Episode 8: In The Land of Peace
Almost three weeks had now passed since Diluc had first traveled to Liyue. When he left his homeland, in hot pursuit of Springvale's attackers, he hadn't anticipated staying this long. Indeed, even though his retribution was carried out on the Fatui almost a week ago, and the trail to finding Diona had gone cold, he hadn't been able to bring himself to leave yet. The reasons for this were not ambiguous.
The blossoming relationship between Diluc and Keqing had caused all sorts of gears to get out of sync, throwing both of their once-stagnant lives out of whack. Diluc's responsibilities in Mondstadt were practically screaming at him to return home, and Keqing had been struggling to focus on her work for several days. Mercifully, a solution had arrived that would solve most of the issues at hand:
An unlikely trio would soon be journeying to Mondstadt.
Opening Theme: FELT - START
The sun had not yet made its appearance when Diluc met with his prospective travel partners. Suitcases in hand, the three stood outside the inn that Diluc had grown quite fond of over the course of his nearly-month long stay there. Their breaths showed in the pre-dawn cold like tiny little clouds in the atmosphere, even though spring had already arrived. That peculiar mix of anticipation and bittersweet feelings marking a journey's beginning filled the hearts of all three present.
They made their last checks, making sure that nothing had been forgotten, then they set off into the brightening skies.
For a while, the three traveled in silence, taking in the early-morning atmosphere of Liyue. As the sun began to make its first appearance, the landscapes around the travelers began to change, little by little. The light fog that hugged the rocky outcroppings and low marshes began to burn away as the orange rays of the sun made their appearance.
Diluc couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of this country. Perhaps it was because she lived there, but he had gained a new appreciation for Liyue over the last month. It felt very different, being able to appreciate the beauty of the world again - and he felt like he could get used to it.
He looked towards Keqing, who walked steadily, confidently, by his side. Beyond her, Ganyu caught his gaze, smiling gently at him. These two had somehow become irreplaceable fixtures in his heart in such a short time.
"Ahhhh!" Keqing stretched and groaned. "It's about time for a lunch break, don't you think?"
Diluc's journey back home was fairly uneventful. The three made good time, reaching the familiar canyon leading to Mondstadt by early afternoon. After crossing the border, they entered the valley where Dawn Winery resided.
"We're here," he gestured towards the mansion, nestled among the fields of grapes.
The three took the dusty old path up to Diluc's home, and were greeted by his head housemaid Adelinde at the front door.
"Welcome back, Master Diluc. And welcome, esteemed guests, to Dawn Winery. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Yeah, have the maids bring their luggage to the guest room. I'll handle the rest."
"Certainly, Master. Is there anything I should know about these lovely young ladies?" she replied with a dangerous glint in her eye.
"They're guests of the highest honor from Liyue. Make sure they are as comfortable as possible, in every way," Diluc said with a hard look.
"Understood."
With that, she clapped her hands, and several young maids came from within the various rooms of the mansion. They took the suitcases from Keqing and Ganyu, hastily making their way to prepare the guest room for them.
Keqing looked up at Diluc with a suspicious glare.
"You sure do have a lot of pretty young women working here," she hissed under her breath.
"Shut it. You two take a seat over there while I make sure things are in order."
Keqing's cheek poked out in displeasure as she wandered over to the fancy sofa in a cozy corner of the main hall of the mansion. Ganyu followed hesitantly.
The vibe that Diluc's mansion exuded was much like the man himself. It was fancy and sophisticated, but seemed to hide secrets that few would ever know. Keqing suppressed a shiver as Adelinde stood nearby, watching the two guests carefully.
Soon, Diluc returned.
"Alright, the guest room is ready. Follow me."
He led them upstairs, down a long hallway to a room on the left. As they stepped inside, Keqing and Ganyu were surprised to see a rather large room with several beds in it, along with an attached bathroom. Even the guest accommodations here were high-class.
"I'll leave you two to yourselves for a bit. I know you probably want to get cleaned up after the trip. Make sure you're prepared to come down by 5 p.m. though, that's when dinner is served. Also, we'll be heading into the city tomorrow, so be ready for that."
"Yes, sir," Keqing replied with a tinge of sarcasm.
As he left the room, Keqing and Ganyu gave a collective sigh of relief.
"He sure is pushy when he's in his element," Keqing idly said while unpacking her suitcase.
"Yes, but isn't that nice in its own way?" Ganyu said, smiling at her innocently.
"…You may have a point."
Keqing's cheeks were a little red as she said that.
