On the cliffs of Mount Aocang, Ganyu gazed at the distant horizon, lost in thought. She exhaled a long breath, the cool mountain air swirling with her sigh.
Though she had returned to Jueyun Karst, a part of her heart felt unsettled, weighed down by an inexplicable burden.
After delivering her letters, she had gone back to Liyue Harbor, only to find Baiwen, Baishi, and Baixiao taking over her duties at Yuehai Pavilion.
The departure of the Geo Archon, Rex Lapis, lingered in her thoughts. The Qixing had swiftly taken charge of Liyue’s affairs, leaving Ganyu with the distinct impression that her role, too, was being replaced in this new era of humanity.
Thus, Ganyu left Liyue Harbor and returned to Mount Aocang.
But after thousands of years of ceaseless work, she found herself struggling to adapt to the absence of her duties.
Ganyu let out another sigh, her amethyst eyes clouded with uncertainty. What am I supposed to do now?
Lost in her musings, she suddenly felt someone pounce on her from behind. Two mischievous hands reached around, audaciously groping at her horns.
“Wang~ Xiao~ Mei~!” Lumine exclaimed excitedly, practically singing the words. “Found you, Coconut Goat!”
“I’m not a Coconut Goat… or Wang Xiaomei!” Ganyu’s cheeks flushed red at the unexpected ambush. She turned her head to see Lumine, Paimon, and Jia Changjiang. “Traveler? Paimon? Mr. Jia? What brings you to Mount Aocang? Is this an official matter, or…?”
Ganyu trailed off awkwardly before adding, almost as an afterthought, “If it’s about Liyue Harbor’s affairs, please direct your inquiries to Yuehai Pavilion. I… I’ve already severed my ties with the mortal world.”
Before she could finish, Lumine interrupted cheerfully, “It’s personal! Definitely personal!”
“No, no, Ganyu, don’t listen to her nonsense!” Paimon quickly interjected. “We’re here to bring you back!”
“If that’s the case… I’m afraid you’ll leave disappointed,” Ganyu said softly.
“What, you don’t want to return to Liyue Harbor?” Jia Changjiang asked, stroking his chin. “You’re not seriously planning to follow Rex Lapis’s example and leave Liyue behind, are you?”
Ganyu froze, her lips parting slightly in surprise. How did he know?
“Yes…” she admitted after a pause. “After the Rite of Parting, when the Adepti handed over the right of oversight to the people, I knew it was only a matter of time before I, too, would leave Liyue.”
“As someone with Adeptus blood, I no longer have a place in Liyue Harbor.” Her expression grew wistful. “When I returned after delivering my letters, I saw that Baiwen, Baishi, and Baixiao had already taken over my duties. I can only assume that this delivery task was a pretext to gently ease me out. The Qixing have offered me a dignified exit, and it’s only right that I take it…”
“Huh?” Lumine blinked, recalling the secretaries’ complaints.
“What?” Paimon thought back to the trio’s exhausted faces.
“Excuse me?” Jia Changjiang’s expression morphed into pure confusion. Did some massive misunderstanding happen while no one was looking?
Apparently, Ganyu was unaware that if she didn’t return soon, those three wouldn’t be “taking over her work”—they’d be collapsing at their desks from sheer exhaustion.
And while Rex Lapis might now be an esteemed consultant for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, that didn’t mean his responsibilities included driving business by causing workplace fatalities!
“Listen, Ganyu,” Lumine began earnestly, still holding onto the Adeptus. “You’ve got it all wrong!”
Finally, Lumine let her go and stood in front of her. “Before we arrived, someone specifically asked us to—”
Before she could finish, an ethereal voice interrupted: “Who dares disturb the tranquility of the mountains?”
At the sound of the voice, Cloud Retainer descended gracefully from the sky, her regal figure landing near the group.
“Cloud Retainer!” Paimon yelped, startled. “We didn’t mean to intrude! We’re just—”
“Merely jesting,” Cloud Retainer said with a light chuckle. “I was aware of your presence the moment you set foot here.”
“Cloud Retainer,” Jia Changjiang greeted politely with a nod.
The Adeptus returned the gesture. “You have come seeking Ganyu, I see. From your lively conversation, it appears your bond is strong.”
“Indeed,” Lumine replied. “Although there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding, we were just about to clear it up and talk about Liyue Harbor.”
“Oh?” Cloud Retainer’s interest was piqued. “Finding topics of conversation is a skill I have honed over millennia. As Ganyu’s friends, perhaps you would like to hear tales of her childhood?”
Wait, what?
Jia Changjiang blinked at the Adeptus, suddenly reminded of overly enthusiastic parents eager to share every embarrassing childhood anecdote with houseguests.
“Cloud Retainer?!” Ganyu exclaimed, clearly flustered.
Cloud Retainer smiled serenely. “Ganyu was quite adorable as a child. I’m sure your friends would love to hear about it.”
“Yes, please!” Lumine had already pulled out a notebook and pen, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“Ganyu used to love having her horns rubbed. It was the only way to lull her to sleep,” Cloud Retainer began with a fond tone.
“And back then, she was rather chubby. I recall one time she tripped and tumbled all the way down to the foot of the mountain.”
“There was also the time—”
As expected, Cloud Retainer launched into a series of anecdotes from Ganyu’s younger days. Even Jia Changjiang found himself listening with interest, while Paimon was laughing uncontrollably.
Despite being tales from centuries ago, they painted a vivid picture of Ganyu’s endearing past.
“Cloud Retainer!” Ganyu finally protested, her face glowing red. “Enough! I… I need to go. It’s time for my training.”
“Ganyu?” Lumine called out as the Adeptus hurried away, her notebook now filled with notes.
Jia Changjiang rubbed his chin. “It seems like you two may have embarrassed her a bit too much.”
“Hmph. I was only trying to ease the tension,” Cloud Retainer mused, tilting her head. “Perhaps I overdid it. Speaking of which, how do you perceive the current relationship between the Adepti and the people of Liyue?”
“Judging by Ganyu’s reaction, it seems… complicated,” Jia Changjiang said thoughtfully.
Cloud Retainer sighed. “The Adepti have deemed it more appropriate to leave Liyue’s governance in mortal hands. However, Ganyu is an exception.”
“The Qilin is a benevolent beast among the Adepti, one that drinks only dew and feeds on the finest grain. Yet Ganyu bears the blood of both Qilin and human.”
Cloud Retainer’s voice softened. “Last night, under the moonlight, I saw her lost in solitude here in Jueyun Karst. I intended to persuade her to return, but I overheard her speaking to herself…”
—
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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