couldn’t rely on the Geo Archon anymore. She’d known that mortals had to start taking care of their own problems and was never afraid to voice her feelings. Each and every time, despite her position as one of the leaders of Liyue, all she’d hear were murmurs of animosity and mockery for daring to stand against this idiotic status quo.

What, were they so helpless that they couldn’t function without the gods? Were they truly that worthless? What nonsense. While she couldn’t deny the protection and prosperity brought by Rex Lapis throughout Liyue’s history, Keqing thought that they should be proud of what they had built by themselves.

In fact, Keqing would’ve broken her Vision or thrown it away had she been able to. She didn’t need or want validation from the gods. The age of the Geo Archon had to end. They didn’t need the help of Rex Lapis anymore. They could stand on their own.

And look who’s laughing now. She thought to herself as she walked through the streets of Liyue on her personal investigation of the culprits. Running around like headless chickens. Fools. The lot of them.

Her priority right now was to find the person responsible, punish them once she had evidence of their involvement, and figure out what to do next with the rest of the Qixing. What a mess. And she’d been looking forward to debating Rex Lapis again this year before he went off and died.

A woman in exotic clothes and a tiny fairy-like girl… what an odd duo. She distinctly remembered two with that description apparently defeating the so-called Stormterror that’d been terrorizing Mondstadt recently, but she wasn’t sure. She’d need to read that report again to refresh her memories.

Though, if that’s the case, then what were they doing here? Why did they allegedly assassinate Rex Lapis? Liyue had a good relationship with Mondstadt. Were they even affiliated with Mondstadt?

Something smelled fishy about this. Why was the Millelith so quick to pin the blame on her? Keqing had been told that they had been the closest to Rex Lapis’ corpse when they found her, so she understood why they’d suspect that woman.

But if she wasn’t the culprit, then why would she run away? If she had nothing to hide, then she could quickly clear her name and be back on the streets. All she did was make everyone more suspicious.

No matter. Keqing would get to the bottom of this sooner or later.

“You there, pretty lady in purple!”

Through the busy streets and dozens of stalls spread across the wide streets of the city, Keqing stopped as she heard someone calling for her. As she turned to look at who it was, she paused— a tall man with messy black hair and red eyes, perhaps in his early twenties from what she could tell of his facial structure and pale complexion.

But that’s not what mattered. The man, as handsome as he may be, wasn’t someone she’d seen before. Clearly, he was not from Liyue if his clothes were anything to go by: a black, unbuttoned dress shirt and pure white pants—a traveling merchant selling liquor.

“Yes, you!” He said as she met his gaze. “Can I interest you in a nice glass of wine during this crisp evening? I assure you, nothing in heaven or earth can match my peerless products.”

Keqing frowned and approached the man, feeling suspicious of him. She examined his ‘peerless’ closely product before speaking.

“Nine Lives?” She said after reading the label, crossing her arms. “I’ve never heard of this company before.”

“Owned by the unrivaled Mixologist Diona and coming to you from Mondstadt.” He said with a bow. “I can assure you even a single sip would make your entire week.”

Keqing hummed.

“…Do you have a permit setting shop here?” She asked, tapping his stall.

“And who is asking?” 

He doesn’t know who I am? Keqing thought, a little confused. 

Though, she wasn’t offended. If anything, this made her become a little less suspicious of him. Questionable individuals would know who she is. And although he could be acting, Keqing had a feeling he was genuine.

“Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing.” She answered, making his eyebrows shoot up.

“Truly? My, I apologize.” He bowed again. “I’ve only made it to Liyue today. I wasn’t aware who I was talking to.”

“That is quite fine. It’s within your right to ask.” Keqing nodded. “So?”

“Naturally.” He nodded, taking a piece of paper out of his pocket. “Here.”

She took it and read it over. Once she made sure that there was no funny business, she returned it to him and nodded.

“Everything seems to be in order.” She said before turning her heel. “Enjoy your stay in Liyue, traveler.”

“Ah, before you leave, would you like a drink?” He asked. “I saw you eying the wine earlier.”

“No thanks. I’m busy right now.” She shook her head. “Perhaps I’ll consider it later.”

“A small sample wouldn’t hurt now, would it?” He argued. “I’m sure someone of your status wouldn’t let a little alcohol in their system get in the way of their work.”

Keqing paused and thought it over for a moment. She wasn’t really a fan of alcohol, but she’d heard rumors of that Mondstadt mixologist. They say her drinks were to die for, and if she was confident enough to build her own company despite Diluc Ragnvindr’s Dawn Winery being in that same province, then there could be some merit to those rumors.

