Ganyu's Shock; Since When Does Mondstadt Have Space-Transfer Technology?
Jean slowly swept her gaze over everything before her, taking in the city with quiet focus. A deep sense of shock flickered in her eyes.
As the Acting Grand Master of Mondstadt's Knights of Favonius, she considered herself well-traveled and used to scenes of prosperity.
But Liyue still surpassed her expectations.
This was not the peaceful, free-spirited bustle of Mondstadt.
It was a prosperity built on order.
On rules, trade, and centuries of accumulated wisdom and culture—
alive with a vigor that came from generations of commerce.
Her line of sight drifted toward the distant, soaring platform of Yujing Terrace.
Under the sunlight, the steps leading up seemed to glow faintly with gold, like an immortal realm straight out of legend.
"Liyue really is… extraordinary," she murmured softly.
There was admiration in her gaze—
and thoughtfulness.
Beside her, Barbara's eyes sparkled as she looked around excitedly.
"Liyue is so lively!" she said, unable to hold back her delight.
Her gaze hopped eagerly over stalls and storefronts, over vendors and crowds. Curiosity and anticipation filled her expression; she was clearly fascinated by this city of commerce.
"Hmph. A mere mortal city. Nothing more," Fischl declared, arms folded, chin tilted proudly.
Her words were as theatrical as ever.
But the way her eyes kept darting around, taking in every detail…
made it obvious she was just as interested as anyone else.
Compared to the last time they appeared out near Dihua Marsh—
This time they'd dropped right into Liyue Harbor itself.
Which meant Kairo was very likely somewhere in this very city.
"This place truly is another world," Oz said, wings beating lightly as his crimson eyes swept over the streets.
Such prosperity.
It far exceeded anything Mondstadt had to offer.
While Jean and the others were busy absorbing their first impression of Liyue's unique charm, the people around them were having their own reaction—
They'd been startled out of their skins.
Liyue's streets were always busy: merchants crisscrossing with carts and crates, hawkers calling out for customers, residents exchanging small talk, travelers strolling about and admiring the sights.
But the moment Jean's group appeared out of thin air, the entire street seemed to freeze for a heartbeat.
Merchants halted mid-step.
Vendors paused with skewers and ladles in mid-air.
Locals and travelers alike stared, mouths half-open.
All eyes were fixed on the four figures who had suddenly materialized in the middle of the road.
"Wh–What?!"
"Where did they come from?!"
"I swear I was just looking at that spot—how did four people just pop into existence?!"
Shocked whispers rippled outward through the crowd, growing louder as more people noticed them.
"They just… appeared from nowhere. What kind of ability is that?!"
"Could they be immortals descending from the mountains?!"
"No way. Look at their clothes… they don't look like Liyue natives at all."
As the muttering grew, someone finally caught the details of their uniforms.
That blue-and-white pattern.
Those capes.
That emblem.
"Wait—
isn't that the uniform of the Knights of Favonius from Mondstadt?!"
"Let me see—
yeah! Blue and white cloak, the wind emblem on the shoulders… That's definitely the Knights!"
"Why would people from Mondstadt suddenly appear in Liyue?"
"And they all have Visions too!!"
Another sharp-eyed onlooker had noticed the glowing gemstones at their waists.
Fischl's and Barbara's Visions in particular shimmered slightly in the sun, water-blue and lightning-violet, quietly radiating elemental light.
"All four of them are Vision holders?!"
"Archons above… who are they?!"
Vision bearers weren't exactly everyday scenery, even in Liyue.
To see four at once—
and one of them clearly wearing the insignia of Mondstadt's knights—
No wonder the crowd was nearly losing their minds.
"How can they just pop into existence like that?!"
"Mondstadt doesn't have any transfer technique like this, right?"
"This could be trouble," Jean murmured.
She could hear the growing stir all around them and understood immediately.
Appearing in the middle of a crowded street like that… of course it would cause a commotion.
Her eyes softened with a trace of apology.
As the disturbance spread, a nearby patrol of Millelith heard the noise and hurried over.
"What's going on here?"
The squad leader pushed through the crowd with several soldiers, scanning the center of the commotion.
The moment his gaze fell on Jean's group, he froze.
"Strangers… with Visions?"
"Who are these people?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Maintaining order in Liyue was the Millelith's duty.
And they took particular care with unfamiliar Vision holders.
If someone like that showed up out of nowhere, their identity needed to be confirmed—fast.
And judging from what the nearby citizens were saying…
These people had appeared out of thin air.
That was absolutely not any known technology from Mondstadt.
There had been no news of anything similar from Sumeru or Fontaine either.
