The Banquet

It was dark out, the smell of sulphur and ash filling the air. One might look up and glimpse the limits of the cavern. But inside Lady Sakura’s temple, the ceiling was easy to see.

There was a faint scent of incense and cherry blossoms. A young man stood by the window, his arms crossed over his chest.

He was wearing dark clothing, his blond hair jagged as if he’d cut it himself. A midnight blue mask covered half his face, contrasting his eyes. Four-pointed pupils laid in eyes as blue as the heavens. Stars didn’t belong there, but he would never reach them anyways.

His sword sharpened and oiled, a dark cloak fastened over his clothes; he was ready to leave for the surface.

He should know his target's name, so Yae Miko said it out loud, watching as his eyes closed for a brief moment.

That wouldn’t deter him, nor would the effects of his mission. Despite his debt to Yae Miko, this was far more important.

“You know what this will mean for your temple.”

Not only the building, but the many youkai, or ‘demons’ who lived underground.

If that child lost control, the fallen sinners would try to break free anyways.

“I’m sure we’ll find a way to deal with it,” responded Yae Miko lightly. “But before you take it too far, I hope you can try to talk some sense into him.”

“Sentiment is unadvisable in this situation.”

“I can’t believe you’d have the nerve to scold me. If I didn’t have you dug out...” She summoned a fan, waving it airily. “Go on, and do what you need to. I’ve had enough of your face.”

He bowed in an elaborate, old fashioned gesture. Yae Miko was struck with a strange feeling. She didn’t know how long it was since she saw such a thing.

He stepped into the shadows, and they began to grow longer. The room was cold, and a strange blue light seemed to cover everything. He gazed into the darkness as it slowly swallowed him up.

“Thank you, Lady Yae. I won’t let Teyvat down.”

The room became warm again, a gentle draft brushing Yae Miko’s cheek. There was barely a shadow left, as if they’d never been there to begin with.

After months of fighting and hunger, it felt like the world was changed forever. But in one day, the tension in Ximseong had melted away.

Vendors wheeled out stands, selling wares too frivolous to buy. Their voices tangled with the slowly growing crowds, who wore their best clothes for this night of celebration.

“Did you hear about the trial?”

“Master Kaeya worked so hard for us.”

“The sects did nothing, but he stopped that demon so easily.”

“I hope they’ll leave us alone from now on.”

Young disciples ran around, replacing swords for skewers of meat and fruit. Following behind were their seniors, moving at a leisurely rate through the gathering crowds.

“Is it true what they said?”

“I heard the demon was blessed by the gods.”

“Can I see my poor baby again?”

“Who will be cured first?”

The murmurs rose and fell gently. They were one side of a duet, with no answers meeting their questions.

Yae Miko half-listened as she weaved around people and booths alike. Her attention was caught by the alleys; cutting up streets with their shadows, and forming makeshift doors to other worlds.

A rat scurried down one side, carrying a lock of hair. On the other were posters, a cold-hearted runaway caught in fading ink. They distorted under the pressure of a man’s back. He was pressed against the wall, his long dark hair coming unravelled. Under normal circumstances, his lover’s face would be honest and open. It was hidden by his cupped hands, their mouths meeting in a fevered rush.

Rich robes, soft skin; these were men of stature, and they could certainly find somewhere discrete. Maybe they liked the thrill, or they were simply too eager to try.

A Liyueren and Fontainian were already an unlikely pair, with their only meetings coming in overseas trips. She was sure the same scenes were happening throughout Eunmyeong. With the new edict from the king, it might be a while before they could meet again.

By the time Yae Miko returned to the alley, the parleying youth had drawn all over the walls. Inky dragons wound around trees, their claws outstretched as they chased after rabbits. With his head tilted, he added a whisker to the largest one.

Yae Miko cleared her throat and he jumped away, his triangular ears flattening against his head. He lacked any skills of preservation. If she could walk so close undetected, any cultivator could have grabbed him from the alley.