And it was getting a little late anyway. The sun had already set, so she’d have to stop her investigation for the day soon…

“Very well.” She said. “I suppose a sip wouldn’t hurt.”

“Fantastic.” He smiled at her politely. “What would you like to try first?”

“The wine.”

“Great choice.” He said, pouring her a small cup. “Enjoy.”

He handed her the cup, and Keqing took a whiff of it. She did not notice anything different from what she was used to and wondered if she was being scammed. However, those thoughts went out the window the moment she had a taste, and her eyes widened in surprise.

She wasn’t a fan of liquor. If anything, she avoided drinking most of the time, but this? This might be worth the money. It was better than anything she had here, and she’d tried the cream of the crop. It blew everything out of the water.

“…This is very good.” She admitted. “Consider me highly impressed. You do good work.”

“I didn’t do anything. I’m only a humble vendor.” He shook his head. “All of this is my lady’s work. Her touch is divine.”

“I see…” Keqing muttered as she drank the rest of the wine.

She took a moment to think; this could be a good investment. Again, she wasn’t a fan of alcohol; she knew someone who was. And while she wasn’t a fan of the Tianquan either, she knew that they had to work together as Qixing for Liyue’s sake.

She wasn’t an idiot. Burning bridges while in her position wouldn’t help her or Liyue, and Ninguangg was a very powerful woman. Giving her gifts every once in a while would be to everyone’s benefit. Keeping a cordial relationship would be, anyway.

“Hmm…” She thought for a few more seconds before deciding. “How much for a bottle?”

“Oh, I could never let a stunning lady like you pay for her first drink.” He winked as he grabbed a bottle from under the stall, putting it in front of her. “It’s on the house.”

“Oh.” She blinked, a little surprised. “Are you sure?”

“Very.” He insisted. “I’m satisfied enough that you found my products worthy enough to consider a purchase.”

She knew that this was ultimately a business tactic, befriending someone of her status that was, but Keqing had to admit, she did appreciate his kindness, intentions notwithstanding.

“Well…” Keqing paused for a moment and took the bottle, giving the vendor a smile and offering him a handshake. “I shall accept your kind offer. May I have your name, traveler? Mine is Keqing.”

“Crimson.” He said. “My pleasure.”

But before she could firmly shake his hand, he acted first and kissed the back of hers, surprising her.

“L-likewise.” She responded with a little stammer before clearing her throat as he let go of her hand. Keqing quickly recovered. “Good luck with your business, Mr. Crimson. Until we meet again.”

The vendor respectfully bowed once again as she walked away. Keqing glanced at the bottle of wine in her hand with a thoughtful expression. She couldn’t remember the last time she had bought alcohol like this.

Keqing then looked back at Crimson, who was promoting his products to potential customers.

What a nice gentleman.

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– Eula –

She wasn’t used to this. Not one bit. But at the same time, Eula didn’t hate this feeling.

That feeling was walking down the streets of an unfamiliar city without duty at the forefront of her mind. She was so preoccupied with exploring new sights, enjoying the different air, and seeing the unique culture of the wealthiest province in Teyvat that she’d almost forgotten she wanted to look for Lumine.

Yes, the Traveler who had been instrumental in defeating Stormterror. Eula owed her quite a lot. She was one of the few who the former knight would admit to liking. The floating fairy may be a little annoying sometimes, but Lumine was very pleasant.

So hearing she was suspected of murdering the Geo Archon of Order came as a shock. Lumine? Her, of all people? Not possible. She wasn’t like that. How would that even help her in finding her brother? Making an enemy out of Liyue wasn’t a smart idea, and Lumine wasn’t exactly stupid.

Crimson was right. Someone must’ve pinned the blame on her, but then again, who was responsible for this? To kill a god was… well, insane to think about. The only person who Eula believed could be strong enough to do so was Crimson, who would sometimes proclaim to be divine as well.

And as far as she was concerned, Eula had surpassed him. What, was she strong enough to kill gods now? Admittedly, she still felt that something was off about this. That Crimson was hiding something from her. She didn’t know what, but she just couldn’t get that idea out of her head.

But that’s not important right now. She needed to focus on her current goal.

She narrowed her eyes as she thought to herself in silence, walking through the streets after getting nowhere with her search. Lumine was good at hiding. Just where the hell was she? Had she left the city?

Well, it had been a week since the Rite of Descension, so that was a big possibility. However, Eula had no idea how Lumine hoped to clear her name like that. She still lacked a lot of information, and so far, she hadn’t learned anything useful.

Well, nothing but the fact that the Fatui were here, which may or may not have made her tense. What were they doing here? True, it wasn’t exactly her business to concern herself with what they were doing in Liyue, but in Mondstadt, they’d been hostile entities to be wiped out or apprehended. And for good reason.

