Kamisato Estate.
The moonlight was thin as gauze, its pale glow spilling down over the courtyard, falling across a silver-haired girl in a kendo uniform, her hair tied back in a high ponytail, a wooden sword in her hand.
With every swing of the wooden blade, it cut through the air with a sharp, cracking hiss.
After a couple more swings, the girl suddenly stopped.
She turned her head toward the pavilion.
Leaning against one of the pavilion's pillars was a young man in a white robe, his hair just as silver as hers, a cup of Dango Milk in hand.
"Welcome home, Brother."
Kamisato Ayaka sheathed her wooden sword and said with a light smile.
"Practicing swordwork at this hour?"
Kamisato Ayato said with a faint smile.
"It's just that I haven't practiced in a while, so I thought I'd get some in."
Kamisato Ayaka said.
"Speaking of which, isn't today the day that Miss Fang Qiu from Liyue sets off?"
Kamisato Ayato sat down on the steps, looking off toward Liyue.
The stars over Liyue blazed bright.
"That's right."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded, her eyes full of anticipation. "I really can't wait to meet Miss Fang Qiu. I wonder if we could become friends."
Just then, Thoma walked into the courtyard carrying a rolled-up blueprint, deep in thought. Spotting Kamisato Ayaka and Kamisato Ayato, he froze for a moment.
"Good evening, my lord, my lady."
Thoma quickly tucked the blueprint away and greeted them.
"Good evening, Thoma."
Kamisato Ayaka smiled.
"Thoma, what's that you're carrying?"
Kamisato Ayato asked.
"Oh, this."
Thoma scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Last night I had this sudden idea for a new attraction for the Irodori Festival — haven't settled on a name yet, but the idea is to bring to life some of the ghosts and monsters I've read about in novels. Like the Knocking Ghost, or the one that hangs upside down from the ceiling, that sort of thing."
"Oh?"
Kamisato Ayato raised an eyebrow.
"I knew you'd be interested, my lord."
Thoma said with a grin. "This afternoon I went to talk it over with Yae Publishing House, and it just so happened I ran into Lady Guuji there. Once she heard the idea, she loved it — approved it on the spot, actually, and put me fully in charge. My initial plan is to set it up indoors, call it a haunted house, and place the ghosts and monsters along the path from entrance to exit, jumping out to scare people now and then. Couples could go through together — it'd bring them closer, teach them a bit about ghost culture, and bring in some revenue for the festival besides."
"I don't think that's wise."
Kamisato Ayato shook his head.
"What's your take, my lord?"
Thoma looked puzzled.
"I don't think it should be called a haunted house."
Kamisato Ayato rubbed his chin, thinking it over for a moment. "If you call it that, plenty of girls will refuse to go anywhere near it. In my view, give it an ordinary name instead. Once you've lured them inside, lock the doors — the only way out is to keep moving forward. Still, for safety's sake, no one physically weak should go in alone, and neither the very young nor the elderly should be allowed to participate at all."
"That makes sense — you really are something, my lord."
Thoma said, pleasantly surprised.
"Brother, Thoma, I'll head back to my room now."
Watching her brother, clearly delighted, dive into planning the haunted house with Thoma, Kamisato Ayaka pressed a hand to her forehead in resignation.
Her brother really did love watching people squirm.
And Thoma's haunted house project fit that bill perfectly.
After bidding Kamisato Ayato and Thoma goodnight, she headed straight for the bath.
Meanwhile, Kamisato Ayato sat down at the desk with Thoma, and the two of them began going over the rough design in detail.
The more they talked, the more excited Thoma got.
Sure, Fang Qiu had taken his advice before and written two ghost novels.
They were good books, no doubt.
But honestly, the ghost novels Fang Qiu wrote were missing the true essence of the genre.
The most important thing about a proper ghost story was terror.
Not just a monster or a ghost showing up for the sake of it.
What was even scary about Gin and Hayama Meiko, really…
So he'd planned this whole project just to get Fang Qiu to take part in it — so she could finally grasp the real essence of ghost storytelling.
Meanwhile, in Mondstadt.
A gentle breeze swept across Windrise, carrying the scent of its dandelions and the cool freshness of Springvale, drifting into the bustling streets of Mondstadt City.
The great windmill and the windmill daisies planted beneath it spun round and round together.
