Ruby Red Blood (Genshin X F!Reader)

Third Round Knockout

It wasn't cap.

Zhongli met (Y/N), Aether and Paimon at third round knockout, in the center of Liyue, and was ready to order.

And he did have Mora.

"Ah, you're here. There's no need to order, I've already done so." Zhongli said as the trio sat down at the table with him. ""Third Round Knock-out" is not for lightweights, like those taverns in Mondstadt. Here, the owner does not take such unorthodox orders as fruit juice." he seemed to sight inside at the mere thought.

"So, does this mean I can order wine this time?" Aether tried, but got a chop in his head.

"No alcohol. Goodness, is the only responsible one Diona? She's a child but still understands better than most how dangerous alcoholism is!" the girl seemed ticked off, but soon calmed down. "What I mean is no."

"I did order some wine-fermented sweet rice balls for you, if that's okay." Zhongli got a nod from the red girl.

"I should've expected this..." Aether sweat dropped with a smile, rubbing the top of his head.

Third Round Knockout was placed not far from the Adventurer's Guild and not far from the harbor nor far from Feiyun slope, the long business street. It was placed in a great big house looking kind of like a temple, with the classic red color decorating it's poles, but chocking a white color on the walls. It's chairs were outside while the kitchen was inside, and outside sat all kinds of people. There was a story teller talking not far from their table and the tables were all occupied in the late day. It sure was an outstanding place from the rest of Liyue.

"If it's to your liking, dear customers," the story teller said. "I shall continue the tale of lady Ningguang's Jade Chamber." the story teller smiled as Paimon seemed exited for the story. "As you all know, high above the land of Liyue lies a pavilion in the clouds, a palace in the mist..." the man seemed to dream himself away to a new world.

"Why does it mean to have all-seeing eyes? This, my friends: Lady Ningguang's masterwork that bridges earth and sky. Imagine. The weather is clear, and you gaze down from the deck on the world below... Behold! The glorious sights of Liyue harbor, stretching out far and wide!

They say that when Lady Ningguang ponders important affairs, she retreats to her Jade Chamber with none but her three closest confidantes in tow. Why bring she these trusted three? To sift through sources, dig through documents, looking for information. Piece by piece, facts and figures, paint a picture on the walls of the Chamber...

But well before the wall is filled Lady Ningguang's mind is made up. Having made her call she has every last document shredded, and fwoosh! She scatters the shavings out her window. Ah, look at them! How they billow in the wind like a sudden swirling blizzard! As the fragments fall traces of text flicker before the eyes of the merchants in Liyue, like ink stains in white snow.

The saying goes: the rarest treasures in the land are the words brought by paper snow. For the words of the Tianquan have the power to move mountains and all throughout the land know it.

These are but scraps of paper, and yet they guide Lady Ningguang's hand - such is their value. Merely grasping one or two of them will surely gift you a fragment of her wisdom - enough to stay a step or two ahead of your peers." he finished.

"Feels like we heard that name often." Paimon meant Ningguang. "Liyue locals talk about her, the Fatui hate her, she's must likely the one who hid the Exsuvia, and we saw her at the Rite of Descention... Paimon wonders what sort of person she is." the child pondered.

"At least I have found you, you who returned from Jueyun Karst." a sweet voice was heard from.. nowhere?

"Who's there?!" the child said worried.

"Paimon, we gotta go...!" Aether panicked, but (Y/N) just tapped his shoulder and pointed at the roof.

"Wait! I am not with the Millelith, nor am I here to claim your bounty." the voice said.

Up on the roof stood a pretty girl with light blue hair and black horns with red details.

"However, I am an emissary of the Liyue Qixing. My name is Ganyu, secretary at the Yuehai Pavilion, and I have come specifically to meet you." the girl said with her calm voice.

"Secretary?" Aether asked.

"Well, in concrete terms, I am the corporate secretary for the Qixing. At the moment, I am serving as Lady Ningguang's special emissary."

"Ningguang sent you? We were literally just talking about her..." Paimon's mouth hung.

"My apologizes, you who have returned from Jueyun Karst... I am duty-bound, and cannot extend my courtesy to you in full. But I have with me a letter from Lady Ningguang. She extends a formal invitation to you in her capacity as Tianquan. She invites you to her palace in the sky."

"An official invitation...?"

"Lady Ningguang said this: I wish to meet him. At the Jade Chamber, together, we shall snip every one of these entwining dark threads. Of course, you are also allowed to come, Ruby." and thus, she left.

"So, we're invited to the Jade Chamber... WAIT SHE ALSO KNOWS YOU?!" Paimon then realized after some time what name Ganyu had used.

"Honestly, nothing shocks me anymore..." Aether sweat dropped.

"Next story, good folks, will be of the one no one dares to speak of. The fate of the eight city. No, I am not speaking of Khaenri'ah, but of Amicitia." the story teller said, continuing his work - seemed as if no one but the four of them noticed Ganyu.

But (Y/N)'s eye got a curious gleam as she heard what story the story teller would tell, and Zhongli noticed.

"Let us stay a little while first and eat up properly, maybe this story will be interesting too." and that was the plan.

How is it? Have you had a good day/night?

But now, I will be telling another story... (from iron tongue Tian, the the story teller)

Hope you enjoyed~!

1,053 words, 3.1 pages ( ¯(∞)¯ )