"Would you like to have dinner together?" you ask, breaking the silence with a casual tone yet full of hope.
You keep your usual expression, trying to hide your heartbeat that's beating a little faster than normal.
Hearing your invitation, Ganyu falls silent for a moment. She looks at you, then her eyes drift slightly upward. Her index finger touches her chin as she puts on a thoughtful face.
So adorable.
Then, like the sun rising from behind clouds, she smiles and nods at you.
"Of course," she answers softly.
She pauses for a moment, then begins to stand. She smooths her clothes briefly and prepares to leave the office that has imprisoned her all day.
You watch her, noticing every small detail, and ask curiously, "What do you feel like eating tonight?"
Ganyu pauses again and puts on her thinking face. "Hmm…"
Then she smiles while looking at you, her eyes sparkling under the corridor lamp light filtering through the door crack.
"Actually, I'm not that hungry. But I'm craving something sweet right now."
"Same here!" You pause and laugh lightly. "After working so long, my brain needs sugar. I feel like eating something so sweet my teeth hurt."
"Agreed!" she says, laughing along. Her laughter fills the usually stiff room with warmth.
At that moment, the two of you step lightly toward the door, as if the workload you just finished has evaporated into the air.
At the door, you reach out to open the heavy wooden door.
The moment you open it, you're startled by what you see beyond.
Reflected in your eyes is the figure of a girl standing right at the threshold, her hand raised as if about to knock.
The girl is of average build with fair skin that seems to glow under the corridor lantern light. Her amethyst eyes shine sharply, their unique oval pupils adorned with a stiletto-like pattern, staring at you with surprising intensity. Her long purple hair reaches her waist, tied into twin tails shaped like cat ears, fading to silvery purple at the tips.
She wears elegant yet practical clothing in shades of purple and pale blue, radiating both noble and warrior auras. A short, form-fitting dress with finely ornamented layers hugs her body, paired with softly flared detached sleeves and dark gloves that give a firm impression. Her look is completed by elegant brown patterned stockings, purple-toned shoes, and golden accessories with flower-motif ribbons that add a feminine yet authoritative touch.
At that moment, the girl's eyes widen slightly, and her step halts.
She's surprised to see you too!
In an instant, she narrows her eyes. Her gaze becomes sharp, analytical, as if dissecting you in seconds.
But then she catches sight of Ganyu behind you. Her tense expression softens a little.
In a short time, she lets out a sigh.
She's beautiful… you praise inwardly, stunned by her sharp, charismatic beauty. Is she an acquaintance of Ganyu's?
"Seems I came at the wrong time," she says calmly.
She pauses and looks at Ganyu, then at you, alternating back and forth like a pendulum.
"Sorry for interrupting your time together," she continues with a tone that's slightly… teasing? Or mocking?
"I'll come back later."
Hearing this, Ganyu's face instantly flushes bright red. Red spreads from her neck to the tips of her horns.
"Wait, Lady Keqing!" she exclaims in panic, stepping forward past you. "You've misunderstood!" she says, her lips clearly trembling with embarrassment. "It's not what you think!"
You take a long moment to process the situation.
Your brain works slowly because you're captivated by the scene!
So this is the famous Keqing… you conclude inwardly. The Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. No wonder my first impression was of someone so graceful, authoritative, and a little intimidating.
You mutter silently, nodding that it makes sense.
She does radiate strong leadership aura!
"Is that so?" the girl called Keqing smiles thinly. "Then that's good. I was worried I was interrupting your secret date."
Date? You scratch your cheek with your index finger, your face suddenly turning red. Come to think of it, from an outsider's view, it does look like that… I mean, we were alone in the room with no one disturbing us.
Doesn't that sound like a date?!
Keqing looks at you again, this time with a softer yet still wary gaze.
Then she turns back to Ganyu, her face returning to professional.
"I actually came just to deliver additional documents from Lady Ningguang," she says while lifting the stack of papers she's carrying. "Regarding next month's Rite of Descension celebration. They need to be reviewed tonight if possible."
She hands the documents to Ganyu.
Ganyu accepts them with both hands. Her face, which had been red from embarrassment, now turns slightly pale.
"That's all," Keqing adds. "Well then, see you later. Don't work too hard, okay."
Keqing turns with graceful movement, her twin tails swaying. She takes a few steps away, her heeled shoes clicking tak-tak-tak on the stone floor.
Then she stops and turns back.
"I forgot one thing," she says, glancing at you then at Ganyu. "Good night!"
"Good night, Lady Keqing!" Ganyu says, bowing slightly.
You also nod awkwardly and say, "Good night." But your voice sounds small, drowned by Keqing's presence.
Keqing nods briefly and leaves, disappearing around the corridor corner.
You and Ganyu watch her retreating back until she's out of sight. Silence envelops you again, but this time it feels different. Heavier.
"Let's go," you finally say, trying to lighten the mood. You turn, leading the way, ready to find something sweet.
But gradually you realize you don't hear footsteps behind you. Nor the usual tinkling of bells.
You stop. Your heart beats uneasily.
