There is no such thing as a purely one-sided relationship in this world.
Relationships stem from connections, connections from coincidences, and coincidences from circumstances.
Since a situation arises from a cause and produces the result of a relationship, no matter how complex the causality may be, there is always a root if one traces it back.
Thinking that a situation that might have existed since she was young—or perhaps even before she was born—had passed through time to create the current result, Ganyu silently moved her feet.
Even in the bright daylight, the lanterns hanging from the shop roofs were elaborately decorated, shining more intensely than the sunlight. Ganyu’s cheeks flushed red under the brilliant glow.
She wanted to run away, but Ganyu was an Adeptus who did not know how to turn her back on responsibility. Especially when it concerned all of Liyue, and by extension, Rex Lapis.
She didn't know if anyone would recognize her, but even so, Ganyu hesitated to walk in so openly with her face exposed.
After a moment of deliberation, Ganyu put on a hat large enough to hide her horns and temporarily dyed her blue hair a brownish-black before finally stepping into the shop.
'I’m sorry, Mother.'
She offered a silent apology to her late mother for hiding the symbols of her divine lineage.
"""Welcome!"""
The clerks shouted in unison.
Normally, she would have acknowledged their hard work, but Ganyu couldn't open her mouth. She was terrified that someone might recognize her voice.
Ganyu silently climbed the stairs set against the shop wall.
Passing the second and third floors, she reached the fourth, where there was only one clerk. Letting out a sigh of relief inwardly, Ganyu finally looked up, only for her face to turn beet red.
“Welcome. Are you looking for something in particular?”
“A-Ah... no... I’ll just look around myself.”
“Certainly.”
The clerk wore an expression that suggested they understood everything, gave a bright smile, and returned to their seat. With her head bowed low, Ganyu occasionally peeked at the displayed items.
Scraps of fabric that hardly fit the definition of 'clothing' were scattered everywhere—pieces with holes in the sides and middle, or thin, tiny strips of cloth that made her wonder if they could even function as garments.
She hadn't been able to accept the outfit her master made for her at first, but compared to the scraps of cloth before her eyes, her own clothes looked like the height of modesty.
“Customer?”
“Hah?!”
Ganyu let out a strange sound despite herself, then cleared her throat and lowered her head even further.
“I-I’ll take everything from here to there!”
“Pardon?”
#
“...”
A massive bundle, a mountain of Mora stacked higher than Nahida, and Ganyu kneeling behind it all.
Just what on earth was she thinking to go out and bring back something like this?
“Please look through them... and if there’s anything you... like...”
I let out a deep sigh and untied the bundle. As the fabric loosened, the clothes piled inside spilled out in a heap.
“...What is this?”
The floor was suddenly covered in erotic lingerie that would make a couple married for years blush. Ganyu, her head bowed low, couldn't see Gyeoul’s bewildered expression.
Flushed red from the nape of her neck to her ears, Ganyu squeezed her eyes shut.
‘Is this how I finally end up being defiled?’
She tried and tried to hold it back, but the corners of her eyes stung. Tears that should have been hidden in those large eyes began to drip onto the floor.
She knew that crying at a time like this would only stimulate a sadistic urge. She had learned that the other person might even feel pleasure from it.
Nevertheless, tears continued to stream from Ganyu’s eyes.
Gyeoul looked at the dampening floor, then up at the ceiling, and let out a sigh.
'Now she’s crying.'
How did it come to this?
But he already knew the answer. Judging by their previous conversation, letting her remain under a misunderstanding must have led to this.
‘But what kind of thought process leads to this conclusion?’
Is this what passed for ceremonial attire in Liyue? Is that it? Hahaha.
“Dad.”
“Yeah?”
Just as I was lamenting my fate in my head, Nahida grabbed a piece of black, hole-filled underwear from the top of the bundle and held it out to me.
I didn't want to take it, but seeing her flutter it back and forth as if her arm was tired, I had no choice but to reach out.
Ganyu heard the exchange between Nahida and me and lifted her head slightly. Her eyes shimmered with tears.
“I think this would look good on that big sister.”
“Pfft...”
Do they say human emotions work in reverse when pushed to the extreme? At this point, I couldn't help but laugh.
As I let out a wheezing laugh, Nahida laughed too, and Ganyu started crying all over again.
The room was filled with the sound of silent sobbing and bizarre laughter.
“Whew...”
Having stopped laughing, Gyeoul placed the scrap of cloth back on the bundle and moved his hands.
