Episode 4: A Million Dancing Lights, All Reflected in Your Eyes
"Fate can be quite the fickle mistress. Over millennia, I've seen countless stories play out before my eyes, and the difference between a happy ending and a tragic one would seem to be indiscriminate. Even someone like myself cannot fully comprehend it."
A wistful, yet warm voice rang out in the emptiness, as if recalling memories so distant they were on the verge of fading completely.
"When I first met that young man, I somehow knew his case would be precisely like that. I could feel the hand of fate guiding him, but I couldn't foresee what his future would be. It was quite vexing, since I could tell he was an admirable person. Perhaps I even saw a small part of myself in him. Due to that, I decided to keep an eye on him… do what I could to guide him to that happy ending…"
The voice trailed off before reaching its conclusion.
Opening Theme: FELT - START
Seven days had passed since Diluc's meeting with the mysterious Dainsleif. Since then, he had focused on nothing but planning out the final phase of this operation.
His first step had been to request the aid of a certain someone from Mond. He had to choke back the bile in his throat as he addressed the letter to "Kaeya Alberich", but as much as he hated to admit it, that man would be a massive help. He trusted his abilities, not only in finding the right people for the job, but also in battle when things became hairy.
After sending the letter five days before, Diluc was left with nothing to do but wait. At night, he sometimes trained his fighting skills in the deep wilderness behind Liyue Harbor. He had become exceptionally comfortable with using his Vision - indeed, in battle, he resembled a flaming dragon as his sword effortlessly cut through the air, leaving a scorched smell behind. All of this was to prevent any more losses. He couldn't allow that, not now.
He hadn't seen her since that night on the bridge. Occasionally, his thoughts would drift, and her face would pop up in the back of his mind. He didn't dwell on it, though. His focus was on rescuing Diona and bringing justice to the murderers. And besides, she barely knew who he was. There was no need to get involved in anything unnecessary.
Like this, the days had passed fairly uneventfully, until at last, the eve of the first day of the Lantern Rite Festival had arrived. The bustle of the city had been even more chaotic over the last few days, as the preparations reached a fever pitch. Tonight, decorated like a bride adorned for her husband, Liyue Harbor glowed.
Diluc stood on the balcony of his room as the sun sank behind the mountains behind him. He watched the countless lanterns as they floated through the dusk sky without a care in the world. He wasn't much of a festival lover, preferring to stick to the mundane and predictable. However, even he could not deny the electric atmosphere that now surrounded him. It was contagious.
Guess I should go check this out, huh? he thought to himself, turning from the balcony.
He made his way down the stairs into the lobby of the inn. The receptionist nodded in recognition as he passed her, heading for the front door. He pushed it open, stepping out into the night. And almost immediately, something slammed into him.
"Hyah?!" a startled voice squeaked.
Diluc instantly assumed a battle stance, prepared for anything. His eyes narrowed, revealing murderous intent. However, when he saw his adversary, he let out a long sigh.
"You… What do you think you're doing?" he said, with a look of exasperation.
"Me?! What about you, didn't anyone ever tell you to watch your step? And also, I have a name, you know."
"Yeah, you should be more careful, Keqing."
Her cheek puffed out in irritation as she crossed her arms and looked away, pouting. It was then that Diluc really took the time to notice how she looked.
She wasn't wearing her usual Liyue-style outfit tonight. Instead, she had donned a lovely blue and black evening gown. Its graceful beauty reminded him of a butterfly in flight. Her hair looked a bit different too, with a pretty ribbon fluttering from each of her twin tails. A cute bow was tied around her slim neck. In short: she looked incredibly cute right now.
"Really, I don't understand how you make it in this world with an attitude like that," Keqing sighed, trying to throw the balance of the argument back to her side.
However, Diluc didn't have an instant retort this time. Instead, he stared at her with his mouth slightly open, a serious look on his face. She looked back up, wondering why he had gone silent. Her eyes immediately met his, and widened when she saw his expression.