"May I ask who you are," the squad leader said, stepping forward and clasping his fists in polite greeting, "and how you came to be in Liyue?"
His tone was courteous—
but wary.
Jean knew sudden teleportation was bound to cause misunderstandings. She had no intention of hiding anything. A hint of apology showed in her eyes as she spoke:
"I am Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt. I apologize for the disturbance our arrival has caused your city."
"...!!"
The Millelith captain's pupils contracted.
His expression turned immediately solemn.
Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius?
That was one of Mondstadt's highest leaders!
And Jean's name was not unknown in Liyue.
Her deeds had already spread across the continent; plenty of Millelith had heard stories of her.
The captain straightened at once and bowed deeply.
"So it is Acting Grand Master Jean. Forgive my discourtesy!"
He quickly leaned toward the soldier nearest him and spoke in a low, urgent tone:
"Go. Run to Yuehai Pavilion and inform Lady Ganyu at once!"
"For Mondstadt's Acting Grand Master to appear suddenly in Liyue—this is not a minor incident!"
The soldier immediately accepted the order and sprinted off toward the administrative heart of Liyue.
The captain turned back to Jean, his attitude now much more respectful.
"Acting Grand Master, forgive the rash questions," he said. "Have you come to Liyue on urgent business?"
"I've already sent word to Lady Ganyu—you should be familiar with her. If you would, please wait a short while and come this way."
His thoughts were racing.
This wasn't just any guest—
this was one of Mondstadt's ruling figures.
Her sudden appearance here might involve diplomatic matters between the two nations.
Whatever this was, it needed to be handled by the upper echelons of Liyue.
Jean nodded gently.
"If Lady Ganyu is involved, that will make this much easier," she said.
After all, she and Ganyu were the ones who usually handled diplomatic communications between Liyue and Mondstadt.
Meanwhile, the buzz on the street hadn't subsided at all.
People who'd missed the initial appearance were being filled in by excited witnesses. More and more bystanders gathered, craning their necks to get a better look.
They, too, had heard the key phrases—
Acting Grand Master.
Knights of Favonius.
Mondstadt.
"Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights… actually came to Liyue?!"
"What's she here for? To negotiate with the Qixing?"
"And she just appeared out of thin air, right? I heard it from that stall owner over there."
"Then doesn't that mean… Mondstadt has some kind of space-transfer technique now?"
Speculation flew across the crowd.
In the meantime, Jean and the others were being led by the Millelith toward Yuehai Pavilion at Yujing Terrace.
—
At that same moment—
Yuehai Pavilion.
Ganyu finally set down her brush, having worked through a thick stack of documents.
She stretched her shoulders ever so slightly and let out a quiet breath.
The daily affairs of Liyue's government never seemed to end.
As the secretary to the Liyue Qixing, she handled the bulk of their paperwork and coordination.
It was exhausting, but familiar.
At last, a brief moment of peace.
Ganyu massaged her temples with two slender fingers and rose, smoothing out the front of her dress.
She had been planning to go find Keqing, to ask for more details about the strange traveler and that snow-white lion.
That lion was still on her mind.
But just as she took her first step toward the door—
Footsteps pounded hurriedly outside.
"Lady Ganyu!"
A Millelith soldier rushed in, his face carrying a rare mix of excitement and nervousness.
He bowed quickly, then blurted out:
"Acting Grand Master Jean of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt has just suddenly arrived in Liyue!"
"She is now on her way here under Millelith escort!"
"...!"
"Hm?"
Ganyu blinked.
Fatigue vanished in an instant, replaced by pure surprise.
Her aqua-blue eyes widened slightly; her fingers unconsciously tightened around her sleeves.
"Acting Grand Master Jean… is in Liyue?"
Ganyu's brows drew together.
A flood of questions rose in her mind.
—What business brings Jean to Liyue?
—Why was there no prior diplomatic notice?
—And the most critical point: how did she suddenly appear here?
Though Liyue and Mondstadt maintained friendly ties, the two nations were separated by long distances.
A proper visit from someone at Jean's level would never happen without advance notice from Mondstadt's envoys.
Yet now she had "suddenly" arrived?
For what reason?
Ganyu's mind worked quickly.
But she forced herself to stay calm.
She drew a slow breath, steadied her expression, and said:
"Very well. We'll go receive her at once."
She turned and walked briskly out, long strands of icy-blue hair swaying gently behind her in the light.
—
Outside, the streets at the base of Yujing Terrace were as lively as ever.
Even near noon, the markets of Liyue pulsed with activity.
But when Ganyu descended from Yujing Terrace and stepped out of Yuehai Pavilion—
She immediately saw the approaching group.
