Those Willing to Drown | Beiguang x GN! Reader

ARC IV-ACT III

She couldn't do this, right? It was against the law to take someone to another nation without their consent, and even without their knowledge. To some degree, this had to be wrong both morally and legally.

Though the sea was beautiful, it was all that surrounded you (and it made you feel sick in more ways than one).

Beidou was nowhere to be found ever since you had woken up no matter how long and hard you searched for her. You thought maybe she had stayed behind in Liyue, but after asking around it was true that she was, indeed, on the ship, just nowhere to be found.

On your lonesome train of thoughts, a pair of footsteps caught your attention, from the corner of your eye catching the sight of red and black fabrics. You sighed.

"If I'm not allowed to leave the ship, you would have thought I'd be allowed to at least know where I'm being taken." You told the boy.

He hummed and rested his arms on the wooden railing, overlooking the waters with you. "Didnt anyone tell you? You must have been asleep when the announcement was made."

"You think?" You groaned sarcastically, causing him to chuckle and shake his head.

"We're on path to Mondstadt."

"Mondstadt?" You finally turned to him, tilting your head. "Isn't it faster to go by carriage rather than boat though?"

"Well yeah, but carriages are pretty useless when you have crates full of trades to deliver."

That made sense, you figured. "And I can leave the ship when we arrive to Mondstadt, right?"

"Oh yeah, of course." He laughed as if it were obvious - as if being forced to stay in a ship you didn't want to be in and being taken to a new nation without your consent or knowledge wasn't enough to make you paranoid. "We're staying in Mondstadt for a few days or even weeks to my knowledge. Something about the shipments not having a properly planned pay, so Beidou arranged for us to stay while she got that sorted out."

Out of all the horrible news and frustrating occurrences, this had to be the silver lining of it all. The city of freedom was known for its easy going businesses and guards - and though Liyue was the nation of dreams and money, perhaps finding a job in Mondstadt could help you all together escape the fatui, pay back Ningguang and find a space away from Beidou.

But Beidou had already displayed her power over your choices before in your last job. Would she-? "Can Beidou have the status to influence businesses that are not linked with her?"

Kazuha jumped, not expecting such a sudden question. "Sorry?"

"Can she influence the managing and workplaces of businesses she is not directly linked to."

"Like shops and what they do with their stocks or employment?" He tilted his head, and when you nodded yours, he sighed. "Beidou can't do that. That's only for the millelith. She wasn't the cause of you losing your job, if that's what you're wondering."

You hesitated, not once being ashamed of being caught in your morbid curiosity. "It's just too coincidental."

"What is? That she gave you a job when you lost yours? She read it in the letter, nothing less, nothing more."

"Yeah, but-"

He rolled his eyes, his brows furrowing and you almost felt surprised seeing him annoyed. "Just because she has feelings for you doesn't mean she used her status against you, why would you even make that assumption about Beidou?" Your throat felt dry with the way he looked at you. "She's been nothing but kind and giving - both her and Ningguang - did you ever think about how none of us got the privileges you did?"

"Yeah but that's my point!" You groaned. "It's weird for someone to just give away that much money and opportunity to a stranger! A wanted stranger!"

"Not everyone is against you!"

Not once in your time of befriending Kazuha did you ever think you'd hear him raise his voice, let alone at you.

"You think everyone is out to get you and you act like every breath is your last but you're just paranoid! You're not even near Snezhnaya anymore!"

But what did he know? He knew nothing - even you knew nothing compared to others - after all the time you spent living and trying to escape the dangers of Snezhnaya, how could he turn and act as if your life was as free as a bird's? Wasn't he, out of everyone you would have met, supposed to understand?

It felt wrong to reply, so you didn't. Why would you reply to someone questioning your worry about your safety? He could have easily let you off the ship back in Liyue if he truly cared - but he didn't.

Silently, he breathed in, out, turned and left. The sea breeze felt just a little colder with him gone.

——————————————

Thankfully, the trip to Mondstadt was infamous for being short, very short. And you were glad when the crew sung out about finally getting past the freezing waters of dragonspine seas and drifting towards the waters of Galesong Hill - the beautiful bright green mountains of healthy spring grass coming into view.

"Any plans for the city yet?" A masculine voice called out behind you. Muyang, as you knew him, was the ship's cook - a friendly man with an older physique. White long hair tied into a neat braid that ran down till reaching his waist. You envied his hair.

"Plans?" You parroted, tilting your head.

He nodded. "I made a schedule to visit angel's share at least once a day. I hear their wine is the best out of all nations. Heard dawn winery is a good tourist spot too, but I'll have to see if they're accepting visitors."

"Dawn winery, huh?" You had heard of the place from Melina's grandpa, Joe, but only tales of his childhood when he last visited the nation. Apparently there was a family there with hair that rivalled the red of fire and a woman who looked so gentle in cool coloured gowns that she refused to wear any warm coloured fabrics.

Would it be worth giving that a visit? Would they be interested in hiring?

"Anywhere with a job. I want to escape."

"Escape." He tilted his head, almost disappointed to hear that. "But you're safe. This ship is the safest home you could find!"

He ended it with a laugh, sounding lighthearted and playful, but the topic was everything else. How brainwashed they were to think beidou was but a saint.