Elsewhere, in a private room inside the mansion, its Master and head maid were having a discussion.
"Yeah, that's what I said. I didn't think I'd have to repeat myself, Adelinde."
"I understand. But isn't that a bit problematic, Master? After all, that young woman…"
"Don't say it. You think I don't already know?"
"Yes, we have discussed this before, after all."
"Yeah, and you tried to feed her something questionable. By the way, if you try anything funny with those two, I'll be docking your pay."
"Noooo, Master, you're so mean," she said in a monotone.
Diluc sighed.
"In any case, she has to find out sooner or later. Better sooner, if you ask me."
"So cruel, as expected of my Master."
Diluc glared at the dubious maid before him, then turned around to leave the room. He somewhat regretted omitting exactly who would be dining with them this evening.
Aaaah, this could be a shit show.
With those thoughts, he headed to a certain room underneath Dawn Winery.
After bathing, Keqing and Ganyu had taken extra time to make sure they looked their best. They carefully preened each other's hair until it was perfect, and finally satisfied, they made their way downstairs around thirty minutes before dinner time. And when they did, another guest had already arrived.
"Well, if it isn't Lady Keqing of the Qixing. What an honor to see you again," an exaggerated, deep voice greeted her. "And Miss Ganyu too, how lovely."
"It's my honor to be here, Sir Alberich," Keqing said, with impeccable poise and manners.
"There's no need for formalities with me. After all, we were teammates for a time, no matter how short," Kaeya said with a chuckle.
"Right, we were."
"So I see I'm not the only one our host has so carelessly ignored," Kaeya continued, gesturing around at the Diluc-less room.
"Where did he go?" Ganyu spoke up.
Kaeya just shrugged.
"That man's secrets are as vast as his wealth."
"Well, I'm sure he'll be here shortly. But more importantly, he didn't tell us he was having guests tonight… that bastard," Keqing said, her voice getting quieter as she went.
"Oh? Feels like I just saw another side of Lady Keqing. How interesting," Kaeya said with an eyebrow raised.
"H-Hush!"
As Keqing blustered, the master of the mansion finally made his appearance. He gracefully came down the stairs, dressed in a black and white tuxedo. His appearance would have fit in well at a distinguished feast.
"Diluc, finally! Where have you been?" Keqing spoke up first.
He gave a wry half smile in return.
"Had a lot of things to take care of. I've been gone for a while now, after all, thanks to a certain someone."
"Ah, yes…" Keqing replied, slightly blushing, as she knew very well the reason he had been gone longer than anticipated.
"Now that the Master is here, we can officially begin this celebration," Kaeya said, smirking.
"Not yet. There are still more guests to arrive. Speaking of which, why did you show up so early? Didn't anyone ever teach you manners?" Diluc said pointedly.
"Ha ha, you see, I was feeling a little thirsty, so I moseyed on over."
"What a shame, since you won't be getting anything to drink until everyone is here."
Kaeya looked ready to cry. Ganyu chuckled at the exchange, and Keqing was still a little flustered.
Right on queue, the front door opened, and several more guests appeared, being led by a maid.
"Diluc, we're here. Oh… hello," Jean said, trailing off as she saw unfamiliar faces among the guests.
The remaining guests had arrived: Jean, and Lisa Minci, the librarian of the Knights of Favonius.
"My, who are these fine ladies?" Lisa spoke up.
The two guests from Liyue introduced themselves to the new arrivals, and soon, lively chatter filled the great room of the mansion. Eventually the host of the evening spoke up.
"Alright everyone, I'd like to direct you to the dining table. Dinner will soon be served."
"Yes, My Lord," Kaeya said, taking a bow.
Diluc's eyebrow twitched, but he chose not to respond to the clown's instigation.
The group took their seats at a large dining table beneath a beautiful chandelier. In the background, a hearty fire roared in the fireplace. The scene was perfectly set for a pleasant evening.
"So you're a member of the Liyue Qixing? I thought you looked a little familiar. That's quite impressive for someone of your age," Jean addressed Keqing as the group waited for their dinner.
"Oh no, it isn't anything extravagant. It mostly involves working me to the bone every single day," Keqing waved with a disarming laugh.
"But you work hard for the sake of your country. I can relate to that very well," Jean said with a sheepish grin.
"You two might be a lot alike, huh?" Lisa spoke.
"Y-Yes, we might be," Jean said, as her eyebrows raised.
"Come on now, enough of the small talk. Where are the beverages?" Kaeya interrupted the awkward moment impatiently.