Nahida, who had been smiling brightly thinking she was getting a head pat, suddenly realized that both of Gyeoul's hands were moving.
“Is it this mouth?”
“D-Dad?”
“Is it this naughty little mouth that wants to see Dad in trouble? Is that it?”
“Ubwubwubwu...”
As I lightly pinched Nahida’s cheeks, she made a deflating sound and put on a pitiful face.
“Awooo...”
Leaving behind Nahida, who was rubbing the red marks on her face, Gyeoul picked up the bundle and shoved it into the fireplace. The fireplace seemed to protest that it was too cramped, but after some forced stuffing, it all barely fit.
Ganyu wiped her tears with her sleeve and slowly raised her head.
“Listen. The ceremonial attire I asked for is what I’ll wear when I go to Inazuma. The money is for travel expenses. And the information was about what I need to do there and how long I’ll be staying.”
Whoosh.
The moment the thin fabric touched the sparks, it burned instantly, emitting black smoke. Watching the smoke drift away, Gyeoul picked up Nahida—who was still rubbing her cheeks—and sat down on the sofa.
“Then...”
“I don’t know what you were thinking, but I have no intention of being hostile toward Liyue, and I have no reason to attack Morax.”
“But about spending the night together...”
“When did I ever say that? I just told you to spend the day together.”
As Ganyu watched Gyeoul sigh, the flush that had subsided while she was crying flared up again across her ears and face. Seeing Ganyu turn as red as a ripe tomato, Gyeoul sighed again and gently rubbed Nahida’s cheek.
“That hurt!”
“That was the point.”
Nahida puffed out her cheeks. When I poked them with a finger, they made a brief deflating sound like a balloon, only for her to puff them out again immediately.
After being poked for a while, Nahida huffed and turned her head away. Quietly stroking her hair, I turned my gaze back to Ganyu.
Ganyu, who had been nodding her head back and forth as if she were broken, met my eyes and snapped to her senses with a sharp gasp.
“I am so sorry! I will prepare everything again!”
BANG.
Watching Ganyu rush out of the house so hard it seemed the door might break, Gyeoul sighed yet again.
Just how many times had he sighed today alone?
Clicking his tongue, Gyeoul looked down at Nahida.
“Want to ride the swing?”
“...”
Assuming she was sulking because she stayed silent, I remained still. Then, Nahida grabbed the hand that had been stroking her hair and hopped down from my lap.
Led by her small hand, I followed her, and as expected, she stopped at the Sandbearer Tree planted next to the house. The ropes hanging from a thick branch swayed slowly.
Nahida sat on the swing seat and stared at me silently.
Gyeoul, about to chuckle and give the swing a push, suddenly paused.
“Are you going to keep not talking?”
“...”
“If you do that, Dad can’t give you a ride.”
“...!”
Nahida’s eyes darted around indecisively before she vigorously shook her head. Seeing her side-tail whip back and forth with a soft whooshing sound, Gyeoul smiled faintly.
“That would be... a problem.”
Watching Nahida mumble with her small lips, Gyeoul quietly placed his hand on her back.
“Kyaaa~!”
#
Thud. Thud.
“...What is it this time?”
“These are the ceremonial clothes, everyday wear, pajamas for sleeping, and other garments for various purposes.”
“...”
“This is all the information regarding Inazuma, and I’ve put the travel funds in here.”
A bundle three times larger than Nahida and an insane pile of rolled-up documents were set down on the floor.
I unfurled one of the scrolls.
[Inazuma, where foreign contact has occurred frequently, and the Raiden Shogun amidst this crisis and the chaotic political situation...]
“Hey.”
“Yes.”
“Keep the ceremonial clothes to three sets. As for this information, delete all the useless fluff and select only what I need.”
“I only brought what was necess—”
“No. Summarize every piece of information I need into ten pages or less.”
“The schedule is tight, but I’ll try.”
“Tight? Why?”
“They said tomorrow wasn't possible, so I scheduled it for the day after.”
“The ship?”
“Yes. You don't have to worry.”
Gyeoul’s mouth hung open for a moment before he closed it and let out a sigh.
“My daughter.”
“Yeah?”
“You must never grow up to be like that.”
I scratched the area behind Nahida’s ear as she swatted at the air, her ear apparently tickled by my whisper. Watching Ganyu start unrolling the scrolls to read them one by one, Gyeoul shook his head.
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