Work hours had long since ended, and the people of the city moved about at their leisure.
And at this hour, the Cat's Tail was doing a booming trade.
"Haven't been to the Cat's Tail in ages, Miss Diona — I'll have a glass of the sour plum frost wine."
"I'll take a big mug of apple cider."
Watching the customers calling out their orders, Diona pressed a hand to her forehead, a little pained.
Ever since the drunken bard who used to sing at the Angel's Share had sailed off to Inazuma, business at the Cat's Tail had shot straight up — at times even outpacing the Angel's Share, which had lost the very bard who liked to dissect Fang Qiu's books there.
"Speaking of which, you've all heard about Inazuma's Irodori Festival, right?"
"How could we not have heard? So many novelists and bards have already left for Inazuma on invitation. That bard, Venti — didn't he set off days ago aboard the Far Voyage's Wind?"
"I hear it's not just us Mondstadt folk, either — plenty of people from Liyue are heading there too."
"Really? Then wouldn't that old scoundrel Fang Qiu be going as well?"
"Can't say for sure. There's supposed to have been an invitation, but whether she's actually going, who knows — we'll have to wait for word from over there."
Just as the discussion was heating up, a blue-haired woman and a red-haired one sat at the bar.
The blue-haired woman was thoroughly drunk, her pretty face flushed crimson.
"Eula, that's your seventh big mug already — maybe slow down a little."
Amber said, watching her with concern.
"Damn it all — he promised he'd give me his answer yesterday, and that bard just up and left on the third day after getting his invitation! Not so much as a word! Completely forgot our agreement!"
Eula ground her teeth in fury.
With that, she took another savage swig of wine and said, "I'm keeping score on this one. When that man gets back, I'll settle things properly with him — tie him to the bow and use him as fishing bait. Not even the Anemo Archon himself could stop me! Mark my words!"
"Er…"
Amber could only offer an awkward smile.
When Eula said she was keeping score, she really meant it.
As the two of them chatted, the people around them kept up their own conversation.
"I wish Mondstadt would put on a festival like that too, and invite that old scoundrel Fang Qiu to come play."
"You call that 'inviting her to play'? I'm almost too embarrassed to call you out on it — what you really mean is you want a chance to settle scores with her."
"Caught me. I really do want to have a heart-to-heart with her about life choices — how dare she kill off my Hayama Meiko! Waaah, my Menma… here, have a drink with me."
"What if Fang Qiu really is the beautiful young lady some people say she is?"
"No way, absolutely no way!"
"But what if?"
"Ahem — well, in that case, I suppose I'd buy her a drink, show a bit of chivalry."
"Now that sounds like you."
"Oh, by the way, have you all heard about Dragonspine?"
"You mean those merchants wanting to develop a summer resort there?"
"That's the one. If that gets approved, they could invite Fang Qiu to Mondstadt — apparently they're even planning to build some kind of swimming pool at Frostbearing Lake."
"Come on now. If she's actually a beautiful girl, fine, but what if she turns out to be some crusty old man? I really don't want him showing up for the resort's grand opening."
Listening to the chatter around her, Amber's eyes lit up. "Oh, right — we could ask Acting Grand Master Jean, see if she can get Fang Qiu invited to Mondstadt."
But when she turned around, Eula had already passed out drunk, slumped over the table.
With no other choice, Amber paid Eula's tab in Mora, hauled her up, and walked her all the way home.
Looking at Eula lying on the bed, her face still flushed red, Amber sighed helplessly, pulled off Eula's armor and boots, and tucked a blanket over her.
Meanwhile, at the Knights of Favonius headquarters.
The lights in the Grand Master's office were still burning.
Jean sat at her desk, poring over documents with a focused expression, a hint of fatigue showing on her fine features.
"Here, have some coffee."
Lisa set a fragrant cup down on the desk.
"Thanks."
Jean murmured her thanks, picked up her pen, signed her name on the document, then finally lifted the cup and took a sip, letting the warmth spread through her. She let out a long breath, looked up at Lisa, and said, "Sorry for keeping you here working late with me, Lisa."
"It's fine — a little overtime now and then is kind of fun, actually."
Lisa said with a smile.
"What do you think about the film screening partnership that Tianquan from Liyue proposed?"
Jean asked.
