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ArabicGenshin Impact: A Guide to the Unofficial History of Teyvat — Chapter 37
Chapter 37: Expressing Apologies and Respect
The next day, as the eastern sky barely began to brighten and the bustling morning markets of Liyue Harbor had yet to fully awaken, Lovia set out on the long road to Wangshu Inn.
She purposely woke up before dawn. First, to avoid the heavy merchant traffic and reduce the chances of being recognized by anyone. Especially a certain Anemo Adeptus.
Second… she had barely slept a wink last night. The moment she closed her eyes, a pair of cold, piercing golden pupils materialized in the darkness, accompanied by a single, chilling word: Unpleasant. She figured she might as well start this journey of atonement early and get it over with.
Along the dirt path, she wrapped herself in her cloak much tighter than usual. The oversized hood swallowed half her face, leaving only the very tip of her chin exposed to the morning dew. She hurried her steps, desperately wishing she possessed a Waypoint to simply teleport directly to the base of the inn.
The closer she drew to the wetlands of Dihua Marsh, the faster her pulse hammered against her ribs. The damp air felt laced with a faint, biting chill. She snapped her head left and right at every rustling sound, utterly convinced a dark green silhouette was about to plunge out of the towering reeds and skewer her.
“Calm down, Lovia, calm down,” she muttered under her breath, forcing her stiff legs to keep moving. “You are just here to deliver an apology gift. To express goodwill. As the old saying goes, you do not strike a smiling face. And nobody strikes the person delivering dessert… right?”
Trembling through the marshlands, she finally caught sight of the massive, ancient structure looming over the wetlands. Wangshu Inn.
Craning her neck to stare up at the sprawling treehouse that pierced the low-hanging clouds, Lovia felt her knees turn to jelly.
Up there, hidden among the highest eaves, was the occasional resting place of the Conqueror of Demons.
Could he be up there right now? Was he looking down at her?
The morning breeze suddenly felt freezing.
Lovia took a deep, steadying breath, lowered her head, and scurried into the ground-floor lobby.
At this hour, the inn was mostly empty. A handful of weary traveling merchants hunched over simple breakfast bowls, preparing for the long trek ahead. Behind the front counter stood the boss, Verr Goldet, idly clicking the wooden beads of an abacus.
Lovia marched up to the wood surface and pitched her voice into a high, innocent register. “Boss, excuse me. I would like to order one… no, make it three servings of Almond Tofu.”
Verr Goldet paused her calculations. She blinked at the heavily bundled child standing before her, but the seasoned boss quickly smoothed her expression into a polite, professional smile. “Alright. Three servings of Almond Tofu. Will you be dining here, or is this for takeaway?”
“Takeaway!” Lovia answered instantly. She leaned in closer. “Um… could I trouble you to have someone deliver it to the very top floor?”
The polite smile on Verr Goldet’s face shifted into something far more amused. She looked Lovia up and down, her eyes gleaming with knowing humor. “Did you happen to hear the wild stories in Mr. Li Xin’s new book? Hoping to try your luck and catch a glimpse of the Adeptus in person?”
Lovia nearly choked on her own spit.
She clamped down on her rising panic and shook her head vigorously. “N-no! I just… I deeply admire the Conqueror of Demons. He works so incredibly hard protecting Liyue day after day, so I came to show my utmost appreciation. It is just a small token of respect!”
Wait. How did she know the Conqueror of Demons lived here?
Lovia realized the massive plot hole she had just dug for herself.
“Ah? Well… that is…” Her brain spun into overdrive. “The book mentioned that the Conqueror of Demons frequently appears around Dihua Marsh. And Wangshu Inn is the tallest building in the area, with an excellent view from the top floor. I just guessed the Adeptus might use it as a resting spot…”
Verr Goldet chuckled softly, mercifully choosing not to press the issue. She gave a small nod. “Running all the way out here at the crack of dawn, and ordering three portions of Almond Tofu at once… your sincerity is certainly special.”
“I will have the waiter take it up. However, you should know the Adeptus is elusive. He might not be there, and even if he is, he might not accept it. Prepare yourself for disappointment.”
“That is fine, totally fine. As long as it gets delivered.” Lovia waved her hands frantically, slapping her Mora onto the counter.
She stood by the stairwell, watching the inn’s waiter carry the three carefully packaged porcelain bowls up the winding wooden steps toward the top floor. Her heart lodged firmly in her throat.
Half of her prayed Xiao was up there and would just take the food quietly. The other half was terrified he would actually materialize in front of her.
Deep down, buried beneath the sheer terror of a writer facing her subject, a tiny spark of otaku anticipation flickered. This was the living, breathing Xiao.
