At first glance the soldiers didn't mind the odd trio. The girl's traveler garb screamed "out-of-towner" more than "troublemaker," and the calm young man with her looked steady enough. As for the floating white… creature, the Millelith had seen stranger elemental life around Dihua Marsh.
Then their eyes slid past Kairo—and every spear on the bridge tightened at once.
Behind him strode a warrior in full ice-blue plate, frost breathing from every seam. The armor caught the sun with a glacial sheen; in its hands, a great axe hissed cold, the edge rimed with newborn crystals.
What in Rex Lapis' name is that?
A young Millelith trooper took an involuntary step back. "W-what… is that thing?" Liyue had monsters, yes—but not like this. It wasn't a hulking Ruin Guard, nor a howling hilichurl. It stood like a disciplined soldier—stricter, icier, more precise than the Millelith themselves.
"Hold formation." An older sergeant's bark steadied the line, though his fingers trembled once on the haft of his spear. They were Liyue's shield; they would not yield the bridge.
He stepped forward with practiced courtesy. "Ahem… travelers, welcome. From where do you come? This is a vital passage within Liyue. By regulation, all must register."
His gaze could not help flicking to the frost-axe.
"We're from Mondstadt!" Paimon chirped, jabbing a thumb at the towering shade. "And that big guy's our bodyguard. Don't worry about him!"
Bodyguard? Several troopers traded uneasy looks. That thing looked like a reaper carved from winter. Still, the little floating one was friendly, and the pair in front radiated no hostility.
"Then please show identification," the sergeant said, choosing the safest path. "Or a reference we can contact."
"Of course." Lumine produced a stamped Adventurers' Guild card. "And—Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius." She laid down a letter of introduction with the Favonius seal.
"Adventurers from Mondstadt… and an Honorary Knight?" The line relaxed in a ripple. Rare in these days of dragon trouble, but not impossible.
The sergeant checked the likeness, the seal, the script—then exhaled. He returned the papers with a formal bow. "Welcome to Liyue. Should you need assistance, the Millelith will oblige. As for your… guard, please ensure he harms no one. We hold this bridge—so we must be thorough. I ask your understanding."
"Hehe, no problem!" Paimon beamed.
Lumine hesitated, then asked softly, "Have you seen someone who looks like me pass this way? Another traveler."
The sergeant blinked, then shook his head. "I would remember. I'll keep watch. The Millelith stands firm; mountains do not move." His eyes were clear, his conviction steady.
"Different vibe from Mondstadt's knights, huh," Paimon whispered, and Lumine nodded.
They crossed the bridge. Behind them, a runner peeled off to file the report—Honorary Knight from Mondstadt, unknown ice warrior—above his pay grade, better logged than ignored.
—
By noon, Wangshu Inn rose before them: wooden galleries stacked like clouds on a stone giant's shoulder, red ribbons whispering between upturned eaves, amber maple leaves caught in the wind.
"Waaah—this is a guesthouse?" Paimon circled, dazzled. "So fancy!"
"It's even grander than I imagined," Lumine said, gaze lingering on the highest moon-viewing terrace.
Kairo's voice was mild. "Couples make vows up there on full-moon nights. They say the wind carries your wish to the one you love."
Lumine glanced up, then quickly away. Paimon tapped her chin, eyes sparkling. "So… night date? Liyue style?"
Lumine sighed—smiling anyway.
They climbed the wooden steps and entered the main hall. Conversation dipped as the Everwinter Shade ducked through the threshold, frost aura drawing wary stares. But the seasoned floor manager measured their manners, noted the Millelith checkpoint below… and pasted on a professional smile.
"Welcome to Wangshu Inn! Will you be taking rooms, or dining first?"
"Rooms!" Paimon shot up a hand. "And food!"
"Both," Kairo added with a nod.
A runner led them up to the third floor. At the counter there, the proprietress greeted them with an easy smile. "How many rooms?"
"Two," Kairo said.
Paimon tilted her head. "Two? Isn't one enough—"
Lumine's cheeks warmed. Kairo chuckled. "This isn't my house. Let's rest properly and leave at first light."
"Right… two rooms!" Paimon decided instantly. "And I'm washing up!"
"Send up a few house specialties, please," Kairo told the proprietress. "At once," she said, waving a server over.
The rooms were quiet, each with a view over Dihua Marsh; a thin ribbon of water murmured below. Paimon face-planted into a quilt with a blissful groan; Lumine vanished to wash. Soon after, they reconvened at a terrace table on the first floor.
"You're fast, Kairo," Paimon said, drifting into her seat. "Liyue's gorgeous. Can't wait to see the city tomorrow."
"Headed to Liyue Harbor?" a voice asked lightly.
Someone sat down at the next table—a figure in a bamboo hat and veiled face. The timbre and stance both said woman, poised and sharp.
Only Kairo's eyelid twitched.
Because the moment she spoke, his System pane snapped open before his eyes—
and across it, bright as day, the choice prompts slid back into view.
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