Her pupils contracted slightly.
Jean was really here.
Surrounded by Millelith, Mondstadt's Acting Grand Master walked steadily in her direction.
That blue-and-white uniform of the Knights of Favonius stood out clearly under the sun.
Her steps were calm and even.
Her long golden hair fluttered in the breeze.
She carried herself with the composed, resolute air of a leader.
Any lingering doubt in Ganyu's heart vanished.
All that was left… was genuine shock.
For a moment, she simply stood there, staring, her usually soft features tinted with confusion.
Then she took a step forward.
"Acting Grand Master Jean," she called.
Her voice carried clearly across the space.
Some of the nearby onlookers heard it and went even more wild.
"Did she just say—Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius?!"
"Jean herself is in Liyue?!"
"By Morax… that's one of Mondstadt's top authorities! How did she suddenly show up here?"
"Heh, you don't know what I saw—she literally appeared from thin air just now. One flash of light and bam, there she was."
"So you're telling me Mondstadt has space-transfer technology now?"
Those who hadn't witnessed the teleportation firsthand were stunned. Others were almost bragging about having seen it.
Crowds thickened around the base of Yujing Terrace as more people stopped what they were doing to gawk.
Some merchants lowered their voices, speculating whether this meant upcoming diplomatic changes between Liyue and Mondstadt.
"Acting Grand Master Jean…"
Ganyu moved forward quickly, her expression shifting from bewildered to composed in just a few seconds.
Professionalism slid back into place. Her voice was gentle, but formal.
"On behalf of Liyue, allow me to welcome you," she said. "Please, come with me to Yuehai Pavilion—we can discuss everything in detail there."
"There's no need to be so formal, Miss Ganyu," Jean replied with a small, rueful smile.
"I honestly didn't anticipate causing such a stir."
Even she wasn't entirely used to the idea of appearing in the middle of a busy street in a burst of light.
As the Millelith started organizing an escort to guide everyone up toward Yuehai Pavilion—
Fischl suddenly tugged on Barbara's sleeve.
"We're not going to Yuehai Pavilion," she whispered.
Barbara blinked.
"Huh? But Acting Grand Master—"
"The course of my destiny does not lie there," Fischl said firmly, cloak swishing as she turned.
A spark of excitement lit her violet eyes; the corners of her lips lifted in a confident smile.
"Endless meetings in the pavilion of bureaucrats hold no meaning for one such as I! What truly matters—
is finding Kairo."
She raised one hand dramatically toward the vibrant streets of Liyue Harbor.
"What we should be doing," she declared, "is traversing every road and alley, hunting for the one who stands at the crossroads of our fates!"
Barbara's eyelids twitched a little.
She was used to Fischl's way of talking, but this time… it actually kind of made sense.
"B-But… what about Acting Grand Master Jean?" Barbara whispered.
Fischl waved her hand.
"Acting Grand Master Jean, as leader of the Knights, will naturally handle matters with the Liyue Qixing. Our interference is unnecessary."
"And besides—have you forgotten?" Her eyes gleamed brightly.
"Kairo is the key piece on this tangled board of destiny!"
"Right now is the perfect time to track him down!"
"..."
"Mm-hmm," Barbara nodded after a moment. "Let's go find Kairo then."
"But I think… we should ask Ganyu first."
She lowered her voice.
"Lady Ganyu is the secretary of the Liyue Qixing—she probably has information about him. If she knows where Kairo is, we won't need to wander around blindly."
Jean had already told them a bit about Ganyu.
Ganyu wasn't human.
She'd lived a very, very long time.
If Kairo, Ying, and Paimon had come to Liyue, there was a good chance they'd already drawn her attention.
Especially Paimon—
A small, hovering, unknown lifeform?
There was no way she didn't stand out.
Fischl's eyes lit up all at once.
Her amethyst gaze shone with excitement; a confident grin lifted her lips.
"Heh… the moment we stepped into Liyue, the threads of fate began to twist together. This is the guidance of the lord of shadows, proving that the wheels of destiny are already turning!"
She lifted her chin and puffed out her chest, looking as if some dramatic, unseen prophecy were unfolding before her.
"Your words are not without wisdom!"
"The jade-glazed secretary of Liyue's immortal court"—
she clearly meant Ganyu—
"must surely know the tracks along which the wheels of fate spin!"
"Since we have descended upon Liyue, it is only right that we seek out the lines of our destiny—
and find the point where our paths cross!"
"—We go to Ganyu!"
"Wait—no, what I meant was—"
Barbara didn't even finish her sentence before Fischl, now fully fired up, had already turned and was striding straight toward Ganyu.
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