Embers || A Genshin Fanfic

• Chapter 1 || Pages

[Mincho's POV]

I flipped the page to yet another fiction book. I have always found comfort in the pages of something so fragile yet well preserved. It's probably why me being a librarian is such an amazing job for me. I work two jobs, actually. One as a nightshift at Wanwen bookhouse and the other a daytime shift at my very own library. It's difficult to get customers, so I don't rely on my own shop for money. My life is pretty average, actually. Well it was. Now it's filled with constant expedition requests and other things that disturb my organizational duties. I dislike those tasks.

Books are my whole life. They hold instructions, stories, pictures and other things that make your dreams go wild. I'd love to live in a world where that's all I needed or had to worry about. Sadly, mora is a widely needed material, so it's hard to find peace when financially struggling. Not only that, but when you have a vision, it's too difficult to relax. That's why I try to keep mine hidden as often as possible. But sometimes it's difficult and I need a helping hand from the archons.

Despite my shortcomings, I do keep seeing this one customer. They look very strange, that's for sure. But I don't think they're from here. Either way, they're overdue on 10 different books and I keep meaning to ask them to return them. I don't know why I have such a big worry about asking but I almost feel too shy to ask. It shouldn't be so difficult since I know exactly what I have to say. They just have an icy aura to them and it makes my spine tickle.

I suppose my job isn't too eventful apart from that, so I like to document my findings. For example, the person had very warm, fluffy clothes and the softest looking blue hair. It looks much nicer than mine, although I suppose that I'm not too bad. If I did look a mess, somebody would have told me by now. Yet I can't help but feel intimidated by the very clean, tall person who stole from me. They won't show their face while they're here and I can never seem to talk to them long enough to catch their name. I wonder if they even know mine.

It's fine though, I had books to organise so I quickly got to work placing all the new returns back in their rightful place. My mentor always taught me to be very particular and only do the best for the books as they relay important information to those who use it well. I don't see how works of fiction hold important information, but I still enjoy the elements of fantasy it adds. A world without magic seems so pure and simple. I quite love all the stories about it and it's technological advances. It seems quite a popular topic, I'll have to find more about that.

I then sat down in a little corner, piled up a bunch of books and hid myself away from the rest of the shop. I hoped nobody would need my assistance, but it's not likely anyone would come here. I then took off a tarp off of the bookshelf and pulled it over myself. I commonly slept in the library as my home was so far away and I didn't get nights off. I drifted off to sleep and felt the refreshment of an anemo breeze fall across my peaceful mind.