“Bored, are you? That ink was the last of its kind. I’d like to hear your plans to replace it.”

He smiled sheepishly. “I left some in the bottom, so I’m sure there’s enough to get back.”

Noting her silence, he looked around before spotting the puddle of ink on the ground. His eyes widened to the size of saucers. “I didn’t know I knocked it over. I’m sorry, Lady Sakura. Do we have to live here now? I might stick out too much to be human.”

The youth was a natural demon - or rather, one born underground. The difference between them and the others was not much. They shared similar qualities, and the same kinds of blood ran in their veins. But nowadays - especially in Inazuma - it seemed more important than ever.

Not that the distinction mattered to mortals. A glimpse at the youth would reveal his heritage, and his was a mismatch of many. His skin glimmered with barely-there scales. He had horns like a deer, ears like a cat, and pearly black eyes. No one could mistake him for a human.

“I could sell portraits, I guess. But I’ve only drawn people like us.”

“And where have that oni and his general gone off to? I seem to recall telling you to keep them here.”

“…”

His expression sent sparks burning at her fingertips. She hated those who were clueless, but she the oni was by far the worst. He had no regard for any of their efforts. The moment he had his chance, he’d run right off to fight that fan-waving cultivator.

“Soak the ink with your sleeves and draw an array. They can find their own way down, and present an excuse for ruining the treaty.”

“…Lady Sakura… I’m afraid I don’t know how. I’ve never received formal education of any kind… the only thing I’ve ever done is sell portraits on the streets. I was doing just that when Lord Soy Conqueror recruited me.”

Saying that name was the same as spelling out ‘Clueless’. Had he picked up a stranger on the street?

Trying to believe in the world, Yae Miko said, “A commoner couldn’t possibly cross the realms.”

“Lord Itto did that. My array only brought us from that cliff to here.” With his fingers, he made the motion of walking legs. They took a small hop in the air. “See, it's nothing. Even a mortal could do it."

There was a long silence, where Yae Miko imagined throttling a certain oni. However, even that wasn’t satisfying. Even imagining Clueless’s face caused her to develop a headache.

“Lady Yae!” Shinobu skidded to a stop in front of them. Her shoulders slouched unhappily, and a cloak was pulled over her already-masked face.

Yae Miko could guess at the problem. She said with an airy laugh, “It seems like the ‘Lord Soy Conqueror’ has run off. For all my efforts, it seems that he’s as unreliable as always.”

The youth said, “You should have bopped him on the head.”

Shinobu frowned. “I cannot bop a lord of hell. I would chase him down, but my hands are tied. He ordered me to stay away in front of all the others.”

While the concept of punishment might be foreign to Itto, it would bring trouble if Shinobu disobeyed a direct order. Yae Miko said coolly, “As Lord Itto’s senior, I must insist that you find him at once.”

“Thank you, Lady Yae.”

“I will also lend this to the Temple of… Soy Conquering for the time being.” Yae Miko summoned a medallion and handed it to Shinobu. “With the way that child behaves… use this in case of emergency.”

Shinobu recognized it from the beach, refraining from taking it as she probed for Yae Miko’s intentions. “With all due respect, I am only an underling and a human one at that. The other lords would never trust me with such a thing.”

“Do not misinterpret the gesture. Nothing comes from nothing, after all.” The troublesome oni had been causing her no end of troubles since he came down from Inazuma. By the time he returned, his temple’s tab would be nicely rewritten in her favour. “Do try and bring some back.”

Shinobu dismissed the medallion and bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Lady Yae. We will repay you as soon as possible.”

Shinobu hurried away, and Yae Miko took the youth to the outskirts of Ximseong.

When ‘Lord Soy Conqueror’ brought them to the surface, it was in a cave within one of Ximseong’s neighbouring forests. Most of her followers had gone underground with the cargo, but one of her generals had stayed behind.