"From what the merchants have reported, this 'film' that Tianquan mentioned is quite popular in Liyue — especially Fang Qiu's works, which are wildly popular there. Quality-wise, there shouldn't be any issues."
Lisa said. "And Fang Qiu's books are quite popular here in Mondstadt too, so I think a partnership is worth pursuing. As for the profit split, we'd need to hash that out in more detail."
"I see."
Jean nodded thoughtfully, then said, "If we're going to move forward, where do you think would be a good spot to build the picture studio?"
"Tianquan actually offered a suggestion on that too."
Lisa said.
"What suggestion?"
Jean asked.
"She suggested we pick a relatively less busy area in Mondstadt City, build the picture studio there as the core, and develop a commercial district around it — using it to drive growth in that part of the city."
Lisa said.
"That's not a bad idea."
Jean nodded thoughtfully. "Let me think it over some more."
"Sure, no rush."
Lisa nodded, then said, "By the way, that proposal I mentioned before — how did you handle it?"
"You mean the one about those merchants wanting to build a summer resort at Dragonspine?"
Jean asked.
"That's the one. I actually think it's not a bad idea."
Lisa stretched. "Getting to vacation at Dragonspine in summer sounds lovely. Eula apparently swims at the Frostbearing Lake there fairly often — I'd like to try it myself come high summer."
"I don't think it's time yet. Dragonspine still isn't safe enough — opening it up to ordinary people too hastily could end badly if something went wrong."
Jean rubbed at her brow, frowning. "This is already the third proposal submitted this month, and those merchants have been stirring up public opinion, too, talking up the idea of opening Dragonspine as a resort. A lot of people seem quite taken with the idea… that's what's giving me the headache."
"Still, ever since the Traveler went and braved Dragonspine, it's gotten quite a bit safer. Their proposal is worth considering, honestly."
Lisa said.
"Do you support developing it, Lisa?"
Jean asked.
"We could have Eula, Albedo, and the Traveler do a risk assessment of Dragonspine together. If it checks out, they can pick the safest spot to start construction, then build up defenses to make sure nothing goes wrong."
Lisa said.
"Let me think that over too."
Jean rubbed her brow again, looking a little pained. "Speaking of which, I wonder how Klee is doing. I hope she's been listening to Albedo along the way — she wouldn't go and blow up the ship trying to blast fish in the ocean, would she?"
"Don't worry, Klee may be a bit mischievous, but she wouldn't go so far as to blow up a ship."
Once Lisa finished, she added one more thing.
"Probably."
"I do hope Albedo keeps a close eye on her."
Jean sighed.
"All right, it's getting late — you should get some rest."
Lisa said. "We can deal with these headaches again tomorrow."
"You go rest first. I'll finish annotating the rest of these documents, then turn in."
Jean said, shaking her head.
"Ah, you."
Lisa sighed.
Night deepened, little by little.
The Alcor led the Crux Fleet forward at a steady pace.
Only a handful of sailors remained on deck for the night watch, keeping an eye out for icebergs or sea monsters.
"So cold… the ocean's murder at midnight…"
"Yeah… I'm freezing, shivering all over…"
"Speaking of which, Miss Fang Qiu really does her research when she writes. The seawater at night, especially this time of year — it really is this cold."
"You mean The Eternal?"
"Yeah. Jack sank right into water just as freezing as this."
"My body's already cold enough without you making my heart go cold too, thanks…"
"Speaking of which, when's the film of The Eternal supposed to come out, anyway?"
"Probably can't find a set big enough for a ship that size. They can hardly build an actual Eternal just to film it, can they?"
"Fair point, now that you mention it."
Arms crossed, breathing out warm puffs of air, they kept watch on the sea conditions while chatting to pass the time.
Meanwhile, in Fang Qiu and the Traveler's cabin.
So cold…
Still half-asleep, Fang Qiu curled up slightly, feeling a faint chill, and instinctively reached out for something to hold onto.
Her hand found something warm and soft.
So warm.
Was it a rolled-up electric blanket?
Fang Qiu pressed herself fully against it, one leg swinging right over the warm thing — and not just that, she instinctively rubbed against it a little, nearly straddling the warm, soft thing entirely.
With both arms wrapped tightly around it and both legs clamped firmly around it too, the chill gradually faded away.
Fang Qiu drifted peacefully back to sleep.
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