After a full day and night at sea, the battleship "Empire" entered the coastal waters of Liyue, where it encountered a local armed fleet—the famed Crux Fleet—with its flagship, the Alcor, sailing at the fore.
On the Alcor's deck, Beidou raised a long pirate spyglass, eyeing the distant Empire. She lowered it and barked an order without hesitation:
"Target acquired!"
More than a dozen cannons on the Alcor pivoted in unison, their muzzles locking onto the Snezhnayan warship.
"Fire!"
At Beidou's command, cannonballs roared skyward. They arced cleanly over the Empire's deck before crashing into the distant sea, detonating towering columns of spray.
A sailor hesitated before asking, "Boss… that's the Snezhnayan delegation's ship. We didn't coordinate this beforehand—won't this anger the Prince of Snezhnaya?"
The Crux Fleet had sailed across all Seven Nations for years. Their access to intelligence far surpassed that of most.
Those who had visited Snezhnaya understood better than anyone how deeply its people revered the Prince—an admiration bordering on fanaticism, scarcely less than their devotion to the Tsaritsa herself.
The Prince's legend was thunderous. Reverence and fear followed his name.
"Heh," Beidou chuckled, planting one boot on the railing, eyes bright with excitement. "His Highness is broad-minded. He'll appreciate a welcome this… creative."
After receiving Ningguang's notice the previous afternoon, Beidou had racked her brains over how to stage today's greeting. In the end, she'd settled on cannon fire.
"Besides," she added, "Lady Ningguang wanted me to give them a show of force. The Prince of Snezhnaya may be lofty and untouchable—but in Liyue, he still plays by Liyue's rules."
"Boss… um…"
Beidou frowned. "Why so timid? Spent all your backbone flirting in taverns again?"
"Boss… look up."
The crew pointed skyward.
Beidou raised her head—and froze.
Atop the mast, dozens of meters above the deck, stood a man cloaked in wind, his mantle snapping sharply. Every movement carried a natural authority—calm, composed, and imposing without anger.
At that moment, if Beidou still failed to recognize him, she had no business ruling the seas.
"The Prince of Snezhnaya boards personally—our welcome was lacking," she said at once, bowing on behalf of the entire crew.
Severin descended lightly to the deck, as though weightless. Beidou's heart tightened—this alone told her his strength was unfathomable. Her demeanor turned even more respectful.
"I heard everything you said just now," Severin remarked evenly. "It seems your Lady Ningguang wishes to give me a show of force. Snezhnayan warships use similar tactics to intimidate others—but they won't work on me. Still, you did frighten my delegation."
Beidou answered frankly, "You are Liyue's honored guest. This was our discourtesy—I apologize to Your Highness."
Her temperament was straightforward. A mistake acknowledged was no great shame.
"An apology should come from Ningguang," Severin replied calmly. "Captain Beidou—won't you invite me in for tea?"
"Ah—right." She scratched her head. "But there's no proper reception room aboard. We can't exactly drink tea in the mess hall—it's filthy."
Severin's request had put her in a bind.
"A clean room will suffice," he said. "A window with a view of the sea. It's over two hours to Liyue Harbor—I'll stay aboard until then."
Beidou hesitated, then seemed to make a momentous decision.
"Then… Your Highness can use my cabin."
Her cabin was an absolute forbidden zone aboard the Alcor.
Once, a pair of drunken sailors had tried to sneak in on a dare. Beidou had beaten them senseless and tossed them overboard to feed the sharks.
No man had dared step inside since.
And yet today, Captain Beidou herself had invited a man—an outsider—into her quarters.
The deck erupted into muffled snickers and wolf whistles.
"One more sound and none of you eat tonight!" Beidou snapped.
The crew scattered instantly, though a faint blush crept onto her face.
For all her bold, domineering presence, Beidou was still a woman.
Her cabin was clean and orderly, with green plants by the bed and shelves. Inside a cabinet, Severin noticed colorful seashells of every hue.
So the feared "Boss" of countless sailors still harbored a touch of girlish sentiment.
"Sorry if this looks childish," Beidou said hurriedly as she poured tea. "They're just… things from my childhood."
"They're toys you couldn't afford as a child, and bought only after you had money," Severin said gently. "To make up for old regrets—that's a warm thing."
Beidou's past was a bitter one.
As a child, she'd chased a wild dog that stole her rice bun, wandering to a fishing village near Wangshu Inn. The village head took her in out of pity—but soon fell ill and passed away.
Then came years of poor fishing. With hunger everywhere, the villagers blamed Beidou—claiming she'd cursed the dog, the village head, and now the entire settlement. In their rage, they drove her out.
They said her name—Beidou, the Death Omen Star—spelled misfortune.
With a sigh, Beidou admitted, "I knew I couldn't hide it from you. You're right. I bought these after I made money."
"When I was little, I loved seashells. But I could never afford them. Every time I passed a stall, I'd stand far away and stare for a long, long time."
"That was the only joy of my childhood."
Severin raised his teacup to hers.
"It's hard to imagine that under Morax's rule, so many still struggled to eat. Gods stand high above—how could they know mortal suffering?"
Beidou sighed. "Lady Ningguang's childhood was even worse than mine."
"She was born poor too—nearly sold to a brothel at a young age. She carried baskets, hauled shoulder poles, and walked barefoot through the streets selling goods to earn her first Mora."
"Through relentless effort, she rose to become the Tianquan she is today."
"So the rumors are wrong," Severin said. "You and Ningguang aren't truly at odds. Heroes recognize heroes."
Beidou laughed. "Me, a hero? That's you, Your Highness."
"Liyue's flourished under her rule—I respect her. But mutual admiration? That's exaggeration."
Then she grinned. "The Crux Fleet skirts gray areas all the time. We break Liyue's laws more than once—the fines she's slapped on me could've bought several ships."
"My crew resents her plenty. But once, I beat her at chess and won a huge sum. The boys celebrated for three days straight."
"I've heard," Severin smiled. "Merchants respect you not because you took her money—but because you dared to."
Beidou grew a little embarrassed. "Don't listen to their bragging. Your reforms in Snezhnaya—that's real greatness."
Severin set down his teacup. "I intend to play a game with Ningguang as well. How about I win every Mora she has—just to vent some steam for your men?"
Beidou froze.
Then she burst out laughing. "That'd be incredible! I'd love to see her bankrupt—though she'd rebuild easily. I'm not worried about her at all."
"Then once we dock," Severin continued, "if you're free, I could use a guide. Liyue's streets are complex—having a local saves time."
"Gladly," Beidou said at once. "With me around, no one in Liyue will dare bully you."
Severin nodded.
He liked her—decisive, fearless, unrestrained.
"Your Highness," Beidou added, "would you wait outside a moment? I need to prepare—just to make sure your guide is fully ready."
"Of course."
Severin stepped out of her cabin and returned to the deck.
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