"W-What's the problem?" she blustered, looking away again.
"Ah, sorry. No problems. Just noticed your outfit. It's quite lovely."
Her eyes widened again as she looked back at him. In the dim lantern light, a rosy hue colored her cheeks.
"T-Thanks."
She was thrown off guard by Diluc's straightforward words, but quickly recovered her poise.
"Lady Ningguang had this made for me. She said I needed to dress up for the Lantern Rite Festival. Personally, I don't get it, but she insisted."
"You should thank her for that advice," Diluc said, smirking.
"I'm not sure what you mean by that, but I'll just pretend it isn't something perverse."
"Feel free."
With this, their conversation died down. Keqing looked down again, and Diluc felt that it might be time to leave her be.
"Well then, I believe I'll go check out the festivities now. Good evening."
"Ah… Yes. Do enjoy yourself, Diluc."
With a nod, Diluc turned and headed for Main Street. Keqing, who was heading the same direction, awkwardly waited for him to put some distance between them before following.
Diluc strolled down the decorated streets of Liyue Harbor, taking in the bevy of sights. Lanterns were literally everywhere, casting a warm, nostalgic glow over the buildings and streets. There were even more vendors than normal, selling everything from books, to keepsakes, to expensive jewelry. He felt a stirring in his chest. It was hard not to feel excitement in this atmosphere.
For over an hour, he wandered the many alleys and docks around the city, exploring as much of the Festival as he could. Soon, his stomach began to complain, and he made his way back towards Main Street to find some grub.
As he sat at the crowded restaurant on the main plaza, he watched the faces passing by. Everyone seemed joyful and exuberant. Kids looked up at the floating lanterns with wonder in their eyes, holding street food in their hands. It reminded Diluc of his childhood visits to the Windblume Festival, bringing back nostalgic memories from long ago.
Suddenly, he noticed a group of three very well-dressed women making their way up the boardwalk towards the plaza. One was tall and strikingly beautiful in a mature way, with long white hair and a classy dress. Another was a familiar blue-haired girl with horns… And the last was none other than Keqing.
Diluc stared at the group for a while, until Keqing turned her head in his direction. He casually looked away, but it was too late. She had spotted him.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath.
Out of the corner of his eye, he looked again in the direction of the three women, and it appeared that a storm was already brewing. The blue-haired woman was looking in his direction with eyes wide, and the taller lady had a look of mischief on her face as she covered her mouth with one hand. Keqing wouldn't look his way no matter what.
Diluc had enough life experience to know what was going on here, and he didn't like it. Whenever there was a gaggle of hens like this, nothing good could come of it. And as he expected, the ladies slowly made their way towards his seat, with Keqing getting dragged along behind them.
It was too late to flee now, so he just sat back and prepared himself for trouble.
"Excuse me, sir. Would your name happen to be Diluc Ragnvindr? The head of the well-known Dawn Winery?" a mature, yet feminine voice spoke.
"Who, me? Never heard of the guy," Diluc said, looking up at the three with his best confused face.
"Don't be coy. I've seen you before. You're definitely him," the white-haired woman declared with a dangerous glint in her eye.
"Ha, I see. So you asked a question that you already knew the answer to."
"Perhaps."
Diluc looked down, grabbing another meat roll and stuffing it into his mouth. The three women watched him in silence as he chewed his meal joylessly, before the tall lady spoke up again.
"I heard that you had some business with Lady Keqing earlier this week. Did you find your meeting satisfactory?"
Diluc looked back up at her, cocking his eyebrow in annoyance at this obvious bait.
"Yes, she was most helpful. Our meeting was something I will remember for a lifetime," he responded with just enough sarcasm to be ambiguous.
He wasn't sure how much this woman knew, but he was operating on the assumption that she knew everything. She looked quite important, and exuded an air of cunning.
"I see. I'm glad to hear that. Oh, where are my manners? My name is Ningguang, Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing."
"Pleased to meet you," Diluc said, nodding at her.