Whatever they were scheming, it was probably not good. Eula had half a mind to warn the Tianquan about them. 

Though, that probably wasn’t a good idea. Even if she were to tell her what they did in Mondstadt, she didn’t exactly have proof to support her argument, former Knight of Favonius or not. So, her best bet would be to catch them in the act.

Could it have been them that killed Rex Lapis? She thought to herself. I don’t know why they’d do such a thing, though…

From what she could remember, Eula once overheard Jean say something about them looking for Gnosis. She didn’t know what that was exactly, but from what she could understand, it was some kind of artifact that each Archon had. Perhaps that was it?

Assuming she got it right, then it would make a lot of sense. She hadn’t been there when it happened, but she got a report that a Harbinger of the Fatui attacked Mondstadt. Of that, she was sure. For a Harbinger to do such a thing meant that whatever they wanted was very important and/or powerful.

…Meaning a Harbinger could be here as well. That was a dangerous thought.

Eula shook her head. No, she was being distracted. Her goal right now was to find Lumine and Paimon and have them explain what happened. If they were accused of murdering Rex Lapis, then they must’ve been somewhere near him during the Rite of Descension. So they might know what actually happened. Hopefully. 

If it turned out that they did murder the Archon of Order, Eula wouldn’t know how to react.

As she continued her search, still deep in thought, Eula accidentally bumped into someone.

“Ah, my bad!” The man said sheepishly.

“No, I wasn’t paying attention either,” Eula responded. “My apologies.”

She paused to consider his appearance. He wore an unusual outfit that deviated from traditional Liyue attire. He had ginger hair, blue eyes, and a peculiar red mask on the side of his head. For a moment, Eula thought she recognized him.

She knew she’d never seen him before, but she could’ve sworn she’d heard of someone with this description.

As the man went about his way, Eula knew she couldn’t let him leave, so she quickly and firmly grabbed him by the arm and forced him to look at her.

“Oh!” He blinked in surprise. “Is everything alright, miss?”

Once again, Eula took in his appearance, and this time, she noticed his Hydro Vision. And then it dawned on her. What a coincidence. And here she thought they liked to work from the shadows. Of all places to stumble upon them…

“No, it’s nothing.” She shook her head, letting him go. “I just thought you looked like someone I knew. I’m terribly sorry.”

“Ah, I see. That’s quite alright.” The Harbinger waved it off with a smile. “Gave me a little scare, though, I won’t lie.”

Eula said nothing and watched him walk away as he waved at her. She’d heard of him— the Eleventh Harbinger of the Fatui codenamed ‘Childe’. He was their youngest member, if she recalled. This could be bad…

If a Harbinger was here, then they were most definitely not here for pleasantries. They were scheming something big. Even worse, they could be the ones responsible for Rex Lapis’ death.

Perhaps I should meet up with Crimson. She thought, looking at the night sky. It’s getting late anyway. 

Lumine would have to wait, but Eula trusted her. The Traveler was incredibly tough and could easily handle herself.

For now, Eula needed to share what she learned with Crimson.

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– Crimson –

To think I’d get so lucky on my first day here.

When I arrived in Liyue, I thought making waves in the market would take me a while. After all, the hardest part is convincing the first few people to taste your product and make a purchase or two.

Of course, I knew that once I got a few hooked on my products, word would spread like wildfire. Overall, I expected it would take me perhaps a week or so. After all, a little stall like mine isn’t as quite attractive as the big and fancy shops in a city like this. Naturally, I’d be ignored in favor of what’s better looking.

I knew it was my lucky day when I saw that lady walking down the street. Why? Because she had a Vision, and so far, every Vision wielder I met has been in some way influential in the city they were born in. Most of the accomplished knights in Mondstadt had Visions, for example.

So, with this lady having a lightning element Vision, I knew I couldn’t let her go without getting her hooked. To think of all people, she’d be one of the leaders of this city… What are the odds? Truthfully, I’d expect someone of her status would have a few bodyguards following her around, but I couldn’t even sense anyone tailing her from a distance.

However, I quickly noticed that she was a competent and experienced warrior from the way she held herself. Conceivably better than most of the guards in this city. The Millelith, as they’re called. They seem far more organized than the handful of knights in Mondstadt and far more numerous as well.

But I digress. Having someone like her interested in my business and possibly spreading the word to the other Qixing leaders is precisely what I need—possibly drawing the attention of the Tianquan as well— seemingly the wealthiest and most powerful person in Liyue. Politically speaking, of course.

