After finishing her bath, Cloud Retainer stepped out of the Serenitea Pot looking thoroughly exasperated.
She had just returned to her room and was using a mechanical contraption to dry her hair when a knock sounded from outside.
Still drying her hair, she walked over and opened the door.
Standing outside was Klee, eyes sparkling, and the first thing out of her mouth was a wonderfully sweet greeting: "Sis Cloud Retainer!"
Cloud Retainer instantly felt her mood improve.
The "sis" part wasn't particularly important—it was the lively, energetic tone of the little girl's voice that had such a healing effect.
A smile tugged at her lips. "Ah, Klee. What brings you here so late? Looking for Yaoyao and the others?"
"Yes! Klee's here to find Yaoyao and the others—and also to find you, Sis Cloud Retainer!"
"Oh?"
"Let's go set off fireworks together!"
"Fireworks, huh."
Cloud Retainer finally remembered that. Klee had indeed come to her a few days ago asking for firework recipes.
Since the Windblume Festival had officially started, the surprise Klee had prepared could now be shared with everyone.
Truthfully, Cloud Retainer, like Madame Ping, had long lost interest in the act of setting off fireworks. But letting a few little girls wander around at night without an adult chaperone didn't sit well with her either.
With that in mind, she chuckled. "Alright, give me a moment to change clothes."
Klee nodded enthusiastically. "Hurry up, Sis Cloud Retainer! I'll go get Yaoyao and Xia Lin!"
The little girl pattered away happily.
Not long after, Cloud Retainer set off with the three girls toward the area outside the Favonius Cathedral.
"Where do you want to set off the fireworks, Klee?" Cloud Retainer asked.
"Somewhere high up! And where there aren't many people!"
"Somewhere high… hmm… the cathedral is already on one of the highest points in all of Mondstadt. If we want somewhere higher and less crowded…"
As they stepped outside the cathedral, her gaze landed on the massive stone statue of a maiden at the center of the plaza.
Hmm?
The statue's outstretched hands… would actually be a perfect platform for launching fireworks…
Though she wondered if Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, would mind such a thing…
Probably not?
After all, they'd just been gaming together at the internet café last night. That much camaraderie should be enough to get away with a little mischief.
Worst case, she'd just feed him a few kills in their next match.
Cloud Retainer came to a stop and looked down at the three girls. "I… just thought of a great spot."
"Where?"
"There. Up there."
The girls followed her gaze toward the statue and their eyes lit up. "Can we go up there?"
"Of course."
"How do we get up there?"
"That's easy. Leave it to me. Let's move over there where there aren't so many eyes watching."
"Okay!"
Casting one more glance behind her, Cloud Retainer led the three girls to a more discreet spot.
Around the corner, Kaeya leaned against a wall, wearing an expression of resigned helplessness.
This Adeptus's senses were truly sharp…
At the secluded spot, Cloud Retainer raised her hand and formed a hand seal.
A gust of wind swirled to life at her command, lifting everyone steadily up into the air.
Xia Lin, being a magic dragon capable of flight, wasn't too surprised. But Klee and Yaoyao were clearly thrilled by the experience.
Within moments, they landed on the statue's outstretched hands.
Klee and Yaoyao eagerly peered over the edge to look at the people below.
Standing nearby, Cloud Retainer surveyed the sea of lights spreading across Mondstadt. Somehow, her mood had lifted as well.
After taking in the view, Klee opened her backpack and pulled out a batch of fireworks she had crafted herself, distributing them among the group.
Cloud Retainer gave the fireworks a quick inspection. Once satisfied they were safe, she nodded and gave her permission.
A few minutes later, brilliant bursts of color erupted from the statue's hands, catching the attention of everyone in the plaza below and filling their faces with surprise and delight.
"Didn't expect the city to organize something this fun for the festival."
Over in the arcade of the plaza, Kaeya leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Hearing the murmurs from tourists nearby, he sighed, his uncovered eye flashing with slight awkwardness.
He looked up at the night sky filled with fireworks and muttered, "Klee might be young, but as the Spark Knight, she's technically a part of Mondstadt's official forces. So technically… not wrong."
