Heaven...
...Today, I think I’ll look at the earth for a while.
I lowered the head I had been about to lift and gazed at the world flowing beneath me from atop a peak that rose so high it seemed to pierce the sky.
The world sometimes moves slowly. Sometimes quickly.
It has already been nearly a month since I came into this world.
It was neither a long time nor a short one, and yet countless events had crowded into the gaps between those days.
“...Hoo.”
I drew in a focused breath.
And exhaled stray thoughts with the outbreath.
I let out a long breath and rose from my seat.
A realization I had earned by screaming until my throat nearly split for days.
Inhale.
Internal energy on the inhale.
Internal energy on the exhale too.
Pure willpower coated my throat.
“[All Yaksha of the Mountain! Assemble!]”
A lion’s roar packed with internal energy burst forth, shaking the high mountains and making the deep valleys resonate.
And the moment my roar rang out, multicolored lights began shooting toward me from every direction.
Red fire that had just bloomed into a flower bud.
Blue water flowing without end.
Crimson stone like a net wrapping the world from all sides.
Green wind that freely entwined itself, pushing, suppressing, and hurling spears through the air.
And then.
Purple lightning that ruled the instant.
The colors that flew in from all directions halted before me, then transformed into human shapes.
I smiled at the Yaksha.
“The effects are already showing. Good work, all of you. A week of special training is paying off.”
Though they were still far from enough, the various energies leaking through the karmic burden had grown denser.
It meant they were slowly escaping its control.
“This ends the special training. But don’t slack off just because it’s over. Never forget that breaking free from the karmic burden is your top priority.”
The moment I finished speaking, Fusa dropped to one knee.
Seeing that, Yingda let out a bright laugh and knelt as well.
Bonan and Mino looked at Yingda, then at each other, and carefully lowered themselves onto one knee.
“...Tch.”
Once everyone had knelt, Bosacius clicked his tongue as if he had no choice and followed suit.
“All Yaksha of the Mountain. We offer our respects to our master.”
“...You make it sound like you’ll never see me again. If you ever hit a wall in your training, come find me anytime. That’s what a master is for.”
Even as I said that, I sent the one tear that had slipped free flying away on the wind.
There was salt in the wind.
Only then did I look up at the sky.
The darkening heavens had been pierced by countless tiny holes, and starlight was pouring through them.
“It’s late. All of you, disperse.”
“May you be well.”
The Yaksha who had risen to their feet were about to leave.
“Ah, Yingda and Bonan, stay a moment. I have something to ask you.”
But when I spoke, Bonan and Yingda looked puzzled, then bowed to their brothers and flew over to me.
“What is it you need, Master?”
“...Mm. I’m not sure how to start.”
I scratched my cheek and said, “What do immortals like to eat besides flowers?”
“...Huh?”
For the past few weeks I had been too busy training my disciples to see Ganyu, and now I couldn’t find her anywhere.
She had watched from afar as I sparred with my disciples last time, then left right away.
“...Could this be because of Lady Kirin?”
“...Hm? How did you know?”
When I asked in mild surprise, Bonan and Yingda both grinned with the same sly expression.
...That’s ominous.
“So it was... that, then.”
“Heeheehee...”
“Stop laughing like that and answer my question.”
I said with a shudder, and Bonan and Yingda looked at each other, laughing as they replied, “Well... Lady Kirin especially likes flowers, so if you bring her a variety of them, wouldn’t she be pleased?”
“...A variety of flowers, huh.”
I thought for a moment, then smiled and patted Bonan and Yingda on the head.
“Thank you. I’ll repay you next time you come by.”
“.......”
“.......”
Yingda’s already red face turned even redder, and a sunset-like flush rose across Bonan’s blue features.
Were they embarrassed?
“...Master.”
“What is it, Bonan?”
“...Don’t drag us into this.”
“...?”
Bonan sometimes said things I couldn’t make sense of.
“I don’t really know what that means, but... I’ll try. Then let’s meet again later, my beloved disciples.”
I burst out laughing at Bonan and Yingda’s faces, now so red they looked ready to explode, and leapt upward.
I ran across the air.
Crossing one peak and then another, I plucked two violet glassy pouches from a rock.
Then I raced on, climbed to another summit, and cut down two Qingxin, those noble white flowers.
Hm. Two more to go.
In just a few steps I left the mountain region and entered the fields.
It’s getting faster and faster. At this rate, I’ll break the sound barrier someday.
I plucked two Glaze Lilies, flowers that had drunk in the memories people left behind and grown by turning those memories into fragrance.
Drunk on the scents leaking from the many flowers I had gathered, I sprang up again.
I circled the fields where the Qiaoying Village would one day stand and ran toward the flower that looked like a cloud in the distance.
A painted cloud descending to the earth and clinging to a beautiful blossom.
I plucked two red Silk Flowers.
Preparation was complete.
I leapt again and headed for Mt. Aocang.
As I left the fields and entered the mountains, the scent of deep breaths brought a refreshing feeling.
My eyes, having sprinted up the mountain in just a few steps, caught sight of a beautiful woman drinking tea.
So it was Liuyun. Drinking tea at this hour of night?
I kicked off the air and shot upward, reaching the summit of Mt. Aocang.
“Cloud Retainer.”
When I called her name, Cloud Retainer flinched and set down her teacup with trembling hands.
“Gumo? What brings you here at this hour?”
“Ah. Nothing in particular. I came because I was wondering if you might know where Ganyu is.”
“Oh, you’re looking for Ganyu?”
Cloud Retainer smiled at me and pointed somewhere.
“She went to the place where the moon and stars shine brightest. Go on quickly. I suspect she’s waiting for you.”
“Ah. Thank you, Cloud Retainer.”