And, well, I haven’t met her personally yet, but I'm interested. In addition to her power and wealth, I’ve seen many images of her in newspapers and posters. Not only does she have a Vision, but she’s also gorgeous.

So naturally, I want her.

Outside the tavern Eula said we should stay at, I stare up at the skies, spotting the renowned Jade Chamber floating above the clouds before grinning to myself. Having her under my thumb means owning that, and what can I say? I do like the idea of a flying fortress.

Needs way more cannons, though. And ballistas. And other intimidating weapons. They don’t even have to be practical as long as they look scary. Because as it is right now, it looks so defenseless like this that I could probably bring it down with both hands tied behind my back.

And that’s not very good.

…Does Teyvat have guns? If yes, then why bother with silly primitive weapons when you can build artillery? I mean, if they can make guns, then missiles aren’t that complicated of a next step, no? I don't know; I'm not a nerd.

Not counting the notebook I gave Lisa, of course. Because they’d jump straight to orbital lasers capable of planetary annihilation.

A part of me almost regrets giving them that notebook. They’ll be too focused on making useless things and not what can benefit me. Really, what’s the point of harnessing Etherflux if they haven’t made things like cigarettes?

…I miss cigarettes.

“Crimson.”

“Hm?” I blink, smiling as I see Eula. “Ah, there you are. How’s everything with you, my love?”

I’ve already done my job for today sold enough to make an impact for tomorrow and the rest of the week now that I have Keqing’s attention. I have everything stored away safely with the help of some of the guards. They’re quite a helpful bunch— very nice people.

“N-not so loud!” She blushes as she leans closer to me. “Goodness, why do you always try to embarrass me? I hate you. Vengeance will be mine.”

“Yes, yes. Of course.” I roll my eyes. “So? Did you find Lumine?”

“I’m afraid not.” She responds, her expression becoming serious. “Though, I think the Fatui might be involved.”

“Oh? Very interesting.” I hum, looking around before taking her hand and leading her inside the tavern. “Let’s discuss this somewhere private. Come with me, I already rented us a room.”

“Right.” She nods.

As I lead her upstairs and to our room, I lock it behind us after making sure that there won’t be anyone to eavesdrop on us. Can’t be found suspicious so soon after coming here. Certainly not when I’ve made a good impression on the Yuheng.

“W-what’s the meaning of this?” Eula asks, pointing at our bed before looking at me with a red face. “Why one bed?”

I don’t verbally respond; I just look at her as if she’d just asked an idiotic question. Eula quickly understands what I am trying to convey and clears her throat awkwardly. Somehow, she finds more ways to look adorable.

“N-nevermind that.” She says as she shakes her head. “While on my investigation, I bumped into one of the Fatui’s Harbingers.”

“Did you, now?”

“Yes, but thankfully he didn’t recognize me.” She nodded. “If he’s here, then the Fatui’s presence in Liyue must be big. They could be related to the incident with Rex Lapis.”

“I see. That does make sense considering their past record.” I nod. “Though, I assume you’ve not yet found any proof of their treachery.”

“Not yet.” She sighs. “Eventually, I’ll have it figured. I just need more time to continue my investigation, though I think finding Lumine should still be our priority.”

Interesting. One of their leaders is here? I’ve read about them. They work under the Tsaritsa, who governs over Snezhnaya. If they’re here, they must be after Rex Lapis’ Gnosis, just as they’ve already stolen Venti’s.

But if their Harbinger is still here, then they’ve not found it yet. Were they the ones that killed Rex Lapis? Did they pin the blame on Lumine? Everything does lead up to this conclusion…

No, something is off. Why would they kill Rex Lapis when they didn’t kill Venti? Why kill him in front of so many people during the Rite of Descension? Unless that ritual is the only time they’re able to reach him.

…No, it still doesn’t add up.

I close my eyes and concentrate on my senses, doing my best to pinpoint specific energy signatures before finding what I’m looking for, prompting me to grin.

Thought so.

“Then I suppose it’s time we called it for tonight,” I respond to Eula. “If we want to cover as much ground as we can, we’ll need to wake up early, no?”

“That’s true.” She nods, blushing as she looks at the bed. “I am a little tired…”

She hesitates for a moment, giving me a few odd glances before working up the courage to start taking off her clothes. She doesn’t even look at me, too embarrassed to make eye contact, nor does she react as I hug her from behind and rest a hand over her toned belly.

“Too tired for a bit of fun?” I say, putting my other hand on her chin and forcing her to look at me.

“…Y-you already know the answer to that, you…” She doesn’t finish that sentence as I cut her off with a kiss. 

She’s just too much fun. 

I’m so glad I took her with me.