You turn back and wait in silence.
Ganyu hasn't moved from where she stands.
She remains there, not taking a single step, only hugging the new stack of documents to her chest. She looks down at the floor. Her back, which had been straight with excitement for dinner, now slumps.
She looks at you. "Sorry," she whispers, voice hoarse. "I guess I can't make dinner after all."
"Huh?" you tilt your head. "Why? We just finished."
Ganyu forces a smile—the saddest smile you've ever seen. But she doesn't answer, instead letting out a small, dry, empty laugh. She slightly lifts the documents in her arms, gesturing wordlessly.
You look at her face, tracing the returning lines of fatigue. Then you shift your gaze to the documents Keqing just handed her.
At that moment, you understand—and at the same time feel there's nothing you can do about it.
"Do you need help?" you ask softly. You step closer, ready to stay late again if needed. "We can do this together. Finish faster, eat sooner."
She shakes her head gently but firmly.
"This is my job," she refuses softly. "It's my responsibility as secretary. These documents… concern an important ritual. I have to review them carefully myself."
She pauses, takes a long breath, and looks at you with determination, even though her eyes glisten.
"Besides… it feels wrong to keep letting someone else help with tasks that are supposed to be my responsibility. You're a guest, not staff. You already worked hard earlier."
"I see…"
You pause. You want to argue, to insist. But you see the resolve in her eyes.
She is Ganyu—she's always proud of her work.
Forcing help now might hurt her pride.
You sigh long, then try to smile—an understanding smile.
"I won't push. You know best what you need to do." You pause and nod. "Then see you again," you say, stepping back.
You turn and walk away. But after a few steps, you turn back again. The distance between you is now about ten meters.
You look at her and call out loudly enough for her to hear clearly in the quiet corridor.
"If you ever need help again, just say so! Anytime! I'm a busy unemployed guy, but I always have time for you!"
Ganyu startles at your loud words and joke. She looks up from her documents.
Then a genuine smile blooms on her face again.
So sweet. And she nods.
"See you again!" she calls back.
…
Tonight you walk alone, enjoying the night breeze brushing your face.
The wind carries the scent of sea salt and lingering traces of Glaze Lily fragrance clinging to your clothes.
You're no longer in the mood to eat after what just happened.
On the way to the inn, your steps suddenly halt. You widen your eyes, catching something in the air.
Before you, floating in the cold night air, a transparent system screen appears, glowing soft blue. White text begins scrolling across it, cutting through the darkness.
You read the text from end to end, eyes moving quickly. You blink several times, making sure you're not hallucinating from exhaustion.
✓ OBJECTIVE COMPLETED
• Gain Basic Trust
Progress: [3/3]
It's the notification that the objective is complete!
Seeing this, your mouth opens slightly, jaw dropping in disbelief. But no words come out—only white breath vapor freezing in the air.
How…? you ask inwardly, your mind spinning for answers. Three out of three? When did I finish it?
But then you nod slowly, piecing together memories of what happened with Ganyu before. You try to figure out when the progress finished and how it happened without you realizing.
At that moment, what comes to mind is the first time you and Ganyu had dinner together. In that moment, amid steaming noodle vapor and strong spice aroma, Ganyu shared her anxieties. She opened up about feeling alienated, about how she felt unfit to live alongside humans despite loving them.
Does sharing that with someone count as basic trust? you think deeply. Yes. Only someone trusted would show their inner wounds. You nod, agreeing with your own conclusion.
That's one point.
Then you recall earlier scenes. You remember Ganyu's face sleeping peacefully under the ginkgo tree.
How she showed her vulnerability, her unguarded fragile side. How she told you about her hobby of napping during free time.
You think for a moment. Sharing an embarrassing little secret… that's a sign of deeper trust. You're sure this completed the second progress point.
That's two points.
And the most recent, freshest in memory, is the moment you were allowed into her office. When Ganyu invited you in, letting you see her document piles, even letting you touch and help…
That was the highest form of trust for a bureaucrat like her. In your opinion, when Ganyu allowed you into her office, the objective was perfectly complete.
You nod in satisfaction, a thin smile curving your lips.
But at the same time you feel guilty.
I still think of this as an objective… you say inwardly.
You clutch your chest, feeling your irregular heartbeat. You sigh long, trying to exhale the guilt into the night air.
After that you resume walking to the inn, steps a little faster, eager to reach it and bury yourself under the blanket.
But just as you're about to step up the inn stairs, you stop again. Your right foot hangs in the air.
Before you, another notification appears!
The blue screen flickers, demanding attention.
✓ OBJECTIVE COMPLETED
• Understand Ganyu's Burden and Doubts
Progress: [2/2]
You blink several times. Your eyes narrow, trying to comprehend.
Understand the burden?
Your mind drifts to the moment in the office earlier. When Ganyu refused your help with the second documents from Keqing. When she explained her responsibility. When you saw the fatigue lines on her face and decided to back off, respecting her choice.
Ah, that's it. I didn't force her. I understood her.
Then, for the third time, you're surprised again. A new notification appears, stacking over the previous ones.
