Electro Cicin Mage: "Girls... don't you feel a sensation of coolness?"
Cryo Cicin Mage: "Are you serious?"
"You're wearing a bikini, at about 100 meters altitude, with no mountains to block the wind...'"
She stopped abruptly.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "...But anyway."
She turned to Electro.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "WHY ARE YOU WEARING A BIKINI?!"
Mirror Maiden: "Seriously?"
Electro Cicin Mage: "This was supposed to be a day of rest!"
Mirror Maiden: "In an area known to house such powerful beings."
Electro Cicin Mage: "...When you put it like that."
CCCCRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeee
A sudden blast of icy air swept through the ruins.
The two Fatui who weren't wielding Cryo immediately felt the temperature plummet.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "...Oh no."
Electro Cicin Mage: "...I hate that sound."
They turned around slowly.
Behind them stood a female humanoid form, entirely white, almost translucent.
A talisman masked her face, and pure Cryo energy emanated from her body, freezing the air around her.
The Spirit Talisman of Shenhe.
Silent.
Motionless.
Terrifying.
CCCCRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeee
Cryo Cicin Mage: "..."
Electro Cicin Mage: "..."
Mirror Maiden: "..."
None dared to move.
The Spirit slowly raised his hand and placed a letter on a stone between them.
Then he took a step back.
CCCCRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeee
And disappeared.
Silence returned, heavy and oppressive.
After a few seconds, the Mirror Maiden cautiously approached and picked up the letter.
She read it aloud.
Mirror Maiden: "IF YOU DISTURB ME AND MY AETHER, I WILL GET RID OF YOU."
Silence.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "..."
Electro Cicin Mage: "..."
Mirror Maiden: "Well then… we'll stay."
"But don't interfere."
A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead.
The Cryo Cicin Mage discreetly wiped hers.
As for the Electro Cicin Mage… in a bikini, without any protection whatsoever, perspiration was clearly visible all over her body.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "You'll have to wash again."
Electro Cicin Mage: "If I survive."
Meanwhile, by the lake:
Aether shivered slightly.
Aether: "Shenhe… don't you feel a chill?"
Shenhe, still clinging to him, calmly watched the surface of the water.
Shenhe: "It must be the wind."
Aether nodded, completely oblivious to what had just transpired above them.
He tightened his grip on the rod slightly.
The line twitched again.
Aether: "I think there's another one."
Shenhe smiled faintly.
Shenhe: "Then let's stay like this."
The lake shuddered.
A few hours later:
The sun had slowly drifted across the sky.
By mid-afternoon, the light had become warmer, golden, bathing Tianqiu Lake in an almost ethereal glow.
The ruins cast long shadows on the grass, and the water's surface now reflected orange hues.
Beside Aether and Shenhe, a small group of fish had gathered.
One… two… three…
Six in total.
A variety of catches, some still quivering, others already motionless, all captured without Shenhe truly loosening his grip.
Aether observed the result with a slight, satisfied smile.
Aether: "Shenhe, we need to go back."
"Earlier, I asked Paimon to find a restaurant to eat at."
He could already imagine Paimon's reaction if she discovered they had caught so many fish without her.
Shenhe didn't reply immediately.
She was still sitting behind him, her arms around his torso, her chin almost resting on his shoulder.
She hadn't moved for a long time, as if time had ceased to matter.
Shenhe: "If you want to go, know that I don't intend to let you go."
Aether blinked.
Aether: "..."
He sighed softly, but a discreet smile appeared despite himself.
Aether: "As you wish."
Without further warning, he leaned slightly forward… then straightened up in a fluid motion.
Shenhe, still clinging to him, was lifted with him.
For a few seconds, his balance seemed precarious.
Then Aether found his footing.
He was standing.
And Shenhe was still clinging to him, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms tightly crossed around his torso.
From a distance, it looked as if he were carrying her on his back.
Aether felt a slight warmth rise in his cheeks.
Aether: "You know… people are going to stare."
Shenhe: "Let them stare."
His tone was perfectly calm.
Aether took a deep breath, then raised his hand toward the pile of fish.
A light breeze formed around them.
A gust of Anemo energy swirled gently, lifting the fish one by one into the air without harming them. They floated for a moment, enveloped in a delicate wind, before being drawn toward a small object the Traveler held in his hand.
A teapot.
Or at least… what looked like a teapot.
The fish disappeared inside with a soft shimmer.
Aether: "Tuby will be pleased."
A satisfied smile crossed his face. He already knew his companion from the Serenitea Pot would appreciate the supply.
Shenhe, behind him, tightened her embrace slightly.
Shenhe: "As long as you don't drag me in there too."
Aether chuckled softly.
Aether: "I promise."
He began to walk, leaving the lake's edge, Shenhe still clinging to him.
Each step was steady despite the added weight.
For someone who regularly faced colossal monsters, carrying Shenhe wasn't a physical problem.
Aether: "..."
It was mostly... emotionally unsettling.
He could feel her breath on his neck.
The warmth of her body against his.