He was taller than Yae Miko, with ashy hair and sweet, cunning eyes. His robes slipping off his shoulder, he said sweet nothings in a young woman’s ear.

Yae Miko cleared her throat and the woman flushed, pulling away from the general before making a mad dash to escape.

Yae Miko stepped quickly in front of her and caught her shoulder. She tried to pull away, but Yae Miko was too strong.

The woman cast a pleading look at the kitsune she’d been with, who bowed in greeting to Yae Miko. “We worried when you did not return.” His hair had been put in a messy braid, which only worsened around his fox ears.

Yae Miko summoned a ribbon and passed it to the woman, allowing her to tie her loose yellow hair. She said to Jinko, “The style you’ve chosen is flawed. Every commoner knows to groom themself, and a failure like this will get you caught in an instant.”

He looked chastised. “I only caught a glimpse of it.”

“That is no excuse for failure. If you were found out - what then? Will one of my generals fall at the hands of a lumpy braid?”

“Of course not, Lady Yae.” He turned to the blonde, his face set in a mildly threatening expression. “You will come down with us, and you will teach me how.”

She shook her head frantically in return. “I don’t have time for that! From sunrise to sunset, I have lessons and engagements until I want to keel over! How could I do my own hair, never mind teach others? I never learned how!”

This didn’t seem like a regular day for a commoner. Yae Miko frowned and examined her more carefully. Her clothes were rich, and there was a faint smell of qi coming from her pocket. Yae Miko pulled out the vial and threw it on the ground.

“A qi extract. Not only is she rich, but she is from a cultivating family.”

Her disapproval was thick enough to choke on, and Jinko coughed several times as if physically feeling it. “Ah ha… that’s exactly why she can’t be caught. Imagine if she were caught fooling around with a man… and not only that, a kitsune.” He widened his eyes at the blonde, who nodded vigorously.

They would be leaving any moment, so there was no danger from the human. But Jinko was becoming far too casual for her tastes. He would get them caught, or contract some human disease and spread it to all the hells.

She released the blonde, who promptly skittered off into the woods. She had no patience for Jinko’s excuses, ignoring him completely to head for the back wall instead. They’d already drawn up two arrays; one to open a rift, and one to slow their fall. She placed her palms against them and started the slow process of activation.

The parleying youth had crept in to crouch in a corner, his ears flicking at each sound. Jinko eyed him suspiciously, about to poke him with his spear before Yae Miko spoke up.

“The reports from the other generals.”

Jinko’s ears twitched as he turned towards her. “They are still above ground. Koryo is having an episode, but Reiko is with him. He will rein him in.”

“We will not return to the surface for many years.”

Jinko shrugged. “They will find their way down.”

Yae Miko kept her gaze on the arrays, asking evenly, “And Kuko?”

“…I would know far less than you, my lady.”

“I’d assume my followersare causing trouble underground.”

Jinko nodded, grateful for the change in subject. “Lord Rushing Breaths came to the temple recently, about that ‘eyes’ thing. But one of his servants had an… unfortunate accident.”

His ears perked as he looked towards the cave entrance.

“He must be more upset about it than I thought.”

Two men walked inside. One wore stylish clothes and a blindfold, while the other wore dark robes and a sword at his side.

One of his hands rested on its hilt, and the other yanked on the blonde woman’s arm. They must have been waiting to make an entrance and swooped in once she tried to escape.

The blindfolded man smirked. “What loosely principled behaviour. I’d expect this from the riffraff, but not one of Lady Sakura’s esteemed generals. I’d almost feel embarrassed on your behalf.”

The woman’s hair was dishevelled. Maybe she’d been interrogated by having her shoulders firmly shaken. She said faintly, “I told you already, my husband will be worried. I have to get back before he starts searching.”

Emotionless, the guard lifted his sword slightly out of its sheath.

She said quickly, “He’s too lazy for anything like that! If I get back quickly, he won’t even notice I was gone!”