---
During festival time, work always piled up.
Jean was sitting on her balcony eating instant noodles when she saw fireworks go up in the distance.
She paused, then smiled, a trace of weariness fading from her expression.
She didn't know who had set them off.
But they were beautiful.
---
Once all the fireworks had been launched, the three girls looked up at the now-dark sky, still reluctant for the night to end.
Klee thought she simply hadn't made enough fireworks. She announced that when she got back, she'd make bigger and even prettier ones.
Listening to them animatedly discuss which color fireworks were the best, Cloud Retainer suddenly recalled a movie she'd seen back at the internet café. It had featured a very cool-looking weapon.
What was it called again…
Oh, right—Gatling.
She remembered Mr. Xia mentioning that when he was young, he'd once set off a Gatling-shaped firework during New Year's—it could be held in your hand and fired off bursts like bullets. It had sounded incredibly fun.
An idea sparked in her mind. She turned to Klee. "I've got a neat idea."
"Sis Cloud Retainer?"
"You could make the firework into a long cylindrical barrel, and inside… the basic structure would look like this…"
She described the concept to Klee.
Naturally, Klee was very interested.
"Did you understand what I meant, Klee?"
"Klee got it! I'll make it once I get back!"
"No rush. There are still plenty of days left in the Windblume Festival. You kids shouldn't stay up too late—make sure to get good rest, early to bed, early to rise."
"Okaaay…"
"If you run into any problems while making it, just come find me. I'll help."
"Thank you, Sis Cloud Retainer!"
"Well then, the fireworks are done. Let's head down."
Cloud Retainer formed another hand seal, summoning a breeze to carry them back down to the plaza.
She didn't feel comfortable letting Klee walk home alone, so she planned to take her back herself.
At that moment, Kaeya suddenly appeared in front of them, smiling. "Good evening, everyone."
Klee cheerfully waved. "Kaeya big brother!"
"Klee, it's late. What are you still doing outside…"
"Ehehe, I was just about to head home!"
"Perfect timing. I was just about to patrol that street. I'll walk you back."
"Okay!"
Cloud Retainer looked at Kaeya, then nodded. "I'll leave her to you, then."
"No trouble at all," Kaeya said with a chuckle. "Klee's one of our Knights of Favonius, after all. Ladies, have a good night."
Yaoyao replied politely, "Bye Klee, bye Mr. Kaeya."
Cloud Retainer watched them walk off into the distance, then turned to lead Yaoyao and Xia Lin back toward the Favonius Cathedral.
Having gotten some fresh air, Cloud Retainer was in a much better mood. However, once Xia Lin returned to her own room, her spirits began to sink again.
She remembered how her father carried that strong scent of Dvalin.
Xia Lin shared her room with Qiqi.
Qiqi was currently seated cross-legged on the bed cultivating.
When she heard the door open, she opened her eyes and looked over at Xia Lin, who had just stepped inside.
In a quiet voice, she greeted, "You're back, Junior Sister Xia Lin."
"Mm… Senior Sister Qiqi," Xia Lin murmured, sitting gloomily on the edge of the bed.
Qiqi could tell something was troubling her.
As the elder sister, it was only right for her to step up and help.
So she temporarily paused her cultivation, climbed down from the bed, walked over, and asked in her usual flat tone, "Junior Sister, why are you unhappy?"
Although Qiqi was showing concern, her voice—thanks to her zombie constitution—was almost devoid of emotion.
Even more so than Shenhe.
Xia Lin hung her head. "I'm not unhappy."
Qiqi sat beside her and gently patted her head. "It's alright. No matter what it is, you can tell me. Did someone bully you?"
Xia Lin shook her head. "No one bullied me…"
"Then what is it?"
"I… I don't know what's wrong with me…"
"I remember you were fine this afternoon. But after dinner tonight, you suddenly became like this. Was the food not to your liking? Did you not eat enough?"
"No, that's not it… I… I'm just… I'm afraid Papa doesn't want me anymore."
"Huh?"
Qiqi blinked, stunned.
"Why would Master not want you?"
