18: The Mondstadt Dragon Crisis

With Xiao's help, the two returned to the rooftop of Wangshu Inn. Saphir sat back down in her original seat and resumed eating.

"Stretching your limbs sure works up an appetite," she said, filling Xiao's cup with wine. "Don't be so uptight. It's okay to loosen up and have a drink once in a while."

Xiao took the cup and stared blankly at Saphir for a moment. Her earlier words echoed in his mind, and he recalled the old tales about Morax and Guizhong.

So... Lord Morax likes this type? The thought came unbidden, and Xiao quickly banished it, chastising himself for his foolishness. He downed the drink in one go—and instantly choked, coughing violently.

"W-What is this?! Why is it so strong?" His face flushed bright red. He wasn't new to alcohol, but this was the strongest he'd ever tasted.

Saphir giggled. "It's a specialty from Snezhnaya—'Firewater.' High-proof and top-tier stuff. Who knows, maybe it'll help suppress your karmic debt?"

"Don't try to trick me! There's no way alcohol can do that." Even while blushing, Xiao remained clear-headed, immediately correcting her with a stern, "That's disrespectful to an adeptus. Very rude."

Saphir shrugged, amused. "Believe what you want. I don't give this to just anyone. Not even your precious Morax got to try it. Consider yourself lucky, kid."

"Really? Even Lord Morax didn't drink it?" Xiao's ears perked up. That did make the offer hard to refuse.

"Why would I lie? You can go ask him. I've never shared a drink with him." She poured him another full cup and gestured for him to drink up.

Despite his hesitation, Xiao could tell the wine wasn't laced with anything dangerous. Since she hadn't tried to harm him before, he figured a few more drinks wouldn't hurt.

And so, the two of them sat there, drinking and chatting late into the night. With moonlight over Dihua Marsh and good food at the table, cups were raised again and again until the early hours.

The next morning, Xiao woke up in a guest room. Sunlight streamed in through the window, brushing across his closed eyelids. His long lashes fluttered, and slowly, he opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling and the blue sky beyond. It took him a moment to piece together what had happened—his last memory was drinking beneath the moonlight, but the rest of the conversation had blurred. All he could clearly remember was the girl's bright smile.

When was the last time I slept this well...?

He didn't know if it was the wine or the partial cleansing of his karmic debt—or maybe both—but he felt better than he had in centuries. He flexed his fingers. His energy flowed smoothly, his elemental control flawless. His body felt amazing.

Knock, knock.

The sound drew his attention. "Vigilant Yaksha, are you awake?" It was Verr Goldet's voice. She didn't open the door—she knew he hated being disturbed.

"What happened last night?" Xiao noticed a pot of tea sitting on the side table, with a folded letter tucked beneath it. He poured himself a cup—the tea was still warm—then picked up the letter.

To the Honorable Xiao,

I wanted to say goodbye in person, but I was afraid you'd be mad at me for getting you drunk. And let's be honest, a scolding from you first thing in the morning? Not fun. So I ran away.

Last night's conversation was lovely. Did you enjoy our little encounter under the moonlight? I don't have much to offer, so I traded you a night's good sleep with a strong drink, haha. You were beautiful even asleep, you know?

Okay, I'll stop teasing. I know you don't like jokes.

By the time you're reading this, I'm probably close to Stone Gate. It'll be a while before I reach Mondstadt. Will you miss me?

Don't say no—I'll be heartbroken. When I return, I'll bring you more wine. Oh! I also made you a food box. It's by the potted plant on the rooftop, filled with almond tofu. When you're tired from slaying demons, have some.

May your battles be victorious, and may my journey be smooth.

—Just a nobody, Sharp.

"So… Sharp, huh?" Xiao folded the letter and looked out the window. A strange hollowness welled up inside him. After centuries of loss and isolation, this brief encounter stirred something new within him. The world didn't seem quite so cold anymore. Protecting Liyue wasn't just about upholding a contract with Morax—it was also about shielding kind, radiant mortals like her.

At that moment, Saphir was indeed near Stone Gate. After a long half-day's walk, she stopped at a roadside tea stall and gulped down a bowl of tea.

The owner, known simply as Uncle Zhou, wasn't a fancy tea brewer—his stall served travelers and merchants. His tea was simple, not on par with what you'd find in Liyue Harbor, but good enough for the weary.

"You traveling to Mondstadt all by yourself, miss?" Uncle Zhou was intrigued by her unusual attire and struck up a conversation.

"Yeah, boss. I hear they've got great wine over there. Thought I'd see for myself and maybe buy some," Saphir replied casually, sipping her tea.

Uncle Zhou gasped. "You'd better be careful then—Mondstadt's been in trouble lately."

"Oh?" Saphir raised an eyebrow. "Tell me more. I haven't heard anything from that side yet."

"Big bowl tea, please!" A young girl in purple sat down beside them. She wore twin ponytails and an outfit that screamed high status.

"Coming right up!" Uncle Zhou apologized to Saphir and hurried to serve the new guest.

Soon he returned, pouring tea for the girl, and resumed, "They say there's been a dragon crisis in Mondstadt!"

"Dragon crisis? In Mondstadt?" Saphir echoed, playing along with curiosity.

The girl beside her also looked intrigued.

"That's right. Word is, the evil dragon that terrorized Mondstadt a hundred years ago has awakened and is wreaking havoc again." Uncle Zhou's expression was anxious. "No telling if the crisis will spread here. Several merchants have already fled just in case. No one wants to stick around if the dragons come."

Saphir smirked and waved a hand. "Boss, you don't need to worry. Liyue isn't like Mondstadt. With the Geo Archon still watching over us—and the Vigilant Yaksha guarding Dihua Marsh—no dragon would dare. If it comes here, we'll make sure it never leaves."

The purple-haired girl nodded approvingly. "This young lady speaks with insight. Liyue is indeed different. I also believe the root of Mondstadt's problem lies in the disappearance of its god. Without divine guidance, crises like this are bound to escalate. But more than that, I blame the Knights of Favonius for being incompetent. They govern Mondstadt yet can't even protect their people."

Uncle Zhou nodded sympathetically, his concern clearly more for the people of Mondstadt than their politics. "Sigh… who knows how many have died? This dragon disaster's even hit our business. Hardly any caravans from Mondstadt come through anymore, and barely any from Liyue are heading there either. It's rough."

Saphir glanced at the purple-haired girl. She recognized her immediately—Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. Rumor had it she was born into a wealthy family, but was dedicated and hands-on with her work. As the planner of Liyue's land development, she personally visited every construction site.

"Still, the Knights are only human. You can't expect them to handle something like a dragon," Saphir said gently. "Besides, from what I've heard, the Grand Master, Varka, took most of the elite forces on an expedition. Mondstadt's currently protected by just a few core officers and a bunch of rookies. It's unrealistic to expect them to contain a dragon."

Keqing, realizing she might've spoken too harshly, cleared her throat and added, "To be fair, I do respect some of the Knights. Take their Acting Grand Master, for example—Jean, daughter of the Gunnhildr family. Even in Liyue, I've heard stories of her. She became the 'Dandelion Knight' at just fifteen, and now serves as Acting Grand Master. That's remarkable. I admire her greatly."

But she couldn't shake the odd feeling that this strange girl beside her was… smiling at her like a doting aunt. Not with malice—just that soft, knowing look that made her skin crawl.

Damn it. Is she mocking me for being shortsighted?

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