The guard looked to the blindfolded man. “Lord Rushing Breaths,” he said seriously. “It is true.”

He answered, “I cannot believe it until I hear Lady Sakura’s position. One might question her loyalty, but I wouldn’t dare! Even after my servant was devoured so thoroughly, not even a shred of clothing left… but I would never complain about that.”

He smiled, clapping his hands together “How could I, after all you’ve done?” He shooed off the woman, showing he was just using her as a prop. “Stealing energy from the surface and going behind our king’s back. How typical for a fox, to say one thing and act the opposite way.”

Jinko’s hair bristled like a cat’s. “If anything, you and your weirdo general are the most suspicious out of anyone.”

Yae Miko shot him a warning glance. “I wonder why you’ve come to confront us like this.”

Lord Rushing Breaths smiled. “I wouldn’t put it that way. That human of yours had been stirring up trouble, and the others want to know what you’ll do about it. I can’t help but think my propositionwould solve all our problems.”

Yae Miko said calmly, “He’s only just cleared his name. It would be too much hassle to be caught in the act.”

“They don’t have to be from the ‘Chalk Prince’. I heard the human has a lovely eye, never mind the one he’s hiding. Maybe he can consider that finally paying the taxes.”

“He is still a part of my temple. Anyone can be redeemed, as long as they are strong enough to pass a trial. You won’t have anything to worry about if the outlier wins.”

“Lady Sakura is right,” said Jinko. “Humans are more trouble than they’re worth. Better that they take each other out.”

Yae Miko had known from the start that Kaeya would fail. Whether by neglecting the taxes, or succumbing to the curse; he was a liability to everyone. The outlier had left days ago and would arrive at any moment.

Lord Rushing Breaths frowned and said almost petulantly, “I came all the way up here, and you still reject my offers. My favourite servant was devoured thanks to you. There’s not even a bone to bury, and you give me even more bad news.”

Jinko muttered, “Was it an accident, or was he snooping where he shouldn’t be?”

Yae Miko summoned a vial and threw it at Lord Rushing Breaths. His general caught it and glared at Yae Miko before handing it to him.

Lord Rushing Breaths turned it over in his hands. “Tell me what it looks like.”

The general guided his hand to the side, where a carved symbol could be felt.

“The Binding God’s symbol,” he explained.

He flicked his fingernail against the vial, causing the clink of glass.

About what was inside, he said, “Clear liquid. White petals.”

Lord Rushing Breaths asked sharply, “Are they lilies?”

“Yes, my lord.”

Yae Miko was sorry to see the qi extract go, but even a minor lord like him could cause issues. It was better to simply pay them all off.

Lord Rushing Breaths said, “It is a good start, but it will hardly make up for everything.”

Like a stubborn parrot, he brought up his proposition again. “I can hardly see why I can’t have them. The human already got rid ofthe pretender. Now the outlier can do the same for the human, and I’ll take care of him in turn. I’ll make sure that their lovely eyes don’t go to waste.”

Yae Miko responded, “They aren’t like those commoners you like to snatch up. Perhaps you would know this if you listened when others spoke.”

Lord Rushing Breaths stamped his foot on the ground. “If I can’t have theirs, I don’t know why I can’t just take more from the mortals. It’s Lady Sakura’s esteemed templethat’s the problem. Poor reception, long wait times, my servants being eaten alive. It’s no wonder our realm is going downhill. A lord protecting the enemy, and her general sleeping with them? What it is this, some sort of human fetish?”

Jinko at least had the decency to look ashamed. Lord Rushing Breaths continued, “If I cannot have theirs, at least give me his.”

He pointed towards the youth. “I could hear him scuttling in the corner since I arrived here. How pitiful, that even a street rat can be qualified to come here.”

When Yae Miko said nothing, Lord Rushing Breaths took it as agreement. He flicked his sleeve, and his general went to grab the parleying youth.

He squeaked as he was dragged away, his ears flattening against his head. “Lady Sakura! My mom told me not to go with strangers!”

