Osial's sudden appearance—and even swifter end—quickly eclipsed the news of Rex Lapis's "passing."
What struck people most was how odd it all was: the thing came out of nowhere, and died just as abruptly. Diplomats and bigwigs visiting Liyue all saw the sea flash-freeze and that hulking body shatter back into the depths. No one could explain it. The streets churned with guesswork and hearsay.
Jade Chamber.
The elegant, mysterious lady Yelan arrived alone outside Ningguang's office. As she reached for the handle, a soft halo of light wrapped around her—ah. She understood immediately what was happening inside.
"…Do I go in, or not?" She chuckled to herself, then remembered Ningguang's earlier… determination. Yelan's eyes turned complicated for half a heartbeat; she pushed the door open and stepped through the shimmering veil.
Su Xuan was seated at Ningguang's desk. On the tabletop sat a miniature, softly glowing workshop model. Beneath it lay a marked map of Liyue, and off to the side—a Jade Chamber blueprint clearly meant as a gift.
A glance at the ink rings on the map told Yelan they'd long dried: this site-hunt wasn't new.
"I remember you said the Workshop's starships are produced on a timer," Yelan mused, lifting the map. "Thirty-six a year if you don't merge hulls to enlarge them. Time's precious. Three days gone, Human Rule is settling in, and Tianquan still hasn't shown face. Strange."
She looked at Su Xuan's amused smile… then at the silver-white updo occasionally flickering into view beneath the desk. Yelan put on a mock scold:
"Don't break Tianquan, now. She still has work to run."
Ningguang's heart clenched. He actually let Yelan in? Never mind that she'd ordered no one to board without her say-so. Of course Yelan would treat that as a decorative suggestion. With someone else suddenly present, Ningguang's throat tightened to match her mood.
Su Xuan only smiled. "Your Qixing were quick. No one even thought to arrange the Send-Off Rite first—you all raced to consolidate Liyue Harbor."
"Not many inside the Qixing knew the truth," Yelan said lightly. "We did handle the Send-Off Rite afterward, though."
She summarized the last few days: After that one sword, the Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia sealed himself in the Northland Bank, certain the mysterious power came from the Jade Chamber. Afraid exposure would bring Liyue's retaliation, he didn't set foot outside. The Send-Off preparations he'd started were dumped; the Qixing picked it up—another nice revenue spike for Wangsheng.
"And since someone hasn't shown her face in days," Yelan added, "the townsfolk figure it all ties back to her. Tempting as some things are, don't overindulge. Show up once in a while and stabilize hearts."
She drifted to Su Xuan's side and glanced down at the silver-haired beauty below, whose motions had slowed from nerves. "Any movement from the adepti?"
Su Xuan: "None?"
Yelan shook her head. "Nothing. I assume the Lord of Geo has already briefed them."
He'd met Su Xuan, and said he'd explain the fake death to the adepti. With a sword like that on display, there was no way he'd leave them ignorant—lest someone blunder into Su Xuan by mistake.
"Oh—right." Yelan paused. "There is one odd bit from General Affairs: Treasure Hoarders are far bolder lately. Liyue's and Mondstadt's groups have… linked up."
"You mean the north–south bosses jointly hiring a famed Fontaine prospector to crack a mysterious ruin," Su Xuan said.
Yelan blinked, then smiled. "As expected. You even track trivia."
Her instincts nagged. "I hear Abyss Order creatures guard that ruin. So this is… not simple, is it?"
The Abyss never spelled goodwill for the Seven Nations. And the Abyss Prince… was Lumine's blood kin. Yelan's eyes flicked over. "Should we loop Lumine in?"
"I'll handle it," Su Xuan waved. "I'll speak to her myself."
Since he'd put it that way, Yelan let it drop—and, try as she might, her gaze kept slipping downward. This woman's acting like I'm not even here… and she looks like she's enjoying it, Yelan thought, catching herself getting… hungry. She forcibly looked away.
"Also," she said sweetly, "a strange lady moved into your house. Glasses, mature vibe. I've never seen her before. Lumine and Paimon verified she's a diary holder. Unsure what to do, they're letting her stay."
Su Xuan: "…"
Yelan's smile deepened. "While you were savoring the Jade Chamber, someone rang the doorbell."
