Making Yun Jin Call You Dad?!
On the surface, Kairo still looked calm, as if that massive tip he'd just thrown out was nothing unusual.
In reality, he was focused entirely on the reward.
The instant he chose the option, he felt an invisible force wrap around his body.
It was vast and deep, like a corner of the void in outer space—endless currents of power surged through his limbs and bones. It roared like a flood, yet brought no pain at all.
It was a strange sensation.
Not quite elemental energy.
Not like some foreign power being forcefully injected into him.
More like… fate itself quietly settling into place—
as if this force had always belonged to him from the very beginning, and only now was returning to its rightful owner.
Heat.
Devouring.
Burning.
Remaking.
Deep inside his consciousness, countless blazing flames rose up, surging and roaring, swallowing everything in sight—yet not harming him in the slightest.
It felt like fire was rolling through his body, but instead of searing him, it clung to him gently, like warm light.
Fire was no longer a dangerous element.
It was something that had surrendered to his existence, become part of him—docile, quiet, and utterly under control.
He could almost hear his own blood moving with a faint, fiery pulse.
It was as if the heartbeat of flame itself had merged with his—flowing through his veins instead of tearing them apart.
This power didn't feel imposed.
It fit him perfectly, like something that had been missing and now finally returned.
And the strangest part was that the power didn't feel like "just" fire resistance.
There was something deeper—
a sense of devouring.
Fire was no longer something he merely ignored.
He could absorb it.
Swallow it.
Assimilate it.
His mind sank for half a second.
In that instant, Kairo seemed to see a boundless void filled with billions of stars made of flame.
And his own existence was like a black hole among them—able to swallow all those fires, digest them, and make them his own.
It felt like the very laws of fire in this world were bowing to him.
So this is Fire Swallow…?
Kairo opened his eyes slowly.
For one fleeting heartbeat, a faint ember seemed to flicker in the depths of his gaze—
then vanished, as if it had never been there.
But he knew the truth.
From this moment on, he no longer had any reason to fear fire.
Flames had become a part of him.
He could swallow them.
Transform them.
No more fear of being burned.
He took a slow breath, feeling the immense tide of Path-power in his body, and curled his fingers into a fist.
His palm warmed, but not in a burning way—
more like the gentle warmth of sunlight at dawn.
In that moment, Kairo understood.
If this power evolved further, he might not only be immune to flames…
He might eventually control them.
The gears of fate were turning on, slow but relentless.
And he had already set foot on a deeper track.
He still had one more trump card left that could enhance his Path even further.
As Kairo thought about that, the hall around him continued to buzz with excitement.
The audience was still quietly discussing Yun Jin's stirring performance, replaying memorable lines and melodies in their minds.
But every feast had to end.
As time passed, people gradually filtered out.
The noisy, packed Yun-Han Opera House slowly calmed.
Servers moved deftly between tables, cleaning up spilled tea, straightening chairs, restoring the place from chaos back to refinement.
The tea house eased from roaring applause back into a gentle, elegant calm.
And then—
A figure walked gracefully toward Kairo's table.
Her steps were smooth, her posture straight and refined.
Every movement showed the practiced composure of a star performer.
Slender pale fingers brushed lightly at her sleeve.
Her bangs were neat; her crimson eyes held a soft, courteous smile.
It was Yun Jin.
"Sir."
Her voice was as pleasant as her singing, smooth and melodic, with that faint opera lilt that made people want to keep listening.
She bowed to Kairo with a cupped-fist salute, her tone sincere:
"Your generosity just now truly took me by surprise."
Her eyes lifted slightly, studying him with polite curiosity.
A mysterious traveler.
Came with Zhongli from Wangsheng Funeral Parlour.
Sat in a reserved seat.
Had a lion at his side.
And casually tipped an amount that would make most merchants faint.
Of course she'd be curious.
Liyue never lacked wealthy merchants.
But very few would fling out that much Mora in a single tip.
Especially someone who clearly wasn't a local and yet was being personally accompanied by Zhongli.
Kairo set his teacup down, expression calm, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
"Art as fine as yours deserves to be rewarded properly," he said. "That's all."
A hint of genuine happiness flashed in Yun Jin's eyes.
Money was one thing.
But a person who not only tipped well, but clearly understood opera?
Those were rare.
She nodded slightly and took the seat opposite him.
Picking up the teapot, she poured herself a fresh cup, her white fingers balanced elegantly around the porcelain as she gently swirled it, letting the fragrance rise.
"Now I'm truly intrigued," she said with a small smile.
Then she turned toward Zhongli.
"Zhong Mister, it has been some time. I didn't expect to meet you at Yun-Han today."
Zhongli inclined his head.
"Your performance remains as moving as ever, Miss Yun," he replied.
Their exchange was short, but laced with the graceful courtesy of Liyue's literati and performers—measured, polite, and dignified.
