Liyue Harbor.
As Teyvat's largest and busiest port, it welcomed travelers every single day.
Setting out from Wangshu Inn at dawn, Stelle's group arrived at Liyue Harbor only when night had fallen.
Yet even now the harbor blazed with lights—very different from Mondstadt.
In Mondstadt, most folks would have finished their drinks and be heading home to sleep.
"We're finally here…" Stelle stretched, moved by the sea of lights before her.
They'd lingered at the ruins on Guili Plains at midday; otherwise they'd have arrived earlier.
"I heard prices here are steep. Hope we can find somewhere affordable." Lumine glanced into her purse; only a few Mora remained.
A penny can stump a hero. Her recent spending hadn't been large, but it had been ages since a well-paid commission came along.
So recently it had been all outgoings—especially with Paimon's meals to cover. "If it comes to it, Paimon can be emergency rations," she sighed, pocketing the purse.
It was hard to tell whether she was joking or serious.
"Hey! I'm not edible!" Paimon stamped in fury.
"It's fine, Lumine. I've still got money, so don't worry," Stelle soothed, patting Paimon's head, then smiled.
They shouldn't run out of food, at any rate.
Besides, Paimon's so tiny she wouldn't provide much meat.
"Still, I can't keep spending yours. Before the Please Immortal Ceremony starts I'd better take some commissions," Lumine sighed. "All right, it's late—let's go."
"Mm!"
They headed into the harbor; the Millelith guards asked a few questions and waved them through—security wasn't strict.
Mondstadt was the same: strangers could enter without many restrictions.
Inside, the streets bustled; nightlife here far outshone Mondstadt, so finding an inn was easy.
After a quick inquiry they booked into a decent inn.
Unfortunately every double room was taken, so Stelle and Lumine each took a single.
After a short rest Stelle asked, "I'm going for a walk—coming along?"
It wasn't too late, and she wanted to get familiar with the surroundings.
"Um…" Lumine hesitated; she'd love a date with Stelle in this thriving port, but…
"Never mind, next time." She glanced at Paimon, already asleep on the bed, and sighed.
She couldn't leave Paimon alone; it didn't feel safe.
This wasn't the Knights of Favonius dorm. Liyue's public order was good, but in a strange place it was better to be careful.
So Lumine felt it was better to stay with Paimon.
"Alright then, I'll just wander around a bit and be back soon." Stelle nodded. It was just a walk after dinner, so she didn't insist.
"Hmm... You better not get led astray by pretty young ladies on the way." Lumine pondered for a moment, then gave a somewhat uneasy reminder.
"H-how could that be? Am I that kind of person?" Stelle choked a bit and couldn't help but pinch Lumine's cheek.
She wasn't someone who fell for everyone she saw, and besides, where would there be any pretty young ladies this late at night?
-
She said she would just wander around, but Stelle couldn't just walk aimlessly; it would be troublesome if she accidentally got lost.
Not far from the inn's downstairs, there was a place like a tea stall, and Stelle walked straight towards it.
Many people were gathered there, and it looked very lively.
"To pick up from last time, in Liyue at that time, great demons plagued the seas, and evil chilis lurked in the mountains..." A middle-aged man stood on a platform in front of the tea stall, holding a folding fan, narrating something in a clear voice.
Stelle paused outside the crowd, listening with some curiosity.
"Rex Lapis gathered the immortals, to bring peace and order back to the world..."
After listening for a long time, Stelle roughly understood that this was a story about Liyue's Rex Lapis.
No wonder so many people gathered; with the Rex Lapis's prestige in Liyue, countless people worshipped him.
"However, is this storytelling?" Stelle murmured to herself.
There were similar professions on the Xianzhou, specifically in the Evernight Palace. Stelle still remembered someone quietly saying, "Storytelling is an outdated art."
The person closest to him at the time immediately retorted, "Some people always like it. Who are you to judge?"
From this, it was clear that storytelling as an art form on the Xianzhou had a long history, but in Liyue, it still seemed quite popular.
"Yes, it's storytelling."
"?" Stelle didn't expect her murmur to receive a response and turned her head in surprise to look beside her.
It was a Damselette with a pair of purple cat ears on her head... No, it seemed to be hair?
Yes, it was just hair styled like cat ears.
"Is this your first time in Liyue?" The Damselette smiled and asked Stelle.
"Ah, um, yes, yes, I wanted to see the Please Immortal Ceremony." Stelle answered somewhat blankly.
The Damselette was slender, wearing a purple-themed dress with a hollow design at the shoulders, exposing her fair, rounded shoulders.
Of course, what attracted Stelle's attention the most was the Damselette's lower body.
The dress was pitifully short, reaching only to the Damselette's upper thigh, and the Damselette's long legs were also clad in black stockings with strange patterns.
"I see, here to see the Please Immortal Ceremony." The Damselette nodded, not seeming particularly surprised by Stelle's answer.
The Please Immortal Ceremony was very important to the people of Liyue, and every year at this time, many foreigners came to join the lively event.
"Yes, after all, it's only once a year; if you miss it, you have to wait a whole year." Stelle nodded, listening to the storyteller's narration while continuing the conversation.
She wanted to gather some information about the Please Immortal Ceremony and also to chat more with the beautiful Damselette in front of her.
Stelle had to admit, she was very tempted.
However, having just arrived in Liyue, she still needed to maintain some composure and not rush...
"I heard that Rex Lapis issues a divine oracle once a year, guiding the direction of Liyue's operations for that year, and Liyue has maintained lasting prosperity because of it."
These words were what Qín had told her, and now they served as good conversation fodder with the Damselette.
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