The general ignored him, only stopped as a spear swung in his path.

Jinko said coldly, “Lady Yae never said you could take him. How presumptuous, thinking our scribe is up for grabs.”

“A scribe?” The general gave the youth a scornful look. By his clothes alone, it was clear it wasn’t true.

“He had to blend in with the humans somehow. With Lady Yae’s glamour, he’d look like any other runt.”

“Another victim to bed.”

“Aw, are you offering?”

The general shook his head as if he’d taken the question seriously. He asked his lord, “Permission to fight?”

Lord Rushing Breaths nodded. But when the general unsheathed his sword, a shock of lightning made him drop it.

Yae Miko said coldly, “The House of Yae does not abandon its followers. You will have to find someone else for your experiments.”

The smell of burnt flesh was heavy in the air. If they continued to oppose her, the lord would lose his general in the process.

“Come,” he snapped, marching out of the cave. “These pretenders have nothing of worth.”

The general released the youth, who sank sobbing to the ground. He took his sword with the hand that wasn’t burnt, running to catch up with his lord. Although he offered up his arm, his lord swatted it away, too angry to accept the guidance.

Yae Miko summoned perfume and poured it into her hand, heating it with lightning until it turned to mist and flew up in the air. Kitsune had sharper senses than most, and she was about to get a headache from the burnt smell.

There was a strange tug at her robes, and she looked down to see that the child had leapt up, trying to hugher.

Thankfully, Jinko knocked him away with his spear. He tumbled over, then jumped up like an acrobat. “Lady Sakura… thank you!” He looked like he was on the verge of bawling again. “I was so scared… I thought I could never paint again! You really are the best and most kindest lord!”

Yae Miko tsked. “You know far too little about your realm.”

Jinko bowed in apology to Yae Miko. “I was too hasty, Lady Yae. I’m afraid that my lies will be too difficult to cover up.”

“You spoke out of turn, but it at least saved time. As for your little improvisation… we can just keep the child for a while.”

He probably didn’t know how to write, but he could serve a purpose elsewhere.

“What is your name?”

“Parley, my lady.”

“Not what you did, child; your name.”

“It’s… still Parley.”

Yae Miko stared at him expressionlessly. “If you are playing a prank, it isn’t very good.”

The youth gave her a confused look. “My mother wouldn’t play a prank. She loved humans. She even had a real tapestry from Fontaine, with a person waving a flag sewn onto it. There was a word written on the back - ‘parley’. So that’s what she named me.”

Even among such tacky names like ‘Lord Rushing Breaths’, Clueless was in first place with ‘Lord Soy Conqueror. She had never expected to find an even worse name from Clueless 2, the child following in his footsteps.

He continued, “She was so thrilled when Lord Itto approached me, cutting a part of her clothing so I could wave it around like the humans. Unfortunately, Lord Itto was too energetic, and a big chunk of roof fell on her.”

Yae Miko was in too much shock to speak. It seemed Clueless 1 had graduated to causing fatal accidents.

The youth briefly wiped his eyes before pulling something out of his shirt. It appeared to be a piece of a building, as if he’d ripped it out of the alley wall. “I managed to recover this human artifact for her. If she has something to look forwards to, I’m sure she’ll recover quickly.”

“So your parents are alive after all.” Yae Miko was unsure why she cared at all, never mind felt a little disappointed.

The youth said, “I suppose so? My mother found me in a crate of radishes, so it’s anyone’s guess what happened to my original parents.”

An orphan…

He continued, “Lord Itto felt very bad about crushing her, but it would have happened anyways. She’s a tree spirit, so she has to be buried and reborn once in a while… but I’ve never lived without her before, and it will be a few centuries before she’s back…”

A double orphan...?

It was like her hands moved faster than her mind. Jinko burst out, “Lady Yae! You’re acting too strangely; please stop!”

Little Parley was just too adorable, and his cheeks had to be pinched until they became pink and rosy.