"You're in luck, you bastard. Here comes dinner," Diluc shot back.
As the maids brought out the meal on a fancy rolling tray, Kaeya eyed the wine bottles with glee.
The conversation died down a bit as the guests and host alike began to enjoy their meal. It was a delicious spread, with several different courses for almost any taste. There was even a beautifully-prepared salad for Ganyu. The Master had spared no expense for his guests tonight.
After this went on for a while, Jean finally restarted the conversation.
"So, what brings someone like you to Mondstadt, Keqing?"
"Ah, I came with him," she said, nodding at Diluc gracefully. "Someone insisted that I take some vacation time, and he was the perfect travel companion."
"So you two know each other well?" Jean followed up, like a hound sniffing out a lead.
"Y-Yes, you could say that," Keqing said, slightly blushing.
"Oh, my. I see," Lisa said suggestively.
Diluc nearly spit out his drink (water). It seemed that the world-famous wine was performing admirably as a social lubricant on this fine evening.
"Never thought I'd see the day…" Kaeya said, slightly tipsy already.
"What day?" Jean asked.
"It's nothing. That son of a bitch is drunk again," Diluc said, glaring daggers at Kaeya.
"If I'm a son of a bitch, what does that make you?" Kaeya said with a hearty chuckle.
"Listen here…" Diluc growled.
"Ha ha, sorry, sorry. I'll try to restrain myself a bit more," Kaeya said. "After all, we have such beautiful guests tonight. Isn't that right, Ganyu?" He crooned, leaning towards her.
"E-Ehhh?! I don't know…" Ganyu squirmed.
"Ah, the sweet scent of love is in the air! It really is spring!" Kaeya warbled, working himself into a lather.
Keqing smiled, enjoying the silliness of the group's conversation. Diluc, on the other hand, was looking rather irritated. His patience was at its limit; the court jester had overstayed his welcome already. But when he saw her, he couldn't help but smile back. Her grin was so contagious.
Lisa put an end to Kaeya's shenanigans, grabbing his ear and pulling him away from Ganyu.
"I apologize. He gets like this when he's drunk," she said to Ganyu.
"No, he's only being kind in his own way," she said softly.
"Ganyu… there's a limit to how sweet someone should be," Diluc muttered under his breath.
And like that, the night pleasantly drifted on.
Some time around 9 p.m., the party began to die down. Like the coals in the fireplace, the last remaining embers of the evening were simmering, waiting for someone to stoke them back into a fire.
Outside the mansion, two men stood on the patio, staring out at the calm nighttime landscape.
"So, when are you going to tell her?" a blue-haired, slightly-drunk man queried.
"I don't know. I just hope she didn't figure it out already, thanks to a certain someone," the red-haired man replied in an annoyed tone.
"Ha ha. I was just trying to create an opening."
"Your opening was far too clumsy," Diluc said with a sigh. "I'd rather explain things to her in private. I don't know how she might react."
He turned and looked through the window, where the women were gathered on the sofas, merrily chatting away with wine glasses in their hands (except for Ganyu). He watched as Keqing smiled, talking to the other ladies as if they were old friends. It made his heart warm.
However, his feelings were mixed. Jean was also there. Their relationship was unsure at best, forever trapped in the seemingly endless divide between friends and something more. He wasn't fully certain how Jean felt, but his best-educated guess was that she felt something more for him. And that situation nagged at him, preventing him from fully enjoying his homecoming.
"Shit… I'm no good," Diluc muttered.
He battled a complicated feeling inside his chest. Without a doubt, he loved Keqing deeply. She had opened his eyes to what real affection could be like, and her tender love was slowly transforming him from the inside out. Yet, in a dark corner of his heart, somewhere he didn't even want to look himself, something else lurked. A reluctance, even sadness at the idea of pushing Jean away.
Through the window, mayhem was on the verge of breaking out, as Lisa drunkenly groped Ganyu's chest, while the poor half-qilin was red up to her ears. Diluc watched for a while, then turned away out of respect for the unfortunate woman.
He looked back at Kaeya, who was still shamelessly enjoying the glorious scene playing out indoors.
"So, what about you, Kaeya? Lisa seems to be quite single still. When are you going to man up and make her happy?"
Kaeya looked like he had bitten into a rotten apple.
"Come on, let's go back in," he replied, ignoring the question.
Without another word, Diluc followed the enigmatic man back into the warmth of the mansion. The ladies giggled as the men returned, with Ganyu speaking up.