I bowed in thanks, then noticed the mechanical device placed in front of Cloud Retainer.
It had been set behind the teacup, almost as if she were trying to hide it.
I smiled faintly and walked over to her.
“What is it?”
Smiling, I selected one flower from among the ones I had gathered and placed it on Cloud Retainer’s desk.
“A token of thanks, Cloud Retainer. Ah, and I like your mechanism. It’s an impressive craft, isn’t it? You should be proud of it.”
“...Hah?”
Cloud Retainer stared at me blankly, then covered her face with her palm and said, “...You should mind your tongue.”
“...? Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“That will do. Ganyu will be waiting, so go on.”
I bowed again and leapt away.
The place Cloud Retainer had pointed to was beyond the Guili Plains, where the village of Mingyun would one day stand.
I ran across the open air beneath the vast spread of the starry sky.
And as I ran.
Before long, I had reached my destination.
And then.
Far away, I saw hair bluer than the moon, shining in the blue moonlight.
I approached carefully and said, “Are you looking at the stars, Lady Ganyu?”
“Eek?!”
Oh dear. Was that too sudden?
At the sound of my voice, Ganyu jerked in alarm and flailed about, then saw my face and was startled all over again.
“G-Gumo-sama?!”
“Yes. It’s me. I came because I hadn’t seen your face lately. Did I perhaps interrupt something?”
“N-no... Ah, please sit!”
Ganyu shifted slightly to the side, and I took the seat beside her without refusing.
As if determined not to meet my eyes, Ganyu kept staring at the starry sky.
I followed her gaze.
The stars were pouring their light down on us.
The tangled paths of starlight looked chaotic, but they were beautiful.
...It’s been a long time since I felt this. The beauty of nature.
In the past, I had risked my life just to see this night sky.
Looking up at the stars, I said, “Do you have some trouble on your mind, Lady Ganyu?”
“Y-yes?!”
I turned and met Ganyu’s eyes as she looked at me.
“You seemed troubled. Today, and before as well.”
“B-before... you knew...?”
I smiled and made a gesture that said I didn’t know.
“Uuugh...”
Ganyu held her head and sighed for a long while before lifting it again.
“...Will you keep it... a secret...?”
“Of course.”
“...Really?”
“A single word from a man is worth a thousand gold. I certainly will.”
Reassured by my answer, Ganyu finally opened her mouth slowly.
Very slowly.
“...I was jealous.”
?
Of me?
I said nothing and waited for her to continue.
“I was jealous of how you fit perfectly among humans... and how you get along with the immortals, Gumo-sama.”
...Ah. So that’s it.
“As you know, I’m neither a complete adeptus nor a complete mortal. I stand at the boundary between immortal and human. So... I don’t truly belong anywhere.”
Ganyu smiled.
But sorrow lived in that smile.
“So I tried adjusting what I ate to seem more approachable to people, and I tried to get along with the immortals too... but it wasn’t easy.”
...Of course it wasn’t.
Humans suspect anything unlike themselves first. And even if they let their suspicion go, they never fully take it into their hearts.
I quietly waited for Ganyu to continue.
“...Haha. Was it too trivial a worry? I suppose I need to try harder...”
“Why do you try so hard to melt completely into their midst?”
At my words, Ganyu looked at me.
I met her gaze in return.
The wind blew through, scattering Ganyu’s beautiful hair.
And starlight seeping through the gaps between those strands made her blue hair shine even brighter.
“As the saying goes, a nail that sticks out gets noticed. Those who excel will always stand out. Even among humans, there are many who grow wary and cast out others simply because they are better than them. So how could a perfect adeptus possibly melt completely into the cracks between humans?”
“...Is that so? Then in the end, I...”
“But.”
I smiled faintly and asked, “Do you know what the name Ganyu means?”
“...Huh?”
Ganyu asked back with a face full of confusion, and I opened my mouth to answer that question.
“Long-drought sweet rain. It means the welcome rain that falls after a long drought.”
“...So that’s what it means...”
I looked up at the starry sky.
Tonight, the stars seemed especially bright.
“Sweet rain after a long drought is an immense blessing to farmers. But most people don’t know the value of that blessing.”
Ganyu was quietly watching me now.
“You don’t need to melt completely into their midst. Nor do you need to get along with all of them. No, in the first place, that’s impossible. How could a human be loved by everyone?”
Humans are that kind of creature.
They hate without reason. They envy without reason.
My concern for Ganyu felt far too precious to waste on such people.
“Just be the sweet rain that falls after a long drought. Be the rain that falls for those who need you, Lady Ganyu.”
Even that star in the sky gives its warm light only to those who recognize it and look up at it.
“Just as rain after a drought feels especially welcome to farmers, if you become sweet rain for exhausted humans, they will remember you. That is how bonds are formed.”
I held out the flowers in my hand to Ganyu.
“I’ve been too busy with my disciples lately to greet you properly. These are for that apology.”
“...Th-thank you... Gumo-sama...”
Starlight illuminated Ganyu’s reddened face.
Holding the colorful flowers, Ganyu hid her blushing face behind them and said to me, “Th... Gumo-sama!”
“? Yes?”
Ganyu fidgeted anxiously, thinking over something, then slowly opened her mouth.
“Could you... call me just ‘Ganyu’... more casually?”
I stared at Ganyu blankly, and she hurriedly tried to explain.
“I-I mean... since we’ve known each other for a while now, I thought we could be a little more comfortable...”
“...Very well. Ganyu.”
“...?!?!?!”
I smiled faintly and turned my gaze back to the starry sky.
The stars were sending me a warmth I had never felt before.
“Hwaaah...”
Even while covering her face with the flowers, Ganyu followed my gaze and looked up at the starry sky.
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