He asked hesitantly, “Lady Yae..?”

She only said, “I didn’t know orphans could be so cute.”

She released his face and gave it a gentle slap. His ears were like a cat’s, thin and delicate, but they became like those of a fox. The same went for his other features, changing in an instant to a kitsune’s.

The only things left behind were those pearly black eyes. She would make sure to protect them carefully, and not make the same mistakes as with Kaeya.

She prayed in her heart that Parley wouldn’t turn into him or Jinko; a flighty liar and a harlot.

“Live in the House of Yae as one of my children.”

She extended her hand to the youth.

“I’ll take care of you, Clueless 2.”

The door creaked open, and Kaeya knew from the aura of plainness who the newcomer must be.

There was an inhalation of shock, and Tobias exclaimed;  “Are you done staring into the distance? At least you staunched the blood, but you should have called a healer earlier!”

Kaeya threw aside a blood-soaked rag. “The wound wasn’t too deep. There was no need to waste time fussing over it when the banquet was to start at any moment.”

“You really are just like her. There’s no wonder she hasn’t returned when this recklessness runs through your family!” Tobias sighed and produced a bottle from his bag. It was filled with red liquid, with pieces of ginseng and the dregs of several ground herbs. The ginseng was picked near Yeongsan Village and would help his wound heal much faster.

Kaeya said casually, “I didn’t realize this sect was in such dire straits. Even with the tithe of a Cataclysm’s power, it seems a shallow wound is too costly to heal.”

“Is that what you’ve been doing all along?” Tobias sighed heavily. “I don’t know what kinds of weird things they’re teaching you in Mondstadt, but you should never throw qi at injuries like that. You waste most of it in the process, and your body’s ability to heal is weakened.”

“I was told I’d receive treatment for staying here.”

While the comment was innocuous enough, there was a heavy layer of judgement tacked onto the words. Kaeya was a good investment, whether it be as a fighter or a public figure. Any god would be glad for the worship he’d draw their way. Many had offered lodgings, complete with a full number of benefits. It seemed that a certain missing vial was one of them.

“Listen, Master Kaeya… I know we haven’t spoken much. But I was great friends with your cousin, and I really would appreciate the favour. I could fetch something else. We’ll just say the vial wasn’t enough… the sect won’t spare any expense, and you went through a taxing month. It’ll be like nothing ever happened.”

Kaeya said causally, “You lost some qi extract, and now you want to stay out of trouble. But your little plan depends on that vial. If it’s lower quality, there won’t be any problem. You can just buy me another.”

“It wasn’t too high…”

“Maybe I’ll ask your master for a new one. I’m sure Liu Daiyu won’t mind such a small mistake.”

“…”

“What’s with that awful expression? Don’t tell me you were lying?”

Tobias felt a deep pang of guilt at Kaeya’s expression. “Of course I wasn’t! It’s just complicated, with all the… qi storages, and qi extracts, and qi… things.”

Tobias’s expression was easy to read, if his loud mouth didn’t give him away first. A small burn could even be on the inside of his wrist. By the smell of rain clinging to him, Kaeya thought it was very likely that Yae Miko had been the one to rob Tobias. Someone so weak as him couldn’t stand a chance. But instead of comforting him, Kaeya felt the urge to make him squirm.

He said humbly, “I suppose I should have expected this, coming from somewhere so remote as Mondstadt. We never got much news from the outside… I just never expected it was to this extent.”

“Ah… no, it’s nothing like that… I’m sure you’re just as educated as the rest of us, just in… different terms.”

Tobias cringed at Kaeya’s expression. He probably thought he’d offended Kaeya, with all the talk going around about how ‘barbaric’ Mondstadt was. Fitting his personality, his immediate reaction was to start blabbering nervously.

“You know about qi extracts, right?”

Kaeya widened his eyes ever so slightly, and Tobias’s blabbering flooded out.

