What's that thing they say about a rose by any other name?

Chapter 8: The Story About the Gorgons Part 1

Yumie's P.O.V:

"I have to say, Miss Yumie, you are handling Liyue better than most people." I looked at Childe, who had a big smile on his face, and sighed. I was fixing the belt around my pants when I saw some agents taking some of the bags to the inn where we were.

"I suppose. I know Lord Pantalone and I will be leaving for some ruins in the West this afternoon." I said as I grabbed a traveling bag and put it over my shoulder. One agent gave me a map, and I gave my thanks. "How far is it from the inn, Miss Yumie?"

I hear Childe ask as I see him looking over my shoulder out of the corner of my eyes. "At least three days if we ride by horseback. But if we walked, it would take a week to get there. We should see if we can rent out some horses."

"I noticed that you have stayed close to Pantalone Miss Yumie these past few days. Is there a reason for that?" Childe asks with a sly smile before I look away to hide the heat coming to my face and put the map away quickly in my bag. I should go see if we have supplies for the trip. I'll see you later, Childe!" I said before running off, and I pulled my shirt down a bit.

Okay, I don't know why Childe's question got to me. Pantalone shouldn't even like me like that. I'm not strong; I'm no leader. And the fact That Pantalone keeps calling me his 'gem'... I'm not a gem. I'm just a florist who hates being in any sort of spotlight.

I sighed before I stepped on some loose rock and Fell into a cave. "SHIT!" I yelled out, falling on top of some boxes. I groan in pain before getting up slowly, and I look around to see if I can find an exit. Instead, I see that I'm in some ruins, and right in the middle of the ruins is an old painting of 3 women, each of them having snakes in their hair. Just like me...

The woman on the right had red snakes with bright green eyes. She held a claymore and a wicked smile as she stood over a pile of corpses covered in blood, almost reminding me of a warrior who had won the battlefield.

The woman on the left had green snakes and golden eyes, holding a bow and arrow while smiling sadly as she looked over a man with many arrows in his body. She seems to be crying with a sad smile on her face. She must have been so sad to kill him.

The last woman was in the center. She had vipers on her head and held a polearm while wearing a blindfold. She pointed the polearm toward a man who was on his knees. It looked like he was begging for forgiveness. The woman looked cold and seemed not to care that he was begging.

"Who are you? You look like me, but I don't understand. I thought... I was alone." I whisper before I move closer to the artwork and stop to hear some hissing near it. I see a den of snakes near the artwork, and they're hissing at me, letting me know that I should back off.

"MISS YUMIE! ARE YOU IN HERE?!" I hear Childe and turn to his voice before looking back at the snakes. "DON'T COME IN HERE! THERE'S A DEN OF VIPERS IN HERE! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO COME IN!" I yell back before slowly backing up to where I fell in, and the snakes follow me.

"HOLD ON! I'LL FIND SOME ROPE!" I hear Childe yell, and he seems to be running off. I keep backing up, and the snakes keep following me.

I felt my hair change, and my snakes hissed at the snakes approaching me. "Don't hurt it. They're scared," I told my snakes, and I saw the other snakes stop moving towards me as they saw my snakes. "Wait... are you guarding this place?" I whispered to the snakes and kneeled in front of them.

One of the snakes stays still for me, and I gently touch its skin. It feels very smooth yet rough. It flicks its tongue, and I smile softly at it as I move my hand away. "It's okay. I'm not here to hurt any of you. I just wanted to look at the painting." I speak softly at it as if it can understand me.