The absolute trust in the way she let herself be carried without hesitation.
Aether: "You could walk, you know."
Shenhe: "I know."
Aether: "...And you don't want to."
Shenhe: "No." »
A silence.
Then, more softly:
Shenhe: "That's nice."
He didn't reply.
But his ears turned red.
Atop the ruins:
The Electro Cicin Mage had finally put on part of her Fatui outfit, though slightly askew, still a little embarrassed by the sudden appearance of the Spirit Talisman.
The Mirror Maiden and the Cryo Cicin Mage were sitting by the cauldron, enjoying the now-ready stew.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "It's good."
"They're gone."
Electro Cicin Mage: "Finally."
Mirror Maiden: "I'd rather avoid being threatened by a lovestruck follower again."
The Cryo blew on her spoon before continuing:
Cryo Cicin Mage: "Did you see how she wrote 'MY AETHER'?"
Electro Cicin Mage: "Yes."
Mirror Maiden: "It wasn't an impulsive threat."
Electro Cicin Mage: "It was possessive."
A short silence.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "Doesn't it feel... odd?"
Electro Cicin Mage: "What?"
Cryo Cicin Mage: "To see the guy who crushed Harbingers being treated like this?"
Mirror Maiden: "It makes him more dangerous."
The other two looked at her.
Mirror Maiden: "A man who fights for the world is formidable."
She took a bite.
Mirror Maiden: "But a man for whom someone is willing to freeze entire ruins... that's even worse."
Electro Cicin Mage: "...Do you think she would have actually attacked?"
Cryo shuddered slightly.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "I felt the cold right down to my bones."
Electro Cicin Mage: "Me too."
Mirror Maiden: "She wouldn't have hesitated."
A silence fell.
Then Cryo continued with a smile:
Cryo Cicin Mage: "Okay."
"So, who wins the bet?"
The three froze.
Electro Cicin Mage: "Neither of them tried to get any closer than the other."
Mirror Maiden: "She was already clinging to him from the start."
Cryo Cicin Mage: "And him... he carried her."
A silence.
Electro Cicin Mage: "...It's even worse than we imagined."
Mirror Maiden: "They're already too close for us to bet on the 'moment'."
Cryo Cicin Mage: "So we're canceling?"
Electro Cicin Mage: "We're canceling."
Mirror Maiden: "And we'll forget we were even here."
Cryo nodded.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "Especially if she can send us her spirit a hundred meters without moving."
Electro Cicin Mage: "Next time, we'll choose a beach far from the followers."
Mirror Maiden: "And far from the Traveler."
They ate in silence for a few moments.
Then Cryo looked up at the horizon, where two figures could still be seen walking away.
Cryo Cicin Mage: "Are they really going to a restaurant like that?"
Electro Cicin Mage: "I hope so."
Mirror Maiden: "Why?"
Electro Cicin Mage: "Because I'd like to see the faces of the people of Liyue."
The three exchanged a glance.
Then they burst out laughing.
Meanwhile, on Aether and Shenhe's side:
Aether continued walking along the grassy paths leading to the city.
Shenhe was still clinging to him.
The sun was slowly setting, casting their long shadows before them.
Aether: "Are you planning to stay like this until Liyue?"
Shenhe: "Yes."
Aether: "Even at a restaurant?"
A brief silence.
Shenhe: "...I'll think about it."
Aether couldn't help but smile.
He didn't know exactly when their relationship had taken this turn.
But he knew one thing.
He didn't want her to let him go.
And deep down...she knew it too.
20 minutes later:
Tap tap tap tap
The mountains surrounding Liyue were bathed in the warm light of late afternoon.
FFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffff
The wind descended from the heights in steady gusts, making the long grass ripple and the leaves of the trees clinging to the rocky slopes dance.
Tap tap tap tap
The path wound between the stone formations, sometimes narrow, sometimes wide, occasionally offering a clear view of the harbor in the distance.
Aether: "....."
Aether walked with a sure step.
Shenhe: "..."
Shenhe was still clinging to him, her arms around his torso, her cheek almost against his shoulder.
Yet, something had changed.
Thump thrum...Thump thrum...Thump thrum
His heartbeat.
At first, she thought he was still embarrassed. But no.
It wasn't a quick, uneven flutter like when he blushed.
It was deeper. Heavier.
She raised her head slightly to observe his face.
He wasn't smiling.
His eyes were fixed straight ahead, but they weren't really focused on the path.
He was thinking.
He walked intently, staring straight ahead without looking back.
Shenhe: "Aether."
Aether: "..."
He kept walking.
Shenhe: "Aether."
Aether: "..."
No reaction.
His eyebrows furrowed slightly.
She gently freed her left hand from his grasp… then, without warning, pinched his cheek between her thumb and forefinger.
Aether: "Ouch!"
He jumped slightly.
Aether: "Shenhe, that hurts!"
Shenhe: "Exactly..."
"You're not answering me."
Aether looked at her, puzzled.
Shenhe met her gaze, serious.
Shenhe: "I've called you several times."
A short silence.