“I’m sure you know, ah. Ha. Ha. I’ll just say it to refresh your memory. Since you need energy to store energy, qi extracts are made from plants or minerals… but they take a long time to naturally absorb qi from their surroundings. A lot of energy is lost when you transfer to it. So when you think about it, even the highest quality extract doesn’t measure up! But even with Mr. Perfect going crazy, his inventions were really exceptional! Even if you ground me into paste, I couldn’t make up a single drop –”

Tobias shut his mouth, but it was too late to take back the words. He’d been warned that his loose tongue would get him in trouble, and lo and behold, that day had come. It didn’t matter what happened! He was sure Liu Daiyu had robbed him, but who would believe his such an ugly toad? He couldn’t pay that debt, no matter how hard he tried!

Tobias’s face was hotter than coals, and in his sweaty hand, he was still clutching the ginseng drink. He offered it to Kaeya, but it was as if the man had turned to stone. He tried to set it down on a table, but in his fit of hysteria, caused it to tumble to the ground.

That was one of the best extracts he found in the healing wing. Kaeya looked more and more disapproving at every moment, and Tobias felt that he should do something to win his favour.

“I hope you’re ready for a surprise...”

He took his hand from behind his back, but Kaeya moved faster than light, crushing Tobias’s wrist in his grip.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Tobias pried at his fingers to no avail. “It’s not a bad surprise, I swear!”

Kaeya said flatly, “Show me what you’re holding.”

“Gods, these cultivators, getting jumpy over nothing! It’s not anything bad, I just found it in your room!”

Tobias gloomily revealed the ‘surprise’. It was a crystal ring, cool and solid in his palm. “It must have fallen under the bed when she was sick. They moved her to a better place, but no one cleaned the room. I guess it’s been lying there the whole time.”

Kaeya asked coldly, “What made you think I’d want her trash?”

He did not look grateful at all. Tobias said hesitantly, “I’m sure she’ll be happy to throw it out… it could be like a family bonding activity, climbing up to a volcano! But if you’re not on the best terms… it seems really expensive. You know what I mean?”

Kaeya’s eye was narrowed, its strange paleness causing chills to go down Tobias’s spine. He snatched the ring from his hand, looking immensely displeased for several moments. When he opened his fist, there was a second ring in his palm.

It was a twin to the other but in a slightly larger size. There was always a slight glow in their cores. But when brought together, they lit up like captured stars. The smaller was the deep blue of a winter fog, and the larger was a rich hue of honeycomb.

His lips curled slightly, but they flattened just as quickly. Tobias’s heart fluttered in panic. What the hell was wrong with this guy?

“Er… the banquet is about to start at any minute. If you don’t mind me saying, we should probably get going...”

There was a sound like bells as they touched in Kaeya’s palm. He closed his fingers around them, and when they opened, there was nothing there.

He smiled at Tobias, his expression suddenly friendly again. “If your debt is so large, you can start with this.”

He gestured to his side. “I can hardly go back to Mondstadt with another scar.”

Tobias doubted that, given the rugged states of the visiting knights. Even that rabbit-like kid had some nasty injuries ringing his arms.

Kaeya sat onto a table, allowing Tobias to check his wound. It had stopped bleeding, any red coursing sluggishly out.

Tobias opened the rip in his clothing to check the area further. There were severe burn scars in the area, extending to his hip and torso.

Even past that, something wasn’t right. Tobias cleaned the wound and put on a makeshift bandage. Kaeya would need to change clothes anyways, and it felt wrong to do it near a corpse.

Kaeya pushed lightly off the table, not stumbling despite his recent stab wound.

“Any tips, doctor?”

From looking around, Tobias hadn’t seen any signs of a struggle. The smashed equipment matched Kaeya’s earlier outburst, and he was acting too carefree to have been attacked.

Tobias said evenly, “Being so callous won’t hurt just yourself, but the people around you.”