"This is Ganyu, Secretary of the Qixing." Ningguang said.
"Nice to meet you!" Ganyu said quickly, clearly a bit nervous.
"Ah, yes, I don't think we've met before. It's my pleasure," Diluc said, trying to pretend their last meeting didn't happen.
"And I don't believe you need any introduction, Lady Keqing."
Keqing's eyebrow twitched at Ningguang's words.
"So, what brings you ladies to my humble table tonight?" Diluc said, trying to steer the conversation to an end.
"Lady Keqing spotted you and simply insisted that we come speak to you."
"N-Ningguang?!" Keqing spluttered.
"She wanted to make a request of you. Would you care to escort her around the Festival for a while, kind sir?"
Keqing's face was covered with an indescribable mix of horror and embarrassment. She was completely speechless, opening her mouth and closing it like a fish out of water. Diluc amusedly read her expression like a book, and suddenly had a craving to torment her a little bit.
"Why certainly, it would be my honor to accompany her."
"Excellent! Then let us go, Ganyu. We should leave the two of them to themselves."
"Y-Yes!" Ganyu replied, with a trace of crimson on her cheeks.
And just like that, the two were gone in a flash. Ningguang walked away with all the splendor of a queen, and Ganyu scampered along behind her like a baby deer running from danger.
The two were now left all alone. Keqing stood with her arms at her sides, fists balled up, looking straight down.
That's what I get for playing along, Diluc mused.
"Well then, I suppose we should make the best of this situation, right Keqing?" he addressed her.
"Sigh, I suppose so. But just so we're clear, I didn't instigate this."
"Yeah, I could tell. Those two seem like fun."
"Ningguang loves to play with people, and Ganyu just tries to keep up. That's how they always are."
Keqing's face grew soft as she said this, and her eyes glittered like jewels.
"Seems like a fun workplace you have."
"Yeah. So? What are we going to do now?"
"Well, nothing out of the ordinary… Walking around the city, holding hands, sharing our food…"
"H-hand- Hey! Don't say things like that in public!" Keqing managed to stutter out.
Diluc leaned back in his chair with a hearty laugh. He hadn't enjoyed himself like this in quite a while. Seeing this fiery young woman struggle was prime entertainment.
"Don't worry, I'm only joking. You don't even have to accompany me at all. Just lie to them afterward if they ask you anything. I'll back you up."
Keqing was silent for a short while before answering him.
"…No, let's do it after all."
"Eh?"
"I think I want to show you just how beautiful this Festival can be."
"I see. Alright then, I'm all yours." Diluc teased her again.
But Keqing nodded seriously in return. She took a seat beside him as he finished the last of his meal, quietly watching him.
"So what did you have in mind?" the red-haired man asked his companion.
"There's a place I want you to see. It's nearby, that's all I'm telling you."
"So you finally got so tired of me that you'd stoop this low? I didn't expect someone like you to lead me to an ambush."
"Ahh, just shut it and follow me!" she cried out in exasperation.
"Fine."
Keqing led Diluc through the plaza and outside of the city. Her path led them over a large wooden bridge, past some small houses, and between two giant stone statues.
"We're going to have to do some climbing," she spoke up.
"Fine by me."
The path led steeply up the side of a mountain. Half of it was broken-down stairs, and the other half was old, rickety wooden ladders. Diluc had to look down several times while following her up them, or he would have seen something he wasn't meant to see. At last, the two reached the top of the path, which terminated at an old pond, with several mysterious lights sitting amongst the nearby ruins.
"We're almost there. Don't look back yet, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Keqing took a left, and led Diluc along the edge of a grassy ridge. They passed under a lone tree, then reached a spot slightly higher than the surrounding ground. She finally stopped and whirled around to face him, spreading her arms out as if to embrace the whole world.
"We're here."
In that moment, Diluc felt something stir inside his chest. Keqing looked like a rare, precious butterfly in the moonlight's soft glow. Her dress sparked like the stars above as its many fancy ruffles fell back into place. Her eyes were the absolute purest of jewels. He couldn't stare forever, but he found himself wishing he could.