"Ah, welcome back, Diluc. I think someone was starting to get a little lonely."
Keqing nearly dropped her glass on the expensive rug. At the same time, Jean jumped like someone had shocked her.
Damn it, this is what I get for not explaining things beforehand, Diluc thought, placing his hand on his forehead.
Two blushing young women sat before him, both glancing suspiciously at the other. Before things could get any more out of hand, Diluc spoke up.
"Alright, everyone. It's about time to call it a night."
The group began gathering their belongings and preparing to leave, saying their goodbyes. The awkwardness in the air still hung around like lingering cigar smoke. Ganyu and Keqing turned to head to their quarters upstairs as Diluc escorted the other three guests outside.
"Thanks for the booze!" Kaeya yelled as he stumbled out the front door.
He stopped as if he wanted to say more, but Lisa quickly wrapped her arm around his, leading him down the front steps of the mansion.
"Now now, be a gentleman for once and make sure I get home safely," she said to Kaeya, looking back to Diluc with a wink.
Diluc was left standing next to Jean, and the silence quickly got awkward.
"Thanks for coming, Jean," Diluc finally said. "Be safe on the way home."
"Mm. I will." she replied in a small voice.
"Good evening, then." he said, starting to head back inside.
"Wait. There's… something I need to ask you," she said, looking down nervously.
"What's that?" Diluc muttered, worriedly.
"Is Keqing… are you two…" she trailed off.
Diluc clenched his fists. The moment of truth had arrived already.
"Are you with her?"
"…Yeah. I am," Diluc replied softly.
"I… see…" Jean whispered.
Her soft, dispirited voice felt like needles poking his skin. In that moment, he knew that there were a multitude of things that needed to be said, but none of them ever made it out of his mouth.
"Yeah… I should get back inside now," Diluc said with a sad tone of finality.
The two had never crossed the line. They had never even reached a single one of the many checkpoints that Diluc and Keqing had long left behind in the dust. He knew he had no obligation to explain things to this woman, and yet, why was his heart beating so fast? Why did he feel like he was in pain? He resolved himself to leave those questions unanswered as he turned towards the door, where his lover awaited him.
But he didn't make it that far. Someone grabbed the hem of his sleeve, causing him to turn around. Before him was Jean, staring at the ground.
She closed the gap in between the two of them, placing her hands on his chest as she buried her face in it.
"I… I'm sorry," she whispered into his chest. "I'm just glad you're okay. I was so worried about you when I heard you were going to fight the Fatui."
"I told you, didn't I? I'm not ready to die just yet," he replied with a warm voice. "I… just wish I could have found Diona."
"Yeah… that poor girl…" she whispered.
His arms drooped uselessly at his sides, awaiting their orders of whether to wrap them around Jean or not. In the end, he never did decide before she pulled back.
"Well then, good night Diluc. Be safe."
"You too," he muttered under his breath as he nodded.
And with that, she was gone, slipping into the cover of the night.
Behind the nearby window, a purple-haired figure turned away, making her way back up the stairs with her head hanging.
The next day, Diluc was up early. There were many things he had left unattended, and many connections he needed to refresh. These were things that Keqing and Ganyu had no need to partake in, so he had left at the crack of dawn, leaving a note that he would be back that afternoon.
He spent several hours in Mond, first meeting the Knights to report his successful elimination of the Fatui group that had attacked Springvale. Jean was nowhere to be seen at the Knights' headquarters, unsurprisingly. Diluc hung his head as he admitted that he couldn't find Diona, and left, with a bittersweet feeling inside his chest.
His next stop was Angel's Share. He stepped inside to find things running smoothly without him. He spoke to the bartender behind the counter, who brought him up to date on events since he left. Then, he left his instructions for the next few days, and stepped outside.
After meeting with several other acquaintances in the city, he wrapped up his work and began strolling back towards the city gate.
The city of Mond was the same as always. Not even a month since the brutal attack, it seemed that life here was already returning to normal. This was a resilient country, with a spirit as strong and free as the wind. No actions had been taken by Mondstadt against Snezhnaya yet, which had allowed for this current period of strained peace. Diluc felt a pain in his chest as he realized that he wasn't even there to watch his beloved home country grieve. It was yet another sin to pile on top of all the others. And he would never forget to carry those sins with him as penance, not until the very end.
With thoughts like these running through his mind, he took the road back to Dawn Winery.
Diluc finally set foot on the steps of Dawn Winery just after 2 p.m. He found Keqing and Ganyu sitting outside on a bench, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sunshine. He grinned, then joined them on the bench, sitting beside Keqing.