Aether looked away for a moment, then sighed.
Aether: "Sorry... I was lost in thought."
Shenhe completely released her embrace and slid gently to the ground behind him.
She stood facing him, her hands clasped in front of her.
Shenhe: "What were you thinking about?"
Aether remained still for a few seconds.
A light breeze stirred between them.
Aether: "About Liyue."
Shenhe tilted her head.
Aether: "When I walk through the city... people stare at me."
He offered a faint smile, though it wasn't really a smile.
Aether: "As if I were... something other than human."
Shenhe listened without interrupting.
Aether: "They whisper."
"Some bow."
"Others stare at me as if I were some kind of... divine figure."
His expression darkened.
Aether: "I know I've helped them."
"But sometimes... I feel like I'm not myself when I'm there."
He took a slow breath.
Aether: "It's not embarrassment."
"It's... pressure."
"The fear of not living up to their expectations."
A silence fell.
Shenhe watched him intently.
She understood this feeling:
To be seen as something other than human.
To be placed on a pedestal as if she were the strongest.
To be separated from the rest of the world because of her sealed feelings.
She took a step toward him.
Shenhe: "Then don't look at them."
Aether blinked.
Shenhe: "Just look ahead."
She raised her hand slightly and placed it against her chest.
Shenhe: "And just listen to what's here."
Her heart was still beating fast.
But less chaotically.
She made a decision.
Shenhe: "Come down."
Aether: "Huh?"
Before he could understand, she slipped her left hand behind his back and her right hand under his knees.
In a fluid motion—almost effortless—she lifted him.
Like a knight carrying a princess.
Aether: "..."
He froze.
Aether: "Huh?!"
Shenhe resumed walking without any apparent difficulty.
Aether, in her arms, blushed instantly.
Aether: "Shenhe!"
"What are you doing?!"
Shenhe: "From now on, it's my turn to carry you."
Her tone was perfectly serious.
Aether tried to protest, but quickly realized that struggling would be pointless.
She held him firmly, but gently.
Aether: "People are really going to be staring at us now..."
Shenhe: "Then they'll see that even heroes can be carried."
He stared at her, surprised.
She continued walking, steady, unperturbed.
Shenhe: "You're not a statue."
One step.
Shenhe: "You're not a symbol."
Another.
Shenhe: "You are Aether."
The wind blew again, gently lifting her white hair.
Shenhe: "And if the world is watching you... then let them watch while I carry you."
Aether felt something relax in her chest.
Aether: "Did Yun-jin teach you to talk like that?"
Shenhe: "Maybe."
A nervous little laugh escaped her.
Aether: "Hehe."
"You're amazing, you know that?"
Shenhe: "No."
Then, after a second:
Shenhe: "But I feel like I am when you're with me."
They continued their walk toward Liyue like that.
The hero carried by the one who refused to see him as a god.
A voice echoed clearly between the rock walls, breaking the mountain's stillness.
???: "I've finally found you!"
Shenhe and Aether turned their heads simultaneously.
Slightly below, on the path, stood a woman with sky-blue hair, dressed in attire similar to that of knights, and whose eyes were the same color as those of Cryo Vision.
Eula Lawrence
Her hair rippled gently in the breeze, her large claymore rested against her shoulder, and her gaze... was fixed directly on Aether.
A long silence fell.
Aether: "..."
Eula: "..."
Then her gaze descended.
Very slowly.
She noticed the position.
Aether, carried in Shenhe's arms, like a princess.
Eula's eyes widened slightly.
Eula: "...…"
Shenhe, perfectly calm, was still supporting Aether without the slightest difficulty.
She looked Eula up and down, not with hostility, but with icy neutrality.
Shenhe: "You arrived quickly."
Eula blinked, finally snapping out of her daze.
Eula: "…Aether."
Aether: "Eula…"
He looked away slightly, visibly embarrassed.
Aether: "It's not what you think."
Eula slowly crossed her arms.
Eula: "Very well."
A short silence.
Eula: "Then explain."
Shenhe tilted his head slightly.
Shenhe: "He was tired."
Eula: "…Tired."
Shenhe: "So I'm carrying him."
The logic was irrefutable.
Eula remained frozen for a few seconds, then a faint, almost imperceptible smile stretched across her lips.
Eula: "I see."
She took a few steps closer, her gaze shifting between Shenhe and Aether.
Eula: "You know, Aether..."
She paused deliberately.
Eula: "I crossed Mondstadt, Springvale, the Wolf Forest, and halfway here thinking you might be in danger."
"Luckily, little Qiqi told me you were here."
Aether: "...Sorry."
Eula sighed.
Eula: "And I find you... being carried."
Shenhe tightened his grip slightly, instinctively.
Shenhe: "He's not in danger."
Eula looked her straight in the eyes.
Eula: "I never said otherwise."
A tense but controlled silence fell.
Then Eula looked away slightly.
Eula: "As long as you're okay..."
She paused, then added in a softer tone:
Eula: "...that's all that matters."
Chapter 11: The love of a soul
The End