"I… see," he said, finally turning to his left to look at the view that she had brought him to see.
Spread out below them, like a perfect tapestry, Liyue Harbor glowed brighter than the moonlight. Lanterns floated everywhere, including a few lonely souls that seemed to have drifted far away from the others. It was truly a breathtaking spectacle.
"This is… incredible," Diluc finally spoke up.
Smoothing her dress under her rear end, Keqing sat down in the soft grass, then looked at him as if to say "what are you waiting for?". And so, he took his seat beside her.
"My dad took me to this place many years ago when I was just a little girl. It was so hard for me to get here, but he helped me the whole way. And when I finally saw this view, I was so moved that I started crying a little bit."
"I can certainly see why."
"Mm. It's my favorite place to watch the city. When I'm lost, I always come here, and somehow those precious memories strengthen me."
Diluc gave her a gentle smile, and nodded.
Even though this was technically only the third or fourth time they had spent any time together, he was taken aback by her serious tone. This was a side of her that he hadn't seen before, and it prompted a peculiar feeling inside him. This moment felt special, like she was showing him a glimpse of something very precious. Soon, she spoke again.
"I still miss him, even now. I guess I always will… heh. Sorry, I didn't mean to make things so serious," Keqing said with moist eyes and a self-deprecating laugh.
This statement caused Diluc's mind to go into overdrive. Her father was dead? He didn't really want to continue this line of talk, at the risk of losing his composure. For he too carried a similar wound - one that hadn't closed back up even after all these years. But for some reason, he felt like opening a small part of his heart to her. It seemed only fair to return that favor.
"I don't mean to sound presumptuous in any way, but I think I understand your feelings. I… also lost my father, several years ago."
Keqing's countenance changed when he said this. She looked up at him with widening eyes and a sad expression.
"I… see…"
Her eyes wavered, and her expression changed several times, as if she was trying her best not to say the wrong thing.
"Then maybe we're not so different after all," she finally whispered.
"Perhaps. I'm sure that everyone carries something like that within them. My life up to this point has taught me that much."
"Right. We're only human."
Diluc nodded his head in agreement, then was silent for a while, choosing his next words carefully.
"Listen, Keqing. I'm really sorry about everything. I've been a thorn in your side from the very start. You didn't deserve to be treated like that. I wish I could take it back."
"There's no need for another apology. I understand now that you meant well, and you already told me sorry, remember?"
"Yeah, I did. Then, I suppose I won't apologize for this, either…"
He trailed off into silence. Instead of speaking, he raised his rough right hand slightly, and placed it on top of her tiny, soft one. Her eyes went wide once again, but she didn't push him away.
"Thank you for showing me this, Keqing. I won't ever forget it."
She was silent for a few seconds, probably trying to regain her composure. When she finally spoke, her efforts were successful. Her voice was crystal clear, brimming with confidence.
"You're welcome, but it isn't over yet. It's almost time."
"Time for what?" he asked.
Keqing only shook her head and gave a small smile as an answer, but soon words of explanation weren't needed.
A small trail of light shot skyward from the harbor, followed by a "thump". Just as Diluc turned his head towards the sky, the tiny sprout bloomed into a magnificent flower of light, illuminating everything within their view.
Diluc's eyes gazed in wonder at the spectacle, as time and again, giant multicolored fireworks launched skyward, only to shatter and disappear into the night. His hand gripped Keqing's even tighter without even realizing it.
The stunning display went on and on, and finally, he turned to study Keqing's face. She was enthralled by the giant fireworks, never once looking away from them. Her face was painted with child-like wonder and innocence… And inside her eyes were a million dancing lights, sparkling and shattering within the depths of that violet expanse.
"Be careful, it's a long way down," Keqing shouted up to Diluc as she descended the ladder.
"Shouldn't that be my line? In fact, why am I not going first so I can catch you if you fall?"