"I know… Papa said he wouldn't… but I'm still scared… During dinner, I smelled Dvalin on him… it was really strong… sniff…"
Listening to Xia Lin's confused explanation, Qiqi roughly pieced together the source of her turmoil.
Unlike Xiangling, Qiqi had been told the truth by Xia Zhi—Xia Lin's real identity.
She knew Xia Lin was, like Dvalin, a dragon. And like herself, Xia Lin had a tragic past… She'd died once.
So Qiqi felt especially sympathetic and protective of her.
She looked at Xia Lin and said, "But Master often carries other people's scents too. For example, Shenhe's scent—it's really strong."
Xia Lin froze. "Sister Shenhe… that's different."
"Because Shenhe isn't a dragon, but Dvalin is?"
Xia Lin mumbled, "Mm…"
"So Junior Sister, it's because another dragon left their scent on Master that you suddenly felt insecure—like he might get taken away by another dragon?"
Xia Lin said nothing. "…"
Maybe marking something you like with your own scent… was a dragon's unique way of asserting ownership?
Qiqi thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, then Junior Sister should do the same."
Xia Lin blinked. "Huh?"
Qiqi looked at her seriously. "You can leave your scent on Master too."
Xia Lin looked flustered. "Th-this…"
Qiqi said matter-of-factly, "If Dvalin can do it, so can you."
Xia Lin was still dazed. "But…"
Qiqi had already come up with a plan. "To leave a strong personal scent on Master, you'd need prolonged and intimate contact… Junior Sister, Master sleeps alone every night, right? You can go to him and say you had a nightmare and feel scared, and want to sleep with him."
Xia Lin was overwhelmed. "Eh? Eh? Eh?!…"
"Don't worry, Master has a good temperament. He won't turn you down."
"…"
"If he hesitates, just cry a little. He'll definitely agree."
"…"
"Besides, unlike me, you call him Papa."
"…"
"Alright, Junior Sister. Go now. It's already late. If you wait any longer, he might already be asleep—and then it'll be harder to explain."
"Senior Sister…"
"What? Don't dare go? Want me to come with you?"
"I…"
"Come on, I'll take you there."
"Eh?"
Before she knew it, Xia Lin had been dragged by the hand to Xia Zhi's room.
Qiqi raised her hand and knocked on the door.
From inside came Xia Zhi's gentle voice: "Who is it?"
"It's me, Master," Qiqi said softly.
"Qiqi? Come in, the door's not locked."
"Okay."
Qiqi cautiously pushed open the door.
Xia Zhi was seated at his desk, an elegant alchemy furnace set before him.
He looked up and blinked at them. "Xia Lin too? What's going on?"
Completely unbothered, Qiqi said, "Master, Xia Lin had a nightmare."
"A nightmare?"
Through his god's eye, Xia Zhi glanced toward the nervous Xia Lin.
She lowered her head in guilt.
It was her first time lying, and her cheeks were flushed.
Her eyes darted around in panic.
Honestly, she really did look like a scared child who'd just had a bad dream. "Papa…"
"Was it because of seeing Dvalin today?" Xia Zhi asked, concerned. "Did you dream of what happened five hundred years ago on the mountain?"
Xia Lin bit her lip and answered softly, "Mm…"
It seemed her traumatic death at Dvalin's hands had left a lasting scar.
Xia Zhi reached out and ruffled her hair. "It's alright. That's all in the past. They're just bad dreams—you don't have to be afraid."
Qiqi watched Master pat Xia Lin's head, her eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. Then she said, "Master, for nightmares, it's better to sleep with someone, right?"
"Mm, that's true."
"But I'm a zombie. I'm cold. Junior Sister wouldn't sleep well with me."
"That's fair…"
"So, how about she sleeps with you instead?"
"With me?"
"You're always alone at night anyway. It'd be a good chance to comfort her."
"Well…"
Technically, a [Calming Incense] would solve this perfectly.
But from the god's eye, Xia Zhi could clearly see the hope shining in Xia Lin's eyes.
He thought for a moment, then patted her head again and said gently, "Alright."
----
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