After sending out that carefully prepared gift (specifically writing two books for her) and seeing Xiangling's ecstatic expression with her own eyes, a heavy weight was lifted from Lovia's heart.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the eaves, dancing on her white Hood. Humming a tuneless melody, she didn't go to the market to play today, nor did she go to the beach to pick up shells; instead, she went to a small hillside outside Liyue Harbor.
She found a secluded high spot that overlooked part of the harbor and sat down, hugging her knees.
"It should... have been delivered by now, right?" Lovia whispered to herself, looking toward the docks, though it was too far to see clearly.
Thinking about the expression Captain Beidou might make upon seeing the title 'the various affairs of the raiden shogun and the guuji', and the reaction of that Fox Lady when she saw those manuscripts, Lovia couldn't help but want to laugh, mixed with a faint sense of anticipation.
Cultural export—this was proper cultural export!
Even if the content being exported was a bit... well, special. But as long as it earned Mora and expanded the readership, it didn't matter if the methods were a bit peculiar, right?
In any case, if the sky fell, the pen name 'Hanabi' would be there to take the heat.
Lovia watched from the rock for a while longer until she felt a bit tired, so she found a lush tree to lean against and rest.
The afternoon sun was a bit scorching, but fortunately, it was quite cool under the tree.
The surroundings were silent, save for the rustling of the breeze through the grass and the faint clamor from afar. She listened intently and looked around, confirming that this small hillside was indeed deserted.
"No one should come to a place like this..." she muttered softly.
Ever since her father told her she was a natural-born Humanoid Melusine and didn't need to feel afraid or deliberately hide it, she felt much more relaxed, though she still wasn't quite used to being exposed in public.
At this moment, in this undisturbed countryside, she wanted to catch a breath of fresh air.
She confirmed once more that no one was around, then reached up and gently took off the white Hood that almost never left her side.
Instantly, freed from restraint, her unique hair fluttered gently in the breeze. Even more striking was a pair of soft blue antennae unfolding from her hair, trembling slightly.
Next, she undid the clasp of her cloak, slipped the entire garment off her shoulders, folded it, and placed it on the grass beside her.
The feeling of restriction vanished completely. The small, exquisite wings on her back slowly unfurled, and a cute little tail peeked out from behind her skirt, unconsciously brushing against the grass, feeling its soft texture.
"Phew—" Lovia let out a long breath.
This feeling of freedom, letting every part of her body touch nature, was truly wonderful.
Hiding under the Hood and cloak always felt like being trapped in an invisible cage; now, the cage door was open.
Leaning against the tree trunk, she closed her eyes comfortably.
Her nostrils sensitively caught information from afar carried by the wind: the sweet fragrance of grass, the moisture of the soil, and the characteristic saltiness of the distant harbor. Her wings occasionally flapped lightly, and her tail swayed contentedly.
She stayed relaxed like this for an unknown amount of time when suddenly, the sound of light footsteps reached her ears, coming from afar and approaching, seemingly in this direction.
Lovia snapped out of her relaxed state, her heart suddenly tightening. Almost instinctively, her hand reached for the folded Hood and cloak beside her, her fingertips already touching the coarse fabric.
However, just a second before she could grab the cloak to wrap herself tightly again, she caught a glimpse of the figure becoming clear.
A familiar outfit, a lively posture, and that furry brown little bear beside her.
It was Xiangling and Guoba.
Lovia's fingertips touching the Hood and cloak paused slightly, and then, she actually slowly pulled them back. She didn't immediately grab the Hood to hide herself, but simply let the soft fabric remain within reach.
Her heart was still pounding in her chest with the panic of having a secret discovered, but strangely, there was no imagined terror or despair.
Perhaps it was because the person coming was Xiangling, someone she unilaterally considered a "friend" in her heart. If it had been anyone else, she would have hidden immediately—immediately!
Even so, her rapidly beating heart continued to remind her that she was currently exposed in broad daylight; she felt as if all her protection had been stripped away, leaving her vulnerably exposed to the sun.
A voice in her mind was screaming: Hide, hide quickly! But another faint yet stubborn thought emerged: It's Xiangling. If it's Xiangling, maybe... I can... trust her once?
This hesitation of hers temporarily blocked her habitual evasion.
She watched Xiangling get closer and closer, almost able to see every subtle change in the other's expression.
At this moment, Xiangling was carrying a bundle of fresh Violetgrass and Qingxin, walking up the hillside with light steps, humming a tuneless little tune.
Xiangling clearly hadn't expected to encounter anyone here, let alone that this figure sitting under the tree, bathed in sunlight and breeze, would be... their eyes met.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
"Lovia?" Xiangling stopped in surprise, her eyes widening slightly. Her gaze involuntarily fell upon Lovia's slightly trembling blue antennae, the small, exquisite wings on her back, and the little tail unconsciously sweeping the grass.
Guoba also tilted his big head and let out a "Rua?", his round eyes full of confusion, seemingly trying to connect this image with the little guest who was usually wrapped up tightly.
Lovia's heart was nearly leaping out of her chest, and her body tensed instinctively like a startled little animal. She felt her cheeks burning and thought she would grab her cloak and flee in the next second.
She held her breath, waiting for any hint of emotion in the other's eyes that would make her want to vanish on the spot. If there were even a trace, she would run away without hesitation.
However, she only saw surprise on Xiangling's face; the expected negative emotions did not appear.
Then, hearing Xiangling's question, Lovia instinctively wanted to lower her head, but forced herself to maintain a bit of composure, only letting out a soft "Mhm" as a response.
Xiangling just blinked, and the surprise on her face slowly faded.
"Wow!" Xiangling let out a low exclamation, put the ingredients into the basket on her back, and then walked over quickly, without any sign of fear or distance.
She stepped forward quickly, squatted down to look Lovia in the eye, her eyes sparkling as if she were seeing some rare treasure: "Wow! Lovia! So you... you look so special! So cute!"
Her tone was full of admiration, her gaze lingering on Lovia's antennae and wings.
"These... these are..." Xiangling pointed to the top of her own head, then carefully pointed to Lovia's back, unable to find the right words for a moment, "...they move!"
Lovia's tense nerves relaxed slightly because of Xiangling's unexpected reaction. She said softly, with a bit of uncertainty: "...They're antennae, and... wings."
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