"Hmph. You sure know how to play with a woman's heart, don't you?" Keqing pouted. "Leaving her behind the very next day after taking her to a strange country… are you a sadist or something?"
Diluc laughed, "And what if I am? Would that be a problem?"
Keqing narrowed her eyes before responding.
"I don't think Ganyu needs to hear that."
The aforementioned half-qilin looked away from them, with only her reddening ears showing.
"Well, that aside, I'm back now. Did you enjoy your relaxation time?"
"Other than wondering if you were ever coming back, yes, this place is quite calming and serene. I can see why you love it so much."
"Did I ever say I loved this place?"
"Not with your words," Keqing teased him.
"Haaah," he sighed. "You really are something else."
He put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a simple embrace. The two stayed like this for a while, as Keqing let out a sigh of contentment. Then, suddenly, she jerked, remembering Ganyu was still sitting beside them. Keqing quickly stood up.
"A-Anyway, what time are we going to the city?"
"We can leave any time before dinner. I want to treat you both to a meal on the street at Good Hunter, then we can do a little shopping while taking in the sights. Mond is quite beautiful in the evening time."
Diluc spoke like a seasoned travel planner as he informed them of his intentions for the evening.
"That sounds quite nice," Ganyu said in her familiar, soft voice.
"Great, then go get prepared and we'll leave in a few hours." Diluc said.
The three whiled away the rest of the afternoon getting ready, until finally, around 5 p.m., they set off for the city. They followed the well-traveled road between Dawn Winery and Mondstadt City, taking in the sights of Mond in early spring. They were quiet as they passed by the empty village of Springvale, but the girls cheered up as they saw the decorated gates of the city towering ahead of them.
The trio wandered around the streets of Mondstadt for a while, as Diluc showed them the most important sights. He conveniently left out his bar, Angel's Share, as he didn't want to open that can of worms just yet. Soon, he led them to a table sitting in the open air on the main street of the city.
They shared a basic, but delicious meal at Good Hunter, letting the food refill their energy.
"There's a clothing shop I'd like to show you two," Diluc said as their meal came to a close.
"It better not be lingerie," Keqing said with a serious look.
Ganyu spit her water out on the table in a fine spray.
"You really think of me as some brutish pervert, don't you? I'm hurt. But you aren't that far off," Diluc muttered the last part so quietly no one could hear it.
The trio browsed the clothing shop, as Keqing and Ganyu tried on various local designs. Diluc watched in awe as his partner flaunted the class and finesse to effortlessly pull off each look. Deciding on a particular blue dress, Keqing brought it to the register and paid.
Deciding not to push his luck any farther, Diluc began herding the women back towards the Winery after a few hours. It was probably already too late, though. The city of Mond was a close-knit community, and his fabulous evening spent with two beautiful women on either side would certainly create a stir. He hated drawing unnecessary attention to himself, so this was a bit of a problem. But in the end, it was more than worth it to spend time with the one he loved.
Soon, shades of purple and orange replaced the blue sky from earlier. On the way back, the trio took a small detour to visit the famous Statue of the Seven at Windrise.
For a while, they just took in the view, as the setting sun cast its orange rays across the sweeping valley before them.
"What a peaceful place," Ganyu said as the wind rustled the leaves of the giant tree before them.
Diluc nodded in agreement, soaking in the atmosphere of the moment. Soon, though, he turned away.
"Come on, let's go home."
As the group walked away, a branch on the tree stirred, and a jovial, somewhat feminine voice spoke, beyond the earshot of anyone.
"It seems like my children are as unpredictable as always. What am I going to do with them…?"
That same evening, somewhere in Liyue Harbor, in a room that few knew existed, a group of men was meeting. An apprehensive silence fell over the room as a messenger arrived, bearing orders from their beloved leader.
The brown-haired leader of the small group took the letter, quickly ripping open the envelope to read it. But when he did, his eyes flew open and his face twisted into a grimace for a few seconds, which didn't go unnoticed by his men. The leader quickly set the letter aflame with a nearby candle, then lowered his head.
"Men, these are our orders… "
As the stars twinkled over Dawn Winery, the tired tourists prepared for bed. However, Diluc was making preparations of a different kind. He stood in the basement of his mansion, eying a wall of weapons, trying to decide which one would accompany him tonight. For on this night, his quest for justice would continue.
Ending Theme: FELT - you
Next:
Episode 9: If This Feeling Could Last Forever