Off to the side, though, Paimon floated closer, staring at Yun Jin openly.
"Your voice is really special!" Paimon declared. "You don't talk like the other people from Liyue at all!"
Yun Jin blinked, then laughed softly behind her hand.
"My speech and manners have long been influenced by opera," she explained. "Naturally, my tone is different too."
Her gaze flicked to Paimon, a playful glint in her eyes.
"If you'd like, I could teach you a few lines. Let you experience some stage dialogue for yourself."
"For real?!" Paimon lit up immediately. "I wanna try!"
Then she suddenly remembered something.
"Ah—right, I haven't introduced us yet!"
"I'm Paimon. This is the Traveler, Ying, and this is Kairo."
"We came from Mondstadt."
Yun Jin nodded as she listened, understanding flashing in her eyes.
So he was from Mondstadt.
And now she also had a name to match the generous hand—Kairo.
Her interest in him grew just a little more.
At that exact moment—
A familiar translucent panel dropped into Kairo's vision again.
[You watched Guinaifen's performance and chose to spend a fortune.]
[Your tip moved Guinaifen to tears. She has never received so large a reward, and the fact that someone would tip her so heavily feels like a dream.]
[Guinaifen has developed a strong interest in you.]
[Facing Guinaifen's gratitude and curiosity, you decide to establish…]
[Option 1: A sponsor relationship.
With overwhelming financial support, you ensure Guinaifen never again has to worry about making a living. No more scrambling for survival; no more distractions. She can focus entirely on performance and show her brilliance on stage.
You become her biggest backer, and she, in her gratitude, will gladly offer you late-night performances meant for you alone.
(Reward: Light Cone — "Hey, Remember to Subscribe!"
A memory Light Cone imbued with the power of The Hunt. Its wielder can tap into its stored Path energy to greatly increase Speed, with additional power unlocked when used by a Hunt-path user.)]
[Option 2: A lover relationship.
Gold and talent draw the two of you steadily closer. She ceases to be just a performer on stage and becomes a confidante willing to share romance and starlit nights with you.
On and off stage, your relationship deepens. You gradually become indispensable to one another, spending your days in a life as dramatic and vivid as any opera.
(Reward: Guinaifen's Path-power branch skill — [Tricks of the Trade].
All your attacks are infused with heavy Fire damage and have a 100% base chance to inflict Burning.)]
[Option 3: A father–daughter relationship.
Your care and support give Guinaifen a sense of warmth she's never had. She gradually sees you as a most reliable presence in her life.
You become her "adopted father," offering not only material help but also emotional guidance—walking with her through storms, listening to her troubles, sharing her joys.
She will treat you as family and be willing to call you "father."
(Reward: Guinaifen's Path-power branch skill — [Over the Edge], increasing the damage you deal to Burning enemies by 20%.)]
"...You've gotta be kidding me."
Kairo's eye twitched.
What the hell are these options?
Could this thing ever give him something normal?
Sponsor?
Lover?
Father–daughter?
He glanced up at Yun Jin on the stage earlier in his mind and back down at the choices.
I was tipping Yun Jin, and you map it to Guinaifen? How bugged are you?
Yun Jin was a proper young lady from a well-established Liyue family.
Guinaifen was a hyperactive street performer from a whole other civilization.
Just from temperament alone, they were on completely different channels.
He rubbed his forehead.
Option 1: sponsor.
He thought of his current finances.
Honestly? He was rich, but "fully sponsoring Yun Jin" level? Maybe not yet.
And in Yun Jin's case, it wasn't even necessary.
She was already a star of Yun-Han, heir to a top opera family, and a scriptwriter in her own right. She could easily earn more than most merchants by simply opening her mouth and singing a few lines.
If anything, Yun Jin had the capital to sponsor him, not the other way around.
Option 3: father–daughter.
Absolutely insane.
He was pretty sure Yun Jin's parents were still alive too.
What, I'm just supposed to show up and have her call me "Dad"?
Even for Guinaifen that was… yeah, no.
He remembered something and went a bit blank.
The last time he successfully got a "father–daughter" bond was with Klee—and that was only because Klee was young, honest, and blurted it out on her own the first time they met.
After that, she hadn't really used it again.
The reward had already been delivered; Kairo didn't mind much either way.
Besides her, there was only Fischl.
After some careful "guidance" (and a little late-night teasing), she'd very obediently called him "father" a few times as well.
He kind of regretted nothing.
But Yun Jin? Or Guinaifen via Yun Jin's reflection?
Yeah, that's not happening casually.
Which left—
Option 2: Lover relationship.
Realistically, it had the most plausible path to success.
But still.
Lover relationship.
Look at Yun Jin—poised, elegant, the very picture of a cultured young lady. And Guinaifen, while cute and bright, was also a wandering street performer.