Back in her old world, she had started playing the game during the Lantern Rite, specifically on his banner. His design had instantly captivated her. He was her very first five-star goal.
Now, standing mere floors away from the actual Adeptus, she could not deny a foolish urge to peek.
Better to stay alive and meet him another day. Lovia rooted herself to the floorboards, straining her ears for any sound from above. Minutes ticked by. No flashes of Anemo energy lit up the ceiling. No terrifying aura descended. The waiter did not come screaming down the stairs in a panic.
Everything remained perfectly ordinary.
Eventually, the waiter strolled back down the steps, shaking his head at Verr Goldet and Lovia. “Boss, there is no one up there. I just left the food box on the small table outside.”
Lovia let out a breath she did not know she was holding. She felt a bizarre mix of overwhelming relief and a tiny sting of disappointment.
But this was the best outcome. The tribute was delivered, the sentiment was left behind, and the fatal risk of a face-to-face confrontation was entirely avoided.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Feeling as though she had just dodged an execution, she bowed repeatedly to Verr Goldet and the waiter. Then, she spun on her heel and bolted out the front doors. She sprinted down the dirt path toward Liyue Harbor, refusing to look over her shoulder, running as if the entire roster of Illuminated Adepti were hot on her heels.
Only after putting a massive distance between herself and the inn did Lovia finally slow to a halt, gasping for air.
“It is… it is over…” She patted her heaving chest, feeling the blood return to her face.
‘Conqueror of Demons, Adeptus Xiao, I know I was wrong. You are a magnanimous immortal, please do not hunt me down…’
She had no idea if Xiao would actually eat the Almond Tofu, or if the sweet taste would make him feel even slightly less murderous toward her. But she had made the effort. The gesture of atonement was out there in the universe.
The morning sun finally broke through the mist, casting a warm golden glow over the plains. Lovia patted her coin purse. It was significantly lighter, but her spirit soared.
“Alright. Crisis averted.” She pumped a fist into the air, her sapphire eyes sparkling with renewed life. “Next up… I am going straight home to stew those crabs. Time for a feast.”
She hummed a cheerful, off-key melody, her steps light and bouncy as she debated the merits of steaming the crabs versus tossing them in a spicy wok.
What Lovia did not know was that roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn down to ash after her frantic departure, the atmosphere on the top floor of Wangshu Inn shifted.
A sudden, sharp breeze swept across the high balcony, carrying the damp scent of the marshlands mixed with the heavy, suffocating metallic tang of Karmic Debt.
On the previously empty wooden terrace, a dark green silhouette materialized without a sound. His posture was rigid and upright, the complex emerald tattoo on his arm catching the morning sunlight.
Xiao stood in silence, his unreadable golden eyes locking onto the wooden food box resting alone on the small table.
He stepped forward, his boots making no sound against the wood, and unlatched the lid.
Inside sat three delicate porcelain bowls. The pristine white Almond Tofu rested within, radiating a faint, sweet fragrance that cut through the lingering scent of his burdens.
Tucked neatly beside the bowls was a small slip of paper. The handwriting was slightly hurried and messy, but perfectly legible.
‘To express apologies and respect. — A Reader.’Xiao stared at the word’apologies’ for a long, quiet moment.
He remembered that absurd manuscript from two days ago.
That ridiculous book had genuinely unsettled him. The sheer audacity of the contents had agitated his Karmic Debt last night, making the dark whispers far harder to suppress than usual.
The sensation of being studied, of having his height mocked and his relationship with the Geo Archon twisted into something unrecognizable, had left him uncharacteristically restless.
But the irritation had already faded into the wind.
Was this mortal reader truly feeling remorseful after laughing at an Adeptus?
Xiao let out an imperceptible breath.
He was not a deity who demanded tribute or worship from the mortals of Liyue. Yet, the quiet sincerity behind this gesture lingered in the sweet scent rising from the box.
Forget it.
For reasons he did not care to analyze, Xiao made a rare exception. He reached out, his gloved fingers wrapping around the cool porcelain of the first bowl.
He held no desire for the mundane pleasures of the mortal realm, but… indulging in a familiar taste just this once would not hurt.
The Yaksha turned his back to the sprawling, vibrant landscape of Liyue. He lowered his head and took a small, measured bite.
The cold, silky sweetness dissolved instantly against his tongue. It was a good dream.
He ate in total silence, accompanied only by the mournful wail of the high-altitude winds sweeping past the eaves.
When the first bowl was empty, he picked up the second. Soon, all three servings of Almond Tofu were gone.
Another sharp gust of Anemo energy swept across the terrace, scattering the lingering chill. The balcony was empty once more.
The apology had been received.