"Don't make me answer that, pervert."
Diluc chuckled at the girl below him. He wasn't the least bit worried about her in truth. She had already proved her tenacity to him on the way here.
The unlikely pair descended from the mountain after the last of the fireworks had faded. They made their way down in relative silence, though it wasn't awkward. In fact, it was surprisingly comfortable to Diluc. In a way, it felt as natural as being alone, and this nagged at him as his thoughts swirled around inside his head.
They had almost made it to the bottom of the mountain, when something snapped.
"Ahhh?!" Keqing yelled as she stumbled forward.
One of her valiant heels had finally given up the ghost.
Diluc moved fast, grabbing her left arm, which had the unintended consequence of spinning her around to face him, hanging by one arm over the steps below. He quickly pulled her back, setting her on solid ground.
"T-Thank you…" she muttered, embarrassed.
"You alright?"
"Yes, I think so. But my shoe…"
She looked down in dismay at her pretty shoe, now marred with a broken heel. She almost looked ready to cry, for reasons that Diluc could never have understood in that moment.
"Don't worry, I'm sure it can be fixed."
"Yeah…" she muttered, still downcast.
"More importantly, will your shoe make it back like that?" he asked her.
The two were still very close from when Diluc had pulled her back, and they suddenly became conscious of that.
"I don't know. I don't think it's fit for walking anymore."
"I see. Then let me carry you back, at least as far as the bridge."
"Wha-?!"
"Calm down, I won't touch you anywhere suspicious."
"I-It's not that… Okay," she finally said, looking up at him with apprehension.
"Alright then," Diluc said, bending down to offer her his back. "Climb aboard."
Keqing hesitantly made her way to his back, then leaned against it, wrapping her arms around his neck loosely. He grabbed her lower thighs firmly, then stood up. The operation was complete.
Diluc set off walking towards the city, which wasn't too far away now. He could feel a whole variety of things touching him in questionable ways, but he forcibly shut those thoughts down. He knew if he didn't, something absurd might happen.
Meanwhile, Keqing was red up to her ears. She was painfully aware that her breasts were touching his back, and his strong hands were squeezing her legs so firmly that it almost hurt. She felt ashamed that he had to do this for her, especially after spending such a lovely evening together. It wasn't quite a storybook ending to their second chance.
"Hey…" she whispered after a while.
"Hm?"
"Are you really going to attack the Fatui?"
"I have to. They killed my people. I won't let that stand, no matter what."
"I see…"
"Yeah."
"Please… be careful."
Diluc smiled wryly as she said this. It reminded him so much of another young woman many miles away.
"Don't worry about me, I'm used to this sort of thing."
As he said this, they reached the edge of the bridge leading back into Liyue Harbor proper. Most of the hubbub from earlier had died down, and the town now emanated a peaceful vibe.
"I can walk now," she whispered as his boots thumped on the wooden bridge.
He stopped and bent down, allowing her to get down from his back.
"Thank you. I can make it on my own from here, even if it's in my stockings," she smiled sheepishly.
"Good, I was getting tired of carrying you," he replied teasingly.
"Hmph. Have you ever been told that you don't understand women at all?"
"More than once, yes."
She shook her head in mock lament, before looking up at him again. Her eyes became earnest. He couldn't help but notice she was much shorter without her heels, even though she was standing above him on the arch bridge.
"Thank you for tonight. I'll see you later… Goodnight, Diluc."
She whispered in a tone of voice that he hadn't heard from her before. He started to reply to her, but she moved closer to him in an instant, taking him by surprise. Then, she stood on her tiptoes and grabbed his shoulders. Stretching as far as she could, she planted a kiss on his right cheek. She then backed off, looking down with a bittersweet smile on her face. Before he could even fully comprehend what just happened, she turned and started running across the bridge.
Diluc was left standing alone, watching her back grow smaller against a backdrop of innumerable lanterns.
Ending Theme: FELT - you
Next:
Episode 5: Vengeance