The system really wanted him to jump straight into that?
He let out a silent sigh.
This brain-damaged system really can't give normal options, can it?
What was wrong with "good friends"?
"Confidant"?
"Red-strings-but-ambiguous"?
Or literally just "mutual respect and professional collaboration"?
So far, the only father–daughter relationship he'd officially locked in was with Klee.
And again, that was her idea—completely spontaneous.
It wasn't like he went around farming "dad flags" as a hobby.
He stared at the options for a while, feeling his temples throb a bit.
This one is not gonna be easy to clear.
While Kairo wrestled with his ridiculous choices—
Far away, in Mondstadt—
In the Acting Grand Master's office of the Knights of Favonius.
Through the tall windows, the streets of Mondstadt were bathed in golden light.
Sunlight spilled across neat stacks of books and reports on the desk.
A cool wind stirred the pale blue curtains, bringing with it an air of calm authority.
But the atmosphere in the room was… complicated.
Jean.
Fischl.
Barbara.
And Oz, the jet-black raven crackling softly with purple lightning.
All of them were gathered around one thing on the desk:
A thin ticket floating just above the wood, shimmering with soft violet-blue light.
A Star Rail Pass.
Light flowed gently across its surface, like the wake of comets across the sky. It pulsed with a mysterious, alien energy.
"...So this thing really can transport people across land in an instant?" Jean frowned slightly, gaze fixed on the pass.
She'd seen many magical items in her time as Acting Grand Master.
But something that claimed to instantly span entire nations?
That was on a whole different level.
Her rational mind balked at the concept.
Even Barbatos didn't just snap his fingers to move people across the continent; at most, he lent the power of the winds to help travelers fly over long distances.
She herself had crossed nations with the help of wind currents and vision bearers. That was all.
Yet according to Fischl and Barbara—
This pass, once fully charged, could execute a long-distance jump in a single instant.
Jean lightly tapped her fingertip against the desk.
"What exactly is the principle behind this?" she asked quietly.
Fischl straightened immediately.
The cape on her shoulders flared dramatically as she lifted her chin.
"Rejoice, for the time has come for the great destiny of Mein Fraulein to shine!" she declared.
She reached out and brushed her fingers over the Star Rail Pass, purple eyes gleaming.
"This relic is one of the ancient heirlooms of the eternal night bloodline. It bears the might of stellar trajectories themselves. To mortals, its workings are far beyond comprehension…"
She paused for effect—
Then added, in a much more normal tone:
"…Anyway, it's fully charged now. So we can use it."
Barbara, standing beside her, could only cover her face for a moment.
She sighed quietly.
"It's probably one of those mysterious tools Kairo gave us…" she muttered. "Just like last time."
Last time, it had been Kairo who'd brought them back.
After that, they'd explained things to Jean.
It had taken several days, plus Jean's help in arranging energy sources and magic circles, to get the pass charged again.
"Exactly!" Fischl folded her arms, very pleased. "And now, it is ready."
She lightly tapped a finger against the pass.
Purple-blue light flared.
The surrounding space trembled faintly, like some colossal machinery had just started to turn.
Oz perched atop her shoulder, feathers vibrating with the energy in the air.
"So it begins," he said in his deep voice. "Our next voyage."
"Yes." Fischl's eyes shone.
"Let us set forth to Liyue—and reunite with Kairo!"
With a grand sweep of her arm, she pressed the activation seal on the Star Rail Pass.
In the next instant—
Starlight exploded inside the office.
Brilliant light surged outward, engulfing all four of them.
Whum—
Space rippled like the surface of disturbed water.
The familiar scenery of Mondstadt vanished, replaced by an endless tunnel of stars and shimmering lines.
The boundaries between time and distance blurred.
For a brief moment, it felt like they were walking on the Milky Way itself—
starlight flowing beneath their feet, drawing them across thousands of miles in a single breath.
Then—
Crack—
A soft tearing sound echoed.
The starry tunnel shattered apart.
Light gathered and folded in, coalescing into reality.
Four silhouettes stepped straight out of the dissolving glow—
And onto a bustling street in Liyue Harbor.
Afternoon sunlight spilled over everything.
The streets of Liyue were crowded and lively.
Merchants shouted their offers, vendors sold snacks, porters hauled crates, travelers bargained, children ran between stalls.
Tall pavilions with glazed tiles rose in the distance.
Delicately carved wooden balconies overlooked the streets below.
Ships came and went between the piers, loading and unloading goods at a dizzying pace.
The air carried the scent of tea and freshly steamed pastries.
Street vendors hawked skewers, dumplings, and sweets.
Members of various trade associations negotiated deals in hurried whispers.
It was prosperous, bright, and full of life.
Jean stood in the middle of it all, eyes widening despite herself.
"So this is… Liyue?" she murmured.
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