"Hm." Su Xuan tapped his chin, theatrically thoughtful. "Grave matter indeed. Clearly, I shouldn't linger here. I must be industrious, finish things up, and head home."
"So what are you waiting for? Come help," he said—and tugged Yelan forward.
She lost balance and kneeled neatly against his leg. Their eyes met; twin flushes bloomed on both Yelan and Ningguang.
—
Yujing Terrace, Liyue Harbor.
A girl with blue-white hair and red-black qilin horns was headed toward Su Xuan's mansion. A figure dropped from the sky ahead of her; Ganyu startled, then brightened. "Ah—Mr. Su Xuan!"
He looked up at her—and Ganyu's diary fluttered open.
[Just back from the Jade Chamber, and who's at my gate but Liyue's half-adeptus legend.]
['Coconut Goat'.jpg]
Ganyu: "?"
It was definitely a photo of her. But… in his eyes, she was Coconut Goat?
Inside the mansion, Cloud Retainer shot upright. "Su Boss has returned."
Lumine and Paimon traded glances. "We don't know what you want from him, Senior," Paimon said, "but he's writing right now. Are you sure you want to rush out? Might break his train of thought."
"You're right—ah—most improper of me." Cloud Retainer sat back down, flustered. Why is he meeting Ganyu at the door? Did she also… need something?
[Speaking of Coconut Goat, I hear her milk is delicious…]
Ganyu: "??!"
Her face went scarlet. She does not produce that! She's a qilin-human hybrid, not an actual goat!
[No, focus.]
[Yelan says a bespectacled 'mature woman' moved into my house. I came to check it out.]
[Instead I find the 'empty-nest bird's' disciple—Ganyu—at my door.]
[Is the empty-nester planning to move her whole flock into my place?]
Cloud Retainer froze. Empty-nest bird?!
Lumine and Paimon tried very hard not to laugh at her face.
Jade Chamber.
Ningguang and Yelan exchanged a look.
"Ganyu's teacher?" Yelan murmured. "So the glasses lady is an adeptus? She's entered the mortal realm?"
Ningguang was calm. "Since an adeptus holds a diary, of course they wouldn't sit still. Nothing to worry about. Once Su Xuan's Jade Chamber is built, we're all family. I might even lie there and listen to an adeptus' voice—see whether mortals or immortals sound nicer."
Yelan: "…You are not right."
Outside the mansion.
Ganyu gaped at the diary line. "Eh? Why would my master be staying at Mr. Su Xuan's?"
"You didn't know?" he asked, genuinely curious.
Ganyu shook her head frantically. "She never told me she was entering Liyue Harbor. I came because…" She touched her horns, face blooming pink—too shy to get it out.
[Ganyu, secretary to the Qixing: the hidden web of data, the foundation of admin efficiency.]
[In short: born to toil.]
Ganyu: "…"
[Centuries roll; Qixing change; only Ganyu remains, witnessing Liyue's lights.]
[As 'secretary', as Qixing rotate, her desk piles higher—how does that make sense?]
[Even if she's long-lived, handovers exist for a reason. Why dump layers of work onto her alone?]
[Anyway. If the little Coconut Goat came here without knowing her very talkative master is inside, she's not here to 'visit'. She's here on business.]
[Likely tied to the rumor Yelan mentioned: Liyue and Mondstadt Hoarders jointly hiring a famed Fontaine treasure-hunter for a ruin guarded by the Abyss.]
Bullseye. Ganyu's head ducked lower, cheeks burning. She swayed slightly, mustering herself.
"R-recent changes left General Affairs and the Millelith overburdened," she began, then blurted, "O-of course, that's not the real reason. Our intel says the Abyss Order is involved."
Piece by piece, she explained. Su Xuan listened and added to the diary:
[As expected—she's here for the Abyss-linked ruin.]
[The Hoarders succeeded in luring the Abyss creatures away; the Fontaine pro went in.]
[If my timing's right, that 'famed prospector' is already dead—strangely—before an inverted Statue of The Seven.]
"Inverted… Statue of The Seven?" Ganyu was stunned. Across Teyvat, readers traded question marks. What even is that?
[Nothing to panic about.]
[Kong planned to use an inverted statue plus the Plow Engine's eye to restrain Osial—then convert him into a mechanical demon god.]
[But Osial's gone, so that plan is dust.]
[Still—if luck holds, Lumine might see him this time.]
Lumine: "!?"
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