“Hmm?”
Jia Changjiang, who had already braced himself for a fight, was momentarily thrown off when the Millelith suddenly withdrew their weapons.
“My apologies! We didn’t realize it was you three,” the Millelith captain said, bowing his head in regret.
“Lady Ningguang recently rescinded the notices regarding you, but I failed to remember in time and nearly made a grave mistake… Truly, my apologies.”
“Exactly! We’re here to protect the Guizhong Ballista!” Paimon huffed from behind Jia Changjiang. “We’re the ones who fixed it!”
“You repaired the Guizhong Ballista?”
The captain’s eyes lit up. “That’s excellent news! We’ve been investigating its restoration—so it was you esteemed guests who repaired it?”
“But… if you’re headed to the Jade Chamber, why are you here?” the captain asked, puzzled.
“Well…” Lumine fidgeted, twiddling her fingers. “We don’t know how to get up there.”
“Guests of the Jade Chamber? What’s going on here?”
A cool, authoritative voice suddenly cut through the air. Lumine’s ears perked up, and her instincts told her that the owner of this voice must be incredibly beautiful. She turned to see a striking young woman with twin braids and amethyst eyes approaching—the unmistakable presence of Keqing.
“What’s all this commotion?” Keqing asked the Millelith.
The captain quickly straightened up and explained. “Lady Keqing! We encountered these individuals and mistook them for thieves trying to tamper with the Guizhong Ballista. Fortunately, Mr. Jia intervened, clearing up the misunderstanding.”
Keqing’s sharp gaze shifted to Jia Changjiang, Lumine, and Paimon.
“So, you’re the guests Ningguang invited,” she said, her tone steady. “And you… you must be the one who persuaded the adepti to withdraw previously.”
Keqing’s eyes rested on Jia Changjiang. “Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. Thank you for your assistance to Liyue.”
“Hmm?!” Lumine’s nonexistent antenna practically stood on end.
Since when did Jia Changjiang meet such a stunning, black-stocking-wearing, affluent member of the Qixing?
He even got to know her before I did?! Unforgivable!
“And you must be the other honorary guest traveling with him,” Keqing continued, turning to Lumine. “The adepti spoke highly of you. You’re clearly not an ordinary individual—to bring the adepti to Liyue’s aid is no small feat.”
“Keqing… That’s a lovely name. I’m Lumine, and this is Paimon,” Lumine said warmly, introducing herself and her companion. “And of course, you already know Jax. By the way, Keqing, do you know why Ningguang invited us to the Jade Chamber?”
“Ningguang likely hopes that the Hero of Mondstadt will maintain a neutral stance,” Keqing explained. “She’s not asking you to side with Liyue, but she hopes you won’t fully align with the adepti either.”
“But aren’t the adepti trying to protect Liyue too?” Paimon asked, tilting her head.
“Protection? Do you mean their condescending arrogance?” Keqing replied sharply.
“What do you mean by that?” Lumine asked curiously.
“The adepti wield immense power, just like Rex Lapis. But to them, mortals are incapable of assassinating the Geo Archon, so they suspect Ningguang, who sealed off the scene, of concealing something,” Keqing said bluntly. “That’s looking down on humanity.”
“An irreverent Qixing member… That seems rare,” Paimon observed.
“My attitude is my own,” Keqing replied coolly. “Ningguang wouldn’t speak as I do. Since she’s invited you to the Jade Chamber, she must have her reasons.”
Keqing softened slightly. “The adepti may remain arrogant, but at least they’re not acting rashly this time. Thanks to Mr. Jia’s persuasion, they’ve chosen to investigate thoroughly before taking action.”
Crossing her arms, she added, “If there’s nothing to find, even the adepti cannot falsely accuse the Qixing.”
Lumine studied Keqing thoughtfully before whispering to Jia Changjiang, “Hey… Is Keqing a tsundere? She kinda gives off that vibe.”
Jia Changjiang whispered back with a grin, “I’d wager she is. She might claim irreverence, but I bet she secretly admires Rex Lapis.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Keqing asked, raising an eyebrow but continuing without waiting for an answer.
“Ningguang believes everything can be resolved through dialogue, but that’s not always possible.”
She frowned. “The era of the adepti has passed. If the Qixing cannot face this reality, how can Liyue move forward?”
“What bold words…” Paimon murmured in awe.
“I think your perspective is interesting,” Jia Changjiang said with a smile. “But you wouldn’t mind if others held differing opinions, right?”
Keqing gave him a curious look.
“If you have a different view, feel free to share it. Comparing opinions is how we foster progress in Liyue, even if you’re an outsider.”
“Alright then.” Jia Changjiang’s smile widened. “Here’s what I think.”
“The adepti, for all their power and detachment, are still part of Liyue, aren’t they?”
Keqing blinked, caught off guard. “The adepti… part of Liyue?”
“Exactly. After meeting them, I realized something—they’re not emotionless. They were furious over Rex Lapis’s death, weren’t they? That’s no different from how the people of Liyue feel.”
Jia Changjiang leaned against a nearby boulder, continuing casually, “Calling this the end of the adepti’s era feels unnecessarily divisive.”
He gestured toward Keqing with a thoughtful expression. “Liyue has always prided itself as a nation that walks with the gods, hasn’t it?”
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t the adepti also be included in that walk?”
He clapped his hands lightly. “What do you think, Yuheng Star?”
Keqing stared at him, as if reevaluating her impression. “So… that’s why you chose to help Liyue by convincing the adepti to stand down?”
—
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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