In her sleep, Fang Qiu flopped over like a fish flipping on a cutting board, kicking off the blanket covering her. Her shapely figure and rumpled clothes were instantly exposed to the cold air.
A chill draft slipped in through the gap under the door. Fang Qiu shivered, curling up, and flopped back over the other way.
But the kicked-off blanket didn't follow her back.
So the cold woke her up.
Groggily, she pushed herself upright and looked around the unfamiliar room. After a long moment of confusion over why she was sleeping on the floor, she finally remembered—she was in Inazuma.
She lit the candle in the room, and as the light spread, her gaze landed on Sayu, who was sleeping curled up nearby, deep in dreamless slumber.
That was when it clicked for Fang Qiu.
This little one really was a ninja.
After all, a ninja was supposed to walk through the shadows of the night.
That emotionless kind of killer.
Walking through the night meant sleeping during the day and working after dark.
And Yae Publishing House had the nerve to send a ninja to pick her up.
Wasn't that basically making a ninja work overtime?
Seemed like being a ninja was just another exploited profession.
Just like the civil servants over at Yujing Terrace in Liyue.
Nine-nine-six, every single week.
No wonder the poor thing was this exhausted.
Then again, come to think of it, novelists also seemed to sleep during the day and write at night...
Fellow wanderers cast adrift at the edge of the world, more or less...
Watching Sayu sleep so soundly, Fang Qiu felt a pang of sympathy. Seeing how hard she'd worked, she decided not to disturb her.
Fang Qiu slid open the balcony door. Outside, the moon hung veiled in gauzy mist, the night soft and hazy.
Compared to Liyue, Inazuma's nights had an entirely different flavor.
The balcony faced the ocean, though she couldn't tell what the streets of Ritou looked like from here...
Once the Traveler and the others got back, they should all go out and explore together.
She'd treat them—invite the Traveler and Paimon to a fancy Inazuman meal.
She'd heard plenty about the local delicacies along the way.
Come to think of it, in her past life she'd never actually tried Japanese cuisine.
This was the perfect chance to finally taste it properly.
Thinking about food made her stomach growl a little.
But it was already this late—why weren't the Traveler and the others back yet? Had something happened?
Just as Fang Qiu was debating whether to go out and check, a knock sounded at the door.
"Is that the Traveler and Paimon?"
Delighted, Fang Qiu hurried to the door and pulled it open.
But the moment she got a clear look at the person standing outside, she froze.
The visitor wore strange, unusual clothing, had pink hair, and skin as pale as snow. A pair of narrowed fox eyes looked her up and down.
What caught Fang Qiu's attention even more were the fox ears drooping among the pink strands, seeming to blend seamlessly into her hair.
What a gorgeous woman.
And so... commanding, somehow.
"Um... may I ask who you are?"
Fang Qiu shrank back a little, unconsciously, and asked with some confusion.
This woman... surely hadn't knocked on the wrong door?
Then again, this whole inn had been booked out by Yae Publishing House, reserved only for guests attending the Irodori Festival.
Which meant this woman must also be one of the cultural figures Yae Publishing House had invited for the festival?
She just had no idea what this woman actually did.
An artist? A bard? A novelist?
"A beauty, just as I thought."
Seeing Fang Qiu's puzzled expression, Yae Miko's lips curled into a teasing smile. She stepped forward, reached out, and tilted up Fang Qiu's clean-shaven chin, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
"Uh?"
Startled by the sudden, brazen move, Fang Qiu flinched back a step, trying to put some distance between them—but Yae Miko followed right along, not letting her get away.
"Um... may I ask what exactly you're after?"
Watching Yae Miko's smile, Fang Qiu grew nervous. She retreated step by step, and Yae Miko advanced step by step in turn.
Until her back met the wall, and there was nowhere left to go...
"Relax, I mean no harm. I simply want to... get to know you more intimately."
Yae Miko said with a faint smile.
"In...intimately?"
Staring at Yae Miko's face, so close now, wearing that wicked little grin, Fang Qiu started to panic.
Intimately how?
Intimately where?
This broad daylight... no wait, it was nighttime...
This public setting... no, that wasn't right either—all the other guests' room lights were out, seemed like everyone had gone out to explore the streets, and the courtyard was empty...
This woman...
Could she be some Inazuman lesbian version of a flower thief, roaming around assaulting people?
Specifically targeting foreigners.
And besides, a little light same-sex activity wouldn't leave any lasting marks on the body—foreigners would worry about offending the local powers and just swallow their grievances in silence.
The moment she'd stepped ashore, this woman had probably already marked her as a target, and now, with everyone else out and about, she was making her move...
Even if the woman was gorgeous, that still wasn't going to fly!
What should she do?
Fight back?
Yes, fight back!
Fang Qiu's eyes narrowed as she studied the Electro Vision dangling from the woman's ear.
Sure, the woman was also a Vision holder, but that didn't mean Fang Qiu would necessarily lose.
"Who's making all this noise? Some of us are trying to sleep."
Just as Fang Qiu resolved that the instant this woman tried anything out of line—groping, or trying to strip her clothes off, or anything like that—she'd strike first, an irritated voice cut through the room.
Sayu!
It was Sayu!
Hearing Sayu's voice, Fang Qiu whipped around to look, and saw Sayu struggling to sit up from under the covers, a flash of relief and delight crossing her eyes.
Thank goodness.
She'd nearly forgotten Sayu was still asleep in the room.
This woman surely hadn't counted on there being another Vision holder in the room—a combat-hardened, emotionless ninja, no less.
Since she'd been sent by Yae Publishing House, surely she'd be responsible for Fang Qiu's safety, right?
So that made it two against one—the advantage was hers!
Just as Fang Qiu guessed that the pink-haired woman before her was about to bolt out the door in retreat, the woman didn't look the least bit rattled. She glanced back at Sayu and spoke in a light, unbothered tone.
"Not your business. Go back to sleep."
Hearing the pink-haired woman's words, Fang Qiu nearly laughed out loud inside.
Ha.
Doesn't know her place, still standing there, not even sparing Sayu a glance of concern!
Surely this pink-haired woman didn't think Sayu was just some ordinary kid, did she?
She'd actually said the exact line those villains always said in those trashy "Dragon King Live-in Son-in-Law" web novels from her past life.
Kid, I'd advise you not to stick your nose where it doesn't belong.
And then the protagonist's mouth would curl into a smirk—the Dragon King would reveal himself, and the villain would get his face smashed in.
This moment, right now, felt just like that.
How could it be so similar?
Just as Fang Qiu braced herself, expecting Sayu to rise up like a thunderbolt and subdue this pink-haired Inazuman lesbian flower thief before her eyes, instead, Sayu glanced once at the pink-haired woman, gave a simple "oh," and obediently burrowed back under the covers, rolling over so her back faced them both.
"?"
Fang Qiu was stunned.
What on earth was going on here?
...
...
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