The system screen seems to be celebrating!
✓ OBJECTIVE COMPLETED
• Perform an Action Proving Sincerity
Progress: [1/1]
You gape. Truly shocked. Confused how to react.
You feel like a student who didn't study yet suddenly got perfect scores!
How is that objective complete? you ask inwardly. Action of sincerity? Which one?
Was it opening the door? Or offering overtime help? Or perhaps… promising you'd always be there for her?
"Kill two birds with one stone…" you murmur softly, the words lost in the wind. "Even three birds."
Did working on the second objective—approaching her at the office—unintentionally complete the third and fourth at the same time?
Or maybe earlier?
You think about it for quite a while, standing like a statue in front of the inn door. Then once again you nod.
The important thing is it's done… at least I'm sure when I finished the second objective, the third and fourth completed on their own. Perhaps interpreted further, doing the second objective was equivalent to completing the third and fourth.
At that moment the night wind hits your face again, this time colder, piercing to the bone. You feel chilled and hurry inside. You enter the inn, climb the creaking wooden stairs, go into your small damp room, and sit on the hard bed.
Thud.
You're just about to take off your shoes when something happens.
A palm-sized box suddenly materializes from thin air, from nothing. It appears with a soft pop, falling toward your hand!
Knowing it, you catch it quickly.
The box is pitch black, absorbing surrounding light. In the center is a large white question mark.
It's a gacha box!
Before you can set it down, a second box appears.
Pop.
Then the third.
Pop.
You struggle to catch them. Your hands are full. You try balancing all three like an amateur juggler, and one falls to the floor with a loud clatter.
"Damn," you curse softly.
You sigh, feeling ridiculous.
You place the two gacha boxes in your hands beside you on the messy bed. Then you bend down, picking up the one that fell on the wooden floor.
At that moment, you widen your eyes, staring at the system screen that appears again in front of your face!
Now what? You narrow your eyes warily. Don't tell me the fifth objective is done too…
But no mission completion notification comes.
Instead, what appears makes your heart stop for a moment.
It's a line of text!
"That's why I said this would be boring."
Your eyes widen reading it.
This text comes from the being behind the system!
You immediately narrow your eyes and ask in a restrained voice, "Where have you been?"
At that moment, the system falls silent. The screen only flickers softly, like a digital heartbeat. One minute. Two minutes. Several minutes pass in tense silence.
Before another line of text appears, typing itself letter by letter.
"Aren't you curious why it's boring?"
The system… it's ignoring my question!
You're annoyed. Your jaw tightens. But then you calm yourself. You take a long breath.
You're starting to get used to this illogical situation.
Getting angry at a screen won't help.
You just stare at it with an indifferent look.
Soon after, the text continues.
"It's because I helped you!"
"That's why from the start I didn't want to help you!"
You narrow your eyes reading it, pointing at the screen with your index finger. "You're saying that as if you knew I'd definitely complete these objectives even without help from the gacha items you gave!"
"Do you remember what happened to my face before?" your voice rises an octave. You touch your now smooth cheek, remembering the pain when your original face was ruined. "With a face like that, how could I approach Ganyu! I'd be arrested as a monster before I could even greet her!"
No text appears for a while.
After a long pause, the text returns.
"I'm sure you're familiar with this:
"God never tests His servant beyond their ability."
You're surprised reading the line. Then you narrow your eyes cynically. "You're saying that as if you're my God…"
"Isn't that effectively true?"
The text pauses, letting the implication sink in.
"After all, your fate is in my hands!"
You don't respond, choosing silence.
Instead you think and reflect.
Inwardly, you admit there's truth to it. Technically, in this world, it is an omnipotent entity controlling your life.
It can decide your life and death with a snap!
To you, its existence is very close to the concept of God you believed in your previous world.
Only… this God has very poor taste in hobbies.
The hobby of toying with human lives for entertainment.
Truly a narcissistic and sarcastic God!
You sigh again, surrendering to this theological debate.
"So what do you want from me now?" you ask wearily. "You didn't appear just to flaunt power, right?"
"Nothing. I only came to congratulate you."
The text pauses.
"Now only one objective remains."
"Anything you want to ask me?"
You look at the system and sigh again. "Actually I want to ask what will happen to me when I complete all objectives," you say softly. You pause, then smile wryly. "But I'm sure you won't answer that."
The screen flickers rapidly.
"You're starting to understand me!"
"Then good luck. See you at the end of the story."
After that, the screen slowly fades.
You wait a long time. Staring at the empty air where the screen was. You wait ten minutes, hoping for a plot twist or additional message.
But no more text appears.
…
A/N: One more chapter left for this week. Hmm… the next chapter might cover the items the protagonist gets from the loot boxes. It might get very boring if I have all boxes opened at once, so I'll only open one box and save the other two for critical moments. Well, in the end it's about luck… life is gambling.
Anyway, if you guys are too tired of waiting for the next chapter… please check my Patreon, where I update much faster than on this platform! (Now there are already 11 chapters I've updated!)
You can see the next chapter sooner on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
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