Kaeya laughed lightly. “Don't think so poorly of the knights. The recruits are taught more thoroughly than you’d know.”

“I’m not just talking about your burns.”

Kaeya’s smile froze. Was he so vain, that one mention of his appearance caused him to react like that?

By the look of it, there had been an injury to Kaeya’s side as a child. It had never healed properly, and the burns just added more trauma. It was like that area was a magnet for injury. And since Kaeya probably did it to himself, that sword of his had dealt the finishing blow.

Tobias was a becoming a decent healer, but he had his limits. He didn’t know how to heal a wound like this. If it healed, it would only be ripped open again.

Tobias said, “Try to avoid the alcohol from now.”

Kaeya could at least avoid hurting himself. He must have drunk a lot, since Tobias could smell it from a distance.

He handed Kaeya a clean bandage. “The one I put on is temporary. You can change it to this once when you put on new clothes.”

He felt bad enough for losing Kaeya’s qi extract, so he decided he should at least accompany him to his room.

“The laboratory can be cleaned later, so please don’t worry about it… I’m sure the banquet takes higher priority.”

He was just saying nonsense, but Kaeya nodded as if he agreed.

What a spoiled brat… Tobias ignored the knot in his stomach to think of complaints. A pretty boy like him could burn down the city as long as he asked nicely.

Kaeya looked down the hallway and said, “You must have changed something. This place doesn’t look right.”

Tobias hadn’t seen Kaeya’s breakdown, but gossip was already flowing throughout the sect. If he could get that delusional, trashing two rooms in a day, what could he do to a healer like Tobias?

His face couldn’t take any more damage. He shivered as he waited outside Kaeya’s room, nearly leaving several times. However, showing up with him might earn a ticket to stay at the banquet.

The sense of foreboding began to weigh more heavily as Kaeya emerged in various states of disarray, with Tobias having to point out each flaw and send him back. Had he lost more blood than he thought?

They wouldn’t call off the celebration if he couldn’t attend; they’d put too much into it. But it was sure to put a damper on the whole thing. Too much hung on this comeback for it to fall apart so easily.

Tobias was sure they’d missed the event altogether by the time Kaeya was presentable. He walked faster than usual, trying to subtly convey to the other man that he should hurry.

When they’d first found something, Kaeya had run faster than anyone Tobias had seen from one end of the beach to the other. He’d played the crowd easily at the trial, at least until he threatened to qi deviate. He was fast and smart, and those attending tonight would be singing his praises. It almost seemed like he wanted to miss the banquet.

Kaeya had been lagging behind, but he caught up now. Sword clutched in his hand, he said, “I need you to answer a question.”

Tobias nodded quickly. He wanted to know what was going on in that mysterious head of his, to make him so reluctant towards praise and excellent food.

“Calla lilies… they’re just common flowers. How much qi could they possibly hold? He must have put his own energy in those extracts. But at that time… with all those seals, even while starving…. it doesn’t make any sense. There must have been some plan or secret motive.”

Kaeya must be talking about Guiying. Who else had Mr. Perfect made extracts for? Plus, that (demon? half-demon?) had been notoriously picky, and would probably starve on purpose.

It wasn’t like Tobias was accusing a corpse of bad intentions. He’d just been very loyal, like a little dog trailing after the divine leader.

Of course, he’d had his faults. A dog wouldn’t know that barking at people was wrong. But if you trained it well enough, its loyalty would make up for any faults.

It was just a shame that Guiying had shown up. She was fun to be around, but her appearance marked the moment the sect started to fall apart.

It was coincidence that he chose her, and bad luck she didn’t see his flaws.

Kaeya was looking away, clutching a blue ribbon. His expression was troubled, but as Tobias began to speak, it slowly smoothed out.

“A dog is loyal to its master. But if they can’t keep it from biting people, that loyalty is worthless. It should have been put down before crossing that line.”

By Tobias’s last words, the ribbon had turned into sparks again.

”We should hurry, or we’ll be late.”