Liyue Harbor, a bustling port where thousands of ships gather, thrives under countless contracts. Goods from all corners flow endlessly, offering treasures that delight all seven nations. It is also the place where foreigners are most frequently seen.
Scholars from Sumeru wearing glasses, merchants from Snezhnaya bundled in thick coats, heart-stirring bards from Mondstadt, and adventurous storytellers...
These people gather together, shaping the Liyue Harbor of today—and making it the most prosperous port in all of Teyvat.
The fishermen setting up stalls at the harbor have noticed something unusual lately: the harbor seems to be blessed with an unusual amount of "immortal encounters."
In the past, if someone fell into the water, the Millelith would be the ones to rescue them. But recently, immortals have been seen walking atop the waves, saving those unlucky souls.
Over time, some who sought the path of immortality began scheming.
For instance, they would deliberately throw themselves into the water, hoping to be saved by an immortal and thus gain a chance at immortality.
At first, the immortals did as they wished, rescuing them.
But eventually, the immortals grew tired of such antics. Some stopped revealing themselves, simply using magic to pull the fools out of the water, while others directly reported them to the Millelith.
It wasn't until the Qixing of Liyue caught wind of the situation and arrested a few repeat offenders for "disrupting harbor order" that the trend finally died down.
Aside from that, there was also the matter of the "Great Lord" who set up a stall beside them.
Yes, the Great Lord.
This gentleman was strikingly handsome, with refined manners. Even a simple wooden plank laid out at the harbor could inspire an eloquent lecture from him.
His luxurious attire alone was worth a fortune.
Yet, for some reason, instead of selling seafood like the others, he sold Sunsettias.
He arrived earliest each morning and left latest at night, running his business with complete disregard for profit. When poor folk came by, he wouldn't even take their money, simply handing them the fruit for free.
The most amusing part was that he often carried around a melodious hwamei bird, and when he got too engrossed in playing with it, he'd forget about his stall entirely.
Yesterday, he went even further—upon hearing that Ms. Yun was performing, he abandoned his stall altogether, birdcage in hand, and rushed off to Heyu Tea House, leaving the onlookers both exasperated and amused.
Exasperated, because he occupied the best spot in the harbor yet never took his "business" seriously.
Amused, because if he didn't "sell" all his Sunsettias, he'd simply give them away.
Though they were just cheap Sunsettias, for the fishmongers, it was still a nice little bonus.
His eccentric behavior led everyone to one conclusion:
This guy was clearly just a wealthy lord slumming it for fun. Some even began speculating which noble family he might belong to.
"Mr. Yan, setting up shop again today? More Sunsettias?"
The old fisherman had arrived at the harbor before dawn, hauling the fresh catch his eldest son had brought in—each fish still lively and plump. If the buyers from Xinyue Kiosk took a liking to them, today would be a good day.
"Indeed. Sweet Sunsettias—surely better than the sour ones, no?"
Mr. Yan offered a kind smile, picking up one of the fruits and handing it to the old man.
Though he looked younger, the fisherman couldn't shake the feeling that Mr. Yan seemed far older than him.
And also... were Sunsettias ever sour? This Mr. Yan certainly had a peculiar sense of humor.
"Thank you, Mr. Yan, but I've already had breakfast at home. I won't trouble you for this."
Even knowing Mr. Yan was well-off, the honest fisherman couldn't bring himself to keep accepting free gifts. Lately, he'd tried offering fish in return, but though Mr. Yan would politely accept, he'd somehow slip Mora into the fisherman's stool when he wasn't looking—leaving the old man deeply embarrassed.
Seeing the fisherman decline, Mr. Yan didn't insist.
Instead, he took back the Sunsettia, wiped it meticulously with a handkerchief, then carefully nibbled off a small piece to taste before finally eating it properly.
The old man watched, quietly impressed.
Truly the habits of a nobleman—even eating a Sunsettia had ceremony to it. If it were an ordinary person, they'd probably just take a bite without even wiping it.
"Mr. Yan, are you waiting for someone? A friend? Or family?"
After observing for days, the old man had figured it out.
Rather than "slumming it," Mr. Yan seemed to be waiting for someone.
He had glanced toward the distant sea more than once, as if searching.
"You could say that. Though not quite a friend... more like an enemy, perhaps."
Even for someone as learned as Mr. Yan, it was hard to define their relationship.
"Enemy" might be the closest term.
"Well, you needn't worry, Mr. Yan! The Millelith are no pushovers—they'll keep you safe!"
"If that's the case, then all is well."
Mr. Yan smiled faintly, not bothering to correct him.
Truthfully, he did want the Millelith and the Qixing to face her.
But... based on the energy he'd been radiating, she should have detected his presence long ago. She was supposed to arrive today.
So why was the sea still calm, with no signs of disturbance?
Had she... gotten cold feet? Decided not to come?
But during their last "conversation," her fury had been unmistakable—hardly the type to back down.
Just as Mr. Yan was lost in thought, an unexpected—yet not entirely surprising—figure appeared in the morning bustle of Liyue Harbor.
She moved with an ethereal grace, a red tassel dangling at her waist, an ornament resembling a bell at her chest, and what looked like a pair of horns adorning her head.
(At least, to the people of Liyue, those were just decorative horns.)
Though her face bore traces of exhaustion, her steps were firm and swift, as if she needed no rest at all.
After scanning the harbor, her eyes quickly locked onto Mr. Yan.
She strode over, nodding politely at the old fisherman before turning to Mr. Yan.
"Emper—"
"Sister Ganyu! What brings you here?"
Before she could finish the word "Emperor," Mr. Yan swiftly cut in.
Ganyu: "...?"
What kind of strange game is Rex Lapis playing now?
After a few stunned seconds, Ganyu finally realized—Rex Lapis must not want the old man to know his true identity.
But... being called "Sister" by the Geo Archon was...
After a brief internal struggle, she remembered her urgent mission. Stepping around the stall, she leaned close to Rex Lapis and whispered something into his ear.
Her words made the Archon pause mid-bite of his Sunsettia.
"Is this true?"
"Without a doubt!"
"..."
For some reason, the once-sweet Sunsettia suddenly tasted bitter in his mouth.
As for what Ganyu had told him?
"The Crux Fleet sent word. They encountered remnants of the Vortex at sea. Thanks to a wandering swordsman from Inazuma aboard their ship, they narrowly escaped disaster. However, Osial's mate, Beisht, lost one of her heads to his blade and fled into the depths."
Strangely, despite this being good news, Ganyu could've sworn Rex Lapis looked... displeased.
Even though he was smiling warmly.